PFF previews the 14 NFL games in Week 7, highlighting storylines to watch while also taking a fantasy football and betting approach to offer insight for every NFL fan.

After what can only be described as a disastrous start, Philadelphias season is now actually looking up simply because Wentz has dragged himself out of the funk he was in to begin the year.

Wentz didnt earn a PFF grade above 57.0 for the first three games and looked completely unable to accurately pass the football at times, but he hasnt graded below 66.0 since that time, despite playing against two of the toughest defenses in the league.

Philadelphia was beaten by better teams in the Ravens and Steelers, but the Giants represent a much more beatable opposition. The Eagles will have a huge advantage if Wentz can continue this improved form, even with his team's current injury crisis.

There are certainly worse teams out there on the back end, but the Giants are below average in terms of passer rating allowed in coverage, giving up a rating of 102.9 to opposing passers so far this season, around 30 points higher than Wentz's rating through six games. The Giants are also not particularly well suited to attacking Wentzs lack of supporting cast, with just three players who have double-digit total pressures on the season and interior lineman Dalvin Tomlinson posting the best pass-rushing grade (72.0) on the team.

Travis Fulgham has been a monster for the Philadelphia Eagles over the past three weeks. Over that span, he ranks sixth in yards per route run and has commanded a whopping 25% target share. The Eagles will likely get DeSean Jackson back in the lineup for this Week 7 matchup but will also be without Miles Sanders and Zach Ertz. The targets should continue to come Fulghams way and, hopefully for his sake, Jacksons presence will lessen the likelihood of shadow coverage from James Bradberry. He owns PFFs fifth-highest coverage grade among CBs, but Fulgham has proved he wont back down in tough matchups. The Eagles wide receiver owns the fourth-highest PFF receiving grade this season.

Considering this matchup further, Bradberry has a 71.1 PFF grade in man coverage 71.1, so the slight favors Fulgham based on his PFF grade versus man coverage (87.7).

The bottom line: Chase Fulghams targets and start him on Thursday night. The Giants have allowed the third-most receptions to wide receivers this season.

Boston Scott will draw the start without Sanders and should be viewed as a startable low-end RB2. He operated as the primary option in Week 1 (nine carries for 35 yards, two catches for 19) and played 80% of the snaps in the second half of last week's contest.

The matchup is tough for Scott as a rusher the Giants boast PFFs fifth-best run defense. But he should still be a solid floor play based on his work as a receiver. The Giants have allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to running backs this season.

Its also worth noting that Scott torched the Giants last season. In his two games against them (including one start), Scott averaged 19.5 touches, two touchdowns, 133 yards from scrimmage and six targets.

While the Eagles offense has been decimated by injury, their defense has fared much better. The Philadelphia defense has been relatively good at stopping the run. Devonta Freeman has seen a high percentage of the Giants playing time but has yet to top 3.5 yards per carry in a game. He should see plenty of volume but probably wont be all that efficient per carry.

In the passing game, the Giants top receivers will be high-risk, high-reward options this week. The Eagles have a top-three pass rush grade this season while the Giants have the lowest pass-blocking grade, so Daniel Jones will constantly be under pressure. If he can get the ball out, then Evan Engram is most likely to have a big game. Philadelphia has given up the most fantasy points to a tight end twice. With how much Jones will be under pressure, Engram and the running backs will see a lot of the targets.

Thursday Night Football brings the heat once again. The spread for this NFC East matchup has been all one-sided, with the Eagles moving down from 8.5-point favorites in the preseason to -6 to start the week before settling at -4. The ticket percentage skews slightly toward the Eagles, but the majority of cash has been on the Giants. This line movement is based on big bettors favoring the road dog in this matchup.

The total has dropped two points since the open behind 72% of the cash percentage on the under. This total has a big bettors vs. public bettors skew percentage, with the market movement siding with the sharp side. Both offenses rank in the bottom third of our opponent-adjusted offensive rankings, with injuries continuing to pile up on both offensive units.

The total offers no real value, but an overcorrection is possible if this market continues to move. PFF's predictive models (PFF Greenline) sees some opportunity on both the spread and moneyline, which is a great way to add betting intrigue to this Thursday night matchup.

There was a pretty strong narrative that the Dallas Cowboys offense would be fine with Dalton at quarterback, but that didn't seem like the case on Monday night.

Daltons prime-time record is not good in his career, and this was another disappointment under the bright lights. He emerged with an overall PFF grade of 60.5, 25 points worse than his cameo in relief of an injured Prescott a week ago and some way short of his Bengals performance the last time he had a group of receivers as good as this.

It wasnt all Daltons fault, as the team was thrown into a hole early by a pair of Ezekiel Elliott fumbles, but Dalton wasnt hitting the passes he did last week until it was too late.

Against Washington, we will get a better idea of whether that was a likely look at the future or if Dalton just had a bad day. His receivers are elite, but the pass protection will be a problem, even if he was hurried on just 17 of 51 dropbacks against Arizona. We have seen too much capable play from Dalton to believe that the entire offense will fall apart with him at the helm, but Monday night's matchup was proof that the gap between him and Dak Prescott may be wider than many expected.

The Dallas Cowboys defense continues to struggle, and that means we need to continue to target offenses that play them weekly. They rank inside the bottom-12 in terms of fantasy points allowed against every position in fantasy football (including DST), so this a situation as simple as play all the dudes.

