NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks closed higher on Wall Street, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to another all-time high. The Dow added 1% Monday to the record it set on Friday. The S&P 500 rose 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.3%. Treasury yields eased in the bond market after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent, a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Smaller companies can feel a big boost from easier borrowing costs, and the Russell 2000 index of small stocks jumped 1.5%, closing just shy of the record high it set three years ago. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is set to break more records Monday as U.S. stocks rise to add to last week’s gains. The S&P 500 was 0.2% higher, as of 3 p.m. Eastern time, and sitting just below its all-time high set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 397 points, or 0.9%, to its own record set on Friday, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.1% higher. Treasury yields also eased in the bond market amid what some analysts called a “Bessent bounce” after President-elect Donald Trump said he wants Scott Bessent , a hedge fund manager, to be his Treasury Secretary. Bessent has argued for reducing the U.S. government’s deficit, which is how much more it spends than it takes in through tax and other revenue. Such an approach could soothe worries on Wall Street that Trump’s policies may lead to a much bigger deficit, which in turn would put upward pressure on Treasury yields. After climbing above 4.44% immediately after Trump’s election, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell back to 4.26% Monday and down from 4.41% late Friday. That’s a notable move, and lower yields help make it cheaper for all kinds of companies and households to borrow money. They also give a boost to prices for stocks and other investments. That helped stocks of smaller companies lead the way, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks jumped 2%. It’s set to top its all-time high, which was set three years ago. Smaller companies can feel bigger boosts from lower borrowing costs because of the need of many to borrow to grow. The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks the market’s expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with overnight interest rates, also eased sharply. The Fed began cutting its main interest rate just a couple months ago from a two-decade high, hoping to keep the job market humming after bringing high inflation nearly all the way down to its 2% target. But immediately after Trump’s victory, traders had reduced bets for how many cuts the Fed may deliver next year. They were worried Trump's preference for lower tax rates and higher spending on the border would balloon the national debt. . A report coming on Wednesday could influence how much the Fed may cut rates. Economists expect it to show that an underlying inflation trend the Fed prefers to use accelerated to 2.8% last month from 2.7% in September. Higher inflation would make the Fed more reluctant to cut rates as deeply or as quickly as it would otherwise. Goldman Sachs economist David Mericle expects that to slow by the end of next year to 2.4%, but he said inflation would be even lower if not for expected tariff increases on imports from China and autos favored by Trump. In the stock market, Bath & Body Works jumped 19.1% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The seller of personal care products and home fragrances also raised its financial forecasts for the full year, even though it still sees a “volatile retail environment” and a shorter holiday shopping season this year. Much focus has been on how resilient U.S. shoppers can remain, given high prices across the economy and still-high interest rates. Last week, two major retailers sent mixed messages. Target tumbled after giving a dour forecast for the holiday shopping season. It followed Walmart , which gave a much more encouraging outlook. Another big retailer, Macy’s, said Monday its sales for the latest quarter were in line with its expectations, but it will delay the release of its full financial results. It found a single employee had intentionally hid up to $154 million in delivery expenses, and it needs more time to complete its investigation. Macy’s stock fell 2.9%. Among the market's leaders were several companies related to the housing industry. Monday's drop in Treasury yields could translate into easier mortgage rates, which could spur activity for housing. Builders FirstSource, a supplier or building materials, rose 6.2%. Homebuilders, D.R. Horton, PulteGroup and Lennar all rose at least 5.8%. In stock markets abroad, indexes moved modestly across much of Europe after finishing mixed in Asia. In the crypto market, bitcoin was trading around $96,800 after threatening to hit $100,000 late last week for the first time. ___ AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed. Stan Choe, The Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — Brian Thompson led one of the biggest health insurers in the U.S. but was unknown to millions of people his decisions affected. Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email.
