ball

The spectacular one-handed catch looked like the kind of play that could only be made with sudden adjustment. A reaction with no thought or practice required.

But that’s not how it went down for Rams star receiver Puka Nacua.

Nacua’s fourth-down touchdown catch against the Arizona Cardinals in the regular-season season finale had its roots in a conversation with quarterback Matthew Stafford.

“Just trusting the technique is something that actually me and Matthew talked about in the week before in a rep during practice,” Nacua said. “The angle departure that we were looking at.

“It’s crazy how some of those things come to life on Sundays.”

Stafford and Nacua were the NFL’s top connection this season.

Stafford, a favorite to win his first NFL most valuable player award, passed for a league-leading 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns.

Nacua is among the candidates for offensive player of the year.

The third-year pro caught a league-best 129 passes, 10 for touchdowns. Nacua amassed 1,718 yards receiving, second to only Seattle’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who had 1,793 yards.

Nacua is expected to continue his outstanding play Saturday when the Rams play the Carolina Panthers in an NFC wild-card game at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.

Star receiver Davante Adams, the NFL leader with 14 touchdown catches, is scheduled to return, but it will be no surprise if Stafford continues to rely on Nacua, who was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time.

Nacua became the first Rams receiver to lead the league in catches since Cooper Kupp achieved the feat in 2021, when he claimed the so-called triple crown of receiving by finishing first in receptions, yards receiving and touchdown catches. Kupp was the NFL offensive player of the year.

Nacua said one of his goals this season was to improve “catching the ball more consistently.”

He had already made great strides in that regard.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua hauls in a one-handed touchdown pass during a win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

As a rookie in 2023, Nacua caught 105 passes on 160 targets but had a league-worst 13 drops, according to Profootballreference.com.

Last season, he caught 79 passes on 106 targets, with one drop. This season he was targeted 166 times and dropped four passes.

“I really do feel confident that I can catch any ball that comes my way,” he said.

Coach Sean McVay noted Nacua’s improvement.

“He’s always had great natural hands, but sometimes these guys that have those great hands, you can almost start to get up field before you end up looking the ball all the way in,” McVay said. “I think he’s been really consistent and that’s not exclusive to when the ball’s in his hands.”

Nacua started the season with a 10-catch, 130-yard performance in a season-opening victory over the Houston Texans. It was the first of six games he eclipsed 100 yards receiving.

Three came in December, after he caught six passes for 72 yards in a 31-28 loss to the Panthers on Nov. 30.

The next week, Nacua caught seven passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns against the Cardinals. He caught nine passes for 181 yards against the Detroit Lions, and 12 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks.

“He brings a ton of energy to our team,” Stafford said during the run. “He plays the game the way we all want to with passion, energy and toughness.”

Saturday’s matchup will be Nacua’s fourth playoff game. He has 20 receptions for 322 yards and a touchdown in the postseason.

Adams’ return from a hamstring injury could open more windows for Nacua.

“It’ll be fun to continue to run the routes that I get to run, but then also I know that the defense is going to shift another way feeling the threat and the presence of Davante Adams,” Nacua said. “The threat that he provides in our offense and understanding that Matthew can look one way and always throw the ball the other way, that’s the threat every time.”

Etc.

Offensive lineman Kevin Dotson (ankle), who sat out the last two games, will remain out for Saturday’s game against the Panthers, McVay said. Receiver Jordan Whittington (knee) also is out, and tight end Terrance Ferguson (hamstring) and defensive back Josh Wallace (ankle) are questionable. … The Rams announced their end–of-year team awards. Stafford was MVP, Ferguson was top rookie, linebacker Nate Landman won sportsmanship, ethics and commitment to teammates, and offensive lineman Alaric Jackson won inspiration, sportsmanship, and courage.

“He just wouldn’t really know what year it was or what day it was,” Hayley said.

“He was very active and trying to do crosswords and watch football. He lost the ability to write.

“He couldn’t make a cup of tea. He got confused about what went where. He kept saying, ‘there’s something not right in my head’.”

“He used to get confused about things. Never people – he had an incredible memory for the past.

“It was more the withdrawn nature of my dad. He would be the centre of attention, but (with dementia) he would have to be asked a question to speak.”

Asked by Michael Rawlinson KC, representing the McQueen family, how her father scored his goals, Hayley said: “Mainly with his head, from a set-piece.”

Professor Willie Stewart, a consultant at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow who examined McQueen’s brain after his death, described how a membrane in the brain appeared torn and that chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was present in various places.

“Gordon technically fell into the lower stage of the disease, although on the threshold of the higher stage,” he said.

Prof Stewart said symptoms of CTE were cognitive decline and neuro-behaviour change, and that they “can’t be explained by another condition – it must be progressive”.

He said symptoms were “typical in individuals who have long careers – professional footballers and rugby players”.

Asked if there was a causal link between CTE and repetitive head injury, he said: “The answer to that is yes.”

Senior coroner John Heath said the post-mortem found pneumonia in McQueen’s right lung, mixed vascular dementia and CTE.

Prof Stewart, who conducted a 2021 study on whether certain positions on the pitch were more associated with neurodegenerative disease than others, said: “The players, the goalkeepers who don’t head the ball had a risk equivalent to general population, whereas in outfield positions, particularly defenders, the risk was higher.”

The inquest continues.

What a Monday night to remember for the Scott brothers, Nolan and Maxwell. In a basketball game matching perhaps the top two public school teams in Orange County, Corona del Mar and Los Alamitos went back and forth, with neither wanting to budge.

Corona del Mar (17-1) got the ball under Los Alamitos’ basket with 11.2 seconds left and down by one point. Coach Jason Simco, who had never beaten Los Alamitos in five seasons, set up a final play that was designed to get the ball to the least likely person, Nolan Scott, a sophomore linebacker for the football team. Brother Maxwell set a screen for him, Luke Mirhashemi found Nolan wide open under the basket and passed him the ball for an easy layup with 4.3 seconds left, delivering a 78-77 victory in a Sunset League game at Los Alamitos’ newly opened gym.

