ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions are taking a wait-and-see approach to a knee injury suffered by receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown in Sunday’s 29-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

St. Brown, who was listed Monday as a non-participant on the team’s estimated practice report, was not known to have an injury as Sunday’s game ended. Lions coach Dan Campbell said he’s unsure if the injury is serious.

“We’ll know more a little bit later. This is just something that just popped up when he came in today, so hopeful this is just some type of irritation from the game,” Campbell said Monday. “That’s what I’m hoping. But I’ll know more tonight.”

St. Brown caught four passes for 54 yards in Detroit’s loss to Pittsburgh and was in the game until the very end. He caught a would-be go-ahead touchdown pass that was nullified by an offensive pass interference penalty on Isaac TeSlaa, then caught a pass on the final play of the game, which he lateraled to Jared Goff for a would-be score as time expired. St. Brown was called for offensive pass interference on his route, and the game ended quickly after officials sorted it out.

St. Brown has tallied 98 catches for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns this season.

Practice report

The Lions provided an estimated practice report on the first day of this week’s practices before Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium.

St. Brown, defensive back Avonte Maddox (back) and offensive tackle Taylor Decker (shoulder) were all non-participants.

The Lions had nine players limited: offensive linemen Trystan Colon (wrist), Graham Glasgow (knee), Christian Mahogany (fibula) and Giovanni Manu (knee); defensive linemen Marcus Davenport (shoulder), Alim McNeill (abdomen) and Al-Quadin Muhammad (knee); wide receiver Tom Kennedy (abdomen) and cornerback Amik Robertson (hand).

DETROIT — Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard stood at the podium last Thursday and, for the umpteenth time this season, tried to distort reality.

The question was about how the Los Angeles Rams’ rushing offense ran buck wild on the Lions in a loss on Dec. 14. And, as he’s done at many points throughout this disappointing campaign, Sheppard pointed out that the Lions’ overall performance wouldn’t have been that bad if you take out all of the biggest plays that went against them.

“You can’t play this game of taking plays away, but nobody — and I can stand on the table behind this — nobody has just lined up and ran the ball down our throats,” Sheppard said.

Then, with the league’s 28th-ranked rushing offense, the Pittsburgh Steelers ran the ball down the Lions’ throats in Sunday’s 29-24 loss. It was the Steelers’ most rushing yards (230) since 2016 and the most allowed by the Lions since 2022. In the home finale. With the season on the line.

The Lions (8-7) are now on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention with two games remaining — one Detroit loss or one Green Bay Packers win will officially end it. But whether they make the postseason does not change the notion that failure to confront reality has been the one ugly wart on this team’s face all season, and the primary reason why it’s fair to doubt the strength of the culture that has built this team.

After three and four seasons with coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, respectively, this year was always going to present its challenges. But after failing to keep the ship aimed in the right direction, this upcoming offseason feels even more critical.

Lions coach Dan Campbell opted to go with guys he trusted during a critical offseason, hiring an in-house, first-time defensive coordinator in Sheppard and hiring a second-time offensive coordinator in John Morton. Morton had his play-calling duties stripped in Week 10, and Sheppard’s defense has been one of the league’s worst over the last month.

Morton passed the buck amid struggles, while Sheppard downplayed concerns about his unit until they eventually became so glaring that it forced the Lions to drive right off the road.

In a long line of concerning trends that have emerged over the last year, chief among them is the coaching staff’s willingness to make excuses or bend reality to make things seem different from what they truly are, and it started in Week 1. In Sheppard’s opening statement after the Green Bay game, he said that if you took out a 48-yard completion and a 17-yard touchdown pass on back-to-back plays, the Lions’ performance was actually quite good.

“I’m not a math major but I believe that’s 65 yards. You take that off of (185), you’re looking at 120 yards passing on the day,” Sheppard said.

And in that specific context, maybe he wasn’t entirely wrong. The Lions’ defense held running back Josh Jacobs to 3.5 yards per carry, an impressive mark, and kept quarterback Jordan Love under 200 passing yards. But as the Lions’ defense started to show genuinely concerning trends down the stretch, this messaging never wavered.

Sheppard will tell you he won’t make excuses. He’ll tell you things are being addressed. But he’ll also, with a high degree of regularity, tell you that the biggest concerns stemming from a game are overblown, and that the stats make the performance look worse than it actually was. And now, over the last five games, the Lions are allowing 458.6 yards per game. For context, the Cincinnati Bengals have allowed the most yards per game this season at 402.8.

There’s no way to contort this one: Over the most important stretch of the season, the Lions’ defense has been the worst in the league.

And sure, they’ve got injuries. The team didn’t have All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph (knee) for more than half the season, just lost Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch (Achilles) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (shoulder) for the year, and cornerback D.J. Reed hasn’t looked the same since coming back from his hamstring injury.

As the Lions withstood countless defensive injuries en route to a 15-2 record last season, it was easy to understand why. They didn’t make excuses. If anything, it was a mere extension of the gritty mentality that had come to define the Lions’ identity under Campbell. They seemed to thrive on finding a way.

But outside of Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal, neither of whom suited up this season, this front seven is completely healthy. There is absolutely no way to square how a defense with this much talent has so consistently come up short in the biggest moments.

Inherited issue

Now, if I can momentarily come to Sheppard’s defense: This is a defense that he inherited, and over the four years that Glenn was in charge, there were very few stretches where the Lions’ defense actually looked much better than what we’ve seen from this year’s unit. Sheppard is running the scheme Campbell wants him to, which Glenn ran before him, with the players already in place before Sheppard was promoted this past offseason.

I’ll actually tip my cap to Sheppard for being a little more flexible than Glenn on a week-to-week level. With their passing defense in shambles, Sheppard called zone coverage on a season-high 82.2% of passing plays. It just didn’t produce a winning level of defense. And really, Sheppard is just one of many culprits; the flavor of the week after a bold proclamation blew up in his face.

