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Winners and losers from MNF: Red-hot 49ers sprint past reeling Colts

Brock Purdy threw for 295 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes in the 49ers’ win.
The Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars and Los Angeles Chargers each clinched playoff berths after the Colts’ loss.
44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers had a solid game for the Colts, throwing for 277 yards and two touchdowns.

The playoff-bound San Francisco 49ers are getting hot at the right time.

The 49ers got by the Indianapolis Colts, 48-27, to win their fifth consecutive game.

Conversely, the Colts have now lost five straight games.

Brock Purdy and the 49ers scored on their first four drives of the game, and carried their momentum into the second half against a defenseless Colts team.

Purdy tossed a career-best five touchdown passes. Philip Rivers played admirably, but it wasn’t enough to defeat the red-hot 49ers.

Here are the winners and losers from the interconference matchup on ‘Monday Night Football’:

WINNERS

Career night for Brock Purdy

The 49ers QB is playing well.

Purdy threw for 295 yards and a career-high five touchdown passes in the win.

Purdy completed 25 of his 35 passes. He had one inaccurate ball that he threw a little high to WR Kendrick Bourne that was picked off by Colts safety Cam Bynum.

Overall, Purdy was efficient all game. He had 151 passing yards, and three touchdown passes in the first half alone.

Purdy and the 49ers offense haven’t punted in the month of December.

Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle

The 49ers offense continues to revolve around their two star playmakers.

McCaffrey is the engine to the 49ers offense. The running back had 27 touches, 146 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.

Kittle tallied seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco has a chance to clinch the No. 1 seed in the NFC if it wins its next two games, but the 49ers can’t afford to lose Kittle or McCaffrey.  

Dee Winters takes one to house

Winters got his first career interception when he stepped in from of a pass intended for tight end Tyler Warren. The 49ers linebacker caught the football and returned it 74 yards to the house.

The pick-six sealed the win for San Francisco.

Christmas gift for Kendrick Bourne

Bourne earned his $500,000 receiving yards bonus on Monday night. A nice holiday bonus for the wideout who’s had a nice year in San Francisco.

Philip Rivers impressive in second start

Anything Rivers does at this point is a win. It’s hard to call the 44-year-old Rivers a loser playing in his second game after a five-year hiatus.

With his family watching in a suite, Rivers carved the 49ers up during Indy’s opening series. Rivers completed 5-of-7 passes for 73 yards on the Colts’ nine-play, 72-yard touchdown drive.

Rivers completed 23-of-35 passes for 277 yards to go with two touchdowns and one interception. It was the first time Rivers passed for over 275 yards since Dec. 6, 2020.

Rivers still has good accuracy and anticipation. His familiarity with Shane Steichen’s offense is evident.

Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers

The Bills, Jaguars and Chargers each clinched a playoff berth because of San Francisco’s win over Indianapolis on Monday. The three playoff-bound AFC teams owe the 49ers a Christmas present.

California NFL teams

All three NFL teams in the Golden State have clinched a playoff spot.

LOSERS

Defense

There was little resistance from either defense, especially in the first half.

Both offenses combined for 41 points, 444 yards and 27 first downs in the first half. The 49ers averaged 7.6 yards per play. Indianapolis averaged 6.5 yards per play.

The defensive units played a little better in the second half.

Niners defensive tackle Alfred Collins had a strip sack in the fourth quarter that ruined a Colts drive.

Colts safety Cam Bynum had an interception. San Francisco linebacker Dee Winters had a pick-six.

Sauce Gardner-less Colts defense

The Colts certainly miss Gardner.

The 49ers scored on their first four series, including three touchdown drives.

San Francisco scored on seven total drives and gained 440 yards on a helpless Colts defense. The 49ers averaged 6.7 yards per play and didn’t punt once.

Ameer Abdullah

Abdullah fumbled on his first kickoff return and gave San Francisco ideal field position at Indy’s 26-yard line. The 49ers capitalized off the turnover with a touchdown five plays later to take a 14-7 first-quarter lead.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

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Trump official freezes millions in SBA aid to Minnesota, slams Walz’s policies as breeding ‘endemic’ fraud

Federal Small Business (SBA) Administrator Kelly Loeffler sent a letter Tuesday to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz alerting him that her agency will ‘halt’ more than $5.5 million in annual support to resource partners in the state ‘until further notice.’

The move comes as Walz and his administration grapple with billions of dollars in social services fraud diverted to everything from sham nonprofits to the Somali terror group Al-Shabaab. U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Thursday a ‘significant amount’ of $18 billion worth of programmatic Medicaid funding was likely lost to fraud.

‘I am notifying you that effective immediately and until further notice, the SBA is halting the disbursement of federal funds to SBA resource partners operating in the state of Minnesota, totaling over $5.5 million in annual support,’ Loeffler wrote Walz on Tuesday.

