Angela Rae Harris's Blog, page 7

Denver Nuggets play starters for three quarters, improve to 2-1 in preseason | Vinny’s take

The Nuggets’ ramp-up process continued Sunday in Los Angeles.

Denver’s starters played regular minutes through three quarters and watched the reserves increase the lead in the Nuggets’ improved to 2-1 in the preseason. Here are three takeaways from Denver’s 102-94 win over the Clippers at Intuit Dome.

1. That was another step toward Denver’s dress rehearsal, but it wasn’t the full thing. The Nuggets’ starters played between 20 minutes (Jamal Murray) and 23 minutes (Christian Braun) through three quarters. The Nuggets led 76-75 to start the fourth quarter. That’s when the starters checked out for good. Aaron Gordon led the Nuggets with 18 points on 6 of 11 shooting. Nikola Jokic added 12 points, nine rebounds and six assists, while Christian Braun also scored in double figures. Cam Johnson and Murray added eight and seven points, respectively. Clippers star Kawhi Leonard, who scored a team-high 17 points, did not play after halftime.

2. Braun’s extension might’ve got a little pricier Sunday night. Braun is eligible for an extension on his rookie deal until the season starts. If he keeps playing like he did Sunday, the Nuggets might want to get that deal done sooner than later. Braun impressed early when he initiated a pick-and-roll while being guarded by Kawhi Leonard. He used the screen to shake Leonard and finished the play with an up-and-under finish. Four of Braun’s five shots came from 3-point range, and he made three of them. He also dished out three assists. If he continues to grow into his on-ball responsibilities, he’ll be worth the financial commitment the Nuggets make to their starting shooting guard.

3. The back-up centers showed what they’re bringing to their respective teams. Jonas Valanciunas showed soft hands and strong finishing ability around the rim for Denver. Brook Lopez displayed his shot-making ability for the Clippers. The veteran additions both looked capable of elevating their respective teams’ ceilings this season. Valanciunas and Jokic shared the court for the first time this preseason. The stretch was too short to draw any strong conclusions, but it’s something opposing teams will have to plan for once the regular season starts. Valanciunas went 5 of 7 from the field for 10 points and nine rebounds. Lopez went 3 of 6 from 3-point range to score 15 points off the Clippers’ bench. The Nuggets and Clippers both look deeper than they were in last year’s playoffs, especially at center.

Broncos’ Quinn Meinerz got ‘butt whooped’ on safety but miffed by non-calls by officials

LONDON – Broncos right guard Quinn Meinerz would like to talk to somebody in the NFL about officiating.

Meinerz said that for two straight games, an opponent has used an illegal move on him that wasn’t penalized. That included when Meinerz was flagged for a safety for holding in the end zone in Denver’s 13-11 win Sunday at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The safety occurred with 4:56 left in the third quarter when Meinerz was called for holding Jets defensive lineman Michael Clemons. That gave the Jets an 11-10 lead but Wil Lutz ended up kicking a go-ahead 27-yard field goal with 5:06 left in the game.

“I took a set,’’ Meinerz said of the safety. “I got a head straight down to my chest (from Clemons). According to the rule book, that is illegal. But I just got my butt whooped. I fell down. I still had my hands attached to him. When you fall down and your hands still attached, they’re going to see the jersey tug and throw the flag for holding. I got to be better.”

Meinerz then said there were moves used on him that should have penalized in Denver’s 21-17 win on Oct. 5 at Philadelphia.

“Also, my part is I got to talk to the refs because this is the second week in a row that by rule, I’m getting illegal rushes,’’ Meinerz said. “But I got to be better. That’s what happens in this league. I’m going on five years (in the NFL). You’re going to get your butt whooped any time.”

Meinerz wasn’t the only Broncos offensive lineman who had issues during their shaky performance Sunday on that side of the ball. The Broncos had just 246 yards, including just 71 in the second half. They had a meager 78 yards rushing for the game.

“Obviously, we got to do a lot better job,’’ said left tackle Garett Bolles. “We left some points out and that’s just unfortunate for us to have a day like we did with our offense.”

Bolles, though, was pleased to see the Broncos put together a 12-play, 65-yard drive in the fourth quarter that led to Lutz’s go-ahead field goal.

The Broncos played their first game without starting left guard Ben Powers, who suffered a torn biceps muscle against the Eagles, had surgery last Monday and was placed on injured reserve Saturday. He is out until at least December.

Replacing Powers was Matt Peart, who hasn’t played much left guard in his six-year career. He was called for three penalties, two for holding and one for a false start.