Maxwell Scott finished with 35 points. The brothers have been playing together since flag football days as second-graders. Maxwell played football as a freshman and then focused on basketball, but he is set to return to football as a senior.

“It’s fun to play with him,” Maxwell said.

What a game it was.

“Everyone was making shots,” Maxwell said.

Corona del Mar’s successful final shot took away a magnificent performance from Los Alamitos sophomore Isaiah Williamson, who finished with 26 points.

“I think he was amazing,” Simco said of Williamson. “He’s going to be something else.”

Los Alamitos dropped to 8-7 and 0-1 in league.

Oliver Nakra had 19 points for Corona del Mar.

Oronde Gadsden II had the ball in his hands.

He could feel it against his gloves — and the sensation of the ball bouncing out of his grasp before it fell into the arms of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Gadsden’s goal-line gaffe was one of several mistakes that played a role in ending the Chargers’ four-game win streak last weekend.

Quarterback Justin Herbert, however, continued to target the rookie tight end after the missed catch, providing a much-needed morale boost, Gadsden said.

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair intercepts a pass that deflected off the hands of Chargers tight end Oronde Gadsden II, bottom, during the Chargers’ loss on Dec. 27.

(Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)

“It means a lot that he’s able to keep looking at me and keep throwing me the ball even after what happened,” said Gadsden, who has caught 47 passes for 641 yards and three touchdowns. “But it’d be better if we just make the plays. I know it can’t always go like that — can’t always go your way.”

Against the AFC West champion Denver Broncos (13-3) on Sunday, Gadsden will have a final chance to fine-tune his game ahead of the wild-card playoffs. But for some of the Chargers’ other starters, the game will offer something different.

Herbert will not play, giving him a chance to rest his surgically repaired left hand ahead of the playoffs. Trey Lance will start in Herbert’s place. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that other starters would play only in a backup or emergency capacity.

Lance, who spoke to reporters Wednesday, said he’s “very thankful” and ready for his first start with the Chargers and fifth overall for the 25-year-old.

“Going through everything my first five years in the league, I’ve just learned to take everything one day at a time, one hour at a time,” said Lance, selected third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2021 draft. “If I’m in a meeting, that’s where I’m at. If I’m at home, it’s where I’m at.”

Along with Herbert, running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) also will not play — a move that could be precautionary since the rookie spent roughly half of the season on injured reserve after fracturing his left ankle.

Offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer (hamstring), who had slotted in at left tackle after Joe Alt’s season-ending injury, hasn’t practiced in two weeks and is listed doubtful.

Rookie offensive lineman Branson Taylor took reps at left guard in practice last week, which could be a sign that Zion Johnson, who has started every game at the position, may take a breather against Denver.

“I’m going to take full advantage of the opportunity,” said Taylor, who was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster Saturday.

Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen told reporters he plans to play in order to achieve incentives that could add $1.75 million to his one-year contract. He has 74 catches for 741 yards.

Meanwhile, Denver is expected to play its starters as it tries to clinch the AFC’s top playoff seed and a first-round bye. The Chargers would be more than happy to play spoiler against their divisional foe, Gadsden said, as they go for an AFC West sweep on the season.

“I don’t think that us having dudes sit down lessens any chances that we have — any motivation or confidence — to win the game,” Gadsden said.

The mood inside the Etihad at full-time felt like one of deflation rather than the expected elation, as City failed to win successive games for only the second time this season.

Guardiola’s side are unbeaten in their past 10 games in all competitions, but the draws in their past two could be significant come the end of the season.

Arsenal are aiming for a first top-flight triumph in more than two decades, while City are looking to reclaim the crown having failed to win silverware last season – the results in the first week of 2026 feel important when considering where the title could end up.

Despite going ahead City could not hold on against a stubborn Chelsea side led by interim manager Calum McFarlane, the under-21s coach who was taking charge of his first senior game and denied Guardiola all three points.

“It’s a brilliant result for Chelsea, with no manager,” former City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Sport. “And it is a brilliant result and week for Arsenal, who are now six points clear.

“City dropping four points in the last two games is huge at this time of the season. We always say Christmas and new year, with such a busy schedule, is so important and it’s not been a great festive period for Manchester City.”

Erling Haaland has had a prolific campaign scoring 38 goals for club and country this season, but he has now failed to net in his past three games, which has proved pivotal.

The Norwegian was shackled for long periods by the Chelsea backline and struck the post in the first half, while in the second he had little joy as the home side looked to double their lead.

But they were unable to be clinical enough in the final third and Fernandez’s late equaliser not only snatched a draw for Chelsea but ruined a clean sheet for City and handed the initiative to Arsenal.

“Manchester City will be kicking themselves,” ex-City defender Micah Richards said on Sky Sports. “They know they should’ve had three points today with the chances they created.

“They are normally more ruthless. You are looking at it thinking, ‘what has changed?’ Haaland’s not scored in a few games, Phil Foden had near misses, Rayan Cherki looking very tricky but not the final product. They’ve only got themselves to blame today.”

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville added on Sky Sports: “Pep Guardiola could smell it. The City fans could smell it. I don’t think Chelsea could though. City needed to make it 2-0.

“It was a big goal for Chelsea – and a big goal for Arsenal.”

Scrutinized and criticized after a season-opening loss to Florida State, the Alabama Crimson Tide have spent the remainder of the season focused on growth, resilience and a shift in leadership mentality as they prepare for their College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against No. 1 Indiana on Thursday at the Rose Bowl.

Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson said the early criticism served as motivation for the team.

“I think the first game everybody kind of wrote us off — especially me as being a problem — and that really made me feel some type of way,” Simpson said. “Adversity brings opportunity and this was an opportunity to make things right. I know that not only was I getting scrutinized, but our head coach was as well. As much respect as I have for him, I had to scratch and claw and find some way to get better. With more time, more reps, more games in general, I got better.”

