11 - 2025 - The Latremie Post

Broncos HC Sean Payton Delivers Reality Check About Texans After Win

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton did not mince words about the Houston Texans and the specific area his team and staff aimed to attack. They followed through on that plan, leaving the Texans searching for solutions while awaiting further updates on C. J. Stroud’s concussion status.

The Texans entered the game with a 3-4 record and were underdogs despite playing at home. If Houston hopes to salvage its season, paying close attention to Payton’s remarks could be crucial.

### Sean Payton Delivers Critical Reality Check After Broncos Beat Texans

Offense struggled on both sides, resulting in a close 18-15 victory for the Broncos, sealed by a game-winning field goal from kicker Wil Lutz. Despite the tight score, Payton confidently stated that his team “controlled” the trenches defensively.

Houston has faced numerous questions regarding their offensive line, which underwent significant changes during the offseason. On Sunday, the Broncos only outgained the Texans by three yards, yet Payton praised his squad’s efforts.

“I thought we controlled the line of scrimmage, really,” Payton told reporters on November 2. “If you want to know one thing, we controlled the line of scrimmage. We felt like there was a big advantage for us in this game: our front versus their offensive line.”

Payton did concede that the Texans generally began their drives closer to midfield than the Broncos, but his overall message remained strong, especially considering Stroud’s concussion.

### Injuries Complicate Texans’ Offensive Line Troubles

Adding to Houston’s challenges, two starting offensive linemen also left the game with injuries. Right guard Ed Ingram exited early due to a shin injury, while right tackle Tytus Howard was sidelined with a concussion and ruled out during the game.

The Texans have rotated Ingram with Juice Scruggs and replaced Howard with the experienced Blake Fisher, but the injuries certainly impacted their performance.

### DeMeco Ryans Laments Texans’ Shortcomings vs. Broncos

Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans did not hold back in expressing disappointment over his team’s “willpower” in the face of a strong Broncos unit that improved to 7-2 with the win. The Texans now sit at 3-5, grappling with many questions about their future.

Ryans stated bluntly that his team’s effort “wasn’t good enough,” despite battling injuries.

“We were in the red zone multiple times as an offense, there at the 1-yard line. Had multiple opportunities to get it in. That’s just about sheer willpower to me. It’s at the 1-yard line. We got to find a way to displace guys at the line of scrimmage and punch the football in, right? And that’s what it takes in that situation. We didn’t get it done,” Ryans said.

“Multiple other opportunities in the red zone. We came up short, right? We made it in the red zone three times. Like to see us convert and get in the end zone versus a really good Denver team.”

He credited the Broncos’ defense for their strong performance, noting, “They did an outstanding job defensively. They did a good job of getting stops when they needed to get stops.”

Ryans concluded, “We didn’t play well in the red zone. We didn’t play well on third down. So, if you don’t win in those situational, critical moments of the game, it’s going to be hard to win it.”

As the Texans regroup, addressing these issues—particularly in the trenches and red zone—will be vital if they hope to turn their season around.
https://heavy.com/sports/nfl/houston-texans/broncos-payton-reality-check-texans-ryans/

Unfortunate update on MJF’s AEW status after disappearing from TV- Reports

AEW star Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) has been exploring new opportunities beyond the world of professional wrestling.

Over the past year, he has engaged in multiple projects, expanding his presence outside the ring and showcasing his versatility.

Fans can look forward to seeing more of MJF’s endeavors as he continues to grow both in and out of the wrestling industry.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/aew/rumor-unfortunate-update-mjf-s-aew-status-disappearing-tv-reports

10-Minute Challenge: A Vase of Flowers

You made it in time. If you want to look a little longer, just scroll back up and press “Continue.”

There’s a story about an ancient Greek painter named Zeuxis who, in a painting contest with a rival, painted grapes so realistic that birds flew down and tried to eat them. As I looked at these grapes by Margareta Haverman at the Metropolitan Museum of Art last week, I could imagine birds breaking through the ceiling, swooping right in.

