Minnesota
Questionable Officiating Surrounds Sam Darnold’s Minnesota Vikings Loss to LA Rams
Former USC Trojans quarterback Sam Darnold and the Minnesota Vikings dropped their second consecutive game with a 30-20 road loss against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. The Vikings dropped to 5-2 overall, and the Rams, who got pivotal players like wide receivers Puka Nakua and Cooper Kupp back in action, moved to 3-4 and have their second straight win. The Thursday Night Football game was well played for the most part, but the game wasn’t without controversy.
The Rams led 28-20 with less than two minutes remaining on the clock in regulation, and the Vikings had the ball backed up on their five-yard line. On what would be the deciding play of the game, Sam Darnold was sacked in the endzone by defensive end Byron Young, resulting in a safety. However, the replay showed a blatant facemask penalty on Darnold that was missed. Young even threw his hands on his head, acknowledging the grave mistake he’d just made, yet no flag ever came out.
“It is what it is. We could’ve done a lot to not put ourselves in the situation we were in. So, we’ve just got to continue to play better and not put ourselves in that position to begin with.” said Darnold in the post-game press conference.
The NFL has had an officiating problem for years, but it’s these types of situations that especially drive spectators, players, and coaches alike to lose their minds. Statistically speaking, the odds were against the Minnesota Vikings driving the length of the field, scoring a touchdown, and also converting the two-point conversion successfully. That is immaterial, though. The Vikings were robbed of the opportunity to at least have the chance to do so.
Referee thought Sam Darnold decided to just twist his own head off. No facemask. Just Darnold trying to go full Exorcist out there. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/ba7EDjodAQ
— Michael Hurley (@michaelFhurley) October 25, 2024
The former USC Trojan, Darnold played a solid ball game against a hungry Rams defense and pass-rush attack. Darnold was 18/25 for 240 yards and two touchdowns. The Vikings’ offense came out of the gate, firing on all cylinders and scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions. The offense only mustered two field goals after that. One in the third quarter and one in the fourth quarter. Darnold was sacked three times and pressured a handful of other snaps.
Starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw left the game with a leg injury right before halftime, and the ramifications were felt as the Rams’ pass rush imposed its will on Darnold and the Vikings’ pass protection. It was a tough loss for the Vikings, but the season is far from over. Sam Darnold has played well enough to prove he’s the man to lead the Vikings. The team simply has to take advantage of its opportunities in crunch time.
They’ll have an extended break after playing on a short week. The Vikings need it as they’re banged up, but everything is still in front of them as a team.
MORE: USC Trojans, Washington Huskies Potential Schedule Snafu With L.A. Dodgers
MORE: USC Trojans Injury Update: Kamari Ramsey, Jaylin Smith, Jacobe Covington vs. Rutgers
MORE: USC Trojans Ranked Most Disappointing: Among Florida State, Michigan, Auburn
MORE: USC Trojans’ Quarterback Miller Moss Is Not The Problem With USC Football
MORE: Bronny James and Lebron James Make History in Los Angeles Lakers Season Opener
MORE: Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams Returns Home vs. Washington Commanders, Jayden Daniels
MORE: USC Trojans’ Lincoln Riley Job At Risk? Hot Seat, Buyout Details
Minnesota
Shorthanded Clippers can’t keep pace with Anthony Edwards and Minnesota
Anthony Edwards scored 31 points, Donte DiVincenzo added 18 and the surging Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Clippers 94-88 on Thursday night.
Jaden McDaniels and Ayo Dosunmu each scored 12 points and Rudy Gobert had 13 rebounds to help the Timberwolves improve to 5-1 since Feb. 9 and 3-1 since the All-Star break.
Edwards, returning to the site of the All-Star Game, where he was the MVP, was 12 for 24 from the floor and sealed the victory with a step-back three-pointer over two defenders for a 92-88 lead with 42.9 seconds left.
Minnesota improved to 2-0 on a three-game trip.
Derrick Jones Jr. scored 18 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 14 for the Clippers, who struggled from the outset with a season-low 38 points in the first half. Kris Dunn had 11 points for the Clippers (27-31), who have lost three consecutive games for the first time since December.
The Clippers struggled on offense without star Kawhi Leonard, out because of ankle soreness. The Clippers shot 40.5% from the floor, including 18.2% (four for 22) in the second quarter. Minnesota shot 43.4% in the game.
The Timberwolves (37-23) scored just 15 points in the second quarter and still topped the Clippers, who had 11. Minnesota led 44-38 at halftime behind 12 points from DiVincenzo and 11 from Edwards.
The Clippers led by six in the third quarter and were up 68-63 heading into the fourth. Edwards’ drive and reverse layup put the Timberwolves up for good at 76-74 with 7:40 remaining.
The Clippers pulled within one three times in the last 2½ minutes, but Edwards answered each time. He scored the Timberwolves’ last nine points.