Simpson’s leadership has evolved steadily over the course of the season, becoming a focal point of Alabama’s offensive identity.

Following the season-opening loss, Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer emphasized areas of growth for his quarterback, particularly in decision-making and confidence.

“He’s gotta just trust his reads and just cut it loose sometimes and let it fly,” DeBoer said. “And then just some decision-making there in certain critical moments, that’s the things he’s going to learn from.”

DeBoer said Simpson’s ability to cope with adversity throughout the season helped Alabama as it prepares for for the Rose Bowl.

“There’s the ups and downs and every game is not going to be perfect, but his response and just what he’s played through, it can be the mental part the physical part,” DeBoer said. “Wins, losses he’s just continued to stay the course.”

Alabama turns its attention to Indiana and Heisman winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who presents a significant challenge heading into Thursday’s CFP quarterfinal matchup.

”Everybody sees him as the guy and of course he won the Heisman Trophy. That’s motivation for me, I know I am going head-to-head with him, but the opportunity to go against the No. 1 team in the nation, sign me up,” Simpson said. “I am a competitor and I am excited for it and being able to play in this game against a good team is what I want.”

As the Crimson Tide prepare for Indiana’s physical rushing attack, Simpson and the offense continue working to put all the pieces together under pressure.

Receiver Ryan Williams has emerged as a key offensive weapon, using his speed to make defenders miss and create opportunities.

“We’re going to make sure we have plays to give him the ball and I have to make sure I understand my read and give him the ball,” Simpson said of Williams.” It’s my job to make sure the offense reads the ball, whether Ryan is the first read or the last read. I’m going to throw it to the open guy and make sure we’re in a good position.”

While Alabama may be fueled by external criticism and its underdog role, the team is spending its last stretch before the Rose Bowl focused on blocking out outside noise and embracing its internal standard.

“We write it on our whiteboard every game, ‘All about Bama,’ That’s all it’s ever about — Bama,” Simpson said. “All about these guys in here and the coaches. Alabama against the world, that’s kind of been our mindset of just making sure its all for one and one for all.”

It’s time to peer into my crystal ball to see what 2026 has in store for the Southland’s high school athletes (and a few former ones), coaches and fans:

JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, armed with passports from the United States, Israel and Australia, will soar so far past 7 feet in the high jump that national organizations from three different countries will fight to have him represent their team. …

Striker Pence, a sophomore pitcher at Corona Santiago with a 100-mph fastball, will receive an endorsement deal from a radar gun company. …

The UCLA-USC women’s basketball games will have so many celebrities and former players wanting to be seen that TMZ won’t need to pay for video. …

The high school soccer debut of incoming freshman Zoe Thompson, sister of Alyssa and Giselle, will be so big that Harvard-Westlake will need to give out red bibs to photographers to identify who’s real media. …

Norco junior shortstop Dylan Seward will hit for the cycle. …

Jaden Soong celebrates after winning the Southern California Golf Assn. Amateur Championship at Saticoy Club in Somis on July 11, 2024.

(SCGA)

St. Francis sophomore golfer Jaden Soong will win a second straight CIF championship, then have to answer the same question over and over, “When are you turning pro?” …

Gary Morse, a 6-foot-8 senior pitcher at Orange Lutheran, should be one of the best in the Southland in 2026.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Orange Lutheran 6-foot-8 senior pitcher Gary Morse will throw a no-hitter, then find a hoop and celebrate with a dunk. …

Sophomore catcher Jordan Lindsay (left) and sophomore pitcher Carlos Acuna will be key players for Birmingham in 2026.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

The Birmingham sophomore pitcher/catcher duo of Carlos Acuna and Jordan Lindsay will lead the Patriots to the City Section baseball title, then celebrate with a dogpile at Dodger Stadium in which the 6-2, 200-pound Lindsay protects Acuna from being suffocated at the bottom by teammates. …

Santa Margarita shortstop Brody Schumaker (left) and his father, Skip, the manager of the Texas Rangers.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Santa Margarita’s Brody Schumaker, who had eight bunt singles last season, will be asked by his father, Skip, the new manager of the Texas Rangers, to show off his bunting skills at spring training. …

Brian Prince of Cathedral will break 47 seconds in the 400 meters. …

Rickee Luevano of Sylmar and Xavier Allen of Carson will battle to be the home run champion in the City Section. …

Eastvale Roosevelt’s Aubrey McLaughlin, who won a gold medal playing for the Team USA U-18 softball team in the World Cup, will break out her new jewelry for a showdown game against Norco. …

All-City linebackers De’Andre Kirkpatrick of Crenshaw and Elyjah Staples of Marquez will become among the first City Section players to receive NIL deals. …

Cypress baseball coach John Weber will receive an NIL deal from a pencil company because he’s always walking around with a pencil tucked behind his ear. …

Corona Centennial’s All-CIF defensive back Jaden Walk-Green, who also starts in center field for the baseball team, will show so much promise snowboarding that he’ll decide to seek an Olympic Games berth in 2028. …

George Hastings of Agoura will try to play every position in a football game this season. …

There will be so many quarterbacks transferring that MaxPreps’ digital rosters will go down from too many clicks. …

PlayOn, which owns MaxPreps, GoFan and the NFHS Network, will go for a California prep sports monopoly by bidding for the CIF state playoffs contract that runs out in June. …

Offensive lineman Elisha Mueller of Servite.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Offensive lineman Elisha Mueller of Servite will record so many pancake blocks that IHOP will sign him to promote a week of all-you-can eat pancakes for anyone who weighs 280 pounds and up. . . .

A basketball official, tired of hearing a parent complain about his calls, will stop the game, give his whistle to the parent and dare him to take over. …

Louis Lappe, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a solo walk-off home run off Curacao’s Jay-Dlynn Wiel during the sixth inning of the Little League World Series Championship game iin 2023.

