LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — Allowing two kickoff return touchdowns and missing an extra point all in the final few minutes added up to the a third consecutive game in excruciating fashion. The underlying reason for this slide continuing was a problem long before that. An offense led by that was among the NFL's best for a long stretch of the season put up just nine points and 169 yards for the first three-plus quarters against Dallas before falling behind 20-9 and teeing off on the Cowboys' conservative defense. “We just couldn’t really get it going,” said , whose lengthy touchdown with 21 seconds left masked that he had just three catches for 16 yards through three quarters. “We’ve got to find a way to start faster and sustain drives, and that’s everybody: the whole coaching staff and the offensive players just going out there and figuring out ways that we can stay on the field.” This is not a new problem for Washington, which had a season-low 242 yards in a and 264 yards four days later at Philadelphia. Since returning from a rib injury that last month, Daniels has completed just under 61% of his passes, after 75.6% over his first seven professional starts. Daniels and have insisted this isn't about injury. The coaching staff blamed a lack of adequate practice time, but a full week of it before facing the Cowboys did not solve the problem. It is now fair to wonder if opponents have seen enough film of to figure it out. “I think teams and coordinators are going to see what other teams have success against us and try to figure out how they could incorporate that into their scheme," Daniels said after going 12 of 22 for 80 yards passing through three quarters in the Dallas game. "We’ve been in third and longer a lot these past couple games, so that’s kind of where you get into the exotic pressures and stuff like that. We’ve just got to be better on first and second downs and stay ahead of the chains.” Daniels has a point there, and it predates this losing streak. The Commanders have converted just 36% of third-down opportunities (27 for 75) over their past seven games after 52% (31 for 60) in their first five. That challenge doesn't get any easier with Tennessee coming to town Sunday. The Titans, despite being 3-8, have the second-best third-down defense in the league at 31.6%. What’s working The defense kept the Commanders in the game against Dallas, allowing just 10 points until the fourth quarter and 20 total before kickoff return touchdowns piled on to the other side of the scoreboard. Even Cooper Rush's 22-yard touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker with five minutes left came after a turnover that gave the Cowboys the ball at the Washington 44. The defense spending more than 35 minutes on the field certainly contributed to fatigue as play wore on. What needs help The running game that contributed to a 7-2 start has taken a hit, in part because of The Commanders got 145 yards on the ground because Daniels had 74 on seven carries, but running backs combined for just 57. Daniels could not say how much the rushing attack stalling has contributed to the offense going stagnant. “You’ve got to be able to run the ball, keep the defense honest,” he said. "We got to execute the plays that are called in, and we didn’t do a good job of doing that.” Stock up Linebacker Frankie Luvu keeps making the case to be Adam Peters' best free agent signing. He and fellow offseason addition tied for a team-high eight tackles, and Luvu also knocked down three passes against Dallas. Stock down Kicker Austin Seibert going wide left on the point-after attempt that would have tied the score with 21 seconds left was his third miss of the game. He also was short on a 51-yard field goal attempt and wide left on an earlier extra point. Seibert, signed a week into the season after Cade York struggled in the opener, and was 22 of 22 on extra points before injuring his right hip and missing the previous two games. He brushed off his health and the low snap from Tyler Ott while taking responsibility for not connecting. “I made the decision to play, and here we are,” Seibert said. “I just wasn’t striking it well. But it means a lot to me to be here with these guys, so I just want to put my best foot moving forward.” Injuries Robinson's sprained ankle and fellow running back from a late kickoff return that led to him being hospitalized for further evaluation are two major immediate concerns. Quinn said Monday that Ekeler and starting right tackle Andrew Wylie are in concussion protocol. It's unclear if Robinson will be available against Tennessee, which could mean Chris Rodriguez Jr. getting elevated from the practice squad to split carries with Jeremy McNichols. The Commanders still have not gotten cornerback Marshon Lattimore into a game since from New Orleans. from a hamstring injury, and the secondary could use him against Calvin Ridley, who's coming off at Houston. Key number 17 — Handoffs to a running back against Dallas, a significant decrease from much of the season before this losing streak. Next steps Don't overlook the Titans with the late bye week coming immediately afterward. The Commanders opened as more than a touchdown favorite, but after the results over the weekend, BetMGM Sportsbook had it as 5 1/2 points Monday. ___ AP NFL: Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
