EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. --  Lawrence Tynes' game winning field goal had barely cleared the uprights when the Falcons started trudging off the field.Some went straight for the locker room, others to shake hands while others just grouped in circles, perhaps wondering where did that 4-1 start go.

Detroit -- Matthew Stafford was flat on his back, getting his left shoulder evaluated on the sideline by the Detroit Lions medical staff.The Cleveland Browns called a timeout and gave the rookie a chance to get back in the game.Stafford, a former University of Georgia star, threw his fifth touchdown pass from 1 yard to Brandon Pettigrew and Jason Hanson's extra point with no time on the clock gave Detroit a thrilling 38-37 win over Cleveland on Sunday.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.—Brent Grimes’ voice was barely a whisper.But no megaphone was needed to convey his disappointment.“The big plays, they hurt us today.,” Grimes said Sunday after the Falcons’ 34-31 overtime loss to the Giants.The Falcons (5-5) were repeatedly burned by what had been a struggling Giants’ (6-4) offense.

It has become a pattern and it is a disturbing one.Thrashers coach John Anderson goes so far as to call it an embarrassment.The Thrashers fell behind early in yet another game, this time by two goals -- twice -- en route to a 4-3 overtime loss to division rival Tampa Bay Sunday at Philips Arena.

Homestead, Fla. -- Jimmie Johnson never let up in pursuit of a NASCAR record fourth consecutive championship.This was no easy Sunday drive for the most dominant driver of this decade, even though Johnson needed only a 25th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway to hold off teammate Mark Martin in the race for the Sprint Cup title.

Iowa and Penn State ended their seasons eligible for an at-large BCS selection, and Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech are also in position to become eligible for big-money bowl bids.The top seven teams in the BCS standings released Sunday were unchanged from last week, with Florida, Alabama and Texas still in control of the destinies in the national championship race.

Before the fifth-place game of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt told backup Zachery Peacock that he would need to contribute two 3-pointers against Boston University.Peacock delivered without a hitch, going 2 for 2 beyond the arc.

Hawks guard Mike Bibby's sprained left ankle is very sore, but he is "day to day," team spokesman Arthur Triche said Sunday. Bibby was injured in the the first quarter and played just five minutes of the Hawks' 96-88 loss to New Orleans Saturday night.

• Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta • When: 8 p.m. Saturday • TV: WSB

What it means to me

Athens -- All season, turnovers have been the biggest of the Georgia football team's assorted problems -- but never bigger  than in the second half of the Bulldogs' home finale Saturday night.Georgia blew a 20-6 halftime lead and lost to Kentucky 34-27 in Sanford Stadium, principally because of four second-half turnovers.

ATHENS -- Just when it looked like the clouds were beginning to part for the Georgia defense, Kentucky struck with a true freshman quarterback and a playmaker in the backfield.After holding the Wildcats to 63 yards and six points in the first half Saturday, the Bulldogs defense was immediately backed up against its goal line after a fumble on the second half's opening kickoff.

ATHENS -- Orson Charles doesn't move like a tight end (no offense), he doesn't catch like a tight end (no offense) and he doesn't wear the number of a tight end (that's just math).But Charles, No. 7, plays tight end for Georgia, and he played it well Saturday night.

Atlanta starting guard Mike Bibby sprained his left ankle in the first quarter of the Hawks' game in New Orleans on Saturday night.Bibby appeared to roll the ankle while coming down from a jump shot about five minutes into the game. Team officials said he would not return.

The Thrashers didn’t quite measure up.Facing the test of playing the defending Stanley Cup champions, the Thrashers lost 3-2 to Pittsburgh at Philips Arena on Saturday.The Thrashers fell behind by three goals and made yet another furious comeback with two third-period goals.

UGA's leading scorer Thompkins (19.5 points per game) managed just four points.

Rookie Darren Collison had 22 points and 11 assists for his first double-double, and the New Orleans Hornets won their third straight while snapping the Atlanta Hawks' seven-game winning streak, 96-88 on Saturday night.Fellow rookie Marcus Thornton scored 21 for the resurgent Hornets, who made 12 of 17 3-point attempts.

ATHENS -- There will be an Uga VIII. Just who he is and when he arrives are the questions. Uga VII, the latest in a 54-year line of English bulldog mascots to represent the University of Georgia, passed away suddenly of heart complications Thursday at his home in Savannah.

Thrashers forward has had at least one point in 14 of 17 games.

Clemson, S.C. -- C.J. Spiller scored a touchdown Saturday in his final game at Death Valley and No. 18 Clemson beat Virginia 34-21 on the day the Tigers wrapped up their first trip to the Atlantic Coast Conference title game.The Tigers (8-3, 6-2 ACC) won their sixth straight game, but had the Atlantic Division wrapped up as they kicked off thanks to North Carolina's 31-13 victory against Boston College.

Athens -- Uga VII, Georgia's beloved bulldog mascot who died unexpectedly on Thursday, will be honored on the helmets of UGA  players at tonight's game against Kentucky.The players will wear black dog-bone decals on their helmets bearing Uga VII's name in white lettering.

Atlanta has expressed interest in free agent Mark DeRosa, a former Braves infielder.

When the NBA and TNT met last spring to discuss the regular-season schedule, one topic of discussion was the Thanksgiving Day game.John Vandegrift, vice president for sports-program planning at Turner Sports, called it one of the “showcase games” of the network’s Thursday night broadcast schedule.

FLOWERY BRANCH -- Falcons running back Michael Turner, who has not practiced since suffering a high right ankle sprain last Sunday, was listed as "doubtful" Friday for Sunday's game against the New York Gaints.The team released its NFL-mandated injury report.

Georgia Tech football coach Paul Johnson signed a one-year contract extension Friday that ties him to Tech through 2016.Johnson has led the No. 7 Yellow Jackets to a 10-1 record this season and a spot in the ACC championship game in Tampa on Dec. 5. He has a 19-5 record in less than two seasons at Tech.

Jackets' junior had 18 points and 14 rebounds in the consolation round of the Puerto Rico Tip-Off.