South Florida Local News

By CHRISTOPHER MEGERIAN

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) — President Donald Trump said Sunday that the United States could purchase Argentinian beef in an attempt to bring down prices for American consumers.

“We would buy some beef from Argentina,” he told reporters aboard Air Force One during a flight from Florida to Washington. “If we do that, that will bring our beef prices down.”

Trump promised earlier this week to address the issue as part of his efforts to keep inflation in check.

U.S. beef prices have been stubbornly high for a variety of reasons, including drought and reduced imports from Mexico due to a flesh-eating pest in cattle herds there.

Trump has been working to help Argentina bolster its collapsing currency with a $20 billion credit swap line and additional financing from sovereign funds and the private sector ahead of midterm elections for his close ally, President Javier Milei.

The U.S. military demonstration that shot live-fire artillery rounds over Interstate 5 on Saturday dropped metal shrapnel on a California Highway Patrol vehicle, resulting in damage, agency officials said Sunday.

The CHP said that the shrapnel was from an explosive ordnance that was fired over Interstate 5 and “detonated overhead prematurely, striking and damaging a CHP patrol vehicle.”

The shrapnel fell on the vehicle in an area where CHP officers were gathered to close traffic along Interstate 5 in northern San Diego County, which cuts through Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

State officials decided to order the closure of Interstate 5 during the live-fire exercise, conducted for a Marine Corps 250th anniversary celebration featuring Vice President JD Vance.

No injuries were reported, the CHP said. State officers immediately contacted the Marines, which then “canceled firing additional live ordnance over the freeway, and the area was swept for further evaluation.”

“This was an unusual and concerning situation,” CHP Border Division Chief Tony Coronado said in a statement. “It is highly uncommon for any live-fire or explosive training activity to occur over an active freeway. As a Marine myself, I have tremendous respect for our military partners, but my foremost responsibility is ensuring the safety of the people of California and the officers who protect them.”

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

General Daily Insight for October 20, 2025

Curiosity takes over. With intellectual Mercury conjoining ambitious Mars in investigative Scorpio at 2:52 am EDT, our minds might be caught up in a tide of inquisitive thoughts. We want to know the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and anything less won’t scratch that itch to know! Pay attention to recognize when curiosity turns prying, because everyone deserves their privacy. We can use this cosmic enthusiasm constructively by researching, asking loved ones about their favorite memories, and understanding ourselves on a deeper level.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

You’re on a mission for the truth. You may feel as though you’ve been missing out on bits of information, and finally, you’re putting the pieces together by asking people in your life. It may be that you learn revelations about friends you believed to be open books. If it changes how you see them, be kind — whether or not it’s a positive change. This news could also help you solve a long-term problem, so make an effort to keep an open mind.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Connections are growing stronger throughout the day. You may find yourself seeking more information about people that you know, whether you’ve been close with them for some time or they’re recent additions to your life. It’s possible that you’ve been wanting to ask these questions for ages, but weren’t sure how to ask. Pay attention to your conversations, as your curiosity could be satisfied naturally. If the topics come up in random chats, go ahead and ask politely. The priority is being a good listener.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

You’ve got your eye on the prize. You might be working tirelessly toward a goal, to the point that you are consistently sticking to healthy routines and rigorous schedules — though perhaps not doing much else. Contemplate your life balance — do you still have time to spend with loved ones? Be wary of having your life so scheduled that there’s no room for spontaneity. Being too focused on one area can inhibit others, so keep your field of vision open.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

Taking certain risks can pay off, but only if they’re calculated. You may presently be more impulsive or prone to making risky decisions that you would typically avoid. It’s imperative to think about what you stand to lose if you rely on risky decisions or choose fun over any urgent responsibilities. The more that you can create a balance of stability and chance (and avoid tipping the scales in favor of taking risk after risk), the better your chances of success are.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

Home is the center of your focus at the moment. You’re ready to fix that leak in the garage, change up the decor in the living room, or revamp the bedroom. In addition to your dedication to making your space feel more like you, you’ve got an opportunity to learn about your family history. Think about any more mysterious aspects of your childhood or branches of the family tree. What do you want to know? Go back to your roots and see what’s growing there.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You’re communicating with intention. You want to make sure that you’re getting the full story — there’s no way you’re settling for bits and pieces or half-truths. It may be that someone is trying to avoid telling you everything, and you want to get to the bottom of what’s going on. Even so, you can’t (and shouldn’t) force them to tell you what they don’t want to say. If you can’t accept the lack of information and trust, then it may require a deeper conversation.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

The power of your inner security is growing — and that’s mostly a good thing. No more being afraid to speak your truth or stand up for what you think is right! At this time, you’re standing tall and insisting on being heard. That said, know that you have the risk of overcorrecting and becoming controlling, then preventing others from speaking their truth and being heard. Instead of trying to swap places, see if you can find a way to have equal footing.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You’re presently learning more about yourself. You may be realizing that you no longer like a hobby that you used to love, or maybe you’re intrigued by an unfamiliar pursuit that never crossed your mind before. It can be strange when you feel the winds of change coming for you, and bringing the scent of a new direction to take in life. Still, at least consider following that call. There’s a new side of yourself to explore — don’t ignore it!

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You’re in need of some time to yourself. You may have been everything for everyone recently, striving to please others and show up for the people who care about you. Those magnanimous efforts could be leaving you drained as they yank you in so many different directions. Honor your body when it’s telling you to rest, because otherwise, you’ll only be dragging yourself through life half-asleep. Vitality is vital, after all. You owe it to yourself to be wide-eyed and ready for life.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

You might be surrounded by all sorts of people who need your input. This can be positive on one hand, because you’ll probably be able to make a connection and network with tons of peers and authorities. On the other, you may be answering question after question, struggling to keep up with everyone while their focus is on you. It might feel like you’re juggling conversations left and right, but you’ll likely be glad that you did. Stay on your toes!

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

You’re looking deeper into your career. It might be that you’re currently questioning what you’re achieving at your current place of work, when you’ll be able to connect with co-workers, or how you can improve your skills within your career. This is the right place and time to map out those plans. Focus on actionable steps to achieve them in your daily routine — that’s how you’ll actually make that progress. Take that initiative and show them what you’re made of.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

You’re moving on in the best way. There may have been a challenging obstacle that was previously holding you back from the future that you truly desired, but no longer! You are capable of finding a way to break from the fear of failure, imposter syndrome, or any roadblock that kept you from going after what you wanted. It’s time for you to break free from past worries that slowed you down and impeded your destiny. There’s no time to waste!

Miami Dolphins rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, the seventh-round pick from Texas, served as the backup to starter Tua Tagovailoa in Sunday’s 31-6 massacre at Cleveland, supplanting veteran Zach Wilson. That begs one question: How in the heck did the Dolphins miss on the backup quarterback situation yet again?! 

This is two years in a row, and three years in a four-year stretch that the Dolphins have major questions at backup quarterback. It’s absolutely ridiculous for the Dolphins to miss so badly at such a crucial position. It’s NFL malpractice.

And let’s be clear on something: this isn’t a rip job on Ewers (5 of 8, 53 yards, 81.8 passer rating vs. Cleveland) or Wilson, the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft by the New York Jets. Wilson (5 of 8, 32 yards, 70.7 passer rating for the season) was the original backup quarterback, the man who was the “direct, calculated” offseason target by general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel. The players are OK in my book.

This is a rip job on Grier and McDaniel.

They’ve wet the bed once again when it comes to the backup quarterback. It’s yet another reason I think neither should have their current job next year.

Adding more confusion to the situation is this: McDaniel said the change to Ewers as the No. 2 quarterback was game specific. We don’t know who will be the backup quarterback next week when the woeful Dolphins (1-6) visit Atlanta. If Tua (13 of 23, 100 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions, 24.1 passer rating) has a bad outing against the Falcons we don’t yet know who gets tapped on the shoulder. If Tua (11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 82.8 passer rating for the season) has a rough game, it’s unknown right now whether Wilson or Ewers would be the No. 2 quarterback.

What the heck is going on here? Are the Dolphins now picking their backup quarterback on a game-by-game basis?

The Grier-McDaniel duo is showing poor evaluation skills. Again.

Related Articles

• Dave Hyde: It’s closing time for this Dolphins regime (only question is when)
• Dolphins players say they remain receptive to coach Mike McDaniel amid 1-6 start
• Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO
• Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 31-6 loss at the Cleveland Browns
• Hyde10: Tua’s interceptions, more defensive problems — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Browns

In 2022, the Grier-McDaniel duo thought they had a good backup quarterback in veteran Teddy Bridgewater, and I agreed, but he couldn’t stay healthy.  He ended up alternating with Skylar Thompson after Tua got concussed twice. Both Bridgewater and Thompson sustained injuries that year. Neither was effective.

In 2023, the Dolphins had Mike White and Thompson as backups. White was the No. 2 quarterback. But Tua started all 17 games so it wasn’t a big deal.

You’ll recall the 2024 offseason when they had this huge offseason competition for No. 2 quarterback between White and Thompson. And then it turned out neither was equipped to be a No. 2 quarterback. They cut White, and Thompson failed miserably in his Week 3 start at Seattle.

Later in 2024, after Thompson washed out, the Dolphins used a rotation of backup quarterbacks that included Tim Boyle and Tyler “Snoop” Huntley, and at one point they signed C.J. Beathard (practice squad only). That, too, was a mess of a backup quarterback situation.

Now, here we are again. Some thought Ewers should have been the No. 2 quarterback coming out of training camp.

The Ewers midweek promotion is yet another indictment on this Grier-McDaniel administration, and yet another reason that this troubled era is in danger of crossing the border from mediocrity to failure.

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO

Before this rip job of Grier and McDaniel continues, credit Ewers for battling and being named No. 2, at least for the Cleveland game. And credit Wilson for keeping the switch quiet and not dropping hints via social media or during an informal midweek chat (I briefly checked in with Wilson on Thursday on a different topic).

And, I guess, credit the Dolphins for recognizing they needed to make a change instead of allowing stubborn pride to deny what must have been obvious.

We all know backup quarterback is an important position for this franchise. It’s commendable they made that switch. But it’s also unacceptable that they have such indecision.

It was bad enough that the Grier-McDaniel duo, led by McDaniel, complicated the starting quarterback position by giving Tua that ill-advised four-year, $212 million extension in 2024.

