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PARTLY CLOUDY 52•41 | TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2020 | theworldlink.com

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House approves $2,000 relief checks WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s push for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks now rests with the Senate after the House voted overwhelmingly to meet the president’s demand to increase the $600 stipends, but Republicans have shown little interest in boosting spending. The outcome is highly uncertain heading into Tuesday’s session. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has declined to publicly address how he plans to handle the issue. But Democrats, sharing a rare priority with Trump, have seized on the opportunity to force Republicans into a difficult vote of either backing or defying the outgoing president. After bipartisan approval by the House, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned, “There is no good reason for Senate Republicans to stand in the way.”

“There’s strong support for these $2,000 emergency checks from every corner of the country,” Schumer said in a statement late Monday. He called on McConnell to make sure the Senate helps “meet the needs of American workers and families who are crying out for help.” The House tally was a stunning turn of events. Just days ago Republicans blocked Trump’s sudden demands for bigger checks during a brief Christmas Eve session as he defiantly refused to sign the broader COVID-19 aid and year-end funding bill into law. As Trump spent days fuming from his private club in Florida, where he is spending the holidays, dozens of Republicans calculated it was better to link with Democrats to increase the pandemic stipend rather than

buck the outgoing president and constituents counting on the money. Democrats led passage, 275-134, but 44 Republicans joined almost all Democrats in approval. Senators were set to return to session Tuesday amid similar, stark GOP divisions between those who align with Trump’s populist instincts and others who adhere to what had been more traditional conservative views against government spending. Congress had settled on smaller $600 payments in a compromise over the big year-end relief bill Trump reluctantly signed into law. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared, “Republicans have a choice: Vote for this legislation or vote to deny the American people the bigger paychecks they need.” The showdown could end up

as more symbol than substance if Trump’s effort fizzles out in the Senate. The legislative action during the rare holiday week session may do little to change the $2 trillion-plus COVID-19 relief and federal spending package Trump signed into law Sunday, one of the biggest bills of its kind providing relief for millions of Americans. That package — $900 billion in COVID-19 aid and $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies — will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown that otherwise would have started Tuesday, in the midst of the public health crisis. But the outcome will define Trump’s GOP, putting a spotlight on the Georgia runoff election Jan. 5 where two Republican senators are in the fights of their

John Gunther Photos, The World

Jim Curran is greeted by former student Charlie Waldrop as part of Curran’s drive-by birthday celebration Monday.

Coquille celebrates Curran’s 96th birthday JOHN GUNTHER The World

COQUILLE — They came by car and truck. They came on foot. A member of the city’s fire department even came in a truck with lights flashing. All stopped by to wish happy birthday to Jim Curran, who turned 96 Monday. The World War II Navy veteran is well-known in his neighborhood and on the South Coast because of a long career as a teacher and coach, touching the lives of students in Bandon, Myrtle Point, Coquille and other communities. But teaching wasn’t always his dream. Curran wanted to be a surgeon or surgical assistant when he was one of the top ROTC students at Fort Lewis in Washington, but said he wasn’t allowed into the medical program because of his vision. That worked out all the better, as he had a chance to touch the lives of so many. Several of those former students were among the well-wishers Monday. “Mr. Curran’s energy and enthusiasm got a lot of us inspired about science and sports at an early age,” said Charlie Waldrop, who grew up in Bandon — he graduated with Curran’s son Jim in 1972 — and stopped by Monday. “He was my science teacher and track coach. I played football for him, too.” Waldrop has stayed friends with the family ever since. “It’s been a long, wonderful

Jim Curran raises his mug in greeting to a well-wisher on Monday. relationship,” Waldrop said. Several of the people Monday gave greetings from their vehicles, with a wave or by saying “Happy birthday.” He returned their greetings by raising his coffee mug and saying “Thank you.” Others visited longer, sharing stories with Curran. He enjoyed every minute of it. “This is astounding, as you might well imagine,” he said. “There are a great many people — they were once my students.” Curran got to celebrate his birthday on a stunningly beautiful late December afternoon, which briefly made him think of

one of his past favorite activities. “I would be out on the Sheep Ranch if I were 20 years younger,” he said of the newest course at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. “The body says no — the mind says yes.” But aside from not being able to play golf, Curran said he was generally happy with how he feels. “I’m doing fine — remarkably well for the number,” he said of his age. Curran lived in Coos Bay — then Marshfield — when he was young. “I’m uncertain I ever grew up, but you can use that phrase if you want,” he said.

