NoneIf you follow the Eagles closely — and we'll assume you do, since you're reading this — you know the Eagles being a double-digit favorite in a game is a recipe for trouble. Despite their dominance at times this season, the Birds are often seen making it harder on themselves against bad teams and toying with opponents they should be clobbering. And that's what happened in Philly's 22-16 win against the Panthers Sunday afternoon. Was it a trap game? Or have the Panthers really been a half-decent team of late? Here's a glance at a reason to feel good, and a reason to be frustrated as the Eagles continue to rack up wins this fall, ugly and all: Stock up — the Eagles' defense's endurance 📈 Anytime your opponent has the football for over 18 minutes in the first half, and wins the possession battle by seven minutes (while running 69 plays), you know the defense is going to have a tough day. And the Birds' D had one of those in Week 14, bending but not breaking all afternoon as the Panthers fed Chuba Hubbard 26 times in a clear show of their strategy, which was to keep the ball out of the Eagles' offense's hands — and that of Eagles' all-time leading rusher Saquon Barkley . But Barkely still gained 124 yards as the offense was able to do just enough to inch out a win against a much lesser opponent. As they've done all season long, the Eagles defense held yet another to just a tick over 300 yards of offense. It also really made Carolina quarterback Bryce Young extremely uncomfortable in the backfield, even though they only sacked him one time. The defense got its hands on the football all afternoon as well, and forced a turnover when CJ Gardner-Johnson grabbed a critical interception at the end of the second quarter that helped set up the Eagles' go-ahead touchdown. Darius Slay also made a monster play on a Panthers' fourth down attempt with under a minute to play to clinch the game. It wasn't the kind of decisive win that will have rans feeling "ra-ra" heading home from the ballpark — with the daunting Steelers next on the schedule. Many may criticize the Eagles for playing down to the level of an opponent, like the Panthers who are vying for the first overall draft pick. But the Eagles are finding different ways to win and 11-2 is 11-2. Stock down — the first quarter offense (still) 📉 The Eagles are among the top three or four biggest Super Bowl contenders in the NFL. And somehow, they are the worst team in the NFL in the first quarter. At least on offense. This season, Philly has scored 17 points — in total — over 13 games in the opening stanza. That's 1.4 points per first quarter, the worst in the NFL. The offense is the league's best, scoring-wise in the subsequent three quarters. The trend continued against Carolina, as the Birds made a few mistakes via penalty and mustered just 46 yards of offense and zero points for their 11th scoreless first quarter. They would find the endzone in the second, like they often do, on a Jalen Hurts tush-push to take a 7-3 lead. In all, the Eagles have been in eight first-quarter deficits, leading to six victories and two losses. Major credit is due to the Eagles defense which is also one of the best units in the NFL. They've boosted the Birds with four scoreless firsts, and have allowed more than a touchdown only two times. So why are we writing about this now, and not a few weeks ago? Well, it hasn't really improved even as the team has earned impressive statement wins over teams like the Ravens and Commanders. The slow starts are a problem, perhaps the worst one afflicting this football team, and it's going to eventually bite the Eagles in the butt — particularly in a potential playoff game. Playing from behind isn't the way to win in the NFL. And yet, eight times this season the Eagles have seen their opponents score first. Nine wins in a row ties a franchise record. The Eagles aren't even playing 60-minutes of football and they're winning. There's another level this team can reach if they can figure out how not to fall on their faces out of the gate every week. Follow Evan on Twitter: @evan_macy Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
An annual roadshow is helping kids from remote Australia realise their dreams of becoming a scientistNone
NoneHow ‘World of Warcraft’ Reinvented the Global Gaming CommunityThe Prime Minister used an op-ed in the Mail on Sunday to vow to “get to grips” with the cost of welfare after figures suggested more than four million people will be claiming long-term sickness support by the end of the decade. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will announce a package of legislation next week designed to “get Britain working” amid Government concerns about the projected rise. Official forecasts published by her department this week show that the number of people claiming incapacity benefits is expected to climb from a pre-pandemic figure of around 2.5 million in 2019 to around 4.2 million in 2029. Last year there were just over three million claimants. The Prime Minister wrote: “In the coming months, Mail on Sunday readers will see even more sweeping changes. Because make no mistake, we will get to grips with the bulging benefits bill blighting our society. “Don’t get me wrong, we will crack down hard on anyone who tries to game the system, to tackle fraud so we can take cash straight from the banks of fraudsters. “There will be a zero-tolerance approach to these criminals. My pledge to Mail on Sunday readers is this: I will grip this problem once and for all.” Ms Kendall’s white paper is expected to include the placement of work coaches in mental health clinics and a “youth guarantee” aimed at ensuring those aged 18-21 are working or studying.