Kyle Allen is available on waiver wires and can be easily streamed in this matchup. Running back Antonio Gibson is a great buy-low target ahead of this game and Terry McLaurins price on DraftKings ($5,900) is mind-boggling coming off a 12-target game.

Dallas has faced the fourth-highest play-action rate this season (34.1%) and has allowed the third-highest passer rating against those types of throws (144.1).

Since Allen took over at quarterback, Washington has ramped up the use of play-action (34.9% vs. 25.6%) compared to when Dwanye Haskins was under center. This further cements McLaurin as an awesome play as the electrifying receiver ranks sixth in the NFL in targets off play-action (17).

Only two receivers this season have achieved 90 or more receiving yards against the Football Team. Both of those players were tight ends. That is good news for Dalton Schultz but bad news for the rest of the wide receivers on the Cowboys roster. Part of the reason why the Cowboys receivers have been able to maintain value is that Dallas has thrown 44 more times than any other team. This week against Washington, they might not need to pass as much because they could maintain a lead. Both Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb should still be in starting lineups, but it wouldnt be at all surprising if at least one of them has lower than usual targets.

This should mean Ezekiel Elliott has a bounce-back game. Washington has an average run defense, but theyve been in the top 10 in rushing attempts against, leading them to also be top 10 in yards and touchdowns allowed. This could be the week where Elliott has his first 100-yard rushing game of the season.

The optimism surrounding Andy Dalton was short-lived, with this spread dropping significantly from the opening number. The preseason line of 8.5 simply projected a different situation, but it's noteworthy that this spread opened at 3 early in the week before dropping immediately to 1.

Our cash and ticket percentages both skew toward the Cowboys, highlighting that this latest movement is simply an adjustment by bookmakers based on Mondays performance.

The Cowboys completely changed their offensive philosophy on early downs with Andy Dalton, and Zeke was fed to an ineffective result. The total seemed to have taken note, dropping 3 points from the open. Our cash and ticket percentages skew heavily toward the under, but a higher percentage of cash makes this a situation that both big and public bettors buy into. PFF Greenline has no strong preference on the total but is intrigued by plays on both the spread and moneyline.

The Josh Allen rollercoaster ride has taken more unexpected dips over recent weeks. After a start to the season that had people signing apology forms and ready to crown him as one of the most surprising development stories in recent draft history, he has cooled way down in the past two games. After three consecutive games with a PFF grade of at least 80.0 peaking with a career-best 91.9 against the Raiders in Week 4 Allen has posted grades of 76.7 and 64.6, and 1,040 passing yards in his first three games gave way to a season-low of just 122 in the rain on Monday night.

What we saw in the first four games of the season was too good to completely ignore and represented a departure from his baseline play over the first two seasons of his career too dramatic to be just a quirk. Questions were being asked at the time about whether it was sustainable, but now it has fallen away.

Allens overall PFF grade is still 86.3 for the season, which is No. 6 in the NFL but more than 20 grading points higher than his previous career-high, but for the first time this season, we get to see whether he can bounce back from a performance that belongs more comfortably with his previous levels of play and not the new Allen that we had seen in 2020.

Jamison Crowder is in a smash spot versus a Buffalo Bills defense that has allowed the third-most completions to slot wide receivers this season. Hes also averaged 12.3 targets, 9.6 catches and 93 receiving yards in his last three games versus the Bills.

But from a DFS perspective, there is a way to save more salary to jam in all the studs Breshad Perriman is just $3,700 on DraftKings. He had four catches for 62 yards on eight targets in Week 6 (10.2 fantasy points) and his salary pricepoint surprisingly went down.

He led the team in air yards (134) and will get the chance to match up routinely versus Bills cornerback Josh Norman, who ranks 96th among qualifying CBs in PFFs coverage grade (38.0) over the past two weeks in relief of Levi Wallace.

Which Bills players end up having the most fantasy points will depend on how quickly Buffalo gets a lead. The Jets defense has allowed the fourth-highest average yards per pass at 8.1. New York has been more efficient at stopping the run, but theyve been run on a lot, leading to nine touchdowns. Thats tied for third-most by a defense.

Because of the matchup, fantasy managers should continue to start the Bills stars. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs should be more efficient than usual and will hopefully put up some big numbers until the Bills dont need them to. Devin Singletary should see plenty of carries, although it wouldnt be surprising if Zack Moss is given more opportunities, too.

No one is buying into the Jets at this point, as they look historically poor to start the season. Bigger bettors were once again burned by the Jets failing to cover a wide spread, which makes the stopping point on this week difficult to project.

The preseason spread of 3.5 quickly ballooned to 10 to start the week, before even more Bills backing pushed it to 13. A healthy percentage of the cash and tickets are siding with the Bills, which could point this spread all the way to 14. At some point, representatives from the sharp side will step in to buy the Jets, but after being burned the past two weeks, this spread could move more than expected.

The total has seen a drop since the open, with our predictive models still leaning toward the under. This is counter to the cash and ticket percentage, but how many points can the Jets realistically be expected to score with the 32nd-ranked offensive unit?

This game features a battle between two of the more conservative quarterbacks in the league from a stylistic point of view. Thats a trait that has always been there with Teddy Bridgewater, and Drew Brees has skewed more and more in that direction as he has aged.

