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QB Room, Week 6: As Jets, Bills acquire firepower for QBs, keep an eye on the Chiefs and Steelers

QB Room, Week 6: As Jets, Bills acquire firepower for QBs, keep an eye on the Chiefs and Steelers

Davante Adams is a New York Jet.

Amari Cooper is a Buffalo Bill.

And just like that, the arms race to obtain effective wide receiver chess pieces — meant to help NFL quarterbacks as short-term adrenaline shots heading toward the playoffs — is officially underway.

So who is next up? Multiple sources across the league are pointing at the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers as the two teams aggressively in the hunt. One high-ranking AFC executive tied into the Adams deal between the Jets and Las Vegas Raiders said Tuesday he believes Kansas City and Pittsburgh are two franchises that will “definitely” acquire a receiver prior to the Nov. 5 trade deadline.

“I think they both go for a receiver — they both get a receiver” he said. “[Steelers GM Omar] Khan had a deal done for [San Francisco 49ers wideout Brandon] Aiyuk in August and [Aiyuk] blew it up. But now they called on Davante just to see what the price was at. They’re obviously pushing to get someone before the deadline. And the Chiefs are calling around, too. Both of them, I think they will both trade for someone [before the deadline].”

The logic makes sense. When I visited with the Steelers during training camp, they did indeed have a deal done for Aiyuk for draft picks — but it was also contingent on him giving it the green light. That never came, and Pittsburgh was left hanging at the wideout position heading into the regular season. Ideally, the Steelers would like to add someone to balance out the top end of a wide receiver depth chart that features a dependance on mercurial focus (George Pickens) and swath of massive inexperience, from Van Jefferson to Calvin Austin III to unproven rookie Roman Wilson.

This is difficult with the uncertainty at quarterback. A source close to Adams told Yahoo Sports on Tuesday that he never would have realistically considered a trade scenario to the Steelers, largely because he wanted to play with a familiar quarterback — but also because of the trend of lacking offensive creativity over the last few seasons in Pittsburgh. Interestingly, I think some people inside the Steelers can understand that attitude, given the franchise’s drumbeat dedication to getting past a 2023 season that was defined by offensive limitations. Of course, part of that involves an addition at the wideout spot … which has proven extremely frustrating for several months.

As for the Chiefs, there are multiple factors in play right now. Tight end Travis Kelce is just starting to get some traction, but still lacks a touchdown after five games this season. The running back spot is beat up. The wideouts, without Rashee Rice, are either inexperienced, unproven or inconsistent. In turn, Patrick Mahomes is off to a (for him) very pedestrian start to the season. Clearly, Kansas City isn’t anywhere near what it could be on offense. So a proven playmaker, even if it’s a veteran nearing the sun-setting of his career, is absolutely in play. The problem? The current salary cap space is tight right now, and there is already a pressing priority to go back to the table on quarterback Mahomes’ deal next offseason. So restructures pushing money into future years is a little more complicated than usual.

Regardless, it’s clear across the league that the Chiefs are hunting. So, too, with the Steelers. But who are the trade candidates? It’s still a week or two early, but here’s a short list of five wide receivers that are trending toward being available at the deadline:

Let’s be real. You can probably put all of the Titans’ receivers to this list. Hopkins still has some pull, although he’s past his best days and it’s likely an acquiring team would ask Tennessee to eat some of his salary. He’s also worth nothing more than a very low-rung draft pick, especially if an acquiring team has to pay him the rest of his 2024 salary.

The Bengals aren’t getting a contract extension with him done and his franchise tag in 2025 will be nearly $26.2 million. Cincinnati isn’t going to pay that. If the season is lost by the deadline, regardless of how quarterback Joe Burrow feels about it, the Bengals will have to listen to offers. The one complication in dealing for Higgins? A new team will need to have an extension worked out with him, because the trade price isn’t going to simply be some late-round pick.

When I spoke with people in the Rams organization back in training camp, it felt like a very strong possibility that this could be Kupp’s last season with the team. He’s got age (31) on him along with a lot of wear and tear, and the injuries feel like they’re an annual maintenance issue now. The dead cap for moving on after this season is just over $22.2 million and there’s a chance that quarterback Matthew Stafford retires (or the Rams move away from him, too). This is the last chance for Los Angeles to get trade capital out of Kupp. If the season is over nearing the deadline, he’s going to draw some calls.

Williams will effectively be phased out of the Jets offense now that Adams is in the fold, so he’s available to any teams that have interest. The downside, you have to go all the way back to 2022 to watch him fill a role as a truly productive wideout. At this stage, his value may be highest amongst teams needing some size on the depth chart for red zone and 50-50 ball opportunities. There won’t be a ton of teams jumping on him.

He won’t be back with the Panthers in 2025. That much is certain. So if a team is looking for a steady “adult in the room” veteran in the wide receiver meetings who can come in and just be a solid, productive player for a quarterback, Thielen is an option. At best, he’s a dependable low second-ish to third-ish contributor for your wideouts.

Right now, with slightly less than three weeks left before the Nov. 5 trade deadline, that’s the top of your available or soon-to-be-available wideout market after Adams and Cooper were moved on Tuesday. Happy hunting.

Now on to Week 6 of the QB Room …

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

  • Caleb Williams’ 31-yard touchdown to tight end Cole Kmet. Two beautiful pump fakes that smoked the middle linebacker and the free released defensive end. Then a calm, perfect throw to Kmet in space that allowed him to set up a move. This is the USC Caleb Williams.

  • Drake Maye’s 36-yard dart to DeMario Douglas. A perfect pressure throw over the middle of the field off play-action on third-and-5. Arm strength + accuracy + decisiveness. You can see why the New England Patriots fan base has come back to life after only one start for the No. 3 overall pick in the draft.