‘This action is the result of a fundamental breakdown in the public trust. Under your leadership, Minnesota failed to safeguard taxpayer dollars, and SBA will not continue to place federal resources at risk in a state where oversight measures are ignored and accountability is abandoned.’

Loeffler blamed Walz for making the Land of 10,000 Lakes the ‘epicenter’ of the largest fraud scandal of the COVID-19 pandemic era, and that recent criminal convictions of Somalis and other figures prove such fraud is ‘endemic’ to St. Paul’s vast welfare curriculum.

She cited Thompson’s calculations, saying that the Somali fraud network netted $1 billion in its Minneapolis-centered fraud scheme and that at least half of certain Medicaid funding programs subsidized by Minnesota taxpayers have been ‘pocketed by criminals’ – assessing the final figure at at least $9 billion.

She noted the USDA – which facilitates SNAP and other programs – as well as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent have launched probes into the scandals.

At least $2.5 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funds issued during the pandemic were tied to the Somali fraud scheme, the SBA said.

Another $430 million in PPP subsidies – totaling 13,000 individual loans – had been flagged as fraudulent but funded anyway, including some that were among those loans altogether forgiven during the Biden administration, Loeffler wrote.

‘The volume and concentration of potential fraud is staggering, matched in its egregiousness only by your response to those who attempted to stop it,’ she told Walz.

‘When legislators and whistleblowers raised concerns about potential abuse during the pandemic, your Administration resisted oversight, refused accountability, and allowed the misconduct to metastasize.’

Loeffler faulted Walz for dismissing some criticisms of his administration’s ‘generosity’ as ‘racism.’

Walz previously said that fraudsters in Minnesota will go to prison, and that ‘I don’t care what color you are [or] religion you are,’ but followed up by saying that critics ‘demonizing an entire population’ is ‘beneath that,’ according to PBS.

SBA will immediately halt $2.22 million in Small Business Development Center awards, $450,000 in women’s business center awards, $2.6 million in ‘microloan’ awards – the entire 2025 disbursement – and about $550,000 in other disbursements.

Loeffler called Minnesota’s fraud scandals the consequence of ‘socialist policies deliberately designed to pump out welfare funding without oversight or accountability.’

‘SBA’s responsibility is to taxpayers and small business owners, not to criminals or the politicians who enable them — We will continue to do what you did not: protect federal dollars on behalf of the American people,’ she said.

Fox News Digital reached out to Walz for any comment on general sentiments expressed in the letter about the fraud scandal and his handling of it.

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GOP lawmaker unveils WALZ Act after billions lost in Minnesota fraud scandal

A Republican lawmaker has reacted to the massive unfolding fraud scandal in Minnesota with legislation aimed at preventing more taxpayer dollars from being wasted at the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks has introduced the Welfare Abuse and Laundering Zillions Act, or the ‘WALZ Act,’ which would require HHS’ Office of Inspector General to open investigations into any program that sees a 10% or greater increase in total payments over any six-month period within a fiscal year.

Under the bill, HHS would no longer have discretion to ignore sudden billing increases that critics say often signal fraud schemes, particularly in large entitlement programs.

The bill comes amid revelations in recent months that Minnesota’s federally funded health and nutrition programs were rife with fraud to the tune of potentially up to $9 billion, federal prosecutors said last week. 

Critics have made Walz the face of the scandal, given the fact that concerns over the fraud date back to 2019, when he took office and the inability of the state, which he serves as the top executive, to tackle the problem over the last five years.

‘This is on my watch,’ Walz told reporters on Friday. ‘I am accountable for this. And more importantly, I am the one that will fix it.’

Miller-Meeks told Fox News Digital the situation in Minnesota represents a ‘jaw-dropping failure of leadership.’

‘This is what happens when soft-on-crime Democrats run the show: zero accountability, zero oversight and taxpayers left holding the bag,’ the Iowa Republican continued. ‘The WALZ Act is named for a reason, to ensure this level of negligence can never be repeated anywhere else in America. This bill puts hard safeguards in place to protect taxpayer dollars, shut the door on scam artists and bring real accountability back to government programs.’

On Monday, a group of 98 Minnesota mayors raised concerns with state leaders and Walz in a letter about their state’s fiscal policies, saying they have impacted their cities and residents, noting a disappearing $18 billion surplus and a projected $2.9 billion to $3 billion deficit for the 2028-29 biennium.

Former federal prosecutor Joe Teirab, who briefly worked on the Feeding Our Future aspect of the fraud investigation, recently told Fox News Digital the fraud scheme was notable not only for its size, but for how easy it was to carry out.

‘Honestly how easy this fraud was to do,’ Teirab said. ‘These fraudsters were just saying that they were spending all this money on feeding kids… and they were just making up these PDFs, putting false names into Excel sheets.’

Teirab said oversight failures within the Minnesota Department of Education and other agencies played a significant role. He argued that officials had incentives to avoid scrutiny, citing political sensitivities surrounding Minnesota’s Somali community.

