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I think Friday’s session was telling, in that the S&P 500 finished the week up about 1% while the Nasdaq 100 was nearly flat. The top two sectors on Friday’s session were Real Estate and Industrials. The bottom two sectors? None other than the two top-performing sectors in 2023: Technology and Communication Services.

A small difference in returns, to be sure, but also a great indication that growth leadership names may be due for a pullback, while value sectors are not showing the same extreme momentum conditions.

A number of mega-cap growth stocks were overbought recently, and just as they were testing resistance from the summer highs. Charts like NFLX are perfect examples of this short-term bearish signal, where a stock that has a quick run higher often needs to take a break and reset before the uptrend can continue.

What could a pullback look like for the QQQ, and what would that mean for conditions heading into January 2024? And what other scenarios are a possibility for growth stocks? Let’s lay out four potential outcomes for the Nasdaq 100, and I’ll share my estimated probability for each scenario.

And remember the point of this exercise is threefold:

Consider all four potential future paths for the index, think about what would cause each scenario to unfold in terms of the macro drivers, and review what signals/patterns/indicators would confirm the scenario.Decide which scenario you feel is most likely, and why you think that’s the case. Don’t forget to drop me a comment and let me know your vote!Think about how each of the four scenarios would impact your current portfolio. How would you manage risk in each case? How and when would you take action to adapt to this new reality?

Let’s start with the most optimistic scenario, involving a new all-time high in January 2024.

Option 1: The Very Bullish Scenario

The most optimistic scenario would mean the last week was a bit of an aberration, a brief respite in the year of growth dominance. The Magnificent 7 stocks break higher into year-end, giving the Nasdaq 100 a new all-time high in January. Is that just the beginning of a supremely bullish 2024?

Given how stocks like GOOGL and NFLX have already dropped after showing signs of upside exhaustion, I don’t see this as a likely option. But it’s always good to think through the goldilocks scenario, if only to think through what signs could show it’s becoming more likely.

Dave’s Vote: 10%

Option 2: The Mildly Bullish Scenario

If you think growth stocks do pull back from their overbought conditions, and that the pause in this recent upswing delays any further rally into early next year, then this may be a more decent choice. The gap higher around $380 from a couple weeks ago after October CPI seems like a decent downside boundary for this mildly bullish scenario.

This one is really my base case here, as the seasonal patterns would suggest a strong December following a strong November. But I see signs of upside exhaustion in breadth indicators as well, and I would not be surprised if a pullback continues into mid-December.

Dave’s vote: 60%

Option 3: The Mildly Bearish Scenario

What if the gap mentioned above does not hold, and an initial pullback in the Magificent 7 stocks ends up ushering in additional sellers who begin to fear a much further drop? Pullbacks in uptrends can be sudden and disorienting, and even if value stocks like Industrials and Financials manage to rally, it still wouldn’t be enough to prevent our growth-oriented benchmarks from pushing lower.

I could see this happening given the severity of the rally off the October low, and that price gap around $380 is going to be an important level to monitor. It’s hard not see charts like NFLX as a big double top right about now!

Dave’s vote: 25%

Option 4: The Super Bearish Scenario

I always include a very negative and very unlikely scenario, because it helps to think about what risk factors could light up to warn of additional selling to come. If economic data in December comes in hotter than expected, or the Fed stresses that additional rate hikes are still on the table, or the Ten Year Treasury Yield turns back up toward 5%, then this could certainly happen.

A drop below the October lows seems incredibly unlikely, given the seasonal strength in December and how much growth stocks would have to drop coming off a very solid run higher. But it’s best to think these options through before they actually happen!

Dave’s vote: 5%

What probabilities would you assign to each of these four scenarios? We have two videos queued up to show you how each scenario may play out, and how we would assign probabilities to each of the four options.

Watch this one first, which outlines the four scenarios and how they could play out:

Then watch this one, which assigns the probabilities for each along with what motivated the results:

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

Chief Market Strategist

StockCharts.com

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

Red Lobster’s parent company, Thai Union Group, disclosed earlier this month that the seafood chain took an unexpectedly large loss in the third quarter of the year because its $20 shrimp promotion wasn’t very profitable and was more popular than the company anticipated.

‘The proportion of the people selecting this promotion was much higher compared to expectation,’ Chief Financial Officer Ludovic Garnier said in Thai Union Group’s investor and media presentation Nov. 7.

Red Lobster has had an all-you-can-eat shrimp promotion for years, but this year it changed the shrimp deal from a limited-time offer to a permanent one. The company wanted to boost traffic in the third and fourth quarters of the year, when its business tends to slow down.

Garnier said the strategy worked, bringing in customers and bolstering Red Lobster’s market share. But the improvement wasn’t as large as the company expected, and combined with the low margins on the surprisingly popular deal, that presented a problem.

He said U.S. consumers are getting more budget-conscious, meaning they are eating at less-expensive restaurants and even ordering cheaper items when they go out. That contributed to the unexpected popularity of ‘Ultimate Endless Shrimp.’

While the deal brought in some more customers, Garnier’s comment suggested that people who might have ordered something on the menu that was more lucrative for Red Lobster instead traded down to the unlimited shrimp instead.

‘We knew the price was cheap, but the idea was to bring more traffic in the restaurant,’ he said.

In response, the company gradually raised the price on the shrimp item from $20 to $22 and now $25.

“It’s one of the iconic promotions for Red Lobster, so we want to keep it in the menu but, of course, we we need to be much more careful regarding what is the entry point and what is the price point we’re offering for this promotion,” Garnier said.

The company had expected Red Lobster to lose money in the second half of the year, but it lost more than Thai Union Group anticipated because of that shift in consumer spending and the performance on the ‘Ultimate Endless Shrimp’ promotion.

Combined with problems in other divisions, that contributed to Thai Union Group saying it will take a larger loss this year than it originally expected.

Thai Union Group invested in Red Lobster in 2016 and, combined with a group of other investors, it bought the rest of the company from Golden Gate Capital in 2020.

Bloomberg News reported in March that Thai Union Group might sell its stake in Red Lobster if its performance didn’t improve.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on Friday pushed back on market expectations for aggressive interest rate cuts ahead, calling it too early to declare victory over inflation.