Now, the Grier-McDaniel brain trust has apparently decided that they don’t have the next successful first-round reclamation quarterback in the spirit of Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield or Seattle’s Sam Darnold.

The sad thing is Grier and McDaniel could have helped the team more by using some of that $6 million they gave to Wilson and perhaps given it to a starting cornerback or defensive tackle.

Upheaval and uncertainty have become the norm for the Dolphins at backup quarterback. It’s yet another reason to wonder what the heck is going on with the Dolphins and wonder how much longer the disorder will continue.

CLEVELAND — There goes Steve Ross, at 85, walking glumly down the concrete stadium hallway Sunday, surrounded by a team of executive suits on their way out of Cleveland. He says something, head down, hands in coat pockets, to team president Tom Garfinkel.

Down the hall, way down, comes some laughter closer to the Browns locker room. There is nothing close to laughter from the Miami Dolphins owner or his entourage.

They’ve just left a locker room full of frustration, and a coach without answers, and a quarterback who again threw too many passes to the other team, which was a bad Cleveland team this Sunday.

The Dolphins were just the worse team. Inexcusably worse. So, there is no getting around it anymore. The players and the coach can talk about holding it together for another week. But Ross, who has walked down these kinds of stadium hallways in too many bad seasons, has just one question left after his Dolphins were run off the field, 31-6.

Does he fire everyone now or fire everyone later?

It’s the question that started 12 days into the season when his team already was 0-3. Now it’s 1-6. Now the issue becomes what the owner wants to accomplish the rest of this season, if indeed there’s anything to be accomplished at all.

Maybe all you can do at this point is close your eyes and hope the season is over when you open them. Because it wasn’t just tha thet Dolphins lost badly to a previously 1-5 Cleveland, but how badly they looked doing so.

The quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, threw three interceptions, gift-wrapping two Cleveland touchdowns. The good news: He talked properly after the game as opposed to last Sunday when he talked of players being late to meetings.

Related Articles

• Chris Perkins: Dolphins appear lost and uncertain at QB position — again
• Dolphins players say they remain receptive to coach Mike McDaniel amid 1-6 start
• Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO
• Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 31-6 loss at the Cleveland Browns
• Hyde10: Tua’s interceptions, more defensive problems — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Browns

“It starts with me,” he said. “Can’t turn the ball over.”

The coach, Mike McDaniel, saw an embarrassment of errors beyond just those interceptions. Critical penalties that led to each of Cleveland’s three, first-half scores. Fundamental errors like a kickoff-return fumble.

“We probably have 20 plays that are self-inflicted wounds,” McDaniel said. “You can’t even get onto beating the opponent if you beat yourself, so that’s where it is.”

The Dolphins even had to burn their weekly time-out for not having the proper number of players on the field, coming up one short this time on defense near the end of the half. That’s because coaches waved edge rusher Chop Robinson to come out, leaving them with 10 players. Oops.

The offense could have used that time-out a few minutes later when it had to settle for a field goal before half to cut Cleveland’s lead to 17-6. It was still a game. Somehow. And then Tua threw a bad interception that was returned for a touchdown on the first play of the second half and it was 24-6 and not a game.

Sweep it all into one, big manure pile and it’s as bad a loss as the Dolphins have suffered in years. Certainly the worst of McDaniel’s four years. You can go back through the Brian Flores years, too, considering he was supposed to lose in his bad losses (his sin was not losing enough).

So, it’s just a question of when Ross decides to pull the plug on this regime, not whether he does. There’s no need to be nasty about any of it. McDaniel and General manager Chris Grier tried as best they could.

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO

It’s just closing time for them. That’s so obvious it hardly needs to be said. This looked like a team where the mortar was coming loose and bricks cracking on Sunday.

“You saw a lot of frustrated players,” McDaniel said. “You know, from the season, we can’t allow it to seep into our play and keep us from executing.”

So, would you really fire McDaniel today? Think about it. The Dolphins have an utterly terrible matchup against the top-ranked rushing team and No. 1 defense next Sunday in Atlanta.

Would that be fair to ask the interim coach to step into that?

And who is the interim coach? Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was the early candidate. But he’s as likely to be fired right now himself considering this defense is the prime problem of this season.

You’d like to wait for the bye week to fire a coach, but that’s another month away. If you wait that long, do you just wait out the season? Can you? And, again, what do you want to accomplish with 10 games left?

Besides opening your eyes and seeing this year gone.

Ross walked down the hall on his way out of Cleveland. But the questions went with him, too. The question, really.

When? Not if.

Like everything else this season, there’s not an easy answer for that, either.

CLEVELAND — As it only feels more and more likely a move could be made on Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel after he fell to 1-6 with an embarrassing 31-6 loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns, players in the locker room still say they back him.

“I think we all believe in him as coach, and we have to execute as players,” left tackle Patrick Paul said in the visitors’ locker room at Huntington Bank Field after the jarring outcome Sunday.

The question comes into focus as the Dolphins only grow more undisciplined with four turnovers and 10 penalties for 98 yards Sunday to aid the Browns to 31 points despite only gaining 206 yards.

There is no coach that allows that to be acceptable. But are players remaining receptive to the voice of McDaniel?

“Absolutely. We’re not going to stop listening to our coaches because we’re 1-6,” cornerback Jack Jones said. “It’s a pecking order and it trickles down. We’re going to listen to our coaches, and the coaches are going to listen to whoever’s above them.

“We’re not going to come in the building and disrespect anybody. We’re going to come in the building and actually work harder because we want to win. It’s not like we’re happy with losing.”

Added outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips: “We’re not turning against him. We’re not turning against each other.”

What is the messaging players need to hear this week after what is a new low for the team under McDaniel?

Related Articles

• Chris Perkins: Dolphins appear lost and uncertain at QB position — again
• Dave Hyde: It’s closing time for this Dolphins regime (only question is when)
• Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO
• Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 31-6 loss at the Cleveland Browns
• Hyde10: Tua’s interceptions, more defensive problems — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Browns

“It’s hard truths,” fullback Alec Ingold said. “They’re hard to hear, but you got to hear them. They’re said. They’re listened to. They’re heard. And you need to apply them. At the end of the day, that’s accountability and that’s growth and that’s character. We need to get better fast.”

The Dolphins travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons next week.

“We’ll see this week, with the response,” Paul said.

Said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who had three costly interceptions Sunday: “We just got to stick together. That’s how we move forward from this.”

As for McDaniel, answering about his job security after the demoralizing defeat, he said: “The way I look at this job is I find it very offensive to all parties involved if I’m thinking about having the job. I need to be doing my job.

“For as long as I coach for the Miami Dolphins and this organization, they’ll get everything from me, and I refuse to spend my time thinking about something that — you have a job, you do your job and you do it to the best of your ability.”

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO

In this Dolphins Deep Dive video, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s David Furones and Dave Hyde discuss a disappointing performance for Miami (1-6), which loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns (2-5). At this point, it seems the question isn’t if Mike McDaniel will be fired but when it will happen.

(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=40bacbdb-084a-4980-bafa-92da3b5cd8f1&cid=38d5daa3-18ac-4ee1-a905-373c67622f25'; cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "40bacbdb-084a-4980-bafa-92da3b5cd8f1" , mediaId: "6e5b0689-f782-4bb2-a47e-364aca406795" }).render("3e4fd873f6f4486689dcdffa0bd35f61"); });

Windermere cornerback CJ Bronaugh, the state-champion sprinter who committed to the Florida Gators football program on June 18, said Sunday he wasn’t necessarily surprised by the school’s decision to fire head coach Billy Napier.

“I’m shocked, but a lot of people saw it coming,” Bronaugh said, “but I’m still a Gator at the end of the day.”

Bronaugh (6-foot-1, 170 pounds) is in the middle of his senior football season at Orange County Public Schools Independent powerhouse Windermere, where the Wolverines are 7-0 and on a 17-game winning streak. Not eligible for the FHSAA playoffs, it remains unclear if the Independent teams are eligible for the FHSAA’s inaugural invitational tournament at the end of the season.

Windermere speedster CJ Bronaugh gives Gators first top-100 commitment in ’26 class

He said no one from UF had yet reached out about Napier’s firing, but other schools were already in his ear. Michigan coaches were the first to contact him and he can be assured there will be plenty more. But he remains committed to his original intentions.

Windermere senior cornerback CJ Bronaugh, who is also a state-champion sprinter, said Florida's firing of football coach Billy Napier on Sunday will not change his decision to sign with UF in December. (Chris Hays/Orlando Sentinel) (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

Bronaugh had nothing but positive remarks about Napier, who was 22-23 in 3 1/2 seasons at UF.

“He was an amazing person. I had a good relationship with him. He was always talking positive about everything,” Bronaugh said.

The senior speedster has enjoyed an amazing high school career. On the track, he has dominated the state sprint scene for the past two years, winning the 100 meters twice and the 200 meters once. He was part of the winning 4×100 relay team at the state championships and won three gold medals in May.

On the football field, Bronaugh has 47 tackles, 7 interceptions and two sacks over the past two seasons and is one of the captains on a team that has not lost a game since Nov. 3, 2023.

He remains focused, taking the example of what his head coach Riki Smith has preached to the team all along, Bronaugh said:

“I’d say it kinda shows me and all the guys that we gotta stay locked in and take it week by week being 1-0, so we can end the season how we wanna end it,” he said. “It feels great, honestly.  I’m just really grateful for my coaches, players and everyone that has been there for me.”

Despite his success on the track, Bronaugh decided in May that he was hanging up his track spikes and concentrating on football, so he intends to  enroll at UF in January with football his sole focus. He said it wasn’t a difficult decision to pass on his senior track season.

“Not really; I knew I wanted to go early,” Bronaugh said. “I wasn’t worried about track at all.”

Windermere has a big game on Friday night as the Wolverines will play host to another undefeated Independent team, Innovation (8-0), a school that just opened last year. The game will be for the championship of the Orange County Independent Division.

The Gators currently have 19 players committed to the 2026 recruiting class, and no one immediately decommitted in the wake of Napier’s firing.

Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.

