Sports

Inside F1 Las Vegas’ plans for a successful sequel — and no drain cover drama

Published

4 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Inside F1 Las Vegas’ plans for a successful sequel — and no drain cover drama

LAS VEGAS — The start of Formula One’s Las Vegas residency last November was a major moment in the 73-year history of the sport.

F1 spent over half a billion dollars to put on one of the most-hyped races in its history, taking over the reins of promoting and organizing the entire grand prix.

Despite a bumpy start — a loose water valve cover canceled first practice and severely delayed FP2 on a lousy opening night — the event was a huge success. On the track, the fight for the win went down to the closing laps as Max Verstappen, Sergio Pérez and Charles Leclerc scrapped back and forth for position. The fast-flowing layout, incorporating a long straight down the Strip, proved a hit with the drivers and made for the most entertaining race of the year.

The grand prix was a money-spinner, even with locals’ frustrations resulting from the disruption of having F1 in town. November is typically the city’s eighth-best month of the year. In 2023, it was the second-best month in its history.

“We knew it would be big, but the attention … frankly, F1 did a fantastic job of building up that race,” said Steve Hill, the CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). “It was two or three times more marketing value than we would have expected going in. We would have been happy with a third of what we got.

“We were going to be thrilled with what we expected, but what we got was eye-opening.”

As F1 returns for its second shot in Las Vegas, there is a new dynamic. The novelty factor has diminished, but in its place comes experience and, for the organizers, a playbook to work from. There is a bar to try and meet once again.

The spotlight on the race action in Las Vegas has only increased thanks to the closer competitive picture through 2024. By this point last year, Verstappen had already long been crowned champion; now, there is a chance he could clinch his fourth title Saturday night, so long as he finishes ahead of Lando Norris.

The potential of F1 crowning a champion at its glitziest event is appealing for the sport and something the race organizers know would offer a unique chance to put a Las Vegas twist on the celebrations.

“I’m sure that we would be able to pull some ideas out of our hat, maybe pre-arrange some pretty exciting opportunities,” Renee Wilm, CEO of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, said of a potential coronation, noting the high-end hospitality options at the properties along the Strip. “There’s so many opportunities to highlight the drivers, and particularly if we actually do have the benefit of being able to get a champion.”

While the organizers of the race may not be able to influence the sporting spectacle, the success of last year’s Saturday night race was enough reassurance that no changes were needed for 2024. The circuit remains unchanged, but they anticipate heightened fan interest with a late-season championship fight underway.

“In the U.S., we love to see good competition, and it’s less about who the particular team or driver is,” Wilm said. “So to know that there is still so much on the line and that the championship is going to be up for grabs, and the fact you’ve had so many different drivers on the podium is itself creating a lot of excitement and buzz.”

A different approach has been taken to appeal to fans for the second running of the race. In the lead-up to the 2023 grand prix, there was scrutiny of high ticket prices and how unaffordable it would be for people to attend. This year, over 10,000 extra general admission tickets have been made available across three fan zones as part of rejigging the ticket inventory. The hope is to make it a race that can cater to everybody, not just those chasing high-end experiences.

The Las Vegas Grand Prix also changed how it marketed the race, starting the build-up around 100 days out instead of over a year in advance. Wilm said in October that ticket sales had been “pretty consistent with what we did expect” and that she anticipated a surge closer to the race due to Las Vegas’ reputation as a last-minute town. She also believed many fans would wait until after the U.S. presidential election, which may have left some “a little hesitant to know what their November is going to look like.”

According to a statement issued by the race last week, 300,000 attendees are expected “based on calculated data from ticket sales and bookings for race-related programming.”

A more concerted effort has also been made to connect with the local community ahead of the second year. A free fan festival will take place Friday and Saturday, giving attendees a chance to get a flavor of what F1 brings to Las Vegas, with tickets quickly being fully reserved. Hill thought it would help “build both goodwill in the community and an additional fan base in the southwest” of the United States.

Race organizers have taken efforts to inform the public about traffic around the race. (Dan Istitene / Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Developing goodwill with the community was particularly important after the frustration many locals in Las Vegas felt about the level of disruption last year. The requirements of repaving the sections of the road for the circuit — taking 10 inches off the surface and replacing it with one suitable for F1 cars — led to significant road closures and traffic issues. With so much of the construction work already completed last year, there wasn’t a need to repeat it this year.

“This year, the community knows more about what to expect, and what we’re doing is not building the circuit,” Hill said. “We really didn’t start any kind of lane disruption until the first week of October, where last year, that started in the middle of April. It just wears you out after a while.”

Wilm said they were “just light years ahead of where we were October of last year, in terms of local sentiment. This is the Las Vegas Grand Prix. It’s also Liberty and Formula One’s grand prix. So it is so important to us that everyone embraces this event as much as we do.”

