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The 2022-23 NFL season enters the playoffs with the Wild Card round on January 14 to 16. NFL Playoffs Wild Card scheduleGame Date and time Channel Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers January 14, 4:30 p.m. ET ESPN, ABC, ESPN+How to watch the NFL PlayoffsEvery game of the NFL Playoffs will be broadcast on national television, with matchups spread across CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and ABC. ESPN games will also be available to stream on ESPN+, Sling TV Orange, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV. The NFL Playoffs use a single elimination tournament to decide the season's champion.

☆ Atlanta to host potential AFC Championship between Bills, Chiefs
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW YORK, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The National Football League (NFL) has selected Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to host a potential AFC Championship game between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs, the league said on Thursday. The agreement to contest an AFC Championship between the Bills and Chiefs on a neutral site was designed to "mitigate the competitive inequities" created by the cancellation of the Week 17 game. "We are also grateful to Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons for agreeing to host the AFC Championship Game in Atlanta should the Bills and Chiefs advance." The Bills are expected to play the Miami Dolphins in their Wild Card game on Sunday, while the Chiefs enjoy a playoff bye week. The AFC Championship will take place Jan. 29, at 6:30 p.m.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday, after tests showed he was fit enough to rehab at home, the team announced. Hamlin left Buffalo General Medical Center after he "went through a comprehensive medical evaluation as well as a series of cardiac, neurological and vascular testing on Tuesday," according to the Bills. Damar Hamlin. That Bills-Bengals game had to be cancelled which might have cost Buffalo the No. 2 seed and will play host to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in a wildcard-round game.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin triumphantly left an Ohio hospital Monday, a week after he collapsed on the field during a nationally televised game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin has been released and returned to Buffalo. Hamlin has been the target of unwavering support of football fans since his cardiac arrest in the first quarter of last week's "Monday Night Football" game at Paycor Stadium. On-field medical staff rushed to Hamlin and administered CPR before he was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where the player had been treated until his departure Monday. 1 and 2 teams meet in the conference title game, the top seed would get to host.

☆ NFL roundup: Eagles lock down No. 1 seed in NFC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

1 seed in the NFC with a 22-16 win over the visiting New York Giants on Sunday. Hurts led six scoring drives and the Eagles never trailed the Giants (9-7-1), who had already sewn up the No. 6 seed and opted to rest quarterback Daniel Jones, Pro Bowl running back Saquon Barkley and other starters. Smith finished the regular season with 4,282 yards passing, surpassing Russell Wilson's team record of 4,219 set in 2016. Baltimore's Anthony Brown was 19-of-44 passing for 286 yards and two interceptions in his first career NFL start.

☆ Bills ride emotional win into NFL postseason
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

With 19 teams still in the postseason hunt entering the final weekend, there was no shortage of gridiron suspense unfolding across the United States. At every stadium before kickoff there was an announcement acknowledging Hamlin and the first responders and medical caregivers. But the Bills that provided Hamlin with the best tribute of all, harnessing their emotions to secure a victory and the AFC second seed. "We just wanted to come out and play free, play loose, play for (Damar)," said Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who also threw three touchdown passes. Despite the loss, the Giants also qualify for the postseason, moving on to the wildcard, where they will face the Minnesota Vikings.

☆ Emotional Bills win for Hamlin in first game since his cardiac arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] Jan 8, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (17) shows support for Buffalo Bills Damar Hamlin prior to a game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium. Moments before the game got underway, Hamlin, who has made remarkable strides this week, wrote "GAMETIME!!!" 'IT WAS SPIRITUAL'The Bills went on to a 35-23 victory in their regular-season finale and the win was dedicated to Hamlin, who spoke with his team mates during a video call after the game. "We just wanted to come out and play free, play loose, play for (Damar)," said Bills quarterback Josh Allen. "Thank you medical staff", "Love for Damar", "Do it for Hamlin", "Still praying", and "Hamlin Strong" were among the many signs being held up inside the stadium.

☆ Week 18 N.F.L. Playoff Picture Preview: A Team-by-Team Guide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Josh Katz | Kevin Quealy | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Thursday, the league announced that games would go on as scheduled and that the Bills-Bengals game would not be made up. noted in its announcement, any decision it could have made would have come with “competitive inequities.” But for most teams, the playoff picture is unchanged. In the N.F.C., three teams — the Lions, Packers and Seahawks — are vying for the last conference spot in the postseason. We’ll update them throughout the weekend, and they’ll all link back to our interactive playoff simulator, which lets you explore any scenario. But we have included a button with each tree if you’d like to explore how ties affect each team’s playoff path.

☆ Bills will try to ride emotional rollercoaster to top of AFC
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( Steve Keating | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"It's going to be a celebration of life an ongoing life," Beane told reporters looking ahead to Sunday's game. "It will be a challenge for our team to manage the emotions, there's going to be tears out there. PLAYOFF RACEWhile Hamlin and the Bills will be at the emotional centre of the weekend there is plenty of suspense up and down a full slate of games. While a victory would earn the Chiefs a first round bye it might not necessarily bring them home field advantage. Should the 49ers and Eagles both fall the Dallas Cowboys could snatch the NFC crown with a win over the Washington Commanders.