Despite a string of positive indicators recently regarding prices, the central bank leader said the Federal Open Market Committee plans on “keeping policy restrictive” until policymakers are convinced that inflation is heading solidly back to 2%.

“It would be premature to conclude with confidence that we have achieved a sufficiently restrictive stance, or to speculate on when policy might ease,” Powell said in prepared remarks for an audience at Spelman College in Atlanta. “We are prepared to tighten policy further if it becomes appropriate to do so.”

However, he also noted that policy is “well into restrictive territory” and noted that balance of risks between doing too much or too little on inflation are close to balanced now.

Markets moved higher following Powell’s remarks, with major averages positive on Wall Street and Treasury yields sharply lower.

“Markets view today’s comments as inching toward the dovish camp,” said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist at LPL Financial.

Expectations that the Fed is done raising rates and will move to an easing posture in 2024 have helped underpin a strong Wall Street rally that has sent the Dow Jones Industrial Average up more than 8% over the past month to a new 2023 high.

Powell’s remarks gave some credence to the idea that the Fed at least is done hiking as the string of rate hikes since March 2022 have cut into economic activity.

“Having come so far so quickly, the FOMC is moving forward carefully, as the risks of under- and over-tightening are becoming more balanced,” he said.

“As the demand- and supply-related effects of the pandemic continue to unwind, uncertainty about the outlook for the economy is unusually elevated,” he added. “Like most forecasters, my colleagues and I anticipate that growth in spending and output will slow over the next year, as the effects of the pandemic and the reopening fade and as restrictive monetary policy weighs on aggregate demand.”

A Commerce Department report Thursday showed that personal consumption expenditures prices, the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, were up 3% from a year ago, but 3.5% at a core basis that excludes volatile food and energy prices. Recent sharp declines in energy have been responsible for much of the easing in inflation.

Powell said the current levels are still “well above” the central bank’s goal. Noting that core inflation has run at a 2.5% annual rate over the past six months, Powell said, “while the lower inflation readings of the past few months are welcome, that progress must continue if we are to reach our 2 percent objective.”

“Inflation is still running well above target, but it’s moving in the right direction,” he said. “So we think the right thing to be doing now is to be moving carefully, thinking carefully about about how things are going on letting letting the data tell us what the story is. The data will tell us whether we’ve done enough or whether we need to do more.”

After inflation hit its highest level since the early 1980s, the Fed enacted a series of 11 interest rate hikes, taking its policy rate to the highest in 22 years at a target range between 5.25%-5.5%. The FOMC at its past two meetings kept rates level, and multiple officials have indicated they think the federal funds rate is probably at or near where it needs to be.

The Fed’s next meeting is Dec. 12-13.

“The strong actions we have taken have moved our policy rate well into restrictive territory, meaning that tight monetary policy is putting downward pressure on economic activity and inflation,” Powell said. “Monetary policy is thought to affect economic conditions with a lag, and the full effects of our tightening have likely not yet been felt.”

Market pricing Friday morning indicated that the Fed indeed is done hiking and could start cutting as soon as March 2024, according to the CME Group. Moreover, futures are pointing to cuts totaling 1.25 percentage points by the end of the year, the equivalent of five quarter percentage point reductions.

However, neither Powell nor any of his fellow officials have provided any indication that they’re thinking about cuts, with the chair adhering to data dependence for future decisions rather than any preset course.

“We are making decisions meeting by meeting, based on the totality of the incoming data and their implications for the outlook for economic activity and inflation, as well as the balance of risks,” Powell said.

Addressing the economic data, Powell characterized the labor market as “very strong,” through he said a reduced pace of job creation is helping bring supply and demand back in line.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Buffalo Bills linebacker Von Miller turned himself in to authorities Thursday after Dallas police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with an alleged assault.

A Dallas Police Department spokesperson told USA TODAY Sports in an email Thursday morning that Miller, the 34-year-old Pro Bowl pass-rusher, had been charged with assaulting a pregnant woman after police responded to a call to a condominium complex in the northern part of the city at around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A preliminary investigation determined that Miller and the victim had gotten into a verbal argument prior to the alleged assault, after which Miller left the scene, according to police.

The victim was treated for minor injuries but not transported to a hospital, the spokesperson added.

Miller later surrendered to Glenn Heights police and was briefly booked at the DeSoto Regional Jail. His agent did not immediately reply to a request for comment from USA TODAY Sports on Thursday morning, and it is not immediately clear whether he has retained an attorney.

The Bills are in the midst of their bye week following a 37-34 overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

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‘This morning, we were made aware of an incident involving Von Miller,’ the team said in a statement Thursday. ‘We are in the process of gathering more information and will have no further comment at this point.”

The NFL said it is also aware of the matter and has been in contact with the Bills.

‘We have no further comment at this time,’ NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy wrote in an email. ‘The league will monitor all legal developments in the case.’

According to a copy of the arrest affidavit published by CBS News, the victim told police that she is six weeks pregnant and has been in a relationship with Miller for seven years. Dallas police said the arrest warrant was issued for ‘Assault – Pregnant Person,’ which is a third-degree felony under criminal law in Texas.

In a text message exchange with Dallas TV station WFAA, the victim told a reporter that ‘things were blown way out of context,’ calling the incident ‘a huge misunderstanding.’

‘No one assaulted anyone,’ she told WFAA. ‘This is insane. And sad.’

USA TODAY Sports does not identify individuals who allege domestic violence without their permission.

According to the affidavit, the victim told police that she had gotten into an argument with Miller over travel plans. She said he shoved her, put a hand around her neck, pulled her hair and stomped on her laptop as she attempted to leave the room, the affidavit said.

Miller appeared to be spending time in his hometown during the Bills’ week off, ahead of their next game against Kansas City on Dec. 10. He grew up in DeSoto, Texas − a suburb of Dallas − and played collegiately at Texas A&M before going on to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft. For much of the past decade, he has been one of the top pass-rushers in the league, recording 123.5 sacks and reaching eight Pro Bowls as a pro to date.

More recently, however, Miller has struggled with injuries and seen a dip in his production. He has recorded just two tackles and no sacks so far in 2023, which marks the second year of his six-year, $120 million contract with the Bills.

Miller was previously the subject of a police investigation in Parker, Colorado, but the nature of the probe was never publicly disclosed. Prosecutors announced in 2021 that he would not face any criminal charges.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Are you ready for some football … not previously scheduled for this time slot?