Up next for Clippers: vs. New Orleans on Sunday night.
Minnesota
Church congregant filed lawsuit against alleged Minnesota church protesters
A St. Paul church member has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a group of individuals, including journalist Don Lemon and activist Nekima Levy Armstrong, unlawfully disrupted service last month as part of a coordinated political demonstration.
The complaint, filed by Ann Doucette in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota, alleges that a Jan. 18 demonstration at Cities Church interfered with her ability to worship and caused her to suffer damages, including emotional distress and trauma.
In addition to the former CNN anchor and Armstrong, the complaint names journalist Georgia Fort and activists Will Kelly, Jerome Richardson, Trahern Crews and Jamael Lundy. It also names St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen.
Doucette and seven of the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Doucette filed the complaint without the representation of an attorney. In an emailed statement to NBC News, Crews denied the lawsuit’s allegations “with empathy and compassion.”
The lawsuit accuses the group of civil conspiracy, aiding and abetting, intentional infliction of emotional distress, interference with religious exercise and trespassing.
“As a result of Defendants’ actions, the worship service was disrupted, congregants experienced fear and distress, and Plaintiff’s ability to freely exercise her religion in a private place of worship was unlawfully interfered with,” the lawsuit states.
All eight defendants are also facing federal charges for conspiracy against the rights of religious freedom at a place of worship and for interfering with the exercise of the right of religious freedom. Lemon has pleaded not guilty to all charges, saying outside the court, “I wanted to say this isn’t just about me, this is about all journalists, especially in the United States.”
Fort, Crews and Lundy were released on bond and entered not guilty pleas, according to The Associated Press.
This is the latest legal action tied to protests in the Twin Cities, where tensions remain over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
According to the lawsuit, the demonstrators engaged in “coordinated conduct” by organizing meetings ahead of the “Operation Pullup” protest and promoting it on social media.
The lawsuit alleges that on the morning of Jan. 18, a coordinated group of individuals entered Cities Church, halting the worship service, and chanting “‘ICE Out!’ and ‘Hands Up, Don’t Shoot!’” while obstructing aisles. Protesters could allegedly be seen “confronting the pastor and congregants in a menacing manner,” the lawsuit says, noting that their chanting and “aggressive gestures” caused “severe emotional distress, fear, anxiety, and trauma” and caused children “terror.”
Demonstrators gathered at the church because they said its pastor, David Easterwood, was the acting director of an ICE field office in the city, the lawsuit says.
Lemon was arrested in January in California and accused of violating federal civil rights law after covering the protest on Jan. 18. He was released on a personal recognizance bond before a federal grand jury in Minnesota returned the indictment against Lemon and eight co-defendants, all of whom are also named in Doucette’s lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Doucette alleges that Lemon specifically livestreamed the protest, “noting congregants’ fear and distress, and appeared to take satisfaction in the disruption.”
Levy Armstrong, a Minneapolis-based civil rights attorney and activist, was also arrested for her participation in the St. Paul protest. Her arrest drew national attention after the White House shared on social media doctored photos where she appeared to be crying.
Minnesota
Man arrested, charged with threatening to kill a state senator
A Hubbard County man was arrested and charged after threatening to kill a Minnesota state senator on Facebook.
Court documents filed on Wednesday state the Minnesota State Patrol were investigating a threat posted by John Tobias saying that he would “kill every one of you treasonous [expletive] immediately” if he did not get money back that he claims he lost during the 2020 COVID shutdown.
Court documents go on to say that Tobias then called the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office asking for something to be done about “Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ‘unconstitutionally’ shutting down the state due to COVID-19.
The Minnesota State Patrol contacted Hubbard County deputies regarding Tobias. Court documents state Hubbard County investigators were already familiar with Tobais after speaking with him regarding similar threats he made in Jan.
The charging documents state that investigators searched Tobias’ residence on Tuesday and found an arsenal of guns and 45 boxes of ammunition.
Tobias was taken into custody. During an interview with law enforcement, Tobias admitted to making the threat on Facebook. He also told investigators that “he did not have any intention of killing anyone, but admitted he was trying to get people’s attention,” according to court records.
In late 2025, Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol, who oversees Capitol security, told a panel of lawmakers that threats to lawmakers had doubled between 2024 and 2025.
Tobias made his first court appearance Wednesday morning and is expected back in court early next month.
-
World1 day agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts2 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Montana1 week ago2026 MHSA Montana Wrestling State Championship Brackets And Results – FloWrestling
-
Oklahoma1 week agoWildfires rage in Oklahoma as thousands urged to evacuate a small city
-
Louisiana4 days agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Technology6 days agoYouTube TV billing scam emails are hitting inboxes
-
Denver, CO2 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Technology6 days agoStellantis is in a crisis of its own making