‘There were huge incentives to just turn the other way,’ Teirab said. ‘There’s a sense of, ‘If we say something, are they going to call us racist?’ And that’s exactly what happened.’

Fox News Digital’s Nikolas Lanum and Louis Casiano contributed to this report

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House GOP tensions erupt after moderate Republicans’ Obamacare ‘betrayal’

Tensions are once again boiling in the House GOP after four moderate Republicans joined Democrats in a bid to force a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘It’s a betrayal to the Republican Party,’ House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., said. ‘It basically turned the agenda over to the Democrats.’

‘This is not what people voted for when they voted for a Republican majority,’ he said.

A Democrat-led Congress voted to broaden who can get federally subsidized healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, later voting to extend those subsidies through 2025 the following year.

Congress has now left D.C. until the new year with no plan in place to extend or replace those subsidies, and millions of Americans are now facing heightened healthcare costs in a matter of days.

The majority of Republican lawmakers are opposed to extending those subsidies, calling them a pandemic-era initiative that’s part of an overall broken system.

But several GOP lawmakers have warned that a failure to extend the subsidies, preferably with reforms, would negatively impact people across the country — as well as Republicans headed into a tough re-election year.

Several GOP plans have emerged for another short-term extension to give Congress an off-ramp while they work on a new healthcare plan, but leaders in the House and Senate showed no appetite for taking them up.

The four House Republicans who joined Democrats’ push for a three-year extension — Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Robert Bresnahan, R-Pa., and Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa. — have argued that their own leaders left them with no choice but to tack onto a pathway they did not want to support to extend the subsidies.

‘Ultimately, the failure to bring a vote left us with little choice,’ Lawler told reporters last week.

But it’s inflamed tensions with conservatives, threatening an already-unsteady peace in the House GOP’s razor-thin majority.

‘For any Republican to be supportive of Obamacare is really gross and a betrayal to everything that we’ve ever promised voters,’ Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., said. ‘I mean, this is the Democrats’ fault. They are the ones who made insurance, health insurance, unaffordable and unreliable.’

She noted that House Republicans did pass a bill with some modest healthcare reforms before they left Washington, but conceded ‘we need to do a lot more.’

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital, ‘I think it’s disappointing — why people would want to bail out Obamacare, I don’t understand.’

‘That discharge petition forces our children to go into greater debt,’ Fine said. ‘We should be focused on destroying Obamacare, not bailing it out.’

A discharge petition is a mechanism for forcing a vote on legislation over the wishes of House leaders, provided it gets support from more than half of the lawmakers in the chamber.

In this case, the four moderates helped House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., clinch a majority of signatures on his petition, setting up a vote early next month.

Lawler criticized Jeffries as ‘not interested in actually solving the problem’ in his comments to reporters last week, however.

‘He wants it to fail so he can use the issue. Otherwise, you would get the bipartisan discharge to move. And that’s the unfortunate thing,’ Lawler said. ‘But my view is, doing nothing is the worst thing. And that’s why Brian Fitzpatrick, myself, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie signed the discharge.’

Meanwhile, Mackenzie said he spoke directly with one of his fellow House Republicans who was critical of their move.

‘I went to him directly and said, ‘I would like to talk to you about your comments.’ I said, ‘I need to explain to you why I voted this way.’ Here’s an anecdote from my district about an individual, a small business owner, a restaurateur. For him and his family, without the premium tax credits, he goes from $3.99 a month up to $9.31 a month, and what that meant for him was that he was going to de-enroll and hope that nothing happened to his family,’ Mackenzie told reporters last week.

‘I said, that is not a great outcome for that individual, so we’re looking for some kind of relief or reform. And when ultimately we had that long conversation with the individual … we came to a much better resolution. We both were more understanding of each other.’

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., did not appear as frustrated as some of his colleagues but predicted ‘it will die in the Senate.’

The House GOP’s healthcare plan, which did not include an extension of the subsidies, passed last week with support from all Republicans, save for Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. It got no Democratic ‘yes’ votes.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that enacting the bill would reduce the federal deficit by $35.6 billion for a 10-year period through 2035.

If the bill became law, it would also decrease the number of people with health insurance by an average of 100,000 per year between 2027–2035 and lower gross benchmark premium costs by an average 11% through 2035, CBO said.

However, it’s not immediately clear whether it will be taken up by the Senate.

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Former Little League star signs with new women’s pro baseball league

More than a decade after starring in the Little League World Series, Mo’ne Davis will be back on the diamond for the inaugural season of the Women’s Professional Baseball League.

Davis, the 10th overall pick in the WPBL draft, officially signed with the Los Angeles franchise, the league announced on Monday, Dec. 22.

Davis took the nation by storm as a 13-year-old in 2014 as the only girl on her team from Philadelphia. Displaying a 70 mph fastball, she tossed a shutout in her first game of the tournament and became an instant celebrity.

She went on to play basketball and collegiate softball at Hampton University, and earned a graduate degree from Columbia.