Campbell hasn’t made excuses for the team’s play, but his blind optimism that everything would work itself out, that all of the adversity they faced in the back half of the season would only prepare them for a Super Bowl run, that he could hire a longtime coach with very little actual play-calling experience and continue operating the best offense in the league, hurt his team.

I see the vision, even in hindsight, with Morton. If all had gone well, they would’ve had a play-calling offensive coordinator for potentially years to come. I can buy the argument that it’s a better option than continuing to develop new, young play-callers who will inevitably leave for better opportunities.

But it ultimately blew up in Detroit’s face. Morton couldn’t hack it, and by Week 10, when he’d lost his play-calling duties, he’d pointed the finger more times than one can count. Over and over, Morton would say everything with the scheme was fine; players simply needed to win their one-on-ones.

Here’s the third sentence of Morton’s opening statement after Week 1, when the Lions sputtered their way to six points before a miraculous one-handed touchdown catch by Isaac TeSlaa tightened the score in a 27-13 loss: “The bottom line is, this is about execution and the details of everything.”

Three questions in, he was asked if there’s anything that can be done to help attention to detail for an offensive line with two first-time starters and a 33-year-old center who was changing positions for the third straight season.

“Look, we’re running plays that these guys have done,” Morton said at the time. “Now, there’s some new guys in there, but the bottom line is, you’ve got to go execute and we didn’t do that every single play. We just didn’t.”

Following a shocking 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings — which, if won, would have put the Lions just a half-game out of the playoffs in the present day — he was asked what the worst part was of watching the Minnesota film.

Jahmyr Gibbs was dominated in pass protection down-in, down-out, by the Vikings’ “cross-dog blitz,” as the Vikings’ front seven made life hell for the Lions’ offense that also couldn’t get the run game going. Gibbs was held to 25 rushing yards on nine carries.

Here’s Morton on the run game: “I mean we had things for it, we had chances. Again, I’m going back, ‘Oh, one guy didn’t do that. Nope, we didn’t get it and it could’ve been big.’ I mean you guys watch the game and when you watch it in detail and everything, ‘Man, if he would’ve got that. Oh, if we would’ve done this.’ That’s the biggest thing.

“We had a good scheme.”

I’m in the camp that Campbell’s play-calling helped the offense, even as they’ve continued to put up subpar rushing performances in the second half of the season, but it’s clear he didn’t have the structure in place to handle the game-management aspects of his job.

Against the Rams last week, Campbell wasted one of his challenges on a 1-yard difference in ball placement on a play where L.A. had blown past the first-down marker. Not only was he not allowed to challenge the play, costing him one of his two challenges and a timeout, but even if it had been a challengeable play, I can’t wrap my head around why he’d take such a risk for a measly yard.

These little missteps have occurred on a seemingly weekly basis, and you can point to several of them as major inflection points in losses.

Against Pittsburgh on Sunday, the Lions were forced to burn one of their second-half timeouts when they only had 10 players on the field before a fourth-and-2. That timeout would’ve come in handy on the final drive, when the Lions were operating with just one timeout while trying to punch in the go-ahead score.

In a pivotal Thanksgiving clash with Green Bay, the Lions had 10 players on the field before Green Bay’s first third-down attempt of the game, as they were gashed for an explosive run. Then, later in that contest, the Lions’ defense was flagged in the red zone for having 12 players on the field.

Ultimately, Campbell is the captain of this ship and is responsible for the lack of attention to detail on both sides of the ball. And the Lions’ attention to detail has plainly been terrible.

Not enough contributors

Lastly, we have Lions general manager Brad Holmes. With Arnold’s season-ending injury, the Lions are getting zero offensive or defensive contributions from any 2024 draft pick besides left guard Christian Mahogany, who was the offensive line’s lowest-graded run and pass blocker, per PFF, in his return to action on Sunday.

Of the 21 players drafted since 2023, seven of them are giving the team regular offensive or defensive contributions. Four of those players are rookies, and one of those rookies is Miles Frazier, who’s a reserve player in a unique guard rotation.

Sure, injuries heavily impact these numbers. But I can’t help but notice that for a guy who preaches depth, Holmes has no problem giving up bites at the apple to get his guys. Now, as the Lions suddenly have long-term concerns at multiple positions, the Lions are short a third-round pick after trading three of them to move up for TeSlaa, and have gotten extremely little from their most recent classes.

The Packers have also dealt with injuries to players from recent draft classes, including their own third-year tight end, Tucker Kraft, who’s been lost for the season with an ACL. But they drafted 24 players in 2023 and 2024 alone, and as some have fallen by the wayside due to injury, plenty more have stepped up. Outside of the injuries, Green Bay is getting regular contributions from more than a dozen players from those classes alone.

Culture crumbling

It should be noted that everything the Lions achieved in 2023 and 2024 was because of Campbell and Holmes. Yet, the culture they’ve built seems to be falling apart at the seams as the Lions’ season goes with it.

The occasional early playoff exit is certainly understandable, if not expected. This is a league built on parity. But a completely lost season in which most of your best players are in the prime of their careers is a legitimate travesty when you consider how talented this roster is.

Again, the Lions could very well shock the world and make the playoffs. But the simple fact of the matter is that they have a .400 winning percentage over their last 10 games. Every move they’ve made has been to become a sustainable contender, but somewhere in that pursuit, they forgot to be a contender in the here and now.

And yeah, you could talk about the injuries, or the calls that have gone against Detroit in its losses, or the tough schedule and division, but those would be excuses.

Right now, the Lions — from the top down — need a heavy dose of honesty and reflection.

The U.S. Department of Justice has released thousands more documents related to its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after missing the deadline on Friday to release its entire cache of records as required by law.

The latest trove of documents can be found on the Justice Department's website under "Data Set 8 Files."

The Justice Department says some of the documents include "untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump."

"To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false, and if they had a shred of credibility, they certainly would have been weaponized against President Trump already," the department said.

Scripps News is going through the files and will update this story with significant developments.