“We’ll go back and look at the tape,’’ Broncos coach Sean Payton said when asked about Peart. “It wasn’t just him. We had a number of errors that there will be a lot of us that want to clean some stuff up.”

Payton was displeased with the Broncos having six penalties for 37 yards and with their inability to run the football.

Special teams woes

Payton also didn’t like how the Broncos looked on special teams.

The Broncos allowed a 72-yard punt return in the first quarter by Kene Nwangwu that led to a Jets field goal. And they allowed the Jets late in the second quarter to convert a fake punt on fourth-and-1 at their 37.

“In the kicking game, I felt we lost that battle,’’ Payton said. “(Special teams coordinator) Darren (Rizzi) is probably just as disappointed relative to his units as I would be relative to our offense.”

The successful fake punt by the Jets didn’t lead to any points, but Payton was still irritated by it. The Jets left their regular offensive line in when they went into punt formation and the ball was snapped to up back Breece Hall, who gained a yard.

“I think my wife knew it was going to be fake,’’ Payton said.

Defense shines

While the Broncos had plenty of struggles on offense and on special teams, the defense shined.

The Broncos had nine sacks to tie a team record, previously set against Chicago in 1971 and the Jets in 1996. The minus-10 passing yards by the Jets were the least allowed in Denver history and the second-least allowed in the NFL since 1990. The only showing since then more woeful was the San Diego Chargers having minus-19 against Kansas City in 1998.

“I love the way we were rushing (the passer),’’ said Broncos outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who had two shared sacks on quarterback Justin Fields. “Loved the way we were blitzing, how everybody is doing their part on the defense and making plays.”

Pat Surtain II enjoyed watching it from the secondary.

“It was honestly pretty crazy,’’ said the star cornerback. “It was just like I was sitting back watching, being a fan of it.”

Four Broncos debut

Four Broncos players made their season debuts Sunday.

Defensive tackle Malcolm Roach played as a reserve after he missed the first five games with a calf injury and was activated Saturday off injured reserve. Rookie outside linebacker Que Robinson was active for the first time due to Jonah Elliss being out with ribs and shoulder injuries and got some snaps from scrimmage.

Running back Jaleel McLaughlin was the No. 3 running back behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey after being inactive for the first five games in favor of Tyler Badie. And guard Calvin Throckmorton played on special teams after being elevated off the practice squad due to Powers’ injury.

Badie had been listed on the injury report last week with a shoulder injury. McLaughlin had one rush for no gain and was targeted once on an incomplete pass.

“Tyler was going to miss a day or two,’’ Payton said. “So (McLaughlin has) been having good weeks of practice. Probably didn’t get enough touches today. And there’s a little spark with him.”

In addition to Elliss and Badie, inactive for the Broncos were defensive linemen Jordan Jackson and Sai’vion Jones, tackle Frank Crum and quarterback Sam Ehlinger.

Briefly

Payton was miffed that the Jets, trailing 10-6 and facing third-and-7 at their 41, simply allowed the last 37 seconds of the first half to run out. “We were waiting for either a Hail Mary or something,’’ he said. “And then the clock ran out so that was a little surprising.” … In the final minute of the third quarter, trailing 11-10, the Broncos thought Jonathon Cooper had recovered a fumble at the Jets 30 after Garrett Wilson caught a pass and was hit by Surtain, but a replay review called it incomplete. Payton said it was “a correct call.” … Bonitto was excited to see how many fans wore Broncos gear Sunday. “Shout out to our fans,’’ he said. “It was amazing to see how much orange there was out there.”

Mark Kiszla: Ugly little W in London is ‘massive’ gift to Broncomaniacs living across the pond

LONDON — From where coach Sean Payton stood Sunday on the sideline of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Denver’s 13-11 victory against the NFL’s worst team was nothing to write home about.

“You’re disappointed you’re in a dogfight,” Payton said. “But you’re in it. So you’ve got to figure it out.”

Good football teams find a way to win on bad days.

And this ugly win was a thing of transcendent beauty to a feisty Scotsman named Gordon McWhinnie.

“The Broncos playing a game in London,” McWhinnie wanted me to know,  “is like Christmas morning to me.”

More than 4,500 miles and an ocean away from Colorado, the Broncos were welcomed like kings to the hallowed soccer grounds of an English soccer club. 

A crowd of 61,155 blanketed the stadium in Broncos orange. And you can bet none of the spectators was more thrilled than McWhinnie to see Denver receiver Marvin Mims Jr. make the offensive play of the game.