A technical analysis of the painting revealed Haverman used up to seven layers of paint on the grapes, some added while the previous layer was still wet, to achieve the effect—evidence of an artist searching for the perfect form. Everywhere your eyes look, they encounter a torrent of detail: the intricate layers of the flower petals, the blushing of the fruit, the patterns on the wings of the bugs, the shine of the water droplets, and the veins on the leaves.

Interestingly, the leaves are bluer now than they would have been in 1716 because the yellow pigment Haverman used faded over time. Even with this bluer cast, there remains a wide range of color: shocking reds, paler blues, bright whites, and deep purples.

You can picture Haverman in her studio with this setup in front of her, looking, sketching, and painting—racing against the clock before her beautiful bouquet wilts and dies. Remember, it’s 1716: she can’t take a photograph.

But that’s not possible.

“This bouquet could never exist in reality,” said Adam Eaker, assistant curator in the Department of European Paintings at the Met. “These flowers don’t bloom at the same time of year, so Haverman would have slowly pieced this work together on the basis of individual studies.”

In all, there are 30 different types of fruit and flowers, two species of butterfly, five other types of insects, and a couple of garden snails. This is one of only two surviving works by Haverman.

Little is known about her life, but we do know she learned these techniques from a highly regarded flower painter, Jan van Huysum.

Take a look at this van Huysum painting from 1715. Can you see the similarities between Haverman (left) and van Huysum (right), particularly in the tulips? Haverman learned fast. She was good. Van Huysum was jealous.

A 1751 biography of the eccentric and secretive van Huysum — who came from a family of painters and wouldn’t even let his brothers see the inside of his studio — notes that Haverman’s “prowess aroused Jan’s envy to such a degree that he longed to be rid of her.”

Female painters were rare and often needed a family connection to enter the field. (Haverman’s father helped persuade van Huysum to take her on.) Many women were relegated to still life painting because they weren’t allowed to study nude models.

Still, Haverman excelled. The same biography notes she learned “not only to copy [van Huysum’s] paintings but also to paint beautifully from life; even to the amazement of connoisseurs, who came to see her work.”

Eventually, van Huysum found a reason to drop her as his student. (It was described at the time as a “misdeed.”)

Haverman’s self-assurance is clear in the decisions she makes in this painting. Notice how the dark background causes that streak of white flowers to push even more to the fore, providing a central anchor for your eye.

Zoom in (you may need to get up close) and you can just make out her signature at the bottom, almost etched into the plinth.

“I love the confidence of her signature and the strange sculptural ornamentation of the vase, lurking in the shadows,” Mr. Eaker said. “I think the signature gives a wonderful sense both of Haverman’s confidence as an artist and her skill at crafting an illusion.”

Flower painting like this was common in the Netherlands. Even a hundred years earlier, artists like Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder were setting similarly striped tulips in arrangements against landscape backgrounds.

Around this time, in the early 1600s, so-called “tulip mania” hit the Netherlands. In the craze, the price of tulip bulbs was bid up and up—selling in one case for more than a Rembrandt painting—creating what some describe as the first financial bubble.

Eventually, the bubble burst and tulip prices came crashing down, leaving some tulip speculators bankrupt.

Tulip mania was later followed by the hyacinth mania of the 1700s. Haverman included blue and white varieties of hyacinth in our painting.

There’s a temptation to want to extract symbolism or meaning from these flowers. Maybe Haverman painted some parts of this bouquet not at their peak but in decay to remind us of the fragility of life.

“Some flowers do have symbolic meaning, but flower paintings generally weren’t meant to be ‘decoded,’” Mr. Eaker said.

In the end, the bouquet of flowers you bought from the corner store last weekend will die. This painting, with the help of art conservators, will live.

These are objects for close looking and admiration, Mr. Eaker said, “particularly on a cold gray Dutch winter’s day.”
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/11/02/upshot/ten-minute-challenge-flowers.html

‘Regretting You’ and ‘Black Phone 2’ neck-in-neck on slow Halloween box office weekend

The movie exhibition business is closing out one of its slowest Octobers in over 25 years with a sluggish Halloween weekend. Studios avoided opening any major new films with the holiday falling on a Friday. Instead, there were several re-releases, including “Back to the Future,” which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and the Netflix phenomenon “KPop Demon Hunters.”

