Sam Darnold impressively proves week after week that there is nothing unusual about the way he plays and produces early in his Vikings career.

Darnold threw three more touchdown passes in the first half of the Vikings’ wild 31-29 win over the Packers on Sunday, giving him his 11th touchdown pass of the season. He also set a franchise record by becoming the first Vikings quarterback to open a season with a passer rating of at least 100 in four consecutive games.

More specifically, Darnold’s passer rating was at least 109 in each of the first four games, including a season-high of 123.4 in Green Bay. The only other players to start a season with a 109+ passer rating and multiple touchdowns in at least four straight games are Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and Russell Wilson. This group includes nine Super Bowl rings and eight MVPs.

“My confidence in him is really high,” Kevin O’Connell said.

DARNOLD AND JETTAS. ARE YOU KIDDING???

📺: #MINvsGB on CBS/Paramount+
📱: pic.twitter.com/7ueoBJbPGE

– NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024

Darnold also set season highs in completions (20) and yards (275) in this game. It seemed like he was on his way to a truly massive statistical performance, but the Vikings offense as a whole faltered after they jumped out to a 28-0 lead in the first half.

Still, for the second time in three weeks, the Vikings had to rely on their quarterback when they needed a big drive to put a game on ice. Similar to how Darnold took a 23-14 lead against the 49ers in Week 2, he pushed through and helped his team take a 31-22 lead in the fourth quarter on Sunday. Darnold completed four straight passes for 60 yards on that drive to help regain momentum for the Packers and a raucous crowd at Lambeau Field.

“I think you have to have that attitude,” Darnold said. “You can’t think about what might happen or what has happened when they come back. You always have to maintain the attitude of putting one step in front of the other, one foot in front of the other. As long as we keep going.’ I feel like we’re going to have that mindset as a whole team on offense.”

The 4-0 Vikings just continue to post wins, and their quarterback is a big reason why. Darnold has been everything they hoped for when they signed him this offseason – and more.

Sam Darnold just continues to play good football. pic.twitter.com/8Vp7CNNjoi

– Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) September 29, 2024

Hezbollah on Sunday confirmed the death of high-ranking official Nabil Kaouk in an Israeli airstrike, a day after the Lebanese militant group acknowledged the killings of multiple commanders, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Israel struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the militants’ recent attacks, and is continuing to carry out strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon.

Meanwhile, the number of people displaced by the conflict from southern Lebanon has more than doubled and now stands at more than 211,000, according to the United Nations.

Hezbollah and Israel have traded near-daily strikes since the Israel-Hamas war started after the Gaza-based Palestinian militant group stormed into Israel almost a year ago on Oct. 7, sparking fears of regional war.

___

Here is the latest:

An apparent Israeli airstrike hits central Beirut for first time in nearly a year of conflict

An apparent Israeli airstrike hit central Beirut early Monday, for the first time in nearly a year of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, witnesses said.

The strike near the Cola intersection, a major transportation hub, hit a multi-story residential building, according to an Associated Press journalist at the scene. Videos from the scene showed ambulances and a crowd gathered under the building, where the strike appeared to have targeted one apartment.

In the past week, Israel has frequently targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs, where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has a strong presence – including a major strike on Friday that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah – but had not hit locations near the city center. The area where the strike took place is a primary Sunni district with a busy thoroughfare lined with shops and residentials buildings.

There was no immediate comment from Israeli officials.

—-

Biden to talk to Netanyahu, says wider war must be avoided

President Joe Biden says he will speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and believes an all-out war in the Middle East must be avoided.

“It has to be,” Biden told reporters Sunday as he boarded Air Force One for Washington. “We really have to avoid it.”

Biden would not say when he planned to speak with the Israeli leader.

Biden’s remarks came after Iran’s president said Sunday that a “decisive response” was needed following a string of heavy blows in recent days against the Hezbollah militant group, including the killing of its overall leader, Hassan Nasrallah, by Israel.

The White House sees the death of Nasrallah as a major setback to Iran-backed Hezbollah. But the administration has sought to tread carefully in hopes of preventing an even broader regional conflict.

Israel eases restrictions in country’s north but strikes continue

TEL AVIV, Israel — The Israeli army has eased restrictions in parts of the country’s north even as it continued on Sunday to strike targets in neighboring Lebanon.

The changes applied to parts of the Haifa Bay area and several adjacent towns. Schools will be allowed to operate if they have quickly-accessible shelters and restrictions on gatherings will ease.

The loosening of restrictions appears to reflect a determination that the threat of incoming rocket fire has slightly diminished, though restrictions in the north remain much stricter than other parts of the country.

Shortly after the announcement, sirens warned of incoming rockets throughout the Haifa area and Israel’s northern coast. Israeli police said fragments of interceptors fell in several sites but no injuries were reported.

Earlier, the army said some 35 rockets were launched from Lebanon at northern Israel and two drones that crossed from Lebanon into the territorial waters of Israel were intercepted.