He graduated from Corvallis High School, where he said he was the first athlete to letter in both spring sports. “I got to run in the state track meet and play in the state baseball tournament,” he said. As a teacher, Curran coached football, baseball, basketball and track and field. In addition to his work on the South Coast, he also taught in Washington and Portland. He’s thrilled he eventually settled in Coquille. “It’s the most temperate climate in the world,” he said. Please see Curran, Page 2

political lives against Democrats in a pair of races that will determine which party controls the Senate next year. Together with votes Monday and Tuesday to override Trump’s veto of a sweeping defense bill, it’s potentially one last confrontation between the president and the Republican Party he leads as he imposes fresh demands and disputes the results of the presidential election. The new Congress is set to be sworn in Sunday. Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the ranking Republican on the Ways and Means Committee, acknowledged the division and said Congress had already approved ample funds during the COVID-19 crisis. “Nothing in this bill helps anybody get back to work,” he said. Please see Relief, Page 2

House votes to override veto

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic-controlled House voted overwhelmingly to override President Donald Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, setting the stage for what would be the first veto override of his presidency. House members voted 322-87 on Monday to override the veto, well above the two-thirds needed to override. The Senate, which is expected to vote on the override this week, also needs to approve it by a two-thirds majority. Trump rejected the defense bill last week, saying it failed to limit social media companies he claims were biased against him during his failed reelection campaign. Trump also opposes language that allows for the renaming of military bases that honor Confederate leaders. The defense bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, affirms 3% pay raises for U.S. troops and authorizes more than $740 billion in military programs and construction. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said after the vote that the House had done its part to ensure the NDAA becomes law “despite the president’s dangerous sabotage efforts.’’ Trump’s “reckless veto would have denied our service members hazard-duty pay,’’ removed key protections for global peace and security and ”undermined our nation’s values and work to combat racism, by blocking overwhelmingly bipartisan action to rename military bases,’’ Pelosi said. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, called the bill “absolutely vital to our national security and our troops,’’ adding, “Our men and women who volunteer to wear the uniform shouldn’t be denied what they need — ever.” Trump has succeeded throughout his four-year term in enforcing party discipline in Congress, with few Republicans willing to publicly oppose him. The bipartisan vote on the widely popular defense bill showed the limits of Trump’s influence in the final weeks before he leaves office, and came minutes after 130 House Republicans voted against a Trump-supported plan to increase COVID-19 relief checks to $2,000. The House approved the larger payments, but the plan Please see Veto, Page 2

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Oregon goes over 110,000 total COVID-19 cases Oregon reported six more deaths and 865 more cases of COVID-19 on Monday, pushing the state over 110,000 total cases. The latest report from the Oregon Health Authority means Oregon’s death toll from the pandemic is at 1,433 and the total number of cases as of 12:01 a.m. Monday is 110,545. The new cases included one each in Coos and Curry counties. Hospitalizations were up slightly from Sunday, with 515 COVID-19 patients hospitalized across Oregon, 23 more than the previous day. A total of 113 of the patients were in intensive care unit beds. The new cases reported Monday were in the following counties: Baker (1), Benton (7), Clackamas (125), Clatsop (5), Columbia (5), Coos (1), Curry (1), Deschutes (11), Grant (1), Harney (1), Hood River (8), Jackson (69), Jefferson (1), Josephine