(Gene J. Puskar/AP)

Freshman Louis Lappe, known for his walk-off home run for El Segundo in the 2023 Little League World Series championship game, will hit a home run in his high school debut for Harvard-Westlake. …

Shohei Ohtani will be spotted working out at a high school baseball field, causing multiple helicopters to be dispatched to provide commentary like an L.A. car chase. …

USC will resolve any red-zone scoring deficiencies by installing freshman Trent Mosley at wildcat quarterback. …

Former Granada Hills pitcher Easton Hawk will be UCLA’s closer this season.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

Former Granada Hills pitcher Easton Hawk will become the long-sought standout closer to lead UCLA to the NCAA baseball title. …

With four Southern California players on its roster, led by Sherman Oaks Notre Dame grad Ella Parker, Oklahoma’s softball team will hold a beach day at practice to make sure its SoCal players are not feeling homesick. …

Freshman tight end Austin Miller of Bellflower will be the first to motivate new UCLA coach Bob Chesney to drop by campus for a personal introduction. …

Valencia sophomore quarterback Evan McCalister will be a breakout passing star. …

After nine consecutive years of Northern California teams losing in the CIF Open Division state championship bowl final, the CIF will agree to allow postseason transfers to De La Salle or San Mateo Serra so they can be competitive. …

Huntington Beach surfer Bailey Turner, shows her medals after returning from the ISA World Junior Surf Championships in Peru.

(Don Leach/Staff Photographer)

Bailey Turner of Huntington Beach, the ISA World Junior Surf Championhip winner, will continue her preparation for the 2028 Olympic Games by riding one big wave after another. …

After the Cleveland Browns’ Carson Schwesinger is named defensive rookie of the year, all the people who didn’t rate him highly at Oaks Christian during his high school days will use magic markers to update their star rankings.

ZOE Ball has lifted the lid on the mystery man she recently moved into her home and candidly revealed what she finds “sexy” about her partner.

The TV and radio legend, 55, shared intimate details about how smell plays a key role in her relationships.

During a conversation on her Dig It podcast with co-host Jo Whiley, Zoe admitted: “Sniffing pits is sexy though.

“I’ve often had this thing, when I’ve been sort of dating someone, I love smelling their armpits.”

Acknowledging that her view may divide opinion, she went on to explain: “I know it sounds weird.

“But if you love someone, you’ve got to love all their smells, not necessarily their bathroom smells. 

SIGN OFF

Emotional Zoe Ball bids farewell to Radio 2 today amid Strictly hosting rumours

EYE ON THE BALL

Zoe Ball breaks silence on shocking Radio 2 exit as Strictly rumours swirl

“I draw a line at that. 

“But there’s something about armpit smells that I think are really sexy!”

Zoe – who has been tipped to take over as the host of Strictly – described how she reacts when reunited with her partner after time apart.

She added: “My favourite thing to often do is sometimes, especially if I’ve not seen my lover for a while, is when they’ve got their arms around you, I’m like sniffing in the armpits, and I get a right odd look. 

“I’m like, ‘I like that smell!’ It’s a good smell.”

Zoe also revealed a bed washing habit she sticks to when her partner is away, admitting: “I have a thing that if my partner goes away, I don’t like to wash the bed until they get back. 

“A, because I’m worried they might not come back, and B, I love the smell. I love the smell of them on the pillows.”

Zoe also said she knows when her attraction fades, adding: “If you go off someone, you know you’ve gone off them if they suddenly, the smells you used to love about them starts to smell a bit funky. You’re like, nah, it’s gone.

“It’s gone because you got to love all their smells.”

The comments divided some listeners who watched a clip of the conversation on Instagram.

One said: “Depends how long since the last wash!”

Another simply penned: “Nope.”

However, a third said: “Hahaha, Jo’s face!! She wants to agree, but she’s not quite sure.”

And another confessed:  “I do that lol! I know exactly where you are coming from. so good to know I’m not the only armpit sniffer.”

It comes just weeks after Zoe confirmed she has changed her living arrangements and moved a man she previously referred to as “The Lodger” into her home. 

Zoe’s last public relationship was with construction worker Michael Reed, which ended in 2023.

The Sun also revealed in June that Zoe had found love again.

She was spotted holding hands with her mystery man at Glastonbury.

ATLANTA — The Rams wanted to make the playoffs in the worst way.

Mission accomplished. They’re headed to the playoffs in the worst way imaginable.

Monday night’s 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons was an abomination — you could feel that vibe in the postgame locker room — but the Rams need to study it, even if it requires contraptions to pry open their eyes.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went wrong for the Rams in their 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.

“I think if we play the way that we did in the first half … we’re going to be at home watching everything go down in two weeks,” defensive tackle Kobie Turner said. “We’ve got to get our stuff together.”

This was one of only three times in Sean McVay’s nine seasons that his team was held scoreless in the first half, which is bad enough. But that the going-nowhere Falcons built a three-touchdown halftime lead is absurd. Not so long ago, Atlanta lost seven of eight.

The Rams looked nothing like the team that just about everyone had at the top of their power rankings for most of the season. Matthew Stafford had three interceptions. Fill-in left tackle D.J. Humphries had a pair of penalties that wiped out two huge receptions. And Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson would still be running now but decided to stop once he reached the end zone (after a 93-yard touchdown, mind you.)

Those Rams who started 9-2 (and should have won those games against Philadelphia and San Francisco) are a fading memory. Since, they have lost three of five.

Now, all the other NFC contenders are getting hot — Seattle, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago — and the Rams are shuddering in an emotional ice bath.

Suddenly, their erstwhile insignificant finale against Arizona on Sunday is vitally important. They need to rediscover their rhythm rather than hoping to do so in the first round of the playoffs. They can’t change their swing in the middle of this golf tournament. They need to work out the kinks on the practice range.

Getting receiver Davante Adams back is key, and he looked good in warmups, running as if his hamstring problems are behind him. But he’s desperately needed in the red zone, and that will lift some weight off the shoulders of Puka Nacua.

