LOS ANGELES (AP) — Right when the Los Angeles Rams’ offense has dropped into a disconcerting slump, their defense has held three straight opponents under 10 points for the first time in decades. Although the Rams (10-6) are closing in on an NFC West title and another playoff berth with a five-game winning streak, the way they’re doing it makes their postseason prospects quite unpredictable. The methodology has been strange, but the results are not: After holding off Arizona 13-9 on Saturday night, Los Angeles has won nine of 11 and is very close to claiming its fourth division title and sixth playoff berth in coach Sean McVay’s eight seasons. “I’m proud of this group and the way they battled back,” Matthew Stafford said. “A lot of people doubted us, and a lot of people wrote us off at 1-4. To be able to sit here with our record what it is right now, I feel proud of this group.” The Rams hadn’t held three straight opponents to single-digit scoring since 1975, but rookie coordinator Chris Shula’s defense has done it with a strong front and a little luck on the back end, including the last-minute interception by Ahkello Witherspoon on a pass that deflected off star Arizona tight end Trey McBride’s head at the goal line. Kyler Murray threw it before McBride was probably ready because Shula had called a zero blitz on first down at the Los Angeles 5. RELATED COVERAGE Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing and moves within 100 of Dickerson’s record Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. scores again as Jaguars beat Titans 20-13 for rare series sweep Eagles QB Kenny Pickett forced out against Cowboys with injured ribs “I want to make more plays to make sure they don’t have to do as much as they did (against Arizona), but I’m proud of them,” Stafford said of the Rams’ defense. “It’s awesome to watch where they were in training camp to where they are now. Shula is doing a hell of a job. We all knew he would. Those guys are playing hard for him.” But the Rams have scored more than 21 points just once during their five-game winning streak, their longest since their Super Bowl championship season in 2021. They’ve managed only three touchdowns in their last three games while scoring fewer than 20 points each time out, although that stretch includes games played in the rain (San Francisco) and in subfreezing temperatures (New York Jets). Against the Cardinals in Inglewood’s ideal weather, the Rams’ offense still produced one TD, a season-worst 12 first downs and only 257 total yards — 139 fewer than Arizona. The running game struggled again, as it often does when all five starting offensive linemen aren’t healthy, while the entire roster aside from Puka Nacua combined for just seven receptions for 60 yards — a surprising number for a McVay offense. “I don’t think there’s one thing I can point to,” McVay said Sunday. “I could go on and on about some of the things, starting with me, but then also about our execution in terms of getting connected in the run game, targeting the right way, making sure that the ball is going where it should go, and guys that I know are capable of playing the way that we’ve seen. If they do that, then I know that it’s not as far as sometimes it can feel like. But ultimately, we’ve got to do it.” What’s working The young front four remains the strength of the defense. Jared Verse had a tremendous game on the edge against Murray and Arizona’s running game, while fellow rookie Braden Fiske and second-year pros Kobie Turner and Byron Young all recorded sacks. What needs help The Rams again failed to establish the running game despite never trailing Arizona. Kyren Williams got his second-fewest carries of the season (13, with just five in the second half), while rookie Blake Corum was barely involved. Los Angeles’ 3.9 yards per rush is the second-lowest mark in the NFL even though Williams began Sunday third in the league with 1,299 yards. Stock up Witherspoon not only made the game-saving interception, but the eight-year veteran who went unsigned until September also has seized the starting cornerback job from Cobie Durant, who didn’t play on defense against the Cards despite being healthy again. McVay said Witherspoon’s play during Durant’s brief injury absence resulted in the change. Stock down Cooper Kupp had one catch against Arizona, and he has just 12 receptions in the past five games, matching the least productive five-game stretch of his eight-year career. Stafford has said the Rams need to get their Super Bowl 56 MVP more involved, and Kupp says he’s healthy — yet it isn’t happening. Injuries McVay believes the Rams stayed healthy outside of a stinger for rookie safety Kam Kinchens, but they felt the absence of RT Rob Havenstein, who injured his shoulder last week during an unpadded practice. Backup Joe Noteboom committed three holding penalties and got beaten repeatedly. Key number 4 — Stafford’s consecutive games without taking a sack. That’s the longest streak of his 16-year career, yet he has only one 200-yard passing game in that stretch. Next steps The Rams began Sunday preparing as if they’ll play the Seahawks (9-7) next Saturday, although the game could happen a day later. McVay won’t show his cards, but if the Rams have clinched, they seem likely to rest several regulars for the playoffs. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFLDiscovering the Future's Emerging Forces, Collaborating on New Digital Ecology - Award Ceremony for 2024 Global Internet Competition of "Straight to Wuzhen" Concluded Successfully
