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With the firing of Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt and the unceremonious knee-capping of athletic director Phil Fulmer, which is being masqueraded as retirement, the University of Tennessee finalized the coda of administrative ineptitude for a singular hire that will long be a gold standard in college athletics.

As infamous lows in college athletics go, this will be filed under plain-old incompetence, starting from the highest level of the administration at the university and then coursing through a completely hapless athletic department.

And the saddest part of everything thats happened at Tennessee is that it was totally and completely predictable, as it tried to microwave the schools glory years by bringing back Fulmer. That experiment ended on Monday in a cringy news conference where Tennessees suits awkwardly tried to salute Fulmer as they were shoving his undeserved administrative career in the trunk of a rental car.

Instead of reestablishing glory, Tennessee ended up microwaving rotting salmon. Fulmer was the fish at the SEC poker table from the moment he sat down. And Tennessee officials were the only ones in the league who failed to realize he was under-qualified, overmatched and destined to transition the corpse of Tennessees football program from a shallow grave to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Theres a new batch of administrators now who would dream of the issues the program had under Butch Jones.

But for those schadenfreude fans and theres certainly a coach in New Jersey and an athletic director in North Carolina whod qualify the legacy of this latest Tennessee disaster is that we get to squeeze years more of mockery from the way they handled the Pruitt firing.

This marks Tennessees fifth coaching search in 12 years, so its understandable if you chuckle at the sober administrative declarations that this time they are going to get it right. And this time they plan to incorporate integrity instead of nostalgia. New suits. New clichs. Can you envision new results? Not as players flee to the transfer portal and recruits rush to decommit.

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To rewind for those unfamiliar with the latest stanza of the 15-year country ballad of Tennessee athletic underachievement, heres how the university got here. They fired Butch Jones in 2017 and then ran off former athletic director John Currie when the fans and a skeptical blogger disagreed with Curries hiring of Greg Schiano as head coach.

Schiano was a proven head coach, program builder and developer of talent from 11 seasons at Rutgers and two years as an NFL head coach. His hiring would have been an acknowledgement that Tennessee needed to slowly build back to competence through evaluation, the weight room and a coach who understands roster building.

When the Schiano hiring famously imploded under the pressure of fan revolt, Tennessee tried to fast track the road to relevancy. They hired an unproven coach with no experience who hired an overmatched staff. A play for SEC recruiting will end in a predictable place likely infractions hearings, bowl bans and scholarship losses.

Pruitt attempted to recruit the Vols back to relevance, which will be the subject of much legal scrutiny in the upcoming years. And it has the potential for much more second-guessing of Tennessees administration. By firing Pruitt, two assistant coaches and seven other staff members, the school appears to be positioning itself to not pay the more than $12 million in buyout money to Pruitt. (Thats what they would have paid if hed just been fired for general incompetence, not allegedly breaking NCAA rules.)

But heres where the same SEC officials who marked Fulmer as the fish long ago are now breaking out their popcorn. In the effort to save the buyout money, Tennessee officials are also risking throwing out the baby with the bathwater. By bringing in an outside law firm to confirm the recruiting violations, does the university risk setting the football program even further back than its own administrative sins already have? Will the potential violations lead to scaring off coaching candidates, scaring off recruits and keeping fans away? That would cost much more.

Theres a clear tension between throwing these violations on Jeremy Pruitts doorstep and protecting yourself from even greater sanctions being levied by the NCAA, said Tom Mars, an attorney with experience in NCAA cases who is not involved in this case. And I dont know what their intentions were, but whatever they are doing they are threading a needle.

And with Tennessee athletics and its football program, any thread of the needle is much more likely to end up with bloody fingers than any sort of deft tactical maneuver.

Its unfathomable that Pruitt walks away from the $12 million without a legal fight. And its equally hard to justify why Tennessee still appears to be set to pay Fulmers millions for three more full years when he oversaw all the alleged indiscretions.

Unless Jeremy Pruitt is stone-cold guilty, and theres no evidence of that and I seriously doubt thats the case, hes going to sue Tennessee, Mars said. Hed be crazy not to.

Pruitts attorney, Michael Lyons, issued a statement later Monday saying theyd pursue legal action after the decision if necessary.

The timing of the Universitys actions and decision appear to be preordained and more about financial convenience and expediency than a fair and complete factual determination by the University, the statement read. Moreover, it seems clear the recent leaks to the press are indicative of an interest to steer the narrative in a way that is desirable to the University to justify a decision likely made weeks ago.

Coach Pruitt and I look forward to defending any allegation that he has engaged in any NCAA wrongdoing, as well as examining the Universitys intent to disparage and destroy Coach Pruitts reputation in an effort to avoid paying his contractual liquidated damages.

The group dynamics of the Tennessee presser on Monday involved UT system president Randy Boyd and Chancellor Donde Plowman alternately praising Fulmer and saying a new athletic director would be inserted before hiring a new coach. It was one last binge of nostalgia, which included Boyd invoking the night Fulmer won the 1998 national title. Thankfully, the cheerleaders were left at home.

Plowman and Boyd werent around when Tennessees last coaching search nearly broke the internet with GIFs of mockery. You could argue they deserve a fresh chance, if you ignore Plowmans signature on the completely unwarranted extensions both Fulmer and Pruitt received within the last year. They need to break a cycle of unqualified hires getting undeserved raises in order to stop the laugh track.

