Today is Saturday, Nov. 30, the 335th day of 2024. There are 31 days left in the year.
Today in history:
On Nov. 30, 1999, an estimated 40,000 demonstrators clashed with police as they protested against the World Trade Organization as the WTO convened in Seattle.
Also on this date:
In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783.
In 1936, London’s Crystal Palace exhibition hall was destroyed by a massive fire.
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In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required a five-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers.
In 2004, “Jeopardy!” fans saw Ken Jennings end his 74-game winning streak as he lost to real estate agent Nancy Zerg.
In 2012, Israel approved the construction of 3,000 homes in Jewish settlements on occupied lands, drawing swift condemnation from Palestinians a day after their successful bid for recognition by the United Nations.
In 2013, actor Paul Walker, star of the “Fast & Furious” movie series, was killed in a single-car accident north of Los Angeles; Walker’s friend Roger Rodas, who was driving the car, also died. Walker was 40 years old.
In 2018, former President George H.W. Bush, a World War II hero who rose through the political ranks to the nation’s highest office, died at his Houston home at the age of 94; his wife of more than 70 years, Barbara Bush, had died in April.
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In 2021, Ethan Crumbley, a 15-year-old sophomore, opened fire at a Michigan high school, killing four students and wounding seven other people.
In 2022, House Democrats elected Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to be the first Black American to head a major political party in Congress as long-serving Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team stepped aside.
Today’s Birthdays:
Filmmaker Woody Allen is 89.
Filmmaker Ridley Scott is 87.
Historian and screenwriter Geoffrey C. Ward is 84.
The New York Jets offense needs a jolt. Well, it’s actually needed it for a while.
While New York (3-8) has some good numbers on paper, it hasn’t translated in the win column this season as the Jets have lost seven of their last eight games since a 2-1 start. Now, they prepare to face Seattle on Sunday.
Yeah, little has worked out. That’s why the Jets are looking for a new head coach and general manager after the season. Well, the offense isn’t the ONLY reason.
Seattle (6-5) enters the game with a playoff berth on the line, as the Seahawks are tied for the lead in the NFC West and hold a tiebreaker over Arizona. But, the division’s other two rivals are one game back. So, every win matters to Seattle right now.
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Here are the offensive players to watch for both teams entering Sunday’s game.
QB Aaron Rodgers
So now Rodgers isn’t sure if he’ll play in 2025, but he says his first choice is to play for the Jets. Whether the Jets want him back will be up to new leadership.
Right now, Rodgers has 2,442 yards passing with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Those are solid numbers, but not the numbers he would post in his prime. In other words, the Jets paid for more.
He’s taken 26 sacks and he’s not a threat to throw downfield. Scheming for Rodgers is easier defensively, which means play-caller Todd Downing needs to get more creative to put the soon-to-be 41-year-old in position to make plays.
WR Garrett Wilson
Wilson’s goal is to cross 1,000 yards receiving for the third time in his career. There’s no reason to think it won’t happen. He has 69 receptions for 722 yards and five touchdowns, and he’s been targeted more than 100 times this season.
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He’s not racking up many yards per catch, but he’s in line for the best year of his career as long as he continues to play to his season averages. New leadership will decide if he gets his fifth-year contract option. The answer, obviously, should be yes.
RB Braelon Allen
Breece Hall’s status is unclear as he’s dealing with an injury he suffered against Indianapolis. That could allow the Jets to hand more carries to their rookie.
Allen has rushed 62 times for 229 yards and two touchdowns and in stretches he’s shown real potential.
Hall is the clear No. 1, but as a non-first round pick, next season is his last under contract. A new general manager and head coach will decide Hall’s future, but the coaching staff would be smart to get Allen some additional reps down the stretch.
Hall was getting reps as of Thursday, so it’s encouraging that he’ll be available in some way.
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QB Geno Smith
The Jets know Smith well. Or, one should say the Jets know the old version of Smith. The new version is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL.
He’s resurrected his career with the Seahawks, earning NFL Comeback Player of the Year honors and two Pro Bowl nods. He leads the NFL in completions and yards passing per game (275.9).
While he’s completing nearly 70% of his passes, one thing to note is that he’s thrown 12 interceptions. That’s in your area for the Jets to scheme for on Sunday.
RB Kenneth Walker III
Watching Walker play, one can’t be helped but be reminded of Hall. The pair are similar in that they’re as capable running the football as helping in the passing game.
Much of what Seattle wants to do offensively flows through the 24-year-old. He’s rushed for 493 yards and seven touchdowns, while also catching 36 passes for 274 yards and a touchdown. He’s been targeted 42 times, so he’s not likely to drop the football when it’s thrown his way.