Thousands of Israeli students have been kept home from schools for the past week across the country’s north as fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah escalated.

Houthi media says Israeli strikes kill at least 4 people

Israeli strikes on a Houthi-controlled city in Yemen on Sunday killed at least 4 people and wounded 33 others, Houthi-run media reported.

The dead include a worker at the port in the city of Hodeida and three engineers at the city’s Hali power plant, al-Masirah TV reported. Rescue teams were still searching for missing people under the rubble at the plant.

The Houthis said the strikes hit the Hodeida and Rass Issa ports along with two power plants in Hodeida, which is a stronghold for the Iranian-backed rebels.

The strikes came a day after Houthis launched a missile attack on Israel’s Ben Gurion airport as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arriving.

Iran’s president says “decisive response” needed after strikes on Hezbollah

TEHRAN — Iran’s president said Sunday that a “decisive response” was needed following Israel’s killing of numerous leaders of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in recent days.

President Masoud Pezeshkian characterized the Israeli attacks on Hezbollah as crimes.

“The Lebanese fighters should not be left alone in this battle,” Pezeshkian said during a Sunday cabinet meeting, his office reported.

Iran has armed and trained Hezbollah for decades and relied on it to put pressure on Israel, its chief regional rival.

Iran on Sunday also condemned Israeli airstrikes against power plants and port facilities in Yemen that targeted Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

Pezeshkian called Israel a brutal regime and urged all Islamic countries not to be indifferent. And he criticized Western countries over a promised cease-fire in the region after Iran did not respond to the killing of top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July.

“The claims by the United States and European countries’ leaders, who promised a ceasefire in exchange for Iran’s non-response to the assassination of martyr Haniyeh, were complete lies,” he said.

Netanyahu appoints a former rival to his Cabinet, cementing his own position

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin on Sunday appointed a former rival, Gideon Saar, as a member of his Cabinet.

The move expands Netanyahu’s governing coalition and helps entrench the Israeli leader in office.

Under their agreement, Netanyahu said, Saar will be given a spot in the Security cabinet, the body that oversees the management of the ongoing war.

Saar had hoped to replace Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, another rival of Netanyahu’s. But a deal to become defense minister fell through several weeks ago after fighting intensified with Hezbollah.

Lebanon says at least 24 people have been killed in airstrikes in the south

BEIRUT – Lebanon’s Health Ministry says at least 24 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes that hit two buildings in the country’s south.

The consecutive strikes Sunday on Ain el-Delb, east of Sidon, were caught on camera by neighbors in the area. The Health Ministry said the strikes also injured at least 29 people.

In video verified by The Associated Press, one strike caused a huge plume of smoke. The second one hit an adjacent building, causing to sway and then collapse.

Separately, the Health Ministry said Israeli strikes in the northern province of Baalbek Hermel killed 21 people and injured at least 47.

Israel says it has struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the group’s attacks

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s military says dozens of aircraft have struck Houthi targets in Yemen in response to the militants’ recent attacks on Israel.

The military says it targeted power plants and sea port facilities in the city of Hodeida.

The Houthi media office said the Israeli strikes hit the Hodeida and Rass Issa ports along with two power plants in Hodeida city, which is a stronghold for the Iranian-backed rebels. Fire and plumes of smoke could be seen in the air over Hodeida after the strikes.

The group said it had taken precautionary measures and Israel’s strikes would not stop Houthi attacks on shipping routes and on Israel.

The Houthis launched a ballistic missile attack on Israel’s Ben Gurion airport on Saturday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arriving on a flight from the United States.

UN says 70,000 people have fled Lebanon for Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria – The United Nations’ refugee agency says 70,000 people have crossed from Lebanon into Syria to escape Israeli bombardment.

The total includes both Lebanese citizens and Syrians who had moved to Lebanon but are now returning.

Sarah Haj Hassan fled Shmustar near Lebanon’s eastern city of Baalbek, on Saturday after intense Israeli strikes.

She’s one of some 7,500 people who has registered in the Sayyida Zeinab suburb of Damascus.

“I lost my house, and my parents’ house was damaged,” she told The Associated Press. “At the end of the day, we need to care for our children.”

Italy’s defense minister hopes Italian peacekeepers’ presence will encourage de-escalation

ROME — Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto says he hopes the presence of Italian soldiers in Lebanon as part of peacekeeping missions will encourage de-escalation.

Crosetto said Sunday that “the presence of our military is an element of guarantee that we hope can induce the parties to de-escalation, creating the conditions to reopen the dialogue and start mediation.”

Italy has troops in Lebanon as part of the United Nations mission known as UNIFIL and a bilateral mission, MIBIL.

Crosetto said Italy has arrangements in place to evacuate Italian civilians from Lebanon if the situation deteriorates.