NEW YORK, United States — Time Magazine on Thursday named US President-elect Donald Trump its “person of the year,” marking the second time he has won the accolade, in acknowledgement of the mogul’s stunning political comeback. Trump, who defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 election, adorns the magazine’s title cover sporting his distinctive red tie and striking a commanding pose. “For marshaling a comeback of historic proportions, for driving a once-in-a-generation political realignment, for reshaping the American presidency and altering America’s role in the world, Donald Trump is Time’s 2024 – Person of the Year,” the magazine said. READ MORE: Trump vows to end birthright citizenship: What is it, can he do it? Trump going berserk, targets birthright, naturalized citizens Biden says Trump economic plan will be ‘disaster’ This year saw Trump convicted on charges of business fraud and nearly assassinated twice — and will end with him preparing to return to the White House with Republican majorities in both chambers of Congress. “We are witnessing a resurgence of populism, a widening mistrust in the institutions that defined the last century, and an eroding faith that liberal values will lead to better lives for most people. Trump is both agent and beneficiary of it all,” the magazine added. Trump rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to applause from traders on Thursday, flanked by his wife Melania Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, with his Time Magazine cover displayed prominently behind him. In remarks before the markets opened, Trump sounded a note of caution about the promises he made on the campaign trail to bring down stubbornly high US grocery prices. “It’s hard to bring things down once they’re up,” Trump says. “You know, it’s very hard.” The magazine’s award, given out annually, is an acknowledgement of the year’s most influential figure. Past winners include Taylor Swift and Volodymyr Zelensky — and Trump himself, in 2016, after his shock defeat of Hillary Clinton. Mock versions of Time Magazine covers featuring Trump were displayed prominently in several of the president-elect’s members clubs ahead of his first “person of the year” title in 2016. Having dominated the news events of 2024, Trump’s influence is set to continue when he assumes the presidency in January. This time around, Trump is promising mass expulsions of undocumented immigrants and major tariffs that threaten to shake up not just the US economy, but those of key trade partners. He’s cast doubt on continued support for Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, and has already become something of a shadow president, feting foreign leaders at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. His comeback was unthinkable a few years ago. After his supporters stormed the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss, it seemed like Republicans might be ready to wash their hands of the brash outsider who had taken over the party. Criminal cases were launched over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and he was found liable in civil court for sexual abuse. He remains a polarizing figure in US and world politics. Yet none of that prevented him from rising back up to the top of the Republican ticket, and then going on to win in the general election against Harris. Harris was among those shortlisted for the award, alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian economist Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.Kentucky will aim to improve upon its best start in seven seasons when it hosts Western Kentucky on Tuesday night in Lexington, Ky., in the final game of the BBN Invitational. The Wildcats (5-0) are ranked No. 8 in the latest Associated Press poll and are setting impressive offensive milestones even for a program as tradition-rich as Kentucky, which includes eight national championships. The Wildcats have scored 97 or more points in their first four home games for the first time in program history and eclipsed the 100-point mark in three of those games. Their lone trip out of state was a solid 77-72 victory over Duke in a matchup of top-10 teams in Atlanta. Kentucky has also made at least 10 three-pointers in each of its first five games of a season for the first time ever. "I think Kentucky attracts good people," Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after the Wildcats' 108-59 win over Jackson State on Friday. "It's the one place in all college basketball where you represent just a fanbase in a different, unique way." Otega Oweh and Koby Brea have led the Wildcats' early scoring outburst. Oweh, who is averaging 16.2 points per game, had 21 points on 8-for-12 shooting against Jackson State. "He gets us off to unbelievable starts every night," Pope told reporters after that game. "He's probably been our most consistent guy in games." Brea, who scored 22 points against Jackson State and is averaging 16.0 points per game, is leading the nation in 3-point accuracy at 74.1 percent. As a team, the Wildcats are shooting 42.3 percent from beyond the arc. And the few times they miss, Amari Williams has been doing the dirty work on the glass, averaging 10.8 boards in addition to 9.6 points per game. Kentucky faces a different challenge than it's had to contend with so far in the Hilltoppers (3-2), who have won three in a row after losing their first two games to Wichita State and Grand Canyon. Their up-tempo play hasn't exactly resulted in great offensive output, but in the Hilltoppers' 79-62 win over Jackson State on Wednesday, they shot 45.2 percent from 3-point range (14 for 31). "I was happy to see a lot of different guys contribute tonight and, hopefully, get their feet under them a little bit and get some confidence," said Western Kentucky coach Hank Plona, who is in his first season as head coach. "Obviously, Tuesday will be quite a test and challenge for us and we'll need them to be at their absolute best." Western Kentucky has an experienced group, which returned mostly intact from last season. The team is led by Conference USA first-team selection Don McHenry, who is leading the team with 17.2 points and 2.2 steals per game. McHenry is one of four Hilltoppers with scoring averages in double figures. Julius Thedford (11.4 points per game) and Babacar Faye (15.0) are each shooting 40 percent or better from 3-point range. Western Kentucky also figures to challenge the Wildcats on the boards as it enters the game ranked in the top 25 in defensive rebounding (30.4 per game). Faye leads the Hilltoppers in that department, averaging 7.8 rebounds per game and figures to battle Williams inside. "We're not the biggest team in the world, but our depth and our quickness are our strengths," Plona said. --Field Level Media