RELATED STORY | Limited Epstein files release includes extensive redactions, images of notable figures

All of the files were supposed to be released on Friday under the law. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has said that the delay is due to the department's review of documents to ensure victims are protected.

"The same individuals that are out there complaining about the lack of documents that were produced on Friday are the same individuals who apparently dont want us to protect victims," Blanche told NBC's Meet the Press.

RELATED STORY | Epstein survivors demand accountability from DOJ, Congress over release of files

However, a group of his survivors on Monday accused the agency of legal violations and demanded accountability. The group said that the partial release on Friday made it nearly impossible for any of them to find documents that were relevant to their particular cases or their search for accountability. They also claim the DOJ didn't communicate to them or their representatives what documents were withheld in the release and why.

RELATED STORY | Lawmakers threaten legal action over delayed Epstein files release

Some lawmakers are threatening to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for failing to meet a congressional deadline to release all the files.

The Powerball jackpot has jumped to an eye-popping $1.7 billion, after the 46th drawing passed without a big winner.

The numbers drawn Monday night were 3, 18, 36, 41, 54 and the Powerball 7.

Since Sept. 6, there have been 46 straight drawings without a big winner.

The next drawing will be on Christmas Eve, with the prize expected to be the 4th-largest in U.S. lottery history.

RELATED STORY | Slimmer odds and costlier tickets: What's driving the lottery's sky-high jackpot?

Powerballs odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes growing as they roll over when no one wins. Lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the games many smaller prizes. There are three drawings each week.

The estimated $1.6 billion jackpot goes to a winner who opts to receive 30 payments over 29 years through an annuity. Winners almost always choose the games cash option, which for Monday nights drawing would be an estimated $735.3 million.

Powerball tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Flu cases are rising, not only here in Michigan, but also across the country, which is bad news as people travel through airports to gather with family this holiday season.

Right now, Michigan is experiencing a high level of flu activity, up from a moderate level from just the week before. According to the Center for Disease Control's most recent flu map, Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina, and Idaho are seeing high activity levels, and a few stats are already in the 'very high' activity range. The latest stats from the CDC show that there have been at least 4.6 million fly cases reported across the country. More than 49,000 people have been hospitalized, and 1900 have died.

So, what can you do to protect yourself as you head through the airport over the next few weeks? We asked a doctor.

Watch Ryan's report in the video player below

What to do to protect yourself from the flu as you travel for the holidays

There is a lot of concern from health experts as people travel here through DTW with those flu cases on the rise.

Im super sick right now, and I definitely dont wanna give it to anyone else," said Windsor resident Ethan Brett.

Brett is flying to Bermuda Springs, Florida, with his entire family for the holidays. They all planned it months in advance, but Ethan said he almost didn't make it.

Had to bear down on this family trip," he said. "And, I was thinking about staying home. I didnt sleep last night before the flight. I was just coughing all night. But, you know, I decided just to tough it out for the flight, drug myself up with some cough medicine.

Ethan did get a diagnosis from his doctor.

(They) said it was bronchitis," Ethan said. "But, I definitely dont think, I dont think its bronchitis.

Many passengers traveling out of Detroit Metro Airport are trying to stay safe as flu cases continue rising nationally.\

When I get in the plane, I wipe everything down, the arms, the table, you know, even the head rests they said. Really? Yep, yep. Just wipe away," said Windsor resident Debbie Piece.

The CDC believes the dominant strain causing the surge is Subclade K, a mutation of Influenza A.

Infectious Disease Doctor Jarod Fox with Orland Health says that staying up-to-date with vaccines is critical for those groups.

"Influenza vaccine, our COVID-19 vaccine, getting our boosters, especially for the immuno-compromised and the elderly. The RSV vaccine as well for the older population, our pneumococcal vaccine as well," Dr. Fox said.

And for the millions traveling for the holidays, Dr. Fox said to avoid touching your face. He also recommended wearing a mask and washing hands frequently to help decrease risk.

So, did Debbie ever consider not going on the flight?

Nope. [Laughter] You have to live your life. Right? You cant be afraid," she responded.

If you do have flu symptoms, health experts say you should stay home until you feel better overall and have not had a fever for at least 24 hours.

The holidays are considered one of the most joyful times of the year. But between shopping, cooking, and family dynamics, it can also become a big cause of stress.

According to the American Psychological Association, around 40 percent of adults in the U.S. say their stress increases during the holiday season. But experts I spoke to say there are things you can do to make this time of the year feel less hectic.

Watch Demetrios' report in the video player below

Therapist, nutritionist speak on managing emotions and diets during the holiday season

As holiday celebrations kick into full gear, there's a lot to look forward to. But for some, it doesn't come without added pressure.

"I think it's the expectation of getting gifts for everyone and trying to find a way to make everyone happy," said Royal Oak resident Antonio Dixon.

The stress around the holidays leaves people with different ways to manage it.

"It would be nice to have a little bit of time off to spend more time with your family and friends, but I think you should just worry about the time you can spend with them, not stress about everything else, because that's really what matters," said Diana Evans, who was visiting Royal Oak on Monday.

Heather Rae is the President and CEO of Common Ground in Pontiac, which provides mental health services. She said one of the biggest holiday stressors is overcommitment. This makes it critical to have a plan.

"When you know you're going to be going to some events where it's going to be stressful, think about not necessarily staying the whole time," Rae said. "But have that plan, and it's ok to set boundaries."

She also said limiting comparisons is a big help.

"Those soundbites that we see on social media are just that, they're soundbites," Rae said. "They're often not representations of real life, so be gentle with yourself."

Another place that can create worries during the holidays is the dinner table.

Ashlee Carnahan is the Manager of Nutrition and Education Services at Henry Ford Health. She says there are ways to enjoy your favorite meals without feeling guilty.

"We all go into the holidays setting ourselves up to fail, and we don't want to do that," Carnahan said. "Make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. That way, you can stuill eat the really healthy stuff and feel good but also treat yourself.

Carnahan emphasized the importance of making longer-term lifestyle changes.