Communication with locals is one area the organizers of the race felt there was room for improvement. “We communicated, but we didn’t communicate with the level of sophistication that this race demands,” Terry Miller, the general manager who oversees the track construction, told The Athletic. In 2024, the race improved a bespoke, interactive website to provide all the information about road closures and any possible disruption. It introduced a texting program, giving locals a “week ahead” view, and met with over 900 stakeholders to ensure no surprises.

Another surprise from 2023 that F1 will be keen to avoid is the disruption caused by the loose water valve cover Thursday night that destroyed Carlos Sainz’s Ferrari, caused FP1 to be canceled after eight minutes and delayed FP2 so long that police asked fans to leave the track by that point. While it was hardly the first time a utility cover had come up at an F1 street track, it was by far the most infamous incident.

Miller explained that new protocols are in place for this year. “Due to what occurred last year, we do have, in fact, a protocol and a process that we’ve gone through over the last five months to secure the lids, even to the point where we will do three or four visual checks of what’s going on in the roadway before and after a race event,” he said, confirming there were extra checks after what happened last year.

“You can never guarantee that nothing is going to happen,” he said. “But you can certainly have the mitigating efforts in place to reduce the risk, and that’s what we’ve done.”

Even with the frustration felt by some in Las Vegas, the commercial success of the race was significant. A report by Clark County estimated the total economic impact of the grand prix to be $1.5 billion, $884 million of which came through visitor spending. It raised $77 million in tax revenue and turned what is normally the second-worst weekend of the year into “one of the best weekends we’ve ever had,” according to Hill, surpassing all expectations.

Matching that in 2024 is going to be a big ask, nor is there an expectation it can be repeated in quite such spectacular fashion. “We’re not probably going to be able to compete with year one numbers again, and (we) don’t need to in order for it to be successful,” Hill said. “If the numbers were half that, it would still be a game changer.”

It means a successful second running of the Las Vegas Grand Prix is more about sustainability — putting on another spectacular show with fewer issues or frustrations. Not everything will be to everyone’s liking. The start time of 10 p.m. PT Saturday remains unchanged, and it will inevitably bother drivers and their team personnel; a fresh dose of time zone confusion to kick off a tripleheader that continues with two weeks in the Middle East to see out the season.

While there is a desire to reduce the demands placed on drivers for the “spectacle” around the grand prix, the show versus sport debate will also likely reignite when they get to the paddock Wednesday.

But now it’s about reaching what Hill thought was “an equilibrium point” between excitement over something new and the uncertainty or concern it could cause locally, proving this can be an event for the long term.

“That kind of sustainability matters a lot,” Hill said. “It’s a tough race to put on, it’s down one of the busiest streets in the world and putting that on is not an easy thing to do. But it’s going to be a fantastic week.”

(Top photo: Bob Kupbens / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Sports

Republican leaders urge conference to ban trans athletes in women's sports amid San Jose State controversy

Published

5 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

Republican leaders from Congress expressed “serious concern” with the Mountain West Conference about transgender women participating in women’s sports.

Thirteen officials signed a letter to Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, urging the conference to prohibit transgender athletes from playing against biological women.

“We write with serious concerns about the safety and fair competition standards for female athletes participating in the Mountain West Conference,” the letter, signed by members of the U.S. House and U.S. Senate, says.

The letter was sent amid controversy at San Jose State University, where Blaire Fleming, a transgender woman, plays for the women’s volleyball team.

The Mountain West logo on display during a college football game between the Idaho Vandals and the University of Wyoming Cowboys Sept. 7, 2024, at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyo. (Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Several teams have forfeited games against the Spartans this season.

“Title IX was established over 50 years ago to even the playing field for women. Since its implementation, women have participated in safer and fairer competition — but recent events have shown this is at risk,” the letter states.

“Recently, members of your conference have forfeited games, risking their competitive standings to ensure the safety of their female athletes. The Mountain West Conference’s failure to prohibit biological males from competing in women’s sports is unfair to the women and girls who have worked tirelessly to compete at the collegiate level. We applaud the bravery of these female athletes and the universities in our home states for taking a stand to preserve Title IX when the Mountain West Conference would not.

“Permitting biological men to play in women’s sports is not equitable; it is an injustice. Under these guidelines, it is only fair that biological males play men’s sports and biological females play women’s sports. Clearly, the Mountain West Conference has dropped the ball.

Blaire Fleming of the San Jose State Spartans reacts during the second set against the Air Force Falcons at Falcon Court at East Gym Oct. 19, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo. (Andrew Wevers/Getty Images)

“Life isn’t fair, but sports should be. We urge you to address these inequities in women’s sports in the Mountain West Conference immediately, and we look forward to working with you to support women in collegiate sports.”