Now an outfielder at age 24, Davis will be one of the major attractions as the WPBL begins play next August with four teams – Los Angeles, Boston, New York and San Francisco – competing at a neutral site in Springfield, Illinois.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY
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10 college women’s hockey players to watch at the Olympics

While rosters have yet to be finalized, a group of NCAA players will soon be making their way overseas to represent their nations at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

The women’s hockey tournament at the Milano Cortina Games gets underway on Feb. 5, and NCAA players are expected to play crucial roles at almost every position for every nation in competition, aside from Japan, the only nation without a collegiate national team member.

Team USA, in particular, is expected to have some star players who are still in college for one more season before joining the Professional Women’s Hockey League in 2026-27.

10 NCAA women’s hockey players to watch at the 2026 Olympics

Wisconsin defender Caroline Harvey, USA

It will be Harvey’s second Olympics, but her game has moved into a new stratosphere since 2022. She’s unquestionably a top-five blueliner on the planet, a three-time World Championship all-star and the projected first overall pick for the 2026 PWHL Draft. Harvey’s two-way impact and speed are a big reason why the Americans are the gold medal favorites. The defender currently leads the NCAA in scoring with 41 points in 20 games for Wisconsin.

Ohio State forward Hilda Svensson, Sweden

Apart from fellow Buckeyes forward Joy Dunne, who is another Olympic candidate for Team  USA, it’s been a while since a rookie had this big of an impact on the powerhouse Ohio State women’s hockey team. Svensson leads the NCAA rookie scoring race by nine points and sits fifth overall in the nation.

Clarkson forward Manon le Scodan, France

France received a spot in the 2026 Olympics when the ban on Russian teams was upheld. This year, they should have several NCAA players on their roster, which bodes well for the future of French hockey. Clarkson rookie Manon le Scodan is expected to have the biggest impact. She’s been in North America for four seasons now, honing her skills in Quebec, which should aid her on the smaller ice surfaces being used in Italy.

Minnesota defender Nelli Laitinen, Finland

Expected to be a first-round pick at the 2026 PWHL Draft, Laitinen has been a key member of Finland’s blueline for nearly a decade. She’s a veteran well beyond her years who, along with pros like Jenni Hiirikoski and Ronja Savolainen, will be expected to shut down Canada, USA and Czechia’s top lines. With a strong performance in Milano Cortina, she could climb even higher in the PWHL draft rankings.

Wisconsin defender Laila Edwards, USA

There’s been plenty of questioning when it comes to moving the 2024 World Championship MVP, one of the best scorers on the planet, from forward to USA’s blueline, but Edwards has acclimatized well. She’s got elite vision and perhaps the best shot in all of women’s hockey. Using her 6-foot-1 frame, Edwards has cleaned up space on the ice as she learns the position. Edwards is a surefire top-five pick for the 2026 PWHL Draft.

Wisconsin forward Adela Sapovalivova, Czechia

Czechia has seen waves of players choose the NCAA, including Tereza Plosova, Andrea Trnkova, Michaela Hesova and Barbora Jurickova, among others. None has had as much of an impact on their roster to date as Sapovalivova. For Czechia to get over the hump, they need to find offensive players, and Sapovalivova is key to that future alongside 2025 PWHL first overall pick Kristyna Kaltounkova.

Minnesota forward Abbey Murphy, USA

Ohio State defender Mira Jungaker, Sweden

A sophomore at Ohio State, Mira Jungaker is already a world-class defender. Not only is she capable of running a power play and providing offense from the Swedish blueline, but she’s got a mean streak as well. Sweden is on the verge of a major leap forward internationally, largely due to the emergence of Svensson, Jungaker, and other Swedish NCAA players such as Jenna Raunio, Josefin Bouveng, Ida Karlsson and Thea Johansson.

Penn State forward Matilde Fantin, Italy

A rare domestically trained Italian standout, Fantine, 18, has 16 points through her first 18 games on a nationally ranked Penn State roster. The teenager has the chance to become a national star on home soil, and once Italy’s dual-passport players move on after the Games, she’ll remain Italy’s leader for the coming decades.

Holy Cross forward Naemi Herzig, Switzerland

One of Switzerland’s youngest national team members, Herzig hit the ice in full stride in the NCAA this season with Holy Cross, scoring 16 points in her first 19 games. On a roster driven almost exclusively by veteran forwards Alina Muller and Lara Stalder, the Swiss need contributions from their youth, and Herzig is a player who must step forward despite being only 18.

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Ex-federal prosecutor says DOJ had power to release all Epstein files

If the Department of Justice (DOJ) wanted to release every Jeffrey Epstein-related document they had on file, they had the firepower to do so, a former assistant U.S. attorney argued.

The DOJ has faced bipartisan criticism over its initial release of heavily redacted Epstein files, which lawmakers argue fell short of the requirements of a recently passed transparency law.