In a league first, the NFL implemented its more flexible flex scheduling rules Thursday, rotating a ‘Monday Night Football’ matchup for competitive reasons.

Moving to ESPN’s Week 15 ‘MNF’ stage, the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles will now play the Seahawks in Seattle on Dec. 18. That game replaces the Kansas City Chiefs’ visit to the New England Patriots, that contest reverting to 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 17 on Fox.

The Eagles are currently in the driver’s seat for the NFC’s No. 1 playoff seed for the second straight year, while Seattle is clinging to a wild-card berth ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Chiefs are also trying to get home-field advantage and a first-round bye in back-to-back seasons, and playing the lowly Patriots, who are in last place overall in the AFC, will likely propel Kansas City toward that objective.

This season is the first in which the NFL has provided the option to shift Monday night and Thursday night games – on a trial basis, anyway – a mechanism previously reserved for NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football’ when late-season showdowns lost their luster.

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What are the NFL’s new flex scheduling rules?

Earlier this year, the league laid out its 2023 flex rules as follows:

For Sunday Night Football, it may be used up to three times between Weeks 5-14, and at the NFL’s discretion during Weeks 15-17.

For Monday Night Football it may be used at the NFL’s discretion in Weeks 12-17.

For Thursday Night Football it may be used up to twice between Weeks 13-17.

During the Flex Scheduling Windows, the games initially scheduled for Sunday Night Football (on NBC), Monday Night Football (ESPN or ABC), and Thursday Night Football (on Amazon Prime) are tentatively scheduled and subject to change.

Only Sunday afternoon games (or those listed as TBD) are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, Monday night, or Thursday night, in which case the initially scheduled Sunday, Monday, or Thursday night game would be moved to Sunday afternoon

Sunday afternoon games may also be moved between 1:00 p.m. and 4:05 p.m. or 4:25 p.m. ET.

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Maverick Carter, the longtime business partner and friend of Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, bet on NBA games with an illegal bookie, The Washington Post reported Thursday after reviewing law enforcement records.

Carter met with federal agents in 2021 as they investigated bookie Wayne Nix, a former minor league pitcher who pled guilty in 2022 to one count of conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Nix’s sentencing hearing is scheduled on March 6.

The case also involves former MLB player Yasiel Puig, who is accused of lying to federal law enforcement investigating Nix’s gambling operation. Puig has pled not guilty, and his trial is scheduled on Jan. 16.

“In 2021 and before 38 states and the District of Columbia legalized sports betting, Maverick Carter was interviewed a single time by federal law enforcement regarding their investigation into Wayne Nix,” Carter’s spokesperson, Adam Mendelsohn, said in a statement to the Post.

Carter told investigators he “could not remember placing any bets on the Lakers,” according to law enforcement records. Carter told investigators he made approximately 20 bets, each about $5,000-$10,000, on football and basketball games in a year.

Basketball Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen also admitted to placing one bet with Nix in a separate investigative report, according to the Post.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry did the honors, scoring into an empty net with just over a minute to go to seal his team’s 4-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Jarry said he was ‘pretty lucky’ to score.

“It’s pretty neat, honestly. It’s something that doesn’t happen very often,’ Jarry said. ‘There’s very few that have done it, so it’s definitely pretty cool. But honestly the win means more.”

According to the Penguins, Jarry is the first goalie in the team’s 56-season history to score a goal. He’s just the 14th different goalie to score in league history, per the Pens. The Boston Bruins’ Linus Ullmark was the last goalie to score in the NHL, getting a goal last February during his Vezina Trophy campaign.

“It was just kind of the perfect scenario,” Jarry, who also scored a goal during an AHL game in 2018, said. “It was coming in kind of slow and I was able to just get around it, and shoot as hard as I could.”

In addition to scoring, Jarry had a pretty good night when it comes to doing his normal job: he stopped 39 of the Lightning’s 41 shots. His teammates dug out of a 2-0 first-period deficit to take a 3-2 lead, which set the stage for Jarry’s magical moment.

Perhaps no surprise, Jarry was named the game’s first star.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

The Dallas Cowboys won their league-best 14th consecutive game at home. Now they can turn their focus to weightier matters.

In a wild affair Thursday night that didn’t include a single punt for either team yet more than 250 combined penalty yards, “America’s Team” outlasted the Seattle Seahawks, 41-35, solidifying Dallas’ hold on the NFC’s top wild-card spot. Next up? The Cowboys will host the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium on Dec. 10 in a bid to draw closer to the NFC East leaders, who currently own a 10-1 record — best in the NFL.

Quarterback Dak Prescott burnished his MVP argument, completing 29 of 41 passes for 299 yards and three TDs, giving him 20 TD strikes in his past six outings. He outdueled Seattle counterpart Geno Smith, who had a big night himself (23-for-41, 334 yards, 3 TDs, INT).

‘We needed this, obviously a close game,’ Prescott said afterward on Prime Video’s postgame set. ‘We can go a long way as long as we continue to build.’

Smith, who consistently picked on Dallas corner DaRon Bland with success, hooked up with DK Metcalf for three TDs. However, despite a valiant effort in a shootout-type atmosphere, Seattle dropped to 6-6 and into the NFC’s third and final wild-card position. The Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams — who have already swept Seattle this season — and New Orleans Saints are all a half-game back at 5-6.

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Now 9-3, the Cowboys have the best record in the NFC South of Philadelphia. They will be rooting for the San Francisco 49ers to win in Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday afternoon, an outcome that would allow Dallas to pull even with the reigning NFC champs by earning a season split in Week 14. — Nate Davis

Winners and losers from Cowboys’ win over Seahawks

WINNERS

QBs Dak Prescott and Geno Smith: For all of the talk about poor quarterback play throughout the league this season – injuries to top-end starters certainly having an impact – Prescott and Smith cast those aspersions aside for the night.

Both signal-callers made clutch throws from start to finish and ended the game with ratings of more than 100. Prescott was 29 of 41 (70.9%) for 299 yards and had three passing touchdowns. It was the fourth straight game the Cowboys scored 40 or more points at home, as Prescott began fine-tuning his MVP resume in front of the national audience.

Smith threw for 334 yards and also had three touchdowns, but committed a turnover when Daron Bland intercepted him in the third quarter. His near-touchdown pass to Jaxon Smith-Njigba, overturned on a replay review because the receiver didn’t control the ball, was the throw of the game.

