MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tua Tagovailoa's teammates have used words like “commanding” and “lights out” to describe the way he has played recently. The quarterback has had one of the best stretches of his career since he returned from a concussion in Week 8, keeping alive the playoff hopes for the Miami Dolphins. Tagovailoa threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns — including the winning TD in overtime — to lead Miami to the victory against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets on Sunday. With the win, the Dolphins (6-7) have the same record as Indianapolis, and they two games back of Denver (8-5) for the final AFC wild card. “I don’t think two years ago this game occurs,” coach Mike McDaniel said Sunday of Tagovailoa. “He continues to get better. ... It’s a lot of work, and all of his work is paying off because he’s a naturally gifted quarterback, not only the skill sets but people gravitate towards him. He makes people better. That’s an incredibly important part of that position.” After an up-close look at the way Tagovailoa operates Miami's offense by throwing with anticipation, Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich called him one of the fastest processors in the NFL. Tagovailoa's teammates had just as much praise about his impact. “He’s been playing lights out. He’s been a great leader for this team, not only on offense but also for defense, getting those guys going," wide receiver Tyreek Hill said. "We’ve just got to follow him, man, like follow his standard because the standard is the standard, and he’s been playing at a high level and guys around him just got to match it.” The numbers back up Hill's words: Sunday was Tagovailoa's third straight 300-yard passing performance, joining Dan Marino as the only quarterbacks in Dolphins history to record three consecutive games with that many yards. Tagovailoa entered Sunday's game with a league-best 74.5% completion rate. He recorded his seventh straight game with a completion rate of 70% or better, tying the third-longest streak in NFL history. Going back to Week 10 against the Rams, Tagovailoa has attempted 184 passes without throwing an interception, which is the second-longest streak in his career, and he has thrown at least one touchdown pass in 34 of his last 35 games. He was 6 for 7 for 67 yards on the Dolphins' winning touchdown drive Sunday, which he capped with a 10-yard throw to tight end Jonnu Smith. “He was commanding," receiver Jaylen Waddle said. “He really made sure we didn’t kill ourselves with penalties. He wanted everybody to lock in and just hone in on the details. That’s was big. He came through, made big plays, was calm in the pocket, o-line had great protection, he delivered the ball.” What's working A big part of Tagovailoa's growth has been his ability to not force plays down the field that aren't there. Unlike earlier in his career, he is much more willing to take checkdowns or dump the ball off to running back De'Von Achane or the tight end Smith, who have been excellent this season at gaining yards after the catch. What needs help Third down continues to pose problems for the Dolphins. Miami converted just 1 of 9 third-down attempts and are 9 of 35 on third downs in its last three games. Stock up Receivers Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill. Hill had his first 100-yard receiving game since the opener with 115 yards on 10 catches. With his 4-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, Hill has a TD catch in four of the past five games. Waddle caught nine passes for 99 yards that gave him 4,085 in his career — the most in a player's first four seasons in Dolphins history. Stock down The secondary, which allowed a combined 223 yards by Garrett Wilson and Davante Adams and 339 yards passing from Aaron Rodgers. It was just the second time this season that Miami's defense has allowed more than 300 yards passing. There were also several instances of miscommunication in the secondary. Injuries LT Terron Armstead was limited to just five snaps because of a knee injury that he's been dealing with for weeks. Armstead was visibly frustrated when he came out of the game and was replaced by rookie Patrick Paul. ... LB Anthony Walker Jr. appeared to re-aggravate a hamstring injury that happened last week. Key number 0 — The number of times Tagovailoa was hit Sunday on 47 pass attempts. Next steps Three of Miami's final four games are on the road, starting at Houston on Sunday. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
New Jersey’s mysterious UFOs may finally have an explanation