Denver's Drew Lock leads the NFL in average depth of target at 13.9, and the more aggressive quarterbacks in the league are above 10 yards on average, but Bridgewater sits at 7.2 and Brees just 6.3 yards this season. They rank 29th and 36th out of 38 qualifiers, respectively.

Brees has also been the least likely quarterback in the league to take a deep shot this season, as only 5.1% of his pass attempts have traveled 20 or more yards downfield from the line of scrimmage. Bridgewater, on the other hand, has taken a deep shot on 9.2% of his attempts, which is significantly more aggressive but still ranks just 26th of 35 qualifiers.

There are always mitigating circumstances with these statistics, but at this point, its inarguable that both passers tend to be far more conservative than average, yet those aggressive targets are the most valuable passing plays in the game and help to offset a lot of down-to-down inconsistency. Will this be a battle between two quarterbacks trying to play tiny margins for error, or will one seize on the opportunity to be aggressive and win the game simply by attacking the bigger plays?

The Panthers have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points per game to the wide receiver position this season, so alternative options should be sought after in replacement of Emmanuel Sanders. He projects to man the slot as he did back in Week 1, but that matchup doesnt favor Sanders in Week 7.

The Panthers defense has allowed the second-lowest yards per attempt (7.4) to slot wide receivers this season and just over four catches per game. Additionally, Sanders only saw five targets back in Week 1 when Michael Thomas was healthy.

Thomas should presumably be making his return to the Saints starting lineup, so in a corresponding move, fantasy managers need to take a wait-and-see approach with Sanders and place him on the bench.

For the Panthers offense, start the players you always start in Mike Davis, D.J. Moore and Robby Anderson, but none of them are likely to have their best games of the season. The Saints have been good at shutting down wide receivers, especially on the outside, and have been average against running backs.

The biggest Saints weakness has been stopping tight ends, where theyve allowed more fantasy points to tight ends than any other defense. The Panthers, on the other hand, have only had 10 catches by tight ends for 74 yards and a touchdown. There have been over 20 instances where a tight end had more yards in a game than the Carolina tight ends have had this season combined. Even against this defense, I wouldnt trust even picking up one of the Carolina tight ends.

The Panthers have quickly fallen out of favor with bettors after receiving significant backing in Week 6. The 6.5-point opening line quickly cut through the key number 7 before adding the hook. The cash and ticket percentages are skewed toward the Saints, who appear to be receiving a higher percentage of public backing.

Twenty-three places separate these offenses in our opponent-adjusted rankings, despite similar expected points added (EPA) per pass attempt numbers to start the season. The total market hasnt moved off of the opening number, with PFF Greenline offering a lean on one side of this market.

Any further line movement could open up value on the spread and moneyline, which makes monitoring Greenline imperative for late-week action.

Week 6 saw one of the most uncharacteristic Aaron Rodgers performances in a long time. Before facing Tampa Bay, Rodgers had yet to commit any kind of a turnover-worthy play on the season. He jumped out to a lead but then seemed to unravel at the point he threw his first a pick-six to cornerback Jamel Dean that erased much of the lead.

From that point on, Rodgers wasnt right in the game and finished with three turnover-worthy plays overall. He was seemingly unable to deal with the timing of the Tampa Bay pressure looks and generally struggled to find a rhythm for the rest of the contest. You could make the case that this represented the first good defense that he has faced this season and that the Rodgers we saw for the first five weeks was a mirage, or you can make the case that this was a bad day at the office all quarterbacks have them.

Either way, getting to face the Houston Texans represents an ideal environment for him to bounce back and once again look like the best quarterback in the game, whatever the underlying reasons for his poor performance were. Only two defenses in the league are allowing a higher passer rating to opposing quarterbacks than the 119.6 the Texans are currently giving up, and their defense as a whole is giving up 6.1 yards per play, 27th in the league. We may not get a better handle on where Rodgers is this season until someplace down the line, but we should be expecting a big rebound game this week.

I wont get to Will Fuller in DFS this week because of his tough matchup against Jaire Alexander he grades out as PFFs second-best CB in coverage grade this season (90.7) but David Johnson at $5,300 peaks my interest.

The Packers have been atrocious against running backs this season, allowing the most fantasy points to the position over the past four weeks, and DJ has seen 19.5 touches per game under the new coaching regime.

Those touches havent resulted in much (12.5 fantasy points per game), but the big game is coming. Per PFFs expected fantasy points model, Johnson should be averaging closer to 20.1 fantasy points per game.

Aaron Jones had his worst game of the season last week. After having at least 65 rushing yards in every game, he was held to 15 against the Buccaneers. He should be able to respond in a big way against this Texans defense. They are the only team to have allowed over 1,000 rushing yards so far this season. Part of that is because the Texans have been run against the most, but theyve also allowed the highest yards per carry at 5.4. Jones should only add to those numbers.

Davante Adams against Bradley Roby will be the other interesting battle in this game. The Texans have consistently put Roby up against the opposition's top wide receiver. Roby has yet to allow more than 45 yards in a game, although the wide receivers hes lined up against have gotten more yards outside of Robys coverage. Robys coverage grade has been improving as the season has gone on despite continuing to play good receivers. Adams should still be in all starting lineups but be prepared for this game to not be his best. Other parts of the Texans defense will be easier to attack in the passing game.