Its hard to project who Tennessee will hire as its coach before it hires an athletic director. (Perhaps the duo of Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard and coach Billy Napier could come and save the day, as both have been selective about next steps.)

Regardless, a job that requires toppling Florida, Georgia and Alabama annually now comes with impending NCAA sanctions from an aggressive internal investigation and a rich history of administrative bungling. It will be set to the soundtrack of slow NCAA justice and legal wrangling over Pruitts contract.

The people sure to win as Tennessee moves on from Pruitt and Fulmer are the lawyers. Billable hours are the only certainties for a once-great program that will spend years unburying itself from an ill-advised dalliance of nostalgia. The legacy of that is the stench hovering over the program, which doesnt promise to fade anytime soon.

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Tennessee's embarrassing fall capped with inevitable failure of Jeremy Pruitt and Phil Fulmer - Yahoo Sports

Mystery surrounds what happened to a young woman who was found in a critical condition 50km from her home six days after disappearing.

Jessica Goodwin, from the US state of Arizona, vanished on January 11 after informing work she would not be coming in, Fox News reported.

The 28-year-old was last spotted on CCTV footage leaving a car wash in her white Volkswagen Jetta, the last place where she used her credit card.

Her vehicle was later found abandoned near the car wash.

Detectives traced her phone records and eventually found her in the rural Giva River Indian Community, 50km from her home on the outskirts of Phoenix.

She was rushed to hospital in a severe state of dehydration, Pinal County Sheriffs Office said.

Her condition has since improved, police say.

While police have remained tight-lipped over the matter, they described her disappearance as abnormal.

Authorities are yet to make any arrests in relation to the matter, while according to Fox 10, police do not suspect foul play at this stage.

A friend told Fox 10 her disappearance was out of character, especially as she left her pet dog unattended at home.

If she does go somewhere to clear her mind, shell take her dog for sure, he said.

Its completely unlike her.

In reference to finding Ms Goodwin alive, Sheriff Mark Lamb said on Facebook it was the outcome we have all been hoping and praying for.

Investigations are ongoing.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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Mystery over missing woman, 28, found in critical condition 50km from home - Yahoo News Australia

The US political class has long prided itself on the peaceful transition of power. Donald Trump not so much.

The outgoing president broke just about every presidential norm in the book during his one term in office, including refusing to attend Joe Bidens inauguration.

Its not entirely unprecedented as hell be the fourth US president to boycott his successors swearing in, but it is the first time in more than 150 years.

But theres another less visible tradition that Trump says he is unlikely to participate in.

Its become customary for the outgoing president to leave a handwritten note in the desk drawer in the Oval Office for the man or woman replacing them.

The notes are typically heartfelt and personal, with past presidents seeking to impart the kernel of wisdom that comes from experience.

According to Axios, Republican House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urged Trump to follow the tradition in a terse phone call last week.

The president reportedly told him he hadnt decided whether he would leave a note for Biden.

Given Trump has refused to concede defeat and continues to spread lies that the election was stolen, its hardly surprising that he has reportedly balked at the idea.

But it would prove to be a break in a tradition often celebrated by former presidents, the media and historians alike.

Despite their at times acrimonious relationship, Trump called the letter left to him by his predecessor Barack Obama beautiful and thoughtful.

Congratulations on a remarkable run. Millions have placed their hopes in you, and all of us, regardless of party, should hope for expanded prosperity and security during your tenure, Obama wrote to Trump.

The 44th president dispensed some advice and urged his successor to uphold the international system that has emerged since the Cold War, as well as protect democratic norms.

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We are just temporary occupants of this office. That makes us guardians of those democratic institutions and traditions like rule of law, separation of powers, equal protection and civil liberties that our forebears fought and bled for, Obama reminded Trump.

The letters have been a bright light of bipartisanship and political harmony in a political system that has become increasingly toxic and defined by division.

In the letter left for Obama by George W. Bush, the outgoing Republican said he was rooting for the Democrat who made history as the first black man to be elected president.

There will be trying moments. The critics will rage, his letter read.

But, you will have an Almighty God to comfort you, a family who loves you, and a country that is pulling for you, including me.

No matter what comes, you will be inspired by the character and compassion of the people you now lead.

In 1993, following a particularly partisan election campaign, George H.W Bush left a note for the incoming Democrat leader Bill Clinton, a surprising show of unity that cemented the tradition that has persisted ever since.

It came after his fellow Republican Ronald Reagan had left a letter for Bush four years earlier.

It was a sort of a revelation that a note like this was left, Jim Bendat, author of Democracys Big Day: The Inauguration of Our President, told the Associated Press.

Weve come to expect them. Its a great tradition. Its one of those new traditions. And the traditions for Inauguration Day are like that they often evolve through the years.

In the days following the Capitol Hill riots in Washington DC, the charitable organisation of the former president recalled his letter and the tradition that it helped spark.

A good day to be reminded of this moment from January 1993, the George & Barbara Foundation noted.

The letter to Clinton wished him great happiness.

I never felt the loneliness some presidents have described, he wrote.