  • Jared Goff misfiring on a 2-point conversion throw to offensive tackle Taylor Decker, conjuring memories of the Detroit Lions’ Week 17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys last season. In that defeat, the Lions appeared to go ahead late in the fourth quarter on a successful 2-point conversion throw to Decker. Officials overturned the play on what appeared to be their own confusion over which offensive linemen had reported eligible on the play. The Lions said they had left that game in the past leading into this one. They most certainly didn’t, and they wanted everyone to know it. Love the spiteful Lions. Also might explain why they kept their foot on the gas pedal for so long in this 47-9 blowout win.

  • Aaron Rodgers’ fourth successful Hail Mary completion of his career. The excitement even swept up a couple superstars, with the Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James reacting in amazement.

  • Brock Purdy’s wicked 7-yard touchdown to San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle, which was tucked into a thimble at the front pylon of the end zone. This is the critical 10-yard out route that is ridiculously hard to complete in the NFL. It’s a tapestry of arm strength, timing and the purest of precision. Absolute badassery on this one.

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

In what is starting to look like the year of the rookie quarterback, I figured I’d take a look at the impact Drake Maye’s first start had on the New England Patriots offense. Frankly, the best way to do this would be to wait until Maye has a full five-game slate under his belt so we could look at that versus previous starter Jacoby Brissett’s first five games of the season. But given the state of the Patriots’ offensive line, I’m not willing to risk waiting another four games only to see Maye get hurt at some point. Instead, let’s just look at the basic back-to-back starts — taking Brissett’s Week 5 performance against the Miami Dolphins and pressing it against Maye’s Week 6 start against the Houston Texans.

Now, as a disclaimer, I’ll just say up front that offenses are geared to function differently based on what the defense gives you. And the Dolphins and Texans clearly aren’t running all of the same defensive packages with the same personnel. So it’s a bit of an apples vs. oranges situation. But I do think we can at least take a few things away from the two games that might forecast the future of Maye. So here are the two passing dot charts, starting first with Brissett against the Dolphins…

(Via TruMedia)(Via TruMedia)

(Via TruMedia)

And next is Maye’s performance against the Texans…

(Via TruMedia)(Via TruMedia)

(Via TruMedia)

OK, so before we get into the dots, there are a couple things we can measure right off the bat. Of Brissett’s 34 attempts against the Dolphins, he threw 18 of them at his four most popular choices: posts (5), hitches (5), flares (4) and out routes (4). Of Maye’s 33 attempts against the Texans, 19 were thrown to his three most popular choices: out routes (9), slants (5) and hitches (5). Interestingly, Maye threw zero posts, zero in routes, and only one go route. You could read that line and know what the dot chart is going to look like before you even get to it. Clearly, the Patriots put an emphasis on Maye getting the ball out as quickly as possible, helping to minimize his exposure to that severely hobbled offensive line. The result was taking advantage of his arm strength and accuracy, but in a way that didn’t leave him standing around in the pocket waiting for a bunch intermediate to deep routes to develop. And for the most part, it worked well, with Maye going an impressive 9-for-9 on the out routes (with one touchdown) and 4-for-5 on the slants (also with one touchdown). The hitch attempts were total duds (0-for-5).

The results when you look at the two charts? Like the first-start charts of the other three rookie quarterbacks who are playing this season — Chicago’s Caleb Williams, Washington’s Jayden Daniels and Denver’s Bo Nix — the first foray into the NFL was largely a festival of passes that were 10 yards and in. Of Maye’s 33 passes, 25 were either less than 10 air yards or thrown behind the line of scrimmage. That’s nearly 76 percent of his passes — mere puddle jumps. Compare that to Brissett in Week 5 and you’ll see that 19 of his 34 passes were less than 10 air yards or behind the line of scrimmage. That’s nearly 56 percent.

So, just in terms of a back-to-back basis, you got a somewhat dialed-back template of risk. But there is a part that should be extremely enthusing for Patriots fans. In Brissett’s five games — with a healthier offensive line and the same skill position talent — he never threw for more than 168 yards or rushed for more than 32. His high passing and rushing marks also came in different games. Conversely, Maye threw for 243 yards and ran for 38 in his first game out. Brissett threw two touchdowns in five starts; Maye threw three in his one start. And the part that really matters, playing into Maye’s upside, he threw two precision passes that were touchdowns: a perfect 40-yard go route to Kayshon Boutte, and a pinpoint 35-yard laser of a slant to Demario Douglas, which hit him in full stride and paved the way for Douglas’ touchdown (you can see this throw in the “5 Throws That Blew Me Away” section above).

It certainly wasn’t a perfect outing for Maye, especially with his two interceptions and lost fumble on a strip sack. But Maye absolutely amped up a big-play nature that wasn’t there with Brissett. I can see now why the wideouts wanted him starting in Week 6. Depending on the state of that line and Maye’s ability to protect himself and the football, it’s fair to assume the scheme will loosen up as the season goes along, allowing more access to downfield plays. For now, I’d expect it remains very run-oriented on the early downs as New England continues to protect its prized rookie as long as it can. But his confidence should grow if he can continue to build on Week 6. Next up is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have seen their defense torched three out of the last four weeks. That should give Maye and the offensive staff a chance to take another sizable stride forward.

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

He’s completing a whopping 81.8 percent of his passes over his past three games. That doesn’t include a couple of catchable balls, including a crossing route in the win over Dallas that basically hit Jameson Williams square in the face and likely would have gone for a touchdown if he didn’t drop it. Goff still has bad misses in clean pockets (especially throwing to running backs) which is weird, and he’ll hang one up every once in a while and get bailed out by wideout adjustments. More often than not, Goff makes the basic throws without screwing them up. For now, he gets an up arrow for going three straight games without really shooting the Lions in the foot. This week will be a measuring stick against the Minnesota Vikings and a Brian Flores defense that will throw the kitchen sink at him.