“I’ve loved the Broncos since I was a boy, when my great auntie went to Colorado and started sending back souvenirs,” said McWhinnie, a 32-year-old man who fondly remembers the legend of John Elway among the first stories his father told him.

Stephen Reenie and Gordon McWhinnie, right, traveled from Scotland to meet receiver Marvin Mims on Friday and watch Denver beat the New York Jets 13-11 Sunday in London. (Mark Kiszla/The Denver Gazette)

We have proof that Broncos Country now extends halfway around the globe to Loch Lomond, whose tranquil waters McWhinnie left behind, taking both high and low roads to London, as a devoted pilgrim wearing orange and blue.

I bumped into McWhinnie on Friday afternoon in the streets of Soho, just around the corner from where Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards went to court to answer drug possession charges more than 50 years ago.

A little less than 48 hours before kickoff, McWhinnie was standing on Carnaby Street, wearing a Broncos cap emblazoned with a Union Jack. He anxiously held a miniature football, while waiting outside an NFL memorabilia shop 50 yards down the street from Shakespeare’s Head Pub (established 1735).

Great Scot! This man is a true orange-and-blue Broncomaniac.

“I’m not necessarily considered a rebel in Scotland for being a Broncos fan,” insisted McWhinnie. He suggested that a wee-bit eccentric might be a more appropriate way to describe him.

While neighbors back in Scotland dream of visiting the sunny Mediterranean island of Ibiza on holiday, McWhinnie’s idea of the perfect vacation is to stand in line to nab an autograph from Mims on a tiny plastic football.

Obsessed with the NFL? Absolutely. And proud of it.

“We are sick people,” said Stephen Reenie, who made the trip down from Scotland alongside McWhinnie.

The two Scotsmen traveled to see the Broncos play so sloppy and ineffective offensive football that Denver probably couldn’t have beaten any of 30 other NFL teams back on American soil.

But quarterback Bo Nix and mates got extremely lucky in London by drawing the hapless, hopeless Jets.

If U.S. football was more like European soccer, the Jets would be sent down to a level of competition more suited to their 0-6 talent level, relegated next season to play a schedule against the likes of Vanderbilt, or perhaps Cherry Creek High School.

For the Broncos to put away these pitiful Jets, however, it took every one of the nine sacks of quarterback Justin Fields recorded by the Denver defense.

They got after Fields like werewolves of London. The final and most important takedown was when outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper drove Fields into the turf with a 12-yard sack on fourth down, with the Jets on the edge of field-goal range in the tense, final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter.

“He’s one of those guys who doesn’t get enough credit because we have another great pass-rusher on the other side in Nik Bonitto,” said Denver receiver Courtland Sutton, glad to see “Coop” steal a little thunder from the team’s new Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

The Broncos generated almost nothing offensively after a touchdown in the first quarter. After a holding penalty by guard Quinn Meinerz in the end zone handed the Jets the lead, Denver trailed 11-10  and was in desperate need of a spark.

It was Mims who lit the fuse. On a third-and-long snap, he burst wide open from the backfield to the flat and picked up 26 yards on a catch and dash into Jets territory. Without that play, there’s no telling if Denver would’ve gotten into position for Wil Lutz’s game-winning field goal from 27 yards with a little more than 5 minutes remaining in the final period.

How big was Mims to this victory?

Well, as McWhinnie likes to say: “Massive.”

After losing six games determined by one score a year ago, the Broncos  happily tossed this ugly little “W” in their luggage and flew back to Colorado with a 4-2 record.

And that autograph McWhinnie scored this weekend from Mims?

The tiny souvenir is on its way back to the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, to be massively cherished by a Broncomaniac for the rest of his life.

Mother of Broncos’ Jonathon Cooper cheers herself hoarse during son’s big game in London

LONDON – After Sunday’s game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Jessica Moorman could barely talk. But that was understandable. 

Moorman had just watched her son, outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper, have two of the Broncos’ nine sacks in a 13-11 win over the New York Jets. She was shouting pretty much during the entire three hours, one minute of the game. 

“My voice is terrible but not completely gone,’’ she told The Denver Gazette after the game. 

Moorman, who lives in Columbus, Ohio, attends just about all her son’s games. She went to all but two last year and has been to all of them this season. 

To some, Sunday’s win in London might have been ugly. But Moorman was thrilled to see her son have the highest sack total in Denver’s resounding defensive performance. 