(7), Lake (1), Lane (35), Lincoln (2), Linn (12), Malheur (5), Marion (80), Multnomah (121), Polk (32), Umatilla (11), Union (1), Wasco (3), Washington (305) and Yamhill (14). NOTE: Due to a lab processing error, 20 cases were attributed to Douglas County last week. Those cases have been removed from today’s Douglas County cumulative total. Oregon’s 1,428th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Nov. 22 and died on Dec. 27 at Providence Medford Medical Center. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,429th COVID-19 death is a 79-year-old man in Jackson County who tested positive on Dec.18 and died on Dec. 26 at Asante Three Rivers Medical Center in Medford. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,430th COVID-19 death is a 67-year-old woman in

Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 12 and died on Dec. 17 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,431st COVID-19 death is an 85-year-old man in Lane County who tested positive on Nov. 25 and died on Dec. 15 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. He had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,432nd COVID-19 death is an 87-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 15 and died on Dec. 26 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions. Oregon’s 1,433rd COVID-19 death is a 77-year-old woman in Lane County who tested positive on Dec. 27 and died on Dec. 27 at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend. She had underlying conditions.

JOSEPH (AP) — The Nez Perce Tribe is reclaiming an ancestral village site in Eastern Oregon more than a century after being pushed out the area. This month, the tribe purchased 148 acres of an area known as “the place of boulders,” or Am’sáaxpa, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. Chief Joseph once held council on the ridge above, before a sweeping view of the Wallowa Mountains. Tribal members would camp there and catch sockeye salmon along the Wallowa River. “We feel fortunate to be at this juncture in time to be able to say that we are

on our way home. We feel the landscape misses us, and we miss the landscape,” Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Shannon Wheeler said. The land was part of an 1855 treaty that granted the tribe millions of acres and the right to fish and hunt on lands ceded to the U.S. government. But then the U.S. Army forced the Nez Perce to leave the area in 1877, in violation of that treaty. Nakia Williamson-Cloud, cultural resource program director for the Nez Perce Tribe, said many history books are wrong in saying tribal members never returned

to the area. Those who returned were often harassed or cited for trespassing, Williamson-Cloud said. “It’s been a long struggle for our people to maintain that connection, but they did,” he said. The purchase consists of farmland located behind the Joseph Rodeo Grounds. It includes Wallowa River frontage and some water rights. The land has changed dramatically. Now, there’s a dam blocking sockeye from swimming up to Wallowa Lake. Williamson-Cloud said the tribe is hoping to reintroduce sockeye to the area and create fish passage into the lake.

Veto

erate leaders. Trump also claimed without evidence that the biggest winner from the defense bill would be China. In his veto message, Trump also said the bill restricts his ability to conduct foreign policy, “particularly my efforts to bring our troops home.’’ Trump was referring to provisions in the bill that impose conditions on his plan to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan and Germany. The measures require the Pentagon to submit reports certifying that the proposed withdrawals would not jeopardize U.S.

national security. The veto override was supported by 212 Democrats, 109 Republicans and an independent. Twenty Democrats opposed the override, along with 66 Republicans and an independent. House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy of California missed the vote, but Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, a member of Republican leadership, supported the override, as did Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the House Armed Services panel. Thornberry is retiring this year and the bill is named in his honor.

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Earthquake hits 127 miles off Oregon coast west of Bandon BANDON (AP) — A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck about 127 miles off the Oregon coast early Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake struck at

4:50 a.m. west of Bandon, Oregon, the agency said. The Northwest National Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska, said “an earthquake occurred, a tsunami is not expected.”

The federal agency received 88 responses from people who said they felt the quake, but said little or no area was affected and no people were exposed to danger.

Nez Perce Tribe reclaims ancestral land in Eastern Oregon

From Page 1

faces an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Senate, another sign of Trump’s fading hold over Congress. Trump has offered a series of rationales for rejecting the defense bill. He urged lawmakers to impose limits on Twitter and other social media companies he claimed are biased against him, as well as to strip out language that allows for the renaming of military bases such as Fort Benning and Fort Hood that honor Confed-

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John Gunther, The World

Jim Curran, front, was joined in his birthday celebration by, clockwise, daughter-in-law Patti Curran, granddaughter Jill Bonds, great grandson Theron Bonds, family friend Jackson Hall, great grandson Jimmy Curran and daughter-in-law Jackie Billings.