White House says Israel has ‘wiped out’ Hezbollah leadership but the group will try to rebuild

WASHINGTON — A senior White House official says Israel has “wiped out” Hezbollah’s command structure with a barrage of airstrikes, but warned that the militant group will work to quickly rebuild.

National security spokesman John Kirby said “they will try to recover. We’re watching to see what they do to try to fill this leadership vacuum.”

Referring to the strike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Kirby said, “I think people are safer without him walking around.” But, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” he sidestepped questions about whether the administration agreed with how the Israelis are going about targeting Hezbollah leaders. Lebanese officials say the strikes have killed many civilians.

The White House continues to call on Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a 21-day temporary cease-fire that was floated by the U.S., France and other countries last week, but rejected by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hezbollah confirms the death of a 7th senior leader in an Israeli strike

BEIRUT — Hezbollah has confirmed the death of high-ranking official Nabil Kaouk in an Israeli airstrike, the seventh senior commander killed in just over a week.

The Israeli military had earlier said it killed Kaouk in a strike in a southern Beirut suburb on Saturday.

Kaouk was deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council. He also served as Hezbollah’s military commander in south Lebanon from 1995 until 2010.

He is the seventh senior leader of the Lebanese militant group to be killed since Sept. 20, including Hassan Nasrallah, who was Hezbollah’s top leader for more than three decades.

Israeli strike on a school has killed at least 4 people, Gaza authorities say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian officials say an Israeli airstrike has killed at least four people in a school sheltering the displaced in northern Gaza.

The Israeli military said it carried out a precise strike Sunday on Hamas militants who were using the Umm al-Fahm school in the northern town of Beit Lahiya as a command-and-control center, without providing evidence.

The Civil Defense, first responders who operate under the Hamas-run government, confirmed the toll and said several others were wounded. It did not say whether those killed and wounded were civilians or combatants.

Footage circulating online showed first responders racing into the damaged school. They could be seen treating a woman and a minor who had burns on his hand.

Israel has repeatedly struck schools-turned-shelters in Gaza, accusing militants of hiding out in them.

Some 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people have been displaced by the nearly yearlong war, with hundreds of thousands living in shuttered schools or squalid tent camps.

Iran says its response to Israeli strikes will come ‘at the appropriate time’

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s Vice-President Mohammad Javad Zarif says Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will decide on a response to Israel’s strikes in Lebanon “at the appropriate time.”

The semi-official ISNA news agency quoted Zarif as saying that “Iran’s reaction will be done at the appropriate time and according to Iran’s choice against the crimes of the Zionist regime, and decisions will be made at the leadership and high level of the government in this regard.”

Zarif made the comments when he attended Hezbollah’s office in Tehran to express condolences over the killing of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday.

The US says it has killed 37 militants in airstrikes in Syria

BEIRUT – The U.S. military says it killed 37 militants linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group in two strikes in Syria this month.

U.S. Central Command said it struck northwestern Syria on Tuesday targeting a senior militant in charge of military operations for the al-Qaida-linked Hurras al-Deen group and eight others.

It also said a large-scale airstrike on Sept. 16 targeted an IS training camp in a remote location in central Syria. That attack killed 28 militants including “at least four Syrian leaders,” the U.S. said.

There are some 900 U.S. forces in Syria, along with an undisclosed number of contractors, mostly trying to prevent any comeback by the extremist IS group, which swept through Iraq and Syria in 2014, taking control of large swaths of territory.

Hezbollah confirms death of a senior commander in charge of its southern front

BEIRUT — Hezbollah has confirmed the death of a senior commander in charge of its southern front.

The Lebanese militant group says Ali Karaki was killed in an intense Israeli airstrike on Friday that also killed the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut.

It says Karaki was responsible for all of Hezbollah’s units in southern Lebanon in the ongoing conflict with Israel.

He is among a handful of senior officials in the militant group killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon in recent days.

The Israeli military said Sunday that it killed another high-ranking Hezbollah official, Nabil Kaouk, in an airstrike on Saturday.

World Food Program launches a mission to provide food to up to 1 million in Lebanon

BEIRUT — The World Food Program says it has launched an emergency operation to provide food to up to 1 million people displaced by violence in Lebanon.

The U.N. agency said Sunday it distributes ready-to-eat food rations, bread, hot meals and food parcels to families in shelters across the country.

The agency says it needs $105 million to help it continue the work until the end of the year and has urged the international community to support the humanitarian response.

Corinne Fleischer, the agency’s regional director for the Middle East, North Africa, and Eastern Europe, said: “Lebanon is at a breaking point and cannot endure another war.”

Lebanese Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said the government estimates that about 250,000 people are in shelters while four times as many may be displaced outside the shelters.

Iranian foreign minister says Nilforushan’s k illing won’t go ‘unanswered’

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the “horrific” killing of General Abbas Nilforushan wouldn’t “go unanswered,” the foreign ministry’s website reported Sunday.