Purdy made some postage stamp throws in Week 6. Rather than stare back at the win over the Seattle Seahawks, I’d like to lean into a point George Kittle made recently, saying that Purdy is the victim of goal-post moving. Essentially, people say he can’t do something, then he does it, and then they say he can’t do something else. One thing is certain: through 27 games as a starter, he’s off to the best career start of any quarterback in 49ers history — by almost any metric. How does he stack up with league QBs this year? He’s performing at a fringe top-five level. And if he stays this track, he’ll be the highest paid player in the NFL next offseason.

The early season negative of Williams holding onto the ball too long and getting crushed is starting to turn into a positive direction. His feel for the game is getting better moving through the chaos around him. Granted, he’ll still make a throw or two that makes you wince and triggers instant videos posted to social media with snarky commentary. But those are already getting whittled down from one week to the next. He doesn’t seem out of pace with the speed of things around him, either. And he’s quickly gotten into sync with Keenan Allen. I cannot wait for his game after this week’s bye, when he faces Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders in Week 8. Perfect timing for the Nos. 1 and 2 overall draft picks to meet.

Prescott was uncharacteristically bad in the loss to the Detroit Lions, spraying the ball all over the place and never looking comfortable. It was undoubtedly one of the worst games he has played in a long time. That has to be concerning for a team that is beat up on defense but in pretty good shape on offense. The skill position pieces and offensive line are all mostly healthy in terms of the expanse of the past several weeks, so you can’t point a finger to injuries as a reason for Prescott’s inconsistency against the Lions. Maybe it’s a weird blip of a game. Or maybe Prescott needs another piece to work with, a la the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets both adding a wideout to help patch some of their offensive problems. Brandin Cooks will come back eventually, but he wasn’t exactly lighting it up in September.

The loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was arguably Jones’ worst overall performance since the season-opening defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. His second quarter interception in the red zone was a critical mistake that should have been thrown away and felt like it changed the complexion of the game. But, frankly, the biggest reason for Jones hitting the stock down chart is potentially losing start left tackle Andrew Thomas for the remainder of the season with a foot injury. Jones’ sack rate is nearly double without Thomas than games with him. The next three games against the Philadelphia Eagles, Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Commanders will spell out the depth of the problem very quickly.

Dalton isn’t in the stock down department for the classic reason of poor play. He was functional in the loss to the Atlanta Falcons — not awful, not great, about average given the surrounding talent. His predicament is that the Carolina Panthers are quickly falling out of any chance of being competitive this season. The win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sept. 22 has faded, the Panthers are an abysmal 1-5 and once they’re out of any kind of playoff shot, which is coming soon, then you have to find a justification for continuing to start Dalton over Bryce Young. If the answer is simply to run an average offense and measure the progress of the rest of the offensive depth chart, then you might as well see if you can trade Young by the Nov. 5 deadline because his career is likely over in Carolina. If you don’t think Young has any shot at presenting even a passable offense from one week to the next, then you’ve lost faith in him. If you think he has starting ability — or will have it — then you have to start figuring out where his insertion occurs. I can’t imagine it’s coming out of the bye week, facing the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in consecutive weeks. It might have to be one of the two home games that open up November, against the New Orleans Saints or the New York Giants prior to the bye week. Whatever the decision, it feels like Dalton has to be on the clock in some sense. And not really due to how he has played.

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

(Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports)

  • Legitimately, this is probably the happiest Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams have been this season. I have no idea if this is actually going to work for the Jets, but I have zero doubt they have both wanted this reunion since Rodgers was traded to the Jets and Adams watched Derek Carr get kicked to the curb by the Raiders. And while it’s coming at least a year later than both hoped, Adams’ willingness to start massaging his contract this season is suggestive that he might be in a Jets uniform in 2025, too. That will all depend how the rest of the season unfolds and whether the euphoric feelings of getting the band back together last.

  • I doubt we’ll ever get the full ins and outs of Tom Brady being approved as a 5 percent minority owner of the Las Vegas Raiders. But it’s wild that his stake is being purchased for a reported $220 million, which would put the Las Vegas Raiders’ valuation in the range of $3.5 billion. There was some behind-the-curtains ownership grumbling a year ago that Raiders owner Mark Davis was offering the minority stake to Brady at too steep a discount, causing some owners to hold up an approval of the sale.

  • Frankly, I kind of understand that sentiment right about now. In August, Forbes pegged the Raiders’ valuation at $6.7 billion, which would dial Brady’s 5 percent into the range of $335 million. If the Forbes valuation is correct, Brady is buying his stake at a 34 percent discount. If Brady is truly going to have a hand in helping find the Raiders’ next quarterback — as Davis suggested he could — Davis has certainly paid a hefty price for the expertise.

  • While we’re on the Brady equity purchase, I can’t help but think about John Elway’s decision in 1999 to pass on a chance to buy 20 percent of the Denver Broncos for what amounted to $36 million ($15 million in cash and a waiver of nearly $21 million in deferred salary owed to him by then-Broncos owner Pat Bowlen). The offer to Elway was actually in two parts. He could buy 10 percent of the team for $15 million, then another 10 percent for the relinquishing of the $21 million in salary he was still owed … however, the second 10 percent purchase had a caveat: Elway would have to agree to be an executive for Bowlen, with end goal of the former quarterback eventually taking over as the team’s chief operating officer. Elway — who one year earlier had sold off some car dealerships for more than $82 million — ultimately passed on both ends of the deal, apparently because he didn’t want to pursue a career as an executive. It was a wildly costly decision, given that Elway’s stake would have been worth roughly $930 million when the Broncos were sold for $4.65 billion in 2022. He also became an executive inside the Broncos anyway, as the team’s general manager from 2011 to 2020, and then the president of football operations in 2021. Certainly not the same path as chief operating officer, but still … it’s wild how that decision turned out.