Curran From Page 1

He’s been a welcome part of the neighborhood. Next-door neighbor Cheryl Fletcher moved in a year and a half ago. “He offered to help us unload our U-Haul,” she said. “He’s my inspiration.

Relief From Page 1

Aside from the direct $600 checks to most Americans, the COVID-19 portion of the bill revives a weekly pandemic jobless benefit boost — this time $300, through March 14 — as well as a popular Paycheck Protection Program of grants to businesses to keep workers on payrolls. It extends eviction protections, adding a new rental assistance fund. The COVID-19 package draws and expands on an earlier effort from Washington. It offers billions of dollars for vaccine purchases and distribution, for virus contact tracing, public health departments, schools, universities, farmers, food pantry programs and other institutions and groups facing hardship in the pandemic. Americans earning up to $75,000 will qualify for the direct $600 payments, which are phased out at higher income levels, and there’s an additional $600 payment per dependent child. Meantime the govern-

I want to be like him — to stay active as long as I can.” Monday’s event was organized by Lisa Dulin, who watches out for Curran. “He’s just a sweetheart,” Dulin said. “I’ve learned more from him than I did in four years of school. “He knows so much

about Oregon.” Patti Curran, Jim Curran’s daughter-in-law, praised Dulin for setting up the party and for all she’s done for the family. “We’re all blessed to have Lisa Dulin check in on Dad and make sure every day is special,” she said. Monday sure was.

ment funding portion of the bill keeps federal agencies nationwide running without dramatic changes until Sept. 30. President-elect Joe Biden told reporters at an event in Wilmington, Delaware, that he supported the $2,000 checks. Trump’s sudden decision to sign the bill came as he faced escalating criticism from lawmakers on all sides over his eleventh-hour demands. The bipartisan bill negotiated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin had already passed the House and Senate by wide margins. Lawmakers had thought they had Trump’s blessing after months of negotiations with his administration. The president’s defiant refusal to act, publicized with a heated video he tweeted just before the Christmas holiday, sparked chaos, a lapse in unemployment benefits for millions and the threat of a government shutdown in the pandemic. It was another crisis of his own making, resolved when he ultimately signed the bill into law.

In his statement about the signing, Trump repeated his frustrations with the COVID-19 relief bill for providing only $600 checks to most Americans and complained about what he considered unnecessary spending, particularly on foreign aid — much of it proposed by his own budget. While the president insisted he would send Congress “a redlined version” with spending items he wants removed, those are merely suggestions to Congress. Democrats said they would resist such cuts. For now, the administration can only begin work sending out the $600 payments. Most House Republicans simply shrugged off Trump’s push, 130 of them voting to reject the higher checks that would pile $467 billion in additional costs. Another 20 House Republicans — including Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, a Trump confidant — skipped the vote, despite pandemic procedures that allow lawmakers to vote by proxy to avoid travel to the Capitol.

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Blazers beat champion Lakers in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (AP) — Damian Lillard scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half, and CJ McCollum had 20 points and 11 assists in the Portland Trail Blazers’ 115-107 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night. “Hopefully we can build on it,” Portland coach Terry Stotts said. “We realize that we can be a good team. We just beat the defending champs, and they’re a great team.” Gary Trent Jr. matched his career high with seven 3-pointers while scoring 28 points in the Blazers’ second straight win over the Lakers at Staples Center. “It makes us just a little bit more confident to be coming

on the road and continuing to grow, continuing to build on our effort,” Lillard said. “We’re just getting more comfortable with each other, and we’re bringing our energy.” LeBron James had 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the NBA champions, who finished 2-2 on their season-opening homestand. Dennis Schröder added 24 points, but the Lakers’ streak of 59 straight victories when taking a lead into the fourth quarter was snapped. Trent went 10 of 14 from the field while finishing two points off his career high in an impressive response after playing less than six minutes in Portland’s win over Houston last Saturday.

