Arbuckle throws for two touchdowns to lead Argos past Bombers 41-24 in Grey Cup

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Shortly after sunset on Saturday, Rabbi Chaim Zippel clasped an overflowing cup of wine and a tin of smelling spices as he marked the end of the Sabbath with a small Jewish congregation at his home near Provo, which doubles as the county’s only synagogue.

The conclusion of the ceremony known as Havdalah set off a mad dash to change into blue and white fan gear and drive to the football stadium at nearby Brigham Young University, the Utah private school run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Zippel never expected to become a BYU fan, or even a football follower, but that changed when the school where 98.5% of students belong to the faith known widely as the Mormon church added its first Jewish quarterback to the roster.

With Jake Retzlaff at the helm, the Cougars won nine straight games in what was shaping up to be a storied season before a loss Saturday against the Kansas Jayhawks ended their undefeated run. Even so, BYU — ranked No. 14 in the AP Top 25 — could end the season at the top of the Big 12 Conference with a chance to make the College Football Playoff.

Retzlaff has earned a hero’s embrace by rabbis and others in Provo’s tiny but tight-knit Jewish community while also becoming a favorite of the broader BYU fan base that lovingly calls him the “BYJew.”

One of just three Jewish students in a student body of 35,000, the quarterback and team co-captain who worked his way into the starting lineup has used his newfound stardom to teach others about his own faith while taking steps to learn more about Judaism for himself.

“I came here thinking I might not fit in with the culture, so this will be a place where I can just focus on school and football,” Retzlaff told The Associated Press. “But I found that, in a way, I do fit. People are curious. And when everybody around you is so faith-oriented, it makes you want to explore your faith more.”

The junior college transfer from Corona, California, formed a fast friendship with the Utah rabbi when he came to BYU in 2023. The two began studying Judaism fundamentals each week in the campus library, which would help Retzlaff speak confidently about his faith in public and in his many required religion classes.

BYU undergraduates must take classes about the Book of Mormon, the gospel of Jesus Christ and the faith’s core belief that families can be together forever if marriages are performed in temples. Retzlaff said he was surprised to find many references to the Jewish people in the Book of Mormon. Some classmates and fans have even called him “the chosen one,” referring to both his success on the field and a Latter-day Saint belief that members of the Jewish faith are God’s chosen people.

“It’s a lot of respect, honestly. They’re putting me on a mantel sometimes, and I’m like, ‘Whoa guys, I don’t know about that,'” he said with a laugh.

Retzlaff, 21, has embraced becoming an ambassador for his faith in college football and in a state where only 0.2% of residents are Jewish. The redshirt junior wears a silver Star of David necklace on campus and attends dinners on Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, at the rabbi’s house during the offseason.

He led Utah County’s first public Hanukkah menorah lighting last year at Provo’s historic courthouse, brought a kosher food truck to a team weight training and wrapped tefillin with Zippel in the BYU stadium. The tefillin ritual performed by Jewish men involves strapping black boxes containing Torah verses to the arm and forehead as a way of connecting to God.

“I told Jake, I said, after doing this here, after connecting to God on your terms inside the stadium, no amount of pressure will ever get to you,” Zippel said. “I think there’s no greater example of finding your corner of the world where you’re supposed to make your impact and making that impact.”

Retzlaff is affiliated with the Reform denomination of Judaism, which melds Jewish tradition with modern sensibilities, often prioritizing altruistic values and personal choice over a strict interpretation of Jewish law. He plays football on Friday nights and Saturdays during Shabbat and says sports have become a way to connect with his faith and to inspire young Jewish athletes.

Among them is Hunter Smith, a 14-year-old high school quarterback from Chicago who flew to Utah with his dad, brother and a group of Jewish friends to watch Retzlaff play. The brothers sported Retzlaff’s No. 12 jerseys, and their father Cameron wore a “BYJew” T-shirt depicting Retzlaff emerging from a Star of David, the most recognizable symbol of the faith.

“Being the only Jewish quarterback in my area that I know of, I feel like I get to pave my own path in a way,” Smith said during Saturday’s game. “Jake’s the only Jewish quarterback in college football, so he’s someone I can relate to and is like a role model for me, someone I can really look up to.”

When Retzlaff lit Provo’s giant menorah last December, Zippel said he was touched to hear the quarterback speak about the importance of his visibility at a time when some Jewish students didn’t feel safe expressing their religious identity on their own campuses amid heightened antisemitism in the United States.

His presence has been especially impactful for BYU alumna Malka Moya, 30, who had struggled to navigate her intersecting identities on the campus as someone who is both Jewish and a Latter-day Saint.

