Dear Eric: I’m a newly published children’s book author and pet advocate. After my book was published, I approached a local shelter informing them I would be donating a portion of book sales to their shelter. In return, they were going to promote my book.
I presumed it would be a win-win for both parties.
A month went by before a post went out on social media. A month later, the same post ended up in their emailed newsletter. Nothing more was sent.
Later, I graciously offered to donate 10 of my books for a raffle. They were excited.
The following day I was told due to the number of raffle baskets, there wasn’t any room to hold flyers with my bio or QR codes for my book. I explained, since the event was sold out, this would be a great opportunity to offer the flyers to those who would want to buy one of my books. A portion of the proceeds would be going back to them. I never heard back.
I was upset because I felt they didn’t support me like I was supporting them. I’ve since severed my relationship with them. As far as the proceeds, I sold all the books due to my marketing. They didn’t contribute in any way. I’m considering not donating these proceeds because of their lack of support.
– Upset Author
Dear Author: Congratulations on your book. I hope this experience doesn’t dampen your excitement.
A shelter is not a marketing agency. If you care about the actual work that the shelter does, and want to see it continue, you should make good on your promise to donate. If you were hoping to use the shelter to supplement your sales, you should still make good on your promise because it’s unfair to expect an animal shelter to promote your book with the same energy and consistency that you do. While they stood to benefit, selling more books profits you the most.
From the way you’ve written it – and forgive me if this is a misreading – you approached the shelter with a fully formed plan. Did you consider their capacity for promotional support? I’m worried you had an unrealistic expectation and that’s what’s causing your resentment.
It would be different if this was structured as a partnership between you and the shelter, because then both parties could decide if the work was worth the projected income. But you presented it as a donation. When you get a tax receipt for a donation, most, if not all, nonprofits state that the gift was not given in return for goods or services. So, it will help you to think of your donation as being free and clear of stipulations and structure any future arrangements differently.
Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.
Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.
Read MoreDear Eric: A few years ago, I noticed a change in a close friend of more than four decades. She is beloved, kind, supportive and generous and has been a great friend over the decades. Yet, she has become more strident in her opinions, almost to the point of bullying.
She wasn’t always like this. Her husband and I are the main recipients of this behavior – I’ve seen her make fun of her husband in front of other people, but he just shrugs it off. I don’t see her doing this to her other friends and family members.
The last time I saw her, over a month ago, she called me stupid in front of other friends at a group dinner when I politely disagreed with her on a topic and a mutual friend in the group called her out on it. My friend never apologized to me. This was hurtful, and at this point, I am inclined to distance myself from her, although this is very painful because she has been an important part of my life and I’ve been a loyal friend to her.
I’m tired of being her punching bag and I don’t know why she does this, but I also don’t know what to do about it anymore.
– Frustrated Friend
Dear Friend: Different aspects of our personalities can emerge as we age, so it’s possible that this is a normal, if unfortunate, new side to your friend. But it’s also possible that it’s health related. Though her husband shrugs it off, it’s worth talking to him about whether he’s noticed any other signs of a problem and how he can help his wife to seek treatment.
With regard to your friendship, however, you should be clear that in order to remain in a relationship, you need an apology, an acknowledgment of the way you feel and a change. Even if a more irritable side of her personality has emerged, there’s no excuse for cruelty. Give her a chance to make this right before stepping away for good.
Read more Asking Eric and other advice columns.
Send questions to R. Eric Thomas at [email protected] or P.O. Box 22474, Philadelphia, PA 19110. Follow him on Instagram and sign up for his weekly newsletter at rericthomas.com.
Read MoreDefensive end Carl Lawson didn’t sign with the Dallas Cowboys until halfway through training camp. He began the season on the practice squad. But on Sunday, Lawson made his third start in a row for Dallas and rang up two sacks of Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins in the Cowboys’ 27-21 loss.
Lawson had one-half sack for the 2024 season entering Sunday’s game, and his most recent full sack had come during the 2022 season.