DK Metcalf shines in loss: Seahawks star wideout DK Metcalf had his way versus Cowboys pick-six king DaRon Bland in the first half.

Metcalf tallied three catches, 108 yards and two touchdowns on Bland in the first half. One of Metcalf’s receptions was on a skinny post that went for a 73-yard touchdown.

Bland and the Cowboys secondary had a difficult time containing Metcalf for most of the contest. Metcalf produced six catches, a season-high 134 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. Metcalf’s three touchdowns tied a single-game career-best.

NFC West-leading 49ers: The 49ers (8-3), who already defeated Seattle once, are now three games ahead of the Seahawks (6-6) in the loss column. The 49ers have a showdown Sunday against the Eagles, but they have a comfortable three-game lead in the NFC West.

San Francisco hosts Seattle in Week 14.

The 49ers won the NFC West in 2022. They haven’t won back-to-back NFC West titles since 2011-2012.

NFC playoff hopefuls: The Seahawks’ loss was welcomed by the fringe NFC contenders, which include the Vikings, Packers, Rams and whoever decides to finish second in the NFC South. With Seattle now .500 at 6-6, the door is open for those teams with similar records.

LOSERS

Michael Gallup: Prescott completed passes to eight different Cowboys, and Gallup was not one of them. In fact, he only had one target. Lamb is the clear preferred choice of Prescott in the passing game, but the emergence of tight end Jake Ferguson (six catches, 77 yards, one touchdown) could mean even less of a market share for Gallup.

Eagles’ NFC East hopes: Suddenly, Sunday’s game against the 49ers becomes even more important. Philadelphia still controls its own destiny, but it had to feel good watching Dallas on the ropes. But for the second straight season, the Eagles won’t be able to lock up the NFC East early in the postseason hunt due to Dallas’ lingering. Their Dec. 10 matchup on ‘Sunday Night Football’ will be must-watch for obvious reasons.

Punters Bryan Anger and Michael Dickson were spectators: Punters on both teams were irrelevant in the back-and-forth affair. Thursday night’s game had no punts on either side in 21 combined drives. It’s the fifth game in NFL history that featured zero punts. — Chris Bumbaca and Tyler Dragon

Cowboys-Seahawks highlights

Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes and the Cowboys extended their home winning streak to 14 games, rallying for a 41-35 victory over the Seahawks.

Micah Parsons’ blitz ends game

Faced with a fourth-and-2 from the 50-yard line in order to keep the game going, Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons blitzed off the edge and immediately forced Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith to throw an hurried incomplete pass.

The Seahawks’ drive started with promise, as Smith connected with Tyler Lockett for a 17-yard gain on the first play, and then hit Noah Fant for an 8-yard gain on the next. But the drive, and the Seahawks’ hopes for victory, ended with three incomplete passes. — Jim Reineking

Cowboys 41, Seahawks 35: Brandon Aubrey’s fourth field adds to lead late

After the Seahawks turned the ball over on downs with 3:11 left in the game, the Cowboys drove into easy field goal range for Brandon Aubrey.

The Cowboys advanced as far as the Seahawks’ 14-yard line, but could not get a first down on on third-and-3 to seal the game with Seattle out of time outs.

Aubrey connected on a 32-yard field goal, his fourth of the game, to give Dallas a six-point lead with 1:43 left in the game. — Jim Reineking

Cowboys 38, Seahawks 35: Jake Ferguson puts Dallas back on top

Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense had a short field. The made quick work of it, going 54 yards in 2:27. CeeDee Lamb caught three passes and is up to 12 catches for 116 yards (one touchdown). Prescott hit tight end Jake Ferguson in one-on-one coverage with Seahawks safety Jamal Adams for a 12-yard touchdown to retake the lead, 36-35.

The two-point conversion attempt, a pass over the middle to Brandin Cooks, was successful, and the Cowboys led 38-35 with 4:37 left in the game. — Chris Bumbaca

Cowboys defense stops Seattle on fourth down, Zach Charbonnet hurt

The Cowboys defense came up with a crucial fourth-down stop.

On fourth-and-1 from the Dallas 46-yard line, Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet was stopped in the backfield by Cowboys defense end DeMarcus Lawrence for no gain.

To make matters worse, Charbonnet went into the blue medical tent to be checked out after he was stopped on fourth down.

The turnover on downs gave the Cowboys the football trailing 35-30 with 7:04 left in the game. — Tyler Dragon

Seahawks 35, Cowboys 30: Brandon Aubrey field goal trims Seattle’s lead

The Cowboys moved the ball 35 yards thanks to a pass interference penalty called on Seahawks cornerback Tariq Woolen, who tried to break up a Dak Prescott pass down the left sideline to CeeDee Lamb. Prescott somehow avoided a sack on the next play and found Jalen Tolbert for a sideline catch and a gain of 17. The drive stalled there, though, and Brandon Aubrey squeaked in a 38-yard field goal to salvage some of it and cut Seattle’s lead to 35-30 with roughly 11 minutes remaining in the game.  — Chris Bumbaca

Seahawks 35, Cowboys 27: DK Metcalf scores his third TD of game

DK Metcalf is having a night on primetime.

Metcalf caught a 3-yard touchdown in the back of the end zone for his third touchdown of the night.

Metcalf’s touchdown pushed Seattle’s lead to 35-27 with 14:17 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The wideout’s touchdown capped off a five-play, 70-yard drive for the Seahawks.

Metcalf now has six catches, a season-high 134 yards and three touchdowns in the game. His three touchdowns are tied for a single-game career-high. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys fail to capitalize on DaRon Bland’s INT

The Cowboys got the benefit of DaRon Bland’s league-leading eighth interception … and turned it into a four-and-out.

Dallas gave the ball right back to Seattle after HC Mike McCarthy opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 from Seattle’s 30-yard line, but QB Dak Prescott’s quick pass to WR CeeDee Lamb fell incomplete. The opportunity cost? After opting not to try and tie the score with a two-point play following Dallas’ last TD, McCarthy eschews a 48-yard FG try for the lead from deadeye kicker Brandon Aubrey. Could be a pivotal series that generates plenty of second guessing as the Seahawks retain their 28-27 lead. — Nate Davis

DaRon Bland collects another interception

It hasn’t been the best night for Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland, who has been beat multiple times for Seahawks touchdowns one week after making history on Thanksgiving for most interception returns for a touchdown in one season (five).