Nilforushan, a senior officer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, was killed in the same Israeli strike on Beirut Friday that targeted Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Araghchi called the killing a “horrible and cowardly act” and vowed to use all political, diplomatic, legal, and international channels to pursue those behind it and their supporters.

Israeli military says it has dismantled a Hamas tunnel in central Gaza

JERUSALEM — The Israeli military says it has uncovered and dismantled a Hamas tunnel in central Gaza that was over a kilometer (0.6 miles) long.

It said Sunday that the tunnel ran near residential buildings, and that inside were several rooms and equipment used by militants for prolonged stays.

The military released footage showing the entrance to the tunnel, a long staircase leading down and what appeared to be an iron blast door.

Hamas is believed to have built hundreds of kilometers (miles) of tunnels across Gaza to evade Israeli airstrikes. The militants have also used the tunnels to hold hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war and to launch ambushes against Israeli forces.

Suez Canal revenue drops by 60%

CAIRO – Egypt’s president says its revenues from the Suez Canal have dropped by 60%, or more than $6 billion, in recent months as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels disrupt Red Sea shipping.

The canal is a major source of foreign currency for Egypt’s battered economy.

President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi spoke during a graduation ceremony Sunday at the Police Academy in Cairo.

“The ongoing developments are very serious and could lead to expanding the conflict’s theater,” he said.

Attacks by the Iran-backed Houthis have led shipping firms to divert traffic around the Red Sea and, by extension, the Suez Canal linking it to the Mediterranean.

Israel says it killed another high-ranking Hezbollah official

The Israeli military said it killed Nabil Kaouk, a high-ranking Hezbollah official, in a strike in a southern Beirut suburb on Saturday.

Sunday’s announcement came a day after Hezbollah confirmed the killing of leader Hassan Nasrallah. There was no immediate comment from the Lebanese militant group.

Kaouk is the deputy head of Hezbollah’s Central Council. He also served as Hezbollah’s military commander in south Lebanon from 1995 until 2010.

In 2020, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Kaouk and another member of Hezbollah’s council, Hassan al-Baghdadi.

Israeli strikes kill at least 4 people in the Gaza Strip

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian officials say Israeli strikes have killed at least four people in the Gaza Strip.

Two people were killed in separate strikes early Sunday in the built-up Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. That’s according to the nearby Awda Hospital, which received the bodies. It said another six people were wounded.

In northern Gaza, first responders recovered two bodies after a strike on a house early Sunday, according to the Civil Defense, which operates under the Hamas-run government.

The Gaza Health Ministry says over 41,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, more than half of them women and children. It does not say how many of those killed were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 hostage. Around 100 captives are still being held in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead.

Iran-backed militants killed and wounded in eastern Syria

BAGHDAD — A number of Iran-backed militants were killed and wounded in eastern Syria early Sunday near a strategic border crossing with Iraq in apparent airstrikes, media and the militant groups said.

Two officials from Iran-backed Iraqi militias said the nine dead militiamen and 10 others wounded were all Syrian nationals in groups backed by Tehran.

The militants, who spoke on condition on anonymity in accordance with regulations, said the five airstrikes hit a military headquarters, a radar installation near the Deir el-Zour airport, and several sites near the strategic Boukamal crossing on the Syrian-Iraqi border.

Pan-Arab television network Al-Mayadeen said Israeli jets were behind the strikes, without saying how it had determined that.

–Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad

Nearly 250,000 people are in shelters following Israeli strikes, Lebanese official says

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s Environment Minister Nasser Yassin says about 250,000 people have left their homes and taken refuge in government-run shelters and informal ones amid the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. But he told the Associated Press the total number displaced is about “four times as many.”

The United Nations said that as of Friday, 211,319 people were forced to relocate, and that was before some intensive Israeli airstrikes over Beirut’s southern suburbs in recent days.

The Lebanese government has converted schools and other facilities into temporary shelters. Still, many are sleeping on the streets or in public squares, as the government and non-governmental organizations try to find them places to stay.

Thousands in Iran protest Nasrallah’s killing

TEHRAN, Iran — Thousands of people have gathered across Iran to protest the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike.

State TV aired footage of protests in several major cities on Sunday. At Iran’s parliament, lawmakers chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

Iran helped establish Hezbollah in the 1980s and has provided the Lebanese militant group with sophisticated weaponry and training.

The airstrike that killed Nasrallah on Friday also killed Gen. Abbas Nilforushan, a senior officer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. The Guard officially confirmed Nilforushan’s death on its website Sunday, after it had been widely reported in state media the day before.

Lebanese military calls for calm

BEIRUT — In its first statement since the recent escalation with Israel and following the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Lebanon’s military called for calm “at this dangerous and delicate stage.”

Government officials fear that the country’s deep political divisions at a time of war could rekindle sectarian strife and violence in the small Mediterranean country.

“The Israeli enemy is working to implement its destructive plans and spread division among the Lebanese,” the military said.