The betting market appeared lower on the Texans than our predictive models, which explains the 1-point preseason spread moving only a little at the start of the week. This number now sits between 3 and 3.5, with early bettors all over the Packers as road favorites.

Both offenses rank in the top 10 of our opponent-adjusted offensive grades, with the Packers the third-best offense from an EPA per pass attempt perspective. This total has opened as the second-highest of the weekend and has held steady to that number, despite a healthy percentage of the cash and tickets on the over.

PFF Greenline has identified some value on the moneyline and total in this matchup. These markets appear to be on the verge of movement, which makes checking Greenline a worthwhile approach.

We wrote last week in this piece about the Steelers pass-rush unit facing its first real test of the 2020 season against a Browns' offensive line that had played like one of the leagues best to start the year. Its safe to say that Pittsburgh passed the test they generated pressure on over 50% of their pass-rushing snaps (again), and they limited the Browns to just -0.5 expected points added per play. You have to go back to 2008 to find a defensive performance as dominant as that by the Steelers on a per-play basis. T.J. Watt, Bud Dupree, Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt are all getting after the quarterback at a high level this year making up the leagues most formidable pass rush through the first six weeks of the season.

On the other side of the field, Tennessees offense has been one of the more impressive groups in the NFL. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith continues to put Tannehill in positions to succeed, and the former Dolphin is absolutely dealing. He currently sits as PFFs fifth-highest graded passer. As a team, the Titans are fielding one of the most efficient offenses in the league (0.22 EPA per play).

Tannehills propensity to take sacks is an area for concern in this matchup, though. Since the start of last season, the only two quarterbacks to take sacks on a higher percentage of their pressured dropbacks are Dwayne Haskins and Kyle Allen. The Steelers will look to capitalize on that in this battle between the last two undefeated teams in the AFC.

Ryan Tannehill looks like he would be in a position to be a candidate to avoid in this matchup, but the Steelers secondary has holes. They have allowed the third-most air yards per game before Baker Mayfield laid a total egg against them, they had allowed over 20 fantasy points per game to the likes of Daniel Jones, Jeff Driskel and Carson Wentz.

The Steelers claim to fame is how they can bring pressure to the quarterback position they lead the league in pressure rate at 50.7%. But no quarterback has been better than Tannehill in the face of pressure this season.

He owns a 7:0 touchdown to interception ratio and boasts the No. 1 passer rating (110.5) under pressure its actually slightly higher than his rating in a clean pocket (110.3).

Dont be surprised to see Tannehill shred the Steelers secondary on Sunday.

The Titans defense is coming off a game where they allowed four passing touchdowns one to each of the teams top three wide receivers and the fourth to their tight end. That is great news for the Steelers, who have plenty of wide receivers to throw to.

The biggest question will be if Diontae Johnson is ready to return or not. If he does, that would likely limit the playing time of both James Washington and Chase Claypool. Even with limited playing time, Claypool should be starting with how much the Steelers have been getting him the ball when he is on the field. Washington will be more dependent on whether Johnson plays or not. The rest of the Steelers starters should all be in starting lineups. If there is anything to be concerned about with these matchups, its that Tennessee has an above-average run defense, which could slow down James Conner. He still sees a very high percentage of the playing time and carries, so even if the matchup isnt amazing for him, he should still be starting.

This matchup looks like the game of the week, with the Titans one spot ahead of the Steelers at fifth in our Elo rankings. The market is siding with the road team that we have slightly lower in our power rankings. The cash and ticket percentages have been heavily one-sided, with 78% of the cash on the Steelers suggesting big bettors are buying in early in the week.

The spread offers no real value based on our predictive models, despite 28 places separating these teams in our opponent-adjusted offensive grades. Tannehill has graded 12 points better than Ben Roethlisberger, which makes for one of the most intriguing matchups of the week as the Titans offense gets set to go up against a ferocious Steelers defense.

That Steelers defense is second overall in our opponent-adjusted grades, but the total market still has an appetite for points. The opening 52.5 didnt hold, but the total has only seen a half- or one-point drop, depending on the book. Our predictive models lean slightly towards the over, which is the same direction as the cash and ticket percentages.

Mayfields 2019 season was already a cause for concern he took a clear step back from what was a promising rookie season in 2018, bailing on clean pockets and struggling with his accuracy.

Heading into the 2020 season with new head coach and playcaller Kevin Stefanski, as well as improvements to his supporting cast, there were reasons to believe that Mayfield would bounce back. After all, there were multiple years across his time at Oklahoma and early on in his NFL career that indicated that he could be a quality starter at worst.

Even with the dud against Pittsburgh last week, Mayfields passer rating is still better this year than it was in 2019, but his PFF passing grade has dropped from 71.7 to 57.3. The credit for how Clevelands offense has looked should largely go to the upgrade from Freddie Kitchens to Kevin Stefanski, while Mayfield looks like someone who is holding them back rather than delivering them to the promised land. PFFs Mike Renner detailed the reasons for concern in a piece this week, and they range from shaky pocket presence to an inability to push the ball downfield from traditional dropbacks.

The yips are often associated with baseball, but it sure looks like Mayfield has them. Hes just not the same confident player weve seen in the past, and thats a major problem for the Browns.