Even with a top 10 in which no films earned more than $10 million, there was still a bit of excitement as two studios claimed the No. 1 spot on Sunday. Universal’s horror sequel “Black Phone 2” was largely expected to top the charts in its third weekend in theaters, with the studio reporting an estimated $8 million for the weekend.

About 30 minutes later, Paramount reported that its romantic drama “Regretting You” had earned an estimated $8.1 million, which would place it in the top spot instead. Box office tracker Comscore analyzed the numbers and awarded the No. 1 title to “Regretting You.” It’s important to note that Sunday numbers are based on estimates and projections, and sometimes Monday’s actual figures tell a different story.

“Regretting You” is the latest Colleen Hoover adaptation to open in theaters, following the runaway hit “It Ends With Us.” While “Regretting You” has a running domestic total of $27.5 million, it is not expected to match its predecessor’s impressive $50 million opening weekend.

Meanwhile, in three weekends, “Black Phone 2” has grossed $61.5 million domestically and $104.7 million globally. Universal also handled the nationwide re-release of Robert Zemeckis’s “Back to the Future,” which earned $4.7 million from 2,290 theaters, enough to secure fifth place on the North American charts. The 1985 time travel classic now boasts a domestic total of $221.7 million.

Though there were plenty of HUNTR/X costumes on the streets this weekend, “KPop Demon Hunters” didn’t perform as well as it did when it played in theaters in August. That weekend, the streaming hit sold between $16 million and $20 million in movie tickets. This weekend, it’s estimated to have earned around $5 million from 2,890 screens.

Two distribution executives, speaking on condition of anonymity due to Netflix’s policy of not reporting ticket sales, shared these numbers.

Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll’s “Chainsaw Man The Movie: Reze Arc” dropped a steep 67% in its second weekend and is projected to add $6 million from 3,003 locations, bringing its total to $30.8 million.

Focus Features also launched “Bugonia” into wide release after several weeks in limited release. With an estimated $4.8 million from 2,043 theaters, it marks filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos’s best wide opening to date. The darkly comedic thriller stars Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons and is expected to be an awards season contender.

“Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” landed in sixth place, just behind “Back to the Future,” and saw a 57% drop in its second weekend. It earned $3.8 million, putting its domestic total at $16.3 million and its global tally at $30.6 million.

“This was a truly scary weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore’s head of marketplace trends. “It was this imperfect storm of Halloween on a Friday and the World Series on Friday and Saturday. But the studios and theaters knew this was on the horizon and they planned for it.”

The next two weekends may bring some energy back to multiplexes with releases like “Predator: Badlands” and “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t.” However, the industry will likely have to wait until closer to Thanksgiving for a real blockbuster when “Wicked: For Good” and “Zootopia 2” enter the mix.

“This was always going to be a tough weekend. The audience was truly fragmented,” Dergarabedian added. “There are weekends where the movie theaters are the focus of attention, and those are coming.”
https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/11/02/regretting-you-and-black-phone-2-neck-in-neck-on-slow-halloween-box-office-weekend/

Iran’s Bitcoin Mining Industry: Inside the World’s Fifth-Largest Operation Amid Sanctions and Energy Crisis

**Iran’s Crypto Boom Pushes Fragile Power Grid to the Breaking Point**

With 95% of mining operations running illegally and consuming enough power to light up entire cities, Iran’s cryptocurrency boom is placing significant strain on an already fragile power grid.

### A Nation Turning to Digital Currency

Iran’s interest in cryptocurrency exploded after 2017 when international sanctions cut off access to global banking systems. Unable to use traditional financial channels, the country turned to Bitcoin and other digital currencies as a way to bypass restrictions.

Today, Iran controls about 4.2% of the global Bitcoin mining power, ranking fifth worldwide behind the United States, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Canada. Although this is a drop from 7.5% in March 2021, it still represents a substantial mining operation.

The appeal is clear: electricity in Iran costs between $0.01 and $0.05 per kilowatt-hour, making it incredibly cheap to mine Bitcoin. With costs as low as $1,300 to mine one Bitcoin—which can sell for over $100,000—the profit margins are enormous.