Just as important, the team needs left tackle Alaric Jackson and right guard Kevin Dotson back from injuries. The Rams are getting a taste of what the Chargers have been through all season, their offensive line going through a reshuffle every week.

And the defense should benefit greatly from the return of Quentin Lake, a quarterback on that side of the ball.

Regardless, good teams overcome the loss of key players and find ways to win with backups. Every team would love to be at full strength.

Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua pulls in a long pass over Atlanta Falcons cornerback C.J. Henderson in the first half Monday.

(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

And while the Rams should have been in position to kick the tying field goal down the stretch — there was an unflagged pass interference against Tutu Atwell, who made a good attempt to catch a deep ball with his hand that wasn’t being grabbed — they shouldn’t have been in that predicament in the first place.

As they watched their lead evaporate, the Falcons had to be having flashbacks to their catastrophic 25-point collapse to New England in the Super Bowl. After all, the Rams outscored them in the second half, 21-6.

But all of that was cold consolation to the visitors, who couldn’t close the deal.

The Rams have lost back-to-back games, and were looking for a boost after blowing a 16-point fourth-quarter lead in Seattle. Instead, they got a slap in the face.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford speaks to reporters after a 27-24 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday.

(Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

It’s ultra-rare for a team to head into the playoffs on a down note yet still reach the mountaintop. The last franchise to do that was Baltimore in 2012, a club that lost four of its last five games — albeit missing a slew of injured stars — then beat in succession teams quarterbacked by Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and an in-his-prime Colin Kaepernick.

So it can be done. A bumbling team can find its way. And it looked for a moment Monday night as if the Rams had turned a corner.

Jared Verse blocked a Falcons field-goal attempt, recovered the bouncing ball and returned it for a 76-yard touchdown. As he tore past the Atlanta sideline, he glanced over and playfully raised his hand to form a G-rated gesture.

Unless a dramatic change is coming, it’s a message the rest of the playoff teams could be saying to the Rams.

Peace out.

First clue that someone is serious about pingpong: They call it table tennis.

Second clue: They bring their own paddle.

Timothée Chalamet dropped a third clue on movie sets all over the globe. To prepare for his role in the delightfully frenetic “Marty Supreme,” the two-time Oscar nominee traveled for years with a table in tow, training and presumably enjoying the sport at the center of the current holiday season hit.

Director Josh Safdie enlisted the husband-and-wife table-tennis teaching tandem of Diego Schaaf and Wei Wang — a former U.S. Olympian — to elevate Chalamet’s game as well as serve as technical advisors on set.

But Chalamet was already playing nearly well enough to emulate a world champion on screen. He’d taken lessons and done his homework — setting up a table in the living room of his New York apartment and playing throughout the pandemic.

“Everything I was working on, it was this secret,” Chalamet told the Hollywood Reporter. “I had a table in London while I was making ‘Wonka.’ On ‘Dune: Part Two,’ I had a table in Budapest [and] Jordan. I had a table in Abu Dhabi. I had a table at the Cannes Film Festival for ‘The French Dispatch.’”

It seems implausible that Chalamet was immersed in table tennis while also learning to sing and play guitar for the role of Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown.”

“If anyone thinks this is cap, as the kids say — if anyone thinks this is made up — this is all documented, and it’ll be put out,” he said. “These were the two spoiled projects where I got years to work on them. This is the truth. I was working on both these things concurrently.”

Wherever Chalamet found the time, Schaaf was impressed by the result.

“He was singularly dedicated to getting this to be the same quality as the rest of the movie,” Schaaf told the Hollywood Reporter.

Eschewing a stunt double for the table tennis scenes was a point of pride for Chalamet. The only concession to modern moviemaking was that several of the longer sequences during games were choreographed without a ball, which was added later via computer-generated imagery (CGI).

“We realized it had to be scripted to be able to film it,” Schaaf told the Washington Post. “And because it was scripted, we had to practice it first with a real ball. He had to understand the physical layout of the point: Where does he have to go? When does he have to go there? When you later on do [visual effects] and put the ball in there, it’s critical that the player goes to the right place.”

Schaaf said about 60 points were scripted.

“We needed a lot of rehearsal, and I was amazed,” he said. “Timothée wound up getting a better feel for it than most professional players because professional players take the cue from the ball. You take the ball away, they all were like ‘What is the timing?’

“Of course, they have a good sense of timing and then they learned it quickly. But Timothée was right there on top of it.”

The on-screen rival of Chalamet’s character, Marty Mauser, is Koto Endo, portrayed by real-life Japanese table tennis champion Koto Kawaguchi. Their dynamic approximated the real-life rivalry between 1950s U.S. champion Marty Reisman and Japan’s Hiroji Satoh.

In her review of “Marty Supreme,” Times film critic Amy Nicholson noted that well-struck pingpong balls travel up to 70 mph.

“Set in 1952 New York, this deranged caper races after a money-grubbing table tennis hustler (he prefers ‘professional athlete’) who argues like he plays, swatting away protests and annoying his adversaries to exhaustion,” she wrote.

Nicholson offers that Reisman would be pleased by the movie, “which time-travels audiences back seven decades to when American table tennis players were certain bright days were ahead.

“As an athlete, Chalamet seems to have lost muscle for the role. Yet as funny as it is to see a guy this scrawny carry himself like Hercules, he leaps and strikes with conviction.”

Nothing gives an actor — or an athlete — self-assurance like practice, repetitions and rehearsals. Chalamet’s paddle performance is proof.

Dec. 26 (UPI) — A red, white and blue glass ball will drop on July 3 in New York City’s Times Square to celebrate the nation’s 250th birthday in a first for the city.

The event will mark the first time that Times Square has hosted a second ball drop after the ad-hoc America250 committee announced the decision on Friday, The Hill reported.