The Cleveland Browns have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers over the past four weeks, which makes both Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd locked-and-loaded options in fantasy lineups for Week 7. Both rank inside the top-12 WRs in PPR formats since Week 3.

Back in Week 2, when the Bengals played the Browns, Boyd had over 70 receiving yards and a touchdown. Higgins wasnt playing a full role at the time in that contest but still saw modest production with six targets for three catches and 35 yards.

A.J. Green enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in Week 6, posting his best game to date with eight grabs for 96 receiving yards. I would not immediately jump on the back on the Green bandwagon moving forward, though, just because of his track record so far this season.

His Week 6 stat line also looks much less impressive when its revealed that the majority of his yardage gained was against linebacker Anthony Walker in coverage. He is a WR3 option this week more than anything else and is preferably a major sell-high candidate based on the name brand.

Id also like to highlight that its always important to recognize outlier player performances in correlation with other player injuries. I dont think its a coincidence that Greens best game came the week the team deactivated Auden Tate. In the three games Tate has been active and seen legitimate snaps this season, Green has averaged just under four targets per game. The other three games? Eleven targets per game.

If Tate is ruled out for Week 7, it will be hard to pass on Green in DFS hell be a solid cash play option at just $4,300.

This past week, Kareem Hunt had his worst game of the season, but this week could be his best. The Bengals have allowed the second-most yards per carry this season at 5.1. This had led to the third-most rushing yards allowed at 854. As long as the Browns defense doesnt give up a big lead, Clevelands strategy on offense should just be to feed Hunt.

Austin Hooper also has the potential to have his biggest game of the season. He wasnt seeing five targets per game over the first three weeks, but that has increased and hes had five catches per game the last three weeks. Hes still not on pace to score as many touchdowns as last season, and hes yet to avoid a tackle after the catch despite having seven or more avoided tackles each of the last three seasons. The Bengals have given up 404 yards to tight ends, which is the third-most. The combined increased opportunities and defense that has given up plenty of yards should make Hooper owners happy.

This spread has bounced between 3 and 4, with no consensus forming on the early-week number. The Browns are the popular team in the betting market, after receiving 78% of the cash and 81% of the early-week ticket percentages. Our predictive models find little value in this game, so shopping for the best available price is a prudent decision in this situation.

The total has dropped 1.5 points since the open, which could partially be attributed to the lack of points last week. Both defenses rank in the twenties of our opponent-adjusted grades, which highlights why Greenline leans slightly toward the under. There is little betting value in this matchup, but line movement could open up opportunities as we head toward kickoff.

Detroit received a lot of preseason buzz, and that has not come to fruition through five games in 2020. The big area of concern on this team is a defense that continues to disappoint under Matt Patricia. Desmond Trufant has missed multiple games with an injury, and Jeffrey Okudah has not looked like a player who is ready to immediately step in right and replace Darius Slay on the outside, posting a 30.4 PFF coverage gradethrough his first four NFL games.

On the bright side for the Lions, their offense is starting to look more and more like the group that impressed with Matthew Stafford on the field in 2019. Golladays return after missing the first two games of the season with injury has a lot to do with that. Stafford hasnt played particularly well this season, earning a 65.8 PFF grade thus far, but in the three games that hes had Golladay at his disposal, Detroit ranks third in expected points added per pass play behind only Kansas City and Tennessee. That rank was 25th across the first two weeks of the season without Golladay.

He gives Stafford and this offense one of the best downfield, contested-catch targets in the NFL. Look for Golladay to have a big game here against a Falcons secondary that has struggled in coverage this year.

Todd Gurley II still finds himself in a prime sell-high position this game versus the Lions feels extremely trappy. We see teams adjust when they come out after bye weeks, and the Lions run defense looked much improved in Week 6, holding James Robinson to just 29 rushing yards on 12 attempts.

Gurley has been involved more as a pass-catcher in recent weeks nine targets over the past two weeks but his fantasy production is still tied to his rushing production. Gurley could barely get anything going against the Minnesota Vikings (PFFs 28th run-graded defense) in Week 6 (2.4 yards per attempt), so I am not optimistic about his Week 7 matchup.

The Falcons defense is the gift that keeps giving to fantasy owners. Eight different wide receivers have caught had least 90 yards each, which is great news for Kenny Golladay and Matthew Stafford.

The interesting thing will be how well T.J. Hockenson will do. He started the season with at least 50 yards in each of the first three games. Over the last two games, he had been held to under 20 yards each game but has also scored a touchdown in each. The Falcons have yet to face any of the top 20 tight ends drafted this year until this upcoming week. Despite not facing any of the big-name tight ends, theyve allowed five different TEs to gain at least 50 yards. Hockenson has the opportunity for a career game.

The preseason spread of -6 was not going to hold for a team one game after its head coach was fired. This week's opening of -1 was a slight overreaction, with the early-week number locked into -2. Some leading books have the juice on -2, so a bump up to -2.5 still feels like a potential path.

It is more of the same story from our predictive models, needing to go back to the well on the Falcons after their upset victory last week. This team is much better than their early-season struggles, with their late-game collapses at least reflecting their early-game ability. The cash and ticket percentages are counter to our predictive models, with 70% of the cash and 60% of the tickets on the Lions. The Lions have been a trendy betting target throughout 2020, which is a viable reason for why we are so far off-market on this matchup.

