The NFL says the number of concussions in practices and games in the preseason and regular season dropped 13 percent from 2012 to 2013. Using information collected from team doctors, the league also says there was a 23 percent decrease over the past two seasons in the number of concussions caused by helmet-to-helmet contact. Speaking at a pre-Super Bowl news conference Thursday, Jeff Miller, the league's senior VP of health and safety policy, calls the data ''positive trends.'' Some players have expressed concern that the NFL's emphasis on decreasing hits to the head could lead to more low hits and more knee injuries.

Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. He talked for less than 7 minutes at both media day on Tuesday and the media session at the team hotel on Wednesday. ''Real good.'' Lynch limited his answers to football-related questions, all with Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson by his side. Lynch's aversion to speaking with the media had become a major focal point as the Seahawks started their preparations for Sunday's game against Denver.

Michael Schumacher's doctors have started trying to wake up the former Formula Champion from the medically induced coma he's been in since a skiing accident last month, his manager said Thursday. The 45-year-old Schumacher suffered serious head injuries when he fell and hit the right side of his head on a rock in the French resort of Meribel on Dec. 29.

For nearly 9 minutes, Arizona made defensive stop after stop. In that critical sequence, the top-ranked Wildcats held Stanford scoreless and helped preserve their perfect start to the season. For Arizona, three straight defensive stops is called a ''kill.'' Nick Johnson kept Arizona's unblemished record going for another game, hitting a go-ahead 3-pointer with 51 seconds remaining and two free throws with 5.8 seconds left as Arizona survived for a 60-57 victory Wednesday night for its school-record 21st straight win. Our defense won the game tonight,'' Arizona coach Sean Miller said.

When the Edmonton Oilers traded for goalie Ben Scrivens on Jan. 15, they hoped he would help bring some consistency to the position. Scrivens stopped 59 shots, an NHL regular-season record for saves in a shutout, leading the Oilers to a 3-0 victory over the San Jose Sharks. ''Hats off to the goaltender, he was tremendous,'' said San Jose coach Todd McLellan. We attempted 100 shots on goal, that doesn't happen very often.'' Scrivens topped the previous mark set by Phoenix's Mike Smith, who stopped 54 shots in a 2-0 victory over Columbus on April 3, 2012.