  • I’m going to circle back to this post on X one last time, only because Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin has now said that Russell Wilson will be taking some first-team snaps on offense this week. When this discussion was aired on the Sunday Night Football broadcast on October 15, alarm bells should have been going off for every Steelers fan. Head coaches absolutely tip their hands occasionally about some big decisions during pre-production meetings with prime time analysts. I am convinced that was the case here.

  • I’m going to take a break from posting clips from the Manningcast every week in here, but I’ve to sneak this one in before the hiatus. I’ve said before the best part of this show is Peyton blowing a gasket on dumb plays, but an underrated part is just watching the subtle reactions of Eli when someone goes off the rails or starts s**t talking during the broadcast. His straight-face-to-full-grin when Bill Belichick verbally slapped Jets owner Woody Johnson was excellent TV. And as an aside, Belichick seems to be in his best season with all the media appearances and work on this side of the fence. I have no idea why he’d want to go back to the football grind after this. Especially when he seems to be enjoying himself.

  • I was going to do a lead about Deshaun Watson last week, but the Jets fired Robert Saleh and everyone (incorrectly) put the body on Aaron Rodgers … so that forced Watson to this week. Then the Jets traded for Davante Adams for Rodgers and the Buffalo Bills added Amari Cooper for Josh Allen, so Watson was pulled from the top spot again. That’s fine. We can address Watson down the line. But I’ll close the column leaving you this with this thought on Watson: As bad as he’s been up to this point, he now moves forward without Cooper (who, to be fair, was playing poorly), and inches toward a punishing slate of pass defenses, beginning in Week 8 with the Baltimore Ravens.As it stands, through Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Watson will have faced seven teams with an average ranking of 24.4 (of 32) in defensive pass efficiency. Let that sink in for a moment. As bad as Watson has been, it has occurred against opponents with an average ranking in the bottom fourth of the league in defensive pass efficiency. From Week 8 through the rest of the season — if you toss out the Bengals (who rank 30th) — nine of Cleveland’s remaining 10 opponents have an average defensive pass efficiency ranking of 10.5 (out of 32). So no more Amari Cooper, plus a swath of really good pass defenses to close out the season. If Watson and that offense can’t flip a switch soon, this season could have the trajectory of a bowling ball dropped out of a 10th story window.

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Carlinville eliminated in Greenville – Enquirer Democrat

Carlinville eliminated in Greenville – Enquirer Democrat

Carlinville struggled against Greenville in Week 7 of the Bond County high school football season. The Comets defeated the Cavaliers 28-0. Photo contributed.

By JACKSON WILSON
Enquirer Democratic Reporter

The Carlinville High School football team was defeated 28-0 by South Central Conference leader Greenville on Oct. 11 in Bond County.

The Week 7 loss dropped the Cavaliers to 3-4 overall.

Carlinville sidelined several players at both the quarterback and running back positions, but to no avail.

Noah Byots went four for nine for 39 yards and threw three interceptions. Kip Reels, who was sidelined with an injury, then came into the game and completed two passes behind center in his varsity debut, including one that went to Triston Thompson for 41 yards. Reels had 46 yards on four total throws.

Nate Dyer and Thompson totaled 96 yards on 31 carries. Dyer led the Cavaliers with 61 of those yards on 18 carries.

Reels also added 22 yards on seven quarterback keepers. Thompson had 35 yards on 15 carries and Weston Kuykendall added 20 yards on eight handoffs.

Dyer and Thompson were the top defensive players as a duo with a total of 20 tackles. Dyer made 12 tackles and Thompson also had an interception.

Carlinville must defeat Hillsboro (0-7) on Senior Night on Friday, Oct. 18, then pick up a road win at Gillespie to qualify for the playoffs.

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Michael Jordan didn’t hesitate to name the NBA player who was as good as him but not “as marketable” – NBA

Michael Jordan didn’t hesitate to name the NBA player who was as good as him but not “as marketable” – NBA

The NBA GOAT said this is another player on his level

Michael Jordan is widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, but there is one former NBA star who he believes could have been on his level.

According to Craig Hodges, a former teammate of Jordan’s on the Chicago Bulls, the legendary number 23 once admitted that Clyde Drexler was just as talented as him, just not as marketable.

Speaking to Vlad TV in 2020, Hodges recalled a conversation with the five-time Most Valuable Player award winner in which Jordan spoke highly of the former Portland Trail Blazers guard.

“Not every great athlete is as marketable, and they have just as much talent,” Hodges said. “I remember once having a conversation. There were four of us, including MJ.

Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal during an NBA game. Image: Getty

Michael Jordan and Shaquille O’Neal during an NBA game. Image: Getty

“And then the conversation turned to Clyde Drexler. And MJ said this, and I quote: ‘Clyde Drexler is just as good as me. He just doesn’t know how to play the game.’

“Are you following me? And we’re not talking about basketball here.”

Drexler was selected by the Trail Blazers with the 14th overall pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, a year before Jordan entered the league.

The 6-foot-7-inch shooting guard enjoyed a stellar 15-year career, averaging 20.4 points per game, 5.6 assists and 6.1 rebounds.

A 10-time All-Star, Drexler never won an MVP award and didn’t come close to matching Jordan’s six NBA titles.

Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler shake hands

Michael Jordan and Clyde Drexler shake hands

However, he eventually won the first and only championship of his career in 1995 while playing for the Houston Rockets – which happened to be when Jordan briefly retired to try his hand at baseball.

In “The Last Dance,” the 2020 Netflix documentary about his career and success with the Chicago Bulls, Jordan dismissed comparisons between himself and “Clyde the Glide.”

“Clyde was a threat,” Jordan said. “I’m not saying he wasn’t a threat, but when I was compared to him I took offense.”

Featured Image Source: Getty Images

Topics: NBA, Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls, basketball

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‘Til Dawn’ film finally gets its release date after filming ends

‘Til Dawn’ film finally gets its release date after filming ends

Sony Pictures announced the official release date for the upcoming film “Screen Gems”. Until dawn Film. The live-action adaptation is based on the successful interactive horror video game series of the same name from Supermassive Games.




