Mahinda Rajapaksa has refused to step down despite losing two no-confidence votes [File: Dinuka Liyanawatte/ Reuters]
A Sri Lankan court has barred former President Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as prime minister as it hears a petition challenging his refusal to step down, despite losing two no-confidence motions last month.
Judge Preethipadhman Surasena issued the stay order on Monday, saying “irreversible damage could be caused” if Rajapaksa and ministers of his cabinet continued to hold office.
He said the Court of Appeal will sit again on December 12 to deliver a verdict in the petition filed by a majority of Sri Lanka‘s legislators.
Some 122 legislators in the 225-member House voted to remove Rajapaksa on November 14 and 18, after denouncing his appointment as prime minister “unconstitutional”.
But the former president rejected the outcome of the ballots, claiming the speaker had failed to follow proper procedure by holding voice votes.
Rajapaksa’s shock appointment by President Maithripala Sirisena on October 26 has plunged the Indian Ocean island nation into turmoil, as his predecessor Ranil Wickremesinghe continues to lay claim to the post.
GOV’T FUNDING UPDATE … REPUBLICANS and DEMOCRATS went back and forth yesterday about how to avoid a shutdown come Friday. HOUSE REPUBLICANS said they were fine with a bill that extends funding until Dec. 18 or Dec. 21. SENATE REPUBLICAN leadership was kicking this around. But late yesterday, we got signals from HOUSE DEMOCRATS that they would only agree to a weeklong extension.
THE MAIN GOAL is to get this fight out of the GEORGE H.W. BUSH remembrance week. Dec. 21 makes sense for a lot of reasons — it’s right before Christmas. But the House might try to pass the short-term spending bill by unanimous consent, so everyone needs to agree.
THE STATE FUNERAL … SPECIAL AIR MISSION 41 is the callsign for Air Force One, which will fly today from Houston Ellington to Joint Base Andrews with the 41st president’s casket.
BEFORE THE FLIGHT LANDS, “Family guests, including representatives of the crew of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), current and former members of the Army Golden Knights, Air Force One pilots and crew from the 41 Administration, and U.S. Secret Service members who served on President Bush’s protective detail, will be escorted into position to view the ceremony,” per the joint task force running the funeral.
THERE WILL BE a 21-gun salute, and “My Country Tis of Thee” will be played by the Air Force band as the casket is carried to the hearse. The casket goes directly to the Capitol, and is scheduled to arrive at around 4:45 p.m.
— THE SPECIAL HONOR GUARD at Andrews will be made up of: Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Gen. Paul Selva, the vice chairman of the joint chiefs; Gen. Mark Milley, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Robert Neller, the commandant of the Marine Corps; Gen. David Goldfein, the chief of staff of the Air Force; Gen. Joseph Lengyel, the chief of the National Guard Bureau; and Adm. Paul Zukunft, the commandant of the Coast Guard.
FIRST PERSON … NYT’S MAUREEN DOWD, “The Patrician President and the Reporterette: a Screwball Story: My faithful correspondent, Poppy Bush, scribbling and typing notes through decades of history”: “Nobody understood our relationship — least of all us. It was, admittedly, odd. ‘I like you,’ the first President Bush wrote me once, after he was out of office. ‘Please don’t tell anyone.’ In decades of correspondence, he tried to figure out why we stayed in touch, beginning one note ‘Darn you Maureen Dowd’ and mischievously observing in another, ‘Sometimes I found it better around my family to go “Maureen who?”’
“At times, typing on what he called ‘my little IBM,’ he signed off ‘Con afecto, GB,’ or if I was writing critically about his sons, ‘Con Afecto, still, just barely though! gb.’ Or ‘Love’ scratched out and replaced with the handwritten rebuke, ‘not quite there yet.’” NYT
WHISTLING PAST THE GRAVEYARD … JONATHAN MARTIN on NYT’S A1: “Despite Big House Losses, G.O.P. Shows No Signs of Course Correction”: “With a brutal finality, the extent of the Republicans’ collapse in the House came into focus last week as more races slipped away from them and their losses neared 40 seats.
“Yet nearly a month after the election, there has been little self-examination among Republicans about why a midterm that had seemed at least competitive became a rout. President Trump has brushed aside questions about the loss of the chamber entirely, ridiculing losing incumbents by name, while continuing to demand Congress fund a border wall despite his party losing many of their most diverse districts. Unlike their Democratic counterparts,
“Republicans swiftly elevated their existing slate of leaders with little debate, signaling a continuation of their existing political strategy. And neither Speaker Paul D. Ryan nor Representative Kevin McCarthy, the incoming minority leader, have stepped forward to confront why the party’s once-loyal base of suburban supporters abandoned it — and what can be done to win them back.” NYT
Good Monday morning. BIG NEWS ON THE TRADE FRONT — PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP tweeted at 11 p.m.: “China has agreed to reduce and remove tariffs on cars coming into China from the U.S. Currently the tariff is 40%.”
— QUINT FORGEY and DOUG PALMER: “There was no immediate confirmation for Trump’s claim, and the timetable for China’s rollback on the automobile duties remains unclear.” POLITICO
ABOUT THE G-20 … ANDREW RESTUCCIA: “The art of the G-20, by Donald Trump”: “As he crisscrossed Buenos Aires, posing for photos with dignitaries and boasting about his accomplishments, Trump left behind a trail of exaggerations meant to paper over the fractious first half of his term and rebrand himself as a globe-trotting statesman. It’s the Art of the G-20, by Donald Trump. The 45th president is writing his own rulebook on how to claim credit and respect on an international stage where many leaders have looked down on him for years.
“But just as his famous 1987 book counseled, Trump’s global deal-making was as much about style as substance, with grandiose talk the most important ingredient of all. The president arrived back in Washington on Sunday feeling triumphant, believing his latest international trip to be a resounding success. During his overnight flight on Air Force One, Trump seemed vindicated after dealing with a long buildup of pressure to the summit in Argentina.” POLITICO
COMING ATTRACTIONS — “Trump Administration to Try Again to Fulfill Infrastructure Pledge,” by WSJ’s Ted Mann: “The Trump administration is preparing to make another attempt at honoring one of the biggest unfulfilled promises of the president’s election campaign: a $1 trillion upgrade of the nation’s road, rail and energy infrastructure.