"That's going to make you feel overall successful, especially around the holidays, and eliminate that anxiety of eating this and not that."

By JAMES POLLARD and LINLEY SANDERS The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Most Americans aren’t making end-of-year charitable giving plans, according to the results of a new AP-NORC poll, despite the many fundraising appeals made by nonprofits that rely on donation surges in the calendar’s final month to reach budget targets.

The survey, which was conducted in early December by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, found that about half U.S. adults say they’ve already made their charitable contributions for 2025. Just 18% say they’ve donated and will donate again before the year is over. Only 6% report they haven’t given yet but will do so by December’s end. The rest, 30%, haven’t donated and don’t plan to.

Everyday donors faced competing priorities this year. President Donald Trump’s social services grant cuts, severe foreign aid rollbacks and November SNAP benefits freeze — plus natural disasters like Los Angeles’ historically destructive wildfires — left no shortage of urgent causes in need of heightened support. Trump’s tax and spending legislation offered an extra incentive to give, too; most tax filers will see a new charitable deduction of up to $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for married couples.

But weaker income gains and steep price inflation meant that lower-income households had less money to redistribute. Other surveys have also found a yearslong decline in the number of individuals who give.

December still serves as a “very important deadline” for donors, according to Dianne Chipps Bailey, managing director of Bank of America’s Philanthropic Solutions division. She cited estimates from the National Philanthropic Trust that nearly one-third of annual giving happens in the final month.

“December 31 does provide a target to make sure that they’ve given what they intended to give before the year is over,” Bailey said.

Few donate on GivingTuesday

Perhaps no day is more consequential for fundraisers than GivingTuesday. Beginning as a hashtag in 2012, the well-known celebration of generosity now sees many nonprofits leverage the attention to solicit donations on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. Americans donated an estimated $4 billion to nonprofits this most recent GivingTuesday.

But Americans were much more likely to make a Black Friday purchase than a GivingTuesday gift this year. Just under half say they bought something for Black Friday, according to the poll, compared to about 1 in 10 who say they donated to a charity for GivingTuesday.

“Black Friday gets the lion’s share of things,” said Oakley Graham, a 32-year-old from Missouri. “And then you’ve got GivingTuesday a couple days later. Most people have probably spent all their spending money at that point.”

Graham said his family has “definitely tightened the financial belt” in recent years. He and his wife are dealing with student loan debts now that the Trump administration suspended their repayment plan. Their two young children are always growing out of their clothes. It’s good if there’s anything left for savings.

He still tries to help out his neighbors — from handiwork to Salvation Army clothing donations.

“Not that I’m not willing to give here and there,” he said. “But it seems like it’s pretty tough to find the extra funds.”

Checkout charity proves more popular

Another avenue for nudging Americans to give is more widely used, even if individual donations are small. The AP-NORC poll found that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults say they donated to a charity when checking out at a store this year.

Graham is among those who reported giving at the cash register. As an outdoorsy person who enjoys hunting and fishing when he can, he said he is “always susceptible to giving for conservation.” He said he likely rounded up once or twice at Bass Pro Shops for that reason.

“With the finances, I don’t do a lot of buying these days. But a couple cents here or there is like — I can do that,” he said. “It doesn’t sound like much. But I know if everybody did it would make a difference.”

The poll found that older adults — those over 60 — are more likely than Americans overall to donate at store checkouts.

One Texas architect’s unusual process for year-end donations

About one-quarter of Americans plan to donate in the last weeks of the year, and Chuck Dietrick is one of them. The 69-year-old architect applies what he calls a “shotgun approach” as the year comes to a close.

He and his wife give monthly to Valley Hope, a nonprofit addiction services provider where their son did inpatient rehab. And then there are eight or so organizations that they support with end-of-the-year gifts.

“We’re doing our own thing,” he said. “I don’t do Black Friday or Cyber Monday, either … So, I don’t do the GivingTuesday thing.”

Dietrick estimates their household donated somewhere between $501 and $2,500. The Dallas-Fort Worth area couple mostly contributes to organizations that have touched their lives or those of their friends.

There’s the Florida hospice that Dietrick said did a “super job” caring for his mother. He has relatives and friends who served in the military, so he also gives to the Disabled American Veterans and the Wounded Warrior Project.

“I would rather give a smaller amount of money to a variety of institutions that I care about rather than giving a big chunk of money to one,” he explained.

Giving plans went unaffected by federal funding cuts or the shutdown

Most 2025 donors say the amount they gave wasn’t affected much by this year’s federal funding cuts or the government shutdown, according to the AP-NORC poll, although about 3 in 10 say those situations did impact the charities they chose to support.

The survey suggests that, while private donors mobilized millions to fill funding gaps and hunger relief groups saw donation totals spike last month, many Americans did not respond with their pocketbooks to the nonprofit sector’s newfound pressures this year.

Jeannine Disviscour, a 63-year-old Baltimore teacher, is among 2025 donors who say the cuts prompted them to give more.

“I did not donate on GivingTuesday,” she said. “But I did donate that week because I was feeling the need to support organizations that I felt might not continue to get the support they needed to get to be successful.”

She estimates her household gave between $501 and $2,500. That included support for National Public Radio. Congress eliminated $1.1 billion allocated to public broadcasting this summer, leaving hundreds of NPR stations with some sort of budget hole. She said she wanted to ensure journalism reached news deserts where residents have few media options.

Living in an area that is home to many refugees, Disviscour also donated her time and money to the Asylee Women Enterprise. She said the local nonprofit helps asylum-seekers and other forced migrants find food, shelter, clothing, transportation and language classes.

“There is a gap in funding and there’s more need than ever,” she said. “And I wanted to step up. And it’s in my community.”

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Sanders reported from Washington.

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Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.

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The AP-NORC poll of 1,146 adults was conducted Dec. 4-8 using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 23, the 357th day of 2025. There are eight days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 23, 1972, in an NFL playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Oakland Raiders, Steelers running back Franco Harris scored a game-winning touchdown on a deflected pass with less than 10 seconds left. The “Immaculate Reception,” as the catch came to be known, is often cited as the greatest NFL play of all time.