 

 

 

Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel entered Sunday’s game at Cleveland with a 2-0 record against the Browns, defeating them in 2022 and 2024. After an embarrassing 31-6 loss, McDaniel left Cleveland with a 2-1 record vs. them, and now questions get louder about how long he’ll remain Dolphins coach.

The Dolphins (1-6), reeling from a week-long controversy created by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and a season-long fatigue created by poor play, gave a regrettable effort during a sometimes rainy game at Cleveland.

The Dolphins looked awful. Their largely dink-and-dunk offense was hampered by dropped passes, the defense was haunted by numerous errors, special teams committed a turnover, and penalties (11 penalties, 103 yards) were constant. Oh, and tight end Darren Waller had no targets before leaving with a pectoral injury in the second quarter. This was ugly, and it’s yet another indication the era of general manager Chris Grier, McDaniel and Tagovailoa might be coming to an end.

Here’s what we learned:

McDaniel is now a .500 coach . . . or worse

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel saw his regular-season record fall to 29-29 (.500), and his overall record fall to 29-31 (.483), including his 0-2 record in the playoffs.

As a reminder, in the regular season Brian Flores was 24-25 (.490), Adam Gase was 23-25 (.479), Joe Philbin was 24-28 (.462) and Tony Sparano was 29-32 (.475). By season’s end, McDaniel could have a worse winning percentage than all but Philbin.

It’s generally accepted that McDaniel and Grier had more talent than all of the aforementioned coaches, and have had the best talent the Dolphins have amassed in two decades. Grier and McDaniel get credit for gathering the talent. But it could be argued the teams in the Grier-McDaniel era have underachieved and disappointed considering they’ve gone 1-7 vs. Buffalo, losing the past seven consecutive, and haven’t won a playoff game.

McDaniel entered the season 4-16 (.200) vs. playoff teams. McDaniel has gone 11-19 (.367) in his past 30 games, starting with that 28-27 Tennessee home loss in 2023, a time when the Dolphins had a 9-3 season record. — Chris Perkins

Related Articles

• Chris Perkins: Dolphins appear lost and uncertain at QB position — again
• Dave Hyde: It’s closing time for this Dolphins regime (only question is when)
• Dolphins players say they remain receptive to coach Mike McDaniel amid 1-6 start
• Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO
• Hyde10: Tua’s interceptions, more defensive problems — 10 thoughts on Dolphins’ loss to Browns

Grier is a below-.500 GM

Grier, who became full-time general manager in 2019 after taking over the draft in 2016, saw his regular-season record record fall to 53-54 (.495) after Sunday’s loss. Grier is also 0-2 in the playoffs, giving him an overall record of 53-56 (.486). Grier’s last stand might be drafting disappointing players this year — defensive tackle Kenneth Grant, the first-round pick, and right guard Jonah Savaiinaea, the second-round pick — and failing to shore up key areas such as offensive line and the secondary. It’s unclear if Grier will be in his current post nest season. If the Dolphins make a move midseason, a rarity in the NFL, perhaps assistant general manager Marvin Allen would take over.

Interim coach options

The Dolphins have a few options for an interim head coach on their staff, if it comes to that. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has had a few head coach interviews around the league, but his unit has been pathetic this season. Still, players respect his voice and status as a former NFL player.  Offensive coordinator Frank Smith has also interviewed for a head coach job but his unit’s performance hasn’t been storing this year, either.

Running backs coach Eric Studesville, the Dolphins’ associate head coach, was interim coach for Denver in 2010. Quarterbacks coach Darrell Bevell was an interim coach for Detroit in 2020 and Jacksonville in 2021. Tight ends coach Jon Embree is the assistant head coach and was head coach at Colorado (2011-12).

Tua tanks . . . Ewers enters

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was a focal point last week for saying teammates either didn’t attend player-led meetings or skipped them, was terrible Sunday. Tagovailoa had his second consecutive three-interception game, finishing 12 for 23 for 100 yards, no touchdowns, three interceptions and a 24.1 passer rating.

Tagovailoa now has 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions for the season.

Rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers, the seventh-round pick from Texas, entered the game in the fourth quarter. His first pass was almost interceptted by cornerback Myles Harden. Ewers ended 5 of 8 for 53 yards, no touchdowns, no interceptions and an 81.8 passer rating.

Run defense

Cleveland ended with 104 yards rushing on 33 carries, becoming the seventh consecutive team to rush for at least 100 yards against the Dolphins. The Dolphins, who entered as the league’s worst rushing defense at 168.5 yards per game, gave up 92 yards on 23 carries in the first half. Rookie running back Quinshon Judkins (25 carries, 84 yards) had 18 carries for 75 yards at halftime. 

The Dolphins showed some eight-man fronts early with safety Ashtyn Davis as the deep safety and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick down in the box as the eighth defender.

Inside linebacker Jordyn Brooks entered the game with a league-leading 66 tackles, but 29 (44 percent) came on gains of eight or more yards.

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO

Defensive blunders lead to 10-3 deficit

Cleveland took a 10-3 lead largely on defensive miscues. The Browns went up, 3-0, in their first-quarter drive in which the Dolphins had an illegal contact penalty by cornerback Rasul Douglas that gave the Browns a first down on a third-and-14 incomplete pass, saw Douglas have a potential interception go through his hands and turn into a 16-yard completion by wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, and had a roughing the quarterback penalty against defensive tackle Zach Sieler give Cleveland  first down on a second and six incomplete pass.

The Browns went up, 10-3, in the second quarter after Fitzpatrick was called for pass interference, negating a potential interception by fellow Davis. That was one play before Judkins’ 46-yard touchdown run.

More blunders lead to 17-3 deficit

The Browns went ahead, 17-3, thanks to more Dolphins blunders. Kickoff returner Dee Eskridge lost a fumble in the second quarter, giving the Browns the ball at the Dolphins’ 46-yard line. They scored 10 plays later, aided by a roughing the passer penalty against outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips. The penalty came on a five-yard gain on second-and-10 from the Dolphins’ 35-yard line. At that point the Dolphins had five penalties for 59 yards. 

It should be noted that cornerback Jack Jones missed a tackle on Judkins’ three-yard touchdown run. 

Yet another blunder leads to 24-6 deficit

Yet another blunder gave Cleveland a 24-6 lead as American Heritage grad Tyson Campbell 34-yard interception return touchdown on the first play from scrimmage when running back De’Von Achane (82 yards rushing, 16 yards receiving) had a high pass from Tagovailoa glance off his hands. 

Offensive offseason gets worse

The Dolphins’ offseason offensive additions have been appalling. Sunday brought the surprising news that Ewers, the seventh-round pick from Texas, has supplanted veteran Zach Wilson, a “direct, calculated” target by Grier and McDaniel, as backup quarterback. Wilson was regarded as a major find for a team that’s struggled to acquire a backup behind Tagovailoa. 

Among other offseason offensive moves: right guard James Daniels, who was awarded a three-year, $24 million contract, the richest for the team this offseason, lasted just three plays before a pectoral injury sidelined him; Savaiinaea, the second-round pick, has been among the league’s worst at his position, according to ratings by Pro Football Focus; running back Alexander Mattison (neck) is out for the season; wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine hasn’t been a factor; tight end Pharoah Brown didn’t make the 53-man roster; rookie running back Ollie Gordon II, the sixth-round pick, hasn’t been a factor; right tackle Larry Borom has been solid as a backup fill-in starter; Waller has exceeded expectations; senior passing game coordinator Bobby Slowik’s contribution is tough to gauge.

Waller shut down again . . . and injured

Waller wasn’t targeted through the first two quarters, showing again he can be shut down for long stretches. Part of the reason for the shutdown was that Waller left the game in the second quarter with a pectoral injury.

Waller had two receptions for 12 yards and a touchdown last week against the Los Angeles Chargers. He had one target — a seven-yard touchdown reception — in the second half, meaning he was essentially shutdown for the second half. He played 41 snaps.

Two weeks ago in a 29-27 loss at Carolina, Waller had five receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown, all coming in the first half, meaning he was shutdown for the second half. He played 32 snaps. 

Three weeks ago in his debut, Waller had three receptions for 27 yards and two touchdowns in 16 snaps. He had two receptions for 18 yards and one touchdown in the first half.

Big play surfaces briefly

Achane had a 46-yard run in the first quarter, the third consecutive game with a play of 40 or more yards and an indication the big play could be back for an extended appearance.

Achane had a 49-yard run last week against the Los Angeles Chargers, and two weeks ago at Carolina wide receiver Jaylen Waddle had a 46-yard touchdown reception and Waller had a 34-yard reception. 

Prior to Carolina, the Dolphins’ offense had one play of 30 or more yards, a 47-yard pass to wide receiver Tyreek Hill at Buffalo.

Tagovailoa tacked on to his loose-ball-security reality

With two fumbles and three interceptions (including a pick-six) on Sunday, that gave Tua Tagovailoa five fumbles (only one lost) and four interceptions (one a pick-six) and two net offensive points in his two games in rain (also, the 2022 34-3 drubbing at Tennessee). In the macro, it piled onto the data built after his second diagnosed concussion in 2022 against the Packers. Before his head slamming into the grass in that game, Tagovailoa had a combination of 20 interceptions and 16 fumbles in those 36 games, with only five of the mishandles unforced. But, then came the deluge after that fall against Green Bay. And in the 36 games since that trauma, Tagovailoa has piled up 25 fumbles, with a whopping 18 unforced, and 35 picks. — Steve Svekis

De’Von Achane shouldn’t be going anywhere

Listen, I am one of the charter members of the do-not-draft-a-running-back-in-the-first-round club. One who believes that, MOSTLY, they are interchangeable assets. However, I jump off that bandwagon, breaking both ankles, when it comes to De’Von Achane. It is the rarest of commodities, someone who can take a pass or handoff behind the line of scrimmage and roast a defense for huge yardage.

Through the first quarter in Cleveland which included No. 28 ripping off a 46-yard jaunt down the left sideline — aided by a phenomenal second-level block by beleaguered rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea, Achane had authored 10 runs or catches of at least 40 yards in a mere 519 touches. Think of any current NFL star back (Jahmyr Gibbs? Saquon Barkley? Jonathan Taylor? Derrick Henry? Bijan Robinson? Christian McCaffrey?) … none of them has the incredible frequency of a mere 51.9 runs/receptions per 40-yard play, with Barkley’s 61.9 touches per the closest rate.