“That program failed to materialize during President Trump’s first year in office, as the administration pursued a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, which failed, and a major tax cut, which he signed into law in December 2017.
“In 2018, a package that would have compelled cities and states to come up with at least 80% of the funding for infrastructure improvements was dead on arrival in Congress. Even Mr. Trump’s fellow Republicans voted instead to increase spending in existing grant programs that send federal money to local governments for infrastructure as part of a budget deal, which the president signed. This time around, people familiar with the White House’s plans say, the administration’s effort is likely to include a lot more federal cash—which makes it more likely to pass muster with the new Democratic leadership in the House of Representatives.” WSJ
— MITCH MCCONNELL has said no thanks to this in the past.
THE JUICE …
— SPOTTED AT THE 41ST ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS: NANCY PELOSI sitting next to honoree CHER last night. Other honorees included: Reba McEntire, Philip Glass, Wayne Shorter and the co-creators of “Hamilton.” SPOTTED: Board Chairman David Rubenstein and President Deborah Rutter, Paul Pelosi, Sens. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Joanna Coles, Jeremy Bernard, Anita McBride, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Hilary Ross, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Louise Linton, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos …
… Reps. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Vernon and Ann Jordan, Phebe Novakovic, Ron Chernow, Dennis Muilenburg, David Gregory, Chief Justice John Roberts, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, Bob Barnett and Rita Braver, Adrienne Arsht, Catherine Reynolds, Jack Evans, Carol Melton, Heather Podesta and Steve Kessler and Gail MacKinnon.
— FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: NOAM LEE will be the executive director for the DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION. Lee most recently served as the DGA’s national finance director after two years as its major gifts director.
TRUMP’S MONDAY — The president will meet with HUD Secretary Ben Carson at 1:45 p.m. in the Oval Office.
DAVID SIDERS: “‘Nothing’s invisible now’: How the 2020 contenders are trampling the old rules”: “For decades, the most critical early stages of a presidential campaign unfolded largely out of public view, with candidates quietly courting financiers, party bosses and interest groups influential in the nominating process.
“But two years after President Donald Trump proved a candidate could flout traditional power structures and succeed — and with the 2020 campaign now picking up — the reign of the ‘invisible primary’ is in decline.
“New Democratic Party rules have stripped party leaders of much of their power in selecting a nominee. The prevalence of small-dollar fundraising has tilted the presidential landscape toward more public maneuvers designed to build massive lists of supporters online. And the rise of progressive populism is making its mark, prioritizing high-profile appeals and personal brand-building — typically through digital platforms — over the behind-the-scenes pursuit of party elites.” POLITICO
THE LATEST ON JAMAL KHASHOGGI: “Jamal Khashoggi’s private WhatsApp messages may offer new clues to killing,” by CNN’s Nina dos Santos and Michael Kaplan: “In his public writings, Jamal Khashoggi’s criticism of Saudi Arabia and its Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was measured. In private, the Washington Post columnist didn’t hold back.
“In more than 400 WhatsApp messages sent to a fellow Saudi exile in the year before he was killed at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Khashoggi describes bin Salman — often referred to as MBS — as a ‘beast,’ a ‘pac-man’ who would devour all in his path, even his supporters. CNN has been granted exclusive access to the correspondence between Khashoggi and Montreal-based activist Omar Abdulaziz.
“The messages shared by Abdulaziz, which include voice recordings, photos and videos, paint a picture of a man deeply troubled by what he regarded as the petulance of his kingdom’s powerful young prince. ‘The more victims he eats, the more he wants,’ says Khashoggi in one message sent in May, just after a group of Saudi activists had been rounded up. ‘I will not be surprised if the oppression will reach even those who are cheering him on.’” CNN
FOR YOUR RADAR — “Families of Americans held in Iran ask Trump to pull visas for kids of top Iran officials,” by NBC’s Dan De Luce: “Families of Americans detained in Iran have urged the Trump administration to deny U.S. visas to the children of top-ranking officials in the Iranian government, but the White House has yet to take action, two sources close to the families told NBC News.
“The families of the imprisoned Americans see the administration’s response to their request as part of a broader failure to place a top priority on securing the release of their loved ones, despite a campaign promise from the president to resolve the issue, two family friends and two congressional aides told NBC News. At least four American citizens and one U.S. legal resident are currently imprisoned in Iran after secretive trials on charges of alleged espionage.” NBC
MEDIAWATCH — “Paywall for HuffPost? Verizon Hunt for Web Revenue Goes Beyond Ads,” by WSJ’s Sarah Krouse: “Verizon Communications Inc.’s Oath unit is turning away from the advertising- and data-centric strategy that spurred its creation.After failing to meet revenue targets by selling digital ads across Yahoo and AOL properties, Oath executives now are focused on selling content subscriptions and giving users ways to make purchases through its sites, according to people familiar with the matter.The unit is exploring subscriptions to HuffPost news and Yahoo Sports content, among other ideas.” WSJ
— “Nexstar clinches $4.1 billion deal to acquire Tribune Media – sources,” by Reuters’ Carl O’Donnell and Liana Baker: “Nexstar Media Group Inc has reached an agreement to acquire Tribune Media Co for about $4.1 billion, a deal which would make it the largest local U.S. TV station operator, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Nexstar’s acquisition would come just three months after Tribune’s $3.9 billion deal to sell itself to Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc., currently the largest U.S. local TV station operator, collapsed over regulatory hurdles.” Reuters
SPOTTED: Michèle Flournoy on UA783 from LAX to Dulles. Josh Rogin was also on the flight. … Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on a Delta flight to DCA from Atlanta. “Traveling light with a plum colored backpack,” per our tipster …
… Double Hoya Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) brunching at The Tombs in Georgetown … Joe and Jill Biden and Eric Holder (pic) at Logan Airport in Boston on Sunday night. The Bidens were flying American Airlines to Philadelphia; Joe Biden stopped for selfies and was holding court with travelers. Holder was flying American Airlines to DCA, in first class, per our tipster.