Just dont let the critics discourage you or push you off course.

In his letter to George W. Bush, Bill Clinton described the immense pleasure he enjoyed from his time in office.

You lead a proud, decent, good people. And from this day you are President of all of us. I salute you and wish you success and much happiness, he wrote.

The burdens you now shoulder are great but often exaggerated. The sheer joy of doing what you believe is right is inexpressible.

My prayers are with you and your family. Godspeed.

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The OTHER outgoing presidential tradition Trump will break - Yahoo News Australia

Vanessa Sierra's video about Australian Open quarantine hasn't gone down well. Image: Instagram

Vanessa Sierra says shes been receiving death threats after a rant about the Australian Opens hotel quarantine sparked widespread backlash.

The girlfriend of Australian player Bernard Tomic, Sierra took to social media on Monday to complain about the conditions she and her boyfriend were experiencing.

NOT HAPPY: Ash Barty caught in ugly Aus Open controversy

NOT HAPPENING: Scott Morrison exposes major Aus Open lie

The former reality TV star complained that the food served at their quarantine hotel room in Melbourne was cold and grumbled about having to wash her own hair.

This is the worst part of quarantine, Sierra said on her YouTube channel.

I don't wash my own hair. I've never washed my own hair. It's just not something that I do. I normally have hairdressers that do it twice a week for me.

This is the situation that we're dealing with. I can't wait to get out of quarantine just so I can get my hair done.

Sierra copped widespread backlash from tennis fans and commentators, with many including Nick Kyrgios calling for her to have some perspective.

But in a disturbing twist, Sierra has now revealed shes received death threats.

You guys are the true definitions of class clowns on a witch hunt and if I want to laugh about how bad my hair is in quarantine I unapologetically will. Have a cry, she posted on Instagram on Monday night.

Im getting so many death threats over my hair joke.

If people actually watched my vlog instead of going off a news story they would see I was lighthearted about the entire thing and did not make any complaints.

Simply did a daily vlog as I always do about my life and circumstances I even said that I dont mind the food situation in quarantine.

Didnt realise how many idiots are in this world.

Bernard Tomics girlfriend, Vanessa Sierra, says shes now receiving death threats over a vlog she uploaded in hotel quarantine. pic.twitter.com/4WPf1l5T0x

Eden Gillespie (@edengillespie) January 18, 2021

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In her video, Sierra provided an insight into life in quarantine with Tomic.

Even if you want to do a home workout its pretty tight for space, so were doing minimal yoga to keep sane but other than that were not really training or anything, she said.

I played Pokemon for 11 hours straight yesterday and I think 12 hours straight the day before.

Bernards been playing World of Warcraft for about the same time Ive been playing Pokemon. Today were going to download Yu-Gi-Oh!

I havent been watching many movies but yeah, its sort of all weve got as an option.

Kyrgios was among the many to blast Sierra, while also taking a dig at Novak Djokovic for his reported list of demands for players in quarantine.

Djokovic is a tool, Kyrgios wrote on Twitter.

I don't mind Bernie but his Mrs obviously has no perspective, ridiculous scenes.

There are 72 players in hard quarantine and unable to train outside their hotel rooms for 14 days after positive COVID-19 tests on tournament charter flights.

Djokovic reportedly sent Australian Open boss Craig Tiley a letter with six demands he wanted actioned for the players in lockdown in Melbourne.

A Spanish tennis website reported that Djokovic's demands included reduced isolation periods, better food and having players moved to private houses with tennis courts.

with AAP

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Ugly 'death threat' twist in Bernard Tomic girlfriend's quarantine rant - Yahoo Sport Australia

An estimated 12 percent of people in England had been infected with coronavirus by December last year, up from nine percent in November, according to official antibody data released Tuesday.

One in 10 people in Wales, one in 13 in Northern Ireland and one in 11 in Scotland were also estimated to have caught the virus, according analysis of random blood test results published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Britain is currently gripped by its third and deadliest wave of the virus, blamed on a new strain believed to be highly infectious.

Health chiefs have warned intensive care units risk being overwhelmed by the surge in cases that has already led to the country suffering record numbers of daily deaths.

Overall mortality for the week ending January 8 was 45 percent higher than the five-year average, according to the ONS, although the official statistics body cautioned that the data could be skewed by uneven reporting over the holiday period.

London, which has been hit particularly hard by the latest wave, recorded an 85 percent increase in deaths, compared to the historic average for the same week.

The Medical Research Council at Cambridge University said last week that it believed the proportion of the population who have ever been infected in London was 30 percent.

Britain has recorded almost 90,000 deaths of people testing positive for the disease, one of the worst tolls in the world.

Health minister Matt Hancock, who caught the virus last year, on Tuesday tweeted that he was self-isolating until Sunday after being told by the health service that he may have come into contact with an infected person.

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One in eight in England have had Covid: official data - Yahoo News Australia

Yahoo!, in full Yahoo! Inc., global Internet services provider based in Sunnyvale, California, and owned by Verizon Communications since 2017. It was founded in 1994 by Jerry Yang and David Filo, graduate students at Stanford University in California. Yahoo! provides users with online utilities, information, and access to other Web sites.

Headquarters of Yahoo! Inc., Sunnyvale, Calif.