But against Atlanta, Lawson recorded his fourth game with at least two sacks and his first since Sept. 27, 2020.
Lawson caused Cousins to fumble in the second quarter, and Dallas recovered at its 33-yard line.
Lawson was among the 16 former Auburn players who got on the field on the ninth Sunday of the NFL’s 105th season.
One other former Auburn player was involved in the Dallas-Atlanta game:
· Cowboys wide receiver Seth Williams (Paul Bryant) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
In the other Sunday games:
Baltimore Ravens 41, Denver Broncos 10
· Bo Nix (Pinson Valley) started at quarterback for the Broncos. Nix completed 19-of-33 passes for 223 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and ran six times for 36 yards. Nix also caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Courtland Sutton to cut Baltimore’s lead to 10-7 with 7:15 left in the first half. Nix lost a touchdown run to a holding penalty, and his interception bounced off a receiver’s hands.
RELATED: QUARTERBACK BO NIX TURNS INTO A RECEIVER FOR THE BRONCOS
· Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham dressed for the game but did not play.
Buffalo Bills 30, Miami Dolphins 27
· Dolphins wide receiver Anthony Schwartz is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Carolina Panthers 23, New Orleans Saints 22
· Derrick Brown is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Cincinnati Bengals 41, Las Vegas Raiders 24
· Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson made all his kicks – three extra points and a 46-yard field goal.
· Bengals guard Tashawn Manning is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Bengals defensive tackle Justin Rogers is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Los Angeles Chargers 27, Cleveland Browns 10
· Chargers long snapper Josh Harris handled the snaps for seven punts, four extra-point tries and one field-goal attempt.
Washington Commanders 27, New York Giants 22
· Noah Igbinoghene (Hewitt-Trussville) started at cornerback for the Commanders. Igbinoghene made three tackles and broke up one pass.
· Darius Slayton started at wide receiver for the Giants. Slayton had three receptions for 49 yards and picked up 11 yards on his first rushing attempt since 2021.
Tennessee Titans 20, New England Patriots 17 (OT)
· Patriots defensive tackle Marcus Harris (Park Crossing) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Jonathan Jones started at cornerback for the Patriots. Jones made three tackles and broke up one pass.
· Roger McCreary (Williamson) started at cornerback for the Titans. McCreary made three tackles and recorded one tackle for loss.
Arizona Cardinals 29, Chicago Bears 9
· Cardinals defensive tackle Angelo Blackson is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Bears defensive tackle Byron Cowart was designated as a game-day inactive.
· Cardinals inside linebacker Owen Pappoe made four tackles and forced a fumble for the first time in his NFL career. (Chicago recovered the fumble.)
Philadelphia Eagles 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 23
· Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby ran for 22 yards on eight carries.
· Eagles offensive lineman Jack Driscoll did not record any stats.
· Jaguars safety Daniel Thomas (Lee-Montgomery) did not record any stats.
· Eagles tight end C.J. Uzomah is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
Detroit Lions 24, Green Bay Packers 14
· Carlton Davis started at cornerback for the Lions. Davis made seven tackles and broke up two passes.
· Packers quarterback Malik Willis dressed for the game but did not play.
· Packers defensive tackle Colby Wooden made one tackle and registered one quarterback hit before leaving with a shoulder injury.
Los Angeles Rams 26, Seattle Seahawks 20 (OT)
· Derick Hall started at strongside linebacker for the Seahawks. Hall made one tackle.
· Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett (Jackson) was designated as a game-day inactive. An ankle injury kept Pritchett off the field.
Minnesota Vikings 21, Indianapolis Colts 13
· Colts cornerback Jaylin Simpson is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Braden Smith started at right offensive tackle for the Colts.
Week 9 started on Thursday night, when the New York Jets defeated the Houston Texans 21-13.
Week 9 concludes on Monday, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. ABC and ESPN will televise the game.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AmarkG1.