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday claimed that the results of the Assembly by-elections demonstrate continued public support for the LDF government and confirm its legitimacy and approval. Hours after the results of the bypolls held for the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat and two Assembly constituencies were announced, he said the people of Chelakkara had delivered a resounding victory to the Left Democratic Front, undeterred by organised propaganda and political attacks. “The Assembly by-election results have further solidified public support for and recognition of the LDF government, with the people of Chelakkara constituency delivering a decisive victory to the Left Democratic Front, despite organised propaganda and attacks,” he said in a statement. In the Palakkad Assembly seat, more voters supported the LDF compared to previous elections, Vijayan said. This mandate will provide renewed energy to advance development and welfare initiatives more vigorously in the coming days. He further emphasised that the LDF received secular votes in opposition to all forms of communalism. The message conveyed by the election results is the necessity to expose communalism and uphold secular politics without compromise, the CM stated. The results clearly show that the anti-government sentiment campaign had no impact on the people, who rejected the controversial and false narratives, he said. The CM claimed that while the UDF managed to retain Palakkad with the backing of communal forces, the LDF saw an increase in its votes compared to previous elections. The people rejected the BJP’s claims, particularly their assertion following their victory in Thrissur in the Lok Sabha elections, and their temporary gains will not lead to a lasting movement in Kerala, he added. The Chief Minister congratulated the winners of the Assembly by-elections and the Wayanad Lok Sabha by-poll and extended greetings to all those who voted for the LDF. Both the LDF and the UDF retained the Chelakkara and Palakkad Assembly seats respectively with a comfortable margin in the bypolls. The Congress won the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat with a thumping margin.Dianne Buswell struggled to contain her emotions on the latest episode of Strictly Come Dancing as she lavished commendations on her dance partner, comedian Chris McCausland. The 35 year old Aussie dance maestro, acclaimed for her skillful choreography adapted for Chris who is visually impaired from retinitis pigmentosa, was visibly moved during the 2024 series of the hit BBC show. The Saturday night spectacle left viewers in awe as Dianne, alongside the 47 year old comic Chris, graced the stage with a grand ensemble of professional dancers, incorporating them into their act. Celebrating week 11 and Musicals Week, the pairs took to the dance floor with tunes from famous West End and Broadway productions. In a gleaming Quickstep set to You're The Top from Anything Goes, Dianne and Chris twirled and tapped in chic nautical attire, surrounded by dancers that added an extra layer of energy to the performance. Their efforts were rewarded with a mighty score of 32 points, although the judges didn't hold back on pointed critiques. Following their routine, an emotional Dianne spoke with Claudia Winkleman, barely holding back tears as she reflected on Chris's journey and progress throughout the competition. When Claudia turned to Chris for his thoughts, she prompted, "How did you find it? And did you welcome the extra dancers? ". Responding to the experience, he said: "It feels good to dance. It's joyful, you know? That was really fun. It's been a good week doing it all. Having the extra dancers, it's... I can't see them around me, but it's the idea that what it is around me. Especially because it feels like you're bringing a proper show", reports the Mirror . When Claudia turned to his dance partner, asking, "Diane, you say he blew your mind this week? " Dianne began, "He did. You've just seen what he did there. I am so grateful for [the judge's] constructive criticism -" only for Chris to interject with a laugh, "I'm not!" Continuing, Dianne, on the verge of tears, went on to commend the stand-up star, saying, "But you mustn't forget, for 20 odd years, Chris's safe space has been down here [looking at the floor]. So for him to stand up and, it makes me quite emotional, because it is a big thing that we've overcome. And you've done so well!" The heartfelt moment resonated with viewers who shared their reactions on social media. One viewer commented, "Dianne has made me emotional talking about how much Chris has improved in the competition; you can tell they have the best friendship and love seeing it on the dance floor each week." Another added, "Well, Chris and Dianne, that was amazing! ! ! #Strictly." Some Strictly Come Dancing enthusiasts were irate over the judges' low scores for Chris and Dianne, with one fan venting on social media: "Stop judging Chris on the same level as those who can see. He is INCREDIBLE and Dianne is a genius. That was a 40 #strictly." Join our Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community for all the latest news direct to your phone. To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team. 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Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers played to gallery with SPFL pyro charge response – would he let the ned-mobs into his house?