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WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Seattle has a talented group of wide receivers, many of which are NFL veterans. But the young pup from Ohio State, the same alma mater as Wilson, is having a terrific season.
Smith-Njigba leads the Seahawks with 66 catches for 755 yards and four touchdowns. Like Wilson, he’s been targeted frequently, a team high 93 times.
D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are more adept at stretching the field. So Smith-Njigba has emerged as a terrific possession target for Smith. Like Wilson, he will need to be monitored closely on Sunday.
One more step, and there’s a chance to win MLS Cup at home.
“You have two teams with championship pedigree. The biggest moment these two teams could play each other is this. It’s in a Western Conference Final, and anytime you have that formula, it can reignite a rivalry,” Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney said Tuesday.
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“This will be a hard-fought battle for both teams.”
Contrasting styles
Saturday will be the first time both sides have met in the Western Conference Final since 2014, the last year the five-time champion Galaxy captured the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
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This edition, though, couldn’t come at a better time for two sides that approach the game in very different ways.
Seattle were the best defensive team in MLS through the regular season, conceding a league-low 35 goals. Meanwhile, the Galaxy’s high-octane offense has scored a record 15 goals in three Audi MLS Cup Playoff matches – just two tallies short of the all-time postseason mark set by Toronto FC in 2017.
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To get to this point, the Sounders edged out the Houston Dynamo via two penalty kick shootouts in their Round One Best-of-3 series before beating perennial bogeymen LAFC, 2-1, in the conference semifinals.
The Galaxy have enjoyed an attacking explosion against the Colorado Rapids and Minnesota United, entering Saturday’s clash off a dominant 6-2 win over the Loons.
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“Whenever you talk about Seattle and playoffs in these times of the year, you have to talk about the culture that they have at the club, the grittiness, the resilience, the maturity. They’ve played in a lot of big games and won a lot of big games,” Vanney added, having ample experience against the Sounders from his days with Toronto, including an MLS Cup triumph in 2017.
“The culture is set with these guys. They work, and they grind, and they make things difficult.”
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Returning to the top
For the Galaxy, one of the league’s most watchable teams, it’s a chance to return to the MLS pinnacle.
Their potent attack, led by Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintstil, and Dejan Joveljić, has powered them through the playoffs. Against a stingy Seattle side, they’ll rely on their stars once again.
“We’ve got to find ways to break them down,” Vanney said. “We’ll have to be cool with our scoring chances and finish our moments when we have them.”
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On Seattle’s end, it’s a return to the playoff stage they’ve regularly frequented since 2016. Qualifying for four MLS Cups, they’ve won twice from 2016-2020 and only hosted once.
“I think we all know who everyone wants to win and who everyone expects to win,” homegrown midfielder Obed Vargas said. “We take that as motivation. We have full confidence in ourselves.
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“We always knew we were a good team. We always knew that we could go far. It was just a matter of getting things to click and showing it.”
Despite being the slight underdog, there’s no doubt Seattle’s defensive approach is among the best in the postseason. Veteran goalkeeper Stefan Frei, 38, has turned back the years with 17 saves in his last two matches, while MLS Defender of the Year nominee Jackson Ragen has held down the backline, conceding twice in three playoff games.
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Now, the mission is clear: head down to SoCal for the second time in as many weeks, shut down the “Killa P’s” and secure a chance to play for a trophy at home.
“For everybody, we just want to win. You know, we are all competitive; we are all athletes,” defender Jon Bell said. “We know that there are two games left to the ultimate goal, which is winning MLS Cup, but we take it one game at a time.”
Seattle U Redhawks (2-4) at Duke Blue Devils (4-2)
Durham, North Carolina; Friday, 7 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Blue Devils -27.5; over/under is 141.5
BOTTOM LINE: Matthew-Alexander Moncrieffe and Seattle U take on Cooper Flagg and No. 11 Duke in non-conference play.
The Blue Devils are 3-0 on their home court. Duke ranks second in the ACC with 27.8 defensive rebounds per game led by Flagg averaging 7.2.
The Redhawks have gone 1-2 away from home. Seattle U is 0-1 in games decided by 3 points or fewer.
Duke averages 11.3 made 3-pointers per game, 4.3 more made shots than the 7.0 per game Seattle U allows. Seattle U averages 8.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 1.3 more made shots on average than the 6.7 per game Duke allows.
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TOP PERFORMERS: Flagg is shooting 45.8% and averaging 17.0 points for the Blue Devils.
Moncrieffe is averaging 14.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.8 steals for the Redhawks.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