The Falcons are once again an over team, sitting at 4-2 going over to start the season. This total is the highest of Week 7 after seeing no change from the opening number.

Arizona beating the undefeated Seahawks following a bye would send a message to the rest of the NFL that it is a legitimate contender in the NFC West. Despite the Cardinals' 4-2 record through six weeks, it doesnt exactly seem like thats how theyre being viewed right now.

More here:
NFL Week 7 Preview: Fantasy football advice, betting tips and matchups to watch | NFL News, Rankings and Statistics - Pro Football Focus

ANGIE THORN| The Guardian

Housing plays a huge part in the quality of life for Soldiers and Family members, which is why the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk and Corvias have partnered to improve Fort Polk housing over the course of a three-phase, multimillion dollar project.

The $15 million phase-one development package began in April 2019 in Dogwood Terrace with renovations to 566 homes. Renovations included the replacement of roofs, some fascia rebuilding, stucco painting, gutter work and three miles of road paving. The Dogwood Terrace project is now complete at a cost of about 8 million dollars. The second part of the package focuses on Maple Terrace, which will involve similar exterior renovations to 580 homes while using the remainder of the $15 million allocation.

Betty Beinkemper, U.S. Army garrison housing assistance office chief, said the Army and Corvias, Fort Polks privatized housing partner, work together by sitting down and deciding what a housing area requires to return it to a standard that makes residents proud to come home.

Dogwood Terrace is one of our older neighborhoods, so we knew it was time to begin our renovations. Now that they are complete, you can see and feel a huge difference when you ride through the neighborhood. We get feedback from residents about how proud they are of the upgrades to their neighborhood, she said.

The quality of life improvements from these renovations are important to the Soldiers and Families of Fort Polk, said Beinkemper.

When Families come to Fort Polk, it is integral to offer them the best housing that we can. These types of renovations not only improve the look of the homes, but they extend the lifespan of the home for several years to come, she said.

Beinkemper said completing the renovations on time has been challenging due to issues like COVID-19 and Hurricane Laura.

COVID-19 slowed down the construction process and closed down the neighborhood centers, but we adjusted and persevered by following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safety measures and developing safe ways to continue work to get the job done, she said.

Hurricane Laura also took a toll on older Maple Terrace homes that havent been renovated yet, but we arent seeing any major damage thats a plus. Looking forward, roof renovations will begin in that neighborhood in the next few weeks. The new roofs in Dogwood Terrace saw very little damage, she said.

With this successful beginning, Beinkemper said she thinks the Fort Polk command team, garrison and Corvias have worked together as a team to improve housing for those Soldiers and Families. That means so much, she said.

Wil Motta, Corvias operations director at Fort Polk, said Corvias is proud to be on the Fort Polk housing team renovating housing for the community.

Renovations completed in the Dogwood Terrace neighborhood have added a welcoming atmosphere for service members and their Families, which is key for the quality of life initiative at Fort Polk, he said.

Motta said beyond renovations, their maintenance team is key to maintaining their residents homes and improving their quality of life on a daily basis.

Its been a cohesive team effort to stay on top of work orders and make things happen. The most important part of our job is to serve our service members. We cant control COVID-19 or hurricanes, but we are laser focused on the well being of our service members and their Families, he said.

Motta said the work has the added benefit of extending the life of the houses.

When you see the improvements that have been made by working with Fort Polk garrison command, the Army is ensuring that we can offer quality housing that feels like home, he said.

Besides renovations, Motta said Corvias understands how important places like their neighborhood centers and other amenities are to residents.

We are currently working hand-in-hand with the Fort Polk garrison command to look into the possibility of safely reopening certain amenities in light of COVID-19, he said. We want to be cautious and make sure we do that in a responsible way, he said.

Staff Sgt. Chris Eckelkamp, 46th Engineer Battalion, along with his spouse, Lauren, and their two children Carson, 6, and Taylor, 10, said they have been happy with the renovations and living conditions in Dogwood Terrace.

This is the first time in 11 years that the Eckelkamps have lived in on-post housing.

After experiencing both home ownership and renting off post, they decided to give on-post living a try when they moved to Fort Polk.

Honestly, its been a wonderful experience, said Lauren. We think of our home as a safe haven, and Corvias helps us do that.

Lauren said they have had small issues with their home that she was surprised Corvias cared about. She said once there was a bird stuck in the hollow column of their house.

We called them and explained that the bird was trapped, and it needed to get out. They immediately sent someone out to help us free the bird, she said.

Then there were the more challenging issues, such as a leak from the garbage disposal and an air conditioner malfunction that flooded the front half of their home.

We had to have the flooring pulled up and replaced. Another company brought in fans to start drying things and to keep us comfortable in the house while the renovations were taking place. They kept us up-to-date when people were coming out to work, answered all of our questions and took good care of us, she said. On top of the new flooring, a couple of weeks later, we got a completely new air conditioning unit. That was important to us because our son, Carson, has severe eczema, which is worsened by the summer heat. I was happy that they handled it quickly, answered all of my questions and concerns and took care of my Familys well-being and comfort.

Having lived off post, the Eckelkamps said they realize how beneficial it is to have someone dependable, like Corvias, to deal with every day issues rather than negotiating with a random property owner that is hard to get in touch with, or bearing the full responsibility themselves for repairs.