Also on this date:

In 1823, the poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” was published anonymously in the Troy Sentinel of New York; the verse, more popularly known as “The Night Before Christmas,” was later attributed to Clement C. Moore.

In 1913, the Federal Reserve System was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act.

In 1941, during World War II, American forces on Wake Island surrendered to Japanese forces.

In 1948, former Japanese Premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese World War II leaders were executed in Tokyo after being tried for war crimes and sentenced to death by hanging.

In 1968, 82 crew members of the intelligence ship USS Pueblo were released by North Korea, 11 months after they had been captured.

In 1986, the experimental airplane Voyager, piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana (JEE’-nuh) Yeager, completed the first nonstop, non-refueled round-the-world flight as it returned safely to Edwards Air Force Base in California.

In 2003, a Virginia jury sentenced teen sniper Lee Boyd Malvo to life in prison, sparing him the death penalty. Malvo and his older partner in crime, John Allen Muhammad, shot and killed 10 people over three weeks in October 2002, terrorizing the Washington, D.C., area. Muhammad was executed in 2009.

In 2024, President Joe Biden announced he was commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment weeks before Donald Trump, an outspoken proponent of capital punishment, was to begin a second term.

Today’s Birthdays:

• Former Emperor Akihito of Japan is 92.
• Actor-comedian Harry Shearer is 82.
• Retired U.S. Army Gen. Wesley K. Clark is 81.
• Actor Susan Lucci is 79.
• Distance runner Bill Rodgers is 78.
• Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham is 77.
• Political commentator William Kristol is 73.
• Author Donna Tartt is 62.
• Rock musician Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam is 61.
• Singer, model and former first lady of France Carla Bruni is 58.
• Actor Finn Wolfhard is 23.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Jalen Duren had 26 points and 10 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons held off the Portland Trail Blazers 110-102 on Monday night after blowing a 21-point lead.

Ausar Thompson added 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Eastern Conference-leading Pistons (23-6). Duncan Robinson scored 15 and Cade Cunningham had 14 before fouling out early in the fourth quarter.

Shaedon Sharpe led the Trail Blazers (12-17) with 25 points on 11-of-21 shooting but also committed eight turnovers. Deni Avdija added 18 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

Donovan Clingan had 17 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for Portland. Sidy Cissoko scored 16 off the bench.

After trailing by 21 late in the third quarter, Portland was still down nine when Cunningham fouled out with 8:32 remaining. But the Blazers outscored the Pistons 12-2 over the next 4:20 to take a one-point lead. Detroit then closed with an 11-2 run to put away the game.

HAZEL PARK – Sometimes Julius Wilson wants the ball in his hands.

Whenever Macomb L’Anse Creuse North needed something to happen Monday, it was usually the 6-foot-2 senior guard making something happen. Whether it’s a bucket, assist, rebound or extra pass, Wilson came through in the clutch on numerous times against Orchard Lake St. Mary’s at the D Zone Showcase at Hazel Park High School.

Wilson finished the night with 12 points, nine rebounds, three steals and three assists in leading the Crusaders to a 47-40 victory over St. Mary’s, which won a Division 1 state title in 2024.

The win moved L’Anse Creuse North to 5-1 in December – not a bad start for a team that lost most of its players to graduation and transfer.   

“We don’t have a lot of guys back,” admitted Wilson. “We lost three starters to graduation and another transferred. Plus, we had some key guys off our bench that graduated, too. So, I need to step up and lead this team.”

Wilson’s defense, experience, passing and shot-making abilities was on display at Hazel Park. After his team fell behind 14-10 after the first quarter, Wilson spearheaded a team defensive effort that turned the four-point deficit into a 25-20 lead at the half.

Wilson made a multitude of hustle plays in the frame, and a pair of assists helped L’Anse Creuse North close the period with a 12-2 run. In fact, it was his quick dime that set up Preston Ellul with a wide open three-pointer from the corner with 1:30 left in the quarter that gave the Crusaders a 25-19 advantage.

“We do have a young team, but he does a good job leading us and we need him to play that way,” said L’Anse Creuse North coach Kurt Wilson, Julius’ grandfather. “But I do like the way we fought back as a team after not playing so well in the first quarter. We played with a lot more energy in the second quarter than we did in the first quarter.”

Although St. Mary’s was able to trim the LCN lead down to 25-22 with 7:38 left in the third quarter and again whittled the lead down to 29-28 with 2:16 left in the frame on a jumper from Bella Matyus, the young Eaglets could never regain the lead in the second half.

L’Anse Creuse North closed the third stanza with a 7-2 run where sophomore forward James Zipay scored six points in the spurt. Wilson also scored four points with an assist in the quarter.

In the fourth quarter, St. Mary’s did close it down to 36-32 with 7:14 to play on two free throws from Kareem Pruitt, but that was as close as the Eaglets would get. The Crusaders went on a 10-3 run with Wilson’s driving layup gave LCN its largest lead at 47-35 with 1:45 remaining in the contest.

Arber Ljajcaj, a 6-foot-8 junior forward, added eight points, six rebounds, three blocks and two assists, while Zipay twined 11 points and Ellul finished with eight points for the Crusaders.

L’Anse Creuse North finished 12-for-14 from the foul line (85.8) to overcome just shooting 40.5 percent from the floor (17-for-42). The Crusaders did outrebound OLSM 30-23.

“We didn’t bring back a whole lot, so I’m pleased with our 5-1 start,” said Coach Wilson. “We brought back Julius – he’s our only returning starter. We brought back Arber, but he was only just a sophomore last year and he is playing a lot more this season. We have mostly a new team. We do have some things to work on and things to clean up. But I do like the fact that we are winning and learning as we win.”

St. Mary’s lost its top seven players from last year, including graduation loses and transfers, and the Eaglets lack some toughness according to coach Todd Covert.

