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Eagles try to cast aside perceived Hurts-Brown relationship issues ahead of Steelers showdown PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The guy on the Philly sports talk radio station had something to say, and he started to vent about the perceived strained relationship between star quarterback Jalen Hurts and standout wide receiver A.J. Brown. Dan Gelston, The Associated Press Dec 12, 2024 3:02 PM Dec 12, 2024 3:05 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) scores a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum) PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The guy on the Philly sports talk radio station had something to say, and he started to vent about the perceived strained relationship between star quarterback Jalen Hurts and standout wide receiver A.J. Brown. Why weren’t these two Pro Bowl Eagles on the same page? Why had their personal and professional relationship changed even with Philadelphia enjoying tremendous success? It was football gossip usually ripe for a hot-take host or fed-up fan to stir up on the air — only in this instance, the temperature check came from inside the locker room. Normally respected team leader Brandon Graham, who is sidelined with a triceps injury, noted in a radio appearance that “ things have changed ” between Hurts and Brown in the wake of a stale passing game in last week’s win over Carolina. An apologetic Graham walked back his comments. Hurts and Brown both insisted their relationship was cool in front of media hordes more appropriate for the Super Bowl. As for the rest of the Eagles, they were ready to squash the so-called controversy. “We are moving on,” offensive lineman and Christmas song crooner Jordan Mailata said. “It is the Pittsburgh Steelers this week. Not the A.J. Brown and Jalen Show. It is the Pittsburgh Steelers. That’s it.” Oh yeah, the Steelers! Lost in the brouhaha ignited in a Philly sports bar is the fact that sitting — and winning — on the western side of Pennsylvania are the Steelers (10-3). Unlike most matchups in series history, this one Sunday at the Linc comes with the tantalizing appeal of a potential Super Bowl preview. The Steelers have won seven of eight, and the Eagles (11-2) have won nine straight and could clinch the NFC East with a win and a Washington loss or tie. It's the first time the teams — among the original eight NFL teams — will play each other when they both have a double-digit win total. Both teams are in strong position for a playoff run — the Eagles led by Saquon Barkley and his pursuit of Eric Dickerson's NFL season rushing record; Russell Wilson and the soft-schedule Steelers atop the AFC North in large part thanks to six wins against teams that currently have losing records. “I do like playing really good people, I think there's growth in it,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “You've got to get the job done. But man, I think there's significant growth in pitting your collective talents and skills versus big-time opponents and they're certainly that.” Will the drama out of Philly this week affect the Eagles? They certainly don't think so and neither do the oddsmakers — the Eagles are 5 1/2-point favorites, per BetMGM. “What I’ve noticed about this football team is they’re so locked in and determined to get better each day,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said. “We don’t really want anyone else talking to us about anything other than the Pittsburgh Steelers.” Good luck with that, Coach. Maybe playing the Steelers on Sunday at home can snap the Eagles out of their offensive malaise. Hurts threw three TD passes to Brown in a 35-13 win in 2022. Barkley watch Barkley leads the NFL in rushing with 1,623 yards, 216 yards ahead of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry. He is averaging 124.8 yards per game. At that pace, and with one more game to play than Dickerson had, he would become the top single-season rusher in NFL history. He needs 483 yards over the final four games to top Dickerson’s 40-year-old record. Barkley is on pace for 2,122 yards, which would put him just 17 yards beyond Dickerson’s 2,105 in 1984. Barkley doesn’t need much of a reminder from his 2020 performance when, while playing for the New York Giants, he ran into a Pittsburgh defense that seemed reminiscent of its famed Steel Curtain. The Steelers held Barkley to 6 yards on 15 carries. Bye, George The Steelers will have to find a way forward against the NFL’s toughest defense without wide receiver George Pickens, who will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury. Pittsburgh survived last week against Cleveland, with Mike Williams and Scotty Miller — afterthoughts of late — coming off the bench to make an impact. While Tomlin believes “the strength of the pack is the pack,” the reality is the Steelers don’t have anyone who can stretch the field like Pickens, who leads the team in receptions (55) and yards (850) by a wide margin. It’s a challenge, but considering the way Wilson has spread the ball around — eight players caught passes against the Browns — he won’t lack for options. “Everybody in the receiver room has a different skill set, different strengths,” Calvin Austin III said. “The coaching staff knows that and they know how to put us in position to be able to show that.” Playoff preview The cross-state trip to Philadelphia, where the Steelers haven’t won in nearly 60 years, is the start of an 11-day stretch in which Pittsburgh faces three teams likely bound for the playoffs. While Tomlin is leaning into the “nameless, gray faces” mantra he uses for every opponent, his players know facing the Eagles, Ravens and Chiefs in such a short period is a litmus test for what’s to come in January. “That’s why I’m in the league, period,” linebacker Patrick Queen said. “When you sign up to play football, you want to play at the highest level. ... I love to play the game the right way. I think these next few games is going to show that and it starts with the Eagles.” ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Dan Gelston, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Football (NFL) Rested Ravens are a big favorite over struggling Giants, who are mired in an 8-game losing streak Dec 12, 2024 5:03 PM Lions and Bills meet in matchup of odds-on Super Bowl favorite and a top contender Dec 12, 2024 5:00 PM Lions aim to extend franchise-record winning streak to 12 against AFC East champion Bills Dec 12, 2024 5:00 PM