Around 22% of Iran’s population now uses or owns cryptocurrency, totaling an estimated 10 million users. For many Iranians facing severe inflation—the rial lost 37% of its value against the dollar in 2024 alone—crypto offers a way to protect savings from collapse.

### The Illegal Mining Problem

Iranian officials report approximately 427,000 active crypto mining devices operating across the country. Shockingly, about 95% of these are illegal and run without proper authorization.

These underground operations consume roughly 2,000 megawatts of electricity—equivalent to the output of two nuclear reactors. Energy officials say crypto mining now accounts for 15-20% of the country’s electricity shortages.

Illegal miners hide their operations everywhere: abandoned homes, rural farms, underground tunnels, and even industrial facilities disguised as legitimate businesses.

During an internet outage related to conflict with Israel, power consumption dropped by 2,400 megawatts when over 900,000 illegal mining devices shut down, revealing the true scale of the problem.

Licensed miners face high electricity tariffs, making legal operations unprofitable and pushing most miners underground. Meanwhile, many operations linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reportedly use electricity for free, further straining the power grid.

In Tehran Province alone, authorities have dismantled 104 illegal mining farms and seized 1,465 machines—enough to power nearly 10,000 households. Across the country, over 250,000 illegal devices have been confiscated.

To combat the issue, the government now pays citizens approximately $24 to report illegal mining operations, effectively turning regular people into informants.

### Government Control and Crackdowns

Iran legalized cryptocurrency mining in 2019, viewing it as a way to generate revenue despite sanctions. However, the government imposed strict regulations: licensed miners must sell their Bitcoin directly to Iran’s Central Bank.

In December 2024, the Central Bank abruptly blocked all cryptocurrency-to-rial transactions on websites. By January 2025, these channels reopened but only through a controlled system requiring full access to user data. Then, in February 2025, Iran banned all cryptocurrency advertising both online and offline.

The government is walking a fine line. While crypto mining offers an economic lifeline and helps bypass sanctions, the massive power consumption threatens grid stability and sparks public anger during blackouts.

### Sanctions Evasion and International Response

In 2024, sanctioned countries and entities, including Iran, received $15.8 billion in cryptocurrency, accounting for 39% of all illicit crypto transactions worldwide. Networks aiding Iran in selling oil facilitated over $100 million in cryptocurrency transfers between 2023 and 2025; broader networks handled more than $600 million.

The U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has intensified crackdowns by sanctioning individuals and companies in China, Hong Kong, and the UAE connected to these operations.

Iran’s IRGC uses cryptocurrency to fund activities and support regional proxy groups. In 2022, the U.S. sanctioned two Iranians linked to the IRGC for using crypto exchanges to launder money from cyberattacks.

### The Nobitex Hack: Crypto Warfare

On June 18, 2025, Nobitex—Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange—suffered a massive hack. Pro-Israel hacker group Predatory Sparrow stole over $90 million in Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and other cryptocurrencies.

The attack was politically motivated. Rather than keeping the stolen assets, the hackers sent the cryptocurrency to inaccessible wallet addresses containing anti-IRGC messages, effectively destroying the funds as a political statement.

Nobitex handles over $11 billion in transactions, more than the next ten largest Iranian exchanges combined. Past investigations linked the exchange to sanctioned IRGC operatives and wallets associated with Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Houthi groups.

The hack occurred amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, highlighting how cryptocurrency infrastructure has become a target in modern geopolitical conflicts.

When U.S. forces struck Iranian nuclear facilities shortly after, Bitcoin’s global hashrate dropped 15%—the sharpest decline in three years—fueling speculation about disrupted Iranian mining operations.

### The Road Ahead

Iran’s cryptocurrency industry exists in a challenging space between economic necessity and practical constraints. Experts estimate Iran has mined between 60,000 and 200,000 Bitcoins since 2018, though exact figures remain uncertain due to the underground nature of 85% of operations.

As economic pressures mount and the rial continues losing value, more Iranians are turning to cryptocurrency. Crypto outflows from Iran surged to $4.18 billion in 2024—a 70% increase from the previous year—as people move money out of the country’s unstable currency.