Adam Titlbach had the only goal for Vancouver Giants – his eighth tally of the season – as Everett Silvertips scored two power play goals and two shorthanded goals in a 7-1 win on Friday night, Nov. 30 at the Langley Events Centre. Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros apologized to the fans. "We just got outclassed," Viveiros said. "Completely outclassed. Credit to Everett. They're good. They work. They know their identity. They know how to play. Even if they don't have their game, they stick with it. We don't do that. Our group doesn't do that. When things get tough sometimes, guys do individual things instead of staying with the system or giving ourselves an opportunity to at least compete. We didn't do that tonight. I'm just sorry for the fans that had to watch that tonight. It was not a good effort from our group at all tonight." The Giants' record drops to 10-9-4 this season, while the first place Silvertips improve to 20-3-2-1. Everett has a league best 12 road wins and have one regulation loss in their last 18 games (14-1-2-1). Julius Miettinen scored a pair for Everett, who also got goals from Dominik Rymon, Carter Bear, Clarke Schaefer, Jesse Heslop and Tyler McKenzie. The final shots on goal in the game were 40-19 for Everett. Silvertips got things started with a shorthanded goal 6:31 into the first period, after McKenzie stole the puck on the forecheck and found Rymon for a one-timer. The visitors extended their lead to 2-0 with 31 seconds left in the first period when Bear got the last touch at the far post following a tremendous pad save from Carter Capton. Less than five minutes into period two, Vancouver got some life thanks to an Everett turnover where Brett Olson fed a pass to Titlbach in front of the goal. Several minutes later, however, Everett went back ahead by two thanks to Schaeffer's first career WHL goal, off a good shot pass from defenceman Eric Jamieson from the left circle. Miettinen would get on the board with another shorthanded goal when he beat two Giants defenders to a loose puck at centre ice and broke in alone, firing home his eighth of the season to make the score 4-1 after 40 minutes. Heslop scored 29 seconds into the third period to stretch the Silvertips lead to 5-1, before Miettinen and McKenzie added goals as well, making it a 7-1 final. Everett outshot Vancouver 40-19. Next, Giants host the Seattle Thunderbirds Sunday, Dec. 1 at LEC. Puck drops at 4 p.m.Then Wednesday's targeted fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk thrust the executive and his business into the national spotlight. Thompson, who was 50, had worked at the giant UnitedHealth Group Inc for 20 years and run the insurance arm since 2021 after running its Medicare and retirement business. As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain. United is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans, the privately run versions of the U.S. government’s Medicare program for people age 65 and older. The company also sells individual insurance and administers health-insurance coverage for thousands of employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs. The business run by Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus and stock options awards, made him one of the company's highest-paid executives. The University of Iowa graduate began his career as a certified public accountant at PwC and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry. Even to investors who own its stock, the parent company's face belonged to CEO Andrew Witty, a knighted British triathlete who has testified before Congress. When Thompson did occasionally draw attention, it was because of his role in shaping the way Americans get health care. At an investor meeting last year, he outlined his company's shift to “value-based care,” paying doctors and other caregivers to keep patients healthy rather than focusing on treating them once sick. “Health care should be easier for people,” Thompson said at the time. “We are cognizant of the challenges. But navigating a future through value-based care unlocks a situation where the ... family doesn’t have to make the decisions on their own.” Thompson also drew attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, was widely criticized for a plan to start denying payment for what it deemed non-critical visits to hospital emergency rooms. “Patients are not medical experts and should not be expected to self-diagnose during what they believe is a medical emergency,” the chief executive of the American Hospital Association wrote in an open letter addressed to Thompson. “Threatening patients with a financial penalty for making the wrong decision could have a chilling effect on seeking emergency care.” United Healthcare responded by delaying rollout of the change. Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb and was the married father of two sons in high school, was set to speak at an investor meeting in a midtown New York hotel. He was on his own and about to enter the building when he was shot in the back by a masked assailant who fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away, the New York Police Department said. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said investigators were looking at Thompson's social media accounts and interviewing employees and family members. “Didn’t seem like he had any issues at all,” Kenny said. "He did not have a security detail.” AP reporters Michael R. Sisak and Steve Karnowski contributed to this report. Murphy reported from Indianapolis.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In losing Sunday’s battle with the Buffalo Bills, perhaps the best team in football, Jerod Mayo won the war. Best I can tell, he’s staying put. For 2025, and maybe beyond. To his angry fan base and incredulous pockets of the New England Patriots’ media corps, remember Mayo’s future doesn’t hinge on winning this season. It’s not about what you want, or what I think. It’s about the Krafts, who hand-picked Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick four and a half years before he actually did, believing in him, and finding reasons to maintain that belief. In the eyes of someone who wants to believe, Sunday supplied enough reason. The Patriots led at halftime, then lost by three as 14-point underdogs. They became the first team since mid-October to hold the Bills under 30 points. Drake Maye outplayed the next MVP of the league for most of the game and took another step toward his destiny as a franchise quarterback, If that sounds like a low bar, that’s because it is. Such is life in Year 1 of a rebuild, a multi-year process ownership has committed to seeing through to the end with their organizational pillars now in place: Mayo, Maye and de facto GM Eliot Wolf. As frustrating as this 3-12 campaign has been, there are always nuggets of optimism amid the rubble of a losing season; particularly if you want to find them. The Krafts do, and so does Maye, who loves his head coach, by the way; calling questions about Mayo’s job security “BS.” “We’ve got his back,” Maye said post-game. Maye’s voice matters. Certainly more than any number of fans or media members. Ever since media-fueled speculation that Mayo could get canned at the end of his first season began rising, the caveat has always been the same: if, a Gillette Stadium-sized “if,” the Patriots bomb atomically down the stretch, ownership could pull the plug on Mayo. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport became the latest to join that chorus Sunday with this pregame report: “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,” he said. “They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. Now if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we’ve seen this thing turn. “But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.” Well, Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room. That’s a fact. To a man, both in public and from those I’ve spoken to in private, Patriots players believe in their head coach. Mayo might be a players’ coach, yes, in the best and worst senses. But the Patriots were a few plays away Sunday from pulling off their largest upset since Super Bowl XXXVI. “I think we’re building something good,” Maye said. The Patriots also played their best half of football this season against their toughest opponent yet. Another fact. Now, to the frustrated, I am with you. To the shocked, I understand. But to the trigger-happy, lay down your arms. Mayo, by all accounts, is returning in 2025. Alex Van Pelt, however, is another story. In the same vein that the Krafts could have viewed Sunday’s performance as a reason to save Mayo — despite his pathetic punt at midfield, down 10 with just eight and a half minutes left — they could have convinced themselves their offensive coordinator is the real problem. After all, team president Jonathan Kraft was visibly exasperated over Van Pelt’s play-calling during the Pats’ loss at Arizona a week earlier. Four days later, Van Pelt told reporters he had yet to hear from his boss. Well, that time may be coming. Trailing by three in the fourth quarter Sunday, Van Pelt called a pass that resulted in an unnecessary lateral and game-winning touchdown for Buffalo. His offense later operated like it was taking a Sunday drive with the game on the line, using up 3:16 of the final 4:19 en route to its final touchdown. Van Pelt, finally, weaponized Maye’s legs in critical situations, something that arguably should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention, Van Pelt’s top running back can’t stop fumbling, and the offensive line remains a hot mess. Call him Alex Van Fall Guy. Because Van Pelt’s offense, for the first time in a while, under-performed relative to Mayo’s defense. On merit, he deserves to stay; a case that’s harder to make for defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. But it’s not about merit this season. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what I think. It’s about the Krafts; what they see, what they want, what they believe. Even in defeat. ____ Sent weekly directly to your inbox!