“I would assume any young player who was coming off the kind of season he had last season would expect to be in the rotation for more than six minutes,” Lillard said. “When that happened, I was like, ‘Let’s see how he responds.’ I think it says a lot about him that he came out and had this type of performance. It speaks to how tough he is mentally and how locked in he is to this season.” Los Angeles kept it close with strong games from James and Schröder, who clearly relishes his matchups with Lillard. But their teammates largely struggled on the second night of a back-toback. “We were kind of stuck in

mud a little bit,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “I don’t know (why). We just had trouble sustaining that intensity.” The Lakers made a 15-0 run early in the second half and took a one-point lead into the fourth, but Lillard and McCollum traded big shots down the stretch. Portland finished on a 12-6 surge.

TIP-INS Blazers: Carmelo Anthony and Nassir Little missed the game under the NBA’s health protocols. ... Zach Collins sat out with a left ankle injury. Lakers: Alex Caruso missed the game under the NBA’s health protocols. ... Los Angeles got just 23 bench points, led by Montrezl

Harrell’s nine.

AD QUIET Anthony Davis had 13 points and 10 rebounds in a tentative return from a one-game absence due to a bruised calf. He managed just two points in 17 minutes in the first half, and went 1 for 4 in the second half. “We just weren’t moving the ball that well,” Vogel said. “I’ve got to make sure I get (Davis) the ball in opportunities where he can be aggressive.”

UP NEXT Blazers: At Clippers on Wednesday. Lakers: At Spurs on Wednesday.

Buffalo completes season sweep of Patriots FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — The Buffalo Bills put a cherry atop the changing of the guard in the AFC East. A week after unseating the Patriots as division champions, Buffalo became the first AFC East team in two decades to sweep New England in a season series with a 38-9 victory Monday night. Josh Allen passed for four touchdowns to help the Bills stay in the mix for the No. 2 seed in the AFC playoffs. The Bills (12-3) last swept the Patriots in 1999. The last division opponents to sweep the Patriots were the Jets and Dolphins in 2000. The Patriots’ 19 straight seasons without losing both games to a divisional opponent was an NFL record. New England (6-9) will finish with its first losing record since coach Bill Belichick’s first season in 2000. Allen was 27 of 36 for 320 yards. He now has 34 touchdown passes, surpassing Jim Kelly to set a franchise single-season record. With his eighth 300-yard game, he also surpassed Drew Bledsoe’s single-season team record of seven. “We’ve got one game left. And all that, it’s cool, the records, this and that,” Allen said. “But the plan is to get to 13-3 and give ourselves a chance in the playoffs. It doesn’t mean much if we can’t get it done.” Stefon Diggs had nine catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns, setting a Bills single-season record for receiving yards. “I’m new to this team so I’m basking in (the) ambience of everybody,” Diggs said. “I’ve got a young quarterback who’s balling.” The Patriots struggled to move the ball for most of the night with running back Damien Harris out for the second straight game with an ankle injury. Cam Newton had a touchdown run but was just 5 of 10 for 34 yards passing before being

Washington releases Dwayne Haskins Associated Press Washington released 2019 first-round pick Dwayne Haskins on Monday, less than 24 hours after he committed three turnovers in a loss to Carolina and in the aftermath of another violation of pandemic protocols. Haskins started in place of injured quarterback Alex Smith despite being disciplined for breaking COVID-19 rules by partying with several people without a mask. He was fined $40,000 and stripped of his captaincy, but coach Ron Rivera opted to stick with Haskins because Smith was still injured and he didn’t have another established QB on the roster. “My time with the WFT has unfortunately come to an end,” Haskins tweeted. “I thank the team & fans for the opportunity to play for the team I grew up rooting for. I take full responsibility for not meeting the standards of an NFL QB & will become a better man & player because of this experience.” Rivera said Monday morning either Smith or Taylor Heinicke would start the regular-season finale at Philadelphia with the NFC East title on the line. It was clear Rivera was done with Haskins, whom he had shuffled to the bottom of the depth chart for the second time this season. “Sometimes you have to hit rock pulled in the third quarter for backup Jarrett Stidham. Newton’s 34 yards passing are the fewest by a Patriots starting quarterback since 1993.