“Oh, my gosh, it was phenomenal,’’ she said. “I’m so proud of him, especially because at one point I think he tweaked something. He left the game and came back in and had a heck of a turnaround. So, he’s very determined. I love watching him play.” 

Cooper came out of the game with about five minutes left in the third quarter but soon returned. Moorman talked to Cooper for about 30 minutes after the game, and she said his health is fine. 

Moorman watched the game down low in the stands near the goal line, wearing a Cooper No. 0 Broncos jersey. She was accompanied by Bryan Nelson, a friend from Columbus, who wore a similar jersey. 

Cooper had a solo sack and two shared sacks. After one of the sacks, Moorman yelled, “Yes, yes, yes.” 

Cooper shared a sack with safety Brandon Jones on the key play of the game. With the Jets down 13-11 and facing fourth-and-8 at the Denver 44, the two dumped Jets quarterback Justin Fields for a 12-yard loss with 1:09 left in the game. 

The Broncos tied the team record for sacks in a game. There were eight players involved in them. 

Cooper now has 4.5 sacks this season. He still trails on the team outside linebacker Nik Bonitto, who has an NFL-high 8. But Cooper did have more than Bonitto’s one on Sunday. 

“Oh, man for a change,’’ Cooper said with a laugh about having more than Cooper in a game for the first time this season. “It’s about time. No. Shout out to my dawg. He’s really my brother and he keeps my head right. We push each other and stuff, and I couldn’t do it without him.” 

Moorman laughed when he told what Cooper said in the locker room after the game. 

“Oh, they’re like brothers, Nik and Coop,’’ she said. “They’re a great duo to watch. I think the chemistry is great between them. They look out for each other and they want each other to win (in their rushes).” 

Moorman is very close to Bonitto’s parents. She said Vince Bonitto is “like my brother” and Sandra Penn is “like my sister.” 

So, it was no surprise that after the game Moorman and Nelson chatted it up with Vince Bonitto and Penn with the two star Broncos edge rushers also on hand. 

Moorman arrived in London on Friday and said she had a great time. 

“I rode the bikes and the scooters on the streets,’’ she said. “We went to Ronnie Scott’s (on Saturday) night. It’s an amazing jazz club.” 

She also was impressed by the crowd at Sunday’s game. 

“The fans were amazing,’’ said Moorman, who also attended Denver’s 21-17 win over Jacksonville in 2022 at London’s Wembley Stadium, when Cooper was in his second season. “Being in London is so amazing because you see cheers for (the competing teams) but you also see all the other people here in London that just wear their own team’s jerseys. So, it was phenomenal.” 

Moorman said several fans asked about her Cooper jersey, but she didn’t let on that he is her son. Yet when it comes to fans asking how to get a Cooper jersey, she is quick to tell them. 

“I get so much love (from fans about Cooper),’’ Moorman said. “People will come up (at games in Denver) and say, ‘I can’t get a Cooper jersey at the team store.’ So, I tell them to go to the NFL website to get one.” 

After Sunday’s game, Moorman’s voice was worn out, but she was still happy to talk about her son. On her way back to her hotel, a fan complimented Cooper’s play, and she gladly responded. 

Win over Fresno State reaffirms Jay Norvell’s belief CSU Rams can turn 2025 season around

FORT COLLINS — Jay Norvell wore his emotions on his sleeve as he sat at the podium clutching a game ball he dedicated to Jesus Christ.

A week ago, after Colorado State was dismantled by San Diego State in the Mountain West opener, it seemed like it might take a biblical miracle for the Rams to win another football game this fall — and for Norvell to save his job.

As Norvell and his team returned home for a matchup against a Fresno State team that appeared capable of winning the Mountain West, the CSU coach did something he normally doesn’t the night before the game at the team’s usual trip to the movies.

“I usually don’t talk to them after we go to the movies, but I did (Thursday) night,” Norvell said.

As injuries have piled up and the Rams have gotten off to a 1-4 start to the season despite sky high preseason expectations, Norvell had a message he wanted to get across to his players.

“The cavalry’s not riding in to save us,” Norvell said he told the team. “We have to save ourselves. We have to make plays. Nobody’s gonna feel sorry for us.”

With the way CSU played Friday night in a convincing, 49-21 win over the Bulldogs, it’s safe to say that message got through.

Colorado State freshman defensive lineman Jack Moran (77) celebrates during a game against Fresno State on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins. (Courtesy of CSU Athletics)

On both sides of the ball, the Rams executed at a level they hadn’t to that point all season. The offense was efficient and explosive, scoring touchdowns on its first four possessions. The defense, despite allowing over 460 yards of offense and being on the field for nearly 80 plays, was opportunistic, forcing four turnovers and generating more sacks (5) than they had all season to that point (4).