‘The Department of Justice has all the resources in the world, right? I mean if they wanted to put 1,000 lawyers on this to review the documents and get them ready for the production, they could have,’ Sarah Krissoff said.

‘And they don’t appear to have done that,’ she added.

The DOJ did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Krissoff, who worked as a prosecutor for almost 14 years in the Southern District of New York, described key differences between the Epstein Files and the normal redaction process that attorneys grapple with. Those distinctions make it unclear who would have had final say about the information the DOJ released on Friday as the agency attempted to follow through on the requirements laid out by the Epstein Files Transparency Act. 

That law, passed by Congress last month and signed by President Donald Trump on Nov. 19, gave the DOJ just 30 days to make its documentation of Epstein public. It included some exceptions for protecting the identity of victims.

Despite the thousands of files that became publicly available at the end of last week, the DOJ’s first trove sparked criticism from some lawmakers and viewers online outraged that the department hadn’t released them all at once.

‘They are hiding a lot of documents. That would be very helpful in our investigation,’ Rep. Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., a member of the House Oversight Committee, told CNN on Monday morning. 

Although she remains skeptical of the department’s effort, Krissoff noted that what the DOJ’s been asked to do goes far outside the norm for disclosures.

‘There is no real mechanism in the law that the public can just access documents because they’re interested in them, right? In this case, this law is requiring the DOJ to make these things public because so many members of Congress are interested in this issue,’ Krissoff said.

In the cases she’s been a part of, Krissoff said redactions usually came down to meticulous negotiations between the prosecution and the defense. Sometimes deliberations drilled into individual sentences or words.

‘This situation is a little different because it’s unclear, you know, who is still working on this from the original case team. And so, the question is: who at the Department of Justice reviewed these in connection with the redactions here?’ Krissoff said.

She said whole case files rarely get released to the public beyond what shows up in court filings — and what’s there usually serves the narrow purposes of the prosecution. In Epstein’s case, the public’s interests extend beyond any potential conviction of Epstein himself. Epstein died in 2019 while incarcerated on suspicion of sex-trafficking minors. His death, ruled a suicide, cut short his prosecution and left behind questions about whether he facilitated illegal sexual encounters for his vast social network. 

Photos released by the DOJ last week lack context and do not, on their own, implicate anyone depicted in them of wrongdoing. 

‘The case file often implicates many other people that are not charged in the crimes. So, there may be 15 people charged in a drug ring. You’ve only charged one or two people; you don’t want to impugn those other people who have not been charged by releasing information showing their involvement in this drug ring,’ Krissoff said.

‘The last thing you want to do is put that neighbor’s information or his name or even his statement out there,’ Krissoff said.

She believes that there’s a danger in forcing disclosure of an ongoing case simply because of great public interest and setting a precedent for that to become a regular occurrence. In her view, it could disrupt ongoing investigations of the future that draw intense public interest.

The DOJ said it will continue to release its documents on Epstein on a rolling basis. It has not announced when they expect to continue their release of the Epstein files.

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Republicans have chance to secure governorships in key battleground states next year

While next year’s midterms will determine whether Republicans can keep control of Congress after winning big in 2024, there are also a slate of gubernatorial elections, several that are toss-ups, which could have equally wide-ranging impacts.

Three states with Democratic Party governors, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin, are currently listed as ‘toss up’ races across multiple high-profile election polling groups, such as The Cook Political Report and Sabato’s Crystal Ball. Meanwhile, Republicans will have to defend the governorship in Georgia and Nevada, two other races considered a ‘toss up’ by some, while others are giving Republicans a slight advantage. For example, Nevada and Georgia are considered a ‘toss up’ in The Cook Political Report’s latest polling that came out Dec. 20, but they are listed as ‘lean Republican’ by Sabato’s Crystal Ball. 

‘Whether it’s Aaron Ford vacationing instead of doing his job in Nevada, Katie Hobbs tanking Arizona’s economy, or Jocelyn Benson letting non-residents vote in Michigan, Democrats are not sending their best to gubernatorial races next year,’ Regional Communications Director Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital. ‘Republicans have a track record of winning these states and we will do so again next year.’

  

In Arizona, Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs will have to maintain her seat against long-time House Reps. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and David Schweikert, R-Ariz., as well as attorney Karrin Taylor Robson, who lost to Kari Lake in the GOP primary for governor in 2022.

In 2024, Hobbs was investigated for involvement in an alleged ‘pay-for-play’ scheme after a report revealed a group home business that looks after vulnerable children was approved for a rate hike after it donated big to her inauguration and the Arizona Democratic Party. However, Hobbs has pushed back against the allegations, arguing she was not personally involved in the rate decision. The controversy is still under criminal investigation by both the Arizona attorney general and the Maricopa County attorney, and the Arizona House also launched its own inquiry last month into the matter. Hobbs, who has had a lengthy political career dating back to 2010, has been criticized for how she treats her staff and who she hires, but also has a history of being able to rake in campaign funds and run successful elections. 