WEEKEND WEDDING — Elizabeth Schoetz, chief of staff at NARAL Pro-Choice America, on Saturday married Greg Mays of the State Department. Pool report: “The evening began with the wedding ceremony at the historic St John’s Episcopal Church at Lafayette Square. After the ceremony, guests were led to the black tie reception at the St. Regis by a bagpiper in the bride’s family tartan. The halls at the St. Regis were decked for Christmas and the cocktail hour in the patio tent was a winter wonderland. Highlight of the night: Ilyse Hogue, Katherine Clark and the bride on the dance floor leading the crowd in singing ‘Don’t Stop Believin’!” Pic
SPOTTED: Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), Ilyse Hogue and John Neffinger, George McMillan, John Johnson and Kristie Greco Johnson, Steve Kerrigan and Jacob Watts, Alan Fitts, Reilly O’Connor, Jake Hargraves and Avra Siegel, Mary Liz and Joe Ganley, Alex Hornbrook, Connolly Keigher, Megan Hays, Paul Neaville and Marisa Luzzatto, Chad and Elysa Bolduc, Pate Felts, Ron Bracco, Liz Hart and Andrew Binns, Graham Gibson and Katy Cutright, Melissa Schwartz and Evan Sonderegger, Alan Fitts and Brendan Johannsen, Bill Smith, Suzi Emmerling and Mike Brennan, Ron Bracco and David Schoetz.
BIRTHWEEK (was yesterday): Evan Walker, a Trump White House and RNC alum … Shannon Kiely Heider
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Robby Mook, senior fellow at the Kennedy School and CNN contributor. What he’s been reading recently: “I recently finished ‘Valiant Ambition’ by Nathaniel Philbrick about Benedict Arnold and the Revolutionary War, which was a good reminder that sometimes it takes a self-obsessed traitor acting up to get the good guys off their duffs. If past is prologue…” Playbook Plus Q&A
BIRTHDAYS: Jesse Lee is 39 … Cody Sanders of the White House — read an Auburn alumni profile on him … POLITICO Florida’s Bruce Ritchie … Eleanor Schiff … Mike Inacay, Sen. Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawaii) comms director … Katelyn Rieley Johnson … Ali Zelenko, SVP of NBC News PR (h/t Erika Masonhall) … WaPo’s Scott Higham … Jacqueline Quasney … Lizzie Edelman, managing partner at E:SIX Strategy … Bill Sternberg, editorial page editor of USA Today, is 62 … Jamie Carroll … Jamie Sherman … Margaret Mulkerrin … NYT alum Diane Cardwell … Angelica Brantley … Kevin Baron, executive editor of Defense One … Aron Goldman is 48 … Robert Pondiscio … Lance Trover, consultant at Tusk Strategies … Bill Tighe, VP of federal government affairs at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, is 41 … Lyn Vaus (h/t Sara Durkin) … Daniel Chao, COS for Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-Calif.) …
… Laura Howard of Sentinel Strategic Advisors (h/t Annie Starke) … Missy Jenkins (h/t Tim Burger) … Katherine Klein (h/t Jon Haber) … Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio) is 6-0 … Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas) is 83 … Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson is 68 (h/t Tim Griffin) … former Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-S.D.) is 48 … Meg Hilling … Sara Elnusairi … Danielle Filson … Matthew Flaherty … Mandi Critchfield, comms director for the Senate Banking Committee (h/t Zach Warmbrodt) … Neal Ungerleider … CQ-Roll Call VP David Meyers … Colin Hanna … Chris Kelaher … Rich McFadden … Miles Doran, producer for “CBS This Morning” … Tom Oppel … John Toohey … Greg Everts … Francie Phelps (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)
The US-led coalition fighting ISIL says it carried out air raids in Syria targeting a senior leader involved in the execution of American aid worker Peter Kassig and other prisoners.
Sean Ryan, spokesperson for the US-led coalition, said on Sunday that coalition forces carried out “precision strikes” against Abul al Umayran, a senior member of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS), as well as several other members of the group in Syria’s Badiyah Desert.
Al Umayran has “given indications of posing an imminent threat to coalition forces and he was involved in the killing of American citizen and former US Army Ranger, Peter Kassig”, Ryan said.
There was no immediate comment from ISIL’s Amaq news agency.
Ryan said the US-led coalition was continuing to remove key figures from ISIL ranks through air raids.
Kassig, aged 26 at the time of his death, was among a group of prisoners decapitated by ISIL in November 2014.
WATCH: Iraqi military boosts defences against ISIL at border with Syria (2:30)
His execution, along with other killings, was shown in a video released by the group.
The footage did not show Kassig’s beheading, but showed a masked man with a decapitated head covered in blood at his feet. “This is Peter Edward Kassig, a US citizen,” the masked man says in the video.
The apparent executioner, British national Mohammed Emwazi, also known as ‘Jihadi John’, was killed in a coalition air raid in 2015.
Kassig, also known as Abdul-Rahman, a name he took after converting to Islam in captivity, was abducted on his way to the Syrian city of Deir al-Zor on October 1, 2013.
He founded a humanitarian organisation in 2012 that trained some 150 civilians to provide medical aid to people in Syria. His group also gave food, cooking supplies, clothing and medicine to the needy.
The international coalition intervened in Syria and Iraq in 2014 to fight the expansion of ISIL after the group took control of vast swathes of territory straddling the two countries.
Defeated in Iraq, the group retains territory in some parts of the Syrian desert, particularly in the east of the country, where the coalition continues to fight the jihadists with the support of an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters.
Qatar will withdraw from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the Gulf nation’s Energy Minister Saad Sherida al-Kaabi announced on Monday.
The decision to quit the bloc of 15 oil-producing countries that account for almost half of the world’s oil production was confirmed by Qatar Petroleum, the country’s state oil company.