And, it isn’t just that flash and sizzle. Achane also succeeds on huge plays in the nitty-gritty. The Dolphins absolutely should have been shut out in Indianapolis to open the season, but, down 30-0 on a fourth-and-goal from the 11, the Dolphins play-callers were apparently at wit’s end and had Tagovailoa dump a pass to Achane almost 7 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Achane broke three tackles to allow Miami to avoid the ignominy of a season-starting goose egg. Then, at Carolina a couple weeks ago on a third-and-goal from the 10 and Miami up 3-0, Tagovailoa lobbed a pass to the right side of the end zone and the phenom elevated over Panthers linebacker Trevin Wallace and stunningly deadened his feet for a toe-tap TD that any All-Pro wideout would be proud of. Short of a stunning offer of, like, a first- and a second-round pick, Achane can’t go anywhere.

A brutal Dolphins flag-fest early set the tone

In the first third of the game (20:36), the Dolphins greased the skids for the Browns to grab their early 17-3 lead with five penalties for 59 yards, and also had a 5-yard offsides penalty declined by Cleveland. And, none of those penalties were against the offense.

Meanwhile, the pluses and, lesser pluses, of Waddle

Jaylen Waddle entered the Browns quagmire with a reception of at least 45 yards in each of his past three games with Mike McDaniel as coach, Tagovailoa as quarterback and Tyreek Hill not suited up. One interesting aspect of his game that is less impressive has been his percentage of snaps. In is 68 games heading into Week 7, Waddle had played in 3,372 snaps, which equates to 49.6 snaps a game and 73.9% of the offense’s plays since the 2021 season opener. By comparison, his former Alabama teammate at wide receiver who was also picked in the top 10 of the 2021 draft, the Eagles’ DeVonta Smith has piled up 4,175 snaps in his 69 pre-Week 7 games (60.5 snaps a game), 87.4 of the Eagles’ plays.

Dueling jaunts not seen in a Dolphins game in seven years

The last time a Dolphins game featured a run by a back on each team that went for at least 46 yards, the exact number of yardage picked up by Achane and Quinshon Judkins for their long runs in Cleveland on Sunday, was on Oct. 21, 2018 at Hard Rock Stadium when the Dolphins’ Kenyan Drake ripped off a 54-yard touchdown and the Detroit Lions’ Kerryon Johnson roared for 71 yards, from his 9 to the Miami 20.

What was Jaelan Phillips seeing out there?

A case can be made the game was over, with Cleveland up 24-6 in the third quarter, but still … Browns tight end Blake Whiteheart, on a third-down play, fumbled the ball before covering up. He could have still gotten up and gained the first down. However, it appeared that Jaelan Phillips, perhaps assuming the ball would be ruled an incomplete pass, tried to avoid making contact with Whiteheart. Phillips clipped him with his lower leg, ending the play and bringing up a punt, but it wasn’t intentional.

Why do the Dolphins continue to throw long-distance laterals?

The Dolphins, with more frequency than most teams, swing tosses wide to players such as Achane and Hill that are technically laterals. Makes no sense. Making that a live ball adds a wholly unnecessary layer of danger onto the play.

Challenges have been a nagging challenge for Mike McDaniel

Among the areas where Mike McDaniel has lagged behind his peers under the headset has been in the implementation of challenge video-review system. He has a weak 20% overturn rate, hitting on 4 of 20 red flags. How have past Dolphins coaches done? Brian Flores had a 42.1% hit rate (9 of 21), as did his predecessor, Adam Gase. In his 12-game interim stint in 2015, Dan Campbell was 3 for 3. From 2012-15, Joe Philbin was 10 for 21 (.476), including 9 for his final 17. Todd Bowles’ 2011 season-closing three game stint as interim coach involved no challenges, while Tony Sparano went from 2008-11 with excellent results, converting 8 of 15 (53.3%). In his doomed 2007, Cam Cameron hit on half of his four flag tosses. In his two seasons, Nick Saban only was right a third of the time (4 of 12). In replacing Dave Wannstedt in 2004, Jim Bates hit on 2 of 3. Wannstedt was 11 of 33 (33.3%), and, in the system’s first year of usage in 1999, Jimmy Johnson was 2 of 7 (28.6). Here is a listing of the NFL’s current coaches, in order of success percentage:

Brian Daboll, Giants (4th): 13 of 18 (72.2%), 4 of 5 this year;

Shane Steichen, Colts (3rd): 6 of 10 (60.0%), 3 of 4 this year;

Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals (3rd): 3 of 5 (60.0%), none this year;

Kevin O’Connell, Vikings (4th): 13 of 22 (59.1%), 1 of 1 this year;

Nick Sirianni, Eagles (5th): 10 of 18 (55.6%), 0 of 2 this year;

Kyle Shanahan, 49ers (9th): 24 of 45 (53.3%), 1 of 2 this year;

Mike Vrabel, Patriots (7th): 16 of 30 (53.3%), 2 of 4 this year;

Andy Reid, Chiefs (27th): 74 of 148 (50.0%), 1 of 1 this year;

Kevin Stefanski, Browns (6th): 10 of 20 (50.0%), 1 of 1 this year;

Mike McCoy, Titans (5th): 7 of 14 (50.0%), none this year;

Liam Coen, Jaguars (1st): 1 of 2 (50.0%), 1 of 2 this year;

Dave Canales, Panthers (2nd): 1 of 2 (50.0%), none this year;

Sean McVay, Rams (9th): 19 of 40 (47.5%), 1 of 2 this year;

Bowles, Buccaneers (9th): 13 of 28 (46.4%), none this year;

Pete Carroll, Raiders (19th): 53 of 118 (44.9%), 0 of 1 this year;

Zac Taylor, Bengals (7th): 18 of 41 (43.9%), 2 of 2 this year;

Sean Payton, Broncos (18th): 63 of 144 (43.8%), 2 of 3 this year;

Matt LaFleur, Packers (7th): 20 of 46 (43.5%), 2 of 3 this year;

Campbell, Lions (6th): 9 of 21 (42.9%); 0 of 1 this year;

Mike Tomlin, Steelers (19th): 41 of 96 (42.7%), none this year;

John Harbaugh, Ravens (18th): 55 of 131 (42.0%), none this year;

Dan Quinn, Commanders (8th): 13 of 31 (41.9%), 1 of 3 this year;

Raheem Morris, Falcons (6th): 15 of 37 (40.5%); 3 of 4 this year;

Jim Harbaugh. Chargers (6th): 13 of 39 (33.3%), 1 of 1 this year;

Sean McDermott, Bills (9th NFL season): 11 of 38 overturned (28.9%), 0 of 0 this year;

DeMeco Ryans, Texans (3rd): 2 of 7 (28.6%), none this year;

Mike McDaniel, Dolphins (4th): 4 of 20 (20.0%), 0 of 1 this year;

Aaron Glenn, Jets (1st): None;

Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys (1st): None;

Ben Johnson, Bears (1st); 0 of 1 (0.0%), 0 of 1 this year;

Mike Macdonald, Seahawks (2nd): 0 of 1 (0.0%), none this year;

Kellen Moore, Saints (1st): 0 of 1 (0.0%), 0 of 1 this year.

On deck: Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Sunday, 1 p.m.

As mentioned before in this space, the Dolphins close out an unlucky bit of first-half scheduling, with their game against the Falcons being inside of their dome. Like with the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte and the Browns in Cleveland, the Falcons have been a superior-performing unit under the circumstances where they will face the Dolphins, in this case being indoors. Atlanta enters the Dolphins matchup 3-1 in a dome, with its offense averaging 25.0 points and 390.5 yards a game with only two turnovers. Meanwhile, the Falcons defense in its four indoor games has allowed only 260.8 yards a game and gotten opponents to spit up seven turnovers.

CLEVELAND — Remember when Mike McDaniel said it couldn’t get worse a while back?

It got worse Sunday in a 31-6 loss to the previously 1-5 Cleveland Browns.

The Dolphins fell to 1-6 in a season that sunk a little more. Here are 10 thoughts on the dismal day:

1.Play of the Game: On the first play of the second half, Tua Tagovailoa threw high toward the sideline to De’Von Achane, who had it tick off his hands and Cleveland’s Tyson Campbell intercepted it, managed to stay inbounds and ran 34 yards for a touchdown. Twelves seconds into the half, whatever thoughts the Dolphins had of regrouping at the intermission were gone and Cleveland led, 24-6.

2. Stat of the Day: Cleveland ended a streak of scoring 17 points or fewer in 11 straight games. That wasn’t all on the defense. It was a shared disappointment with an offense. But if there was ever a day for the Dolphins defense to get healthy, here it was. Cleveland entered Sunday last in the league at 13.7 points a game and had a third-round rookie in quarterback Dillon Gabriel (13-18, 116 yards). When Cleveland took a 17-3 second-quarter lead that represented its biggest lead all season. It wasn’t the defense’s fault for the 31-point total considering …

3. … Tua couldn’t lift this offense and gift-wrapped two touchdowns to Cleveland. Or maybe this offense couldn’t be lifted against the third-ranked defense. The weather wasn’t a factor. The first-half rain stopped, the winds expected to be strong never really were — but Tagovailoa had three interceptions before being sat down in the fourth quarter after completing 12 of 23 passes for 100 yards. He was lucky not to have a second pick-6 in the fourth quarter when he was under pressure in his end zone and threw right to safety Rayshawn Jenkins at the 11-yard line. Jenkins returned it to the 2. A play later Cleveland led 31-6.  It wasn’t just Tua. Jaylen Waddle had one catch for 15 yards. De’Von Achane did everything he could with 11 carries for 80 yards and three catches for 16 yards. Tight end Darren Waller left the game in the first half with a pectoral injury and (weekly reminder) Tyreek Hill is lost for the year. The Dolphins ran 19 times for a respectable 95 yards (mainly Achane) when Tua left the game. But this offense looked lost Sunday as it going 1 of 12 on third-down conversions shows.