In Michigan, Democratic Party Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will be term-limited out. Her secretary of State, Jocelyn Benson, is among the front-runners to take over Whitmer’s seat. Earlier this year, Fox News Digital reported about Benson’s attendance at a ‘unity’ dinner that featured decor threatening to assassinate President Donald Trump and equating his supporters with Nazis. Republican Michigan lawmakers have called on the Trump Justice Department to monitor Michigan’s 2026 elections, arguing there is an ‘inherent’ conflict associated with Benson, who is Michigan’s top election official, running while overseeing the state’s elections.  

Wisconsin’s Democratic Party Gov. Tony Evers announced his retirement in July, indicating he will not seek a third term under the state’s unlimited term limit rules. As a result, the seat is up for grabs, with House Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wisc., and Wisconsin County Executive Josh Schoemann among the GOP front-runners. On the Democrat side, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, current Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez and Wisconsin County Executive David Crowley find themselves at the top of the heap.

Courtney Alexander, a spokesperson for the Republican Governor’s Association, pointed out how voters view governors’ races ‘through a unique prism’ following Trump’s first year of his second term. ‘They see that Republican-led states are more affordable and safer, while Democrat-led states are among the most expensive and have allowed their cities to become hellscapes of crime and homelessness,’ Alexander told Fox News Digital. ‘Americans have already voted with their feet, and that tells us everything we need to know about what to expect in 2026 — Democrats running at the gubernatorial level have records they cannot defend.’

Georgia and Nevada will have to be defended by Republicans if they hope to add to their GOP gubernatorial headcount. Georgia, which historically has been a Republican stronghold, has seen Democratic Party wins in the last several years, making it a place for hard-fought elections. Current Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is being term-limited. It was being mulled he might go to the U.S. Senate, but Kemp later waved off the rumors.

In 2026, there will be a total of 36 gubernatorial elections held on Nov. 3, 2026. The primaries for these races will be held at various times ahead of the scheduled general election date.  

While not seen as a tough race for Republicans, Florida’s primary race has the ingredients for something interesting. The Sunshine State’s current GOP governor, Ron DeSantis, will be term-limited, and it is unclear who DeSantis desires to be his replacement after President Donald Trump endorsed GOP Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. Thus far, DeSantis has not embraced Donalds as the best person to take over his office, like Trump. Rather, DeSantis has publicly hinted his wife, Casey DeSantis, could be a formidable contender. ‘She would do better than me,’ DeSantis told reporters earlier this year while discussing speculation about Florida’s first lady succeeding him. ‘There’s no question about that.’

Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

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NFL playoff picture: 49ers move up, clinch berths for three AFC teams

Every week for the duration of the 2025 regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the NFL’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting Sunday afternoon and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable. And, when the holidays roll around, we’ll be watching then, too).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 4.

Here’s where things stand with Week 16 complete:

NFC playoff picture

x − 1. Seattle Seahawks (12-3), NFC West leaders: Splitting their season series with the Rams in Thursday night’s classic means they’ll wind up with the No. 1 seed if they simply win their final two games. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at 49ers

x − 2. Chicago Bears (11-4), NFC North leaders: A remarkable overtime win against Green Bay on Saturday night helped them clinch a playoff berth − cemented by Detroit’s loss Sunday. Chicago is also still in play for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Remaining schedule: at 49ers, vs. Lions

y – 3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-5), NFC East champions: With Saturday’s defeat of Washington, they became the first team this season to wrap up a division − and the first to win this division in successive years since they last did it 21 years ago. Philly’s victory also officially knocked the hated Cowboys out of playoff contention. Remaining schedule: at Bills, vs. Commanders

4. Carolina Panthers (8-7), NFC South leaders: Their defeat of the Bucs on Sunday moved them into first place. They can win the division next week with a win and Tampa Bay loss. A Week 18 defeat of the Buccaneers would also do the job regardless of circumstances. Remaining schedule: vs. Seahawks, at Buccaneers

x − 5. San Francisco 49ers (11-4), wild card No. 2: Win out, which would entail completing a season sweep of Seattle on the final weekend of the regular season, and the Niners would get the No. 1 seed. Detroit’s loss Sunday clinched their spot in the postseason field. A 4-1 record in NFC West games moves them ahead of the Rams. Remaining schedule: vs. Bears, vs. Seahawks

x − 6. Los Angeles Rams (11-4), wild card No. 1: They became the first team to clinch a playoff spot but lost the inside track for home-field advantage and a first-round bye after failing to sweep Seattle. Remaining schedule: at Falcons, vs. Cardinals

7. Green Bay Packers (9-5-1), wild card No. 3:They were undermanned going into Saturday night, then it got worse. But the Pack should have gotten out of Chicago with a win. At least Detroit’s loss allowed Green Bay to maintain its 1½-game lead over the Lions in the wild-card standings. One more Packers win or Lions loss puts Green Bay into the field. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Vikings