Read MoreEntering Sunday’s NFL games, Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs and Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry had recorded six consecutive games with an average of 5.0 yards per rushing attempt. For players with at least 10 carries in each game, their streaks were tied for the longest in the NFL’s AFC/NFC era.
Henry ran for 106 yards on Sunday, but it was Gibbs who became the first player with seven consecutive games with a yards-per-carry average of 5.0 or better.
In the Lions’ 24-14 victory over the Green Bay Packers, Gibbs ran for 65 yards on 11 carries – an average of 5.9 yards per carry — and had an 11-yard reception in the rain at Lambeau Field.
Gibbs scored on a 15-yard run as Detroit took a 24-3 lead with 9:32 left in the third quarter.
The touchdown extended Gibbs’ streak of scoring against NFC North rivals to five games as the Lions raised their record to 7-1 while dropping the Packers to 6-3.
Henry ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries – an average of 4.6 yards per carry that ended his streak — and had a 27-yard reception.
Henry opened the scoring with a 7-yard run with 2:18 left in the first quarter that made him the 10th player in NFL history with 100 touchdown runs in regular-season play.
RELATED: DERRICK HENRY SCORES 100TH NFL RUSHING TOUCHDOWN
Henry also scored on a 6-yard run with 9:36 remaining in the third quarter.
In between the touchdowns, Henry went past 1,000
rushing yards for the season. Nine games into the 2024 campaign, Henry has 1,052 yards and 11 touchdowns on 168 rushing attempts.
RELATED: FORMER ALABAMA ALL-AMERICAN REACHES 1,000 RUSHING YARDS AGAIN
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Franco Harris in 1972 was the first player in the AFC/NFC era with six games in a row with a 5.0-yards-per-carry average. He was followed by the Buffalo Bills’ O.J. Simpson in 1973, Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson in 2009 and Minnesota Vikings’ Adrian Peterson in 2012 before Gibbs and Henry accomplished the feat this season.
Gibbs and Henry were among the 45 former Alabama players who got on the field on the ninth Sunday of the NFL’s 105th season.
Five other former Alabama players were involved in the Detroit-Green Bay game:
· Terrion Arnold started at cornerback for the Lions. Arnold made five tackles.
· Brian Branch started at safety for the Lions. Branch made two tackles before being ejected from the game in the third quarter for a helmet-to-helmet hit on a Green Bay receiver.
RELATED: SEE THE HIT THAT GOT BRIAN BRANCH EJECTED
· Josh Jacobs started at running back for the Packers. Jacobs ran for 95 yards on 13 carries and had two receptions for 13 yards.
· Xavier McKinney started at safety for the Packers. McKinney made five tackles on defense and one tackle on special teams.
· Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams was serving the second game of a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances.
Seven other former Alabama players were involved in the Denver-Baltimore game:
· Ravens cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (St. Paul’s Episcopal) was designated as a game-day inactive. A knee injury kept Armour-Davis off the field.
· Ravens guard Darrian Dalcourt is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Marlon Humphrey (Hoover) started at cornerback for the Ravens. Playing with a knee injury, Humphrey had one tackle and broke up one pass.
· Ravens safety Eddie Jackson was designated as a game-day inactive.
· Broncos linebacker Drew Sanders is on the physically-unable-to-perform list and not eligible to play.
· Patrick Surtain II started at cornerback for the Broncos. Surtain made two tackles.
· Broncos cornerback Levi Wallace did not record any stats.
In the other Sunday games:
Atlanta Falcons 27, Dallas Cowboys 21
· Trevon Diggs started at cornerback for the Cowboys despite a calf injury. Diggs made three tackles and broke up two passes.
· Falcons inside linebacker Rashaan Evans (Auburn High) did not record any stats in his 2024 season debut.
· Falcons safety DeMarcco Hellams is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Falcons running back Jase McClellan was designated as a game-day inactive.
Buffalo Bills 30, Miami Dolphins 27
· Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper was designated as a game-day inactive. A wrist injury kept Cooper out of the lineup.