Per Deadline, Sony Pictures confirmed that the highly anticipated result is in Until dawn The film is now scheduled to hit theaters next spring April 25, 2025which puts it directly in competition with Ben Affleck’s thriller sequel The accountant 2. The film will premiere in the same month as other high-profile films like Warner Bros. A Minecraft movieLionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic Michaeland the Blumhouse thriller Falling. This appointment announcement will be made later Shazam! Director David F. Sandberg recently announced that production has finally wrapped on the upcoming horror drama.


Related

10 Ways The Until Dawn Remake Improves On The Original

The Until Dawn remake is finally released and the developers have added some features that make this title even better than the original.

Published in 2015, the original Until dawn The game was developed by Supermassive Games, whose creative team included directors Will Byles and Nik Bowen, producer Peter Samuels and designer Tom Heaton. It featured the likenesses and voices of Hayden Panettiere, Noah Fleiss, Jordan Fisher, Brett Dalton and Meaghan Martin. The original video game revolved around eight friends who suddenly find themselves trapped in a remote mountain paradise after their two friends disappeared for a year. Players control each character to solve the mystery of their missing friends while trying to escape from an unknown killer. Each character’s fate depends on the decisions players make for them throughout the game.



What awaits you in the movie “Until Dawn”?

Sandberg runs it Until dawn Film based on a screenplay by screenwriter Gary Dauberman, who recently made his feature-length directorial debut with “Max’s”. Salem’s property Film. Until dawn It’s also Sandberg’s first horror film in a long time, seven years after directing it The incantation Spin off Annabelle: Creation. The film is directed by Ella Rubin (The girl from Plainville), Michael Cimino (All the best, Victor), Odessa A’zion (Hellraiser), Ji-young Yoo (Expats), Maia Mitchell (The Fosters) and Belmont Cameli (Saved by the bell). Further details about their characters are still being kept secret.

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The Last of Us Season 2 gets new trailer and poster for TLOU Day

HBO is celebrating The Last of Us Day with a new look at the TV series’ anticipated second season.


At this time, Sony has not released an official synopsis for the film, but it is currently described as “an R-rated and chilling love letter to the horror genre, centered around an ensemble cast.” The live-action cast also includes Peter Stormare, who first played the role of Dr. in the original video game. Allan J. Hill portrayed. It is not yet known whether Stormare would also play the psychiatrist in question in the film or whether he was cast to portray another character. It is a Screen Gems and PlayStation Productions production, with Dauberman, Sandberg, Lotta Losten, Roy Lee, Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan serving as producers.

Until dawn will be released in theaters on April 25, 2025.


Source: Deadline

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NBA expands live streaming app options ahead of start of 2024-25 season

NBA expands live streaming app options ahead of start of 2024-25 season

Shutterstock image

Erik Grünwedel

The National Basketball Association announced the launch of new features for fans worldwide on the official league app (“NBA App”) for the 2024-25 season, beginning October 22.

New elements include “Multiview” for connected devices, giving fans the ability to watch up to four games simultaneously on NBA League Pass – the league’s subscription streaming video service for live games.

Pass subscribers around the world have the ability to rewind games from any point highlighting key plays, download full games for offline viewing, and access a range of game recaps including All Possessions, 10-Minute Condensed “ and “Key Highlights”. “, among other things.

Meanwhile, the free NBA app also features interactive synchronized statistics and analysis, allowing users to experience the game on the app as if it were live, regardless of when they watch it.

Separately, “NBA Insights,” an AI-powered tool that leverages Microsoft Azure technology to identify key narratives, player performances and notable milestones, will provide fans with a continuous feed of text-based updates to keep track of what’s happening on the To be able to contextualize space better.

The league also uses generative AI to localize content and offers match recaps in French, Portuguese and Spanish, as well as translations for select original programs and live games.

The NBA app will feature the “Dunk Score” throughout the season, a real-time AI-calculated grade for in-game dunks based on a variety of factors, including the player’s jump distance, style and power at the rim as well as the defensive efforts of the opposing team.

The original NBA app series “Pass the Rock,” which highlights the league’s rising stars, returns today for its third season with a special “Rookie Year Edition.” This episode follows San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyamas’ transition to the NBA, culminating in his being named Kia NBA Rookie of the Year.

On October 20, the NBA premieres “Raising 18,” a nine-part documentary narrated by five-time NBA All-Star Al Horford that explores the Boston Celtics’ journey to victory in the 2024 NBA Finals.

Popular experience features within the NBA app have been enhanced to increase personalization, including the Follow tab, which aggregates the latest content from your favorite teams and players into one algorithmic feed, and the revamped Game Stories with pregame analysis, highlights, and interactive surveys.

Moments – the popular social media-style vertical feed feature – has been expanded with multilingual support and is now available on Roku TVs for quick content consumption on larger screens.

Through the subscription streaming service NBA League Pass, users have access to more than 800 live games that are no longer on the market and a variety of alternative broadcast options, including streams in different languages ​​(Spanish, Portuguese and Korean), the return of the popular Games “NBA Strategy Stream” offers users a unique viewing option with detailed information on game tactics and “NBA HooperVision” with NBA veteran Quentin Richardson and special guests. Additional alternative stream options will be announced throughout the season.

The league continues to expand the technological capabilities of its “next-generation integrated digital platform,” which now supports four team-specific direct-to-consumer streaming services on the NBA app, including BlazerVision (Portland Trail Blazers) and ClipperVision (LA Clippers ). ), Jazz+ (Utah Jazz) and Suns Live (Phoenix Suns).

The platform that forms the technological backbone of the NBA app also enables Spectrum SportsNet+ (Los Angeles Lakers).

NBA League Pass ad-free premium packages are available on NBA.com and the NBA app for $159.99 per season (or $24.99 per month) or $109.99 (or $16.99 per month) for one Standard package available.