4. The Dolphins defense didn’t plug the run-defense holes. Two weeks ago it was Carolina’s backup, Rico Dowdle, running for 206 yards against the Dolphins. Last week it was the Los Angeles Chargers’ Kimani Vidal running for 124 yards with the fourth and fifth offensive tackles. Cleveland rookie Quinshon Jenkins running 25 times for 84 yards doesn’t tell the full story. He had 10 carries for 70 yards as Cleveland opened up its lead. Cleveland’s offense is 27th overall and 28th in running the ball, too, and it was without both starting tackles. Cleveland’s interior is healthy, though, and Judkins ran 46 yards right up the gut to put the Brown up 10-3 in the second quarter.

5. On the good-news front (every day needs some): Left tackle Patrick Paul passed a big test on his good progression this year to showing he can be very good. Myles Garrett was kept as quiet as possible this day. Garrett is a six-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year in 2023. He wasn’t credited with a tackle in the first half. He had a sack early in the third quarter, but that was on a defensive twist where he beat guard Cole Strange.

Related Articles

• Chris Perkins: Dolphins appear lost and uncertain at QB position — again
• Dave Hyde: It’s closing time for this Dolphins regime (only question is when)
• Dolphins players say they remain receptive to coach Mike McDaniel amid 1-6 start
• Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO
• Things we learned in Miami Dolphins’ 31-6 loss at the Cleveland Browns

6. On all three Browns scoring drives of the first half, the Dolphins committed significant penalties. That folds into a day where the Dolphins had 10 penalties for 98 yards to the Browns’ five penalties for 37 yards. Here’s the breakdown of the defensive penalties on Browns’ scoring drives:

*3-0: Browns ‘ 57-yard drive aided by 1) an illegal contact penalty that turned fourth down into first down and 2) a Zach Sieler roughing the passer penalty.

*10-3: Browns’ five-play, 83-yard drive was kept alive by a marginal pass-interference call on Minkah Fitzpatrick that negated an Ashtyn Davis interception. On the next play, Judkins ran for his 46-yard touchdown.

*17-3: Browns’ 10-play, 46-yard drive that began thanks to Dee Eskridge’s kickoff-return fumble got its biggest gain on a 15-yard penalty on Jaelan Phillips for unnecessary roughness. Instead of facing third-and-5 from the Dolphins 35, the penalty gave a first down.

7. Don’t overlook the pre-game news: The simple read of Quinn Ewers being promoted to the backup quarterback over Zach Wilson for Sunday’s game is McDaniel thought Ewers gave them a better chance to win if needed. This isn’t a small decision for any team, putting a rookie seventh-round pick over a veteran free agent who was considered a good fit to rehab his game in this offense. It’s a bigger decision on the Dolphins with Tua’s injury history. It also carries some practice-week protocol as the third-stringer typically runs the scout team and the second-stringer gets limited practice reps.

9. Quick Hits:

*Jordyn Brooks had nine tackles and Tyrel Dodson eight to continue the story of Dolphins linebackers having good numbers without big impact.

*New England remains in first place in the AFC East after beating Tennessee.

*Streak alert: For the second straight week, the team that won the pregame coin toss elected to receive. It was the Dolphins last week, the Browns this week.

*Sunday was the first matchup of left-handed quarterbacks since Atlanta’s Michael Vick and Tampa Bay’s Chris Simms in 2006.

10. Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta plays at San Francisco on Sunday night and looks like a team that’s found some good answers this year.  Those answers pose some problems in this matchup. Atlanta has the league’s top running game at 151.2 yards a game. Bijan Robinson is tied for the league lead at 5.8 yards a rush with Carolina’s Rico Dowdle (remember him running for 206 yards on the Dolphins?) Atlanta’s defense also leads the league in allowing 253.4 yards a game and is seventh in giving up 20 points a game.

Dolphins Deep Dive: ‘Wow, what an embarrassment.’ Breaking down another ugly Miami loss | VIDEO

WEST PALM BEACH — Cardinal Newman senior Adam Balogoun-Ali blocked an extra point on the final play of regulation, senior running back Phoenix Donghia had a game-winning 6-yard touchdown run, and the host Crusaders delivered a thrilling 26-20 victory in overtime against West Boca Raton on homecoming in a highly anticipated matchup on Friday night.

West Boca (6-2) trailed 20-14 and took over at the Cardinal Newman 46-yard line with 2:53 left. The Bulls marched downfield and lined up at the Cardinal Newman 4-yard line with two seconds left after a timeout by the Crusaders. Junior quarterback Trey Moran threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Javian Mallory to tie the score.

Balogoun-Ali, a standout linebacker and Auburn commit, displayed his athleticism with the blocked extra point on a leaping attempt to force overtime.

“I missed the sack on fourth down that would have ended the game,” Balogoun-Ali said. “As soon as that happened, I knew I had to get it back for my team. It means everything. It’s a huge confidence booster. Going into this season, we knew we had this type of potential. I think tonight we really did something, so I am proud of our guys.”

Balogoun-Ali, who also stepped up with a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter, has made an impact in his first season with the Crusaders.

“I watched the kid in Pop Warner do the same thing,” Cardinal Newman coach Jack Daniels said. “Everybody kind of thought he was going to block it. It’s a heck of a play. He is a heck of player. We’re lucky to have him.”

On the first play of overtime, Cardinal Newman senior William Hart stepped in front of a pass for an interception in the end zone.

“I really kind of was surprised that they threw it there,” Danels said. “Will cut right in front of it. He listens, he works his butt off every day in practice, and he had an incredible week of practice.”

Cardinal Newman (6-2) scored on their second play on offense in overtime. Donghia took the handoff and powered his way into the end zone for the 6-yard score.

“I give all my credit to my big guys up front,” Donghia said. “We had ups and downs, but we keep fighting and were resilient and we pushed through. I knew I was going to get in there. When I was at Benjamin, we lost to them by one point, so to come here and beat them felt so good.”

Cardinal Newman senior quarterback Jyron Hughley, a West Virginia commit, finished with 162 rushing yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.

“I knew it was coming,” Hughley said. “They’re trying to focus too much on our running back, Phoenix. They were sending a lot of pressure. I used my legs to my advantage. This [win] ranks high for me because there has been a lot of talk about West Boca being ranked higher than us and they got a big powerhouse, but Coach Jack [Daniels] is building something special at Cardinal Newman, and I am happy to be a part of it and being able to take this team far. It means a lot to me knowing that my head coach trusts me to get the job done.”

Mallory, a Miami commit, rushed for 158 yards and had a touchdown run and catch in the loss. He finished with two catches for 15 yards.

The Bulls defense had previously allowed just 34 points through their first seven games.

“We just didn’t come out and play well right from the beginning,” West Boca coach Dylan Potts said. “I thought we struggled in all three [phases]. We showed grit. At the end of the day, I am disappointed overall. I thought we came out and played hard in the second half, but we just waited too long to turn it on. It was their night. I think they played a really excellent game, and we knew that. It’s a very well-coached team. I have a lot of respect for Coach Daniels, Coach Partridge and what they’re doing up here at Cardinal Newman. We knew we were going to be in a dogfight tonight, and we just did not come out and execute.”

Cardinal Newman failed to convert on fourth-and-8 at the Bulls 16-yard line on their second series on offense. The two teams were locked in a scoreless tie at the end of the first.

Donghia rushed for a 6-yard touchdown to give the Crusaders a 7-0 advantage with 6:02 left in the second quarter.

West Boca threw an incomplete pass on fourth down at the Crusaders 30-yard line late in the first half. The Crusaders had a 7-0 lead entering halftime.

“They want to run the ball down your throat,” Daniels said. “We had to stop the run and make them throw a little bit more probably than they wanted. We kind of controlled the first half with our offense and kept their offense off the field.”

Balogoun-Ali had a 33-yard interception return for a score to extend the lead to 13-0 with 9:16 left in the third quarter.

Mallory rushed for a 52-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 13-6 with 6:18 left in the third.

On the first play of the ensuing possession, Hughley raced up the middle for an 80-yard touchdown to increase the lead 20-6.

Moran rushed for a 2-yard touchdown with 15 seconds left in the third quarter. Moran tossed a two-point conversion pass to Mallory to cut the deficit to 20-14.

West Boca marched downfield later in the fourth. On fourth-and-8 at the Crusaders 24, Moran scrambled and was stopped short after a 5-yard gain to force a turnover on downs.

Moran fired a 13-yard pass to junior wide receiver Billy Clancy III and 11-yard pass to Mallory on the final drive in regulation to help set-up the game-tying score.

“We got to wear this one,” West Boca coach Dylan Potts said. “We have to move on from it and go win out and win a state championship.”

LAUDERDALE LAKES — Visiting Florida Christian capitalized on three turnovers and 11 penalties for 135 yards by Westminster Academy and thumped the Lions 52-16 in the Sunshine State Athletic Conference game on Friday night.

Quarterback Joey Padron Jr. threw for three touchdowns, while four different running backs scored for the Patriots in the rout. Aamir Wright caught two TD passes and added a TD run in the team’s sixth straight victory. The Patriots entered the game ranked No. 9 in the SSAC.

“They (Florida Christian) played a good game and they are well coached,” said Westminster Academy coach Ehren Wallhoff, whose team entered the game ranked fifth in the SSAC. “They came out here and kicked our butts. Our guys have to learn to play through some adversity, and we didn’t do that tonight.”

Senior Night started well for host Westminster Academy (6-2) as they took the opening kickoff and scored on a 1-yard run by Rashard Lewis with 10:11 left in the first quarter that capped an eight-play, 80-yard drive.

Florida Christian (7-1-1) battled back to take the lead for good at 14-6 on a 33-yard scoring pass from Padron to Wright and a 50-yard touchdown run by Wright.

Westminster Academy picked up a 28-yard field goal by Gavin Patterson to cut the lead to 14-9 with 7:32 remaining in the first half before the Patriots scored two more times in the second quarter as they capitalized on the second of two interceptions by Vankino Bethea and a fumble recovery by Brett Vigna.

After a 15-yard TD run by Jahini Smith, Westminster Academy turned the ball over on the ensuing kickoff when their returner thought the ball was going out of bounds, and Vigna recovered the ball on the Lions’ 13. Two plays later, Timothy Chennis scored on a 1-yard run to extend the lead to 28-9 with 4:58 left in the second quarter. The scores were 35 seconds apart.

“That was 14 points right there and a momentum swing,” Wallhoff added. “We were down 12 points at the half, and you have to be able to respond in the second half, and we didn’t. We had a couple of unfortunate plays with penalties that gave them 20-25 extra yards on plays, and those are momentum killers. We have to play better.