Qatar announces it was withdrawing from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries “OPEC” effective 1 January 2019.
Speaking at a news conference in Doha, al-Kaabi said “the withdrawal decision reflects Qatar’s desire to focus its efforts on plans to develop and increase its natural gas production from 77 million tons per year to 110 million tons in the coming years.”
Qatar is the first Gulf country to leave the bloc of oil-producing countries.
Al Jazeera correspondent Charlotte Bellis said that Qatar decided days ahead of a December 6 OPEC meeting.
“Al-Kaabi has nothing to do with the blockade on Qatar and that they have been thinking about it for several months now,” Bellis said, reffering to a diplomatic blockade on Qatar bySaudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ), Egypt and Bahrain.
“They also said that if you want to withdraw from OPEC it had to be done before the end of the year,” she added.
“They said they wanted to do this now and be transparant ahead of a December 6 OPEC meeting.”
Qatar joined OPEC in 1961, one year after the organisation’s establishment.
Earlier this week, OPEC and Russia, who together produce about 40 percent of the world’s oil, said they agreed on new oil production cuts to ensure oil price does not drop too much in the coming months.
In October, the oil price reached a four-year high of $86, but since then the price has dropped again to about $60 per barrel.
North Field
Qatar is the world’s biggest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), producing almost 30 percent of the world’s natural gas.
According to Al Jazeera’s Bellis, Al-Kaabi said the declaration was purely a business decision.
“Al-Kaabi said ‘we are a small player in OPEC, and I’m a businessman, it doesn’t make sense for me to focus on things that our not our strength, and gas is our strength so that is why we’ve made this decision’,” Bellis said.
Al-Kaabi added the decision to increase the supply of natural gas is to “develop a future strategy based on growth and expansion, both in its activities at home and abroad.”
“Achieving our ambitious growth strategy will undoubtedly require focused efforts, commitment and dedication to maintain and strengthen Qatar’s position as the leading natural gas producer,” al-Kaabi.
It shares the world’s largest known natural gas field, the North Field, with Iran.
In September, Qatar announced it would increase its production of natural gas fromby adding a fourth production line to raise capacity from the North Field to 110 million tonnes a year.
If there is one thing we know, more than anything, about the Pittsburgh Steelers, it is this: They can’t be trusted.
They will likely win the AFC North. They are fun. They are explosive. They are also totally and completely untrustworthy.
They are smart, then they are dumb. They are explosive, then they are flat. They dominate, then they collapse. They bash their opponents, then they conquer themselves. They are well-coached, then they are poorly coached. The quarterback is Joe Montana, then he is Joe Flacco.
They are an opposing team’s worst nightmare, then they’re its reason for hope, following up moments of brilliance with stretches of self-immolation.
The Steelers could win the Super Bowl. The Steelers could lose in the first round of the playoffs.
What their catastrophic loss to the Chargers on Sunday showed, or reminded us of, is that the Steelers are a mess. (Unless it was the first half, when they were terrific.)
The game, won by Los Angeles 33-30, was symbolic of this team. Which is incredible. And pure junk. The Steelers led 23-7 at the half and had totally dominated a good Chargers team. Antonio Brown had six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. At the half.
And then the ending…so typical of this team. The Chargers missed a game-winning field goal…but the Steelers were offsides.
Justin Berl/Getty Images
Then Los Angeles lined up for another kick, and this time it was blocked. But wait, there’s more. The Steelers were again offsides.
It was one of the most dramatic, and pathetic, moments in recent Steelers regular-season history.
The third time the Chargers kicked it, the ball sailed through, and the Steelers lost.
But in a symbolic move, the Steelers were offsides again. The Chargers, of course, declined the penalty.
Typical of these Steelers. Missed kick, but offsides. Athletic play to block a field goal, but offsides.
Before Sunday night’s loss, the Steelers were 220-0-2 when leading by at least 14 points during the regular season at home. This was also the largest blown home lead in team history, according to Elias (via ESPN Stats & Info):
ESPN Stats & Info @ESPNStatsInfo
The Chargers overcame a 16-point deficit to beat the Steelers 33-30. It’s Pittsburgh’s largest blown lead since 1981, and the team’s largest blown lead at home in team history.
The Steelers were 174-0-1 at home with at least a 16-point lead.
h/t @EliasSports
Typically, they lost what seemed to be a game that was impossible to lose.
The Steelers’ game plan in the first half was brilliant. On offense, they were able to free up Brown, and on defense, they locked down Philip Rivers and that passing game.
You knew it was only a matter of time before the Chargers would make a run, and they did. What you didn’t expect (and maybe should have) was the series of dunderheaded mistakes the Steelers would make. One of them was yet another ill-advised challenge from coach Mike Tomlin, on where the football was spotted. Replays showed the spot was clearly accurate.
Joe Sargent/Getty Images
Pittsburgh has long been an undisciplined team under Tomlin. He’s a talented and good coach, but he has never been able to instill discipline with the Steelers, and it has cost them repeatedly.
Eventually, consistent sloppiness will get you, one way or another.
And that is the core of the problem with the Steelers, and why they can’t be trusted. They don’t seem to care about fixing mental errors. The turnovers and mistakes are a feature, not a bug.
The Steelers did get hurt by terrible officiating. That is true. But the Steelers didn’t lose because of the refs. The Steelers lost because of the Steelers.
In the end, the Steelers can’t be trusted.
Unless they can be. Maybe. Depending on the day.
Or the half.
Mike Freeman covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @mikefreemanNFL.
The 9-3 Los Angeles Chargers solidified their spot in the middle of the AFC playoff race with a dramatic 33-30 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at Heinz Field.
Mike Badgley drilled the game-winning field goal to complete the Chargers’ comeback on the final play after they found themselves behind by as many as 16 points. It was no routine winning field goal, though, as Pittsburgh went offside on the first two attempts—a miss and a block.