☆ Damar Hamlin remains center stage of key Bills-Pats matchup
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Damar Hamlin, the 24-year-old Bills safety who went into cardiac arrest during Buffalo's game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night, will be at the forefront of hearts and minds. Good news came Thursday when Buffalo announced that Hamlin has shown "remarkable improvement" and "appears to be neurologically intact" despite remaining in critical condition. Every team across the league has been offering their support, too, and the Patriots (8-8) were no exception. McDermott said Thursday that Mario Hamlin, Damar's father, told Bills players to focus on Sunday's regular-season finale because it is what Damar Hamlin would want. "They got several good players, but (Josh) Allen by himself is a tough matchup for any player, any defense."

☆ Hamlin’s collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

While the Bills have not said whether Hamlin was vaccinated, about 95% of NFL players have received a Covid-19 vaccine, according to the league. The blog proves no relationship between the incidents and Covid-19 vaccines; it also includes in its count reported deaths from cancer and emergencies of unknown causes. It' snot surprising that misleading claims about Covid-19 vaccines surged following Hamlin's cardia arrest, given how much vaccine misinformation has spread since the pandemic began, said Jeanine Guidry, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who researches health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy. High-profile public events like Hamlin’s collapse often create new waves of misinformation as people grasp for explanations. For people concerned about vaccine safety, Hamlin’s sudden collapse served to affirm and justify their beliefs, Guidry said.

Millions of football fans held their breath for close to 20 long minutes Monday night when Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin had a cardiac arrest after making a routine tackle. In the largest study conducted on the subject, 99% of former NFL players showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a devastating neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head trauma. Another key study showed that 40% of retired NFL players have traumatic brain injury, with no correlation between the number of concussions and the severity of the injury. Seau’s death brought the issue of traumatic brain injury to a boiling point, and yet the league’s steps to address the issue appear to be little more than Band-Aids. He raised his hands in an unnatural movement that can be a sign of traumatic brain injury.

☆ NFL roundup: 49ers clip Raiders in OT, win 9th straight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +12 min

Jones completed 19 of 24 passes for 177 yards and had 11 carries for a team-high 91 rushing yards. Buccaneers 30, Panthers 24Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes to Mike Evans and orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback as Tampa Bay clinched the NFC South by beating visiting Carolina. Jerick McKinnon caught two touchdown passes and Blake Bell also made a scoring grab for the Chiefs (13-3). Cooper caught touchdown passes of 46 and 33 yards and running back Nick Chubb had 104 yards on 14 carries. Seahawks 23, Jets 6Geno Smith threw two touchdown passes as Seattle remained in the playoff race with a win against visiting New York.

☆ For 60 years, the US Navy has been training dolphins and sea lions to keep rivals away from its most sensitive hardware
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Gidget Fuentes | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The US Navy has been training dolphins and sea lions to detect undersea threats since the 1960s. A US Navy trainer with a Mark 5 Marine Mammal sea lion in Key West in October 1990. The program worked with sharks, rays, and sea turtles but settled on dolphins and sea lions. US NavyThe Navy Marine Mammal Program's budget for 2023 provides $40 million for "food, medicine, veterinary care, husbandry, and facilities," Wilson said. A US Navy sea lion jumps into a riverine command boat during a mine-countermeasures exercise in Bahrain in November 2014.

☆ Brazil's haunting graveyard of ships risks environmental disaster, warns activist group
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Pilar Olivares | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Brazil's navy said the 200-meter-long (660-ft.) Sao Luiz, a rust-spattered bulk carrier built in 1994, had been anchored in the bay for more than six years awaiting legal proceedings before it crashed into Latin America's longest over-water bridge. The Sao Luiz is one of dozens of ships left to rust on the iconic but heavily polluted bay, once home to vast mangroves and thriving marine life. Fernando Pinto Lima, a 62-year-old former fisherman in the bay, told Reuters he used to be able to quickly catch 50 to 100 kilograms of fish. Following the Sao Luiz crash, local media reported that authorities were studying how to remove the ghost ships. ($1 = 5.2186 reais)Reporting by Pilar Olivares; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by Bradley PerrettOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa in concussion protocol for second time this season
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has returned to the NFL’s concussion protocol, Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Monday. The concussion protocol is enacted whenever a player reports concussion-related symptoms, even if he isn’t certain to have a concussion. He entered the concussion protocol after taking a scary hit that knocked him unconscious during Miami’s Sept. 29 game at Cincinnati. He appeared to show concussion symptoms but was evaluated and stayed in the game. The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that any player who shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — sit out the remainder of a game.