· Dolphins guard Lester Cotton (Central-Tuscaloosa) did not record any stats.
· Bills safety Kareem Jackson is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Da’Shawn Hand started at defensive tackle for the Dolphins. Hand made three tackles, recorded one tackle for loss, registered one quarterback hit and broke up one pass.
· Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers in on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Tua Tagovailoa started at quarterback for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa completed 25-of-28 passes for 231 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran two times for 3 yards. Tagovailoa threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to running back De’Von Achane as Miami took a 10-3 lead with 3:20 left in the first half and a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle as the Dolphins tied the game at 27-27 with 1:38 to play.
RELATED: DESPITE TUA TAGOVAILOA’S PERFORMANCE, DOLPHINS LOSE TO BILLS AGAIN
· Jaylen Waddle started at wide receiver for the Dolphins. Waddle had two receptions for minus-4 yards and one touchdown. He scored on a 7-yard pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as Miami tied the game at 27-27 with 1:38 to play. After Buffalo kicked a 61-yard field goal with five seconds to play, the Dolphins tried to run a trick play on the final snap, with running back De’Von Achane lateralling the football to Waddle after catching a short pass, and the play ended up taking 23 yards off Waddle’s receiving total.
Carolina Panthers 23, New Orleans Saints 22
· Saints cornerback Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry (Pinson Valley) was designated as a game-day inactive. A hamstring injury kept McKinstry off the field.
· Panthers defensive end LaBryan Ray (James Clemens) reached a career high with five tackles.
· A’Shawn Robinson started at defensive end for the Panthers. Robinson made six tackles and registered one quarterback hit.
· Bryce Young started at quarterback for the Panthers. Young completed 16-of-26 passes for 171 yards with one touchdown and one interception and ran four times for 9 yards. Young threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Xavier Legette as Carolina took a 7-6 lead with 9:59 left in the first half.
RELATED: BRYCE YOUNG EXPERIENCES VICTORY FORMATION FOR FIRST TIME IN NFL
Cincinnati Bengals 41, Las Vegas Raiders 24
· Jordan Battle made five tackles on defense, registered a quarterback hit, broke up a pass and had one tackle on special teams.
· Bengals wide receiver Jermaine Burton was designated as a game-day inactive.
Los Angeles Chargers 27, Cleveland Browns 10
· Bradley Bozeman (Handley) started at center for the Chargers.
· Browns cornerback Tony Brown is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Browns guard Javion Cohen (Central-Phenix City) is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Chargers defensive tackle Justin Eboigbe was designated as a game-day inactive.
· Browns running back Jerome Ford had two carries for 5 yards and a 2-yard reception.
· Jerry Jeudy started at wide receiver for the Browns. Jeudy had seven receptions for 73 yards.
· Browns tight end Cameron Latu is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Chargers offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Chargers punter JK Scott averaged 47.1 yards on seven punts, with a 40.1-yard net. Scott had a 43-yard punt for a fair catch at the Cleveland 9-yard line, a 48-yarder returned 5 yards to the Cleveland 44, a 53-yarder returned 4 yards to the Cleveland 46, a 34-yarder out of bounds at the Cleveland 47, a 51-yarder returned 10 yards to the Cleveland 43, a 46-yarder returned 19 yards to the Cleveland 37 and a 55-yarder returned 11 yards to the Cleveland 22.
· Dalvin Tomlinson started at defensive tackle for the Browns. Tomlinson made three tackles, recorded 1.5 sacks, had two tackles for loss and registered three quarterback hits. Tomlinson had the second game of his career with more than one sack and the third with three quarterback hits.
· Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. did not record any stats. The game was the first of Wills’ 60 with Cleveland that he did not start at left tackle. Wills was returning from a knee injury that sidelined him last week.
Washington Commanders 27, New York Giants 22
· Commanders defensive tackle Jonathan Allen is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Commanders defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis made two tackles before leaving the game to be evaluated for a concussion.
· Giants offensive tackle Evan Neal did not record any stats.