Los Angeles moved to within one game of the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs, while Pittsburgh dropped to 7-4-1 and just ahead of the 7-5 Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North. Philip Rivers won the duel between playoff-contending quarterbacks and finished 26-of-36 for 299 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions, while Ben Roethlisberger went 29-of-45 for 281 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
It wasn’t all quarterbacks, as Keenan Allen added 14 catches for 148 yards and a score for the victors.
NFL @NFL
FINAL: The @Chargers win on #SNF! #FightForEachOther #LACvsPIT
Steelers’ Late-Game Collapses Creating Much Tougher Path Through AFC
There is no other way to put it. Sunday was a complete collapse by the Steelers.
While the home team appeared in full control with the 16-point halftime lead, Antonio Brown (10 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown) making plays and James Conner finding the end zone twice before exiting with injury, the Chargers dictated the second half with explosive plays on the offensive side and enough defensive resistance to clinch the win.
Los Angeles ripped off an Allen touchdown catch and Antonio Gates two-pointer, a Desmond King punt-return touchdown (with a missed block in the back) and Allen two-pointer, and a Justin Jackson touchdown run to take the lead. While the Steelers battled back on their final drive with a Jaylen Samuels touchdown, they couldn’t prevent the Chargers from driving for the winning field goal.
NFL @NFL
DESMOND KING GOES ALL THE WAY.
73-yard punt return TD for @blaqbadger14! #FightForEachOther
Even the offside calls on the field-goal attempts were further evidence of Pittsburgh falling apart.
That this comes after the Steelers blew a second-half lead in their last game to the Denver Broncos despite enjoying a 527-308 advantage in total yardage is worrisome for the typical contender.
Adam Silverstein @SilversteinAdam
Second straight week the #Steelers are blowing a game in which they were clearly in control and should easily be dominating.
The last loss prompted Roethlisberger to criticize Brown, offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and James Washington during his weekly 93.7 radio segment (h/t Chris Adamskiof the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review), and it is fair to wonder about the two-time defending AFC North champs with the Ravens riding a three-game winning streak following a 4-5 start.
The Steelers aren’t pulling away from the Ravens, let alone setting themselves up to challenge the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Chargers in the AFC playoffs.
Even if they do win the division, they likely won’t have home-field advantage in the later rounds against those teams. It’s difficult to envision a Steelers squad that has struggled closing out games going on the road and beating multiple teams from that list of contenders to reach the Super Bowl.
The formula for winning on the road is often seizing an early lead to silence the crowd and controlling the game from there, not giving momentum back and allowing the crowd to get involved again.
The Steelers still have to play the Patriots and New Orleans Saints in their final four games, a troubling proposition, considering the Ravens are not going away with Lamar Jackson directing them to wins. That, combined with the daunting playoff opponents waiting in the second round and beyond if they do get that far, is setting up a situation where Pittsburgh will be watching the Super Bowl from home.
Derwin James Is the Clear-Cut Defensive Rookie of the Year
There wasn’t much to feel good about from the Chargers’ perspective when they entered the halftime locker room facing a 23-7 deficit save for one thing—the play of rookie safety Derwin James.
His talent was on full display with three pass deflections in the first half alone, as he thrived on an island against tight end Vance McDonald and maintained stride-for-stride with Pittsburgh’s litany of talented receivers.
As if that weren’t enough, he intercepted Roethlisberger at the Chargers’ 8-yard line to end a potential scoring drive and limited the Steelers to a field goal later in the game with a third-down breakup. James also forced Brown out of bounds on a deep throw that would have set up Pittsburgh deep in Los Angeles territory.
NFL @NFL
The rookie!
@DerwinJames intercepts Big Ben inside the 10-yard line! #FightForEachOther
Broadcaster Cris Collinsworth went as far as to say the Florida State product was “saving” the visitors and keeping them within striking distance.
It was more of the same for James, who is well on his way to Defensive Rookie of the Year despite the fact that he was still available for the Chargers with the No. 17 overall pick.
Robert Mays @robertmays
The 12 teams who didn’t pick QBs in the top 16 looked at Derwin James — the perfect draft prospect — and were like, “Nah. We’re cool.”
Chris Trapasso @ChrisTrapasso
We need a 30 for 30 on how Derwin James fell to No. 17 overall
Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com ranked him as the top rookie in the entire league and pointed to his versatility as someone who can rush the passer or drop back into coverage and either break up passes or deliver big hits in the middle of the field.
Robert Mays of The Ringer deemed James “the perfect defender for the modern NFL: a 215-pound chameleon who can blend in at any position, allowing the Chargers to combat any approach an opposing offense might take” and noted he was the only player in the league with 3.5 sacks, two picks and six quarterback hits.
The Defensive Rookie of the Year race is a crowded one with Cleveland Browns cornerback Denzel Ward, Denver Broncos linebacker Bradley Chubb, Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard, among others, but James stands above the rest of the competition.
He is a leader on a defense that entered play fourth in the league in points allowed per game and has helped guide the Chargers into playoff contention even though they were without Joey Bosa until Nov. 18 because of injury. Bosa’s absence could have derailed the defense, but James had other ideas.
Bosa won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2016, and the award is coming back to the Chargers this season.
What’s Next?
Both teams face AFC foes in Week 14, with the Chargers hosting the Cincinnati Bengals and the Steelers at the Oakland Raiders.
Where to Watch: NFL games and related coverage are available through fuboTV.
A Saudi-UAE coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi movement says 50 wounded rebels will be evacuated for treatment to Oman’s Muscat in a plane belonging to the United Nations.
The announcement on Monday came after Martin Griffiths, the UN envoy to Yemen, requested this arrangement as a goodwill gesture ahead of planned peace talks in Sweden.
The evacuation marks a key step forward in kickstarting stalled negotiations as world powers press for an end to the devastating four-year war that has pushed Yemen, the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, to the brink of famine.
The fate of wounded rebels had been a stumbling block to the start of a previous round of aborted peace talks in September.
“A UN chartered plane will arrive at Sanaa international airport Monday to evacuate 50 wounded combatants accompanied by … three Yemeni doctors and a UN doctor, from Sanaa to Muscat,” coalition spokesperson Turki al-Maliki said in a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency.