The Lions forced Florida Christian to turn over the ball on downs, and they drove 83 yards in 10 plays, capped by a 2-yard quarterback keeper by Cortland Brownfield to trim the lead to 28-16 with 22 seconds remaining in the half. Brownfield finished the game with 15 carries for 27 yards, and 15 or 23 for 244 yards passing with two INTs.

“I think this (loss) helps test us a little bit,” Wallhoff continued. “We’ve gotten out on some teams with big leads, and I think ultimately this will help us for the playoffs. You go through the grind of the season, and sometimes you have wins that are great. I know this group and we’ll bounce back.”

The Patriots put the game away with 24 unanswered points in the second half. Florida Christian entered the game averaging 175 yards rushing and finished the contest with 40 carries for 250 yards.

Westminster Academy saw its five-game winning streak come to an end.

MIAMI GARDENS — Carson Beck dropped to pass in the final minute, and a bad night was ready to turn good in the way a nightmare game folds into a dream season as he threw short into the flat.

A simple pass. A safe pass.

Only a word got in the way.

“Miscommunication,’’ as the Miami quarterback said.

Everything looks good in a perfect season until it doesn’t. And it didn’t for No. 2- ranked Miami from the start Friday night against Louisville to this very end when Beck’s pass to tight end Elija Lofton was intercepted with 32 seconds left.

“Just ran the route wrong, and I went to go throw it because we’re hot off of pressure,’’ Beck said. “And, again, (Louisville’s T.J. Capers) made a good play, but it didn’t help we ran the wrong route.”

After starting 5-0 with some telltale wins, after putting visions of sugarplums in their fans’ heads, anything and everything was imaginable for Miami this season.

This wasn’t what you imagined, though. This night. This loss. This was like watching your worst sports nightmare, the one where your great season falls for a fake field, gets behind early 14-0, suffers three interceptions, trails by 11 points in the fourth quarter and then when it has a chance to either tie with a field goal or win with a touchdown …

“All in all, flat out just not good enough,’’ coach Mario Cristobal said after Miami’s 24-21 loss.

Before going any further, before saying this wasn’t the team of the previous five games, understand one loss doesn’t kill Miami’s big hopes. It will make the playoffs with one loss, can still advance into the deepest part of January with one loss.

Here’s Miami’s schedule the rest of the way: Stanford, SMU, Syracuse, North Carolina State, Virginia Tech, Pitt. Not a heavyweight the rest of the way.

But then Louisville was only thought to be a middleweight. This wasn’t a night Miami had to be great, like it was against Notre Dame, or to be the bully, like against Florida. This was a night it was asked to survive. Just that.

And it didn’t survive.

It couldn’t.

Q: How did Beck throw four interceptions?

A: His fifth one was erased by a Louisville roughing-the-passer penalty.

It was that kind of loss for Miami.

“If you give away plays, it’s going to get you,’’ Cristobal said. “Tonight, it got us.”

This team that had large swaths of games where they physically dominated games Notre Dame, Florida and Florida State. That’s this team’s identity. But that kind of line play only made cameos Friday night.

Miami’s running backs had 16 carries for 40 yards. That’s an opening drive some games.

“We didn’t run the ball,’’ Cristobal said.

Louisville running back Isaac Brown had 113 yards on 15 carries. A 7.5 average. How did that happen?

“I’ll bring it back to us,” defensive tackle David Clay said. “We’ve got to get to work.”

There was a football show here between Brown’s big runs against Toney’s big catches. Both were electric. Both put up big numbers. Both deserved to have their night in lights.

Then Brown fumbled midway through the fourth quarter leading to Toney’s 12-yard touchdown pass from Beck on the next play. Toney threw on a reverse for the two-point conversion and Miami was within three points with over seven minutes left.

There was no magic left, though, at least not for Miami. Louisville coach Jeff Brohm was soon being pictured before a pair of brass cowboy boots that’s the trophy celebrating the winner of Howard Schnellenberger’s big teams.

As they came off the field, Louisville players stopped before a camera identified by writing above it, “Win video,” and they’d offer a line …

“Big win!” one play said.

Or a dance.

“Feeling like this!” another said, busting a move.

Down the hallway, Beck was saying, “I’ve got to protect the ball better. That’s unacceptable.”

Yes, anything could happen this Miami season and something did.

“We got knocked in the mouth, we’ve got to come back,’’ defensive back Zechariah Poyser said.

One loss won’t kill the season. But miscues and miscommunications that filled this game can.

 

MIAMI – In a move that gets the Miami Heat back under the punitive NBA luxury tax but also leaves a potential void in the power rotation, the team on Friday night informed their former first-round pick Precious Achiuwa that he was being waived.

The move came ahead of Saturday’s 5 p.m. waiver deadline, the timeframe needed to avoid counting salary against the payroll at Monday’s roster deadline.

Achiuwa, selected by the Heat at No. 20 in the 2020 NBA draft, was added to the roster on the eve of training camp on a non-guaranteed veteran-minimum contract. That salary would have put the Heat over the 2025-26 luxury-tax threshold.

Instead, the Heat are left at the waiver deadline with Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware and Nikola Jovic as the only true elements of the power rotation on the standard roster.

Achiuwa had an uneven run during his comeback bid, having been away since he was dealt to the Toronto Raptors in the 2021 offseason. He then returned to the Heat after the New York Knicks bypassed returning him from last season’s roster.

Achiuwa did not play in Friday night’s preseason finale, a 141-125 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at Kaseya Center that completed an 0-7 preseason.

Achiuwa appeared in four exhibitions with the Heat, playing 47 total minutes, with 19 points and 21 rebounds. He shot 7 of 17 from the field.

With the Heat operating at the NBA maximum offseason roster limit of 21 players, the team got down to the regular-season limits by waiving camp tryout players Dain Dainja, Dez Mbeng and Ethan Thompson. All three are expected to move on to the Heat’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

In somewhat of a surprising move guard, Jahmir Young, who previously was with the Chicago Bulls, was elevated from his Exhibition 10 tryout contract to a two-way contract.

The maneuvering left the Heat with 14 players under standard contract, one spot below the NBA maximum, needing to work at that roster configuration to avoid the luxury tax.

Related Articles

• A winless preseason it is for Heat, ending with 141-125 loss to Grizzlies
• Ultimately, a liberating preseason for Heat’s Dru Smith, ‘no minutes restriction’
• ASK IRA: Is Heat’s Tyler Herro being too optimistic when it comes to his timetable?
• Heat’s Terry Rozier on return from hamstring, ‘All I ask for is a fair opportunity, a fair chance’
• Heat longshots about to get final shot in a preseason short on breakthroughs

Under standard contract to the Heat entering the season are Adebayo, Jovic, Ware, Simone Fontecchio, Tyler Herro, Keshad Johnson, Kasparas Jakucionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson, Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell, Terry Rozier, Dru Smith and Andrew Wiggins.

Under two-way contract remain Myron Gardner and Vlad Goldin, now joined by Young. Players on two-way contracts, however, can be swapped out for other options at any point until midseason.

Based on the waiver-claim process, the Heat roster still could be reshuffled for their season opener Wednesday night against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center.

MIAMI — Perhaps it was played for real simply because there now are four days off before Wednesday night’s season opener in Orlando. Or perhaps it was because the Miami Heat entered 0-5 this preseason.

So there in the starting lineup Friday night were five players who well could be in the starting lineup for Erik Spoelstra when it begins for real against the Magic.

It might not have been a dress rehearsal, but it was far from a typical throwaway game at the end of the preseason.

Didn’t matter.

For only the second time in the franchise’s 38 seasons, the Heat wound up winless in a preseason, falling 141-125 to the Memphis Grizzlies at Kaseya Center. The only other time the Heat had a winless preseason was when they went 0-7 in 2007, ahead of a 15-67 season.

Nonetheless, several for the Heat had their moments, including Bam Adebayo, with 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists; Norman Powell with 23 points and six assists; and Kel’el Ware with 20 points and 14 rebounds.

Adebayo and Mitchell departed for the night at the end of the third quarter, when the Heat led 103-102.

“Could we have stopped the game after the third quarter?” Spoelstra asked rhetorically afterward. “There were some things I was looking to see from this game, and we saw a lot of ’em.”

He added, “We’re not going to focus on what the record was in the preseason.”

Five Degrees of Heat from Friday’s night’s exhibition:

1. For real: With the Heat entering winless, Spoelstra veered from the typical end-of-roster approach to the exhibition finale, starting Adebayo, Ware, Powell, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell.

That had been the Heat’s opening lineup Monday in Atlanta, with the exception of Mitchell this time starting over Dru Smith. Smith then entered midway through the opening period when Mitchell was called for his second foul.

The Heat on Friday remained without Tyler Herro (ankle), Nikola Jovic (back) and Kasparas Jakucionis (hip).

2. Power rotation: The question now is whether Jovic will be worked back into the starting lineup for the season opener, or whether it will remain Adebayo-Ware.

At various times in Friday night’s first half, the Heat had Adebayo, Wiggins and Simone Fontecchio at power forward.

Rounding out the starters in the first half rotation were, in order, Smith, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and Fontecchio.

“It’s going to be some growing pains,” Adebayo said of the winless preseason and what might come next.

3. Powell play: Powell continued to respond as a needed source of offense in the absence of Herro, this time up to 20 points within the opening minutes of the second half.

“I just look how we’re progressing as a team, individually,” Powell said of the winless preseason. “There’s a lot of lessons in losing, and figuring it out, how we can get better.”

Related Articles

• Miami Heat waive Precious Achiuwa, move back below luxury tax
• Ultimately, a liberating preseason for Heat’s Dru Smith, ‘no minutes restriction’
• ASK IRA: Is Heat’s Tyler Herro being too optimistic when it comes to his timetable?
• Heat’s Terry Rozier on return from hamstring, ‘All I ask for is a fair opportunity, a fair chance’
• Heat longshots about to get final shot in a preseason short on breakthroughs

Friday night’s performance came in the wake of Powell scoring 18, 18 and 17 in his previous three appearances, with none of those appearances of more than 28 minutes. This time he went 25:21.