8. Detroit Lions (8-7), in the hunt: Sunday’s loss not only locked two of their competitors (Chicago and San Francisco) into the field, it left the Lions on life support. Detroit needs to win its final two games and hope the Pack lose theirs in order to qualify. Remaining schedule: at Vikings, at Bears

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8), in the hunt: Sunday’s loss in Charlotte was Tampa Bay’s sixth in its last seven outings. But win their last two games, and the Bucs will retain the NFC South crown by a one-game margin in the common-games tiebreaker over Carolina (assuming the Panthers also finish 9-8 overall). Remaining schedule: at Dolphins, vs. Panthers

AFC playoff picture

x − 1. Denver Broncos (12-3), AFC West leaders: They came into the day with the possibility of clinching home-field advantage and the first-round bye. A decisive loss to Jacksonville re-opened that door to New England. Still, win out and Denver gets the top seed. Remaining schedule: at Chiefs, vs. Chargers

x − 2. New England Patriots (12-3), AFC East leaders: Officially headed to the playoffs, the Pats are also still in driver’s seat to win AFC East and just a tiebreaker (common games) of sitting atop the conference. Remaining schedule: at Jets, vs. Dolphins.

x − 3. Jacksonville Jaguars (11-4), AFC South leaders: They won their seventh straight Sunday with an impressive win over Denver. The Colts’ loss Monday stamped the Jags’ playoff invite. Remaining schedule: vs. Colts, at Titans

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-6), AFC North leaders: Their win Sunday in Motown clinched spots in the NFC field for the Bears and 49ers. No matter what else happens over the next two games, sweep the Ravens, and Pittsburgh secures the division. A win next week in Cleveland will also sew up the division. Remaining schedule: at Browns, vs. Ravens

x − 5. Los Angeles Chargers (11-4), wild card No. 1: The Bolts have now won seven of eight, and Indy’s Monday night loss put them in the playoffs for the second straight year. A half-game advantage in AFC games (8-2) keeps them ahead of Buffalo. Win out, and the Chargers win the AFC West … and maybe more. Remaining schedule: vs. Texans, at Broncos

x − 6. Buffalo Bills (11-4), wild card No. 1: Still alive to win their sixth straight AFC East crown, the Bills were guaranteed at least their playoff shot with the Colts’ loss Monday. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, vs. Jets

7. Houston Texans (10-5), wild card No. 3: They’ve won eight of nine, including seven in a row but haven’t been able to overtake similarly surging Jacksonville yet for the top spot in the AFC South. Houston’s win prevented the Bills, Chargers and Jags from clinching playoff spots Sunday. Remaining schedule: at Chargers, vs. Colts

8. Indianapolis Colts (8-7), in the hunt: Now in the hands of 44-year-old QB Philip Rivers, who hasn’t been able to engineer a win despite two valiant attempts, their 7-1 start seems like ancient history. One more loss or Houston win eliminates Indy. Remaining schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Texans

9. Baltimore Ravens (7-8), in the hunt: The lost control of their playoff path with Sunday night’s loss to New England and can be eliminated next weekend by a Pittsburgh win. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, at Packers, at Steelers

NFL playoff-clinching scenarios for Week 17 (incomplete)

Pittsburgh clinches AFC North with:

Win OR
Ravens loss

Carolina clinches NFC South with:

Win + Buccaneers loss

Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:

Win OR
Lions loss

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2025

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division

z – clinched home-field advantage, first-round bye

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NFL Week 17 odds and expert predictions for every matchup

The NFL’s Christmas Day slate lacks sizzle but there are marquee matchups across the league over the weekend.

The Los Angeles Chargers will try to get revenge against the Houston Texans Dec. 27. The next day, the Philadelphia Eagles travel to Buffalo to take on the Bills in what could be a Super Bowl 60 preview. ‘Sunday Night Football’ features the upstart Chicago Bears taking on a battle-tested San Francisco 49ers team.

Week 17 ends with the Los Angeles Rams battling the Falcons in Atlanta during the final ‘Monday Night Football’ game of 2025.

The penultimate week of the regular season is here. USA TODAY Sports provides the early predictions for Week 17:

Odds courtesy of BetMGM.

NFL Week 17 predictions, picks

Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders

Date: Thursday, Dec. 25

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Northwest Stadium, Landover, MD

TV: N/A

Streaming: Netflix

Spread: Cowboys (-6.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Cowboys 30, Commanders 21

A pride bowl in the nation’s capital. Both non-playoff teams are just playing for pride and bragging rights. The Cowboys, at least, have a healthy quarterback and one of the top offenses in the NFL.  

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings

Date: Thursday, Dec. 25

Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

TV: N/A

Streaming: Netflix

Spread: Lions (-6)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Lions 27, Vikings 17

Last week’s loss gave the Lions an 8% chance to make the postseason. Detroit needs to win out and get a lot of help. Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy can’t stay healthy. The desperate Lions get a win with their playoff hopes hanging by a thread.

Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Date: Thursday, Dec. 25

Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

Location: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

TV: N/A

Streaming: Prime Video

Spread: Broncos (-13)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Broncos 27, Chiefs 16

The Chiefs are limping toward the finish line. This could be Travis Kelce’s final game in Kansas City. Denver is vying for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Denver completes the season sweep of the Chiefs.

Houston Texans vs. Los Angeles Chargers

Date: Saturday, Dec. 27

Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

Location: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

TV: NFL Network

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Chargers (-2)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Chargers 23, Texans 22

A healthier and better Chargers O-line struggled against Houston last year. But an inspired Chargers team exacts revenge on the Texans after a postseason loss a year ago.

Baltimore Ravens vs. Green Bay Packers

Date: Saturday, Dec. 27

Time: 8 p.m. ET

Location: Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI

TV: N/A

Streaming: Peacock

Spread: Packers (-2.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Packers 28, Ravens 24

The Packers bounce back after a tough loss in Chicago. The Ravens were my preseason Super Bowl pick. A loss here ends Baltimore’s playoff hopes in what’s been a disappointing season. Lamar Jackson hass battled injuries throughout the year and Baltimore’s pass defense is subpar.

Arizona Cardinals vs. Cincinnati Bengals

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Paycor Stadium, Cincinnati

TV: FOX

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Bengals (-7)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Bengals 30, Cardinals 21

The Bengals offense caught fire last week. However, it’s too little, too late for Cincinnati. Joe Burrow and company can finish the year on a three-game winning streak with wins over two other non-playoff teams.

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cleveland Browns

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Huntington Bank Field, Cleveland

TV: CBS

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Steelers (-4.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Steelers 24, Browns 21

The Steelers might have already clinched the AFC North by the time this game starts, which could impact who suits up. We are all on Myles Garrett sack-record watch.

New Orleans Saints vs. Tennessee Titans

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Nissan Stadium, Nashville, TN

TV: CBS

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Saints (-2.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Saints 21, Titans 20

Tennessee’s coming off a win against a depleted Chiefs team. The Saints have quietly won three games in a row. New Orleans makes it four straight wins on Sunday.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Indianapolis Colts

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis

TV: FOX

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Jaguars (-6.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Jaguars 28, Colts 20

I have the Colts going on a seven-game losing streak to end the season despite 44-year-old Philip Rivers’ heroics. Jacksonville is one of the hottest teams in the NFL.  

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Miami Dolphins

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL

TV: FOX

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Bucs (-5.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Bucs 25, Dolphins 18

Can the Dolphins spoil Tampa Bay’s season? The Bucs have to win their next two games to win the NFC South title and earn a playoff berth.

New England Patriots vs. New York Jets

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

TV: FOX

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Patriots (-12.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Patriots 30, Jets 16

The point spread seems high until you realize the Jets are one of the worst teams in the NFL. The Jets are keeping an eye on their draft position, while New England is trying to clinch the AFC’s top seed.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Carolina Panthers

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

TV: CBS

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Seahawks (-7)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Seahawks 26, Panthers 20

This is an interesting matchup between two division leaders. Both teams are coming off of perhaps their biggest victories of the year. Sam Darnold was resilient in Seattle’s comeback win last week. He gets revenge against his former team in Week 17.

New York Giants vs. Las Vegas Raiders

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 4:05 p.m. ET

Location: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

TV: CBS

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Raiders (-1.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Giants 20, Raiders 17

This game is all about 2026 NFL draft position. The loser of this contest will be in the driver seat for the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft. I think the Raiders are the worst team in the NFL.  

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Buffalo Bills

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 4:25 p.m. ET

Location: Highmark Stadium, Orchard Park, NY

TV: FOX

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Bills (-2.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Eagles 28, Bills 24

A Super Bowl 60 preview in Week 17? DT Jalen Carter and RT Lane Johnson are expected to return this week, two of Philly’s most important players. The defending Super Bowl champs are beginning to play better football at the right time.

Chicago Bears vs. San Francisco 49ers

Date: Sunday, Dec. 28

Time: 8:20 p.m. ET

Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock

Spread: 49ers (-3)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Bears 25, 49ers 21

A really good matchup between two playoff teams. This game could go either way, but the Bears have found ways to win all season. Ben Johnson and Kyle Shanahan should be the two coach of the year favorites entering this week.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Atlanta Falcons

Date: Monday, Dec. 29

Time: 8:15 p.m. ET

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA

TV: ESPN

Streaming: FUBO

Spread: Rams (-8.5)

Tyler Dragon, USA TODAY: Rams 30, Falcons 20

I still believe the Rams are the best team in the NFC despite a Week 16 loss to Seattle. Davante Adams’ absence does hurt the Rams, but they should get the victory against an inferior Atlanta club.

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you purchase through our links, the USA Today Network may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.

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