“It’s a work in progress losing a lot of kids and we had some guys come over from football (late) and they’re still getting acclimated and in (basketball) shape. But I think one thing we are lacking is toughness and I think that was one thing we struggled with today,” said Covert. “I can deal with the missed shots and things like that, but they were just reaching in at time to get a rebound and that doesn’t work. (L’Anse Creuse North) does have some great size and you need to be tough and go in there to get rebounds and we didn’t really do that.”

River Rouge police pulled over dozens of drivers Monday night, but instead of issuing citations, officers handed out holiday gifts that left motorists shocked and grateful.

The city launched "Operation Give Back" for the first time, with Mayor William Campbell partnering with the public safety department to distribute 30 $25 gas gift cards just before the holidays.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report below: River Rouge police surprise drivers with $25 gas gift cards instead of tickets

"They'll feel like they're getting a ticket and instead of giving them a ticket, we'll give them a gas card in our community," Campbell said. "(It's) just a small token of our appreciation to them."

Body camera footage captured the surprise encounters, showing officers approaching vehicles with flashing lights before revealing the true purpose of the traffic stops.

"You did nothing wrong. Today, we're giving cards away for $25 gift cards," Detective Joshua Smith told a driver who appeared visibly relieved.

Sotirios Arapakis, interim director of public safety, said the initiative holds personal meaning for him.

"It's important to me because I grew up here in the city of River Rouge. I do believe you should give back to the community you work for, let alone having the privilege to serve the community I grew up in," Arapakis said.

Driver reactions ranged from confusion to overwhelming gratitude.

"I'm a little surprised right now. I was like dang, what could I have done? I don't know what I did," Maurice Cooper-Johnson of River Rouge said.

Marquetta Copland, an Uber driver from Detroit who was completing a ride, initially feared the worst.

"My heart was beating because I was taken aback a little bit because I said, that's not for me because I did nothing wrong," Copland said.

For some recipients, the gift cards came at a particularly meaningful time. Jeanie Jaggers said the gas card would help her visit family during the holidays.

"This helps me a lot because I'm on disability, so I'm going to use this for my gas that I really need to go see my grand kids this weekend," Jaggers said.

Several officers and the mayor contributed their own money to fund the holiday giveaway. City officials said they hope to repeat the program next year.

"Just a small token of our appreciation to them of putting us in a place to take care of them," Campbell said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

CHEROKEE, N.C. (AP) — Rashunda Jones scored eight of her 13 points in a decisive third quarter, Grace VanSlooten finished with a double-double, and No. 24 Michigan State beat No. 15 Mississippi 66-49 on Monday night in the Cherokee Invitational title game.

Michigan State led 26-20 at the break and scored the first four points of the third quarter. Ole Miss cut the deficit to 30-25, but the Spartans closed on a 17-7 run for a 49-32 advantage heading into the final quarter. Jones hit a pair of 3s and Kennedy Blair scored all of her seven points in the third quarter for the Spartans, who shot 69% (9 of 13) in the period.

VanSlooten finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Isaline Alexander added 12 points for Michigan State (11-1).

Cotie McMahon scored 13 points to lead led Ole Miss (12-2), which shot 33% (17 of 51) overall and missed 15 of its 17 shots from long range.

Michigan State routed Indiana State 115-66 and Ole Miss beat Old Dominion 86-57 in Sunday’s tournament games.

Up next

Michigan State: Hosts Rutgers on Sunday.

Ole Miss: Plays at home against Alcorn State on Sunday.

BOSTON (AP) — Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle will be stepping down as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association at the end of the month and Detroit coach J.B. Bickerstaff will replace him.

“I guess now might be a good time to announce, I decided about a year ago that this would be my last year,” Carlisle said Monday night before the Pacers played in Boston. “This is my 20th year. My term will end at the end of this month. We’ve held our elections and the membership has made a tremendous and phenomenal choice to succeed me and that’s going to be J.B. Bickerstaff.”

The 66-year-old Carlisle is one win from the 1,000th of his coaching career. He spoke very highly of his soon-to-be replacement.

“J.B. is not only a trusted friend of mine and many, many coaches, he’s proven to be a great leader,” Carlisle said. ”He’s had to take over difficult situations in his career: interim coaching positions etc., etc.

“The job he did in Cleveland, taking that team from the lottery to winning in the playoffs was phenomenal. The job he’s done in Detroit the last year and a half speaks for itself. He’s a great leader and passionate guy for coaches.”

Bickerstaff, 46, started his coaching career with Charlotte as an assistant in 2004. He was an associate head coach with Memphis until becoming interim head coach on Nov. 27, 2017. He became the Grizzlies’ head coach on May 1, 2018.

In February 2020, he was promoted to Cleveland’s head coach after John Beilein resigned.

Bickerstaff was hired as Pistons coach on July 3, 2024.

“I congratulate J.B.,” Carlisle said. “This will be a life-changing experience for him. It has been for me.”

Bickerstaff’s father, Bernie, 81, was a longtime NBA coach before moving into front office roles. Carlisle said he’d like to see Bernie have his place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

“We’re behind the scenes working trying to help Bernie be recognized by the Hall of Fame as a contributor,” Carlisle said. “There are so many ways that he influenced the game.”

— By KEN POWTAK, Associated Press

Four Southfield families have been displaced after a fire caused significant damage at an apartment complex Monday afternoon.

The fire broke out around 3:35 p.m. at Sutton Place apartments near 9 Mile Road and Lahser Road, officials say.

Fire officials say they found flames billowing from the second floor when they arrived, spreading to four apartments.

Everyone got out safely, including cats rescued by firefighters, officials say.

One person is being treated for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported.

Fire investigators are looking into the cause.

The Salvation Army is helping the families who are now without homes during the holidays.

With competition present from several other top-10 Division 1 programs, Oxford used three first-place finishes to win Saturday’s Oakland County wrestling championships hosted by Lake Orion.