Military vehicles have been deployed in different parts of the capital as thousands of displaced people continue moving from the south to Beirut.

From Mike Marchese #GoFins (@fin1fan):

Will I still be alive to see ONE playoff win? I’ll hang up and take your answer on the radio.

Hey Mike, what if this was the season where things start off bad, but the Dolphins finish strong and get that elusive playoff win? I’m really upset, but keep the faith, partner.

From Jason Kirkland (@1bigdad424):

Hi Alain, do you think the O-line issues and now with Armstead were one of the reasons they drafted Snoop? Or do you think he would have been the starter with a good line?

Hey Jason, Mike McDaniel’s explanation didn’t address this issue, but it would make perfect sense to give the offense the best possible chance, which Huntley brings when having to choose between two quarterbacks with pedestrian passing career stats.

From Olive Grove Jon (@Owlizee):

Hello Alain. One way or another, the Finns have put all their eggs in one basket when it comes to Tua, even trusting him to come back rather than making a trade. Is Chris Grier playing a dangerous game or is he reassured knowing his job is probably safe?

Hey OGJ, I honestly didn’t like the whole approach to the quarterback position in the offseason because the Dolphins neglected the backup QB position when they had a starter who was more likely to get injured (based on history ) than almost anyone else in the NFL season. It seems clear that the Dolphins were negligent in assuming that Tua would have another injury-free season (barring a rebound from Skylar Thompson), but I’m not sure I’m ready to say that because Grier believes his job is secure (even though it probably is). ).

From Noel B One (@NwFinsFan4ever):

It looks like the defense just has to cover Hill/Waddle, put the Dolphins in third-and-short situations, and then just wait for mistakes to happen. Please tell me I’m wrong. I could use the boost now…

Hey, Noel, you’re wrong. Hope this helps. But that’s not the case because the offense is in crisis right now and something has to get them out of it and perhaps Tyler Huntley’s running ability can add a dimension that will help make a difference.

From NotErnie (@atlbytes):

Missed 5 games in 2022

Missed 4 games in 2021

Missed 1 game in 2020

Missed 4 games in 2019

How could Grier not sign an experienced backup player during the offseason?

Hey NotErnie, yes, I touched on this in a column this week: The Dolphins had plenty of opportunities to bring in a veteran backup quarterback and chose not to. However, I think this was an organizational decision and not simply Grier’s (just a hunch). Regardless, it looks like a major failure for the Dolphins, especially when we see what guys like Sam Darnold and Malik Willis have done.

From Shaun Braley (@shaunbraley):

I think McDaniel’s ceiling is too high to consider letting him go any time soon. For those in my boat…or perhaps for the new patience brigade: Do you think he’s likely to fix his weaknesses? And which of these might be the hardest to change?

Hey Shaun, if I were to criticize McDaniel as a head coach – and understand that I really like him in that role – I think he tends to stick to his beliefs at times instead of adapting at times. And while I respect him as a player-coach who plays well with his troops, I think sometimes a tougher approach is warranted. However, as I said, I think he is a good coach.

From Google (@googleyeys):

Thanks Poup. Has Huntley taken over as Skylar’s replacement or will Skylar get back next week? Obviously a lot of moving parts, but what do you think?

That’s a fantastic question and I’m excited to see what happens if Huntley puts in a strong performance. However, given that they (rightly or wrongly) refused to bring in an experienced backup QB this offseason due to their confidence in Thompson, I have a hard time imagining the Dolphins after just one start give him up.

From Stephan Cwynar (@stephanc101):

If Patrick Paul leaves with Terron leaving, are we thinking about moving Terron to LG to get Rob Jones out of there? He’s been terrible so far this year.

Hey Stephan, Terron Armstead is a straight tackle – and a great one at that – so I just can’t see your scenario working out. No matter how well Patrick Paul plays when he gets his shot.

From Mr. Success (@MrSuccess____):

Remember saying that Mike’s system supported Tua and many other QBs could step in and be successful? (Paraphrase, feel free to correct me). Also, have you found that Mike has and continues to do the opposite for his QBs? Sorry for the two-for-one.

Don’t worry about the two-for-one option. What I said was that the system – the Mike Shanahan system – is absolutely QB friendly and a lot of QBs can be successful with it. That means, not Any QB can be successful at it. And it should also be said that Mike McDaniel absolutely tailored his scheme to what Tua does best, which certainly makes sense, but also isn’t applicable to every quarterback. So McDaniel has done everything he can to maximize Tua’s talents, and he’ll have to make adjustments since there are no other QBs with those skills on the roster.

From Jordan Paxton (@paxromana316):

Huntley is a mystery to me. I know about the games he played when Lamar went down. But when was the last time he saw game action? And was he productive?

Hey Jordan, Huntley’s last game action came in the 2023 regular season for Baltimore against Pittsburgh, when the Ravens used a lot of substitutes because they had already secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. It was also raining in Baltimore that day, so conditions were difficult. He didn’t have a great performance in a 17-10 defeat, but again the circumstances weren’t ideal.