“One Times Square has long been a place where the world comes together to celebrate pivotal moments — from the end of World War II to the moon landing,” said Michael Phillips, who leads the company that owns One Times Square.

“We’re proud to serve as the starting point of this historic year, showcasing the nation’s celebration on a global stage.”

The committee said it will connect the traditional New Year’s ball drop with the July 3 event.

The Times Square ball to be used in the New Year’s celebration will drop at midnight on New Year’s Day in its traditional manner.

It then will be illuminated with red, white and blue lights and rise again to above a “2026” sign, where it will drop a ton of red, white and blue confetti at 12:04 a.m. EST, according to the New York Post.

A “dynamic pyro finale” will close out the New Year’s Day event as “America the Beautiful” plays.

The same ball will return to Times Square on July 3 to honor the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, which gave birth to the country.

“To ring in the 4th of July, starting with the same type of festivities that you would normally see on New Year’s Eve — what better way to represent this global impact that we as a country have and the responsibility that comes with that?” America250 chairwoman Rosie Rios told The Post.

“It’s going to be huge,” she added, “and it’s going to be beyond anyone’s expectations.”

The America250 committee also is sponsoring a contest for youth in grades 3 through 12 to earn an opportunity to visit “some of the nation’s most iconic historic and cultural landmarks” while participating in “America’s Field Trip.”

Students will share their perspectives on what the United States means to them in essays, and 250 will be selected to participate in the field trip or opt for a cash prize.

EUGENE, Ore. — Perhaps it was James Madison going for it twice on fourth down on its first drive of the game.

Or, maybe it was coach Bob Chesney calling for a wide receiver pass on the Dukes’ second series of the evening. Even 12th-ranked James Madison successfully pulling off a fake punt could have adequately explained what the scoreboard failed to convey.

It was clear that the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks were in a different class than their visitors in a 51-34 win in a College Football Playoff first round matchup Saturday at Autzen Stadium. Oregon led 48-13 midway through the third quarter before the Dukes added three late touchdowns to make the final score appear closer than the game really was.

“I think the scoreboard itself, every time we got down there we kind of shot ourselves in the foot,” said Chesney, who takes over as UCLA’s head coach after the JMU loss. “If we did not do that, if we did not end with 13 penalties, is this a little bit of a different game? Maybe. But at the same point in time, that’s a tough offense to stop, and I think it’s tough for a lot of teams in the entire country to stop.”

With James Madison’s loss, Group of Five teams fell to 0-4 all-time in CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 to No. 6 Mississippi on Saturday, too, while Penn State beat Boise State 31-14 in last year’s Fiesta Bowl. Alabama topped Cincinnati 27-6 in a 2022 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl.

Following their loss to Ole Miss, Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall brushed aside any notion of his team not belonging among the last 12 standing.

“We’re our conference champion and the rules are what they were, and I think there should be access for at least one G5 team moving forward,” Sumrall said. “I do. I think you should have given the American champion an opportunity before the ACC champion this year because we beat the ACC champion. So Duke won the ACC Championship; we beat them.”

To Sumrall’s point, Tulane beat a pair of Power Four teams in Northwestern and Duke, but those schools combined to go 14-11 in 2025.

James Madison, meanwhile, lost to its only Power Four opponent this season, with Louisville beating it 28-14 in a game in which the Dukes mustered just 263 yards of total offense. Most of the season, James Madison ran with the ball with ease against its opponents, rushing for over 300 yards in a game five times and over 200 yards in a game nine times.

But on Saturday, the Dukes mostly abandoned the run after quickly falling behind, and instead often turned to Sun Belt player of the year and quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who attempted a career-high 48 passes in the contest. Even so, Barnett was confident his team belonged in the CFP over other Power Four schools.

“I believe people saw that we were meant to be on this level. When you look at the Power Four teams and whatever, the destiny is really — the ball is in your court. You control your own destiny,” Barnett said. “Most of those teams that didn’t make it, they controlled their own destiny, and we handled what we could handle and we didn’t give into outside noise.”

Among Group of Five schools, James Madison did fare the best of any of them on offense in the CFP. The other three programs scored a combined 30 points in their respective playoff games, a total James Madison eclipsed against the nation’s eighth-ranked scoring defense.

But where the Dukes fell flat was slowing down the Ducks’ ninth-ranked scoring offense. Oregon ran the ball with ease, averaging more than 7.7 yards per attempt against James Madison’s run defense that entered the contest allowing the second-fewest yards per game in the country.

As has often been the case in matchups between Power Four and Group of Five teams, the greatest discrepancies existed in the trenches. To a man, James Madison could not adequately match up with Oregon, just as Tulane couldn’t with Ole Miss and many other Group of Five programs before them both failed to do.

“I think there were moments today where I feel like we could play with them,” Chesney said. “ And I think that today, the complimentary football, and us playing in the way we needed to just did not exist.”

Destin writes for the Associated Press.

ZOE Ball has bid her final farewells to her BBC Radio 2 show today.

The radio presenter, 55, announced she would be leaving her beloved Saturday show earlier this month, with today being her final time on air.

She was greeted by fans outside Broadcasting house before taking to the airwaves.

It comes just a year after Zoe stepped down from her breakfast programme on the same station, after hosting it for six year.

Though Zoe won’t be completely absent from the airwaves – continuing to host specials on the station less frequently.

Presenter Romesh Ranganathan today handed over to Zoe before her show kicked off at 1pm.

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Romesh compared Zoe leaving to a “death in the family” and shared heartfelt messages from fans, before adding: “It’s your last show! I’m gonna miss seeing you every Saturday.

“How are you feeling?”

Zoe replied: “It’s my last Saturday show … I’m feeling like everybody else is feeling at this time of year …

“Don’t worry I won’t be a stranger.”

Romesh also teased the rumours that Zoe is taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as the host of Strictly Come Dancing next year.

He said: “Is it true you’re leaving your Saturday show because of …”

He then quipped: “Sally on traffic, it’s that, let’s put that down now.”