· Daron Payne (Shades Valley) started at defensive tackle for the Commanders. Payne made three tackles.
· Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. (Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa) was designated as a game-day inactive. A hamstring injury kept Robinson out of the lineup.
Tennessee Titans 20, New England Patriots 17 (OT)
· Patriots wide receiver Javon Baker did not record any stats.
· Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore is on the non-football illness list and not eligible to play.
· Anfernee Jennings (Dadeville) started at linebacker for the Patriots. Jennings made five tackles.
· J.C. Latham started at left offensive tackle for the Titans.
· Calvin Ridley started at wide receiver for the Titans. Ridley had five receptions for 73 yards.
Arizona Cardinals 29, Chicago Bears 9
· Cardinals offensive tackle Jonah Williams is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· Mack Wilson (Carver-Montgomery) started at inside linebacker for the Cardinals. Wilson made two tackles and registered one quarterback hit.
Philadelphia Eagles 28, Jacksonville Jaguars 23
· Landon Dickerson started at left guard for the Eagles.
· Jalen Hurts started at quarterback for the Eagles. Hurts completed 18-of-24 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran for 67 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries. Hurts threw touchdown passes of 20 yards to running back Saquon Barkley with 10:22 left in the first quarter and 25 yards to wide receiver DeVonta Smith with 7:43 remaining in the game. Hurts scored on an 18-yard run with 9:25 left in the third quarter.
· Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones dressed for the game but did not play.
· Eagles cornerback Eli Ricks made one tackle on special teams.
· Jaguars running back Keilan Robinson is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
· DeVonta Smith started at wide receiver for the Eagles. Smith had four receptions and 87 yards. He scored on a 25-yard catch with 7:43 left to play.
RELATED: HURTS-TO-SMITH CONNECTION SPARKS EAGLES, PRODUCES HIGHLIGHT-REEL TOUCHDOWN
· Eagles offensive lineman Tyler Steen did not record any stats.
· Eagles defensive tackle Byron Young is on injured reserve and not eligible to play.
Los Angeles Rams 26, Seattle Seahawks 20 (OT)
· Rams tight end Miller Forristall is on the practice squad and not eligible to play.
· Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe made four tackles and broke up one pass. Seattle elevated Jobe from its practice squad to make him eligible to play.
· Jarran Reed started at defensive end for the Seahawks. Reed made two tackles and registered two quarterback hits.
Minnesota Vikings 21, Indianapolis Colts 13
· Colts defensive tackle Raekwon Davis made one tackle.
· Colts safety Ronnie Harrison did not record any stats.
· Ryan Kelly started at center for the Colts.
· Cam Robinson started at left offensive tackle for the Vikings. Robinson started even though he joined Minnesota in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars last week and didn’t practice with the Vikings for the first time until Thursday.
· Vikings kicker Will Reichard (Hoover) made three extra points, but he was wide right on a 53-yard field-goal attempt and hit the right upright on a 31-yard field-goal attempts. Reichard had made all 14 of his field-goal attempts and 20 extra-point tries during his rookie season before Sunday night’s game. Reichard continued to kick even though he was dealing with a quadriceps injury on his kicking leg against Indianapolis.
· Vikings outside linebacker Dallas Turner made two tackles and registered one quarterback hit.
Week 9 started on Thursday night, when the New York Jets defeated the Houston Texans 21-13.