The United-States backed military alliance agreed to facilitate the medical evacuations at the request of Griffiths for “humanitarian reasons” and as a “confidence building” measure, Maliki added in the statement.
There was no immediate reaction from the Houthi rebels or the UN.
The proposed UN-brokered peace talks have been backed by both the rebels and the Saudi-led government and were expected to take place in Sweden this week.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, however, has played down the early December schedule and said he hoped talks would start “this year”.
Houthi rebels have said they will attend the talks if they are guaranteed safe passage.
Talks planned for September in Geneva failed to get under way as the Houthi delegation never left Yemen’s rebel-held capital Sanaa, arguing that the UN could not guarantee their safe return.
They also accused the world body of failing to secure the evacuation of wounded rebels to Oman.
Previous talks broke down in 2016, when 108 days of negotiations in Kuwait failed to yield a deal and left rebel delegates stranded in Oman for three months.
In recent days, Griffiths has held talks separately with officials from both warring parties as part of efforts to lay the ground work for talks in Sweden.
Sigurd Neubauer, non-resident fellow at the Gulf International Forum, called the evacuation announcement a welcome development.
“The fact that we are even discussing this issue, which previously was off limits, is in itself a diplomatic victory,” he told Al Jazeera.
“We should always have cautious optimism because the first results that we would have to look at is whether or not these peace talks take place.
“The second aspect is that if they do indeed take place we will expect some sort of resolution between the Houthis and the UN and the Saudis over whether the UN will take over the management of the port of Hodeidah to help bring in humanitarian supplies into Yemen.
“If that is achieved, then the rest of the peace process will be on good tracks – but that’s the first, if and when the peace talks take place.”
UN aid chief Mark Lowcock warned last week that Yemen was “on the brink of a major catastrophe”, following a trip to the country.
Yemen has been torn apart by conflict since 2014, when the Houthis, allied with troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, captured large expanses of the country, including Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia launched a massive aerial campaign against the rebels in March 2015, aimed at restoring the government of exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
More 14 million civilians in Yemen now face starvation, while over three-quarters of the population – some 22 million people – need humanitarian assistance. Aid groups estimate 85,000 children may have died of hunger and cholera while tens of thousands of civilians are believed to have been killed, largely by Saudi-led bombings.
Those thrilled or concerned by how mortal the New England Patriots looked in a blowout Week 10 loss to the Tennessee Titans should have known better.
Since regrouping during their Week 11 bye, the Patriots have reminded the football world that they remain the team to beat in the NFL.
We were foolish to expect anything else. There’s an established annual pattern with Bill Belichick‘s team. Stumble in September, go on a run, lay an unexpected egg just before the home stretch, use said egg as motivation for another run that usually extends through January.
Happened in 2014, when they went 2-2 in September, won their next seven, fell to the Green Bay Packers at the end of November and then never lost another game with Tom Brady serving as the primary quarterback the rest of the year.
Happened in 2016, when they were shut out at home by the Buffalo Bills as Brady’s opening-month suspension was wrapping up, won their next four games, fell at home to the Seattle Seahawks in mid-November and then never lost another game the rest of the year.
Happened in 2017, when they started 2-2, won their next eight, fell to the 5-7 Miami Dolphins two weeks into December and then didn’t lose again until Super Bowl LII.
Happening in 2018, when they started 1-2, won their next six, fell to the Titans in mid-November and then dominated the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings in back-to-back 14-point victories.
Rich Hill @PP_Rich_Hill
Patriots secure a winning record for the 18th straight season, second-longest in NFL history.
Both victories were expected, but the former came on the road against a familiar foe at a potential fork in the road for their season, while the latter—Sunday’s 24-10 win over Minnesota—looked far easier than many might have figured. After all, the Vikings were a final-four team last season and had won four of six entering Week 13. On paper, they’re as talented as New England, and their defense is significantly stronger.
But for the 6,483rd time in the Belichick/Brady era, the Pats made a high-quality team look like a deer in the Gillette Stadium lights.
An offense that had scored at least 20 points in eight consecutive outings was held to just 10 as New England dominated the clock thanks to superb third-down defense, a pair of interceptions and a beautifully balanced (34 pass plays, 37 run plays) offensive performance. Brady threw an odd interception when the game was basically in hand, but all but seven of his 31 other attempts were completed on a 311-yard day. He didn’t take a single sack while completing passes to nine different receivers, while the D held star Vikings receivers Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs to just 77 combined yards.
It’s that offensive and defensive equilibrium that might ultimately separate the Pats from the pack.
Excluding the anomaly in Nashville, New England has quietly surrendered just 11.5 points per game since Week 8, with Trey Flowers, Lawrence Guy, Dont’a Hightower, Stephon Gilmore, Jason and Devin McCourty, Kyle Van Noy, Adrian Clayborn, Deatrich Wise, Duron Harmon, Malcom Brown, Elandon Roberts and Patrick Chung all playing well on that side of the ball.
Alex Barth @RealAlexBarth
The #Patriots defense hasn’t allowed a 300-yard passer in five games. They haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in NINE games.
Not many terrible defenses doing that…
And on offense, their five-headed running game has put together three excellent performances in a four-outing span.
Cordarrelle Patterson and James White combined for 92 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a double-digit Week 9 victory over Green Bay; White, Patterson and rookie sensation Sony Michel combined for 216 yards and a score last week against the Jets; and on Sunday, Michel, White, Patterson, veteran Rex Burkhead and fullback James Develin combined for 120 yards and two more touchdowns.
That’s made life a lot easier for the 41-year-old Brady, who hasn’t been sacked since that debacle against the Titans and was hardly touched Sunday by a defense that entered that game with the league’s second-highest sack rate.
Brady and Co. weren’t perfect—the offense fell asleep for much of the second and third quarters before Brady hit Josh Gordon on a touchdown pass late in the third that would eventually be the game-winner—but that’s what’s so scary. On a good-but-not-great day offensively, they beat a 6-4-1 opponent by 14 points. And even if Brady still steals all the headlines, that’s a testament to their proficiency at positions other than quarterback.
