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C.J. Stroud breaks record for passes without a pick to start career in Texans’ loss to Falcons

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — C.J. Stroud set an NFL record and led a touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter that gave the Houston Texans the lead. Unfortunately for the rookie quarterback, he didn’t come away with a victory.The Texas lost 21-19 on Sunday when the Falcons’ Younghoe Koo kicked a 33-yard field goal on the game’s final play.Stroud broke the record for pass attempts without an interception to start a career. The No. 2 overall draft pick stands at 186 attempts through five games. Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys had the previous record of 176.Stroud finished 20 of 35 for 249 yards and one touchdown, his seventh TD pass of the season.“It is important to take care of the football,” Stroud said. “I don’t put it into harm’s way too many times.”Stroud was nearly picked a couple of times against the Falcons, but the ball hit the turf.“I got touched a couple of times. Those DBs are really good,” he said. “Turning the ball over is a recipe to lose.”Perhaps more importan...

Minute Maid Park retractable roof to be open for Game 2 of ALDS between Astros and Twins

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — The retractable roof at Minute Maid Park will be open for Game 2 of the AL Division series between the Houston Astros and Minnesota Twins Sunday night.Houston manager Dusty Baker was asked how much input players and staff had into the decision. “The staff and players, none,” he said. “That’s a league decision.” It will be just the second time this season that the roof will be opened for a game as temperatures in Houston are normally too hot for games to be played with it open. After a brutal summer, temperatures have dipped this week in Houston and it was expected to be 73 degrees at first pitch Sunday night. Baker said that the park plays differently when the roof is open.“The wind comes in and bounces off of this and goes back out to that, similar to the roof playing different with Milwaukee with the panels open or even Arizona when it travels a little different,” he said. “Anytime there’s a circular building, that’s creating kind of a wind tunnel,...

Panthers rookie Chandler Zavala travels home with team after going to hospital with neck injury

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Carolina Panthers guard Chandler Zavala was released from a hospital and traveled home with the team after being carted off the field with a neck injury late in the first quarter against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.The rookie was injured on a running play and the medical staff took time to secure his neck with a brace. He was placed on a backboard and onto the back of a cart. Zavala was taken to a hospital, where he was alert and able to move all extremities.“We think it was a bad stinger, but our medical staff is always going to take every precaution to protect our players,” Panthers coach Frank Reich said after Detroit’s 42-24 win.Carolina’s players left the sideline to be near their injured teammate and surrounded the cart before Zavala was removed from the field.The Lions left their sideline in a show of support for Zavala, who drew cheers from the crowd as he was taken for further evaluation.Zavala gave a thumbs-up while being carted off the fie...

These photos show fear, death and destruction in battle scenes from Israel and the Gaza Strip

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

In Israel, a frightened woman runs down the street cradling a young girl in her arms as a car behind her is engulfed in a ball of flames from an unprecedented surprise attack by Hamas militants.In Gaza City, an anguished Palestinian woman embraces the head of a dead man carried by a crowd through the streets after he was killed in retaliation by Israeli forces.The images are just two of hundreds by Associated Press photographers that show the destruction, terror and sadness on both sides of the conflict — and the triumph by some Palestinians who see the attack as a victory. Hundreds have been killed on both sides of the border in fighting that continued Sunday.In Saturday’s early morning assault, a photo shows the smoky trail of rockets from Gaza arcing through the sky against the backdrop of a rising sun. Rockets that struck a parking lot next to a residential building in the Israeli city of Ashkelon torched cars and sent thick black plumes skyward. Israeli security forces used a t...

'We have to continue to stand by them' Colorado leader chimes in on war unfolding overseas

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- United States Rep. Jason Crow, for Colorado's sixth Congressional District, spoke out Sunday about the war quickly unfolding in the Middle East. “This is an outright attack on our allies in Israel," Rep. Crow said. Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday Saturday, killing dozens and stunning the country. Hamas surprise attack stuns Israel, leaves hundreds dead in fighting, retaliation Israel said it is now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an “unprecedented price.”“We have to continue to stand by them," Rep. Crow said Sunday. "They are one of our strongest partners in the Middle East and we need to be the support they need to respond to this and protect themselves." Rep. Crow said right now things are at a standstill when it comes to being able to send emergency aid to Isr...

