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Bailey Zappe leads Patriots on first game-winning drive 26-23 over Broncos

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

Patriots quaterback Bailey Zappe led his fist career game-winning drive on Christmas Eve night in an entertaining, up-and-down battle against the Broncos.The Patriots and Broncos were knotted at 23-23 when Zappe took over with 58 seconds on the clock. Consecutive runs from Ezekiel Elliott caused Broncos head coach Sean Payton to take two timeouts. Zappe then hit wide receiver DeVante Parker downfield for a 27-yard gain to put the ball at the Broncos’ 47-yard line. Zappe then hit Elliott for a 5-yard completion and tight end Mike Gesicki for 4 yards before spiking the football.Rookie kicker Chad Ryland, who had missed a field goal and extra point, nailed a 56-yard field goal to go up 26-23. The Broncos’ last-chance Hail Mary attempt fell incomplete, and the Patriots won to improve their record to 4-11 on the season. It was the ghost of what could have been haunting the Patriots on Christmas Eve night.Sunday night’s win started in the most predictable and inauspiciou...

Column: The Chicago Bears take care of business with a Christmas Eve defeat of the Arizona Cardinals

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

As the Chicago Bears tied a bow on their Christmas gift to the city — Sunday’s 27-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals — they added a dash of valuable perspective. Yes, Chicago, there is meaningful progress being made.Believe it or not, this was the Bears’ fourth consecutive victory at Soldier Field. That’s a nice touch on a season propelling the team upward in the NFL hierarchy.That Sunday’s win came a week after a dispiriting defeat to the Cleveland Browns was also the latest testament to this group’s unity and mental toughness.“This is just about being resilient,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “There was an attention to detail on some things that we have to do better. And you have to do that in the fourth quarter. You have to bring it to the guys’ attention and the coaches’ attention and keep doing a better job.”Added defensive tackle Justin Jones: “This team is growing, man. We really are.”Sun...

4 takeaways from Chicago Bulls’ 109-95 loss, including losing the battle of the offensive boards and Max Strus’ big game

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

After weeks of an upward trajectory, the Chicago Bulls stumbled on a low-energy night in a 109-95 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday.The Cavaliers were missing the majority of their starters due to injury, but the size of their secondary rotation was enough to disrupt the Bulls and snap a three-game winning streak. The Bulls still sit 10th overall in the Eastern Conference — a small but important step up in the standings.Here are four takeaways from the game.1. Offense is out of sync as 3-point shooting dips.After weeks of playing a high-tempo, high-assist style, the Bulls got stuck in a stymied offense against the Cavaliers. The ball moved more slowly as players such as Coby White struggled to find their shot from behind the arc.The Bulls went 8-for-35 (22.9%) from 3-point range. White went 0-for-8 in his first game without a 3-pointer since Nov. 17.“I hate to say it, but it’s just one of those games,” DeMar DeRozan said. “It felt like we had ...

Snow for Christmas in San Diego? Not for 130 years

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Dreaming of a white Christmas? Well you might have to go somewhere a bit colder. San Diego's forecast once again is calling for sunshine and near 70 degree temperatures on Christmas Day, allowing the city to maintain its streak of no snowfall. Probability of a white Christmas in San Diego (National Weather Service) Lightning tears through San Diego sky with Pacific storm National Weather Service San Diego posted on X on Christmas Eve that this Christmas will mark 130 years of no snow, since records began.On Christmas Eve in 1940, it rained nearly 4 inches in Chula Vista, the highest for any day on record and only the second time the city has seen that much rain in a single day, NWS posted on X. San Diego saw the brunt of the Pacific storm overnight. Here’s how much rain fell Fast forward to Christmas Eve 1987 when some areas in San Diego actually got some snow flurries, according to NWS, causing around $12 million in damage to avocado, strawberry, citrus and flowe...

Gunfire erupts at a Colorado mall on Christmas Eve. One man is dead and 3 people are hurt

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A man was fatally shot and three people were hurt as gunfire rang out at a shopping center in Colorado on Christmas Eve, police said Sunday. A fight broke out between two groups of people in the afternoon at the Citadel Mall in Colorado Springs and officers received a report of gunshots and responded, the Colorado Springs Police Department said in a series of posts on the social media platform X. One adult male was dead at the scene with a gunshot wound, and two more, each of whom had been shot at least once, were taken to hospitals in serious condition, police said. A female also was taken to a hospital with what were said to be minor injuries. Police said they detained “multiple people” and were “working to determine their involvement.”The mall was cleared and closed, police said, and there was no known continuing threat to the community.Colorado Springs is about 71 miles (114 kilometers) south of Denver.The Associated Press