New Delhi:

A biker died after he was chased and attacked by a rhino near Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of Assam on Sunday. The victim, Saddam Hussain, was a resident of Kamrup district, about 30 kilometers from the site of the incident.

The 37-year-old was riding his two-wheeler when the rhino standing on the side of the road approached him. He then quickly gets off the bike and runs into the wooded area while the animal, which can run up to 55 kilometers per hour, chases him.

In a video that has since gone viral, locals can be seen screaming to scare away the rhino, which weighs up to 2,800 kilograms.

Hussain was later found in a field with his head smashed.

“The rhino came from the wildlife sanctuary. We are investigating the incident,” a forest official told news agency ANI.

Located in a suburb of Assam’s capital Guwahati, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary is known to house the highest density of one-horned rhinos in the country.

Data released on World Rhino Day this month says the population of Asian rhinos in India has almost tripled over the past four decades.

The number of animals has increased from 1,500 four decades ago to over 4,000 today.

An adult Indian rhinoceros, the largest of the three Asian species, can live around 50 years.

An estimated 80 percent of the world’s one-horned rhinos live in the Kaziranga Conservation Park in Assam.

MIAMI – Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played a full season in 2023 for the first time in his NFL career. He led the NFL in passing yards and led the league’s No. 1 offense to an 11-win season and an AFC wild-card berth.

The Dolphins rewarded him this offseason with a four-year contract extension worth $212.1 million in hopes that he and the team would take another step forward in 2024.

But the 2024 season stuttered at the beginning. Tagovailoa suffered the third documented concussion of his NFL career in a loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. Days later, he was placed on injured reserve.

In the Dolphins’ first game without him, they lost 24-3 at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson was unimpressive, throwing for 107 yards before leaving the game midway through the third quarter with a rib injury. Tim Boyle, his backup, didn’t fare much better, finishing the game completing 7 of 13 passes for 79 yards. The offense had 205 total yards, nearly 200 yards below its season average in 2023.

The Dolphins are three games behind in a 17-game season but are in an intense AFC conference. With Tagovailoa out for at least the next three games, Miami’s offense faces an uncertain future.

With games against the Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals before a visit to the Bills on November 3, the Dolphins’ early schedule is favorable. But the quarterback situation has the potential to hold back one of the most expensive wide receiver rooms in the NFL ($48.7 million) and limit this offense overall.

With Tagovailoa’s future still uncertain, here’s where he and the Dolphins stand.

---

Tagovailoa attended the Dolphins game in Seattle last weekend. How long will he be on the injured reserve list and what hurdles will he have to overcome to get back to playing?

NFL rules state that a player placed on injured reserve must miss at least the team’s next four games – so Tagovailoa still has three games left. The Dolphins play the Tennessee Titans and New England Patriots over the next two weeks before their Week 6 bye. The final game of this stretch is October 20th at the Indianapolis Colts.

McDaniel has repeatedly said there is no timetable for Tagovailoa’s return. The Dolphins are focused on ensuring their franchise quarterback is healthy.

“The great thing about IR is that there are no schedules for a month,” McDaniel said last week. “I always say this, but I’m not sure people really understand it: If you set a schedule based on the information you have today, how much of what happens then fulfills the prophecy of that schedule ? And is that the right thing to do?” “Especially with competitors and such, sometimes you can do more harm than good.

“Worrying about anything when it comes to the schedule is very helpful for him as a human being in recovering from an injury and that is the only motivating factor you have when dealing with players, their careers and their injuries.”

If Tagovailoa is cleared to return, what do the Dolphins say about his future this season and beyond?

Although they are focused on getting him back to full health, the Dolphins have not publicly indicated that Tagovailoa will not be their starting quarterback as long as his play warrants it.

What needs to change, however, is how he protects himself in the future.

Tagovailoa’s most recent concussion occurred when he made contact with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin after going for a first down. That’s not what he was trained to do; Particularly after suffering two confirmed concussions in 2022, Tagovailoa said he would likely slide in October if he runs.

“My coaches told me, ‘We never want that.’ [initiate contact]”‘” Tagovailoa said. “Of course I understand that, after the injury and what happened before with the concussion.” But for me it’s football. You go out there and for me, I can see the first down in isolated cases and I want to do everything I can to get it.”

McDaniel said before Miami’s Week 3 game that he understands why a player might make contact during a run — but he doesn’t tolerate that from his quarterbacks.

“I appreciate the competitive spirit and fighting for every yard, but I don’t coach quarterbacks who try to rush defenders,” McDaniel said. “However, you try to play a competitive sport where people try to force you on, and sometimes the competition takes over. I’m not condemning it so much as trying to learn lessons from it and be able to say, ‘Okay, fine, what can you do in the future?’ I don’t conform – I have the same philosophy. In this situation, it might be good to spot the yard line and run or slide into the gap.