Stanford women remain No. 1 Gonzaga men stay on top after another big win

NEW YORK (AP) — Stanford faced its first real test of the season and passed to remain the top team in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll. The Cardinal beat thenNo. 10 UCLA 61-49 on Dec. 21, pulling away late in the only game between ranked opponents last week. Stanford again received 26 first-place votes Monday from a 30-member national media panel. Coach Tara VanDerveer’s team has another tough game ahead, visiting sixth-ranked Arizona on Friday. While Stanford stayed on top, there was a little movement among the next few teams. Louisville remained No. 2 while North Carolina State moved up to third, edging UConn by a point in the poll. South Carolina stayed fifth. The Huskies won their lone game last week, routing Villanova, but lost two points in the voting. Arizona remained sixth, followed by Baylor,

Oregon and Texas A&M. Arkansas switched places with UCLA to move into the top 10 for the first time since Jan. 20, 2003. It was a relatively quiet week because of Christmas, as women’s basketball teams took off from Dec. 23-26. More than half of the Top 25 teams didn’t play a game over the past seven days.

Men It’s hard to decide who has been more dominant in men’s college basketball this season: Gonzaga or the Big Ten Conference. The Bulldogs remained the clear-cut No. 1 on Monday, earning 62 of 64 first-place votes in The Associated Press poll after their latest win over a Top 25 foe, while the Big Ten placed nine teams in the poll, with Wisconsin and Iowa in the top 10. Gonzaga blitzed thenNo. 16 Virginia 98-75 on Saturday for the most lopsided win over a ranked team in the Mark Few era, giving the Bulldogs a poll-record fourth win over a Top 25 team in a team’s first seven games of a season. Kansas, Iowa and West Virginia also have fallen to Corey Kispert &

Co., all of them on neutral floors. “They’re so potent offensively,” Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett said. “They’re so well-coached. They have such talent. Our lack of athleticism showed. They have such athletic guys, and they’re veterans in all spots, I think.” Second-ranked Baylor received the other two first-place votes, and the Jayhawks remained No. 3 after their rout of then-No. 7 West Virginia. Villanova and Houston each moved up a spot after Iowa’s overtime loss to Minnesota. After that? Well, it pretty much reads like the Big Ten standings. The sixth-ranked Badgers began a run of Top 25 teams from the league, jumping three spots after wins over Nebraska and then-No. 12 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes dropped from fourth to 10th while surprising Rutgers began a run of four more Big Ten teams at No. 14 — Illinois, Michigan and the Spartans were right behind the Scarlet Knights. No. 19 Northwestern and No. 21 Minnesota were newcomers to the poll and Ohio State rounded out the Top 25.

bottom before you can dig your way back out of it,” Rivera said. “I hope he learns from these experiences. Hopefully, they’ll make him stronger and they’ll help him and, hopefully, when he gets his next opportunity, he’ll make the best of it.” Haskins was 14 of 28 with two interceptions and a fumble against the Panthers before being benched for Heinicke, who hadn’t played in the NFL since 2018. Rivera was asked what he’d like to see from Haskins in the next week and responded, “Just improvement.” That will have to come elsewhere. He has some tools to succeed in the pros, but hasn’t been able to put it all together in 16 appearances. “You watch his talent, and you see the arm,” Rivera said. “That’s the thing that I think is his most redeeming quality as a quarterback, which I think is probably the most important thing.” But it’s far from the only thing, his off-field behavior outweighed his potential. A favorite of owner Dan Snyder’s from his time at a Washington-area high school, Haskins missed the final play of his first NFL victory last year while taking a photo with a fan in the stands, disappeared from practice with a mysterious illness after being benched and demoted in October and twice violated rules for conduct in the middle of a pandemic. He said the season has been frustrating because the work he has put in hasn’t translated into wins. “I’ve sacrificed so much this year, and it hurts when you have an outing that you