But Bland had his moment against Seattle, too. With the Cowboys trailing 28-27 late in the third quarter, Bland jumped an out route run by rookie wideout Jaxon Smith-Ngiba and undercut the Geno Smith throw that would have given the Seahawks the first down. Bland never took his eyes off Smith and came up with the ball.

It was his eighth interception of the season and his fourth consecutive contest with a pick.  — Chris Bumbaca

Seahawks 28, Cowboys 27: Dallas pulls within one point after Tony Pollard TD

Seattle scored on its first possession to start the second half, and so did the Cowboys.

Dallas went on a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to slim its deficit, 28-27, with 3:41 in the third quarter. The series ended when Cowboys running back Tony Pollard ran to the right side for a 6-yard touchdown run.

Pollard has 14 carries, 35 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown in the game. He also has two catches for 17 yards.

The Cowboys’ touchdown drive was littered with five penalties. — Tyler Dragon

Seahawks 28, Cowboys 20: Geno Smith scrambles for six

Geno Smith had thrown 21 passes before using his legs. But the first time he rushed resulted in six points for the Seahawks and extended their lead to 28-20 with 10:01 remaining in the third quarter.

On third-and-goal, Smith dropped back and looked to throw his third touchdown pass of the game. Instead, with plenty of turf in front of him, he ran – right up the middle into the end zone to cap a 10-play drive for Seattle. A pair of Zach Charbonnet rushes for a combined 21 yards and a 15-yard facemask penalty were the big factors in moving the ball on the Dallas defense once again. — Chris Bumbaca

Dallas dominance at home?

Not only have the Cowboys won 13 in a row at home, their five win at AT&T Stadium this season have come by an average of 29 points. Their closest result at JerryWorld was a 30-10 triumph over the New York Jets in Week 2. Tonight is the first time this season they’ve trailed in the second half in their own building. — Nate Davis

Wild first half at AT&T Stadium

In a wild first half that had seven scores, more than 400 yards of total offense, 11 penalties — and zero punts — the Seattle Seahawks went into the locker room with a 21-20 lead over the Dallas Cowboys and will come out of it receiving the second-half kickoff.

QBs Geno Smith and Dak Prescott traded a pair of TD passes, both of Smith’s going to WR DK Metcalf. But Seattle has been the more efficient team, finding the paint three times in four drives — the other a missed field goal from Jason Myers — while Dallas settled for a pair of field goals in its four trips inside the red zone. Seattle, which hasn’t even possessed the ball for 10 minutes, is averaging 7.5 yards per play, converted five of six third downs and consistently gone after Dallas CB DaRon Bland, who broke the league’s single-season record for pick-sixes on Thanksgiving with his fifth.

Dallas has outgained Seattle 236-195 but is averaging only 3 yards per carry and is generating very little pressure on Smith defensively. — Nate Davis

Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20: Seattle closes half with momentum-swinging TD

The Seahawks needed just one minute in 26 seconds to score at the end of the first half.

Geno Smith and Jaxon Smith-Njigba thought they had a 30-yard touchdown to end the half. However, officials reversed the call upon review. It wasn’t all bad news, though. The Cowboys were called for a pass interference on the play.

On the next play, the Cowboys called a timeout just before the Seahawks passed for another touchdown.

The wild sequence ended in Seattle’s favor when Smith passed to DK Metcalf, who beat DaRon Bland again, on a quick slant for a 1-yard touchdown.

Smith’s touchdown gave Seattle a 21-20 lead to end the first half. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 20, Seahawks 14: Brandon Aubrey adds second field goal

The bad news for the Seahawks is that they cannot stop the Cowboys from scoring. The good news for them is that every other possession results in a field goal instead of a touchdown.

Dallas went on the longest drive of the half, taking 7:25 off the clock over 16 plays. But Dak Prescott’s three-yard touchdown rush on fourth-and-goal was negated by a Tyler Steele holding penalty and Brandon Aubrey knocked through his second field goal of the game to make it 20-14 with 1:30 left in the first half.

The Cowboys are 7-for-10 on third down, with three of those conversions coming on this drive. They are also dominating time of possession, holding the ball for a total of 20:15. — Chris Bumbaca

Cowboys 17, Seahawks 14: Zach Charbonnet scores first NFL TD

The Seahawks are staying within one score of the Cowboys.

Two pass interference penalties put the Seahawks in striking distance, including one on Cowboys CB Stephon Gilmore that placed the football on the 1-yard line. Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet rushed up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown one play later.

Charbonnet’s touchdown cut Dallas’ lead, 17-14.

The Cowboys have three penalties for 58 yards. Two came on Seattle’s second touchdown drive. — Tyler Dragon

Dallas’ rushing issues

Scoring in the red zone and running the ball continue to be a challenge for Dallas, which had 24 rushing TDs in 2022 — half from former RB Ezekiel Elliott, and none from further than 14 yards. This season, the Cowboys have 10 TDs on the ground, only four inside of 5 yards.

Tony Pollard continues to look miscast as RB1, averaging 4.5 yards per touch in 2023 after approaching 6 during his 2022 Pro Bowl breakout season, when he was the change-of-pace option after Elliott. The Cowboys are averaging 3.7 yards per rush tonight. — Nate Davis

Cowboys 17, Seahawks 7: Dak Prescott throws second TD of first half

The Cowboys have scored on their first three possessions.

Dak Prescott led the Cowboys on an 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive to give the team a 17-7 lead with 11:37 remaining in the second quarter.

The Cowboys’ second touchdown of the night came when Prescott passed to a wide open Brandin Cooks for a 7-yard touchdown.

Prescott and the Cowboys offense have started off hot. The Cowboys quarterback has 148 passing yards and two touchdowns. Dallas has 164 total yards and 12 first downs in the first half. — Tyler Dragon

‘Here we go!’: Why Cowboys’ Dak Prescott uses unique snap cadence

You don’t even have to be an attentive Dallas Cowboys fan to have heard it.

‘YEAH! HERE WE GOOOO.’