Yahoo!, which includes features such as a search engine, an e-mail service, a directory, and a news branch, began as a simple collection of Yang and Filos favourite Web sites. It was initially called Jerry and Davids Guide to the World Wide Web, but, as the site grew in popularity, it was renamed Yahoo!, an acronym for Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle. Incorporated in 1995, Yahoo! acquired various companies such as Rocketmail and ClassicGames.com, which eventually became Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! Games, respectively. As one of the major players in the dot-com frenzy of the late 1990s, Yahoo! managed to survive the collapse of many Internet-based companies in 200102, but it sustained heavy economic losses.

Yahoo! battled Googlea major competitor in the search engine industryfor many years in an attempt to claim a larger share of the market. Yahoo! notably released its Yahoo! Instant Messenger, bought out the Internet photo network Flickr, included a myriad of other features, and acquired a 40 percent share of the Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba. Despite such moves, many of Yahoo!s rivals endured. In February 2008 the Microsoft Corporation offered to buy Yahoo! for $44.6 billion, but this proposal was rejected by Yahoo!, and Microsoft then rescinded its offer. However, negotiations between the companies continued, and on July 28, 2009, an agreement was reached in which Yahoo! would use Microsofts search engine, Bing, for its Web site and would handle premium advertisements for Microsofts Web site, an arrangement scheduled to last for 10 years.

Amid growing financial struggles, Yahoo! hired Marissa Mayer as CEO and president in 2012. Although she had played a key role in the rise of Google, her efforts to turn Yahoo! around had little success. In 2016 it was announced that Verizon Communications would acquire the companys core assets, notably its Internet operations, for approximately $4.8 billion. However, the closing of the deal was delayed by the public announcement that Yahoo! had been subjected to a series of security breaches, which was said to have affected more than one billion user accounts; it was later revealed that all Yahoo! accounts (approximately three billion) had been compromised. The final sale, which was completed in 2017, was valued at approximately $4.48 billion. Yahoo! subsequently became part of the newly created subsidiary Oath, though it continued to exist as a distinct brand. The portion of Yahoo! that was not soldnotably its interest in Alibabawas reformed as Altaba.

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Yahoo! | History, Sale, & Facts | Britannica

TipRanks

After a year that most of us want to forget, were all shaking off our New Years celebrations, and taking in 2021s promise of relief from a perpetually controversial politics, the never-ending corona crisis, and market volatility.That last may be the key, at least for stock investors. Were entering a period of relative calm, after a most unsettled year, and now is the time to start reviewing investment choices and making portfolio decisions for the months and years ahead.The TipRanks database has both the information and the tools necessary for this act of financial introspection. By combining the Strong Buy analyst consensus with the Perfect 10 rating from the unique Smart Score system, investors can navigate directly to stocks that present a strong case for bullish moves. Here are the details on three such stocks, along with corroborative commentary from the analysts.Devon Energy (DVN)Well start with Devon Energy, a mid-cap player in the Texas oil regions. The company owns mineral rights on over 1.8 million acres across Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, with additional production areas in Wyoming. Devon has more than 10,000 production wells in active use, and sits on proven reserves totaling 757 million barrels of oil equivalent, with 64% of that total in recoverable liquids.The corona pandemic and chronic low prices in the energy industry hurt Devon in 1H20, and by Q2, revenues had fallen to $394 million. That has started to turn around, and the Q3 top line, at $1.07 billion, met expectations. In Q3, the company reported several strong metrics: oil production of 146,000 barrels per day exceeded guidance by 6,000 barrels; production expenses improved 8% yoy; and free cash flow hit $223 million in the quarter. Devon exited Q3 with $1.9 billion in unrestricted cash available. In a further sign of strength, Devon announced toward the end of the third quarter that it has entered into a $2.56 billion agreement to acquire WPX Energy.At the bottom line on Devon, Piper Sandler analyst Mark Lear writes, With the recently announced WPX merger, DVN reaffirmed the commitment to improving the balance sheet, increasing shareholder return via a fixed plus variable dividend model and alluded to further efficiencies to be captured through portfolio optimization, which we have expected would be a big added benefit of the deal.Lears upbeat comments come with an Overweight (i.e. Buy) rating, and his $21 target price indicates his confidence in a 15% upside over the next 12 months. (To watch Lears track record, click here)Overall, the analyst consensus on DVN is not unanimous, but almost. The Strong Buy consensus rating is supported by 14 Buys against a single Hold.(See DVN stock analysis on TipRanks)Invitation Homes (INVH)Next up is Invitation Homes, a major player in the rental home niche. The corona crisis has dampened much economic activity, including home buying, and one unexpected result was strength in the single-family rental home sector. Invitation Homes has a portfolio of high-quality properties in Florida and the Western US, totaling some 80,000 homes. Invitation saw $459 million in Q3 revenues, a 3.6% year-over-year gain, along with Same Store (that is, rental office location) growth of 4% yoy. The companys Q3 rental collection rate was 98% of the average historical rate this was considered a strong result, considering the ongoing economic and public health crisis. The company also paid out its 15-cent common share dividend for the third quarter, which puts the yield at 2%.Raymond James analyst Buck Horne sees INVH in a strong position to benefit from current trends in housing and employment."[We] continue to see ample evidence of a longer-term secular demand shift in favor of SFR homes. Millennial demographics, work-from-home flexibility, de-densification/de-urbanization, and cross-state population migration are all key catalysts. In our view, Invitation's industry leading scale, improving efficiency, and strengthening balance sheet position the company as a prime beneficiary of these trends, Horne opined.Hornes comments back up his Buy rating, and his $36 target price indicates a 24% upside for 2021. (To watch Hornes track record, click here)Invitation Homes has a unanimous Strong Buy consensus rating, supported by 7 Buy reviews. (See INVH stock analysis on TipRanks)Pinduoduo, Inc. (PDD)Last but not least is Pinduoduo, the second-largest online marketplace in China. This company had over 585 million active buyers in 2019, putting it just behind the higher profile Alibaba.Chinas e-commerce ecosystem is fast growing, and getting more crowded companies need to stand out to succeed. Pinduoduo manages this by offering several unique services to its customers, including consumer to manufacturer tools that put end-user preferences in the service providers sights; a New Brand Initiative, designed to help emerging merchants brand their products; and an agricultural initiative connecting small farmers with second-tier city markets. The company has built these initiatives around a logistic and data analysis platform, that lets merchants know what their customers want.The company also works from the buyer end. Pinduoduo has created a virtual bazaar, bringing social interaction to online purchasing. Customer can share information on products and prices through social networking, enhancing both the shopping experience and the value-for-money both are important for getting and keeping customers.In the third quarter, PDD reported $2.09 billion in total revenue, beating the estimates by 12% and growing 89% year-over-year. The total number of active buyers in the quarter grew 36% year-over-year to reach 731.3 million. Jailong Shi, 5-star analyst with Nomura, writes of PDD: What impressed us most was its marketing expense, which rose 46% y-y in 3Q, helping its operating margin improve 26pp y-y to -2%. Competition in Chinas ecommerce industry remained intense in 3Q which make PDDs results seem more striking in comparison. We believe this set of results was solid proof of PDDs strong execution and the effectiveness of its subsidizing strategy, which appears to have worked well in cementing the loyalty and engagement of its usersShi rates PDD a Buy, and his $192 price target implies room for ~10% upside potential. (To watch Shis track record, click here)Pinduoduo has 9 recent reviews, breaking down 8 to 1 in favor of Buys versus Hold, making the analyst consensus rating a Strong Buy. (See PDD stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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BreezoMeter Delivers Air Quality Data to Yahoo Weather App Users Around the World - Yahoo Finance