Zoe played along and said: “Sally and I have been in love with each other for a long time and we’ve decided we can’t possibly work in the same building anymore because the magnetism is too much.”

Zoe’s announcement comes after she was included in the BBC’s “Golden Ten” shortlist of presenters tested for the perfect on-screen partnership to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

The Sun revealed that Zoe Ball was one of the ten stars put through their paces in order to find the perfect on screen partnership in a top-secret chemistry test.

The news has sparked excitement that Ball could be in the running to replace Tess and Claudia as Strictly Come Dancing host.

SEATTLE — In a matter of minutes, the home of the Seattle Seahawks went from a painfully quiet Lumen “Library” to a rollicking madhouse that sent seismologists scrambling for their ground-motion sensors.

Call it the Sheesh-Quake Game.

In a historic comeback, the Seahawks dug their way out of a 16-point, fourth-quarter ditch to beat the Rams in overtime, 38-37.

Oh, the visitors will agonize over some of the bizarre calls, some deserving of further explanation from the NFL. An ineligible-man-downfield call that wiped out a Rams touchdown when they were a yard away from the end zone? That had people scratching their heads. Then there was that do-or-die two-point conversion that seemingly fell incomplete… but later was reversed. More on that in a moment.

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Gary Klein breaks down what went wrong for the Rams in their 38-37 loss to the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Thursday night.

When the Rams wincingly rewind the video of the collapse, they’ll be peering through the cracks in their fingers.

You’ve heard of a no-look pass? This was a no-look finish.

As soothing wins go, this was a warm bubble bath for the Seahawks, who secured a playoff berth and assumed the driver’s seat in the race for the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

“You hear people late in the year have losses, and you hear people come up here and say, like, ‘Man, this is going to be a good thing for us,’” said Seahawks receiver Cooper Kupp, a onetime Rams hero. “It’s much better to be up here right now saying this is going to be a good thing for us.”

Kupp atoned for his first-half fumble with a successful two-point conversion in the fourth quarter — the first of three in a row for the Seahawks — and a 21-yard reception on the winning drive in overtime.

“If you find a way to get a win when you do turn the ball over three times, you do end up down 16 points, or whatever it was, in the fourth quarter, just finding ways to win games when the odds are against you and things aren’t going right — finding a way to fight back — it’s going to be a good thing for us,” Kupp said. “A good thing for us to draw on.”

The Rams are sifting through the debris of a different lesson. It was a reminder that this charmed season, with Matthew Stafford in line to win his first Most Valuable Player honor, can come crashing down at any moment. There’s no more smooth glide path to Santa Clara for the Super Bowl.

As good as it was for most of the game, picking off Sam Darnold twice and sacking him four times, the Rams defense failed to hold up when it counted most. Shades of the three-point loss at Carolina.

Darnold will have a story to tell. He exorcised a lot of demons. The Rams sacked him nine times in the playoffs last season when Darnold was playing for Minnesota, and intercepted six of his passes in two games this season.

“It’s not great when you have interceptions and turnovers, you want to limit that,” said Darnold, the former USC star. “But all you can do is fight back. For us, I was just going to continue to plug away.”

Darnold came through when it counted, completing five passes on the winning drive, then finding the obscure tight end Eric Saubert — his fourth option — wide open in the end zone on the triumphant conversion.

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold looks to pass against the Rams in the first half Thursday.

(Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press)

The second of the three conversions was the game’s most controversial moment. The Seahawks needed it to forge a 30-30 tie with a little more than six minutes remaining in regulation.

Darnold fired a quick screen pass to his left, trying to get the ball to Zach Charbonnet. Rams defender Jared Verse jumped the route and knocked down the pass. Everyone thought the play was dead, including Charbonnet, who casually jogged across the goal line and picked up the ball as it lay in the end zone.

That proved critical because officials — after what seemed like an eternity — ruled that Darnold had thrown a backward pass and the ball was live when Charbonnet picked it up. Therefore, a fumble recovery and successful conversion, tying the game.

Asked later if it felt like a backward pass, Darnold had a half-smile and said, “Um, yeah. It felt like I threw it kind of right on the side. I’m glad Charbs picked it up, and that turned out to be a game-changing play.”

Was that designed to be a backward pass?

“It just happened to be backwards,” he said. “It wasn’t necessarily talked about. We were just trying to get it in down there on the goal line.”

The Seahawks were lined up to kick off when officials announced that, upon review, the previous play was successful. Suddenly, the most improbable of come-from-victories was within reach.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, when the home team was trailing, 30-14, the Amazon Prime crew had to do some vamping to keep viewers engaged. Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit told some Kurt Warner stories from the “Greatest Show on Turf” days. Hey, it had to be more interesting than this game.

Michaels delivered an obscure stat: When leading by 15 points or more in the fourth quarter, the Rams were 323-1.

Informed of that, Seahawks running back Cam Akers — once shown the door by the Rams — had a wry response.

“Now, they’ve lost two,” he said.

Celebration in one locker room. Silence in another.

Do you believe in meltdowns?

Joe Root avoids being given out for one after review shows an edge behind drops just short of Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, with England 42-3, still 329 runs behind Australia’s first innings score of 371 on day two of the third Ashes Test in Adelaide.

FOLLOW LIVE: The Ashes third Test – day two

Available to UK users only.

Almost immediately after a thrilling overtime victory against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, Justin Herbert went in for imaging and X-rays on his ailing left hand.

The Chargers quarterback had passed for 139 yards and ran for 66 more in a 22-19 win just a week after undergoing surgery to stabilize a fracture in his non-throwing hand. Now, after one of the biggest wins of the season, he was hoping to receive good news about his injury despite being sacked a career-worst seven times.