“Jake feels very comfortable wearing his Star of David all the time,” said Moya, who lives near Provo. “I haven’t always been very comfortable with expressing my Jewish identity. But, more recently, I feel like if he can do it, I can do it.”

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen ran for a 26-yard touchdown on fourth down with 2:17 left, sealing the Buffalo Bills’ 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and handing the two-time defending Super Bowl champions their first loss of the season.

James Cook rushed for two touchdowns and Allen threw a 12-yard TD pass to Curtis Samuel for Buffalo (9-2), which closed the gap on Kansas City (9-1) in the race for the AFC’s top seed.

Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs were the NFL’s last undefeated team and finally ran out ways to eke out one-score victories and overcome second-half deficits. The Chiefs had won 15 straight, including playoffs, since they fell 20-14 to the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 17, 2023.

The Bills have won six straight and moved closer to their sixth straight AFC East title.

PACKERS 20, BEARS 19

CHICAGO (AP) —Jordan Love ran for a go-ahead touchdown in the closing minutes, and Green Bay hung on to beat Chicago when Karl Brooks blocked Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

The Packers (7-3) made just enough plays to avoid falling farther behind Detroit and Minnesota in the NFC North and beat the last-place Bears (4-6) for the 11th straight time, the longest streak by either team in the storied rivalry.

Love put Green Bay on top 20-19 when he scored from the 1 with 2:59 left. That touchdown was set up by a 60-yard pass to Christian Watson, who got up after making a lunging catch and ran all the way to the 14. The 2-point conversion failed.

Green Bay then sacked Caleb Williams on the first two plays of the next possession. The Bears regrouped and drove all the way to the 28, only to end a chaotic week with their fourth straight loss when Brooks got through the center of the line and blocked Santos’ kick.

The Bears fired offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on Tuesday and replaced him with passing game coordinator Thomas Brown, hoping to spark a unit that ranks among the worst in the NFL.

STEELERS 18, RAVENS 16

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Chris Boswell tied a franchise record with six field goals and Pittsburgh limited Lamar Jackson and the NFL’s top-ranked offense in a victory over Baltimore.

The Steelers (8-2) won their fifth straight behind Boswell and a defense that never let Jackson, Derrick Henry or the rest of the offense get into a rhythm, opening up a little breathing room atop the AFC North.

Baltimore (7-4) was held to season lows in points and yards (329) while committing 12 penalties and turning the ball over three times — each miscue leading to a Boswell field goal — as Pittsburgh won for the seventh time in its last eight meetings in a rivalry that remains as chippy as ever.

Jackson completed just 16 of 33 for 207 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He hit Zay Flowers for a 16-yard score with 1:06 left to get the Ravens within two but the 2-point conversion attempt was a mess. Jackson rolled to his left, tried to run then pulled up and threw a prayer to no one in particular that fell incomplete.

LIONS 52, JAGUARS 6

DETROIT (AP) — Jared Goff threw two of his four touchdown passes to Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for three rushing touchdowns, as Detroit routes Jacksonville.

The NFC-leading Lions (9-1) have won eight straight and nine of their first 10 games in a season for the first time since 1934.

Detroit’s winning margin of 46 points was the largest in franchise history, and it handed Jacksonville its biggest-ever defeat. The Lions also set a franchise record in total yards with 644.

The Jaguars (2-9) have lost four consecutive games for the second time this season and 14 of 17 since last year, a series of slumps that may cost coach Doug Pederson his job.

SAINTS 35, BROWNS 14

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Taysom Hill capped a 138-yard, three-touchdown performance on the ground with a 75-yard scoring run, and New Orleans improved to 2-0 under interim coach Darren Rizzi with a victory over Cleveland.

Hill’s two other touchdowns went for 10 and 33 yards — the second on fourth and short — to more than balance out his two turnovers on an interception and fumble. The 34-year-old Hill also moved into ninth place in franchise history with 44 total TDs, four behind receiver Eric Martin.

Hill also completed an 18-yard pass and returned a kickoff 42 yards.

Derek Carr passed for 248 yards and two touchdowns for New Orleans (4-7), highlighted by Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s 71-yard catch and run on a short crossing route.

Jameis Winston passed for 395 yards and two TDs for the Browns (2-8) in his return to the city he called home for the previous four NFL seasons.

RAMS 28, PATRIOTS 22

FOXBOROUGH, Mass (AP) — Matthew Stafford threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns, including a 69-yard score to Cooper Kupp on the second play of the second half to help Los Angeles pull away and beat New England.