Its hard to say a 25-year-old could be passing the torch. Maybe its more fair to wonder if Patrick Mahomes will be sharing the torch with Josh Allen.

Weve heard for so long this season that the Kansas City Chiefs will win the Super Bowl that it seems weird to suggest anyone else can win. Suggesting the Chiefs might not be the best team seems even crazier.

If youve seen Allen and the Buffalo Bills play lately, it doesnt seem so weird.

Buffalo is averaging 47.3 points and 487.7 yards its past three games. Other than a Hail Mary loss against the Arizona Cardinals, the Bills havent lost since Oct. 19. On Sunday they put up 56 points on the Miami Dolphins, who have a good defense and were playing for a playoff spot, and did so with Allen playing only the first half.

While weve heard about the Chiefs prowess all season and its well deserved many of the Bills stats look quite similar (these dont count the Chiefs Week 17 numbers, when they rested starters):

Points per game: Bills 31.3, Chiefs 30.1Yards per game: Chiefs 425.7, Bills 396.4Points per game allowed: Chiefs 21.6, Bills 23.4Yards per game allowed: Bills 352.5, Chiefs 354.5Yards per play: Chiefs 6.3, Bills 6.1Yards allowed per play: Bills 5.5, Chiefs 5.6Net yards per play: Chiefs +0.7, Bills +0.6Passer rating: Mahomes 108.2, Allen 107.2

The edges the Chiefs have are small, and once you factor in the Bills improvement over the last half of the season, you can make a reasonable argument for Buffalo being the NFLs best team heading into the playoffs.

Allens huge jump has been the headline to the Bills season. Mahomes once looked like a lock to win MVP, and now he might finish third behind Allen and presumptive winner Aaron Rodgers. Allen has 15 touchdowns, two interceptions and a 117.5 passer rating over Buffalos last five games, and their schedule included some good defenses. Some of his throws seem impossible, Mahomes-esque even. Mahomes is a great quarterback already, but theres no reason to believe Allen cant at least be a reasonable facsimile for many years to come.

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The Chiefs are still the favorite to win it all this postseason. They are a fantastic team with a future Hall of Fame quarterback and have a lot more playoff experience than the Bills. The Chiefs also have the No. 1 seed and the lone bye in the AFC. That gives the top team an enormous edge in the playoffs, which will end up being the biggest drawback of the expanded playoff field.

The Chiefs also beat the Bills decisively on Oct. 19. Allen had a rough day. The Bills had just 206 yards. The Chiefs had 466 yards. The final score of 26-17 doesnt reflect the blowout the game really was. Kansas City has shown it can beat Buffalo, and we cant be too sure if Buffalo can return the favor.