“Extremely proud of our football team — our players and our coaches. That is a really close group of people in that locker room. I was really, really proud of their focus,” Norvell said. “We talked about just playing with great effort and trying to limit mistakes. Simplified some of the things that we did on both sides of the ball. What an amazing effort we got from so many players. We had a bunch of guys hurt and seven starters out and all that stuff, but our kids stepped up and they played very focused.”

This banged-up version of the Rams had no choice. 

Half of the team’s six captains, voted by their teammates in the preseason, have suffered season-ending injuries. But all of them were on the sidelines Friday night — even with big knee braces and crutches — cheering on their teammates.

“Those guys are still leading, which is pretty special,” Norvell said. “They care about CSU, they care about this football team, they care about this program. That’s what I’m proud of.”

Colorado State senior outside linebacker Paul Tangelo (52) dives for a touchdown in the first half of a game against Fresno State on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025 at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins. (Courtesy of CSU Athletics)

If there’s one thing Norvell has shown throughout his tenure at CSU, it’s that all he wants is a group of players in the locker room that won’t give it. He believed that going into this season — it’s a big reason why he boldly stated in early September that his team has “championship DNA” — and even though the rough start is something that can’t be changed, Norvell hasn’t given up on the final six games.

“We haven’t had the execution that we’ve wanted, but we’ve never quit. That’s why I believed that better things are down the road for this group,” Norvell said. “I just think this is an example. This is just scratching the surface. We’re capable. We have a lot of capable players that played closer to their potential tonight, which is exciting to see, but we’ll build on it. A lot of these guys are just getting started.”

Everything Norvell is feeling, he’s wearing. But his Rams team is, too.

“We show people our soul when we go out there and work,” Norvell said. “If you can’t appreciate this football team’s soul, then you’ve got a problem and I will say that out loud every day and twice on Sundays. We’ve got amazing players. We’ve got a really quality coaching staff. This was a special win.”

Balance from every skill position has been key to Air Force’s explosive offense

LAS VEGAS – At 5-foot-11, UNLV cornerback Mumu Bin-Wahad is not undersized for his position.

There’s a reason West Virginia, UConn and the Rebels, along with Navarro College, have included the well-traveled Atlanta native on their rosters.

But at 6-5, Air Force tight end Bruin Fleischmann towered over Bin-Wahad.

This wouldn’t matter if the Falcons didn’t have the capability to expose that advantage, but that’s precisely what happened on a third-and-3 play from the UNLV 17-yard line in the third quarter on Saturday. Quarterback Liam Szarka threw high and allowed Fleischmann to elevate for the catch, well atop Bin-Wahad, who was in front of Fleischmann and had his right arm extended to defend the pass. Fleishmann caught it at the 3, kept his balance, and a few steps later he was in the end zone and Air Force had retaken the lead.

Of course, the lead went on to change hands seven more times before the Rebels finished off a 51-48 victory in front of 32,932 at Allegiant Stadium.

This play was indicative of so many things for a Falcons’ offense that has moved into the nation’s top 10 in total yards (490.3 per game) and ranks 18th in scoring (38.7 per game).

The throw was in the perfect spot. It went to a tight end. The Falcons were throwing on third and 3. And the touchdown was one of seven scored for the team in the game.

“You look across the depth chart, across the field, we’ve got weapons everywhere – opportunities to make big plays at every position,” said fullback Owen Allen, who ran for a career-high 192 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday’s loss. “When you pair that with those O-linemen and tight ends, you see how they block. … It’s threatening to defenses when you have to worry about that many weapons.”

It’s one thing to have the weapons, it’s another to be able to utilize them the way the Falcons have during this bizarre season.

Air Force running back Owen Allen (2) celebrates with offensive lineman Nathan Elwood (52) after scoring a touchdown against UNLV during the first half of an NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Air Force’s yards from scrimmage (rushing and receiving) breaks down like this at the halfway point of the season: Slot receivers 744, quarterbacks 639, fullbacks 580, wide receivers 516, tight ends 244, tailbacks 233.

All six skill positions have accounted for at least 8% of the offense and no position has gained more than 25% of the yards. It’s a balance not seen since at least 2007 for Air Force, which has tended to lean heavily on a particular standout (like fullback Brad Roberts in recent years) and has rarely utilized the tight end (Fleischmann’s 14 catches for 244 yards at the midway point are just two receptions and 16 yards shy of the position’s totals over the past three full seasons).