Week 13 features only three games between two teams with winning records. All three matchups are on Sunday. Saquon Barkley and Derrick Henry face off when the streaking Philadelphia Eagles (9-2) take on the Baltimore Ravens (8-4) in a potential Super Bowl preview. Barkley leads the NFL with 1,392 yards rushing and Henry is next at 1,325. The Los Angeles Chargers (7-4) visit the Atlanta Falcons (6-5) in a matchup between first-year coaches who’ve turned their teams around. Two surprise teams meet when the Minnesota Vikings (9-2) host the Arizona Cardinals (6-5). It’s a full schedule with no byes, beginning with three games on Thanksgiving and another on Black Friday. Five road teams are favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Pro Picks aims for another winning week. Line: Cowboys minus 3 1/2 The Giants are a total mess. General manager Joe Schoen and coach Brian Daboll are barely hanging onto their jobs. Drew Lock could become the third starting QB in three games. Standout rookie receiver Malik Nabers called his team “soft” after they played like a group that’s quit last week. The Cowboys aren’t much better, though they fought hard in an upset win at Washington. Cooper Rush had his best game filling in for Dak Prescott. A soft schedule has Dallas thinking the playoffs aren’t out of reach. The Cowboys can’t overlook New York. They’re 0-6 in their past six home games but have won seven straight matchups vs. the Giants. BEST BET: COWBOYS: 26-17 Line: Rams minus 2 1/2 The Saints are 2-0 under interim coach Darren Rizzi and are coming off a bye with a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive. An offense that was unstoppable in the first two games this season is getting back on track thanks to an improved run game and back-to-back sharp outings from Derek Carr. Alvin Kamara should be excited to get the ball against the Rams, who just gave up 255 yards rushing to Saquon Barkley. Los Angeles needs to protect Matthew Stafford better and give him time to get the ball to Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. UPSET SPECIAL: SAINTS: 24-23 Line: Lions minus 9 1/2 The Lions have lost seven straight games on Thanksgiving, including three times to the Bears. It would be a major upset if that happens again. Detroit has won nine straight games since losing to Tampa Bay in Week 2. The Lions are not only winning but dominating opponents with six victories by a double-digit margin during their streak. Jared Goff leads a prolific offense while the defense hasn’t allowed a touchdown the past two games. The Bears are trying to snap a five-game losing streak. Caleb Williams hasn’t thrown a pick in 193 passes. Detroit is 15-3 against the spread in its past 18 division games and 8-1 ATS in the past nine games overall this season. LIONS: 31-19 Line: Packers minus 3 1/2 Tua Tagovailoa suffered a season-ending concussion the previous time the Dolphins faced Green Bay on Christmas Day in 2022. He has 11 TDs and only one interception in the five games since returning from his latest concussion and has led Miami to three straight wins. The Packers face a tough test in the middle of a stretch where they play three games in a 12-day span with a showdown against the Lions looming next Thursday. Jordan Love has bounced back from two rough games to play two solid ones. He’ll face a strong challenge against Miami’s top-10 defense. PACKERS: 23-21 Line: Chiefs minus 13 The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs keep finding ways to win barely. They’ve won 12 straight games decided by seven points or fewer, the longest streak in NFL history, and have won five games decided on the final play this season. Patrick Mahomes is the difference-maker in many of the close ones. Kansas City could use a rout. The struggling Raiders provide an opportunity for a lopsided victory. Las Vegas has lost seven straight and lost quarterback Gardner Minshew last week. The team will turn to Aidan O’Connell back off injured reserve to start on Black Friday. The Chiefs are due for an easy one, but they’re 0-5 ATS in the past five games. CHIEFS: 27-16 Line: Chargers minus 2 The Chargers hit the road on a short week after losing the “Harbowl” at home to the Ravens. Their offense could be without running back J.K. Dobbins and the defense has allowed 57 points in the past two games after giving up just 13.6 per game the previous five. Meanwhile, the rested Falcons are coming off a bye and eager to snap a two-game losing streak to maintain their hold on first place in the NFC South. FALCONS: 23-22 Line: Bengals minus 3 The AFC North-leading Steelers are road underdogs following a road loss at Cleveland. Russell Wilson has been hitting his deep throws but needs better protection. A usually stingy defense that couldn’t make stops against Jameis Winston in the snow now has to contain Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The underachieving Bengals need to stack wins to have any shot at climbing back into the playoff race. Cincinnati is 1-3 ATS as a home favorite this season. BENGALS: 24-23 Line: Vikings minus 3 1/2 Stout defense and solid play by QB Sam Darnold has helped