have tonight,” he said. Belichick said he hasn’t made any decisions about who will start the Patriots’ finale Sunday against the New York Jets. “It was the opportunity to give him a chance to play,” Belichick said of inserting Stidham. “Cam did a good job for us. I mean, that wasn’t the problem. We were just not very competitive in the beginning.” The Bills had no trouble moving the ball against a depleted Patriots defense that was missing linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley and defensive tackle Lawrence Guy due to shoulder injuries. Their absences were most glaring in the passing game. New England struggled to put pressure on Allen, allowing him time to find open receivers. The Patriots allowed a season-worst 474 yards overall. “They outplayed us across the board, outplayed us and out-coached us,” Belichick said. The Patriots closed to 10-9 on Newton’s 9-yard TD run in the second quarter, but Nick Folk missed the extra point and the Bills pulled away from there. Buffalo used its passing game to march down the field on the ensuing drive. Allen completed 5 of 7 throws for 59 yards and a 4-yard TD to Lee Smith. After a quick three-and-out by New England, the Bills went right back to work. Allen misfired on his first pass of the drive, and then connected with Diggs for 17 yards to get the ball to midfield. Diggs got free again on the next play, slipping behind J.C. Jackson on a slant and sprinting the final 32 yards for the touchdown to make it 24-9. The Allen-Diggs connection worked again on the opening drive of the second half. Allen found Diggs three times during an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard TD play by the star receiver.

Alabama has six on All-America first team RALPH D. RUSSO Associated Press

Heisman Trophy finalists Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith have been selected to The Associated Press All-America team, leading a contingent of five Alabama players on the first-team offense. Crimson Tide running back Najee Harris, tackle Alex Leatherwood and center Landon Dickerson are also first-team selections. No. 1 Alabama is the first team since 1980, when the AP All-America team began featuring two wide receivers and two running backs, to place a quarterback, running back and receiver on the first team. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II gives the Crimson Tide six first-team selections, the most in the nation. No. 4 Notre Dame, Alabama’s College Football Playoff opponent this weekend, has two firstteam All-Americans in offensive guard Aaron Banks and linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. Florida’s Kyle Trask was selected second-team quarterback and fellow Heisman finalist Trevor Lawrence of Clemson was the third-team quarterback

on the AP teams released Monday. Lawrence, the likely first pick in the next NFL draft, made AP All-America for the first time in his career. No. 2 Clemson, which will face No. 3 Ohio State in the CFP semifinal at the Sugar Bowl on Friday night, had only one other player selected to the All-America teams: Running back Travis Etienne made the first-team as all-purpose player. The senior has been a second-team All-American at running back the last two seasons. Ohio State guard Wyatt Davis is the only player to repeat as a first-team All-American after making it in 2020. Davis is one of two Buckeyes on the first team along with cornerback Shaun Wade.

All Pac-12 team Colorado’s Jarek Broussard ran for 301 yards in one game and averaged more than six yards per carry. Oregon State’s Jermar Jefferson averaged more than 145 yards per game and scored seven touchdowns. The two dynamic running backs may not have been able to play a full season due to the coronavi-

rus pandemic, but certainly made the most of their limited touches. Broussard and Jefferson were voted co-offensive players of the year by a media panel in The Associated Press All-Pac-12 team released Friday. Southern California safety Talanoa Hufanga was named defensive player of the year, Colorado’s Karl Dorrell was coach of the year and Utah freshman running back Ty Jordan was newcomer of the year. Broussard missed his entire freshman season in 2019 due to a knee injury, but was clearly healthy for the truncated 2020 season. The sophomore from Dallas was named Pac-12 offensive player of the week three times and finished the regular season with 813 yards and three touchdowns. Broussard had the fourth 300-yard game in Colorado history when he went for 301 yards against Arizona on Dec. 5. Jefferson had a breakout freshman season in 2018, rushing for 1,380, ninth nationally. After being limited to 685 yards rushing last season, he had 858 yards and seven TDs in six game this year.