The government faces competing priorities: crack down on mining to preserve the power grid or allow it to continue as an economic tool for sanctions evasion.

Meanwhile, international enforcement agencies are becoming increasingly sophisticated in tracking crypto transactions and disrupting Iranian financial networks.

—

Iran’s crypto story is a complex interplay of economics, politics, and technology, reflecting broader challenges faced by countries navigating sanctions and energy constraints in the digital age.
https://bitcoinethereumnews.com/bitcoin/irans-bitcoin-mining-industry-inside-the-worlds-fifth-largest-operation-amid-sanctions-and-energy-crisis/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=irans-bitcoin-mining-industry-inside-the-worlds-fifth-largest-operation-amid-sanctions-and-energy-crisis

Stock futures climb as investors await Supreme Court showdown on Trump tariffs and shareholder vote on Musk’s $1 trillion pay package

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 107 points, or 0.22%. S&P 500 futures were up 0.28%, and Nasdaq futures added 0.30%. These gains would extend Friday’s rally.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell 1.8 basis points to 4.083%. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar inched up 0.06% against the euro and 0.16% against the yen. Gold dipped 0.11% to $3,992 per ounce.

In commodity markets, U.S. oil futures rose 0.64% to $61.37 a barrel, while Brent crude climbed 0.62% to $65.17. The gains came as OPEC+ signaled it will pause its production increases next year.

Looking ahead, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Wednesday in a case challenging former President Trump’s authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose so-called reciprocal tariffs related to the fentanyl trade. Lower courts have ruled against Trump, but some trade experts believe there is still a chance the high court could decide in his favor.

On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressed optimism about the Supreme Court’s decision, citing China’s strict rare earths export restrictions that threatened various industries and critical technologies. “The president was able to push back using his IEEPA powers,” Bessent told Fox News Sunday. “If that’s not use of an emergency power at an emergency time, I don’t know what it is.”

In corporate news, Tesla shareholders will gather on Thursday for the company’s annual meeting to vote on Elon Musk’s $1 trillion compensation package. Chairwoman Robyn Denholm urged shareholders to support the deal, warning in a letter on Monday that the company risks losing significant value if the deal fails and Musk chooses to step down as CEO.

Denholm emphasized that the historic compensation package is needed to motivate Musk as Tesla pushes further into artificial intelligence, robotics, and autonomous driving. If approved, Musk will gradually receive more than 420 million Tesla shares, contingent upon meeting aggressive growth targets, including delivering 20 million Tesla vehicles and having 1 million robotaxis in commercial operation.

Musk himself told analysts during Tesla’s earnings call last month that the proposal is designed to ensure he cannot be sidelined. “It’s called compensation, but it’s not like I’m going to go spend the money,” he said. “It’s just, if we build this robot army, do I have at least a strong influence over that robot army, not current control, but a strong influence? That’s what it comes down to in a nutshell. I don’t feel comfortable wielding that robot army if I don’t have at least a strong influence.”

Meanwhile, elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia could shift the political narrative in Washington, D.C., where lawmakers remain deadlocked over the government shutdown. The election outcomes could motivate one party to reach a deal sooner rather than later, paving the way for federal employees to be paid and benefits to resume.

Reopening the government would also restart the flow of vital economic data. Until then, only private-sector sources will be available, including the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing index on Monday, ADP’s monthly payroll report on Wednesday, and ISM’s services index later that same day.
https://fortune.com/2025/11/02/stock-market-today-dow-futures-trump-tariffs-supreme-court-elon-musk-pay-package-tesla-shareholder-vote/

Israel says it received the remains of 3 hostages from Gaza as fragile ceasefire holds

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Sunday announced that the remains of three hostages had been handed over from Gaza and would be examined by forensic experts, as a fragile month-old ceasefire held.

A Hamas statement earlier said the remains were found Sunday in a tunnel in southern Gaza. Since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, Palestinian militants had released the remains of 17 hostages, with 11 remaining in Gaza before Sunday’s handover. Militants have released one or two bodies every few days. Israel has urged faster progress, and in certain cases, it has said the remains aren’t of any hostage. Hamas has said the work is complicated by widespread devastation.