“I think we have 11 guys who can make plays and we’re kind of highlighting that every single game,” Fleischmann said.

The ability to use each spot has undoubtedly created a multiplier effect for offensive coordinator Mike Thiessen, as defenses are forced to spread their focus in more directions.

Air Force has annually produced a running attack that has finished in the top five of FBS football and used the passing game for rare, but often big, plays as receivers often find themselves open.

Many passing plays this year – including Fleischmann’s catch, several plays from Cade Harris on Saturday and a spectacular 53-yard touchdown from wide receiver Jonah Dawson at Navy, have come in the face of tight defense.

“Their guys made some plays,” UNLV coach Dan Mullen said. “They made some contested catches, and with option teams you’re not used to seeing that.”

The offense has been good enough to keep the Falcons within three points in consecutive road games against unbeaten opponents – Navy and UNLV, both now 6-0 – despite a defense that now ranks last in the nation in yards allowed (496.7 per game) and third from last in points allowed (40 per game).

Where has this balance come from? Outside of Thiessen’s play calling, several variables are at play.

First, there’s an offensive line that returned three starters after outlasting early growing pains in 2024.

“Those stats may be under our name, but it doesn’t happen without them,” said Allen, who scored touchdowns from 28 and 21 yards right up the middle on Saturday without being touched.

Air Force running back Owen Allen (2) gets past UNLV defensive back Jake Pope (7) and runs for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Also, the nature of a series of shootout games and second-half deficits has demanded the passing game be used more frequently.

Finally, Szarka has burst onto the scene as a sophomore season by orchestrating the offense in a way that has him on pace for numbers – 2,050 passing yards, 1,168 rushing yards if he replicates his production in the second half – that would easily qualify as the best season ever for an Air Force option quarterback.

“He’s a playmaker,” Fleischmann said when addressing his touchdown catch on Saturday. “I would give all the credit to Liam, he threw it in the perfect spot. Defender’s right in front of me and he throws a perfect back-shoulder high point. That’s exactly what any tight end would ask for and I was lucky enough to get a quarterback who could do that.”

UNLV defensive back Andrew Powdrell (4) prepares to tackle Air Force quarterback Liam Szarka (9) on a quarterback keeper during the first half of an NCAA football game Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Las Vegas. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP)

Still, there was no chest-pounding for an offense that has put up big numbers in five consecutive losses.

Asked about any pride taken from putting up 603 yards on Saturday, Fleischmann said the offense should have put up 700 and won.

“Winning’s what matters,” Allen added.

That’s one stat where Air Force (1-5, 0-4 Mountain West), at least when discussing this side of the ball, has yet to find an answer.

Trump: Gaza war has ended

Reuters

The war in Gaza has ended and the Middle East is going to “normalize,” President Donald Trump said on Sunday as he flew to Israel, which was waiting for Hamas to release Israeli hostages as world leaders were gathering to discuss the next steps toward peace.

“The war is over, you understand that,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he began a flight from Washington to Israel.

Asked about prospects for the region, Trump said, “I think it’s going to normalize.”

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas held in Gaza for a third day on Sunday ahead of the expected release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners and a scheduled address by Trump to Israel’s parliament.

Thousands of Palestinians continued to travel north toward Gaza City, the focus of Israeli attacks over the past two months, hopeful the ceasefire would bring an end to the war.

“Tomorrow is the beginning of a new path. A path of building, a path of healing, and I hope — a path of uniting hearts,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement.

Such optimism was shared broadly.

“There is a lot of joy among the people,” said Abdou Abu Seada, a resident of Gaza who added that the joy was tempered by exhaustion after two years of war that has destroyed much of Gaza.

Government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said Israel expected hostages to start being released early Monday morning with the 20 living hostages to be released together.

In the event that hostages were released earlier, Israel was ready to receive them, she said. Their release is to be followed later by the handover of bodies of the remaining 28 deceased hostages.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is due by noon Monday to release the remaining hostages. They were taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023, when the group’s militants launched the surprise attack on Israel that ignited the war.

Israel’s hostages coordinator Gal Hirsch said on Thursday a task force would be formed to help find the remains of any dead hostages that Hamas could not locate.

Trump is due to arrive in Israel on Monday to address the Knesset, the parliament, before traveling to Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt for a world leaders’ summit on ending the Gaza war.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will also attend the summit, an Axios reporter said on Sunday, citing a senior Palestinian official.

Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner addressed a rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, which many Israelis hoped would be the final one urging the release of hostages and an end to the war.

The U.S., along with Egypt, Qatar and Turkey, mediated what has been described as a first phase agreement between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas and prisoners and detainees by Israel.

“For two years we (have been) waiting for this day for this moment. … All of us feel happy for the family, for the hostages, that finally … we will see them,” said demonstrator Dalia Yosef, thanking Trump.

The Israel Prison Service said it had transferred some Palestinian prisoners to other facilities ahead of their expected release. The Israeli Ministry of Justice has released the names of 250 Palestinians, convicted of murder and other serious crimes, who are to be freed under the deal.

The list does not include senior Hamas commanders that the Islamist militant group had sought to free, or prominent figures from other factions such as Marwan Al Barghouti or Ahmed Saadat.

Although that was not expected to derail the agreement, Hamas’ prisoners information office said talks were ongoing with Israeli mediators over the list of prisoners to be freed.

Israel is also to release 1,700 Palestinians who have been detained in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, and 22 Palestinian minors, along with the bodies of 360 militants. Israeli government spokesperson Bedrosian said the prisoners would be released once the living hostages reach Israeli territory.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said that once the hostages were returned, the military would destroy underground tunnels in Gaza built by Hamas.

Palestinians returning to northern Gaza have described widespread devastation. Rescue workers warned there could be unexploded ordnance and bombs in the area.

Amjad Al Shawa, who heads a Palestinian organisation coordinating with aid groups, estimated 300,000 tents were needed to temporarily house 1.5 million displaced Gazans.

“We couldn’t believe the destruction we have seen,” Rami Mohammad-Ali, 37, said by phone after walking 9.5 miles with his son from Deir Al Balah to Gaza City.

“We are joyful to return to Gaza (City) but at the same time we have bitter feelings about the destruction,” he said, describing seeing human remains scattered along roads.

‘Unprecedented’ flooding prompts evacuations in southwest Colorado; Polis issues verbal disaster declaration

LA PLATA COUNTY, Colo. — Flooding brought on by heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Priscilla is damaging homes and prompting evacuations in southwest Colorado.

A local disaster was declared in unincorporated La Plata County Saturday after hundreds of homes north of Vallecito Lake were evacuated due to flooding. On Sunday, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) issued a verbal disaster emergency declaration to aid response and recovery efforts after the floods, according to a release from his office.

Vallecito Creek and Grimes Creek — both of which feed into Vallecito Lake — breached their banks Saturday morning, leading to the evacuation of more than 390 homes, according to La Plata County spokesperson Sarah Jacobson. The Upper Pine River Fire Protection District reported levee breaches on the west side of Vallecito Creek earlier in the day.

Vallecito Creek and Grimes Creek have had “unprecedented” flooding with a high of 7,200 cubic feet per second captured for Vallecito Creek, Jacobson said, which is more than double what a significant spring runoff event would produce.

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Broncos struggle on offense but defense has 9 sacks in 13-11 win over hapless Jets

LONDON — The New York Jets’ final play from scrimmage Sunday looked about the same as eight earlier ones. Quarterback Justin Fields took the snap and seconds later saw a mountain of men in orange, blue and white charging at him.

Fields was sacked an incredible nine times in the Jets’ 13-11 loss to the Broncos at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That tied Denver’s team record for most in a game and eight players were involved in the sack parade, with outside linebacker Jonathon Cooper leading the way with two.

“I feel it’s a real brotherhood on this defense,’’ Cooper said. “When we stay together and get after it and we play our game, those results happen. … As long as we go out there and take care of business … no team should be scoring points on us, honestly.”

If it wasn’t for all the help given by the Broncos’ offense and special teams, the winless Jets (0-6) might indeed have scored no points. The Jets got field goals after a fumble by the Broncos (4-2) and after a 72-yard kickoff return by Kene Nwangwu. They got a safety when guard Quinn Meinerz was called for holding in the end zone.

“It was an ugly win and we’re going to learn from this but I think we’re just resilient,’’ Meinerz said.

The London fans didn’t seem to mind about it being not the priettest of matches. On hand were a bunch of Broncos supporters and more Jets fans than expected. But most of the fans were those who simply wanted to see any NFL game and showed up wearing a jersey of some other team.

“I love it here, but I’m ready to go home,’’ said defensive end Zach Allen, whose Broncos arrived last Monday, a day after a 21-17 upset win at Philadelphia.