Alcohol use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new study shows that it's still highFolks, it’s December. That means that unless you live in a part of the world where the weather is nice all the time (or you’re in, like, Australia), you’re likely doing your best to keep the frigid temperatures at bay. And hey, if you’re looking at a weekend of being stuck indoors, I can think of no better time to play some video games. Should you find yourself at a loss of what to play, fear not! We have a few recommendations for you. This week we’ve got some brand new games in the mix, but we’re also throwing it back a few years with a 2022 RPG and a remake of an even older strategy title. Let’s dig in! Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV) Current goal: Fill the hole left in my heart by Overwatch 2 Marvel Rivals has been out for less than 24 hours as of this writing, and I already feel like I’m having more fun with it than I’ve had with Overwatch 2 in over a year. To be clear, I don’t think it’s a better game than Blizzard’s shooter, but the newness of it has drawn in several of my friends who don’t play Overwatch anymore, and it’s been a while since I had a game that I played with more than one friend at a time. A lot of my friends gravitate toward more traditional shooters, survival games, and other multiplayer games that don’t interest me as much, so I tend to play games solo most of the time. It’s only when playing fighting games and now Marvel Rivals that I overlap with some of these nerds, and even if I am still working through my feelings on the game itself, having something the group chat rallies around is a feeling like no other. — Kenneth Shepard Play it on: PS5, PS4, Windows (Steam Deck N/A) Current goal: Recover another AI to save the world 2017 was the last time I spent any meaningful time with Aloy and the terrifying armada of robo dinos and beasties that inhabits her post-apocalyptic world. And oh em gee, I forgot how much fun the core combat loop of this game is. It’s been so long since I played the first one that I can’t really remember the concrete differences between Zero Dawn and Forbidden West during the hectic moments. But the challenge of balancing bow-and-arrow shooting (my favorite kind of shooting), resource management, trap-setting, and elemental status effects makes for a pure adrenaline rush of feminine hero fantasy for me. Seriously, this would be my GOTY if it had come out this year (I mean, it kinda did on PC anyway). The story is sorta going over my head, though. As with Zero Dawn , I feel like this setting and these characters could’ve used another draft or two? That said, I’m starting to really like Aloy as a heroine. The plot’s themes of environmental destruction, human greed, and artificial intelligence are also providing interesting food for thought...especially given where IRL Earth seems to be heading (lolsob). Nothing’s totally winning me over, but it’s still proving neat to think about! These days I crave more difficult challenges in games, so I’m playing on Very Hard and finding the combat rewarding enough that I will absolutely do another playthrough on Ultra Hard once I’m done. Also, it’s beyond gorgeous in motion, so it’ll be great for testing and showcasing the impact of upgrades I make to my PC in the future. — Claire Jackson Play it on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows (Steam Deck YMMV) Current goal: Uncover grand mysteries of the past Everyone’s not just picking this? Oh, am I the horrible normie? Oh god. No, wait, I mean I’m playing UnTangient ReMaxoldable , a new turn-based trans-media strategy-deckbuilder from Belgian developers Ludotrance. Nah, I wanna play the big new thing. And so far, in the hour I’ve played, I’ve had a blast! I picked up all the enemies’ bodies and arranged them on church pews. It’s like Dishonored , but with hats and whips! I’m totally in. — John Walker Play it on: Windows (Steam Deck YMMV) Current goal: Rule the underworld Solium Infernum was a strategy game about rival hell fiends by Cryptic Comet that originally released in 2009. This year, League of Geeks released a remake which I’m told updated the graphics but also made some of the underlying gameplay a bit deeper and a bit more accessible. I didn’t play the original, which was a cult favorite at the time . I’ve been playing a lot of the latest version, however, and I’m completely obsessed. Unlike most strategy games in the 4X mold of the Civ series, Solium Infernum ditches resource management and military upkeep in favor of focusing primarily on diplomacy and leveraging specific events, spells, and hellworld minions to reach the win conditions. It’s much more like a tabletop game in which everything’s been streamlined for top-level decision-making rather than fumbling around with menus and branching tech trees. Explaining it that way might give the impression that Solium is shallow, but that’s not the case either. At any given moment you’re trying to analyze the tradeoffs and turn delays associated with everything from consolidating resources in limited inventory slots to whether you can commission and upgrade lieutenants fast enough to maintain the balance of power as one rival consumes another. I haven’t yet played it with other humans, which is apparently where the real fun actually begins. For the moment, mastering the basics against AI opponents has been enough to keep me glued to my computer until 2:00 in the morning. — Ethan Gach And that wraps our recommendations for this week. Happy gaming!
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