Fleming has been one of the top players in the conference and an offensive anchor for San Jose State this season, even amid the controversy. Fleming is third in the conference in average kills per serve with 3.86 and amassed 297 total kills on the year despite playing seven fewer games than expected due to forfeits. It’s helped give San Jose State the third best hitting percentage in the Mountain West.

Fleming’s teammate, Brooke Slusser, is a part of the lawsuit against the NCAA, and she filed another suit alongside other Mountain West players against the conference over the alleged presence of her transgender teammate. Slusser has alleged the school deliberately hid Fleming’s natural birth sex from her and other players on the team and around the conference.

San Jose State has repeatedly defended the presence of Fleming on the team.

Blaire Fleming, a redshirt senior at San Jose State University, plays as an outside and right-side hitter on the women’s volleyball team. (San Jose State University)

“Our athletes all comply with NCAA and Mountain West Conference policies and are eligible to play under the rules of those organizations. Our volleyball team members have earned the right to compete, and we are deeply disappointed for them and with them that they are being denied those opportunities through cancellations and forfeits. We are also proud of how they have persevered through these challenges on the court,” a statement provided to Fox News Digital by a university spokesperson said.

Fox News’ Jackson Thompson contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Sports

Behind Comcast's big TV deal: a bleak picture for once mighty cable industry

Published

5 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

Behind Comcast's big TV deal: a bleak picture for once mighty cable industry

When Comcast swallowed NBC and Universal Studios 14 years ago, the sibling cable channels USA Network, Bravo and CNBC were considered diamonds in the rough.

USA Network had gained traction with its “Blue Skies” programming strategy: sunny and upbeat TV programs infused with a buoyant energy and natural light. The cable channels were NBCUniversal’s equivalent of blue skies, routinely delivering three-quarters of the company’s profit. In 2012, cable networks threw off a robust $3.3 billion in cash flow.

Times have changed.

Comcast this week announced its plans to jettison all but one cable channel into a separate, stand-alone publicly traded company that will take shape over the next year.

“This is a reminder that the cable television network business is yesterday’s news,” analyst Craig Moffett said Wednesday in an interview. “If it feels like Comcast is shedding itself of an albatross — that’s because it is.”

For now, Comcast’s cable channels remain a viable business by generating $7 billion in annual revenue. But you have only to look at the properties the Philadelphia cable giant is keeping to see how the top brass has picked future winners and losers in a fast-changing media landscape.

Comcast will hold on to the NBC broadcast network, with its NBC News and NBC Sports units, along with its prolific Los Angeles-based Universal film and television studios, Universal Studios theme parks, local TV stations, including KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, and streaming service Peacock, which now has 36 million subscribers.

The lone cable outlet set to remain within NBCUniversal is Bravo, which has a bold brand, cultural cachet and the “Real Housewives” franchises. Company executives reviewed data that showed NBC and Bravo shows had strong viewership on Peacock, insiders said.

The spinoff company will be composed of the remainder of the cable channels, including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, Syfy, E! and the Golf Channel as well as digital properties, including Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango and SportsEngine.

Comcast’s move is the strongest sign yet of alarm reverberating throughout Hollywood’s traditional companies. Cable channels have long been a key economic pillar by generating billions of dollars in cable distribution fees that more than covered up the misses when big-budget movies flopped or during advertising recessions.

No more. Rampant cord-cutting has roiled the television business and linear cable channels — once a mighty draw for couch-potato viewing — have become endangered species.

Industry executives privately acknowledge that they unintentionally contributed to the erosion by making cable channels less appealing — stuffed with endless sitcom reruns, dated movies and extended commercial breaks, contributing to the rise of on-demand streaming services.

Millions of consumers have switched to streaming platforms that offer fewer commercials, or none at all, and lower subscription prices. In the first six months of the year, an additional 4 million customer homes dropped pay-TV, according to a recent MoffettNathanson report.

That’s a 30% decline since 2012, when there were more than 100 million pay-TV homes in the U.S.

Consumers also can cancel streaming services with a click of a button — without haggling with a customer service representative at a pay-TV company call center.

The toll has been enormous. Thousands of entertainment company workers have been laid off in the last four years in seemingly endless waves of restructuring. Traditional media companies have struggled to shore up their slumping stock prices.

In August, Warner Bros. Discovery took a $9-billion write-down on the value of its basic cable portfolio, which includes CNN, TBS, TNT and Cartoon Network. That same month, Paramount Global wrote down $6 billion in value for its cable channels, including MTV, Nickelodeon, VH-1 and Comedy Central.

Pay-TV channel blackouts have become more common. And pioneering satellite TV company DirecTV two months ago announced its plan to buy competing Dish Networks for $1. That merger is expected to face regulators’ scrutiny.

More separations and roll-ups may be coming.

Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav has telegraphed his desire to wheel or deal assets now that President-elect Donald Trump is preparing to take office. Zaslav’s company is desperate to pay down debt taken on two years ago when the smaller Discovery merged with WarnerMedia, relieving AT&T of its entertainment headache.