Week 9 concludes on Monday, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs square off at 7:15 p.m. CDT at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. ABC and ESPN will televise the game.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Read MoreSince relationships are investments that often exceed the advertised price, we want to make sure they are worth it. The solar trine to Saturn in intuitive Scorpio has us bringing deep intuition to the examination of relationships. Who do you really feel you can trust and rely on? The answer won’t come in the form of promises, historical patterns or anything logical. You’ll simply feel it.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). There’s no benefit to rushing into a decision. Take a breath and connect to your deepest knowing. Stalling will give you the space to gain clarity, strategize and make the most informed choice when the moment arrives.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Not one to chase experiences for the Instagram post or do things just to tick them off your list, you will bring every bit of your heart and attention to the moment, allowing it to leave its mark on you. You’ll come away changed.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Your contribution should feel joyful, not draining. Where does your energy naturally flow? That’s where you can make the greatest impact. What excites you also holds value for others, even if it feels effortless.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). Untangling a mess will be deeply satisfying. Whether this is about a relationship or a project (and some relationships are both), you’ll find clarity and joy in the process. It’s nice to have the opportunity to make things right.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You’ll focus on what you like and you’ll get more of it. For instance, you like feeling vital and present, so you’ll keep your phone tucked away. You like the loving support of friends, so you make sure to show them they are special to you.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). It’s a day to let your quiet actions speak volumes. The way you solve problems is simple and profound, often speaking only to the truly perceptive or, in other words, the ones who can fully appreciate your subtle genius.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). What would it take to become unshakably sure of yourself? It’s not about succeeding every time — that’s impossible. Instead, it’s a deep-rooted intention to protect, support, love and nurture yourself no matter what happens.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Partnership can be a simple team effort or a merging of elements, like the meeting of two rivers. Lean into the fusion. It’s not “who does what” that matters. It’s what you can do together that will redefine who you are.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Someone is trying to live up to your expectations. The best way you can help is to pause the action, lift the controls, and forget the rules for a day while you try and understand the person you’re asking to comply.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). If Marty McFly taught us anything, it’s that you can’t change a single thing without altering the whole timeline. This is good news for your improvement mission. Don’t be surprised if the small difference you make changes a whole lot for the better.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Communication is the key to connection, and it’s also the key to protection and exclusion because, like all keys, they can lock or unlock. You’ll effectively turn the key to fit your purposes.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Your empathy leads you to feel a little bit of what others are going through for the sake of relating, connecting and acknowledging the invisible bonds of humanity. Your kindness will make all the difference to someone.
TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Nov. 4). Confidence will be a constant companion. Whatever social trepidation you once had, it dissolves as you promote yourself and your goals, all while wearing a relaxed smile. More highlights: An impressive sale and subsequent donation to a dream cause. Relationship rifts heal. You’ll elevate a space; renovations extend inside and out. Taurus and Capricorn adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 9, 14, 20, 23 and 16.
CELEBRITY PROFILES: From his rom-com phase to his reinvention as a serious actor during the “McConaissance,” Matthew McConaughey has consistently evolved, taking on deeper, more complex roles that showcase his emotional range — a classic Scorpio trait of rebirth and growth. Passionate about making a meaningful contribution to society, McConaughey’s podcasting, political activism and bestselling memoir “Greenlights” have extended his influence beyond Hollywood, including teasing the possibility of running for political office in Texas.
Holiday Mathis’ debut novel, “How To Fail Epically in Hollywood,” is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and e-book. Visit creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com.
Read MoreWhen Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts wheeled in for an 18-yard touchdown with 9:25 left in the third quarter, the Eagles had a 22-point lead over the lifeless Jacksonville Jaguars.
Jacksonville had one first down and 36 yards on 21 offensive plays. Philadelphia had 14 first downs and 265 yards on 47 offensive plays.
But before the game was over, Hurts would have to lean on former Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith for the Eagles to come away with a 28-23 victory, including a catch by the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner that coach Nick Sirianni said would “live on in the sports world of Philadelphia for a long time.”
After the Jaguars scored 16 points in a 14-second span, the Hurts-to-Smith connection re-ignited Philadelphia. A 7-yard pass to Smith on third-and-6 picked up a first down before Hurts unloaded a long throw to Smith for a 46-yard gain, then ended the series with a 25-yard touchdown pass to the wide receiver known as the Slim Reaper.