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The rising trend towards heat pumps – a more environmentally friendly way to warm up

The rising trend towards heat pumps – a more environmentally friendly way to warm up

Norway has Europe’s highest penetration of heat pumps. Image: Radu Sebastian/Shutterstock

Discover how different types of heat pumps are transforming the way homes are heated across Europe and beyond – and why they’re good for the planet


From Charlotte Lock

There is a growing trend across Europe to install heat pumps for homes, with plans for the UK to follow suit to limit carbon sources in the future. With 40 percent of global emissions coming from buildings, and most of that coming from the way we heat them, heat pumps are a great way to achieve a greener footprint in the home.

But what exactly are heat pumps, what types are there and why should we think about installing them in our homes?

What are heat pumps?

Heat pumps are a relatively low-carbon alternative for heating residential and commercial spaces, absorbing heat from the air, ground or water. They use the same technology as an air conditioner, which cools homes using a refrigerant. The only major difference is that a heat pump has a diverter valve, which means it can also heat homes.


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Therefore, the devices are useful all year round, as they heat spaces in winter by extracting heat from outside and transferring it inside, and cool places in summer by transporting indoor heat back outside.


The rising trend towards heat pumps – a more environmentally friendly way to warm up
An air source heat pump was installed on a new property. Image: Shutterstock

They have been proven to work even in extreme temperatures – making them all the more tempting as we enter a period of climate instability.

There are different types of heat pumps. Which is best for a building depends on several factors, including the heating needs of the occupants, the location of the building and its size.

Here are the different types that are popular for home heating:

Air source heat pumps

Air source heat pumps remove heat from the air and bring it to a higher temperature. There are two types of air source heat pumps: Air-water heat pumps And Air-to-air heat pumps.

Air-water pumps absorb heat from the outside of the building and feed it into a central heating system. These don’t get as warm as a traditional boiler, so residents often need to install underfloor heating or larger radiators to achieve the same effect. These types of pumps are best suited to newer homes that have a higher energy efficiency rating and better insulation.

Air-to-air heat pumps absorb heat from outside and feed it into buildings via fans. So they can be used to heat a house, but do not produce hot water.

Geothermal heat pumps

New installation of a geothermal circuit for a geothermal heat pump
Installation of a geothermal heat pump. Image: Shutterstock

As the sun warms the ground every day, the surface beneath our feet becomes the perfect resource to keep our homes warm via a heat pump system.

Ground source heat pumps (or geothermal heat pumps) rely on a series of pipes being laid underground, which is more costly and inconvenient than air source heat pumps, but overall they work slightly better, particularly in the UK and northern European countries where the ground is present The temperature is often naturally warmer than the air.

To install one of these in a private home, either a horizontal pipe system in the garden or a vertical system – consisting of a single long pipe drilled several meters underground – is required.

While drilling these deep holes can be significantly more expensive than the horizontal arrangement, most people choose the vertical system because it takes up less space and causes less damage to the garden. Overall, geothermal heat pumps have higher efficiency than their air source counterparts, but their destructive and expensive installation (estimated at around £20,000) can be off-putting for some homeowners.


Water heat pumps

Installing a residential water heat pump depends on the location, as the system requires a body of water from which the pump can extract heat.

Morning light along the River Wey in Guildford, Surrey, UK
Water heat pumps require a body of water such as a canal, pond or stream. Image: Alex Manders/Shutterstock

Like the ground, water stores the sun’s heat, which the heat pump can extract and supply to the houses via a pipe and a refrigerant. Canals, lakes, ponds and streams are good bodies of water that can be used by these types of pumps to heat and cool homes.

Hybrid heat pumps

Hybrid heat pump systems integrate any type of heat pump (air, geothermal or water heat pump) with a traditional gas boiler system – or possibly a hydrogen boiler if this technology is more advanced.

Hybrid heat pump systems monitor the outside temperature and automatically choose the most energy efficient option to heat the home and its water.

Rising popularity – but what about the UK?

Governments around the world have begun to introduce measures that will help increase the number of homes with an energy-efficient heating source. The International Energy Agency estimates that 60 percent of Norwegian buildings are equipped with these devices, followed by Sweden at 43 percent and Finland at 41 percent.


View over Oslo in Norway with the Oslofjord after sunset
Oslo, Norway. Generous subsidies have resulted in 60 percent of Norwegian buildings having heat pumps. Image: Shutterstock

Germany is another country with a growing number of heat pumps. The rebate system, introduced in January 2023, offers homeowners up to 40 percent reimbursement for the cost of purchasing and installing a heat pump.

The UK Energy Security Act, passed in 2022, now provides grants and programs to encourage the uptake of heat pumps in residential buildings, particularly new builds, offering homeowners the opportunity to save on energy costs and become more environmentally friendly. However, the UK still lags far behind many countries in Europe, with just 412 per 100,000 people owning one of the eco-friendly devices, compared to a European average of 3,068 per 100,000.

However, with the technology suitable for most UK households and the sale of new gas boilers set to be banned from 2035, a huge increase in the uptake of heat pump systems is expected across the region.

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The Analogue3D console is a faithful update of Nintendo’s N64

The Analogue3D console is a faithful update of Nintendo’s N64

Californian retro gaming specialist Analogue has announced its latest and most ambitious product to date, the Analogue3D. While the company’s previous console reboot, the Analogue Pocket, recalled and emulated Nintendo’s classic Gameboy, the Analogue3D boosts processing power to take on the powerful icon of ’90s gaming, the Nintendo N64.

The Analogue3D game console is suitable for original Nintendo N64 cartridges

(Image credit: Analog)

The original N64 was released in June 1996 after much anticipation and many delays. Although it wasn’t one of the 64-bit gaming consoles (an honor bestowed on the failed and now-iconic Atari Jaguar from 1993), it had the power of Japan’s largest video game company and some of the most iconic IP in gaming history and a ready-made audience of eager gamers who caught up with its predecessor, the 49 million-selling NES.