Although Comcast’s move is bold, the reckoning began seven years ago after Netflix had become the go-to destination for younger viewers. That’s also when Rupert Murdoch, the now 93-year-old media baron, decided to sell much of 21st Century Fox to Walt Disney Co. Some investors and analysts believe the $71-billion price for the Fox assets was wildly overvalued.

Since then, Disney has taken steps to de-emphasize cable distribution, and the Burbank powerhouse is planning to launch ESPN directly to consumers next year — a move that many in the industry believe will mark the tipping point for the cable channel business.

“Comcast is accelerating this pressure [in the cable business] with its success with Peacock, which makes the legacy pay-TV model with multi-channel bundling of cable networks a much more difficult prospect going forward,” Raymond James analyst Frank G. Louthan wrote in a note Wednesday.

Comcast executives say they are not entirely pulling the plug on their cable channel business, noting that the new company will have resources to buy additional channels or other properties to build scale..

“The company will have significant cash flow, a strong balance sheet, and the financial flexibility to pursue growth opportunities, both organically and potentially through acquisitions,” Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said in a note to employees.

The spinoff company, which doesn’t yet have a name, will continued to be controlled by Brian Roberts, chair of Comcast.

Mark Lazarus, who currently serves as chair of NBCUniversal Media Group, will shift to the new company as its chief executive.

Comcast shareholders will receive stock in the new company in tax-free transactions.

Moffett, the analyst, said the cable channel company will face considerable challenges maintaining the channels’ position in the pay-TV and advertising markets.

“This [spinoff] is good news for investors but it’s not a guaranteed success,” Moffett said. “We’ve seen this movie before with Viacom and CBS. Separating the broadcast network from the cable channels could leave the cable channels adrift.”

In 2006, the late mogul Sumner Redstone split his media empire consisting of the cable channels and the Paramount film studio. CBS forged forward with its broadcast network, television studio, Showtime and a book publishing house.

Five years ago, Redstone’s daughter, Shari, reunified the company. In July, she decided to unload the entire enterprise, now called Paramount Global, to the Larry Ellison family. That transaction also faces a regulatory review.

Moffett and other analysts say the spinoff company could struggle to maintain the size of distribution fees that Comcast was able to wrangle from pay-TV operators, thanks to the muscle of NBC and its marquee program, “Sunday Night Football.”

Some analysts wonder whether Comcast is preparing the cable channels to be absorbed by another company or a private equity firm.

“It looks like this is set up for [another] transaction,” Moffett said of the Comcast spin.

Wall Street seemed to endorse the spinoff news. Comcast shares gained 1.6% Wednesday to close at $42.99.

Sports

NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Lions, Bills rolling, plus coaching hot seat check-in

Published

12 hours ago

November 20, 2024

Press Room

NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Lions, Bills rolling, plus coaching hot seat check-in

The NFL coaching carousel looks like it will do good business this offseason. Two head coaches already have been fired, and one of them somehow is not Doug Pederson (yet), and 10 or 11 more might before the start of the 2025 season, including a couple you may not believe

The Week 12 Power Rankings will check in on job security at all 32 franchises. How hot exactly is everyone’s seat? Cold? Room temperature? How about blazing hot, Matt Eberflus?

We’ve also shaken things up at the top, and the bully ball Detroit Lions and coach Dan Campbell are back on top and looking like they intend to stay there.

1. Detroit Lions (9-1)

Last week: 2

Sunday: Beat Jacksonville Jaguars 52-6

Seat temperature check: Cold

There’s no better marriage of coach and city than in Detroit where Dan Campbell has been a one-man city revitalization effort. The Lions are 23-7 (including playoffs) since the beginning of last season. They had 38 first downs and outgained the Jaguars by 475 yards Sunday. Detroit has beaten three teams by at least 38 points this season, and its point differential (plus-15.9 per game) is on pace to be second-highest in the NFL since at least 2000 behind only the 2007 Patriots, according to TruMedia. “If people got problems with what we’re doing or complaining about it, they can just come out here and play better football. That’s the only fix to this problem,” cornerback Carlton Davis said.

Up next: at Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

‘I’m just glad I’m on this side, man’: Lions dismantle Jaguars for yet another blowout win

Last week: 4

Sunday: Beat Kansas City 30-21

Seat temperature check: Cool

Sean McDermott is not going to be fully embraced in Buffalo until he at least gets the Bills to the Super Bowl, but ending the Chiefs’ perfect season is good for morale. McDermott, who is 82-43 since taking the job in 2017, has gone to only one conference title game, and Kansas City ended the Bills’ season there. Sunday established the Bills as a real contender this season, but they’re going to have to prove it again and probably against the same old foe.

