The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Donte Jackson ahead of the 2024 season. Many were excited about him joining the team, and the rumblings within the organization suggested he was a much better player than many realized. Jackson started the year strong, grabbing five interceptions, but his inability to stay healthy has been a recurring issue. New injuries seem to surface nearly every game, and his overall performance has taken a significant nosedive as the season has progressed. Another notable addition was defensive back Cam Sutton . After being released by the Detroit Lions due to legal troubles, the Steelers gave Sutton a second chance, hoping he could return to the reliable form he once displayed in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, Sutton has been far from the dependable presence the team needed. His struggles in coverage have been glaring, and opposing quarterbacks are clearly targeting him with success. A closer look at the numbers reveals just how poorly both players have performed in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus , Sutton currently holds a woeful coverage grade of 47.5 , while Jackson isn’t much better with a grade of 50.3. These numbers highlight a troubling reality for the Steelers' secondary, which was expected to be a strength this season. If these performances continue, Pittsburgh's defense could face even bigger challenges down the stretch. Per PFF grades, 138 CBs have played 100 or more coverage snaps this season. Donte Jackson is now ranked 132nd Cam Sutton is ranked 128th In a social media post shared by NFL Draft analyst Jon Ledyard, he emphasized just how concerning these coverage grades are. Out of 138 graded cornerbacks, both Sutton and Jackson rank near the very bottom. While fans often debate the accuracy of PFF grades, extreme scores like these usually paint an accurate picture. The reality is clear: Sutton and Jackson are struggling significantly in Pittsburgh, and their recent performances have only made matters worse. The Steelers were riding high before this grueling three-game stretch in just ten days. They suffered losses to the Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, and Kansas City Chiefs—three undeniably tough opponents. However, Pittsburgh entered this stretch viewed as legitimate contenders. After dropping all three matchups, it’s hard to argue against the notion that they now look far more like pretenders. Steelers' Mike Tomlin Has Allowed Yet Another Late Season Collapse Mike Tomlin said he wasn’t going to get dramatic after the loss to the Eagles. Well, it’s certainly time for Steelers fans to be dramatic. You don’t get thoroughly outplayed in three consecutive games and simply brush it off. This feels like yet another example of a Tomlin-led team unraveling when it matters most. The Steelers now have one final chance to salvage some momentum heading into the playoffs with a win against the Cincinnati Bengals. But that will be no easy task. The Bengals are a formidable opponent, and Pittsburgh will need to dig deep to avoid ending the regular season on a sour note. With the postseason looming, a victory over Cincinnati isn’t just important—it’s essential. The Steelers desperately need a confidence boost to turn things around and enter the playoffs with a sense of optimism and belief. This article first appeared on SteelerNation.com and was syndicated with permission.The World Bank has said that inefficiencies in public spending are costing developing nations a significant portion of their investments. Nigeria is among the developing nations of the world. The global bank disclosed this in its report titled “How Can Developing Countries Power Up Public Investment?,” published on December 16, 2024. The report found that more than a third of public investment in emerging markets and developing economies is lost to inefficiencies, undermining potential economic growth and development. It explained that inefficient spending occurs when one dollar of public investment does not result in an equivalent increase in productive public capital. In extreme cases, it leads to “white elephant” projects with limited economic returns but high costs and, as a result, undermines sovereign risk and debt sustainability. “Improvements in government spending efficiency are essential for maximizing the benefits of public investment. Estimates suggest over one-third of public investment in EMDEs may be lost to inefficiency, much more than in advanced economies. Institutional weaknesses, such as regulatory bottlenecks and corruption, often result in lower-quality projects” the report stated. In response, the World Bank urged governments in low- and middle-income countries to focus on improving the efficiency of public spending. Recommended actions include adopting transparent procurement processes, establishing effective project monitoring and evaluation systems, and ensuring proper maintenance of infrastructure to extend its useful life. Related News Nigeria has no military pact with France, says Ribadu FG expresses concern about Mozambique election crisis China, Nigeria renew $2bn currency-swap deal The financier recommended strategies such as enhancing domestic revenue mobilization, reallocating resources from inefficient subsidies, and implementing sound debt management frameworks that can help boost governments’ ability to invest in critical sectors like education, health, and infrastructure. “Developing nations can utilise frameworks developed by international organisations. For example, the World Bank’s public investment management framework helps countries assess the strengths and weaknesses of their public investment practices.” It added, “Public-private partnerships can leverage private sector resources, although the success over the past decades has been mixed due to the relative complexity of implementation. “Technology now enables governments to step away from direct provision as in the case of telecommunications and cellular networks. Instead, effective regulation ensures efficient service of those public goods.” The report also highlighted the importance of expanding fiscal space to fund these improvements. Moreover, the World Bank called for increased global support, particularly for low-income nations, to finance large-scale infrastructure projects, especially those related to climate change. “The international community must step up, particularly on climate-related infrastructure projects, to ensure that developing nations have the resources to make lasting progress,” the report noted.South Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over martial law
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Calgary won shootout 2-1 First Period_1, Calgary, Rooney 2 (Kirkland, Miromanov), 15:00. 2, Minnesota, Johansson 3 (Boldy), 16:03. Second Period_3, Calgary, Pospisil 2 (Andersson, Kadri), 19:29 (pp). Third Period_4, Calgary, Sharangovich 4 (Zary, Weegar), 3:53 (pp). 5, Minnesota, Faber 3 (Rossi, Boldy), 16:01 (pp). 6, Minnesota, Rossi 6 (Eriksson Ek), 19:26. Overtime_None. Shootout_Calgary 2 (Sharangovich NG, Kuzmenko NG, Kirkland G, Coronato NG, Andersson G), Minnesota 1 (Gaudreau G, Boldy NG, Eriksson Ek NG, Rossi NG, Hartman NG). Shots on Goal_Minnesota 8-3-10-2_23. Calgary 8-11-9-3_31. Power-play opportunities_Minnesota 1 of 3; Calgary 2 of 2. Goalies_Minnesota, Gustavsson 9-3-2 (31 shots-28 saves). Calgary, Vladar 3-4-2 (23-20). A_17,116 (19,289). T_2:37. Referees_Ghislain Hebert, Jordan Samuels-Thomas. Linesmen_Caleb Apperson, Ben O'Quinn.
