PRO FOOTBALL
HOUSTON (AP) A person familiar with J.J. Watt’s condition said the Houston Texans’ star defensive lineman had back surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the season.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team hasn’t announced the surgery.
Watt was placed on injured reserve Wednesday with a back injury.
It’s his second back surgery in two months after he missed training camp and Houston’s four preseason games after surgery in July to repair a herniated disk. He started each of the team’s three regular-season games and was hurt again last Thursday night against the New England Patriots.
CINCINNATI (AP) – Bengals receiver A.J. Green followed his disappointing game with a dominating one – 173 yards and a touchdown – and the Cincinnati defense that was inspired by Vontaze Burfict’s return clamped down on the Miami Dolphins for a 22-7 victory.
The Bengals (2-2) rebounded from a 29-17 home loss to Denver on Sunday with a solid all-around game against a depleted team.
Green led the way, beating the Dolphins (1-3) on every type of route. He was upset with himself after he dropped a pivotal third-down pass and failed to make an impact against the Broncos.
During the first three quarters, Green had 166 yards on catches while Miami had 152 total yards. The Bengals’ season-long problem of stalling out near the goal line forced them to settle for Mike Nugent’s season-high five field goals.
GOLF
CHASKA, Minn. (AP) – Europe is sending the Olympic gold and silver medalists out for the first match of the Ryder Cup.
Justin Rose (gold) and Henrik Stenson (silver) are in the opening foursomes match Friday against Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed. Stenson and Rose won all three of their matches in 2014 at Gleneagles, while Spieth and Reed went 2-0-1 as a team.
Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler will play together for the first time since 2010 at Wales. They will face Rory McIlroy and Andy Sullivan, one of six European rookies. The only other rookie in the opening session is Thomas Pieters, who will partner with Lee Westwood in the final match against Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar.
The third match is Jimmy Walker and Zach Johnson against Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – The ACC is moving its 2016 football championship to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium.
Orlando emerged as a possible location for the Dec. 3 game after the ACC joined other sports leagues in pulling out of North Carolina amid backlash over controversial state House Bill 2.
The law requires transgender people to use restrooms at schools and government buildings corresponding to the sex on their birth certificates. It also excludes gender identity and sexual orientation from local and statewide antidiscrimination protections.
The ACC Championship Game had been scheduled to played in Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium.
HOCKEY
TORONTO (AP) – Brad Marchand scored a short-handed goal with 43.1 seconds left and Canada beat Team Europe 2-1 to win the World Cup of Hockey.
The Canadians won the best-of-three finals 2-0.
Patrice Bergeron tied it with a power-play goal with 2:53 left in the third, and Marchand won it with a shot from the slot.
Europe seemed as if it had a chance to score late when Drew Doughty was called for high-sticking with just under 2 minutes left, but Canada was the team that took advantage when Marchand got the puck into open space and beat Halak with a shot to win the first World Cup since 2004.
BASEBALL
MIAMI (AP) – Miami Marlins ace Jose Fernandez was remembered as a larger than life figure during a homily at his funeral.
”Jose was too good for this league,” the Rev. Jose Alvarez said. ”He’s a going to a higher league.”
Fernandez, a 24-year-old, two-time All-Star, died early Sunday along with two friends in a boating accident off Miami Beach.
His funeral service lasted more than two hours. Those in attendance included Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, current and former Marlins players and two hall-of-famers, Marlins executives Tony Perez and Andre Dawson.
The private service drew about 300 mourners, who nearly filled the large sanctuary at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Miami.