However, even if the Chiefs are the best team in the NFL, the best team often doesnt make it to the finish line. The 2019 Baltimore Ravens were the best team in the regular season and it didnt matter. They lost their first playoff game. There are plenty of other teams that were the best in the NFL in their respective season and didnt make the Super Bowl, like the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, 2005 Indianapolis Colts and 2011 Green Bay Packers. The unpredictable nature of the playoffs also applies to the Bills. Just because they are very good doesnt mean they cant be beaten by the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday or whoever theyd play after that.

It will take a great effort to beat the Chiefs. But they are beatable. Especially if they face the Bills.

Here are the NFL power rankings after Week 17:

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15, Last Week: 32)

The Urban Meyer possibility is interesting. Its also risky. There are many enticing offensive coordinators, Jacksonvilles opening should be near the top of the list of vacant jobs and they will presumably land Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the draft. Its essential the Jaguars get this hire right, whether its Meyer or someone else.

31. New York Jets (2-14, LW: 31)

I cant see a way the Jets pass on a quarterback at No. 2. Perhaps a team falls in love with Zach Wilson or Justin Fields and gives up a ton to move up. A bounty for the second pick would make sense. The Jets have a lot of holes to fill. But passing on a quarterback when Sam Darnold has shown so little would be a gamble they might hear about for years.

30. Detroit Lions (5-11, LW: 30)

While most of the attention will go to what happens next with Matthew Stafford, Kenny Golladays future is unclear too. He will be a free agent. He barely played this season due to a hip injury cynically, its easy to wonder if he shut it down in a contract year but he is a very talented receiver. A franchise tag might lead to a holdout. Its a tricky decision for the Lions new GM, whoever that will be.

29. Cincinnati Bengals (4-11-1, LW: 28)

The Bengals are bringing back Zac Taylor, with owner Mike Brown saying the team is bullish on their coach. It doesnt matter who the Bengals coach is if theyre not willing to invest some resources into key positions, notably the offensive line.

28. Houston Texans (4-12, LW: 29)

Deshaun Watson deserves better. From the top down. We overrate the quarterbacks importance for coaching candidates. There are many things to consider for a massive life choice other than who a teams quarterback is at that moment. But realistically, what else do the Texans have to sell to any candidate?

27. Philadelphia Eagles (4-11-1, LW: 27)

The Doug Pederson/tanking debate is circular. One thing that should be stated: The effect of tanking outside of the top few picks for a franchise quarterback prospect is entirely overstated. The difference between the Eagles picking at No. 6 or No. 9 overall isnt nearly as big as its made out to be by some.

26. Atlanta Falcons (4-12, LW: 24)

When Russell Gage was drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 draft, he was lauded for his special teams play. This season he put up 786 yards receiving despite starting just eight games. He might not be a high-end starter, but he can be a valuable player for the Falcons for many years to come.

25. Carolina Panthers (5-11, LW: 25)

Teddy Bridgewater had a couple good moments, especially early on. Hes one of the easiest players in the NFL to root for. And it will be tough for the Panthers to get out of his three-year, $63 million contract after one year ($20 million dead cap hit in 2021). Its also prudent for Carolina to start looking for their next quarterback starting right now.

24. Denver Broncos (5-11, LW: 22)

Had the end of the Broncos-Raiders game happened earlier in the season before both teams were eliminated, Vic Fangios mind-numbing decision would have gotten much more attention. The Raiders couldnt decide on whether to go for a 2-point conversion after a touchdown in the final minute. They were shuttling players in and out, Derek Carr was frantically waving to his teammates, the Raiders were likely to have to take a delay-of-game penalty ... and Fangio called timeout. It was inexplicable. It was even worse when, after the Raiders got that conversion, the Broncos didnt have a timeout to use on a completion over the middle in the final seconds. Fangios game management has to get better by next season.

23. Dallas Cowboys (6-10, LW: 21)

Headline in the Dallas Morning News after the Cowboys Week 17 loss: Contract talks between Cowboys, Dak Prescott can officially resume. Surely nobody will tire of that topic over the offseason.

22. New York Giants (6-10, LW: 23)

These two things can both be true: The Giants cant whine too much about missing the playoffs with a 6-10 record. And the Giants can still be frustrated that the Eagles seemingly went out of their way to lose, which goes against pretty much everything professional football is about. It doesnt have to be one or the other.

21. San Francisco 49ers (6-10, LW: 19)

The 49ers would probably be happy to see popular defensive coordinator Robert Saleh get a head-coaching job. Given that there are six openings (so far), it seems likely he will get one. However, it will also be a massive blow if Saleh leaves. He has been a big part of the 49ers recent success.

20. Washington Football Team (7-9, LW: 26)

Lost in the hubbub over Doug Pedersons decisions was that Washington absolutely struggled to beat a team whose coach seemed to be trying to lose. Thats not the best sign going into a playoff game.

19. New England Patriots (7-9, LW: 20)

Its fine for the Patriots if they move on from Cam Newton, who had a bad season passing the ball. But its not going to be easy to find a difference-making quarterback. The Patriots are in the post-Peyton Manning phase the Broncos have been in, not bad enough to be in a spot to draft a great prospect, without any great options in free agency or likely in the trade market either. Its a tough position to be in.