This is the start of the cadence quarterback Dak Prescott uses before he initiates offensive plays for the Cowboys. And, with the precision and clarity of sideline microphones and with the booming nature of the way Prescott yells the cadence, you also don’t need to have the volume on your TV cranked up to hear it. — Lorenzo Reyes

Seahawks donning throwback uniforms

Thursday night is the second time since the 2001 season that the Seahawks have worn uniforms that mimic the versions they’d donned since their inception in 1976. The other time was their Week 8 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Seattle. The NFL relaxed its rule about usage of alternate helmets in 2022, enabling Seattle to bring back the silver buckets worn during the franchise’s first 26 seasons. The retro look has been widely applauded by players, whether or not they’d played for the Seahawks. — Nate Davis

Cowboys lead 10-7 after first quarter

The Cowboys and Seahawks traded TD passes and nearly field goals in the first quarter before Seattle’s Jason Myers missed on a 42-yarder, allowing Dallas to maintain a 10-7 lead. The Seahawks enjoyed a 137-109 yardage advantage but also incurred three penalties for 58 yards. Dallas, riding a 13-game winning streak at AT&T Stadium, enters the second period driving. — Nate Davis

Seahawks’ Jason Myers misses field goal attempt

No kicker in the league entered this week with more field goal tries than the Seahawks’ Jason Myers. (Dustin Hopkins of the Cleveland Browns also had 31 through his first 11 games of the season.)

His first attempt against the Cowboys did not go according to plan.

As the first quarter neared its end, Seattle was flagged for a delay of game as Myers was about to kick a 37-yard field goal that would have knotted the game at 10. Instead, the kick was aborted with laundry on the field. Coach Pete Carroll was upset, arguing that the referees had moved the ball as the field-goal unit lined up.

Myers, from 42 yards, pushed the kick wide right, and Dallas retook the ball still in the lead.

The Seahawks moved down the field thanks to DK Metcalf’s second catch of the game came when he beat Cowboys cornerback Daron Bland again, this time down the left sideline. Geno Smith dropped the ball in the bucket for a 34-yard pickup.

Myers is now 25-for-32 on the season, although that was just the third miss from within 50 yards. — Chris Bumbaca

Cowboys 10, Seahawks 7: Dallas answers with CeeDee Lamb TD

The Seahawks didn’t have the lead for long. After Seattle took an early 7-3 advantage, the Cowboys went on a quick five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that was capped off by a 15-yard touchdown catch by wideout CeeDee Lamb.

Seahawks corner Riq Woolen was called for a pass interference on the Dallas drive, which put the Cowboys in good field possession. Dak Prescott’s touchdown pass to Lamb came two plays after the penalty.

The Cowboys have a 10-7 advantage late in the first quarter. — Tyler Dragon

Seahawks 7, Cowboys 3: DK Metcalf takes skinny post to the house

The Seahawks faced a third-and-8 on their first drive. Seahawks Geno Smith dropped back and passed to wide receiver DK Metcalf running a skinny post — and the rest is history.

Metcalf caught the football, beating the Cowboys’ record-setting cornerback DaRon Bland and raced down the field for a 73-yard touchdown to give Seattle a 7-3 lead with 7:28 to go in the first quarter.

The touchdown pass was Smith’s first completion and Metcalf’s first reception of the contest. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys 3, Seahawks 0: Dallas settles for field goal after promising opening drive

The Cowboys faced little resistance as they entered the red zone on their opening series. However, their drive stalled on third-and-goal when Dak Prescott was sacked by Seahawks linebacker Jordyn Brooks for a nine-yard loss.

Dallas had to settle for a 30-yard field goal by kicker Brandon Aubrey.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb had two catches for 31 yards on the Cowboys’ opening drive.

Present went 5-of-8 passing for 65 yards. — Tyler Dragon

What are Thursday night’s playoff implications?

Win or lose, the Cowboys (8-3) will remain the NFC’s fifth seed after tonight’s game. But a victory is imperative if they want any reasonable shot to catch their Week 14 opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles (10-1), atop the NFC East standings. Seattle (6-5) is in a more precarious position. Currently the sixth seed, the Seahawks would slip to seventh with a loss behind the Minnesota Vikings (6-6), who own a better record in conference games. The Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Rams — they’ve already swept Seattle — and New Orleans Saints all sit just outside the NFC field with 5-6 ledgers going into Week 13. — Nate Davis

What time does Seahawks vs. Cowboys start?

Kickoff for Seahawks-Cowboys is set for 8:15 p.m. ET on Nov. 30 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

How can I watch Seahawks vs. Cowboys?

Seahawks-Cowboys will be streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video and will be broadcast in local markets only. Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung (sideline reporter) will handle live game coverage for Prime Video.

Seahawks at Cowboys: Predictions, picks and odds 

The Cowboys are favorites to defeat the Seahawks, according to BetMGM NFL odds. 

Spread: Cowboys (-9.5) Moneyline: Cowboys (-450); Seahawks (+340)Over/under: 47.5Lorenzo Reyes: Cowboys 25, Seahawks 20 — Dallas has been on an absolute rampage, covering five of their last six games and winning in blowout fashion. Still, their strength of schedule has recently been on the weaker side. And the Seahawks, though mercurial, are still a talented crew. I think this one stays closer.Tyler Dragon: Cowboys 28, Seahawks 20 — The Cowboys have three straight wins against inferior opponents. The Seahawks are a step up in competition, but Geno Smith and company are coming off a dreadful performance against San Francisco. The Cowboys’ third-ranked defense is going to cause Seattle some trouble on the road. Plus, Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is playing some of the best football of his career.Safid Deen: Cowboys 31, Seahawks 23 — Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are on a roll winning five of their last six games and should take care of the visiting Seahawks at home Thursday night. This isn’t the most ideal opponent for Seattle amid a two-game skid.Victoria Hernandez: Cowboys 32, Seahawks 20 — The Cowboys are running on all cylinders right now. Dak Prescott threw four touchdowns in two of their past three games and DaRon Bland made NFL history on defense. The Seahawks did their best last week with a beat-up team against another fierce defense. But even if Geno Smith’s a bit healthier and they get Kenneth Walker III back, Seattle doesn’t pose much of a threat to the Dallas freight train.Jordan Mendoza: Cowboys 31, Seahawks 21 — Dallas is coming off another dominating win while Seattle is reeling. The Cowboys have won every home contest this season by at least 20 points while scoring at least 30. The Seahawks should give Dallas a bigger test, but the Cowboys are too strong and they get another double-digit win.