Israel’s military said official identification of these remains would be provided to families first. Emotions around the remains have been high among families, who continue to rally weekly.

On Saturday night, Moran Harari, a friend of the late Carmel Gat, urged Israel to have restraint. “This cursed war has taken so many lives of dear people on both sides of the fence. This time, we must not fall into it again,” Harari said during a rally in Jerusalem.

Israel, in turn, has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians for the return of the remains of an Israeli hostage.

Health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. Only 75 of the 225 Palestinian bodies returned since the ceasefire began have been identified, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which has posted photos of remains in the hope that families will recognize them.

It is unclear if the Palestinians returned were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that sparked the war, died in Israeli custody as detainees, or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war.

The exchange has been a central part of the initial phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The 20-point plan includes the formation of an international stabilization force of Arab and other partners that would work with Egypt and Jordan on securing Gaza’s borders and ensure the ceasefire is respected.

Multiple nations have shown interest in taking part in a peacekeeping force but have called for a clear U.N. Security Council mandate before committing troops. Other difficult questions include Hamas’ disarmament, the governance of a postwar Gaza, and when and how humanitarian aid will be increased.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier Sunday that “there are still pockets of Hamas” in parts of Gaza controlled by Israeli forces. “There are actually two in Rafah and Khan Younis, and they will be eliminated,” Netanyahu said during a Cabinet meeting.

The deadliest and most destructive war ever fought between Israel and Hamas began with the Hamas-led 2023 attack that killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage.

Israel’s military offensive has killed more than 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.

Israel, which has denied accusations by a U.N. commission of inquiry and others of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the ministry’s figures without providing a contradicting toll.
https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/israel-says-it-received-the-remains-of-3-hostages-from-gaza-as-fragile-ceasefire-holds/

Kurtenbach: The ‘urgent’ 49ers passed a key test against the Giants with ruthless execution

Sunday’s 49ers win over the Giants shouldn’t be considered a significant accomplishment. This was hardly a seismic victory that proves San Francisco is destined for postseason glory and is poised to play in a Super Bowl the Bay is hosting come February.

No, Sunday’s win was merely the Niners doing what every playoff-worthy outfit should do when facing a pathetic, bottom-feeding opponent: take its lunch money and walk away.

Make no mistake about it: Sunday’s 34-24 win in the swamps of New Jersey against the New York Giants was the ultimate referendum on the 49ers’ season. Why? Because the Giants are a disaster. Tactically, philosophically, and politically, that franchise is a mess.

They have a rookie quarterback, a receiver room that looks like a community college roster, an underperforming defensive line, and a secondary that couldn’t stop a grandma with a walker. If the 49ers, even with their prodigious, perpetually growing injury list, failed to handle this business, the whole season was over. Finished. They don’t even make flags that red.

But the Niners did handle business, controlling every aspect of this eminently forgettable game. Special teams had flash plays, the defense played better than its personnel would have suggested, and the offense was a machine of efficiency. The Niners passed the test with ease. Literally.

Quarterback Mac Jones was perfect in the first half Sunday, completing 14-of-14 for 143 yards and two touchdowns. It was a ruthlessly executed start that provided the Niners the upper hand in the second half, despite some defensive woes. It also established a blueprint for how the Niners can continue to win games despite what is clearly a curse or some paranormal phenomenon that has left the Niners as the league’s most-injured team yet again.

Because here is the brutal, undeniable truth: The dreams of the 49ers playing a Super Bowl at home are out of reach. Nobody can suspend enough disbelief to say a team without Fred Warner and Nick Bosa is going to win multiple playoff games against the elites. It’s an impossibility.

But this squad still has every reason to expect to be playing on the second weekend in January, provided they adhere to the single, most basic, most unglamorous blueprint they have left: They must be a run-first team.

The Niners are playing with off-the-street free agents, rookies, and dollar-store pickups up and down their defensive line, and they might be adding a few more before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, particularly after rookie defensive tackle Mykel Williams’ knee injury, suffered in the fourth quarter Sunday.