Minnesota become the surprise team in the NFL this season. Only the Lions and Chiefs have a better record. The Cardinals are in a four-way battle in the NFC West. A disappointing offensive performance led to their four-game winning streak being snapped. It won’t be easy for Kyler Murray and Co. to score against the Vikings. VIKINGS: 23-17 Line: Colts minus 2 1/2 It’s no longer Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning in this rivalry. Anthony Richardson and Drake Maye go head-to-head in a matchup between young QBs taken in the top five of the draft over the past two seasons. The Colts can’t get their offense and defense to play well in the same game. That could turn around against the lowly Patriots. COLTS: 20-16 Line: Seahawks minus 2 Geno Smith faces the team that drafted him after turning his career around on his fourth stop and going to the Pro Bowl the past two seasons. The Seahawks are fighting for the playoffs while the Jets have fallen apart. Their coach and GM already have been fired. Aaron Rodgers’ future is uncertain. Yet, the team still has plenty of talent. SEAHAWKS: 20-17 Line: Commanders minus 6 Jayden Daniels and the Commanders have hit a detour on their road to the playoffs, losing three straight games. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury’s offense has stalled during Washington’s recent skid. The Titans are coming off a big upset in Houston and Will Levis has asserted himself since returning from an injury a month ago. Tennessee has the No. 2 defense in the league so it’ll be tough for Daniels and the Commanders to get back on track in this one. COMMANDERS: 24-17 Line: Texans minus 4 1/2 C.J. Stroud and the Texans are having some issues this season. Not even close to Jacksonville’s troubles, though. The Jaguars could have Trevor Lawrence back after he missed two games. That won’t be enough. Houston has won 11 of the past 13 games vs. Jacksonville. The Texans are 2-6 ATS in their past eight games vs. AFC opponents. The Jaguars are 4-1 ATS in their past five games. TEXANS: 24-20 Line: Buccaneers minus 6 Panthers coach Dave Canales has the team playing better and Bryce Young is showing some of the potential that made him a No. 1 overall pick. Canales’ familiarity with Baker Mayfield and Tampa Bay’s offense should help Carolina’s defense. The Buccaneers can’t afford a letdown as they try to make a push to get back in the playoff race. They’re getting key players healthy, their three-headed rushing attack has added balance to the offense and the defense needs to build off a solid performance last week. BUCCANEERS: 24-20 Line: Ravens minus 3 Both teams are coming off impressive wins in the same stadium in Los Angeles one night apart. The Ravens had shorter rest following the Monday night win. Barkley has been a sensational addition for the Eagles. Henry has made a major impact in Baltimore. Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson go head-to-head for the first time. The Ravens have won two in a row in the series. Philadelphia has the better defense and that could be the difference. EAGLES: 26-23 Line: Bills minus 7 The inconsistent 49ers need Brock Purdy, Trent Williams and Nick Bosa back from injuries. The defending NFC champions have lost two in a row, but they’re only one game back in their division. The rested Bills have won six in a row and are coming off a bye. Josh Allen in the MVP favorite and Buffalo can clinch another division title this weekend. BILLS: 26-23 Line: Broncos minus 5 1/2 Maybe Jameis Winston gets to play in the snow again. Winston has reinvigorated the Browns, though too late for it to matter this season. Rookie QB Bo Nix has helped turn the Broncos into a playoff contender with plenty of help from receiver Courtland Sutton and a strong defense. BRONCOS: 23-19 Last week: Straight up: 9-4. Against spread: 8-5. Overall: Straight up: 121-68. Against spread: 97-80-2. Prime-time: Straight up: 28-12. Against spread: 21-18-1. Best Bet: Straight up: 8-4. Against spread: 7-5. Upset Special: Straight up: 7-5. Against spread: 7-5. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Happy Holidays! It’s Sunday once more, and you know what that means — it’s time for our weekly social media roundup! It was a slow week in the Yankees Universe this week, as we celebrated all three of the mainstream winter holidays — Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa — on Wednesday and Thursday! How did the members of our Yankees celebrate the holiday season? Let’s find out! Season’s Greetings from the Yankees To lead off this week’s roundup, we’ve got a compilation of holiday posts from throughout the Yankees Universe: the official team account, current players, former players, broadcasters, and more! Happy Holidays from the New York Yankees!