New England trailed 14-10 after Rams kicker Joshua Karty’s 26-yard field-goal attempt at the end of the first half clanged off the right upright. Los Angeles received the kick to start the second half, and on second down Stafford found Kupp near midfield; Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones dove for the pass and missed, leaving no one between Kupp and the end zone.

The Patriots drove into Los Angeles territory, with a first-and-goal from the Rams 5, but settled for a field goal. On the Rams’ next possession, Stafford found Colby Parkinson in the corner of the end zone to make it 28-13.

A missed extra point and a false start on fourth-and-1 doomed two Patriots’ attempts to come back. New England got the ball back at its own 10 with 2:14 left and one timeout for one last try, but Kamren Kinchens intercepted Drake Maye to ice it.

DOLPHINS 34, RAIDERS 19

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa threw three touchdown passes, De’Von Achane ran for a score, and Miami beat Las Vegas to win their second straight game.

It was another strong victory for the Dolphins (4-6), who have not matched their offensive fireworks from last season but are coming off a gritty Monday night win over the Rams. The Raiders (2-8) lost their sixth straight game.

Tagovailoa led the Dolphins down the field with long, methodical drives — three of them more than seven minutes — that all ended in scores, as Miami scored 30 points for the first time this season.

Tagovailoa completed 28 of 36 passes for 288 yards with touchdowns of 1 and 57 yards to tight end Jonnu Smith, and an 8-yard TD to receiver Tyreek Hill. Hill caught seven passes for 61 yards and has scored in consecutive games for the first time this season. Smith had a season-high 101 yards receiving.

The Raiders trailed 24-14 in the fourth quarter after Achane ran for a 2-yard score that added to his 17 carries for 73 yards.

COLTS 28, JETS 27

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Anthony Richardson ran for a 4-yard touchdown, his second of the game, with 46 seconds left in his return to the starting role to lift Indianapolis to a victory over Aaron Rodgers and New York.

With the Jets leading 27-22 after Anders Carlson’s 35-yard field goal with 2:41 remaining, Richardson — benched for two games in favor of Joe Flacco — marched the Colts down the field.

He connected with Alec Pierce for 39 yards and then Josh Downs for 17 yards to put the ball at the 10. Three plays later, Richardson took off to the right and ran into the end zone for the go-ahead score. Jonathan Taylor was stuffed on the 2-point try — giving Rodgers and the Jets one last chance, but with no timeouts left.

Rodgers was sacked by Kwity Paye and fumbled on the first play, but the Jets recovered. After Hall had an 11-yard catch and a delay-of-game penalty was called on the Colts’ E.J. Speed, Rodgers was sacked again by Paye — sealing the win for the Colts (5-6), who snapped a three-game skid.

VIKINGS 23, TITANS 13

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Sam Darnold overcame an early fumble by throwing for 246 yards and two touchdowns and running for a score and Minnesota beats Tennessee.

Darnold had been picked off five times over the previous two games, matching his total over the first seven games of the season. Then his toss to Aaron Jones on the Vikings’ third offensive play was fumbled and recovered by Jeffery Simmons for the Titans.

The quarterback answered right back to help the Vikings (8-2) win their third straight and improve to 5-0 against AFC teams this season. He found Jordan Addison for a 47-yard catch-and-run touchdown as the Vikings didn’t trail again as they scored 16 straight for a 16-3 halftime lead.

Andrew Van Ginkel had his two sacks on back-to-back plays as Minnesota finished with five. Pat Jones II also had two. Harrison Smith clinched the win with an interception with 1:50 left, giving the Vikings’ fans that turned this into a near home game another reason to celebrate chanting “SKOL.”

BRONCOS 38, FALCONS

DENVER (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 307 yards and a season-best four touchdowns, Javonte Williams got a push across the goal line from a half-dozen of his teammates, and Denver rolled past Atlanta.

Nix, who was 28 for 33, joined Hall of Famer Peyton Manning as the only rookie QBs in NFL history to throw for 200-plus yards with two or more touchdowns in four consecutive home games.

The Broncos (6-5) snapped a two-game skid and made it an unhappy homecoming for safety Justin Simmons, who spent his first eight seasons in Denver before the Broncos unloaded his $18.5 million salary last winter. Simmons signed a one-year, $7.5 million deal with the Falcons (6-5), who have lost two in a row.

Simmons had five tackles and tried to stop Williams at the 5-yard line, holding his ground for a second or two as reinforcements arrived from both teams for a shoving match that resembled a rugby scrum. The Broncos won it when they shoved Williams into the end zone to complete his 14-yard scoring run that gave Denver an early 14-3 lead.