18. Las Vegas Raiders (8-8, LW: 18)

Nelson Agholor, a punch line in Philadelphia, settled for a one-year deal worth a little more than $1 million with the Raiders. He was one of the surprises of the season, with 896 yards and eight touchdowns. The hard part for the Raiders will be whether to believe in the breakthrough, and whether to sign Agholor to a much bigger deal before he hits free agency.

17. Minnesota Vikings (7-9, LW: 17)

Kirk Cousins average season since joining the Vikings three years ago: 4,055 yards, 30 TD, 10 INT, 69% completion percentage, 103.6 passer rating. Cousins might never be an MVP candidate, but hes not the biggest problem the Vikings have.

16. Arizona Cardinals (8-8, LW: 15)

Maybe the Cardinals win Sunday and make the playoffs if Kyler Murray didnt get hurt in the first quarter. They would have scored more than seven points, at least. But going 3-6 down the stretch and blowing a playoff spot to an 8-8 Bears team is a rough look for Kliff Kingsbury. Next season is a big one for him.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (7-9, LW: 16)

The best reason the Chargers had to fire Anthony Lynn is theyll never be in a better hiring position. This is a roster with talent and Justin Herbert at quarterback. They play in a new stadium, in Los Angeles, with a tiny fraction of the pressure of any other market its size. It seemed like retaining Lynn was swinging for a single. They can make a big impact hire now.

14. Chicago Bears (8-8, LW: 14)

Yes, the Bears backed into the playoffs at 8-8. Ask 18 NFL teams whose offseasons have started if they would change places with Chicago.

13. Miami Dolphins (10-6, LW: 12)

The embarrassment of a blowout Week 17 loss with a playoff spot on the line doesnt erase the progress the Dolphins made. But it wasnt an ideal finish and there are going to be a lot of questions about Tua Tagovailoa as he goes into a key second season.

12. Los Angeles Rams (10-6, LW: 13)

John Wolford looked decent in his NFL debut, but lets not get too carried away. The Rams didnt score an offensive touchdown and Wolford posted a 64.7 passer rating against a mediocre Cardinals defense. If Wolford has to start on wild-card weekend at Seattle, thats a tough spot for the Rams to be in.

11. Cleveland Browns (11-5, LW: 11)

Over a four-season stretch from 2015-18, the Browns won 11 games total. Getting to 11-5 and making the playoffs is a great season. Next up is trying to get the franchises first playoff win since January 1, 1995, when Bill Belichick outcoached Bill Parcells in a win over the Patriots.

10. Indianapolis Colts (11-5, LW: 10)

The Colts are the best argument for an expanded playoff field. In the old system, the Colts would have been the third 11-5 team to miss the playoffs. They are a quality team and deserved a postseason spot. The Bills might not be so happy about the expanded field, considering they would have gotten a bye and wouldnt have had to deal with an 11-win Colts team in the wild-card round.

9. Tennessee Titans (11-5, LW: 7)

Derrick Henrys 2,027 yards this season ranks fifth all-time. Over Henrys last 38 games, including playoffs, Henry has 4,898 yards and 42 touchdowns. Thats 128.9 rushing yards per game over a long stretch. To put that in perspective, Jim Brown holds the NFL record for rushing yards per game at 104.3 and nobody else is over 100.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-5, LW: 9)

Its worth revisiting this stat ...

Tom Brady, age-43 season: 401 for 610 (65.7%), 4,633 yards, 40 TD, 12 INT, 102.2 passer rating

Every other QB at age 43 or older in NFL history, combined: 215 for 416 (51.7%), 2,562 yards, 22 TD, 22 INT, 66.4 passer rating

7. Baltimore Ravens (11-5, LW: 8)

NFL teams to rush for 400 yards in a game since 1950:

New York Giants (423, Nov. 19, 1950) Cincinnati Bengals (407, Oct. 22, 2000) Chicago Bears (406, Nov. 6, 1955)Ravens (404, Sunday)

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4, LW: 6)

Chase Claypool had 101 yards and a touchdown Sunday, tying Franco Harris and Louis Lipps for the franchise record for touchdowns in a rookie season with 11. Pittsburgh grabbed yet another star receiver after the first round of the draft.

5. Seattle Seahawks (12-4, LW: 5)

The Seahawks havent had more than 236 net passing yards in a game since Week 9. They have failed to get to 200 passing yards in four of their last seven games. Considering Russell Wilson is a Hall-of-Fame level quarterback, this stretch is weird.

4. New Orleans Saints (12-4, LW: 4)

Going 25-7 over two seasons and not getting a first-round bye in either season is unbelievable. If the Saints dont win another Super Bowl before Drew Brees retires, theyll look back and wonder how it eluded them.

3. Green Bay Packers (13-3, LW: 3)

If we believe 10-day forecasts, the weather in Green Bay wont get below 19 degrees over that time with the highs in the upper 20s and lower 30s. Thats mild for Northeast Wisconsin in January. Its looking possible that at least the Packers first playoff game wont be that cold.