What would the Dolphins owe Tagovailoa if he was medically unable to play, and how does that affect the salary cap? How does this number change if he is acquitted but decides to retire?

Tagovailoa’s extension includes $167.1 million in guaranteed money, $93.1 million of which was fully guaranteed at signing. If he is never medically cleared to play, he will be entitled to the entire $167.1 million. In this case, the Dolphins are insured for up to $49.3 million under Tagovailoa’s contract – although it is unknown whether concussions are excluded from the Dolphins’ insurance policy.

Two insurance industry sources who had no direct knowledge of Miami’s policy told ESPN that based on their experience working with insurance carriers, they expected concussions to be excluded from Miami’s policy coverage on Tagovailoa.

If Tagovailoa is medically cleared to play and forfeits, he will lose his right to his remaining guaranteed money. The most likely outcome in this scenario is that Tagovailoa and the Dolphins reach some sort of good-faith agreement — including the team not seeking to recoup any portion of Tagovailoa’s $42 million signing bonus. An NFL consulting source with no direct knowledge of the Dolphins’ plan suggested to ESPN that if Tagovailoa waited until after the season to retire, they might advise him to do so after June 1, giving them a cap of would bring in $8.4 million in 2025. The remaining $25.2 million would then count toward the 2026 salary cap.

The “likely outcome” if Tagovailoa were to retire, the source said, would be that the Dolphins would allow him to keep his contract bonus and possibly additional severance pay – although that’s probably not a significant amount compared to his contract were.

Neither Tagovailoa nor any of his Dolphins teammates or coaches have indicated he plans to retire.

If he doesn’t play anymore, where would that leave the Dolphins?

Tagovailoa’s retirement would immediately disrupt the team’s schedule as a Super Bowl contender. Miami is primed to win now with talented players like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane all under the team’s control over the next few seasons. But the supporting cast probably won’t matter without the right quarterback.

Thompson, Boyle and Tyler Huntley are the Dolphins’ current quarterbacks, but if Tagovailoa doesn’t return, Miami could turn to a veteran like Ryan Tannehill, trade him for a veteran like Jimmy Garoppolo, or trade him for a young quarterback in the hunt Bryce Young is in a new situation.

Thompson still has one year left on his rookie contract, but it’s unlikely he would enter the 2025 season as Miami’s starter in that scenario. If Tagovailoa doesn’t play again this season, Miami could secure a high pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and use that selection on a quarterback. Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, Miami’s Cam Ward and Georgia’s Carson Beck are among the top QBs available in the 2025 draft.

In any case, the quarterback position would have to be addressed without Tagovailoa. Failure to do so could result in a reset of the once promising rebuild.

When Thompson comes back from his rib injury, will he start again?

This is the least experienced quarterbacks room the Dolphins have fielded since Tagovailoa’s fifth overall pick in 2020. When the Dolphins signed Huntley from the Ravens’ practice squad, McDaniel said the move was intended to add depth behind Thompson.

However, he left the door open for a competition. Especially after Thompson and the Dolphins’ performance against Seattle in Week 3, Huntley could see the field soon. McDaniel described Thompson’s rib injury as “painful” and the team should know the full extent on Monday.

“I do think it helps the dynamic of the room to give this team another guy with starting history,” McDaniel said last week after adding Huntley, “and add another guy who is a signal-caller that a team “I was happy to add what we could do in the quarterback room by adding Boyle, but I think [adding Huntley] It’s more about supporting Skylar and then letting the competition play whenever they’re on the field, but that was definitely a deep dive.”

Miami could also turn to Boyle, who has starting experience. He has completed 102 of 157 passes for 853 yards and 4 touchdowns against 9 interceptions in five career starts for the Green Bay Packers and New York Jets. He orchestrated the Dolphins’ two longest drives of the day to relieve Thompson on Sunday.

Tagovailoa could still return for the team’s final 11 games of the regular season. Even if the Dolphins are 1-5 when he plays again, Miami could have a chance to advance to the AFC playoffs. However, with the season ending with games against the Packers, Jets, Texans, 49ers, Browns and Jets, it will be difficult for the Dolphins to reach the postseason for the third straight year.

State Senator Ron Latz (DFL – St. Louis Park) told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that 40% of all law enforcement agencies in Minnesota do not use a federal database to track the history of weapons used to commit violent crimes.

Of the 40% that use the ATF E-Trace system, only 13% of these law enforcement agencies share the information with each other, according to Latz.

Latz said he would introduce a bill that would require all law enforcement agencies in Minnesota to use the federal database and share the information.

“That would require that all authorities, when they come across firearms that have been used in the commission of a crime, or if they suspect that they have been used in the commission of a crime, go into the E-Trace system and the firearm data “Enter,” said Latz. “And if a new agency comes across that weapon while committing a crime, it will be easier to figure out what happened to that weapon, who had it, and help solve the crime.”