Up next: Bye

GO DEEPER

Reassessing AFC contenders: Bills the best? How dangerous are the Steelers? Sando’s Pick Six

3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)

Last week: 1

Sunday: Lost 30-21 to Buffalo Bills

Seat temperature check: Gold

That’s not a typo that should read cold. Andy Reid’s seat is a throne. The 66-year-old will leave Kansas City when he’s ready and not before. He’s under contract through the 2029 season, and that contract is worth $100 million, according to Sportico. Reid needs 62 more wins to pass Don Shula and become the NFL’s all-time winningest coach in the regular season. He would have to stay on a torrid pace to get there by the end of this contract, but he’s on a torrid pace now.

Up next: at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

The T.J. Watt-led defense has the Steelers in the driver’s seat in the AFC North after Sunday’s win against the Ravens. (Barry Reeger / Imagn Images)

Last week: 6

Sunday: Beat Baltimore Ravens 18-16

Seat temperature check: Cold

While the rest of the NFL world marvels at the fact that Mike Tomlin has never had a losing season in 18 years in Pittsburgh, Steelers fans have been wondering when he’s going to have another big-time winning one. Maybe it’s this year. Pittsburgh is winning Tomlin’s way, too. The Steelers are second in scoring defense (16.2 ppg) and doing just enough on offense (14th in scoring, 23.3 ppg). On Sunday, they won for the second time this season without scoring a touchdown.

Up next: at Cleveland Browns, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

Steelers announce themselves as contenders with vintage defensive performance vs. Ravens

Last week: 5

Thursday: Beat Washington Commanders 26-18

Seat temperature check: Room

Nick Sirianni is the only coach who is headed toward a double-digit win season and is still not completely secure in his job. Sirianni is now 42-19 in four years in Philadelphia. That makes him the second-winningest active coach in the league (68.9 percent) behind Jim Harbaugh. Don Shula won a lower percentage of games as a head coach than Sirianni has, but, if we’re being honest, we could see Sirianni doing something goofy enough before the end of the season that Philly’s front office makes a change.

Up next: at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 8:20 p.m.

Last week: 7

Sunday: Beat Chicago Bears 20-19

Seat temperature check: Cold

It’s hard to figure out what the Packers’ ceiling is this season. Jordan Love is tied for the league lead with 11 interceptions, but he had Sunday’s highest yards per attempt (15.4). What’s much easier is assessing Matt LaFleur’s value. His 67.7 winning percentage is third best among active coaches and 12th all time among qualifying coaches. Packers fans might be antsy because he hasn’t been to a conference title game since 2020, but they need to appreciate what they have.

Up next: vs. San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

Last week: 8

Sunday: Beat Tennessee Titans 23-13

Seat temperature check: Cold

Is there one knock on Kevin O’Connell? Of the 10 head coaches hired in 2022, he’s the winningest and one of only two with a winning record. He moved to 28-16 Sunday. O’Connell survived Kirk Cousins’ season-ending injury last year. He’s thriving this year after J.J. McCarthy’s season-ending injury. He was smart enough and secure enough to hire Brian Flores as his defensive coordinator. Honestly, find a person who will say something bad about him.

Up next: at Chicago Bears, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

This graphic is wild pic.twitter.com/9QaYv6wJSV
— Phil Mackey 🎙 (@PhilMackey) November 17, 2024

8. Baltimore Ravens (7-4)

Last week: 3

Sunday: Lost 18-16 to Pittsburgh Steelers

Seat temperature check: Cool

After 17 years and a Super Bowl title, it should be cold, but then a game like Sunday happens. John Harbaugh is the second-longest tenured NFL head coach, but he just fell to 15-21 in head-to-head matchups against the longest-tenured one (Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin). The Ravens are the most penalized team (92 for 763 yards), a total to which they contributed 12 flags for 80 yards against the Steelers.

Up next: at Los Angeles Chargers, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

‘They’ve had our number’: Ravens again unable to overcome themselves in loss to Steelers

9. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)

Last week: 10

Sunday: Beat Cincinnati Bengals 34-27

Seat temperature check: Cold

If Jim Harbaugh can kill “Chargering,” what can’t he do? Sunday night’s shootout against Cincinnati was the kind this organization seems to always lose, but whatever magic Harbaugh brings to his teams carried them through. After the Bengals tied the game at 27-27 early in the fourth quarter, Cincinnati missed two field goals and had four pointless possessions. Los Angeles then marched for the game-winning touchdown. What else is it but magic? Harbaugh improved to 51-22-1 as an NFL coach, and his winning percentage (.696) puts him fifth all time and best among active coaches.