If you have to depend on a landlord to fix things, sometimes they wont get around to correcting the problem for a couple of weeks, but when I call Corvias nine times out of 10 somebody is here within a couple of hours, sometimes as fast as 20 minutes to fix whatever is broken, she said.

The Eckelkamps have lived in their Dogwood Terrace home for three years and, since the renovations began, Lauren said she has noticed many of their neighbors homes have been painted and upgraded. The overall curb appeal of the neighborhood has gone up.

A lot of work has been done on the older houses in the neighborhood. Its a cleaner and prettier place to live, she said.

Another benefit of living in Corvias housing is the community centers in each neighborhood, said Lauren.

They play a huge role in our quality of life, she said. The people that work at the centers have always been wonderful to my Family. They are friendly, happy, keep us well informed and are willing to help. Even during the COVID-19 quarantine, when they were closed, I would call them about needing new air conditioner filters or light bulbs and they would say, absolutely. Within 20 minutes, what I needed would be sitting outside my door, she said.

Another Dogwood Terrace Family, Staff Sgt. Chad Withee, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, his spouse, Catherine, and their children, Jacob, 11, Tyson, 7 and Lillianna, 5, have great things to say about Fort Polk and Corvias.

As an Army Family, Catherine said Fort Polk has been one of the better duty stations and homes they have had.

Corvias tends to respond quickly when you have an issue. Sometimes when I call the hotline to place a work order, they tell me they will call me back to schedule a time to work on the issue; but before that even happens, theres a maintenance worker knocking on the door to fix whatever is wrong, she said.

A roof leak at their home is the perfect example of Corvias working to correct issues in a professional manner, according to Catherine.

We noticed water dripping into the entryway. They patched it so it wouldnt leak into the house until scheduled roof renovations could take place. After renovations were complete, we had no issue until six months later when Hurricane Laura hit and we had a minor leak. Even with all the damage to other homes, some more severe than ours, Corvias had someone out here repairing the roof the next day, and we havent had any problems since that time. They have been really responsive to our needs, she said.

In addition to the Withees roof, other renovations to their home included new siding and an exterior paint job.

I think it looks really good. I like it, she said.

Catherine said not having to worry about the home they live in truly improves her Familys quality of life. I know that if something goes wrong, it wont be this huge nightmare to get it fixed. That makes it easier to move on with your daily life and takes the stress and pressure off of us when we have to deal with challenges, like my husband being out in the field or my kids getting sick, she said.

Another plus, as far as living in Corvias housing goes, are the community amenities, said Catherine.

Weve never lived anywhere else that has offered anything beyond a pool. The fact that they have laundry facilities, a gym, playgrounds and entertainment rooms, where kids can sit and watch movies or play with toys, has been wonderful, she said.

Sgt. Ethan Tharpe and his girls, Kaylin, 8, and Kielynn, 4, said that Corvias has been very good to his Family.

Ive never had any issues living on post or in the Dogwood Terrace community. Weve been blessed, he said.

Though he has had small problems, such as a roof leaking, Tharpe said Corvias repaired the issue within 24 hours and checked in for the next three days to make sure it didnt continue to leak.

When the hurricane came through in August, it blew the screens off the windows and a few shingles off the roof. Corvias was able to fix everything pretty quickly, he said. The maintenance guys are always professional.

Regarding Corvias housing, Tharpe said he prefers life in on-post housing.

I would rather have my kids safe and able to enjoy the amenities Corvias offers, he said. Im a single dad, and the folks at the community center have always been nice to my girls. They are kid friendly.

Tharpe said the Dogwood renovations are nice, but his quality of life has always been good in Corvias housing. Ive never had any issues, he said.

At a ribbon cutting held Oct. 5, celebrating the completion of the Dogwood Terrace renovations, Brig. Gen. Patrick D. Frank, JRTC and Fort Polk commanding general, stood with the Fort Polk command team, Corvias team members and Liz Swinney, a Dogwood resident, to cut the ribbon and celebrate the successful completion of the Dogwood Terrace housing upgrades.

The interiors of these homes were always nice, and now we have renovated the exteriors so that our Soldiers and Army Families can be proud of where they live. We want to continue seeing these kinds of improvements in our neighborhoods across Fort Polk, Frank said.

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Quality of Life: Millions invested in post housing - Beauregard Daily News

Town leaders identified the project need before establishing the committee. The building needs fire suppression, handicapped accessibility to all floors, accessible office space, appropriate restroom facilities, and other interior modifications to appropriately serve the public. The building envelope also needs essential maintenance to replace rotted siding and trim, and the building needs structural upgrades. The existing building systems, such as plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and lighting, are antiquated and need replacement. The Town Hall has received minimal improvements since 1897, and the proposed project will help protect the building for the next 100 years or longer.

The THBC hired an owner's project manager and architect in mid-2018. Since then, the THBC met more than 100 times and made two presentations at Town Meeting to further the project. The THBC pledged to deliver a "bid in hand" at Fall 2019 STM to the Special Town Meeting in 2020 after Town Meeting approved the conceptual design. The approved plan will establish an elevator on the exterior of the building, restore the majority of the large meeting space on the second floor, and preserve the grand double-staircase and stage area.