Notable quotes by Jimmy Carter
Eagles QB Kenny Pickett injured on huge hit from Micah Parsons
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After starting 2-0 in its inaugural Atlantic Coast Conference schedule, SMU looks to make the month even more special on Sunday, hosting Longwood in Dallas, Texas. The Mustangs seek a seven-game win streak in their final nonconference test before welcoming No. 4 Duke to Dallas on Jan. 4. In recent victories over Alabama State, Virginia, LSU, and Boston College, SMU (10-2) averaged 85.3 points per game, allowed just 66.0 ppg, and climbed to No. 30 in the NET rankings. "We're a different team right now than we were earlier in the season," SMU head coach Andy Enfield said at the beginning of December, his words ringing even truer as the season progresses. "They'd never been under pressure together until recently, so they're starting to learn and figure things out." Longwood (11-3) enters its third consecutive road game, having won five of its last six overall. That includes a major 82-67 win at North Carolina Central on Dec. 20. It was only the sixth nonconference home loss for NCC since 2016, and Longwood head coach Griff Aldrich saw it as a result of his team's growing cohesiveness. "We got great contributions from so many players," Aldrich said. "We have been working to play more and more connected, and this team has really taken positive steps this week." The Mustangs' Matt Cross is among the biggest threats to Longwood's defense, which allows just 66.6 points per game. A 6-foot-7 forward, Cross had 36 points over SMU's last two wins, including a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double against LSU. What Cross does with the ball in his hands is impressive -- he is averaging 13.5 ppg in December -- but it is also what he does off the ball that increases his value. "He's extremely tough," Enfield said after Cross' performance against LSU. "His wall up in transition, where (Corey) Chest came down, was going to dunk the ball, and he stood there and took the contact. ...That's a big-time basketball play." Longwood is paced by Michael Christmas, a veteran forward in his fourth year in the program. A hard-nosed wing who can score at all three levels, Christmas is Longwood's only returner who started at least 30 games on last year's NCAA Tournament team. He is averaging a team-high 11.9 points per game. "(He) loves this university, loves this town and community," Aldrich said of Christmas. "He opted to come back here to really invest in the program." --Field Level MediaColby Rogers shines as Memphis rolls past Ole MissSouth Korea's president avoids an impeachment attempt over martial law
Jimmy Carter was a fan of NASCAR, but the possibility of peace in the Middle East got in the way when several drivers came to the White House for ham and cornbread in 1978. Carter, the 39th president of the United States, died Sunday in Plains, Georgia . He was 100. While governor of Georgia in the 1970s, Carter attended races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and hosted racers at the governor’s mansion. In the previous decade, he had worked speedway events as a ticket vendor. Upon running for president in 1976, he pledged to bring NASCAR to the White House for dinner if elected. But when the dinner bell eventually rang, in the summer of 1978, Carter was at the Camp David presidential retreat, where he was working on a breakthrough peace accord with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. In the president’s absence, First Lady Rosalynn Carter hosted the NASCAR contingent, which included many drivers, including Hall of Famers Cale Yarborough, David Pearson and Benny Parsons, as well as NASCAR leaders Bill France Jr. and Sr. The night was capped off with a Willie Nelson concert. And no, this wasn’t Willie's high-rollin' White House visit – it wasn’t until two years later that Nelson famously joined Carter’s son Chip atop the White House roof and smoked weed . Carter and his son confirmed the widely shared rumor in " Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President ," a documentary released in 2020. After serving a single term in the White House, Carter, the onetime peanut farmer and Navy submariner, became among the most durable figures in modern American politics. Evicted from the White House at age 56, he would hold the status of former president longer than anyone in American history, and in 2019 he surpassed the late George H. W. Bush as the nation's oldest living ex-president. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, 22 years after he had left the White House. Contributing: Susan Page and Richard Benedetto, USA TODAYKashmiri Pandits Reiterate Demand For Implementation Of ‘Margdarshan Resolution’