The scans showed his hand was swollen, but it had improved since surgery, Herbert said. The results provided him with a sense of optimism heading into the Chargers’ AFC West showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

“I think compared to the days after surgery, I think it’s a lot better now,” Herbert said. “I think it was just sore. I think having played on it, using it, and kind of falling on it too, I think that kind of helped, and was some of the reason why it was sore.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh described Herbert’s performance against the Eagles as “the most competitive thing” he ever saw. Herbert, however, gave a negative self-assessment — he threw an interception and lost the ball once on two fumbles. For Herbert, it wasn’t good enough for a Chargers team vying to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in more than three decades.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who praised Herbert’s grit after the win over the Eagles, was proud to hear Herbert taking responsibility for his mistakes.

“First of all, I love that,” Roman said. “That tells me everything I need to know about that individual. … A great leader, setting a great example there. But on the flip side, he did what he had to do to win that game. He’s smart enough to recognize that that’s not how he wants to win every game, and he will adjust accordingly.”

Chargers center Bradley Bozeman, who has snapped the ball to Lamar Jackson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold and Bryce Young over his nine-year NFL career, said Herbert is one of one.

“He’s the best quarterback — no shot to any quarterback ever played with — but he’s the best quarterback ever,” said Bozeman, who joined the Chargers before the start of the 2024 season. “He’s committed to what he does. He’s tough as a damn nail.”

That toughness could prove to be too much for the Chiefs. A Chargers (9-4) win on Sunday (in combination with several other factors) could potentially eliminate Kansas City (6-7) from postseason contention for the first time since 2014.

Although the Chargers are trying to sweep the Chiefs for the first time since 2013, safety Derwin James Jr. knows they can’t underestimate a Kansas City team that has won the last nine division crowns. James, second on the Chargers in tackles (70), is expecting all the challenges that come with facing Patrick Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium in 20-degree weather.

“Every time you go out there, everybody’s gonna play desperate to win, because they just want to win,” James said. “We’re desperate, they’re desperate — so let’s go out there and play.”

Australia wicketkeeper Alex Carey said he thought he edged the ball when he was given not out on review during day one of the third Ashes Test against England.

After surviving on 72, Carey went on to make a fine 106 to help the hosts reach 326-8 at the close in Adelaide.

The technology showed a large spike when England called for a review in the 63rd over but the TV pictures showed it coming before the ball had reached the bat.

“I thought there was a feather or some sort of noise when it passed the bat,” said Carey.

“If I was given out I think I would have reviewed it, probably not confidently. It was a nice sound as it passed the bat.”

There has been debate about ‘Snicko’, the technology used in such situations in Australia, throughout the series after a number of inconclusive incidents.

In the first Test in Perth, England wicketkeeper Jamie Smith was given out caught behind on review despite a spike coming after the ball had passed his bat and glove.

That was explained as being because the technology used in Australia has a two-frame gap between the pictures and the sound wave.

Bowling coach David Saker suggested England may escalate this latest incident further with match referee Jeff Crowe.

“I don’t think we’ve done anything about it so far but after today, maybe that might go a bit further,” Saker said.

“There have been concerns about it for the whole series. We shouldn’t be talking about this after a day’s play, it should just be better than that. It is what it is.”

Carey is not new to Ashes controversy. He was the wicketkeeper who famously stumped Jonny Bairstow at Lord’s in the 2023 series, resulting in a febrile final day.

On his reprieve he added: “Snicko obviously didn’t line up. It is just the way cricket goes – sometimes you have a bit of luck.

“Maybe it went my way.”

Carey was also asked if he is a ‘walker’ – the tradition where some batters leave the field without waiting for a decision if they believe they have hit the ball.

He joked “clearly not” in response.

ZOE Ball celebrated her daughter Nelly’s 16th birthday with a big bash this weekend, reuniting with her ex husband Norman Cook for the milestone.

The party coincided with the shock news that Zoe has quit her Radio 2 show after just seven months at the helm.

Zoe shares Nelly and son Woody, 24, with Norman, who she split from in 2016 after 18 years together.

But the former couple remain on good terms, and reunited for their daughters big birthday this weekend.

Sharing an insight into the bash, Zoe posted a reel on Instagram and wrote: “Baby Girls Early 16th Birthday Party…oldies snuck in before it kicks off

“We love you beautiful noodle, can’t wait for the gossip.”

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The bash featured giant balloons spelling out Nelly’s name, along with a banner which read “Holy s**t you’re 16”.

Nelly’s older brother Woody was there to celebrate his sibling, as Zoe shared a snap of her two kids together.

Their dad, Norman, also appeared in high spirits as he donned a shirt with Nelly’s face printed across it.

It seems that Norman, also known as Fatboy Slim, was fittingly behind the DJ decks for the night, too.

The bash came just hours after it was revealed that Zoe has quit her BBC Radio 2 lunchtime show.

Zoe took on the show just seven months ago, after she stepped down from the station’s breakfast show.

She is set to be replaced by Emma Willis, who says she is a “huge fan” of the show.

Speaking on air on Saturday, Zoe told listeners: “I have loved being betwixt my dear friends Romesh (Ranganathan) and Rylan (Clark), and you know, I love you all to bits, but I’m not disappearing completely.

“Obviously, it’ll be Christmas Crooners and I’m doing an eras show in the new year, more on that later.”

“I am thrilled to tell you that you will be in the safest of hands, because there is a super woman who is no stranger to you all, but this does mean that she will officially become a member of the Radio 2 family.”

Emma said she is excited to be taking on the role: “I’m a huge fan of Radio 2, so I’m absolutely chuffed to be joining the family – and it’s a real honour to follow in the huge footsteps Zoe leaves behind, who’s someone I admire and adore.”

The new host signed off: “I’m very much looking forward to spending my Saturday lunchtimes with the Radio 2 audience and I’ll happily be the filling to a Romesh and Rylan sandwich!”

The news comes as Zoe is one of the “Golden Ten” shortlist of presenters that BBC bosses have lined up to step into the shoes of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

The Sun revealed that Zoe was one of the ten stars put through their paces in order to find the perfect on screen partnership in a top-secret chemistry test.