Pair a line that is last in the NFL in pressure rate with a secondary that has shown clear breakdowns in both communication and coverage all season — Sunday’s game being no exception — and the Niners know they have to score roughly 30 points per game to win moving forward.

Moreso, they’ll have to do it with the ground game leading the way.

We saw what happened in Houston last week, when the Niners fell behind early and abandoned the run; a bad situation became worse. Control the ball by running the ball, and that brings a time-of-possession advantage and typically cleaner windows in which to throw the ball.

None of this is advanced-level football theory. In fact, it might be considered elementary. But this Niners team is in no position to reinvent modern offense. Elementary will do for now.

Sunday, it worked quite well.

On the fourth-quarter drive that gave San Francisco a 27-10 lead, the Niners threw the ball on first down, gained 13 yards, and then didn’t throw the ball again. Eight straight runs, 63 yards, complete domination.

Shanahan was practically giggling about it postgame: “It’s very fun. It’s awesome,” Shanahan said of the drive. “It’s so tempting the whole time you’re like ‘man, can you do it again and get away with it? Maybe we should do a play action or something off of it. No, screw it, we’ll just keep running it.’”

“The guys came through, and that’s one of the most enjoyable drives you can go on. All run plays.”

So expect McCaffrey to touch the ball 33 times, like he did Sunday, every game from this point onwards. Brian Robinson, McCaffrey’s backup, is going to have a role in this offense, too. He ran the ball five times for 53 yards and a touchdown Sunday.

The Niners’ offensive line is going to have to continue to find ways to merge gap and zone blocking — they’ve done a great job of that in two of the last three weeks.

And whichever quarterback is under the center — be that backup Mac Jones, who started his seventh game Sunday, or Brock Purdy, whose return is considered imminent (next week or the following), as he recovers from a turf-toe injury — needs to be precise and timely with their throws, like Jones was on Sunday.

“This is a big one for us. You really have to look at this game like a playoff game, almost,” Jones said. “We definitely answered the bell.”

“This team’s pretty urgent right now,” McCaffrey, the team’s bellcow back, said. “It’s been good to come back from losses with big wins.”

The Niners’ dreams of playing in the Super Bowl at their home field might be out of reach given the battered and bruised state of their roster. No one can suspend enough disbelief to say a team without Fred Warner and Nick Bosa is going to win multiple playoff games.

But Sunday was a reminder that this squad has a long way to go before reaching rock-bottom. And if this team can keep carrying the rock, they have every reason to believe — or rather expect — to be playing in real playoff games, not just ones imagined.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/02/kurtenbach-the-urgent-49ers-passed-a-key-test-against-the-giants-with-ruthless-execution/

Pure Evil: Sister of Slain Firefighter Corey Comperatore Receives Vile Letter Mocking His Death — Signed and Sent Proudly by “Another Deranged Democrat”

**A Hateful Handwritten Letter Sent to Kelly Comperatore Meeder, Sister of Fallen Firefighter Corey Comperatore**

*By Jim Hoft | November 02, 2025 | Gateway Pundit*

Kelly Comperatore Meeder, the sister of fallen firefighter Corey Comperatore, has revealed that she received a hateful handwritten letter mocking her brother’s death. Corey Comperatore was tragically killed during the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.

In a heartfelt Facebook post, Meeder described opening what she thought was a thank-you card from a grateful family, part of her work organizing events at a local hall, only to find a venom-filled rant from what she called “another deranged Democrat.”

Meeder wrote:

> “I pour myself into every wedding and event at the Hall. So, I thought I was opening a ‘thank you’ card from a grateful family, as I often do.
> Nope. Just another ‘love note’ from ANOTHER deranged Democrat.
> Imagine being so filled with hatred that you send a handwritten card to someone who still cries, every single day, over the murder of her little brother. As if your feelings matter that much to me.
> Can you even fathom this kind of viciousness? Imagine being so proud of it that you sign it with your first and last name, AND affix a return address label to it!
> This is our life now. Our ‘new normal.’
> All I ever did to deserve this kind of hatred was to love my brother.
> Adding another name to my prayer list tonight. Kristine, obviously, needs a relationship with Jesus. Pray for her. Pray that God turns her ‘heart of stone to a heart of flesh.’ Ezekiel 36:26”

Meeder also shared images of the hateful handwritten card she received from a Wisconsin resident. The vile message mocked her late brother, Corey Comperatore, with baseless attacks on President Trump and the family’s pain.

