NW Sports from the AP

Date: 01/13/2015 05:00 AM

AP-NW–1st SportsMinute/270
Here is the latest Washington, Oregon and Alaska sports news from The Associated Press

SEATTLE (AP) – Former major league utility player Pat Listach is going to be the new manager of the Seattle Mariners Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, Washington. The Mariners announced their minor league coaching assignments on Monday. Listach was the third base coach for the Houston Astros last season and has experience on the major league coaching staffs in Washington and with the Chicago Cubs.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) – Packers coach Mike McCarthy will give his team a head start out West to prepare for the NFC title game against the Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay plans to leave for Seattle on Friday, one day ahead of when the team would usually fly out for Sunday road games.

ATLANTA (AP) – With Rex Ryan no longer an option, three defensive coordinators, including Arizona’s Todd Bowles, may lead the Atlanta Falcons’ coach search. The Falcons are expected to conduct second interviews with Bowles and Detroit’s Teryl Austin this week. The team must wait for a follow-up meeting with Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is off-limits this week as the Seahawks prepare for the NFC championship game.

RENTON, Wash. (AP) – The Seattle Seahawks expect center Max Unger and cornerback Byron Maxwell to be fine for Sunday’s NFC championship game versus Green Bay. Seattle coach Pete Carroll said Monday that Unger appeared to be fine after having the back of his legs rolled up on in the fourth quarter of the Seahawks’ win over Carolina on Saturday. Maxwell was ill last week and was limited to just four snaps on special teams. Carroll said it seems like Maxwell has recovered.

 

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.