“I think he’s played really well right now,” Spoelstra said of his team’s prime offseason addition. “He’s comfortable in what we’re trying to do. He’s adding for sure to what we’re doing and he’s been great in the practices, too.”

4.  Rozier returns: Friday marked Terry Rozier’s preseason debut, after being sidelined since training camp with a hamstring strain. He entered with 5:56 left in the third period, when Mitchell was called for his fifth foul.

Rozier went 10:38, scoring four points on 2-of-4 shooting.

Next to be seen is whether in the absence of Herro there could be minutes in the opening rotation.

“He put in a lot of work this summer,” Spoelstra said pregame. “The last two weeks have probably been a bummer for him, because of all that time that he put in and he was playing well, he was in great shape. But all that work doesn’t go away. So he was able to ramp up the last few days.”

“I think his mind is clear. He gives you that scoring punch, the toughness. And I think those will be on display since he’s healthy.'”

5. Up next: The Heat now take a four-day break before Wednesday night’s season opener at Orlando’s Kia Center to begin their 38th season.

The Heat will not return to Kaseya Center until facing the New York Knicks on Oct 26 in their home opener.

MIAMI GARDENS — After Miami quarterback Carson Beck threw his third pick of the game, the Hurricanes’ chances of coming back against Louisville appeared to be over.

But that was not what the script said. He had another interception coming.

The No. 2 Hurricanes were driving for a potential tying field goal or winning touchdown, but Beck threw his fourth interception, allowing Louisville to seal a 24-21 win at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday.

“The message is being very real and honest: That ain’t good enough,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “That’s a really poor job of just overall execution and discipline. And when I say that, it means all of us, like everybody in the organization. Every coach, every player — we take it. We win together, you lose together. So when we say execution, that falls on the coach, falls on the player, falls on myself, falls on everybody.”

After Beck’s third interception, Louisville tried to run with Isaac Brown, who had gashed UM all night. But Miami defensive back Keionte Scott forced a fumble, and safety Zechariah Poyser returned it to the 12. On the next play, freshman star Malachi Toney ran in a touchdown. He followed it up by throwing a pass to CJ Daniels for a two-point conversion, cutting UM’s deficit to three points.

Miami still needed more points, and the defense forced a stop near midfield. The Hurricanes took over with 4:05 on the clock at their own 15-yard line. Miami drove into field-goal range in the game’s final minute. But as they tried to get closer or get a game-winning touchdown, Louisville linebacker T.J. Capers — a Miami native — caught Beck’s pass, ending the comeback bid.

“Effort, toughness, resilience, all the good stuff, but again, not enough to overcome the issues that we cause ourselves, particularly in the earlier penalties,” Cristobal said.

Cristobal said it was their “regular process” to keep trying to push the ball closer to the goal line in that late-game situation.

“With over 30 seconds left and a couple timeouts, we’re at 48 for the field goal,” Cristobal said. “We’re still going to try to move the ball and make it closer or to try to win the game, as well.

The Cardinals never trailed in Friday’s game. They came out of the gate with a well-executed drive, moving down the field efficiently. Miami got a third-down stop, and Louisville lined up for a field goal. Holder David Chapeau came up just short of the goal line, but it was more than enough for a first down. The Cardinals scored on a quarterback sneak by Miller Moss on the next play.

Louisville continued its hot start after forcing a three-and-out on UM’s first offensive drive. The Cardinals started the drive in Hurricanes territory, and Chris Bell caught a Moss pass over the middle and sprinted to the end zone to put Louisville up by two scores.

Miami’s offense was not shellshocked after UM fell behind early. Quarterback Carson Beck tossed a 30-yard pass to CJ Daniels to start the drive and followed it with a 39-yard toss to freshman Malachi Toney, putting the Hurricanes inside the Cardinals’ 10-yard line. Three plays later, running back Mark Fletcher Jr. punched in UM’s first score of the night.

Beck’s passing was not as good on the next drive, and he threw an interception that Cardinals linebacker Antonio Watts reeled in. Fortunately for UM, the pick did not come back to bite the Hurricanes, and they forced a punt on the ensuing drive. Cornerback Jabari Mack picked off Beck on the following Miami drive, but once again, Miami’s defense forced a punt.

After a 61-yard screen pass to Malachi Toney, the Hurricanes had to settle for a field goal to cut the deficit to 14-10 with 1:56 left in the first half.

Louisville had to settle for a field goal of its own on its first drive of the second half. The Cardinals’ 48-yard field goal came one play after Jakobe Thomas nearly intercepted a pass (replay review showed the ball hit the ground before Thomas could catch it).

Bell scored his second touchdown of the game on a play similar to his first score, catching a pass over the middle and scoring a 36-yard touchdown. The score pushed the Cardinals ahead 24-13, keeping Miami at arm’s length and giving the Cardinals enough points to fend off the Hurricanes late.

“It’s a good thing that we play 12 games and not just one,” Beck said. “And that’s the biggest thing that we have to realize is just going 1-0 every single week. We have six more opportunities, and this game doesn’t define us. Just because this game went bad doesn’t just throw away the first five games that we had. We’ve been very successful this season. And, shoot, we laid the egg tonight. And again, that starts with me as a quarterback, as a leader on this team. I have to be more disciplined, I have to prepare better, I have to play better. And again, I’m going to do that and come back with fire.”

Five takeaways 1. Hurricanes can’t consistently generate offense

Louisville’s defense came to play Friday night, and the Hurricanes’ offense could not do much against it.

Miami’s run game was not a factor in the game. Although Fletcher scored a touchdown, the Hurricanes managed just 63 yards on 24 carries in the loss.

The passing game was only marginally better, with Beck throwing four interceptions. The Hurricanes had to settle for two field goals when they drove deep into Louisville territory, and they needed touchdowns.

“I think, first of all, we did not run the ball well. We didn’t,” Cristobal said. “Certainly, we need to do a better job at the line of scrimmage and get downhill, give our guys a chance to make plays and move the sticks. We also got ourselves off schedule several times in terms of pre-snap penalties, middle-of-a-drive penalty, and it changes your play calls. So all in all, just flat out not good enough, you know, particularly, you know, we got to score more points with the ball.

2. Penalties prove costly

Miami entered the game tied for the lead in most penalties per game in the ACC. The Hurricanes continued to draw flags on Friday, and the penalties seemed to come at the worst times.

A pair of unsportsmanlike conduct calls handcuffed drives in the first half, and Toney was called for a delay of game on a punt return when it looked like he might take the punt and score.

Late in the game, when Miami needed offense, the Hurricanes converted on third and short — only for the first down to be wiped out by a hold on Fletcher.

3. Beck gets greedy

On UM’s second drive of the game, Beck completed a pair of deep balls to Daniels and Toney. He spent the rest of the first half chasing those deep passes, and it cost him.

The veteran quarterback threw two interceptions when trying to target deep receivers, passing up chances to get yards by dumping the ball to open receivers closer to him. Beck only threw three incompletions in the first half, but two of them were picked off by the Cardinals.

Beck finished the game with 25 of 35 passing for 271 yards and four interceptions.

“They challenged us up front to try to stop the run but play zone with eyes behind it,” Beck said. “And again, they made some really good plays, but there’s times where maybe I was a little too aggressive.”

4. Malachi Toney continues to excel

Toney has been off to an outstanding start to his college career. The freshman from American Heritage had his second straight 100-yard game, eclipsing the century mark in the first half.

Toney kept the Hurricanes in the game, scoring the touchdown to make it 24-19 and then tossing the two-point conversion to make it a three-point game. He finished the game with 135 receiving yards on nine catches.

5. Lack of pressure

The Cardinals entered the game with some of the worst blocking grades among Power 4 teams, and the Hurricanes had one of the most effective pass rushes. But Louisville found a way to scheme around that mismatch.

Moss rarely stayed back in the pocket to throw, neutralizing Miami’s strong pass rush. The Hurricanes did still get one sack — from defensive back Keionte Scott — but the dominant pass rusher Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. did not cause their usual disruption. It was the first game this season where neither Akheem Mesidor nor Rueben Bain Jr. had a sack.

“Ball’s out quick, some chips (blocks) — both by the back and by the tight end,” Cristobal said. “Good game plan. And you got to mix it up, got to bring pressure, got to cover, got to play tight coverage, got to give some room as well, and then got to play the run. (They have) a really good running back and whatnot. So it’s certainly when you play against a play-caller like that, you got to do your best to keep them off balance without hurting yourself.”

 

General Daily Insight for October 18, 2025

Our hearts are being activated. The emotional Moon works smoothly with fiery Mars, bringing ambition to our inner lives and dusting off shelved dreams. The Moon is then supported by inspirational Jupiter, bringing fresh life to things that we’ve been keeping inside of us. Creativity is also heightened by this cosmic duo. Finally, Luna opposes critical Saturn at 5:10 pm EDT, which may bring on self-doubt and naysayers that we need to stand our ground against. We must remember what truly motivates us.

Aries

March 21 – April 19

Past routines might reawaken old dreams. The cosmos could call upon your memories, asking what you left behind. Maybe you’ll find an old workout video that you used to like following, a healthy (but delicious) recipe from a practical diet, or pictures of yourself involved in a past hobby or sport. It’s a good time to remember what made being healthy feel fun for you, because without it being enjoyable, it won’t stick half as well. Do what works for you.

Taurus

April 20 – May 20

Other people might try to yuck your yum. You could be simply enjoying yourself when others comment on how it’s not for them, but rather than discourage you, their reactions may actually encourage you. It probably doesn’t affect you that they’re not following along with what you’re doing, and this sense of independence can be freeing. Not everyone likes the same stuff, but does that mean you’re not actually enjoying it just because they don’t? Of course not! It’s still your yum.

Gemini

May 21 – June 20

The scene is set for analyzing your current comfort zone. It may be holding you back if you’re allowing it to prevent you from trying new things. Sometimes, a comfort zone is just so comfortable that you never want to leave it, but when you never move around, things get stagnant! Seeing what the world has to offer should be exciting, and your home base should be a place to rest, not a place to permanently park yourself. See what’s out there.

Cancer

June 21 – July 22

You might not be following the crowd’s current mindset. As you practice carving out your ideal life path, while it may look odd to some other people around you, they don’t need to be a part of this. After all, it’s your thought process and future, not theirs. No two people are on the exact same journey. To reach your desired destination, make a point of staying aware of your soul. Figure out what works for your way of thinking, then follow it.