Seahawks headed back to prime time sooner than expected

The NFL made a touch of history Thursday, flexing a ‘Monday Night Football’ game for competitive reasons for the first time in league history. The Seahawks are a part of that, their home game with the Philadelphia Eagles shifted into ESPN’s Dec. 18 slot, the previously scheduled Chiefs-Patriots “MNF” matchup reverting to Sunday, Dec. 17 in the 1 p.m. ET slot on FOX. — Nate Davis

Dak Prescott at home 

The Cowboys have made themselves mighty comfortable within the home confines of “Jerry World” aka AT&T Stadium. Dallas is undefeated at home in 2023 and went 8-1 during the 2022 regular season. Dating back to 2021, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is 16-4 at home and has thrown 50 touchdowns in 20 games, while averaging 269.8 passing yards per game. — Chris Bumbaca 

What is Dak Prescott’s primetime record? 

Entering Week 13, Prescott has a career record of 69-39 as a starter. Prescott is 22-11 during his career in regular-season primetime games, including a 5-1 record on ‘Thursday Night Football.’ 

Here is a breakdown: 

NFL Kickoff Game: 0-1 ‘Thursday Night Football’: 5-1 Saturday night: 1-0 ‘Sunday Night Football’: 11-8 ‘Monday Night Football’: 5-1 

What are Dak Prescott’s MVP chances? 

As the 2023 NFL season enters the home stretch, conversations surrounding the league MVP are ramping up. 

The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Hurts, Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson are dominating MVP talks, but Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons says another candidate should be in the mix — his quarterback Dak Prescott. — Cydney Henderson 

Seahawks vs. Cowboys inactives: Kenneth Walker III is out

The Seahawks will be without starting running back Kenneth Walker III (oblique) for the second straight week, which means rookie Zach Charbonnet will anchor the team’s rushing game.

Seahawks’ inactive players:

WR Dee EskridgeRB Kenneth Walker IIIOT McClendon CurtisOT Raiqwon O’NealWR Dareke YoungDE Myles Adams

Cowboys’ inactive players:

QB Trey Lance (third QB)CB Noah IgbinogheneCB Eric ScottRB Deuce VaughnOT Asim RichardsWR Jalen Brooks

Micah Parsons’ sack pace

With every sack Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons records, the higher he climbs the list of most sacks for a player in his first three seasons in the NFL (since sacks became a stat in 1982). 

And the collection of names he joins is impressive.

Parsons’ 38 sacks in 44 career games is 1.5 behind Chargers legend Shawne Merriman. Dwight Freeney, who did it for the Indianapolis Colts, is next at 40 sacks, and Aldon Smith had 42 sacks in his first three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

Hall of Famers Reggie White (52) and Derrick Thomas (43.5) are Nos. 1 and 2 on the list, respectively.

Parsons has four sacks in his last two games. — Chris Bumbaca

CeeDee Lamb chasing Michael Irvin

CeeDee Lamb already has posted his third consecutive 1,000-yard receiving season. However, the fourth-year receiver out of Oklahoma is on the brink of a historic Cowboys season.

Lamb’s 96.9 receiving yards per game (entering Week 13) currently stand second behind Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin’s 100.2 yards-per-game average from the 1995 season, which is the last season in which the Cowboys won the Super Bowl.

At 1,066 yards (entering Week 13), Lamb has a great chance to post the highest single-season receiving yardage total in team history (Lamb does get an extra game now that the NFL plays a 17-game regular season).

Here are the top five receiving yardage seasons in Cowboys history:

Michael Irvin, 1995: 1,603Michael Irvin, 1991: 1,523Michael Irvin, 1992: 1,396Dez Bryant, 2012: 1,382CeeDee Lamb, 2022: 1,359

Enter Week 13, Lamb already ranks ninth on the Cowboys’ career receiving yardage list. — Jim Reineking

DaRon Bland has breakout season for Cowboys

DaRon Bland’s 48.4 passer rating against is the lowest passer rating allowed for a cornerback with at least 50 targets. Bland set an NFL single-season record this year with five pick-sixes.

Bland went from a relatively unknown commodity to a breakout player in 2023. The Cowboys selected the cornerback in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Fresno State. — Tyler Dragon

Tariq Woolen: Seahawks’ shutdown corner

Tariq Woolen has allowed 231 receiving yards on 45 targets this season, which is the second fewest yards allowed for an NFL cornerback this season with at least 40 targets. — Tyler Dragon

Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey off to historic start

Brandon Aubrey has still not missed a field goal in the NFL. The 28-year-old rookie is 22-for-22 on field goals, the longest streak to start a career. Aubrey was a soccer player at Notre Dame and was a first-round draft pick by Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC in 2017. He eventually switched to kicking footballs and was the USFL’s top kicker in 2022 and 2023, when he won back-to-back championships with the Birmingham Stallions.

A native of north Texas, Aubrey signed with the Cowboys ahead of training camp and won the job over Tristan Vizcaino to replace former Cowboys kicker Brett Maher. It was Maher’s meltdown in the playoffs last season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that prompted Jerry Jones and the Cowboys front office to consider external options at the position. In Aubrey, they found another weapon to help the Cowboys on their way to being the top-scoring team this season (31.5 points per game).

Aubrey, however, has missed extra-point attempts in two consecutive games. He’s 32-of-35 on XPs. Five of his field goals have been from 50 yards or further. — Chris Bumbaca

Tony Dorsett a Seahawk?

Seattle didn’t reach the Super Bowl until its 30th season, 2005. The Seahawks didn’t capture the Lombardi Trophy until the ‘Legion of Boom’ led the charge to Super Bowl 48, where a dominant defense ambushed Peyton Manning and a record-setting Denver Broncos offense to cap the 2013 campaign. But could such glory have transpired sooner?