Up next: vs. Baltimore Ravens, Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET

Text from an NFC GM: “The amount of regret some teams have for not hiring Jim Harbaugh when they had the chance… It’s very real.”
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 18, 2024

10. Washington Commanders (7-4)

Last week: 9

Thursday: Lost to Philadelphia Eagles 26-18

Seat temperature check: Cool

Even after a two-game losing streak, almost everyone in Washington is still smiling. Jayden Daniels is the biggest reason for that, but Dan Quinn deserves credit, too. Quinn’s upbeat, high-octane style has been perfect for a Commanders organization that needed some good vibes. If there’s a concern, it’s that Daniels is 24th in EPA per dropback (minus-.08) in the last two weeks compared with second in the first nine weeks (.35). It could be a blip, but it could be defenses figured out the rookie and offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury.

Up next: vs. Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Last week: 17

Sunday: Beat Atlanta Falcons 38-6

Seat temperature check: Cold

Sean Payton completed a four-game sweep of the NFC South on Sunday. Why is that significant? It’s the division where Payton coached for the Saints for 15 years, winning 63.1 percent of his games. He’s now .500 with the Broncos and has Denver pointed toward the playoffs and rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the rookie of the year conversation. Payton is also top 20 all-time in regular-season wins among NFL head coaches (166).

Up next: at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

Bo Nix’s latest career day illustrates Broncos’ ceiling: ‘You’re trying to win MVP’

Last week: 13

Monday: Beat Dallas Cowboys 34-10

Seat temperature check: Cold

DeMeco Ryans is 17-11 in Houston after trouncing the Cowboys on Monday night. Former Ryans teammate J.J. Watt appeared on the “ManningCast” broadcast and said he wasn’t surprised by Ryans’ success. “I knew he would be a great head coach. We all did when we were playing together,” Watt said. “I bought my house in Houston across the street from him because if it was a good enough spot for DeMeco to live in, it was good enough for me. DeMeco was the perfect person to take this city back to the place where they were proud of their football team.”

Up next: vs. Tennessee Titans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Last week: 11

Sunday: Bye

Seat temperature check: Cool

After a 2-4 start, Arizona has won four straight games, and Jonathan Gannon has the Cardinals as the most surprising division leader of the season. Gannon took over an organization that had had one winning season in the previous seven years. These Cardinals are in the top half of the league in scoring (23.8 ppg), scoring defense (22 ppg allowed) and point differential (18).

Up next: at Seattle Seahawks, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

Quarterback Geno Smith and the Seahawks saved their season on Sunday with an upset victory against the 49ers. (David Gonzales / Imagn Images)

14. Seattle Seahawks (5-5)

Last week: 19

Sunday: Beat San Francisco 49ers 20-17

Seat temperature check: Cool

Mike Macdonald hasn’t done much to improve Seattle’s defense yet. The Seahawks are 21st in the league in points allowed (23.8 per game), but this team still is playing hard for him. Seattle had lost five of six entering Sunday’s game and came from behind twice on the road against the 49ers. The Seahawks are tied for second in the NFC West and play division leader Arizona twice in the next three weeks.

Up next: vs. Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

How Geno Smith and the Seahawks saved their season: ‘He gets that look in his eyes’

Last week: 18

Sunday: Beat New England Patriots 28-22

Seat temperature check: Cold

Can we point out that Sean McVay is 20-24 since his Super Bowl win or will people yell at us? They might have a right to yell because McVay’s influence off the field is just as impressive as his record. Maybe more. At 38, he could leave the job today and still have had an outsized impact on the game. The Falcons’ Zac Robinson, The Bucs’ Liam Coen, the Packers’ Matt LaFleur, the Vikings’ Kevin O’Connell and the Bengals’ Zac Taylor are among the current crop of play callers who worked for McVay in Los Angeles.

Up next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET

16. San Francisco 49ers (5-5)

Last week: 12

Sunday: Lost to Seattle Seahawks 20-17

Seat temperature check: Room

Kyle Shanahan should be completely safe. Somehow he’s not. The 49ers are in the top half of the league in scoring (25 ppg) and scoring defense (22.2 ppg allowed), but something’s not clicking. San Francisco has advanced at least to the NFC Championship Game the last three years and has been to two Super Bowls under Shanahan, but fans are starting to get restless. Hopefully, ownership is not. There’s a better chance the 49ers get worse and not better if they make a coaching change.

Up next: at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET

17. Atlanta Falcons (6-5)

Last week: 14

Sunday: Lost to Denver Broncos 38-6

Seat temperature check: Cool

There’s no scenario in which Raheem Morris is not back for a second season in Atlanta next year, but the vibes aren’t nearly as good as they were a couple of weeks ago. Sunday’s loss was the Falcons’ third worst since 2010, and the defense, which is Morris’ side of the ball, looks helpless at the moment. Morris has Atlanta in the NFC South pole position, but his .386 winning percentage is the worst among qualifying active head coaches.