The Wildcats, who finished fifth at last year’s meet, entered sixth-place in the most recent D1 poll, one spot behind Clarkston and four spots ahead of Rochester Adams. That ended up being Saturday’s top-3, with Oxford taking the top spot by accumulating 279.5 points, followed by Clarkston with 258.5 and Adams with 216.

The hosts came fourth place with 164 points, and Catholic Central, whose best placements came courtesy of third-place finishers Adam Brannan (106) and Ryan Totten (132), finished just behind the Dragons with 159 points. Starting with Lakeland (157.5) in sixth place, Brother Rice (136.5), WL Northern (129.5), West Bloomfield (121.5) and South Lyon (120) rounded out the top-10.

Clarkston also came runner-up in 2024 (Adams ended fourth when Detroit Catholic Central, the top-ranked D1 team and three-time defending state champs, brought enough firepower to the tournament to rack up 294.5 points.

The win gave the Wildcats their third first-place trophy from the county meet in the past five years (2021, 2023).

The 126-pound weight class saw Oxford’s Gavin Lewis, who finished third-place at state last year at 113 (and won the 120 division at the county meet last winter), defeat Adams’ John David Quinlan in the final, 4-1. Landon Johnson defeated Walled Lake Northern’s Dillon Welling 10-0 to claim the championship at 138 pounds, while the 285-pound class belonged to the Wildcats’ Liam Samborski, who pinned Lakeland’s Andrew Neumann in the second period.

Altogether, Oxford had 11 medalists, including three third and fourth-place finishers each.

In the championship round of the 106-pound weight class, Clarkston’s Joey Hahn defeated Oxford’s Rocco Amaya 17-2, and at 113 pounds, Lakeland’s Cameron Schneider defeated Novi’s Ezra Krage, 14-3. In addition to Schneider, the Eagles added another gold at 120 pounds when Benjamin Rickard outpointed Troy Athens’ Derek Gonzalez, 17-4. Gonzalez was the lowest seed (eighth) to reach a final Saturday, defeating top-seeded Nazar Kadi of Stoney Creek by majority decision in the quarterfinals, then South Lyon’s Colin Fournier (a 4-seed) to reach the championship bout.

Photo gallery from the 2025 Oakland County wrestling championships

Hahn wasn't the only one from the Wolves to stand atop the podium. In the 132-pound final, Clarkston's Gavin Culloty defeated Wesley Honniss with a first-round fall, and at 150, his teammate, Nate Carter, defeated West Bloomfield's Christian Ausi by technical fall (18-2). In arguably the most dramatic win by the Wolves, or of the afternoon entirely, Ayden Mutter managed an escape with just five ticks left on the clock to defeat Novi's Anthony Madafferi by a 9-8 decision.

In the 144 division, Isaac Fandakly beat Lake Orion's Donovin Findlay by fall with 1:10 to go in the opening period.

Brother Rice's Deacon Macneill, who reached the third-place match of last year's Division 2 state finals, beat the top-seeded 157-pounder, Stephan Lezotte of Athens, with a 10-4 decision victory. The Warriors had another finalist in Emmanuel Shango, who reached the 175-pound final as a 5-seed before coming up short against Waterford Kettering's Jamari Powell, who beat him 15-6 by majority decision.

After Welling reached the finals at 138, WL Northern got its titlist in the 190-pound division when James Moore scored a pair of takedowns to help beat Trey Setter by technical fall (17-0).

Rounding out the championship action, South Lyon's RJ Green pinned Adams' Maxim Vostryakov with 1:12 remaining in the first period to win the 215-pound title.

TEAM SCORES: 1. Oxford, 279.5. 2. Clarkston, 258.5. 3. Rochester Adams, 216. 4. Lake Orion, 164. 5. Detroit Catholic Central, 159. 6. Lakeland, 157.5. 7. Brother Rice, 136.5. 8. WL Northern, 129.5. 9. West Bloomfield, 121.5. 10. South Lyon, 120. 11. Troy Athens, 112.5. 12. Holly, 108. 13. Novi, 105.5. 14. Bloomfield Hills, 91. 15. Stoney Creek, 87.5. 16. Rochester, 83. 17. Waterford Kettering, 76. 18. Berkley, 63.5. 19. Notre Dame Prep, 50. 20. Avondale, 49. 21. Ferndale, 48.5. 22. Royal Oak, 45.5. 23. Southfield A&T, 44. T-24. Orchard Lake St. Mary's and Troy, 43.5. 26. Birmingham Seaholm, 43. 27. South Lyon East, 30.5. 28. North Farmington, 29. 29. Waterford Mott, 28.5. 30. Brandon, 26.5. 31. Birmingham Groves, 24. T-32. Pontiac and Royal Oak Shrine, 23.5. 34. Milford, 23. 35. Farmington, 21. 36. Clarkston Everest Collegiate, 14.

Police in Dearborn Heights are investigating a crash involving seven vehicles, where they say a driver was drunk.

The crash happened on westbound Warren Avenue near Centralia Street and Beech Daly.

Additional details including information on injuries was not available Monday night.

7 News Detroit will provide more information as it becomes available.

By Charles E. Ramirez, cramirez@detroitnews.com

The Zekelman Holocaust Center in Farmington Hills is waiving the admission fee to its museum through Jan. 2.

Officials for the center said they are offering free general admission to encourage reflection, learning, and community engagement during the holiday season, and especially after a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration last week in Australia.

“In the wake of the antisemitic attack in Australia, we’re again reminded how hate left unchecked can escalate to violence,” Eli Mayerfeld, the center’s CEO, said in a statement Friday. “We remain committed to educating, engaging, and empowering people of all backgrounds to stand up against hatred. If the cost of admission has ever been a barrier, we hope this opportunity encourages everyone to visit.”

The center invites visitors to explore its redesigned core exhibit, which centers on the personal experiences of Holocaust victims and survivors, many of whom rebuilt their lives in Michigan. It features immersive video testimony, archival footage, and artifacts to bring personal stories to the forefront and preserve these voices for future generations. The redesigned exhibit opened in early 2024.

