The Atlanta Falcons' search for a defensive coordinator now includes a former interim head coach for an NFC South Division rival.

The Carolina Panthers find themselves in desperate need of receiving help heading into the NFL offseason, as Adam Thielen could be done in Carolina, and Xavier

First Period_1, Pittsburgh, Hayes 5 (O'Connor), 3:47. 2, Pittsburgh, Bunting 12 (Karlsson, Rust), 5:08. Penalties_Lizotte, PIT (Cross Checking), 17:58. Second Period ...

First Period_1, Pittsburgh, Hayes 5 (O'Connor), 3:47. 2, Pittsburgh, Bunting 12 (Karlsson, Rust), 5:08. Second Period_3, Carolina, Jarvis 10 (Aho), 4:15. 4, Carolina ...

Pittsburgh's problems on offense don't stop under center. The Steelers spent the entire season searching for another wide receiver to play alongside George Pickens but failed to find a consistent option. Pickens was under a lot of pressure, and most of the time, he cracked.

Tomlin was named the Steelers' head coach in 2007. He took over for Bill Cowher, who coached from 1992 to 2006 and won the 2006 Super Bowl with Pittsburgh. When he stepped down as head coach, Cower left with a 12-9 playoff record, winning at least one playoff game in eight of the 10 times he led the Steelers to the playoffs.

Kennesaw St. at Sam Houston St., 7:30 p.m. North Florida at Cent. Arkansas, 7:30 p.m. SE Louisiana at East Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. Texas Rio Grande Valley at Incarnate Word, 7:30 p.m.

Radio/TV

A look at the day's live sporting events on television.

No. 3 Notre Dame (15-2) beat No. 17 Georgia Tech 81-66. Next: vs. SMU, Sunday. No. 4 Southern Cal (16-1) did not play. Next: at Indiana, Sunday.

All Times EST No. 2 South Carolina (16-1) at No. 19 Alabama (16-2), 7 p.m. No. 3 Notre Dame (14-2) vs. No. 17 Georgia Tech (15-2), 6 p.m. No. 7 Texas (16-2) at Auburn (9-8), 7 p.m. No. 9 Ohio St.

NFL PLAYOFFS: 4:30 p.m. — Houston at Kansas City in AFC divisional round (ABC, ESPN); 8 p.m. — Washington at Detroit in AFC divisional round (Fox). NHL: 12:30 p.m. — Philadelphia at New Jersey (NHL Network);