Theory Russia has banned microwave ovens is cooked
Transgender San Jose State volleyball player won't be sidelined, judge rulesNone
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Detroit's iconic Renaissance Center could see 2 towers razed in $1.6B redevelopment planHundreds of people have staged a demonstration in Dublin in “utter solidarity” with Nikita Hand, who won a civil case against MMA fighter Conor McGregor. Ms Hand, who accused Mr McGregor of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the capital on Friday. Advertisement She was described as “incredibly brave” and celebrated for “standing up for survivors” of assault by those who attended the demonstration in Dublin. Mr McGregor has said in social media posts that he intends to appeal against the decision. Monday’s protest march was organised by the socialist feminist movement group Rosa to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Advertisement Nikita Hand won her civil case against MMA fighter Conor McGregor (Brian Lawless/PA) Participants chanted “stand with Nikita” and “no more fear, no more shaming – we reject your victim blaming” as they carried signs and banners through the capital’s streets. The demonstration was bookended by speeches from attendees including organisers Ruth Coppinger, a councillor and general election candidate for People Before Profit in Dublin West, and Natasha O’Brien, who became a national figure in activism on violence against women after a soldier received a suspended sentence for assaulting her. Ms Coppinger told the crowd that Ms Hand, who she characterised as “an incredibly brave woman”, was watching live video of the event remotely. Advertisement Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor and partner Dee Devlin leave the High Court in Dublin after the case against him (Brian Lawless/PA) She said Ms Hand was not attending personally as she needed time to recover after the civil case. She said the “overwhelming support of the Irish public is definitely with Nikita”. Advertisement On a cold night in Dublin, Ms O’Brien was cheered as she told those gathered that she was “in awe” of Ms Hand’s courage. She said Ireland let out a collective “sigh of relief” after the jury in the civil case found in favour of Ms Hand in her case against Mr McGregor. Advertisement “But, for me – it was a split second because in came all these questions flooding in: Why did Nikita have to fight alone?” She added: “This really hits home for me, it is like a kick in the guts.” She said she had cried “so many tears” over the weeks of the trial. Ms O’Brien said Ms Hand had refused to be ignored. Women take part in a solidarity demonstration in Dublin (Cillian Sherlock/PA) Mr McGregor had faced an accusation that he “brutally raped and battered” Ms Hand at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018. The Irish sports star previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel. Ms Hand was taken in an ambulance to the Rotunda Hospital the following day when she was assessed in the sexual assault treatment unit (SATU). A paramedic who examined Ms Hand the day after the assault had told the court she had not seen “someone so bruised” in a long time. Ms Hand broke down several times as she gave evidence for almost three days and sought a number of breaks. The jury had been told Ms Hand had to leave her job as a hairdresser and has not been able to work since, because of her mental health, that her relationship with her partner ended months after the incident, she had to move out of her home in Drimnagh, and her mortgage is now in arrears. After eight days of evidence and three days listening to closing speeches and the judge’s charge, the jury of eight women and four men spent six hours and 10 minutes deliberating before returning their verdict. The total amount of damages awarded to Ms Hand by the jury was €248,603.60. Speaking outside court on Friday, Ms Hand said she hoped her case would remind victims of assault to keep “pushing forward for justice”. She added: “I hope my story is a reminder that no matter how afraid you might be, speak up, you have a voice and keep on fighting for justice.”