Jets beat Broncos 31-21

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

DENVER (AP) -- The New York Jets celebrated Nathaniel Hackett's return to Denver by rallying past the Broncos 31-21 on Sunday behind Breece Hall's 72-yard touchdown run and Bryce Hall's 39-yard game-sealing scoop-and-score off Russell Wilson's fumble in the final minute.That gave Hackett, the Jets' offensive coordinator who was fired after going 4-11 as Denver's head coach last season, a measure of satisfaction. Especially after new Broncos coach Sean Payton trashed him during training camp for the job he'd done in Denver, particularly the way he handled Wilson during the quarterback's dismal 2022 season. 5 things to know about the 2023 Denver Broncos The Jets (2-3) overcame a sloppy, chippy first half to snap a three-game skid and hand the Broncos (1-4) their third home loss under Payton, who drew widespread criticism for excoriating Hackett in an interview with USA Today in July.After the game, the Jets took their own swipe at Payton in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter: “w...

Protests held in Fort Lauderdale in wake of Hamas attack as local Israel, Palestine supporters raise their voices

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

Communities impacted by the ongoing unrest in the Middle East took to the streets of South Florida to make their voices heard, nearly two days after Hamas launched a surprise attack out of Gaza that led to a declaration of war from Israel.7News cameras captured pro-Israel protesters as they chanted and held up Israel flags near the 1900 block of East Sunrise Boulevard, Sunday evening.Across the street, protesters supporting Palestine held a large sign simple reading “Palestine” in large letters.”“I think the reality is Hamas makes billions and billions of dollars from perpetuating this war. They’re subjected to the propaganda from their side, the miseducation; they’re raised in hate,” said a pro-Israel demonstrator as he pointed at the pro-Palestine protesters. “Hamas, as long as there’s death, they make billions and billions of dollars.”Not far from this demonstration, supporters of Palestine marched down Sunrise Boulevard...

Israel declares war, bombards Gaza and battles to dislodge Hamas fighters after surprise attack

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israeli government formally declared war and gave the green light for “significant military steps” to retaliate against Hamas for its surprise attack, as the military labored into Monday to crush fighters still in southern towns and intensified its bombardment of the Gaza Strip. The toll passed 1,100 dead and thousands wounded on both sides.More than 40 hours after Hamas launched its unprecedented incursion out of Gaza, Israeli forces were still battling with militants holed up in several locations. At least 700 people have reportedly been killed in Israel — a staggering toll on a scale the country has not experienced in decades — and more than 400 have been killed in Gaza.Israel said it brought in special forces to try to wrest control of four Israeli sites from Hamas fighters, including two kibbutzim that militants entered earlier in their attacks. Footage released by Israeli police from one area showed forces kneeling in tall grass as they ex...

Coby White earns point guard start to open Chicago Bulls preseason, plus 5 other takeaways from 105-102 loss to Milwaukee Bucks

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

Coby White made a strong impression in his first outing as starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. It’s a position he hopes to hold on to for the rest of the season.Coach Billy Donovan emphasized he hasn’t decided who will start for the Bulls on Oct. 25 in the home opener against Oklahoma, adding that training camp did not create a clear distinction between White, Jevon Carter and Ayo Dosunmu.“To say that, ‘Hey, listen, this guy really separated himself’ — I don’t think that happened,” Donovan said. “Really all three of those guys played well.”But Sunday showcased White’s continued development as a playmaker, particularly in his ability to create opportunities for teammates by generating downhill movement as he logged six total assists. White showed improved skill with the ball in his hands while driving to the rim, building on his ability to pass through traffic and in the air after making an initial r...

Celtics takeaways: Kristaps Porzingis shines in debut as C’s win preseason opener

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 16:23:03 GMT

TD Garden is already buzzing.On an otherwise peaceful autumn Sunday afternoon in Boston, the volume inside the Garden was piercing. It was only their preseason opener. But the excitement for this Celtics team was clearly apparent as the ball tipped off for the first time this season.Maybe it helped that the lousy Patriots had just suffered another blowout loss mere hours beforehand, which put the spotlight solely on Boston’s lone championship favorite. The Celtics are the pride of the city right now, and they showed why on Sunday.The Celtics got a good look of their two prized additions, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, and Payton Pritchard, with the ink still drying on his contract extension, took over late, as the Celtics came from behind to beat the 76ers, 114-106, in their preseason opener.Some takeaways from the Celtics’ victory:– Kristaps Porzingis was feeling himself.The new Celtics big man, in the midst of a strong first quarter, finished a lob from Derrick White with au...