Police arrested a 26-year-old man on Monday in the Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO after they say a Pennsylvania McDonald's worker alerted authorities to a customer who resembled the suspected gunman. The suspect, identified by police as Luigi Nicholas Mangione, had a gun believed to be the one used in Wednesday’s attack on Brian Thompson , as well as writings expressing anger at corporate America, police said. Here are some of the latest developments in the ongoing investigation: Mangione was taken into custody at around 9:15 a.m. after police received a tip that he was eating at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 85 miles (137 kilometers) east of Pittsburgh, police said. Mangione was being held in Pennsylvania on gun charges and will eventually be extradited to New York to face charges in connection with Thompson’s death, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. In addition to a three-page, handwritten document that suggests he harbored “ill will toward corporate America,” Kenny said Mangione also had a ghost gun , a type of weapon that can be assembled at home and is difficult to trace. Officers questioned Mangione, who was acting suspiciously and carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference. Officers also found a suppressor, “consistent with the weapon used in the murder,” the commissioner said. He had clothing and a mask similar to those worn by the shooter and a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching one the suspect used to check into a New York City hostel before the shooting, Tisch said. Kenny said Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, has ties to San Francisco and that his last known address is in Honolulu, Hawaii. Mangione, who was valedictorian of his Maryland prep school, earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a university spokesman told The Associated Press on Monday. He learned to code in high school and helped start a club at Penn for people interested in gaming and game design, according to a 2018 story in Penn Today, a campus publication. His social media posts also suggest that he belonged to the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi. They also show him taking part in a 2019 program at Stanford University, and in photos with family and friends at the Jersey Shore and in Hawaii, San Diego, Puerto Rico, and other destinations. The Gilman School, from which Mangione graduated in 2016, is one of Baltimore’s elite prep schools. Some of the city’s wealthiest and most prominent people, including Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr., have had children attend the school. Its alumni include sportswriter Frank Deford and former Arizona Gov. Fife Symington. In his valedictory speech, Luigi Mangione described his classmates’ “incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things,” according to a post on the school website. He praised their collective inventiveness and pioneering mindset. Mangione comes from a prominent Maryland family. His grandfather Nick Mangione, who died in 2008, was a successful real estate developer. One of his best-known projects was Turf Valley Resort, a sprawling luxury retreat and conference center outside Baltimore that he purchased in 1978. The father of 10 children, Nick Mangione prepared his five sons — including Luigi Mangione’s father, Louis Mangione — to help manage the family business, according to a 2003 Washington Post report. The Mangione family also purchased Hayfields Country Club north of Baltimore in 1986. On Monday, Baltimore County police officers blocked off an entrance to the property, which public records link to Luigi Mangione’s parents. A swarm of reporters and photographers gathered outside the entrance. Luigi Mangione is one of 37 grandchildren of Nick Mangione, according to his obituary. Luigi Mangione's grandparents donated to charities through the Mangione Family Foundation, according to a statement from Loyola University commemorating Nick Mangione’s wife’s death in 2023. They donated to various causes ranging from Catholic organizations to colleges and the arts. One of Luigi Mangione’s cousins is Republican Maryland state legislator Nino Mangione. A spokesman for the lawmaker's office confirmed the relationship Monday. Police said the person who killed Thompson left a hostel on Manhattan's Upper West Side at 5:41 a.m. on Wednesday. Just 11 minutes later, he was seen on surveillance video walking back and forth in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, wearing a distinctive backpack. At 6:44 a.m., he shot Thompson at a side entrance to the hotel, fled on foot, then climbed aboard a bicycle and within four minutes had entered Central Park. Another security camera recorded the gunman leaving the park near the American Museum of Natural History at 6:56 a.m. still on the bicycle but without the backpack. After getting in a taxi, he headed north to a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, arriving at around 7:30 a.m. From there, the trail of video evidence runs cold. Police have not located video of the suspected shooter exiting the building, leading them to believe he likely took a bus out of town. Police said they are still investigating the path the suspect took to Pennsylvania. “This just happened this morning," Kenny said. "We’ll be working, backtracking his steps from New York to Altoona, Pennsylvania,” Kenny said. Associated Press reporters Lea Skene in Baltimore and Cedar Attanasio in New York contributed to this report. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly.Girl Scouts Receives $30M Grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Support Character Development Initiatives That Will Help Girls ThriveSheinbaum talks judicial election funding: Friday’s mañanera recapped