Allen played a role in the defensive destruction of Fields, being in on two shared sacks. Fields completed a meager 9 of 17 passes for 45 yards.

Sacks of Fields totaled 55 yards, which are considered part of team passing yards. So that means the Jets finished with minus-10 passing yards, the least given up by the Broncos in team history and second least allowed by any NFL team since 1990. The Jets had a meager 82 yards of total offense.

“In my career, I don’t think I’ve ever been a part of anything like this,’’ said nose tackle D.J. Jones, who is in his fourth Denver season after playing five years with San Francisco. “More sacks than passing yards. I don’t think I’ve been part of anything like that.”

Still, the Jets actually had a good chance to win the game down the stretch. They led 11-10 until Wil Lutz kicked a 27-yard field goal with 5:06 remaining in regulation for a 13-11 Denver lead.

The Jets then drove to the Broncos’ 44 and faced fourth-and-8. Cooper and safety Brandon Jones then barreled in to sack Fields for a 12-yard loss with 1:09 left and that was it.

“It wasn’t good enough and it starts with me,’’ Fields said. “I got to get the ball out. They got a good ‘D-line.’ They got to the backfield fast.”

While Fields struggled throughout the game, at least Broncos quarterback Bo Nix had a good first half, completing 15 of 20 passes for 125 yards in a touchdown. But he mostly struggled in the second half and finished 19 of 30 for 174 yards.

With the Broncos trailing 11-10, Nix did hit Marvin Mims Jr. for a pivotal 26-yard pass down the left side on third-and-8 at the Denver 40 with 8:15 left. That led to Lutz’s go-ahead field goal.

“We get speed in space, that’s what we wanted,’’ Nix said. “Made my job easy. … Explosive play that led to the points.”

Before then, Nix had played a half in which didn’t complete a pass until hitting tight end Evan Engram for 12 yards with fewer than 10 minutes remaining in the game.

The Broncos managed just 246 yards of total offense, including just 71 in the second half.  They had just 78 yards on the ground as J.K. Dobbins, who came in averaging 80.4 yards per game, was held to 40.

“Abysmal,’’ Meinerz said of the Broncos’ offense. “We did not do enough. I think we played relatively well in the first half.”

Meinerz was called for his safety for holding onto Michael Clemons in the end zone when Denver was faced with first-and-10 at its 3 with 5:02 left in the third quarter. That gave the Jets an 11-10 lead with 4:56 remaining.

“I took a set,’’ Meinerz said. “I got a head straight down to my chest (from Clemons). According to the rule book, that is illegal. But I just got my butt whooped. I fell down. I still had my hands attached to him. When you fall down and your hands still attached, they’re going to see the jersey tug and throw the flag for holding. I got to be better.”

At least Meinerz had acknowledged the offense being relatively decent in the first half. In the first quarter, after Folk kicked a 52-yard field goal following a lost fumble by Troy Franklin on Denver’s first possession, Lutz tied the score 3-3 on a 57-yard boot, his longest field goal in three seasons with the team.

After Folk kicked a 41-yard field goal later in the first quarter, following Nwangwu’s  kickoff return, Nix threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Nate Adkins for a 10-6 lead on the last play of the quarter. That remained the score at halftime.

The only points of the second half came on 38-yard field goal by Folk early in the third quarter, the safety and the final boot by Lutz.

“A gritty performance by our defense, it goes without saying,’’ said Broncos coach Sean Payton. “We’ll look at the film and there will be a number of things in the kicking game and offensively we want to clean up. Nonetheless, it was great to get the win.”

Payton was disappointed with the Broncos’ running game, saying he “thought coming in we were going to be able to run the ball pretty well.” He was unhappy with Denver’s six penalties for 37 yards.

Half were penalties by left guard Matt Peart, who replaced Ben Powers, out until at least December due to a biceps injury suffered against the Eagles. Peart had two holding calls and one false start.

But Payton did say that a win “doesn’t have to be aesthetically pleasing.”

The defense, though, was beautiful. The Broncos tied the team record for sacks that had been set against the Jets on Sept. 1, 1996, and against Chicago on Dec. 5, 1971. Sacks didn’t become an official statistic until 1982, but Broncos started counting them in earlier seasons.

Payton was even more pleased that that the nine sacks came against a supposedly mobile quarterback in Fields.

“Our defense was outstanding,’’ Payton said. “For the most part, we kept them in that spot we want them.’’

Fans watching the game on television must have thought at times they were seeing a replay. For the Broncos, it was sack, rinse and repeat.

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