2. Buffalo Bills (13-3, LW: 2)

John Brown played for the first time since Nov. 15 and had 72 yards and a touchdown. Getting Brown healthy right before the playoffs is another good sign for the Bills. He can be an important factor this month.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-2, LW: 1)

If there is an argument to be made for the Chiefs being a bit overrated its their reliance on winning one-score games. One-score games are generally coin flips, and the Chiefs had seven straight wins by six or fewer points. Even for a team with a great coach-quarterback combination, thats obviously unsustainable. The last time the Chiefs won by more than one score was Nov. 1 against the New York Jets. In the Bills last eight games theyre 7-1 and every win was by double digits. Theres no shame in going 14-2 with eight of the wins being by one score or less, because 14-2 is impressive no matter what. But this isnt the dominating Chiefs season its usually portrayed as.

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As the dust was clearing amid the chaos of President Donald Trumps supporting storming the U.S. Capitol, Philadelphia 76ers head coach Doc Rivers asked a pointed question while speaking with reporters Wednesday.

Rivers, speaking ahead of Wednesdays game against the Washington Wizards, wanted to know what would have happened if it was a mob of Black people breaching the Capitol, breaking windows and grappling with police.

Its pretty disturbing, obviously, sad. But what its not is I keep hearing this attack on democracy, its not. Democracy will prevail. It always does. It shows a lot though. When you saw the protests in summer, you saw the riots or more the police and the national guard and the army. And then you see this and you saw nothing. It basically proves the point about a privileged life in a lot of ways.

Ill say it because I dont think a lot of people want to, could you imagine today if those were all Black people storming the Capitol and what wouldve happened? So that to me is a picture thats worth 1,000 words for all of us to see and probably something for us to reckon with again. No police dogs turned on people, no billy clubs hitting people, people peacefully being escorted out of the Capitol. So it shows that you can disperse a crowd peacefully, I guess, would be the one thing.

But its a sad day in a lot of ways, not good for our country, more across the borders, that people see this. But its part of what we are and so we have to solve it.

The query came as many on social media noted the difference in reception Trumps supporters faced compared to peaceful Black Lives Matters protesters last summer, and even a sit-in by disabled people in the same building. Michele Roberts, executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, echoed the sentiment to ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Capitol was eventually secured over four hours after its breach, with 13 arrests made as of Wednesday evening and one woman shot dead.

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Rivers has long been among the more politically outspoken coaches in the NBA, discussing at length the shooting of Jacob Blake last summer and openly disregarding Trumps opposition to the leagues racial justice protests. He wasnt alone discussing the chaos at the Capitol on Wednesday, as several other NBA coaches even some who have been hesitant to talk politics in the past denounced what was happening in D.C.

Among the coaches talking about the storming of the Capitol were Washington Wizards coach Scott Brooks, Atlanta Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce and Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens:

Many NBA players were speaking out as well, reacting on social media with a mixture of shock, disgust and amusement:

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A few weeks into the season, Russell Wilson looked like hed go wire-to-wire in the MVP race.

By the end of the season, nobody could know what to expect from the Seattle Seahawks passing game in the playoffs.

Wilson and the Seahawks take on the Los Angeles Rams in a wild-card matchup on Saturday afternoon, a game that can be live-streamed on the Yahoo Sports app. The Rams have quarterback issues. Jared Goff will be less than two weeks removed from thumb surgery. If he cant go, John Wolford will make his second career start. L.A. head coach Sean McVay has said he wont announce a decision before kickoff.

We know the Rams have concerns. But what has happened to Seattles passing game?

Through eight games this season, Wilson had 2,541 yards, 28 touchdowns and a 117.1 passer rating. He was on pace to challenge single-season passing records. The fact that Wilson has never received an MVP vote was repeated a few thousand times. Wilson is a Hall-of-Fame talent but Seattle had never let him operate as a high-volume passer. This seemed like the season it finally happened. He looked like hed win MVP in a runaway.

The second half of the season was a stark difference. Wilson threw for 1,671 yards and 12 touchdowns. Part of that is due to the Seahawks leaning less on Wilson. He had 4.5 fewer passing attempts per game in the second half of the season. However Wilson wasnt efficient either. His rating dipped to 91.3.

Seattle doesnt have a deep set of receivers although DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are two of the NFLs best. Its not like Wilsons talent is in doubt. Seattles passing game just evaporated.

In the second half of the season the Seahawks never had more than 236 net passing yards in a game. Thats shocking in todays NFL for any team, but unexplainable for one with Wilson, Metcalf and Lockett.

Its hard to deny the Seahawks track record. Even if its odd they have limited Wilson in the offense, they win. Even as the pass offense struggled, Seattle went 6-2 and won the NFC West. One win was a decisive 20-9 victory over the Rams in Week 16 to clinch the division title.

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Its also fair to assume that if Seattle is to win four games, including the Super Bowl, Wilson will have to play better than he has the past couple months. Seattles defense has improved tremendously since early in the season. The running game has been good. Maybe that will be enough to beat the Rams, who have a fantastic defense and will presumably want to play a low-scoring game due to their quarterback conundrum. But if the Seahawks match up with Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or any other top quarterback, 200 passing yards probably isnt going to be enough.

Wilson is one of the most talented quarterbacks in NFL history. He has won a Super Bowl before, too. It shouldnt surprise anyone if Wilson turned it on in the postseason and carried the Seahawks to a deep run.

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