The letter read in part:

> “Do you really believe fascist Trump cares about your dead brother? He made a joke about your sister-in-law getting a million dollars for her dead husband. He joked about it!
> So now you are mad because 6 Secret Service agents were not held accountable in your bro’s death. Donald fascist Trump fires anyone who doesn’t bow down to him. Anyone who doesn’t prosecute his enemies.
> He will not fire the incompetent Secret Service agents because they saved him. He doesn’t give a f*** about your MAGA brother.
> If you gave him a couple million dollars he might do something for you— but I don’t believe you have enough money to pay him off.
> So do what you got to do, but don’t blame anyone but your Hitler president.”

This incident highlights the extreme hostility faced by grieving families amid political tensions. Imagine being so consumed by Trump Derangement Syndrome that you track down a grieving woman to send such a hateful message.

Unfortunately, this is just the latest in a disturbing pattern of harassment against Trump supporters and victims’ families by some on the left. From doxxing to death threats, this toxic rhetoric—fueled by mainstream media labels calling Trump a “fascist”—has emboldened extremists to act out in dangerous ways.

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*Topics: Government, History, Politics, Society*
*Keywords: Butler, Corey Comperatore, Pennsylvania*

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https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/4350310/posts

[Catholic Caucus] From the Church of the Twilight Zone

A German priest, with the full approval of the diocese, recently held a “queer Mass” that was publicly broadcast—and not a single word of correction or rebuke came from the Vatican. Meanwhile, attacks against the Traditional Latin Mass and all things traditional continue unabated.

During this disturbing service, the priest wore a rainbow flag stole. The Paschal candle celebrated not Christ the King, but LGBTQ pride. Even the lighting inside the church glorified, not God, but the LGBTQ lifestyle.

Rorate Caeli reported that the German public broadcaster ZDF has, for decades, presented Sunday “Divine Services” from both the Evangelical and Catholic traditions. However, this past Sunday marked the first time the Catholic “Mass” was replaced with a “Queer Divine Service.”

This situation offers a grim reminder of *Traditionis custodes*, the document aimed at restricting the Traditional Latin Mass. It contained the controversial statement:

> “The liturgical books promulgated by Saint Paul VI and Saint John Paul II, in conformity with the decrees of Vatican Council II, are the only expression of the lex orandi of the Roman Rite.”

*Note:* Although the official English translation uses the word “unique,” the original intent clearly means “only.” We have highlighted this distinction since the document’s release.

One must seriously question whether all the varied forms and innovations accepted under the broad umbrella of the Pauline Rite can truly be considered a unified “expression” of the Roman Rite. This moment calls for reflection—perhaps a rereading of Archbishop Lefebvre’s *Open Letter to Confused Catholics* is in order.

Faithful Catholics ask with a heavy heart: How can this be happening? How can the Vicar of Christ—the pope—remain silent in the face of such an abomination?

That church needs immediate reconsecration, and the priest responsible should be suspended. St. Paul warned that the Eucharist could become a source of condemnation rather than salvation. Those participating in this faux sacrament put their souls in grave danger.

It is not enough to claim to be Catholic—the proof is in the practice. The devil delights in mock sacraments, and this “queer Mass” comes dangerously close to a black Mass, which inverts and distorts Christ’s sacrament of love.

For those thinking this was a rogue priest acting without authority, be assured—this event was months in the making and was actively promoted on the diocesan website.

If you have the courage, the video of this service is available to watch. Witnessing the entrance procession and the closing “hymn,” with a band positioned at the center of the sanctuary, was deeply heartbreaking.

Please join in a rosary of reparation today. When the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is transformed into a celebration of perversion, we must mourn and do penance.

May God have mercy on those who advance a faux church with faux sacraments, desecrating the Body and Blood of the Lord—turning what should be a source of salvation into an instrument of condemnation.

Pray especially for all the souls who attended this sacrilegious “Mass.”
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/4350296/posts