Teck Resources Ltd. Cl B stock rises Thursday, still underperforms market
Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvananthapuram International Airport authorities have deployed a fleet of intelligent robots — a first in an airport in the state — to clean passenger terminals efficiently, faster, and minimizing water usage. These robots will scrub, dry, and dry mop the halls of both the domestic and international terminals and the forecourt, with options to add more areas based on requirements, said a statement. They can run for eight hours on a single charge and can clean up to 10,000 sq ft in an hour. The three robots can do 360-degree coverage and have advanced sensors to detect obstacles and reroute. " Automated cleaning ensures that the airport is always clean and presentable, enhancing the overall experience for passengers. A consistently clean environment improves customer satisfaction and elevates the airport's image as a modern, technologically advanced facility," said an official. The SD45 combo robot has a 45-litre freshwater tank and a 55-litre wastewater tank and can run for up to eight hours on a single charge. The machines can be remotely controlled using smartphones or tablets. The robot reduces the chances of mistakes whilst delivering enhanced sanitisation benefits, which is especially important in areas with significant footfall, he added.Microsoft and OpenAI have had something of a symbiotic relationship, with the former giving billions of capital to a startup AI lab and in return gaining early access to cutting-edge models that are now baked into Microsoft’s suite of productivity software. The two companies have been headed in diverging directions, however, and Reuters reported today that Microsoft is looking to add more models to its 365 Copilot product that aren’t built by OpenAI. The reasoning, according to the report, is that Microsoft sees OpenAI’s cutting-edge GPT-4 model as too expensive and not fast enough to satisfy its enterprise customers. Copilot 365 is an AI-powered assistant built into Microsoft’s suite of productivity applications including Word and PowerPoint. The tool is supposed to ingest all of a company’s data and do a myriad of things, like give users the ability to quickly find information without needing to hunt through disparate apps; quickly generate a list of the company’s most profitable business units; or instantaneously summarize meetings and emails. It is supposed to do those things, but customers and insiders alike are still underwhelmed by Copilot 365, which costs an extra $30 per month per user on a team. In a recent Business Insider story , employees of Microsoft speaking anonymously called the tools “terrible” and “gimmicky,” not working well 75% of the time. On the customer front, Business Insider cited a survey of 123 IT leaders published by management consultancy Gartner, which found only four said Copilot provided significant value to their companies. It should be noted some other stories have reported on companies that have found value in using large language models, such as by simplifying customer support . Some customers who spoke to Business Insider specifically noted that 365 Copilot is too expensive. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is a frontier, general model, meaning it is trained on vast swaths of data and can be more expensive and slow to run; that is why most models are offered in “lite” versions that perform less intensive inference or “thinking.” Microsoft has been training its own in-house, smaller models like one called Phi-4, and Reuters reports that sources speaking to the outlet said the company is looking to “customize other open-weight models to make 365 Copilot faster and more efficient.” In one sense, it makes sense that Microsoft would want to reduce its reliance on OpenAI. If the company is right and AI is going to be the next generational change in computing, relying on an independent company for the core technology is not a great idea. Microsoft has plowed billions of dollars into OpenAI and will receive 75% of its profits until it makes it breaks even on its investment, and even then will still hold a large stake in the startup. The company in effect gets to hedge its bets—build its own in-house models while keeping a lottery ticket in OpenAI in case it continues on its current skyward trajectory. Despite being the front-runner today, some skeptics of OpenAI say that we may not know a true winner in the AI race yet (should these technologies be as revolutionary as we are told to believe). In the same way that there were numerous search engines that came online in the ’90s, only to be quickly trounced when the latecomer Google showed up. Microsoft is likely wise to hedge.
Cher’s memoir made Howard Stern want to ‘strangle’ Sonny Bono