Adam Glanzman/Getty Images
Look around the NFL, and it’s hard to find a contender that is as balanced as New England.
The AFC’s top seed, Kansas City, just had to release its Pro Bowl running back after video surfaced of an alleged assault. But the Chiefs were already vulnerable on defense. Their D ranked 30th in football entering Week 13, and then they gave up 33 points to the Oakland Raiders’ 30th-ranked scoring offense Sunday.
The Pittsburgh Steelers offense has gone relatively cold, and the AFC North leader could miss holdout running back Le’Veon Bell down the stretch. The AFC South-leading Houston Texans aren’t as consistent or accomplished on offense, and the Los Angeles Chargers are dealing with an injury to star running back Melvin Gordon.
In the NFC, the defensively susceptible NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints are coming off a brutal loss to the Dallas Cowboys, the 11-1 Los Angeles Rams are a week removed from a three-game stretch in which they gave up a ridiculous 42.3 points per affair. And the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears lack experience and consistency on offense.
While other teams are beginning to crack, the Patriots are laughing. They’ve been here, done this. They’re extending drives, getting off the field on defense, limiting their mistakes. Everything you expect from a remarkably well-coached, veteran team.
Billie Weiss/Getty Images
That sometimes causes us to overlook the Patriots because they’re frankly a bit boring next to the Chiefs, Rams, Saints, Steelers and Chargers. Their old quarterback does not and cannot do what Patrick Mahomes can do, they don’t have any megastars elsewhere on either side of the ball, deep rotations at the offensive skill positions and up front on defense prevent most players from putting up eye-catching individual statistics, and they’re not the sort of team that routinely blows up Twitter.
They just keep winning, usually with relative ease, and seemingly within a pattern that has found them in the Super Bowl three of the last four years.
“This part of the season is Patriots football,” said wide receiver Josh Gordon before his big performance Sunday, per ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss. “It’s what they’re known for.”
Darius Butler @DariusJButler
Patriots playing great December football. Whats new?
With all due respect to the higher-ranked, highlight-manufacturing Chiefs, the expectation now should be for New England to make that four Super Bowls in five years.
Unlike in Kansas City, and unlike in Foxborough at around this time last year, there’s no tumult surrounding this New England team. The Pats are getting healthy (imagine if a healing Rob Gronkowski can get back on track) and hot (that’s actually four double-digit victories in a five-game span) just when they usually do, and Belichick’s deep, snap-limiting rotations should again give the Pats an edge over the competition in the war of attrition that the NFL season becomes in December and January.
This Patriots team is indeed mortal, but it’s not ready to die. Like it or not, the Pats will be the toughest out in professional football come January.
Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012.
The doomsday clock is ticking for the Green Bay Packers organization, and it’s getting dangerously close to striking 12.
Aaron Rodgers‘ career reached a low point Sunday on his 35th birthday after losing 20-17 to the hapless Arizona Cardinals at Lambeau Field.
The window for another championship is closing if the Packers front office doesn’t make the necessary changes this offseason to turn a 4-7-1 team into one worthy of its best player.
“I think the whole organization got lazy,” a source told Sports Illustrated‘s Kalyn Kahler. “We’re relying on Aaron. Aaron is going to do it.”
Green Bay’s coaching staff clueless remained clueless.
“I mean, I’ve never been in this spot,” head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters after the game. “I’m not going to act like I know what the hell I’m going to do tomorrow [Monday] when they get in here. So, we’re going to do what we always do, we’re going to represent the Packers the right way, I know that. Other than that, we’ll focus on what’s in front of us.”
Jeffrey Phelps/Associated Press
As a result, the Packers announced McCarthy’s dismissal shortly thereafter and named offensive coordinator Joe Philbin as the interim head coach.
Four games remain against poor competition, except for a Week 15 meeting against the NFC division-leading Bears in Chicago. A miraculous four-game winning streak will be needed to even sniff the postseason since six other NFC squads already have five or more victories in the battle for the two wildcard spots.
The resiliency once seen in Green Bay with Rodgers leading the way seems to be gone with internal strife ruining opportunities to win big. As such, further changes will be required as soon as the regular season ends.
According to Kahlen, coach and quarterback were at odds over the playcalling. Rodgers was given autonomy to change plays, yet McCarthy grew frustrated when he can’t establish a rhythm on game days.
A good personal relationship isn’t required between a star player and his head coach. However, respect is. As long as both sides believe the other is doing his best to place the team in a position to succeed, a mutual understanding can be reached.
Once the two parties no longer see eye-to-eye on how to be successful, contentiousness starts to fester. Rodgers and McCarthy reached this point and it cost the coach.
“McCarthy wants credit for Aaron Rodgers, who he is,” another source said. “I think too many people have tried to say they created Aaron Rodgers.”
The Packers’ franchise quarterback is highly intelligent, aloof and exceptionally talented. A certain type of personality is needed to get through to him, and McCarthy was no longer that person.
Hire a Respected Offensive Mind
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
The emphasis on a strong personality, who knows how to handle a superstar while being an exceptional offensive mind in his own right, is needed to pair with Rodgers and should be the focal point of the next hiring cycle.
Two names immediately fit the bill.
New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is once again a hot name after last year’s Indianapolis Colts debacle when McDaniels accepted their head coaching job only to decline at the last minute.
The 42-year-old assistant spent 12 years of his career working with the famously diligent Tom Brady. The five-time Super Bowl champion is as demanding as they come. The two have endured multiple sideline blowups while working together and still get the best from one another.
“I always talk to him about everything and, like I said, he’s a great friend of mine,” Brady said of McDaniels after his return to the team this offseason, per Melissa Zhang of USA Today‘s Patriots Wire. “You work with someone for that long, you have a great rapport and relationship and I’m happy he’s on our team. I’m happy he’s coaching me, and I want to go out there and do well by him.”
Brady and Rodgers are friends, and the respect the 41-year-old signal-caller has for his current coach will likely transfer if McDaniels is willing to leave New England. The final point is crucial, though.