SEAHAWKS 20, 49ERS 17

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Geno Smith scored on a 13-yard scramble with 12 seconds remaining and Seattle snapped a six-game losing streak against San Francisco with a victory.

Smith completed seven of eight passes for 65 yards to get the Seahawks (5-5) in position to score after taking over at their 20 with 2:38 remaining. He then ran it in against a depleted defense for the 49ers (5-5) that sorely missed injured edge rusher Nick Bosa on the final drive.

The win moved Seattle into a three-way tie for second place in the NFC West with San Francisco and the Rams, a game behind Arizona. The Niners have lost three division games, blowing fourth-quarter leads in all of them after dropping games earlier this season to the Rams and Cardinals.

CHARGERS 34, BENGALS 27

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — J.K. Dobbins rushed for a 29-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining, and Los Angeles beat Cincinnati after squandering a 21-point third-quarter lead.

Justin Herbert passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 65 yards as the Chargers (7-3) won their fourth straight. Dobbins ran for two TDs.

Joe Burrow passed for 356 yards and three touchdowns, but the Bengals (4-7) suffered another excruciating loss. They have five defeats by seven points or fewer.

After its offense stalled for most of the second half, Los Angeles went 84 yards on four plays in 26 seconds on the decisive drive. Ladd McConkey, who had six receptions for a career-high 123 yards, had 28- and 27-yard grabs before Dobbins scored his eighth touchdown of the season.

Dobbins also scored from 1 yard out in the second quarter to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 21-6. He finished with 56 yards on 11 carries.

Burrow got Cincinnati to the Chargers 43 in the final seconds with a 27-yard completion, but his final two throws fell incomplete. Derwin James Jr. leaped at the goal line and batted down a Hail Mary headed right for Tee Higgins on the final play.

VANCOUVER – The Grey Cup hadn’t yet kicked off on Sunday when Toronto Argonauts head coach Ryan Dinwiddie told wide receiver Dejon Brissett he was proud of him.

By the end of the night, Dinwiddie had a lot more to be proud of.

Brissett amassed 45 passing yards, including a key touchdown, as the Argos topped the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41-24 to win the CFL championship. The 28-year-old athlete from Mississauga, Ont., was named the game’s most valuable Canadian.

“I told him in warmups, he was my first draft pick, how proud I am of his growth,” Dinwiddie said. “He proved me right.

“Injuries, unfortunately he had that early in the year kind of slowed his season, as far as production, down. But he’s great for our locker room. He works hard, takes hard coaching.”

Picked second overall in the 2020 draft, the six-foot-one, 195-pound Virginia product has played all four seasons of his CFL career in Toronto.

Brissett’s performance on Sunday followed a tough season where he missed more than three months of games with a knee injury.

He finished regular season play with 171 passing yards and three touchdowns, well off the career-high 594 yards and five touchdowns he logged in 2023.

“This whole season, there was a bunch of ups and downs, but … our locker room, we believed in ourselves,” Brissett said. “Offence, defence, special teams, we all feed off each other and we got it done in the end.”

The 28-year-old athlete’s biggest play of the Grey Cup came midway through the fourth quarter when he reeled in a 17-yard pass from quarterback Nick Arbuckle in the end zone.

“I think that play, we ran it a bunch of times in practice. We ran it last week in the Eastern final,” Brissett said. “Nick walked me through the timing he wants for it, we watched the film and he told me exactly how he wanted it and I did it exactly how he told me to do it. And it paid off.”

Arbuckle was named the Grey Cup’s most valuable player. The 31-year-old American stepped into the starter’s spot after Toronto’s Chad Kelly broke his ankle in the East Division final win over the Montreal Alouettes.

Arbuckle passed for 252 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions on Sunday.

“Nick Arbuckle is a professional football player,” Brissett said of the QB. “He is locked in since he came to this locker room. He’s very detail-oriented.

“He’s like a third coach on the field, right? So we did this for him, and I’m glad he was able to get it done.”

Both players said their individual awards said more about their team’s performance.

Brissett admitted, though, that being named the Grey Cup’s most valuable Canadian “means everything.”

“This is a great Canadian game. I’m proud to be Canadian,” he said.

The achievement means even more because it came in a game where his mom, dad and brother, former Toronto Raptor Oshae Brissett, were all in the stands.

The Grey Cup marks the second time this year that the Brissett family has celebrated a major sports championship after Oshae Brissett won the NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in June.

“We’re hardly ever in the same place at the same time, so to come together in this environment, and to be celebrating the win like that, it means everything,” Dejon Brissett said. “It means the world.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.