The Nintendo N64 game library included 388 titles

The Nintendo N64 game library included 388 titles

(Image credit: Analog)

Analogue’s reboot bills itself as “100% compatible with every original N64 game ever made” (though there were only 388 of them, compared to around 1,700 for the NES). The console features a cartridge slot, just like the original (one of the last major consoles to use cartridges rather than CDs), allowing only official, older games to be played. All are accurately rendered by Analogue3D’s special silicon, which not only faithfully represents every pixel, but also upscales the games to pristine 4K resolution, output via HDMI.

Analogue3D supports original controllers and four players

Analogue3D supports original controllers and four players

(Image credit: Analog)

As the company points out, that’s ten times the resolution of Nintendo’s original resolution of 320 x 240 pixels (the display maxed out at 640 x 480). Additionally, the hardware also emulates the N64’s original display modes, bringing the glow and flickering of cathode ray TV screens back to the most modern OLED TVs.

Analogue 3D console

(Image credit: Analog)

Perhaps most importantly, Analogue3D also duplicates the N64’s previously unmatched multiplayer capabilities – approximately 70% of N64 titles supported two or more players, and split-screen gaming allowed four people to race, fight and play at the same time explore. In addition to four N64 controller-compatible ports, the Analogue3D also has Bluetooth. Together with 8BitDo, the company has developed a wireless Bluetooth version of the original controller (sold separately), updated, improved and more robust.

A new Bluetooth controller was developed for wireless collaboration with the Analogue3D

A new Bluetooth controller was developed for wireless collaboration with the Analogue3D

(Image credit: Analog)

All of this is powered by 3DOS, a customized version of Analogue’s proprietary operating system. After four years of development, the system set out to overcome the intricacies and eccentricities of the original Nintendo system, whose complexities have baffled emulators for decades. Now modern gamers have no excuse not to revisit some timeless classics.

Analogue 3D console, available in black or white

Analogue 3D console, available in black or white

(Image credit: Analog)

Analogue3D, available in black or white, $249.99, 8BitDo 64 controller sold separately $39.99, shipping Q1 2025, Analogue.co, 8BitDo.com

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Startup can identify deepfake videos in real time

Startup can identify deepfake videos in real time

Real-time deepfakes are no longer limited to billionaires, public figures, or people with extensive online presences. Mittal’s research at NYU with professors Chinmay Hegde and Nasir Memon suggests a possible challenge-based approach to blocking AI bots on video calls that would require participants to pass some sort of video CAPTCHA test before joining.

As Reality Defender works to improve the detection accuracy of its models, Colman says access to more data is a key challenge to overcome – a common refrain among the current crop of AI-focused startups. He is confident that further partnerships will fill these gaps and, without giving further details, he suggests that there are likely to be several new deals in the next year. After ElevenLabs was linked to a fake voice call from US President Joe Biden, the AI ​​audio startup struck a deal with Reality Defender to curb potential abuse.

What can you do now to protect yourself from video call scams? Just like WIRED’s top advice for avoiding AI voice call scams, it’s important not to get presumptuous about your ability to detect video deepfakes to avoid scams. Technology in this area continues to advance rapidly, and any telltale signs you rely on now to detect AI deepfakes may no longer be as reliable with the next upgrades to the underlying models.

“We don’t ask my 80-year-old mother to report ransomware via email,” says Colman. “Because she’s not a computer science expert.” If AI detection continues to improve and prove to be reliably accurate, real-time video authentication may become as commonplace in the future as the malware scanner that sits quietly in the background of your email inbox humming to himself.

This story originally appeared on wired.com.

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Ted Cruz vs. Colin Allred: Who will shape the future of Texas?

Ted Cruz vs. Colin Allred: Who will shape the future of Texas?

Ted Cruz vs. Colin Allred for US Senate – The Texas Debate. Image video recording.
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What separates them?

In a heated debate live from downtown Dallas, Texas, incumbent Senator Ted Cruz and challenger Congressman Colin Allred faced off just three weeks before the November election. Both men laid out their visions for Texas and differed greatly in their views on border security, abortion, the economy and more. Over the course of the evening, Ted Cruz emerged as a seasoned, battle-hardened defender of Texas values, while Colin Allred sought to present himself as a fresh voice ready to effect meaningful change. Here’s a closer look at what happened.

Border security

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On the border issue, the divide between Cruz and Allred was wide. Cruz positioned himself as a long-time advocate of strict border control and pointed to his work with former President Donald Trump, which he said led to the lowest illegal immigration numbers in decades. Cruz repeatedly criticized Allred for his “soft” stance on border security, accused him of voting against border walls and called Trump’s border wall “racist.”

Allred, who has roots in a border community, took a more complicated approach, arguing that border security requires a combination of physical barriers, manpower and technology. He criticized Cruz for having “all hat and no cattle” and accused him of failing to take meaningful action despite his tough rhetoric.

Winners at the border: Cruz came out on top with his proven track record and emphasis on concrete action, while Allred struggled to shake off accusations of inconsistency and ineffective policies.

In a closely contested Texas Senate race, Republican incumbent Ted Cruz and his Democratic challenger Colin Allred face off in a lively debate moderated by Jason Whitely of WFAA and Gromer Jeffers of the Dallas Morning News. The candidates discuss key issues like the border, abortion and the economy, offering voters a clear decision on the future of Texas representation in the U.S. Senate – Image Video Grab.

abortion

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The issue of abortion sparked perhaps the most heated arguments that evening. Cruz argued that this was after the Supreme Court’s overturn decision Roe v. WadeIt is up to each state to decide on its abortion laws. He said: “I agree with the Supreme Court of the United States that under our Constitution, the way we resolve issues like this, issues on which we have real disagreements, is by voting at the ballot box .” And that’s why the legal situation now is that the legislature in Austin sets the laws in Texas.”