The museum’s hours of operation are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. Special programming, including additional public tours and survivor presentations, is held daily between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. The center is closed on Saturday.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and college students, and $5 for students with identification.

Located at 28123 Orchard Lake Road north of 12 Mile Road, the Zekelman Holocaust Center was founded in 1984 and receives about 100,000 visitors annually.

U.S. regulators on Monday gave the green light to a pill version of the blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, the first daily oral medication to treat obesity.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administrations approval handed drugmaker Novo Nordisk an edge over rival Eli Lilly in the race to market an obesity pill. Lillys oral drug, orforglipron, is still under review.

Both pills are GLP-1 drugs that work like widely used injectables to mimic a natural hormone that controls appetite and feelings of fullness.

In recent years, Novo Nordisks injectable Wegovy and Lillys Zepbound have revolutionized obesity treatment globally and in the U.S., where 100 million people have the chronic disease.

The Wegovy pills are expected to be available within weeks, company officials said. Availability of oral pills to treat obesity could expand the booming market for obesity treatments by broadening access and reducing costs, experts said.

RELATED STORY | Medicare Part D recipients to see lower prices on Ozempic, Wegovy and more

About 1 in 8 Americans have used injectable GLP-1 drugs, according to a survey from KFF, a nonprofit health policy research group. But many more have trouble affording the costly shots.

Theres an entire demographic that can benefit from the pills, said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, a Massachusetts General Hospital obesity expert. For me, its not just about who gets it across the finish line first. Its about having these options available to patients.

The Novo Nordisk obesity pill contains 25 milligrams of semaglutide. That's the same ingredient in injectables Wegovy and Ozempic and in Rybelsus, a lower-dose pill approved to treat diabetes in 2019.

In a clinical trial, participants who took oral Wegovy lost 13.6% of their total body weight on average over about 15 months, compared with a 2.2% loss if they took a placebo, or dummy pill. Thats nearly the same as injectable Wegovy, with an average weight loss of about 15%.

Chris Mertens, 35, a pediatric lung doctor in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, joined the Novo Nordisk trial in 2022 and lost about 40 pounds using the Wegovy pill. The daily medication worked to decrease his appetite and invasive thoughts of food, he said.

If there were days where I missed a meal, I almost didnt realize it, Mertens said.

Participants in a clinical trial who took the highest dose of Lillys orforglipron lost 11.2% of their total body weight on average over nearly 17 months, compared with a 2.1% loss in those who took a placebo.

Both pills resulted in less weight loss than the average achieved with Lillys Zepbound, or tirzepatide, which targets two gut hormones, GLP-1 and GIP, and led to a 21% average weight loss.

All the GLP-1 drugs, oral or injectable, have similar side effects, including nausea and diarrhea.

Both daily pills promise convenience, but the Wegovy pill must be taken with a sip of water in the morning on an empty stomach, with a 30-minute break before eating or drinking.

Thats because Novo Nordisk had to design the pill in a way that prevented the drug from being broken down in the stomach before it could be absorbed by the bloodstream. The drugmaker added an ingredient that protects the medication for about 30 minutes in the gut and makes it easier to take effect.

RELATED STORY | White House announces more deals to bring down prescription drug prices

By contrast, Lillys orforglipron has no dosing restrictions. That drug is being considered under the FDAs new priority voucher program aimed at cutting drug approval times. A decision is expected by spring.

Producing pills is generally cheaper than making drugs delivered via injections, so the cost for the new oral medications could be lower. The Trump administration earlier this year said officials had worked with drugmakers to negotiate lower prices for the GLP-1 drugs, which can cost upwards of $1,000 a month.

The company said the starting dose would be available for $149 per month from some providers. Additional information on cost will be available in January.

Its not clear whether daily pills or weekly injections will be preferred by patients. Although some patients dislike needles, others don't seem to mind the weekly injections, obesity experts said. Mertens turned to injectable Zepbound when he regained weight after the end of the Wegovy pill clinical trial.

He said he liked the discipline of the daily pill.

It was a little bit of an intentional routine and a reminder of today Im taking this so that I know my choices are going to be affected for the day, he said.

Dr. Angela Fitch, an obesity expert and chief medical officer of knownwell, a health care company, said whatever the format, the biggest benefit will be in making weight-loss medications more widely accessible and affordable.

Its all about the price, she said. Just give me a drug at $100 a month that is relatively effective.

A person has died after being hit by a garbage truck in Westland on Monday.

The incident happened on Akron Street near Venoy and Glenwood Road and involved a Priority Waste truck.

Watch Jeffrey Lindblom's and Brittany Toolis' video reports below: Person killed after being hit by garbage truck in Westland, police investigating Person killed after being hit by garbage truck in Westland, police investigating

Additional details werent available Monday night.

The Westland Police Department Traffic Bureau is investigating.

Its sad, really sad, said Hank Jenkins, who lives nearby.

Jenkins lives across the street from the home the tragedy unfolded in front of, which he calls a group home, a place generally known for housing people needing extra help.

Police have been at that house for the last two or three weeks, I can say that, Jenkins said.

D.J. Boone, another neighbor, says hed just seen the person who he believes was the victim dangerously running through the streets and in front of cars, experiencing what he thinks may have been mental health problems.

Ive been seeing the person who was hit run out in front of the cars and stuff like that like he had a problem or something, Boone said. He is a new member at that house.

Its unclear at this time what services this home may or may not provide and to who. But neighbors agree watching an investigation into the death of someone hit and killed by a day-to-day service like picking up the trash is tragic.

So much death around this time of year is just scary man, Jenkins said.

Boone said, "I hope everyone in his family is OK and keep their heads up.

Priority Waste released the following statement Monday night:

Regarding the Westland pedestrian fatal accident Our thoughts and prayers are with the pedestrian's family, and our crew member at this time. Our truck is at the Westland scene and the crew is cooperating with investigators and emergency services.