Leo

July 23 – August 22

You’re creating abundance. Once, you may have thought it was shooting too high to try to “make it” in a certain field, but updated evidence is showing you that you have the stamina to chase your dreams. It’s important to be open to the universe by showing the world what you can do, because this opportunity won’t come looking for you at your doorstep. You have to be ready to put yourself on display! Show your skills and see what comes in.

Virgo

August 23 – September 22

You’re shifting how you express yourself. Perhaps you’re changing up your social media, trying unique fashions, or experimenting with intriguing trends. It’s good to see what’s out there and intuitively seek out what speaks to you. Don’t let yourself be stagnant. Keep working through any fears of letting go of the past and let your present self exist in flux — that’s natural. Who you were will always be a part of you; you just might look or act a little different now.

Libra

September 23 – October 22

Struggling to keep up with everything will wear on you. You’re trying to keep a lot of irons in a lot of fires, which risks allowing things to slip through the cracks (although luck is supporting you). It’s vital to stay aware of how much time and energy everything will take, because in your mind, they might be far easier to accomplish than they actually are in practice. Make time for what matters to you ASAP, or you risk losing some of it.

Scorpio

October 23 – November 21

You may see how the actions of the people around you are affecting you. They say that you are the company you keep, and in your case, this might be very true. Friends or family could have you caught in their wake, whipping you along for an unplanned joyride. This has the potential to be fun, as long as they’re good traveling companions! If you’re not sure about the path that they’re going down, it might be time to leave their orbit.

Sagittarius

November 22 – December 21

You’re putting your heart into your projects! That’s normally good, but be wary of becoming too attached to your designs. You risk becoming a perfectionist, afraid to move forward until everything’s flawless. Additionally, taking any criticism of what you’ve done personally would make it difficult to grow or show your work to others. You have the opportunity to hear what they’re saying, know the intentions you put into your work, and decide if their critiques are worth taking or not. Know who you are.

Capricorn

December 22 – January 19

Who are you, Capricorn? And, more importantly, are you willing to share that knowledge with trusted peers? You might typically shy away from opening up, but the people spending time around you may be curious. A friend, new or old, could ask to know more about you and what led you to where you are now. While it may be tempting to overcorrect and overshare, strive to open up naturally, then ask them more about themselves. Let it be a two-way street.

Aquarius

January 20 – February 18

Secrets are many-faceted gems — and you could be studying one right now. There may be something positive that you’re hoping to surprise someone with, so it’s important that you don’t reveal anything. You may need to make decisions undercover to avoid giving away what’s really taking place. While this can be a challenge, it will likely all be worth it to make a loved one smile. Give someone a little moment of joy in their life today, because that joy should be contagious.

Pisces

February 19 – March 20

It can be difficult to figure out where your desires start and another person’s stop. You may care about someone in your life so deeply that it feels as though what they want is what you want, but you’re probably too close to the situation. Do your best to zoom out and ask yourself if this is what you really want. If it didn’t make this loved one happy, would you still be interested in it? Reevaluate before jumping in with both feet.

By JOSH BOAK, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is giving domestic automakers additional relief from tariffs on auto parts, extending what was supposed to have been a short-term rebate until 2030.

It’s part of a proclamation Trump signed Friday that also made official a 25% import tax on medium and heavy duty trucks, starting Nov. 1.

The action reflected the administration’s efforts to use tariffs to promote American manufacturing while also trying to shield the auto sector from the higher costs that Trump’s import taxes have created for parts and raw materials.

Related Articles

• Trump says he has commuted sentence of former US Rep. George Santos in federal fraud case
• Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow deployment of National Guard in Chicago area
• Obama, aiming to boost Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, endorses Sherrill and Spanberger
• FEMA staff sound the alarm on disaster preparedness at rally in front of agency headquarters
• With no takers yet, White House sets meeting with colleges still weighing an agreement with Trump

The special rebate initially announced in April had been set to be lowered and then expire in 2027. At the time, Trump described it as short-term aid “during this little transition” with the expectation that automakers would move production lines back to the U.S.

The extension and adjustments came after conversations with the auto industry, senior administration officials said. The goal is to both expand domestic production and make it more competitive. The officials insisted on anonymity as a condition for talking to reporters ahead of Trump signing the proclamation.

The amended action provides a rebate of 3.75% relative to the sales price of a domestically assembled vehicle. That figure was reached by putting the 25% import tax on parts that make up 15% of a vehicle’s sales price. Multiplying those two percentages together is equal to 3.75%.

The rebate will also now be offered to manufacturers of trucks and engines, officials said.

Trump had posted on his social media site Oct. 6 about the new tariffs on imported trucks. Buses will also be tariffed at 10% as part of the action.

The new tariffs do not apply to imports covered under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. That pact, which went into effect in 2020, is up for renegotiation next year.

The moves come at a delicate moment for the auto industry as consumers are enduring sticker shock. According to Kelley Blue Book, buyers of new autos spent an average of $50,080 in September, the highest average on record. New auto prices have increased 3.6% from a year ago.

Friday

Archbishop McCarthy 13, American Heritage 10
Cardinal Newman 26, West Boca Raton 20 OT
St. Thomas Aquinas 31, Monarch 20
King’s Academy 13, Benjamin 12
Vero Beach 53, Pahokee 14
Santaluces 49, Forest Hill 0
Calvary Christian 16, St. Andrew’s 14
Western 26, Cypress Bay 0
Jupiter 27, Martin County 7
Hollywood Hills 41, Pompano Beach 0
Lake Highland Prep 20, Pine Crest 10
Florida Christian 52, Westminster Academy 16
Jupiter Christian 41, Port St. Lucie 0
Vanguard 35, Palm Beach Central 22
North Broward Prep 17, Coral Springs Charter 14
Central Florida Christian 70, Boca Raton Christian 42
Seminole Ridge 14, Dwyer 8
Cooper City 56, South Plantation 49

 

Thursday
Cardinal Gibbons 35, Boca Raton 13
Coral Glades 31, Taravella 0
Pembroke Pines Charter 35, Everglades 20
McArthur 39, Fort Lauderdale 6
Ransom Everglades 42, University School 0
Somerset Academy 36, Somerset Prep 8
Boynton Beach 56, John I. Leonard 0
Legacy 12, Inlet Grove 8
Palm Beach Lakes 20, Lake Worth 7
Doral Academy 37, Spanish River 27
Wellington 49, Olympic Heights 15

Sources: Maxpreps.com and x.com

 

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday he had commuted the sentence of former U.S. Rep. George Santos, who is serving more than seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to fraud and identity theft charges.

The New York Republican was sentenced in April after admitting last year to deceiving donors and stealing the identities of 11 people — including his own family members — to make donations to his campaign.

He reported to Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, in southern New Jersey, on July 25 and is being housed in a minimum security prison camp with fewer than 50 other inmates.

“I just signed a Commutation, releasing George Santos from prison, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted on his social media platform.

“George Santos was somewhat of a ‘rogue,’ but there are many rogues throughout our Country that aren’t forced to serve seven years in prison,” he wrote.

Related Articles

• Trump offers US automakers additional relief from his tariffs
• Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow deployment of National Guard in Chicago area
• Obama, aiming to boost Democrats in New Jersey and Virginia, endorses Sherrill and Spanberger
• FEMA staff sound the alarm on disaster preparedness at rally in front of agency headquarters
• With no takers yet, White House sets meeting with colleges still weighing an agreement with Trump

Andrew Mancilla, one of Santos’ lawyers, said Friday he was “very, very happy with the decision,” though he said it’s unclear at this point when Santos will be released.

“The defense team applauds President Trump for doing the right thing,” Mancilla said by phone. “The sentence was far too long.”

Santos has been in prison for 84 days. During his time behind bars, he has been writing regular dispatches in a local Long Island newspaper, The South Shore Press.

In his latest letter, published Oct. 13, Santos pleaded to Trump directly, citing his fealty to the president’s agenda and to the Republican Party.

“Sir, I appeal to your sense of justice and humanity — the same qualities that have inspired millions of Americans to believe in you,” he wrote. “I humbly ask that you consider the unusual pain and hardship of this environment and allow me the opportunity to return to my family, my friends, and my community.”

A prominent former House colleague, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, also urged the White House to commute his sentence, saying in a letter sent just days into his prison bid that the punishment was “a grave injustice” and a product of judicial overreach.

The judge in Santos’ case had agreed with federal prosecutors that a stiffer sentence was warranted because Santos didn’t seem remorseful, despite what he and his lawyers claimed.

Santos’ commutation is Trump’s latest high-profile act of clemency for former Republican politicians since retaking the White House in January.

In late May, he pardoned former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, a New York Republican who in 2014 pleaded guilty to underreporting wages and revenue at a restaurant he ran in Manhattan.

He also pardoned former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, whose promising political career was upended by a corruption scandal and two federal prison stints.

Trump himself was convicted in a New York court last year in a case involving hush money payments. He derided the case as part of a politically motivated witch hunt.

Santos was once an up-and-coming star for the GOP.

He became the first openly gay Republican elected to Congress in 2022, flipping a House seat representing parts of Queens and Long Island.

But Santos served less than a year in office after it was revealed that he had fabricated much of his life story, which in turn led to investigations into how the then-unknown politician had funded his winning campaign.

A son of Brazilian immigrants, Santos had claimed he was a successful business consultant with Wall Street cred and a sizable real estate portfolio.

He eventually admitted he had never graduated from Baruch College — or been a standout player on the Manhattan college’s volleyball team, as he had claimed. He had never worked at Citigroup and Goldman Sachs.

He wasn’t even Jewish. Santos insisted he meant he was “Jew-ish” because his mother’s family had a Jewish background, even though he was raised Catholic.

In truth, the then-34-year-old was struggling financially and even faced eviction.

Santos was charged in 2023 with stealing from donors and his campaign, fraudulently collecting unemployment benefits and lying to Congress about his wealth.

Within months, he was expelled from the U.S. House of Representatives — just the sixth member in the chamber’s history to be ousted by colleagues.

Santos pleaded guilty the following year just as he was set to stand trial.

Associated Press writer Michael R. Sisak contributed to this report.