❄ pic.twitter.com/rZZJCP4e0L A post shared by Talkin Yanks (@talkinyanks) A post shared by Suzyn Waldman (@suzynwaldman) A post shared by Michael Kay (@kayster61) A post shared by CC Sabathia (@cc_sabathia) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! Wishing everyone all the love, joy, and blessings this season pic.twitter.com/6cKZ2wqnBT A post shared by Alex Rodriguez (@arod) A post shared by Bartolo Colon (@bcolon40) A post shared by Rookie (@batdogrookie) Farewell, Gleyber Soon after agreeing to a one-year, $15 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, Gleyber Torres took to Instagram to thank the Yankees Universe and to express his gratitude for his eight years in the organization. A post shared by Gleyber Torres (@gleyberdavid) Remembering the Debut In a video posted to their Instagram, Topps asked Aaron Judge to name the lineup from his major league debut, and he showed that, well, he’s the Captain for the reason. Judge remembered every player from that day’s lineup with little difficulty, struggling only on the day’s DH (an admittedly embarrassing one to struggle on, since it was The Kraken during his insane 2016 rookie campaign, Gary Sánchez). Aaron Judge tries to remember the starting line-up from his MLB Debut... pic.twitter.com/0lZD62jOdv Down on the Farm The Somerset Patriots’ social media team has been absolute aces this year, and their holiday week shenanigans were also fantastic. They gave us puns on players’ names and gifts to players at the team facilities working out. Honestly we're down for Cole in our stocking pic.twitter.com/b8IOXJ0GCX Twas the night before Christmas One more batch of presents was dropped off for the Patriots⚽️ pic.twitter.com/O76cmIxGaY They also posted a thread highlighting the team’s accomplishments and notable moments from the past season — including the fact that 17 former Patriots made their major league debuts this season. The 2024 season served up many highlights, including the launch of the Jersey Diners that took the nation by storm. Unprecedented exposure & sales followed, leading to the Jersey Diners being named @MiLB 's Best Alternate Identity of the Year and a Golden Bobblehead winner. pic.twitter.com/0uQSdMq9o3ATLANTA — On Jan. 18 and 19 the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! will be held at State Farm Arena in advance of the College Football Playoff national championship on Jan. 20. The star-studded lineup was announced Thursday at a news conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Performances will include Lil Wayne and GloRilla on Saturday; and Camila Cabello, Myles Smith and Knox on Sunday. On game day, the Allstate Championship Tailgate, taking place just outside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Home Depot Backyard, will feature country acts on the Capital One Music Stage, including global superstar Kane Brown and iHeartCountry “On The Verge” artist Ashley Cooke. The concerts are just two of the festivities visiting fans can enjoy in the days leading up to the big game. The fan experience for both ticket holders and the general public has been a focus for event planners. All weekend long, an estimated 100,000 people from across the country are expected to attend fan events preceding kickoff. “It will be an opportunity for fans of all ages to come together to sample what college football is all about, and you don’t have to have a ticket to the game to be a part of it,” said Bill Hancock, executive director of the CFP in a press release. “We’ve worked closely with the Atlanta Football Host Committee to develop fan-friendly events that thousands will enjoy come January.” On Saturday, Jan. 18, Playoff Fan Central will open at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The free, family-friendly experience will include games, clinics, pep rallies, special guest appearances, autograph signings and exhibits celebrating college football and its history. That day, fans can also attend Media Day, presented by Great Clips, which will feature one-hour sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each of the College Football Playoff national championship participating teams. ESPN and social media giants X, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok will be taping live broadcasts from the event. On Sunday, Jan. 19, the Trophy Trot, both a 5K and 10K race, will wind its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. Each Trophy Trot participant will receive a T-shirt and finisher’s medal. Participants can register at atlantatrackclub.org . On Sunday evening, the Georgia Aquarium will host the Taste of the Championship dining event, which offers attendees the opportunity to indulge in food and drink prepared by local Atlanta chefs. This premium experience serves as an elevated exploration of local cuisine on the eve of the national championship. Tickets to the Taste of the Championship event are available on etix.com . Atlanta is the first city ever to repeat as host for the CFP national championship. The playoff was previously held in Atlanta in 2018. “We are honored to be the first city to repeat as host for the CFP national championship and look forward to welcoming college football fans from around the country in January,” said Dan Corso, president of the Atlanta Sports Council and Atlanta Football Host Committee. “This event gives us another opportunity to showcase our incredible city.” The College Football Playoff is the event that crowns the national champion in college football. The quarterfinals and semifinals rotate annually among six bowl games — the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 31, 2024 and Jan. 1, 2025, while the semifinals will be Jan. 9-10, 2025. The CFP national championship will be Monday, Jan. 20, 2025, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For additional information on the College Football Playoff, visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com . Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Social media users are misrepresenting a , claiming that it gives schools permission to vaccinate children even if their parents do not consent. The ruling addressed a lawsuit filed by Dario and Shujen Politella against Windham Southeast School District and state officials over the mistaken vaccination of their child against COVID-19 in 2021, when he was 6 years old. A lower court had dismissed the original complaint, as well as an amended version. to the U.S. Supreme Court was filed on Nov. 19. But the ruling by Vermont’s high court is not as far-reaching as some online have claimed. In reality, it concluded that anyone the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, or PREP, Act is immune to state lawsuits. Here’s a closer look at the facts. CLAIM: The Vermont Supreme Court ruled that schools can vaccinate children against their parents’ wishes. THE FACTS: The claim stems from by the Vermont Supreme Court, which found that anyone the PREP Act is immune to state lawsuits, including the officials named in the Politella’s suit. The ruling does not authorize schools to vaccinate children at their discretion. According to the lawsuit, the Politella’s son — referred to as L.P. — was given one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic held at Academy School in Brattleboro even though his father, Dario, told the school’s assistant principal a few days before that his son was not to receive a vaccination. In what officials described as a mistake, L.P. was removed from class and had a “handwritten label” put on his shirt with the name and date of birth of another student, L.K., who had already been vaccinated that day. L.P. was then vaccinated. Ultimately, the Vermont Supreme Court ruled that officials involved in the case could not be sued. “We conclude that the PREP Act immunizes every defendant in this case and this fact alone is enough to dismiss the case,” the Vermont Supreme Court’s ruling reads. “We conclude that when the federal PREP Act immunizes a defendant, the PREP Act bars all state-law claims against that defendant as a matter of law.” , enacted by Congress in 2005, authorizes the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a declaration in the event of a public health emergency providing immunity from liability for activities related to medical countermeasures, such as the administration of a vaccine, except in cases of “willful misconduct” that result in “death or serious physical injury.” A declaration against COVID-19 on March 17, 2020. It is on Dec. 31. Federals suits claiming willful misconduct are filed in Washington. Social media users described the Vermont Supreme Court’s ruling as having consequences beyond what it actually says. “The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that schools can force-vaccinate children for Covid against the wishes of their parents,” reads one X post that had been liked and shared approximately 16,600 times as of Tuesday. “The high court ruled on a case involving a 6-year-old boy who was forced to take a Covid mRNA injection by his school. However, his family had explicitly stated that they didn’t want their child to receive the ‘vaccines.’” Other users alleged that the ruling gives schools permission to give students any vaccine without parental consent, not just ones for COVID-19. Rod Smolla, president of the Vermont Law and Graduate School and an expert on constitutional law, told The Associated Press that the ruling “merely holds that the federal statute at issue, the PREP Act, preempts state lawsuits in cases in which officials mistakenly administer a vaccination without consent.” “Nothing in the Vermont Supreme Court opinion states that school officials can vaccinate a child against the instructions of the parent,” he wrote in an email. Asked whether the claims spreading online have any merit, Ronald Ferrara, an attorney representing the Politellas, told the AP that although the ruling doesn’t say schools can vaccinate students regardless of parental consent, officials could interpret it to mean that they could get away with doing so under the PREP Act, at least when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines. He explained that the seeks to clarify whether the Vermont Supreme Court interpreted the PREP Act beyond what Congress intended. “The Politella’s fundamental liberty interest to decide whether their son should receive elective medical treatment was denied by agents of the State and School,” he wrote in an email to the AP. “The Vermont Court misconstrues the scope of PREP Act immunity (which is conditioned upon informed consent for medical treatments unapproved by FDA), to cover this denial of rights and its underlying battery.” Ferrara added that he was not aware of the claims spreading online, but that he “can understand how lay people may conflate the court’s mistaken grant of immunity for misconduct as tantamount to blessing such misconduct.”LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has a negative 39-49% favorability rating, up slightly from 36-51% in October (then among likely voters), and her job approval rating also got a bump to 46-49%, up from 41-51%, according to a Siena College poll of New York State registered voters.When asked if they would vote to re-elect [...]