The Seahawks botched their second draft, in 1977, courtesy of the Cowboys. Seattle was induced to deal out of the No. 2 overall spot after Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett threatened not to play in the Emerald City. So Dallas moved up for the future Hall of Fame back. The Seahawks instead reeled in Steve August, Tom Lynch, Terry Beeson and Glenn Carano. Who? Exactly. Guess who won the Super Bowl the following season? — Nate Davis

NFL Week 13 picks, predictions and odds

Los Angeles Chargers at New England PatriotsDetroit Lions at New Orleans SaintsAtlanta Falcons at New York JetsArizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh SteelersIndianapolis Colts at Tennessee TitansMiami Dolphins at Washington CommandersDenver Broncos at Houston TexansCarolina Panthers at Tampa Bay BuccaneersCleveland Browns at Los Angeles RamsSan Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia EaglesKansas City Chiefs at Green Bay PackersCincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars

Kirk Herbstreit defends TNF colleague Al Michaels 

Don’t bring that Al Michaels slander near Kirk Herbstreit. 

The ‘Thursday Night Football’ analyst came to his play-by-play partner’s defense during an appearance on the ‘Pardon My Take’ podcast that aired Wednesday. Herbstreit, in his second year working with Michaels, 79, said the ‘narrative’ regarding Michaels’ enthusiasm during the broadcasts was ‘a bunch of (expletive).’ — Chris Bumbaca 

NFL Week 13 playoff clinching scenarios 

One of the Cowboys’ NFC East rivals — the Philadelphia Eagles — can be the first NFL team to clinch a playoff berth for the 2023 season during Week 13. 

NFL playoff picture 

Here is a look at which teams would comprise the postseason field after the results of Week 12. 

NFL power rankings 

Where do the Seahawks and Cowboys rank among all 32 teams heading into their matchup of NFC playoff contenders in Week 13? 

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Angel Reese, the double-double All-American star for No. 5 LSU, came back with style Thursday night, scoring 19 points and grabbing nine rebounds in helping lead the defending national champion Tigers to an 82-64 win over No. 9 Virginia Tech in the inaugural women’s ACC/SEC challenge. 

The game was a rematch of the 2023 national semifinal, which LSU also won, 79-72, on its way to the championship game. The win also marked a significant milestone for LSU coach Kim Mulkey — it was the 700th of her career. She’s reached 700 victories faster than anyone in the women’s or men’s game, needing just 813 games to do so. As the team celebrated Mulkey’s accomplishment, Reese and her coach shared a long embrace.

Reese picked up two quick fouls, and played just 15 minutes in the first half, scoring six points and grabbing five rebounds. Mulkey said at halftime that she was happy Reese was back and that the roster was finally able to play all together for the first time in two weeks, adding that “the team feeds off” Reese. 

Thursday was the first game in more than two weeks for Reese, the Most Outstanding Player at the 2023 Final Four. Benched for the second half of LSU’s 109-79 win over Kent State on Nov. 14, Reese missed the Tigers’ next four games — and no one knew why. 

Reese told ESPN’s Andraya Carter immediately after the game that it felt “great” to be back. 

“My teammates have been holding it down, I’m just super happy to be back with the team,” Reese said. “This atmosphere, I missed it so much. I’m just happy to move forward and be back.” 

Carter did not ask Reese why she’d been gone almost two weeks, and Reese didn’t volunteer the information. She was eager to talk about her teammates though, as five players scored in double figures in the win. 

“It’s fun when we play like that,” Reese said. “When we play together, it’s unbelievable.” 

Reese appeared jubilant when she joined the postgame press conference, joking to the media, “Who’s happy to see me? I know y’all are!” 

No reporter asked Reese where she’d been the last two weeks or why she wasn’t with the team.

Reese didn’t offer specifics either, but said “taking time to yourself is really important, resetting and refocusing … my mental health is the most important thing … taking a reset is OK, pros do it all the time. Don’t believe everything you read. 

“I’m back and I’m happy and I’m here and I’m moving forward. I’m gonna help take this team as far as I can.”

Reese also spoke at length about LSU legend Shaquille O’Neal, one of her mentors who she talked with every day over the last two weeks while she was away. 

“He checked on me, he called me every single day to make sure I was good,” Reese said. “He told me when I was right, he told me when I was wrong, he told me what I needed to do to get back to where I am.’

What did Kim Mulkey say about Angel Reese’s return?

Mulkey called Reese’s return Thursday ‘a shot in the arm.’ It’s the most specific she’s been regarding Reese in weeks.

As speculation swirled about the junior forward’s absence, Mulkey was defiant in her refusal to explain why Reese wasn’t on the court or the bench. On Wednesday, after she announced Reese was back with the team, Mulkey pushed back on some of the coverage about Reese’s absence, saying she felt many of the pieces written became personal attacks. 

In the postgame Thursday, after Reese had left, Mulkey was asked about mental health and ‘the importance of athletes, when they need to take a moment for themselves.’

‘Mental health,’ Mulkey started, before clarifying, ‘I don’t want you to think Angel was trying to tell you that. But we all, coaches included, have to take a deep breath.’

Angel Reese embraces criticism

Reese is one of the biggest stars in college sports. She has an NIL deal with Reebok, posed in Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue after the Tigers’ title and is known as the “Bayou Barbie.” She’s frank in the media and of society’s assessment of her, and has made it clear she doesn’t care what others think or say.

“I don’t fit the narrative,” she said after LSU’s title win, when Reese was criticized for her trash talk to Iowa’s Caitlin Clark. “I don’t fit the box that you all want me to be in. I’m too hood, I’m too ghetto. You all told me that all year. But when the people do it, you all say nothing. So this is for the first who look like that me that’s going to speak up on what they believe in, that’s unapologetically you.”

She also dismissed the haters on social media. 

“Twitter is going to go on a rage every time, and I’m happy,” she said. “I feel like I’ve helped grow women’s basketball this year.” 

LSU next plays Sunday, when the Tigers host Louisiana Lafayette. 

Follow Lindsay Schnell on social media: @Lindsay_Schnell

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Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin posted on Instagram on Friday morning that he and his wife, Kenzy, recently lost their unborn child, a girl who was expected to be born in April.

Larkin missed the Red Wings’ back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday against the New York Rangers and the Chicago Blackhawks. Head coach Derek Lalonde said earlier this week he hoped to have Larkin back Saturday against the Montreal Canadiens. But that was before the news was shared publicly by Larkin.

‘This week my wife and I said goodbye to our baby,’ Larkin said in the post. ‘It’s hard to find words or positivity in this, but we greatly appreciate your support and understanding, and thank you for respecting our privacy.’

The Larkins were married Aug. 6.

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