Former Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek said his department uses the federal gun tracking database and making it mandatory would be a positive step.

“I mean, this is a good tool. It works. It works nationwide,” said Stanek. “A gun, as you know, would be used by several different people, sometimes dozens, depending on whether they were in a gang or a criminal group, and that gun would keep showing up and showing up and showing up. ”

Latz plans to introduce the bill when the state legislature meets early next year.

Comments

Rising West Australian star player Talia Gibson will be looking to win her third consecutive ITF title when the Australian Pro Tour returns to Cairns this week.

Cairns, QLD, Australia, September 30, 2024 | Jackson Mansell

Australian No.6 Talia Gibson will be looking to win her third consecutive ITF title when the Australian Pro Tour returns to Cairns this week.

Gibson has a career-best No. 129 in the world and will be the top seed for the first time in the tournament. But after reaching the final in her four previous appearances in Cairns, the 20-year-old is ready to finally make her breakthrough.

Last month in Perth, Gibson won the biggest title of her career, winning both ITF 75 tournaments. With her impressive two weeks, the West Australian has won multiple ITF titles in a calendar year for the third time in a row.

She also reached the final qualifying round at the US Open.

Should Gibson reach the Cairns final, she could play for the silver trophy against a familiar opponent, runner-up Maddison Inglis. This would be the third clash between the pair in the past month, with Gibson and Inglis facing off twice in Perth. Competing in the final and semi-finals, both matches went the distance as Gibson won both encounters.

Emerson Jones, the junior world number 1, will be at the tournament in Cairns for the first time. The 16-year-old rewrote history in 2024, becoming the first Australian to reach world No. 1 since Jelena Dokic in 1998. She is also the first Australian since Luke Saville in 2012 to reach two junior Grand Slam finals in the same year.

“It’s great to see the Australian Pro Tour returning to Cairns for another year and we’re excited to welcome a strong caliber of players,” said Francis Soyer, Head of Competitive Play & Professional Events at Tennis Australia. “This year’s tournament promises to be one of the strongest draws we have ever seen.”

For the first time, the women’s event will be classified as an ITF 35 event and will be upgraded from the ITF 25 level of previous years.

“The move to a W35 category is a milestone for the women’s event and offers players not only additional ranking points but also the experience of competing at a high international level,” said Soyer.

The singles competition begins on Tuesday October 1st at the Cairns International Tennis Center and ends on Sunday October 6th.

> VIEW: Australian Pro Tour calendar

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) is on the verge of a surprise U-turn on Ghana’s eligibility to host Category C matches.

Recently, CAF revoked the Baba Yara Stadium’s certification for such matches, leaving Ghana without a single approved venue that meets international standards.

Baba Yara Sports Stadium

Due to this decision, Ghana was forced to select an alternative stadium outside the country for the upcoming October AFCON qualifier against Sudan and follow the CAF’s instruction

However, Citi Sports can confirm this that CAF inspectors were in Ghana at the weekend to inspect the stadiums in Accra and Cape Coast.

Cape Coast Sports Stadium

ACCRA – GHANA – NOVEMBER 19: General view of the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium before the international friendly match between Ghana and Tunisia on November 19, 2008 in Accra, Ghana. (Photo by Haydn West/Getty Images)

This inspection was ordered at the request of the Sports Ministry, which is working to avoid a major nationwide embarrassment.

Previously, the Sports Ministry had urged the Ghana Football Association to ask CAF to re-evaluate the Accra, Legon and Cape Coast stadiums after receiving the initial notice.

Ghana could receive temporary approval to host the AFCON qualifier against Sudan in October if one of the inspected venues is suitable.

Nigeria’s Jide Awobona shot parts of his new film at the Assington Autos scrapyard near Sudbury.

Although he was unable to divulge too many details about the production, Awobona said that the film is a cross-cultural film and is about the story of a Nigerian who lives in poverty because of the problems his father faced at home , travels to Great Britain.

“The audience will really enjoy it,” he added.

Jide Awobona on the set of Assington Autos (Image: Contributed)

“It’s an idea of ​​comedy, gangsta and tradegy. It will have a strong emotional appeal and people will be able to relate to the film.”

“Being in Suffolk was a very nice experience and it was the first time I had filmed in a scrapyard and I have never seen anything like it before.”

“Most people wouldn’t allow people to come over and record a film, but it shows they (Assington Autos) really understand the value of film production and how we’re trying to tell a story, so I want to thank the owners of the junkyard “High praise” and especially Daniel Collins, the operations and communications manager.”

Filming takes place at Assington Autos near Sudbury (Image: Contributed)

Awobona, who is best known for his role in Jenifa’s Diary, a Nigerian sitcom, said the team at Assington Autos was very accommodating and helpful in the production of the film.

No release date has been announced for the film, which is produced by Wanzami Entertainment.

However, Awobona said the team is currently in the post-production phase of editing the film and hopes to have more information released by the end of the year.