UnitedHealthcare CEO kept a low public profile. Then he was shot to death in New YorkWhy Bill Shorten embodies the best, and worst, of Australian politicsPercentages: FG 39.726, FT .588. 3-Point Goals: 9-21, .429 (Lacey 3-6, McMiller 3-5, Petticord 2-6, Thompson 1-3, Perkins 0-1) Blocked Shots: 3 (Adams 1, McMiller 1, Perkins 1) Turnovers: 9 (McMiller 4, Thompson 2, Lacey 1, Perkins 1, Walker 1) Steals: 8 (Adams 6, Lacey 1, McMiller 1) Technical Fouls: None Percentages: FG 39.394, FT .667. 3-Point Goals: 4-21, .190 (Mays-Prince 3-5, Jackson 1-6, Gaines 0-1, Gwynn 0-3, Akinsola 0-1, Eddings 0-5) Blocked Shots: 5 (Johnson 2, Jackson 1, Green 1, Akinsola 1) Turnovers: 16 (Gaines 4, Gwynn 4, Mays-Prince 3, Jackson 2, Johnson 1, Green 1, Akinsola 1) Steals: 5 (Gwynn 2, Eddings 2, Green 1) Technical Fouls: None A_0 Officials_Erika Herriman, Kenya Kirkland, Angelica Suffren
National Bank of Canada stock rises Thursday, still underperforms marketORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — In losing Sunday’s battle with the Buffalo Bills, perhaps the best team in football, Jerod Mayo won the war. Best I can tell, he’s staying put. For 2025, and maybe beyond. To his angry fan base and incredulous pockets of the New England Patriots’ media corps, remember Mayo’s future doesn’t hinge on winning this season. It’s not about what you want, or what I think. It’s about the Krafts, who hand-picked Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick four and a half years before he actually did, believing in him, and finding reasons to maintain that belief. In the eyes of someone who wants to believe, Sunday supplied enough reason. The Patriots led at halftime, then lost by three as 14-point underdogs. They became the first team since mid-October to hold the Bills under 30 points. Drake Maye outplayed the next MVP of the league for most of the game and took another step toward his destiny as a franchise quarterback, If that sounds like a low bar, that’s because it is. Such is life in Year 1 of a rebuild, a multi-year process ownership has committed to seeing through to the end with their organizational pillars now in place: Mayo, Maye and de facto GM Eliot Wolf. As frustrating as this 3-12 campaign has been, there are always nuggets of optimism amid the rubble of a losing season; particularly if you want to find them. The Krafts do, and so does Maye, who loves his head coach, by the way; calling questions about Mayo’s job security “BS.” “We’ve got his back,” Maye said post-game. Maye’s voice matters. Certainly more than any number of fans or media members. Ever since media-fueled speculation that Mayo could get canned at the end of his first season began rising, the caveat has always been the same: if, a Gillette Stadium-sized “if,” the Patriots bomb atomically down the stretch, ownership could pull the plug on Mayo. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport became the latest to join that chorus Sunday with this pregame report: “The Krafts want to keep Jerod Mayo,” he said. “They believe he is the leader for the organization for the future, and they knew it would be a multi-year process to get this thing right. Now if things go off the rails, if they really start to struggle and he loses the locker room the last couple games of the season, we’ve seen this thing turn. “But as of now, the Patriots believe Jerod Mayo is their leader for the future.” Well, Mayo hasn’t lost the locker room. That’s a fact. To a man, both in public and from those I’ve spoken to in private, Patriots players believe in their head coach. Mayo might be a players’ coach, yes, in the best and worst senses. But the Patriots were a few plays away Sunday from pulling off their largest upset since Super Bowl XXXVI. “I think we’re building something good,” Maye said. The Patriots also played their best half of football this season against their toughest opponent yet. Another fact. Now, to the frustrated, I am with you. To the shocked, I understand. But to the trigger-happy, lay down your arms. Mayo, by all accounts, is returning in 2025. Alex Van Pelt, however, is another story. In the same vein that the Krafts could have viewed Sunday’s performance as a reason to save Mayo — despite his pathetic punt at midfield, down 10 with just eight and a half minutes left — they could have convinced themselves their offensive coordinator is the real problem. After all, team president Jonathan Kraft was visibly exasperated over Van Pelt’s play-calling during the Pats’ loss at Arizona a week earlier. Four days later, Van Pelt told reporters he had yet to hear from his boss. Well, that time may be coming. Trailing by three in the fourth quarter Sunday, Van Pelt called a pass that resulted in an unnecessary lateral and game-winning touchdown for Buffalo. His offense later operated like it was taking a Sunday drive with the game on the line, using up 3:16 of the final 4:19 en route to its final touchdown. Van Pelt, finally, weaponized Maye’s legs in critical situations, something that arguably should have been done weeks ago. Not to mention, Van Pelt’s top running back can’t stop fumbling, and the offensive line remains a hot mess. Call him Alex Van Fall Guy. Because Van Pelt’s offense, for the first time in a while, under-performed relative to Mayo’s defense. On merit, he deserves to stay; a case that’s harder to make for defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington. But it’s not about merit this season. It’s not about what you want. It’s not about what I think. It’s about the Krafts; what they see, what they want, what they believe. Even in defeat. ____ Sent weekly directly to your inbox!