Up next: Bye

Last week: 16

Sunday: Bye

Seat temperature check: Room

Todd Bowles has won two division titles in the last two years. He had the Buccaneers right back in the NFC South mix this season before receivers Chris Godwin and Mike Evans were injured. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen was a great hire. Still, Bowles has one double-digit win season in his seven seasons as a full-time head coach. His .423 career winning percentage is in Herm Edwards, Chan Gailey and Rich Kotite territory.

Up next: at New York Giants, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson led the Colts to a much-needed win Sunday after reclaiming the starting job. (Robert Deutsch / Imagn Images)

Last week: 21

Sunday: Beat New York Jets 28-27

Seat temperature check: Room

Shane Steichen’s handling of the quarterback situation did not instill confidence. Maybe that’s because he had to translate the thoughts of ownership and the front office, or maybe he’s just a second-year head coach not completely comfortable in the role yet. After declaring Joe Flacco his starter early last week, Steichen reversed course the next day and swapped to Anthony Richardson, who led a 70-yard drive and scored the winning touchdown on a 4-yard run inside the final minute Sunday. The win evened Steichen’s record at 14-14.

Up next: vs. Detroit Lions, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

After redemptive win, Colts QB Anthony Richardson lets emotion flow: This was a ‘blessing’

20. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7)

Last week: 15

Sunday: Lost to Los Angeles Chargers 34-27

Seat temperature check: Warm

It looks like the Bengals are about to miss the playoffs while having the NFL’s leader in touchdown passes (Joe Burrow, 27), leading receiver (Ja’Marr Chase, 1,056) and leader in sacks (Trey Hendrickson, 11.5). Zac Taylor is now 41-51-1, and there are signs of strain. “I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us,” Chase said Sunday night when asked why the Bengals can’t close out wins.

Up next: Bye

Ja’Marr Chase is also frustrated with team’s inability to finish games. How? “Ask Zac. Ask the coaches. Don’t ask me. I play football on the field. I don’t call plays for us.” pic.twitter.com/GOzY5EjOhS
— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) November 18, 2024
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Last week: 20

Sunday: Beat Las Vegas Raiders 34-19

Seat temperature check: Cool

The Dolphins already are nearly five games behind Buffalo in the division race, but they still have a 28 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to The Athletic’s projections. No one really wants to see Miami if it does make the playoffs because of its explosive ability. The Dolphins are top 10 in explosive play rate (12.1 percent) despite not having starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for half the season. Mike McDaniel is now 24-20 in three seasons. The only reason there’s any angst in Miami is how bad this team looked without Tagovailoa.

Up next: vs. New England Patriots, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

22. New England Patriots (3-8)

Last week: 22

Sunday: Lost to Los Angeles Rams 28-20

Seat temperature check: Cool

Rookie quarterback Drake Maye has saved rookie head coach Jerod Mayo. Maye hasn’t made the Patriots a winner, but he’s shown enough flashes that Mayo’s decision to slowly work him into the lineup seems like the right one. Maye’s EPA per dropback (.04) is 19th in the league, and he’s thrown nine touchdown passes in six starts. Mayo’s performance hasn’t been as good, but the quarterback is taking attention away from that. To Mayo’s credit, he’s not denying that.

Up next: at Miami Dolphins, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

#Patriots HC Jerod Mayo says he needs to be better, the assistant coaches need to be better, and the players need to do better.
“We have enough talent in our locker room to be a very good football team. We just gotta be able to put it together.” pic.twitter.com/Xc7reyuJJ2
— Carlos Talks Pats (@LosTalksPats) November 17, 2024

23. Chicago Bears (4-6)

Last week: 23

Sunday: Lost to Green Bay Packers 20-19

Seat temperature check: Actually on fire

Changing offensive coordinators worked for a half, but beyond slight improvement from rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, there was nothing to suggest Matt Eberflus is making a positive impact on the team. Cairo Santos’ 46-yard field goal on the final play of the game was blocked. The kick was attempted on second-and-8 after the Bears turned down the chance to run another play and get closer. Then Packers players said after the game they knew they could get a block in this game. That’s a bad look for an embattled coach, which Eberflus certainly is.

Up next: vs. Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

GO DEEPER

Greenberg: Bears blow rare chance to beat Green Bay. How many more will Matt Eberflus get?

24. New Orleans Saints (4-7)

Last week: 28

Sunday: Beat Cleveland Browns 35-14

Seat temperature check: Already an interim

If we only remember interim head coach Darren Rizzi for the toilet-clogging story, he will have contributed to the game, but it could be that Rizzi hangs around a little longer. He’s 2-0 since taking over for Dennis Allen, and New Orleans has such a significant rebuild coming up that maybe a caretaker coach whom the players like is a good fit. Taysom Hill had 138 rushing yards, 50 receiving yards and 18 passing yards for Rizzi on Sunday.