Protests in Pakistan turned violent this week as one police officer was killed and dozens of other people were injured. Tear Gas Used Against Protesters Pakistani police on Monday used tear gas to disperse supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan as they attempted to enter the capital for a planned sit-in demanding his release, according to officials. The tear gas deployment followed the arrival of demonstrators who had traveled 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Pakistan's restive northwest to gather near Islamabad. The protesters defied a citywide lockdown, prior tear gas assaults, mass arrests and a ban on rallies in the capital. One Officer Killed At least one police officer was killed, while multiple officers and demonstrators were injured during the clashes, authorities reported. Despite the violence, protesters remained resolute in their efforts to enter Islamabad, where a two-day lockdown has already disrupted daily life. The Protests in Pakistan The escalation unfolded as leaders of Imran Khan's party pressed forward with the "long march" coinciding with the arrival of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for a three-day visit. Lukashenko was welcomed at an airport near Islamabad by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday evening. Government officials confirmed ongoing negotiations with Khan's party in an effort to prevent further violence. Despite spending over a year behind bars and facing more than 150 criminal charges, Khan remains a widely popular figure. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), maintains that the cases against him are politically driven. A convoy of vehicles carrying protesters was anticipated to reach the capital by Monday night. Security officials estimated the crowd size at 9,000 to 11,000, but leaders of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party predicted significantly higher turnout. Movement between Islamabad and other cities has come to a near standstill with ambulances and cars forced to turn back along key routes. In Punjab province, authorities used shipping containers to block sections of the Grand Trunk Road, a major highway. "We are determined, and we will reach Islamabad, though police are using tear gas to stop our march," PTI senior leader Kamran Bangash said during an interview with The Associated Press. "We will overcome all hurdles one by one, and our supporters are removing shipping containers from roads." Bangash added that Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi—recently granted bail in a corruption case—will co-lead the march alongside Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province where Khan's party still holds power. Roughly 50 kilometers (30 miles) outside Islamabad, Bushra Bibi, clad in a full-length white burqa, addressed protesters from atop a truck. She urged them to stay resolute in their efforts to secure Khan's release. After leading chants of "God is great," she departed. Khan's chief political rival, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, currently leads the government. On Sunday night, protesters set trees ablaze as police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowds. Supporters of Khan responded with slingshots and hurled rocks at security forces. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks activated center Nico Sturm off injured reserve Monday and made room for him on the 23-man roster by assigning defenseman Jack Thompson to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda. The transactions mean that the Sharks currently have 14 forwards, six defensemen, and three goalies: Mackenzie Blackwood, Vitek Vanecek, and rookie Yaroslav Askarov. Sturm’s return to the Sharks’ active roster was believed to be imminent after he showed signs of improvement last week and practiced with the team on Sunday. He also took part in the Sharks’ morning skate on Monday, when he was officially considered a game-time decision by coach Ryan Warsofsky. The Sharks play the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night in the second game of a four-game homestand. Warsofsky did not say who his starting goalie would be. Warsofsky said he had a few players who were “nicked up” and considered game-time decisions, although it would be a surprise not to see Sturm, a mainstay as the Sharks’ fourth-line center, play against the Kings. Sturm, injured in the Sharks’ game earlier this month against the New York Rangers, is the Sharks’ faceoff leader by percentage and is one of the team’s leading penalty-killing forwards. Thompson has been on the Sharks’ roster for almost the entire season and played in 13 of the team’s 23 games. His five points are third-most among all Sharks defensemen, as he’s averaged just under 16 minutes of ice time per game. The Sharks have had three goalies on their roster since Nov. 18, when they recalled Askarov from the Barracuda. At the time, Vanecek was considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, but Vanecek backed up Blackwood on Saturday in the Sharks’ 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. Askarov made his Sharks debut on Thursday, making 29 saves in a 3-2 shootout loss to the St. Louis Blues.
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