“I didn’t have great vision on DeVonta,” Hurts said of the TD toss. “But I knew where he was going to be. I threw it to a spot where only he could get it, and that’s a hell of a play he made. I’ve seen him make that play in practice. I’ve seen him in the back of the end zone stick one hand out there and make that same very play, so that’s what I’m most excited about. …
“There’s a lot of things that we go out there and rep, and it’s off of feel, it’s off of timing and there’s sometimes where the vision isn’t there. Sometimes you have a tackle or a guard in your face or you have pressure or you don’t have the greatest vision on it.”
Smith made a one-handed catch at the end line to give the Eagles a 28-16 lead with 7:43 to play.
“In our catch circuit is making those one-handed, over-the-shoulder catches,” Smith said. “So I think that’s part of it. And I think just me having a good feel of where I’m at on the field, being aware when I’m close to the sidelines. Really just letting my legs go dead and get ready to drag. …
“(Hurts) does a great job of letting guys run under the ball and throwing a firm ball for us to just go and attack. It’s a trust thing. Even on the touchdown, he knew he had to get rid of the ball, he knew he had to throw it to a spot, and he trusted me to be there, and we made it work.”
The highlight-reel reception – and linebacker Nakobe Dean’s interception at the Philadelphia 20-yard line with 1:38 to play after the Eagles had missed a field-goal attempt – allowed Philadelphia to hold on for its fourth straight win.
Smith had four receptions for 87 yards for one touchdown after wide receiver AJ Brown left the game because of a knee injury with two minutes remaining in the first half.
“We missed him out there,” Sirianni said. “I thought DeVonta did an unbelievable job in his absence. We have two go-to guys. DeVonta got even more balls his way, and he made some unreal plays. …
“That’s two weeks in a row that Jalen has put a perfect ball on him in tight coverage, and Smitty has made a spectacular play.”
The Eagles failed on three 2-point conversion attempts while the Jaguars succeeded twice – after quarterback Trevor Lawrence capped Jacksonville’s first drive of any consequence with a 1-yard plunge with 5:26 left in the third quarter and defensive end Travon Walker’s 35-yard fumble return with 5:12 to play in the third quarter.
Walker’s touchdown came off a fumble by running back Saquon Barkley, who had 159 yards and one touchdown on 27 rushing attempts and 40 yards and one touchdown on three receptions.
Barkley scored the game’s first points on a 20-yard pass from Hurts with 10:22 left in the first quarter, then had a 19-yard run with 22 seconds remaining in the first half.
Hurts completed 18-of-24 passes for 230 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran 13 times for 67 yards and one touchdown.
Hurts became the first player in NFL history with a touchdown pass, a rushing touchdown and a passing-efficiency rating of 115 or higher in three consecutive games on Sunday.
The touchdown run gave Hurts six in the past three games, allowing him to join Cam Newton as the only quarterbacks with six rushing touchdowns in a three-game span during the NFL’s AFC/NFC era. (The former Auburn QB did so for the Carolina Panthers in Weeks 11 through 13 in the 2011 season.)
The Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys at 3:25 p.m. CST Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Philadelphia is 6-2 and Dallas is 3-5 entering the NFC East game.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Read MoreShots fired outside Topgolf in north Birmingham led to a brief lockdown of the facility Sunday.
Before 6 p.m., a male fired shots at a group of males in the parking lot in the 100 block of 24th Street North.
Officer Truman Fitzgerald said no one was injured, but an occupied vehicle was shot into.
Patrons were ushered into Topgolf until the all-clear was given.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Gov. Kay Ivey was evaluated and treated by paramedics at a campaign event for Congressional candidate Caroleene Dobson on Sunday night in Montgomery.
Gina Maiola, the governor’s communications director, released a statement about the incident, which happened at the SweetCreek Farm Market.
“While campaigning for Caroleene Dobson at an event this evening, the governor got dehydrated,” Maiola said. “She received fluids and was evaluated on site out of precaution. She immediately felt better and is at home doing well this evening.”
Ivey, 80, has been Alabama’s governor since April 2017. She started her second four-year term in January 2023.