He also highlighted Allred’s voting record, accusing him of supporting abortion up to nine months and eliminating Texas’ parental notification laws. Cruz took a clear stance on pro-life and parental rights.

Allred, meanwhile, made a personal plea, arguing that Texas’ restrictive laws were harming real women and citing stories of Texans who had to leave the state for life-saving health care. He called for the Roe v. Wade and criticized Cruz for supporting laws that force victims of rape and incest to carry pregnancies to term.

Winners on abortion: Cruz remained true to conservative Texas values, but Allred’s emotional appeal and focus on health care were not enough to make a difference among voters concerned about the human impact of current laws.

The economy

Cruz and Allred both outlined their plans for addressing Texas’ economic concerns. Cruz directly linked the state’s inflation problems to the Biden administration’s policies and accused Allred of supporting a “spending spree” that has hurt Texas’ working class. He praised his work on the Trump tax cuts in 2017, which he credited with reducing unemployment and boosting the economy.

But Allred focused on reducing costs for Texas families, including his support for capping insulin prices and expanding affordable housing. He portrayed Cruz as out of touch with ordinary Texans and pointed to Cruz’s opposition to capping the cost of insulin for all Americans as a sign of his loyalty to big corporations rather than working families.

Winners in the field of economics: Cruz’s arguments for energy independence and criticism of Democrats’ overspending were strong. Allred’s focus on affordability resonated widely, particularly with middle-class and low-income voters. However, conservatives are not happy if this means giving more money.

Cruz clarified that he voted to lower the price of insulin to $1 per vial and said Democrats had blocked it. He also said that President Trump has implemented a program to provide affordable insulin. They pulled this out as soon as Joe Biden and Kamala Harris took office.

Transgender rights and women’s sports

This issue has been a major flashpoint as Cruz accused Allred of supporting legislation that would allow transgender women to participate in women’s sports, calling it a fundamental issue of fairness. Cruz repeatedly pointed to Allred’s voting record in Congress as evidence of what he described as extreme, radical positions on the issue.

Allred dismissed those claims, calling them a distraction from more pressing issues like health care and the economy. While Allred stated that he did not support boys’ participation in girls’ sports, he focused on the broader need for equality and non-discrimination.

Transgender Rights and Sports Winners: Cruz rallied his conservative base with a clear stance on protecting women’s sports, while Allred’s broader response didn’t resonate as much.

Throughout the debate, Ted Cruz drew on his years of experience and legislative accomplishments to portray himself as the true defender of Texas, emphasizing his role in keeping the state strong on border security, the economy and conservative values. In contrast, Allred sought to focus on the human stories behind policies and presented himself as a new kind of leader who would bring practical, compassionate change to Texas.

But in terms of pure debate points, Cruz’s clear articulation of his record and forceful refutations of Allred’s accusations made him the night’s winner. He consistently kept Allred on the defensive, leveraging his long tenure in the Senate and his ability to focus the debate on Texas’ deepest values.

With the election approaching, Ted Cruz’s performance in this debate could solidify his base and appeal to undecided voters, emphasizing experience and proven conservative leadership. While Allred argued passionately for change, Cruz was the stronger candidate for Texas in the U.S. Senate because of his solid understanding of Texas politics and his focus on action over rhetoric.

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Kamala Harris responds to a listener’s question about sending money abroad

Kamala Harris responds to a listener’s question about sending money abroad

On Tuesday (October 15) Vice President Kamala Harris sat down with Charlamagne, the god for an hour-long discussion in Detroit.

During the “We the People: An Audio Town Hall with Kamala Harris” broadcast, the vice president answered questions from listeners who submitted them via the Talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. An audience member asked Harris to explain why the United States continues to send money to other countries while people in America continue to struggle.

Before Harris could respond, Charlamagne added, “That’s one of the reasons America First rhetoric resonates,” referring to the former president Donald TrumpCampaign rhetoric.

“No one in America would complain about where the money goes if the everyday needs of American citizens were met,” he added.

Harris responded to the question by saying, “We can do anything, and we do.”

“First and foremost, I strongly assert that America should never shirk its responsibilities as a world leader. This is in the best interest of our national security and of each of us as Americans and our standing in the world.” Harris stated.

“That being said, of course, we also have an obligation to the American citizens and the people who are here to meet their everyday needs and challenges, which is why, for example, we have done the work over the last four years to reduce costs for prescription drugs, be it $35 per month for seniors for insulin or $2,000 per year for prescription drugs. We put $17 billion into our costs [historically black colleges (HBCU)]. I am proud to be the first HBCU Vice President in the United States and I plan to be the first HBCU President in the United States. These resources are about sending them to what I know are centers of academic excellence.”

“The work I continue to do is about improving access to capital for our small businesses. It’s about increasing opportunities for homeownership, knowing that black people in America are 40% less likely to be homeowners. There are procedural barriers to that homeownership, starting with the fact that no one got 40 acres and a mule, to issues that this area of ​​Detroit and people across the country know are real.”

“So part of my plan is to give people a $25,000 down payment so that first-time buyers can purchase a home. The work I will do to increase housing supply.” I know this is one of the reasons rents and home prices are rising in America. And I’m working with the private sector to cut red tape and work to build an additional three million homes before the end of my first term.

“I give these examples, and there are many more that I will offer, for example the work I will do to expand the child tax credit for young families to $6,000 in the first year of their child’s life, because, like you and I both know that our families all have a natural desire to raise their children well, but don’t always have the resources. Expanding the child tax credit to $6,000 for the first year of a child’s life will give this young family the opportunity to purchase a car seat, crib or clothing, the things that are so important during this critical period of child development are so that it can get going and actually have a chance of success.

If you missed the interview, you can listen to it on-demand via the Breakfast Club podcast or watch it below.