Up next: Bye

25. New York Jets (3-8)

Last week: 24

Sunday: Lost to Indianapolis Colts 28-27

Seat temperature check: Already an interim

Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich couldn’t turn around the Jets’ season, but we shouldn’t have expected any mortal to do that. Their offense has been bad all season (18.5 ppg, 26th in NFL). Their defense has been bad since Robert Saleh was fired (26.2 ppg allowed, 24th in NFL since Week 6). Now they are trying to figure out if their struggling 40-year-old quarterback is coming back and if their owner is going to take off again to be ambassador to the United Kingdom. Totally normal team.

Up next: Bye

GO DEEPER

After a year-long wait, the Aaron Rodgers-led New York Jets are a hard watch

26. Dallas Cowboys (3-7)

Last week: 25

Monday: Lost to Houston Texans 34-10

Seat temperature check: Who knows?

Jerry Jones might fire Mike McCarthy tomorrow. He might keep McCarthy for another 10 years. He might leave McCarthy a part of the team in his will. Honestly, who knows with Jones? He kept Jason Garrett for 10 years even though Garrett won only two playoff games. McCarthy won 12 games in each of the last three regular seasons, but Monday night was the Cowboys’ fifth straight loss.

Up next: at Washington Commanders, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

27. Carolina Panthers (3-7)

Last week: 27

Sunday: Bye

Seat temperature check: Cool

Nobody’s really on solid ground when David Tepper is running the show. Counting interims, the Panthers owner has employed seven head coaches since buying the team in 2018, but Dave Canales has won two straight games and gotten slight improvement from Bryce Young. The bet here is that no matter Carolina’s finish, Tepper will opt for a tiny measure of stability and give Canales a chance with a new quarterback.

Up next: vs. Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

28. New York Giants (2-8)

Last week: 29

Sunday: Bye

Seat temperature check: Warm

Team owner John Mara said in late October that he had no plans to fire Brian Daboll during or after the season. Plans change sometimes. New York has lost five games in a row and 11 of its last 14 dating to last season. Since being named Coach of the Year after a 9-7-1 debut season, Daboll is 8-19. If he keeps his job, it’ll be by making the argument that he’s not the one who wanted to extend quarterback Daniel Jones and let running back Saquon Barkley walk out the door. Jones was sent to the bench on Monday.

Up next: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

29. Las Vegas Raiders (2-8)

Last week: 26

Sunday: Lost to Miami Dolphins 34-19

Seat temperature check: Hot

Antonio Pierce is 7-12 in two seasons after the Raiders got blown out by Miami on Sunday. They have bounced back and forth between quarterbacks all year long and never felt like a threat in the AFC West or anywhere else. Jakobi Meyers was Las Vegas’ leading rusher Sunday with one carry for 20 yards. At least there’s Brock Bowers, who had 13 catches for 126 yards against the Dolphins. With new minority owner Tom Brady in the building, it seems unlikely majority owner Mark Davis will stand pat with Pierce as head coach.

Up next: vs. Denver Broncos, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

Jonnu really said see ya 👋
📺 #LVvsMIA on @NFLonCBS & @paramountplus pic.twitter.com/YbSuyFfsuz
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— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) November 17, 2024

30. Cleveland Browns (2-8)

Last week: 30

Sunday: Lost to New Orleans Saints 35-14

Seat temperature check: Room

Sunday’s game was tied entering the fourth quarter before the wheels came off for the Browns, and wheels coming off seems to be the theme of this season. For much of the season, the blame for all of the Browns’ issues fell on Deshaun Watson, but Watson’s out and this team still has lots of issues under Kevin Stefanski, who is 39-38 in five seasons as a head coach. Stefanski is one of those guys who will have another job a week after Cleveland fires him if he wants it, and a fresh start might be good for both sides.

Up next: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers, Thursday, 8:15 p.m. ET

31. Tennessee Titans (2-8)

Last week: 31

Sunday: Lost to Minnesota Vikings 23-13

Seat temperature check: Cool

Brian Callahan is not going to be fired after his first season, but the whole “Let’s move on from Mike Vrabel” thing feels like a mistake as Thanksgiving approaches. The more likely change in Tennessee is probably at quarterback, where Will Levis is 35th among qualifying quarterbacks in EPA per dropback (minus-.16). Callahan will get another shot with a quarterback of his choosing next year.

Up next: at Houston Texans, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

Last week: 32

Sunday: Lost to Detroit Lions 52-6

Seat temperature check: Pile of ashes

If Matt Eberflus’ seat is on fire, then Pederson’s has already burned up completely, leaving only embers. Whenever Pederson is finally fired — and now’s probably the best time not only because the Jaguars have a bye week but because he’s a perfectly symmetrical 62-62-1 in the regular season in his career — Jacksonville will begin looking for its fifth full-time head coach since 2016.

Up next: Bye

(Top photo of David Montgomery: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)