Ivey announced in September 2019 she had lung cancer and released a statement from her doctor in January 2020 saying he considered her cured after radiation treatment. The governor described the cancer as a small, isolated malignancy.
Read MoreMiami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has had some of the worst games of his NFL career against the Buffalo Bills. Entering Sunday’s contest, Tagovailoa had a 1-7 record as a starting quarterback and a 74.1 passing-efficiency rating against Buffalo. Versus the rest of the NFL, the former Alabama All-American has a 32-14 record and a 100.1 passing-efficiency rating.
Tagovailoa also has fractured ribs, fractured a finger and left three of the games against the Bills early for the locker room, including for a concussion when the teams met on Sept. 12. That caused Tagovailoa to miss the next four games.
In his second contest back on the field on Sunday, Tagovailoa completed 25-of-28 passes for 231 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against the Bills. Tagovailoa’s performance was the eighth in NFL history in which a quarterback with 28 or more passes completed at least 89.2 percent of them.
“I thought Tua played one of his best games since we’ve been working together,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said.
But the Dolphins still lost to Buffalo 30-27 when Tyler Bass made a 61-yard field goal on the final snap of the game.
“Hat’s off to Tyler Bass for making that,” Tagovailoa said. “Hat’s off to their team. They did a great job. It was a great game. There’s things that we could fix on both sides of the ball offensively and defensively, but I think we’re taking a step in the right direction as a team. This wasn’t the result that we wanted, but just got to keep pushing, man. It’s still a long season.”
While Tagovailoa dropped to 1-8 against Buffalo, the Dolphins have only one victory to show for their past 13 games against the Bills, and they lost their eighth in a row in Orchard Park, New York. Miami’s most recent victory over Buffalo on the road came on Dec. 24, 2016.
“We just got to find a way to beat them,” Tagovailoa said. “That’s it. I know it sounds mundane because I say this over and over, but we just got to find a way to beat them.”
The Dolphins tied the game twice in the fourth quarter.
Miami moved 70 yards in nine plays to tie the scored at 20-20 with 12:14 to play on running back De’Von Achane’s 8-yard touchdown run.
On that drive, Tagovailoa scrambled for 4 yards on a fourth-and-4 snap from the Buffalo 25-yard line. Miami scored two plays later.
With 1:38 to play, Tagovailoa tossed a 7-yard TD pass to wide receiver Jaylen Waddle – just back into the game from getting hurt – for a 27-27 tie. The Dolphins went 81 yards in 11 plays to get that touchdown, with Tagovailoa completing 5-of-6 passes for 65 yards during the series.
Tagovailoa’s first touchdown pass went to Achane from 14 yards out as Miami took a 10-3 lead with 3:20 left in the first half. The Dolphins went 97 yards in 14 plays for the game’s first touchdown.
While Buffalo moved to 7-2 with its fourth straight victory, Miami dropped to 2-6 with its third loss in a row.
“I would say we took a step in the right direction as a team collectively,” Tagovailoa said. “This is the ball that we want to show on Sundays, but there’s a lot of things we’re always going to have to clean up, and we’re going to continue to skin the cat however we need to, and we’re going to move forward with that.”
The Dolphins play the Los Angeles Rams at 7:15 p.m. CST Nov. 11 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
Read MoreThe first penalty of Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch’s NFL career for helmet-to-helmet contact resulted in his ejection from Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
Branch hit Bo Melton square in the face mask with the top of his helmet after a second-and-20 pass from quarterback Jordan Love went through the Green Bay wide receiver’s hands with 6:10 left in the second quarter.
Branch was flagged on the field for the hit. After video review, the former Alabama defensive back was ejected from the game.
After being told of his ejection, Branch picked up an unsportstmanlike-conduct penalty on his way off the field.
The two penalties moved Green Bay from its 38-yard line to the Detroit 32.
A second-round draft choice from the Crimson Tide in 2023, Branch finished fifth in the voting for the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Mainly stationed at nickel corner last season for the Lions, Branch is handling a safety spot in 2024.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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