Cohoes brings 42nd "Cheer for Children" with Santa

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -The Uniformed Fire Fighters of Cohoes are teaming up with Santa Claus to bring toys to all the good boys and girls of Cohoes. Santa’s number one elf, Jack, has been getting everything ready to help his community have a merry Christmas."We already distributed about 70 bags full of toys to the other families. This is just one of the many things that we do for the citizens of Cohoes," said Chairman of Cheer for Children, Jack Daigneault. Get the latest news, weather, sports and more delivered right to your inbox! Families in need are encouraged to sign up for "Cheer for Children". In 2022, the program brought gifts to more than 300 children with the help of Santa. The man behind Christmas has a long night ahead of him."We’re making about six deliveries with my number one elf, Jack. Then I got to hit the road with the reindeer and off I go," explained Santa.Santa and his elves joined families inside to open presents. Both kids and parents were all smiles. Alli...

Kiszla: Have yourself a dreary, little Christmas. Broncos’ playoff dreams turn into lump of coal.

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

Bah, humbug. The Broncos made it a dreary Christmas, losing 26-23 Saturday night to New England.What appeared to be a miraculous fourth-quarter rally by Denver was turned into defeat when Patriots kicker Chad Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal in the final two seconds that will matter to Denver this NFL season.“A disappointing finish,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said.“Our margin for error isn’t what we need it to be and we end up on the losing end of the game.”Playoffs? Playoffs! Playoffs? They’re out of the question.“We’re not going to insert the Jim Mora playoff press conference,” Payton said.The only real question for this team now: Why is quarterback Russell Wilson still here?With his five-year, $245 million contract extension yet to begin, it feels like the Broncos would be better off moving on from a very expensive gamble of revitalizing Wilson’s career.In the course of another lost season for a franchise that hasn...

Broncos four downs: Playoff hopes on life support after Bailey Zappe and Patriots hand Denver one last embarrassing home loss

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

Initial thoughts from Broncos’ 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 16 at Empower Field at Mile High on Christmas Eve:Orange flush: We cannot say enough good things about the “snowcapped” helmets the Broncos wore on Sunday night. The logo? An all-time classic. The blue and orange stripes? Chef’s kiss. The all-orange tops and pants? Throw them into a fire and then shoot the ashy remains into the sun. It would be one thing if just the tops or just the bottoms were orange. That much orange, we can sign off on. But going for the all-orange Christmas pajama onesie look? That, dear readers, is an abomination.Marvin giveth and taketh: One of the great mysteries of this season has been Sean Payton’s inability to harness Marvin Mims Jr.’s game-changing speed on offense. As his second punt return of the evening (a dazzling 52-yarder) illustrated, the rookie out of Oklahoma is special with the ball in space. But as his fumbled kick return in the third qu...

Heroes and Zeros from Denver’s 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

Here are the heroes and zeros from the Broncos’ 26-23 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday evening at Empower Field at Mile High.HeroesMarvin Mims Jr.: If you haven’t noticed already, Denver’s rookie wide receiver is pretty fast. Mims provided his team some juice when he bolted across the field for a 52-yard punt return in the first quarter, making multiple Patriots players miss along the way. Denver took advantage of the solid field position with a 3-yard rushing touchdown from running back Javonte Williams with 5:15 left in the first quarter. Mims kept Denver’s hopes alive in the fourth when his 47-yard reception helped set up tight end Lucas Krull’s touchdown reception to cut the deficit to 23-15.Related ArticlesDenver Broncos | Broncos start Christmas Eve night against Patriots by hitting on several season-long themes, including an ominous offensive trend Denver Broncos | Broncos 23, Patriots 23: Russell Wilson connects with Brandon Johnson for t...

Broncos playoff hopes go bust on Christmas Eve after comeback falls short against Patriots

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:26:23 GMT

The Broncos will wake up Monday morning with nothing but coal in their stockings.They’ve got only themselves to blame for a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas.Needing three wins to close the season and hosting the 3-11 New England Patriots on Christmas Eve, the Broncos marred their own holiday weekend with a loss that all but seals their 2023 fate.The offense: Putrid at the start, roaring to life too late.The other two units: Strong early, only to sustain massive letdowns at critical junctures.The final count: New England 26, Denver 23 after Chad Ryland drilled a 56-yard field goal with 2 seconds left to stick a fork right through the Broncos.The real damage is this: Any hope of making it out of a jumbled AFC playoff picture practically speaking went out the window when the Broncos dropped to 7-8 for the season. It’ll take 10 wins minimum barring something exceedingly unlikely happening. The teams that hit that mark will undoubtedly be more injured than this Denver team is. At least a...