☆ NFL roundup: Packers dump Dolphins, extend playoff push
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) reaches for Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Dolphins (8-7) dropped their fourth in a row but still would clinch an AFC wild-card berth if they win their last two games. Jaire Alexander, De'Vondre Campbell and Rasul Douglas each had fourth-quarter interceptions of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to help the Packers put the game away. Tagovailoa threw a career-high three interceptions in a game, completing 16 of 25 passes for 310 yards and an 84-yard touchdown to Jaylen Waddle. Trace McSorley completed 24 of 45 passes for 217 yards and an interception in his first career start.

Here are 12 of the weirdest and most fascinating animal behaviors scientists spotted in 2022. Here are 12 bizarre and amazing things animals were spotted doing, some of which had never been seen before. It turned out that at least 12 species of primates had been reported doing so, a review published in the Journal of Zoology in October found. A dolphin swallowed 8 venomous sea snakesA sea snake (indicated with pink arrow), moments before it is captured and eaten by a Navy dolphin. Though animals have often been spotted using tools, these usually are used to give the animal a clear survival advantage.

☆ Tons of other animals have clitorises — and they can teach us more about human sexuality
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Many animals have clitorises, a female sex organ, but experts say they're understudied. She said she's seen more interest in this field in recent years, mostly from young female researchers. They found that all female snakes studied have a pair of clitorises — or hemiclitores, a two-part clitoris. Brennan said the fact that snake species have intersex individuals has heightened confusion about the creature's genital organs over the years. Their findings suggest that, like those in human females, the dolphin's clitoris provides pleasure during sex.

A cold air mass over Alaska and western Canada was expanding to the south and east Sunday through the holiday week, the National Weather Service said Saturday. Icy "upper-level energy" ahead of the mass has already triggered winter weather advisories for parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, forecasters said. It will eventually impact the northern Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, the Northeast and areas in between, the National Weather Service said. In all, more than 144,000 utility customers from New York state to New England were blacked out by the storm, according to NBC News estimates. As the night deepened Saturday, temperatures dove below freezing even in areas below the Mason-Dixon Line, with even colder weather en route.

☆ Bills Clinch Playoff Berth in Snowy Thriller Against Dolphins
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Emmanuel Morgan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

All week, the Dolphins tried to downplay the potential impact of the frigid conditions. McDaniel told reporters he did not believe the elements affected the Dolphins’ performance in the loss, their third straight. “I know a lot of people would like to make it about the weather, but our team never did,” McDaniel said. The Bills allowed only one touchdown to the Dolphins in the first half — an 11-yard run by Salvon Ahmed — despite Miami entering the red zone three times. Allen threw three touchdowns before halftime as the Dolphins defense struggled to contain him and his receivers while he scrambled.

☆ NFL roundup: Vikings pull off biggest NFL comeback, clinch division
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Dec 17, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings place kicker Greg Joseph (1) celebrates his game winning field goal against the Indianapolis Colts after the game at U.S. Bank Stadium. With the win, the Minnesota Vikings clinched the NFC North. Minnesota trailed 33-0 at halftime before orchestrating the largest comeback victory in NFL history. Kirk Cousins was 34-of-54 passing for 460 yards and four touchdowns for Minnesota, with two interceptions. Matt Ryan was 19-of-33 passing for 182 yards and a touchdown in defeat for the Colts (4-9-1).

☆ 12 media executives anonymously predict 2023's biggest deals, trends and changes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Candle Media has acquired intellectual property assets including Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine production company and Moonbug, which owns the animated kids series "CoComelon." Executive 3: Iger extends his contract There's been lots of speculation over who Iger will choose as his successor. History suggests he has a hard time leaving the role of Disney CEO. Christine M. McCarthy, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer The Walt Disney Company. "I love Shari [Redstone], but ViacomCBS is not long for this world as it stands today," said a media executive last year.

☆ Brock Purdy: From 'Mr. Irrelevant' to beating the NFL's GOAT
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

And this bull is now a steer, so he’s irrelevant. Justin Casterline/Getty ImagesWhen Purdy was selected by the 49ers – and that famous red and white jersey was brought out with “Mr. Irrelevant” celebrations began in 1976, when former 49ers receiver Paul Salata founded “Irrelevant Week” in Newport Beach, California. Purdy celebrates at midfield after the Iowa State Cyclones defeated the Oklahoma State Cowboys 24-21 at Jack Trice Stadium on October 23, 2021 in Ames, Iowa. “I’ve tried to keep myself from being surprised about Brock Purdy years ago because nothing surprises me anymore with him.”

CNN —Scientists have discovered that female snakes have a clitoris — a previously overlooked or dismissed part of their anatomy (and that of many other animals), according to a new study. Female genitalia is not an easy subject to bring up sometimes and I think people were happy saying ‘it doesn’t exist. Folwell decided to investigate the female genitalia of snakes after noticing that very little research had been done on the topic. Studies of female genitalia in the animal kingdom are relatively sparse because of an “overwhelming focus on male genitalia,” according to the study. Last year, Patricia Brennan, an associate professor of biological sciences at Mount Holyoke College and coauthor on the new snake study, revealed dolphins also have functional clitoris.

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