“I know the Patriots want him coaching for us,” Brady said Thursday on the Kirk & Callahan show, per WEEI’s Ryan Hannable. “He’s under contract with our team for a long time and that is a great thing for the Patriots.”
While McDaniels’ availability remains a sticking point, Eric Bieniemy’s candidacy improves with each passing week.
David Richard/Associated Press
Bieniemy is the latest in Andy Reid’s successful string of offensive coordinators. Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy are doing well at their current stops, Bieniemy should be the next to earn a head coaching job since the Chiefs offense is more explosive than ever.
Yes, Reid calls the plays, but Bieniemy’s influence can be found throughout the team.
According to ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher, the current Chiefs offensive coordinator helps assemble the playbook and weekly game plans, runs the offensive meetings and is in Patrick Mahomes’ ear signaling plays during games.
“[Quarterback] is a detailed position,” Reid said, per Teicher. “It’s very easy to go, ‘Ah, we can let that one slide.’ That’s [not] how [Bieniemy] goes about it. He’s going to make sure everything is covered. I trust him for that. I can’t be there every second. He jumps in and just takes charge and I have full confidence in him so I can go be the head coach and he can run the offense. He does a heck of a job with it.”
Not only is Bieniemy a large part of a cutting-edge offense, but he demands respect from his players, even superstars. The 49-year-old coordinator spent five seasons with the Minnesota Vikings as their running backs coach.
“He coached Adrian Peterson as hard or harder than anybody,” former Vikings head coach Brad Childress said. “He was unmerciful. He was not about to let him be just a guy. Eric made sure he stepped with the right foot. He made sure he understood pass protection and how he fit into the passing scheme. For years he had just been a tailback and they handed him the ball and told him to run. Eric taught him how to play the game.”
Both McDaniels and Bieniemy fit the mold needed to maximize Rodgers’ final years. More is needed, though.
Add Offensive Playmakers
Brian Gutekunst should spend his second offseason as the Packers’ general manager focusing on how he can improve Rodgers’ weapons.
Plenty needs to be done with only Davante Adams sticking out as a certified playmaker. Adams caught eight passes for 93 yards and a touchdown Sunday. Tight end Jimmy Graham, who is only signed to a one-year deal, also caught eight passes. No other receiver on the roster had more than three.
Defenses can take away one weapon if others can’t make it pay.
Aaron Jones finally received a featured role in the backfield, but he can only do so much. Green Bay must concentrate on adding more.
Joe Robbins/Getty Images
The front office placed so much emphasis on improving its secondary this past offseason, wide receiver wasn’t addressed until the draft’s third day, even though three—J’Mon Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown—were eventually chosen. Valdez-Scantling and St. Brown are now a regular part of the rotation, but the rookies are far too inconsistent. The organization can’t think a few late-round talents are enough to overlook an elite wide receiver prospect, because they’re not.
Gutenkunst can look in both free agency and the draft to better situate Rodgers, especially after the team makes one obvious move. Last year, the Packers released Rodgers’ favorite target Jordy Nelson to the quarterback’s chagrin. Randall Cobb is almost certainly the next to go since he’s a free agent after the season. Cobb hasn’t been much of a factor this season with only 29 receptions.
Ted Thompson based the Packers’ entire approach on a draft-and-develop philosophy. Gutenkunst has already proved to be more aggressive in free agency by signing Graham, Muhammad Wilkerson and Marcedes Lewis prior to the regular season. The current general manager needs to ratchet up the team’s approach.
Larry Fitzgerald and Golden Tate are older, proven options to immediately step in and contribute as slot receivers. Tyrell Williams, Devin Funchess, Donte Moncrief and Adam Humphries are all in their primes after proving themselves as, at worst, second or third options.
Tight end may even be more intriguing with an option to re-sign Graham, of course. Otherwise, Green Bay could concentrate on Tyler Eifert, Tyler Kroft or Jesse James.
An investment in the offensive line is never foolish. Green Bay’s guard play has been suspect this season, and the addition of a Mike Iupati, Rodger Saffold, Quinton Spain or D.J. Fluker couldn’t hurt. A stronger interior helps build the depth of the pocket.
According to Spotrac, the Packers have $41.7 million to spend next year. How the team decides to proceed with its pending free agents including Graham, Wilkerson, Clay Matthews III and Jake Ryan will determine how they can proceed.
Fresh blood is needed, while the old guard may be pushed out the door. Although, some patience is needed for the team to realize its full potential.
Rodgers’ Health Remains a Priority
Rodgers has dealt with a sprained left knee since Week 1 and its impeded his play.
Morry Gash/Associated Press
Sure, each and every week he makes the types of plays everyone expects from a player of his caliber. But it’s clear the knee has given him some trouble and the Packers offense isn’t operating at peak efficiency. Despite being the league’s eighth-ranked passing offense, the group struggles to build any rhythm.
Even so, Rodgers doesn’t plan on resting at any point over the next four weeks.
“Hell no,” he said when asked whether he would, per Zach Kruse of USA Today‘s Packers Wire. “Come on.”
Once the season is completely out of reach (which will happen with another loss), the Packers must be proactive and bench Rodgers even if he still wants to play. No reason exists why the organization should risk his health when nothing is on the line.
The team took the same approach a year ago when Rodgers came back from a broken collarbone for one week, the Packers lost and he didn’t play during the final two weeks.
Rewinding the Clock
Quarterbacks are playing well into their late 30s and even early 40s without much of a dropoff. Rodgers is gifted and should be in the same conversation as Brady and Drew Brees as long as he stays healthy and the Packers surround him with a deep and talented cast.
Right now, neither is true.
At 35, Rodgers has at least three or four more good seasons if injuries don’t continue to be a problem. But that’s only part of the equation.
The Packers must find a coach, who can mesh with the franchise quarterback, and acquire more offensive playmakers through free agency and/or the draft.
Otherwise, Rodgers’ window will close and the clock will strike 12.
Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter:@brentsobleski.
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