During the past year, the THBC has worked with LLB Architects to complete the Town Hall restoration and preservation project's design and development. The process involved input from many citizens and the Hamilton Historic District Commission (HHDC). The final design is complete and formally put out to bid on Sept. 23. The process to this point has cost the town about $800,000 for a project that will cost just more than $9 million, including all design, temporary offices, and moving costs.

The THBC and the design team have made many efforts to save residents money on the project. The committee struck an understanding with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary for virtually rent-free space for town employees and operations during the planned two-year construction period. The approved plan will save many elements within the existing building, which will result in savings during the fit-out of the temporary office space.

The bids will be opened on Nov. 6, immediately before Special Town Meeting on Nov. 14. Special Town Meeting will consider the actual cost of construction, including all costs associated with temporary office space and moving for the project the estimated costs as of Sept. 29 is $7,924,474.

The THBC received favorable consideration for $3 million in funding from the Community Preservation Committee. If Town Meeting approves the CPC recommendation for $3 million, voters will vote on a $4.9 in a debt-exclusion ballot question. That question would be on a town election ballot on Dec. 3.

The THBC has gained site plan approval from the Planning board, Zoning Approval from the Board of Appeals, and has received support from the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, and the Hamilton Historic District Commission.

This press release was produced by the Town of Hamilton. The views expressed here are the author's own.

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Learn About The Hamilton Town Hall Building Project And Upcoming Votes - Patch.com

NEWPORT NEWS, VA - DF Ventures, a business unit ofDrucker + Falk, has announced the sale of a 710-unit, three property portfolio toThe Kushner Companiesfor $113.0 million. The portfolio consists ofChesapeake Bay Apartmentslocated in Newport News, VA,Hanover Crossingin Mechanicsville, VA, andWilde Lake Apartmentslocated in Henrico, VA.

J Guy Buck, CFO of Drucker + Falk, said, This was a great opportunity to leverage DF Multifamilys management and renovation expertise. We are very proud to have delivered extraordinary returns to our investors. DF Ventures, along with a partner, acquired the properties in May of 2016 for $68.5 million and implemented a $10.5 million renovation plan across the three properties which, combined with stellar property management, resulted in an average return on investment exceeding 30% annually.

DF Ventures is very pleased with the success of our value-add business plan for this portfolio. Renovating each communitys clubhouse and upgrading amenities has resulted in higher leasing traffic, and renovating unit interiors, curing deferred maintenance, and enhancing exteriors has vastly improved curb appeal, said DF Ventures Director, Eric Skow.

Exterior renovations included: replacing vinyl siding at Hanover Crossing Apartments in Richmond metro areas Hanover County with hardiplank; painting exteriors at Chesapeake Bay and Wilde Lake; asphalt renovations, replacing or repairing patios, and window replacement at Wilde Lake; and repairing balconies and stairwells, adding dog parks, swimming pool and pool deck resurfacing, and upgrading pool furniture at the properties. Apartment home renovations included kitchen and bath upgrades including cabinets, countertops, new brushed nickel hardware throughout, modern lighting package, vinyl plank flooring, replacing polybutylene piping at two of the properties and new appliances. Residents, prospects, local residents, and businesses were ecstatic with the transformation of the communities, new color choices, new 24-hour fitness centers, and clubhouses.

DF Ventures extends their appreciation to Charles Wentworth, Hank Hankins, Will Matthews, and the Colliers Multifamily Investment Sales team for their marketing of the portfolio and help concluding a very successful sales transaction.

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Drucker + Falk Announces 710-Unit Three Property Portfolio Sale in Virginia to The Kushner Companies for $113 Million - MultifamilyBiz.com

Posted: Oct 19, 2020 / 03:14 PM EDT / Updated: Oct 19, 2020 / 03:14 PM EDT

Congratulations to Michele Fricano of Syracuse. Shes the winner of Everyone Deserves a Roof Over Their Head, our contest with The Roofing Guys. Her entry was chosen by a panel of judges to receive a new roof.

The prize includes a roof replacement or repair including materials and labor from The Roofing Guys, valued at up to $10,000. Angela Flynn of The Roofing Guys says Micheles short essay touched her heart. Michele can expect her new roof to be installed before Thanksgiving.

If youre looking for a new roof, check out The Roofing Guys. Theyre a family owned and operated business that strives to offer excellent roofing and siding services. They are fully insured and offer free estimates. Connect with them at 315-640-3351 or TheRoofingGuysCNY.com.

Their goal: To Make Customers Happy Every Shingle Time.

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The Roofing Guys Help A Family In Need With New Roof - WSYR

DODGE CITY, Kan. (KSNW) A new Kansas Department of Transportation Short Line Rail Fund program will be bringing much-needed upgrades to rail systems across the state.

The project is part of Governor Kellys IKE Program and will fund five million dollars annually for three years toward improving railway grain transportation.

There are a total of 13 renovations taking place on three short-line railway systems across the state aiming to improve and build nearly 15 miles of track.

Four of the projects will be focused on improvements to short-line rails, and the other nine projects will bring repairs to grain elevators.

It will really benefit rural Kansas and a lot of small communities, some of which, dont have rail service to their grain elevators, said Ron Seeber, president and CEO Kansas Grain and Feed Association.

Railways are critical in the transportation of grain. The USDA reported rail cars account for a quarter of all grain shipments.

Rail is one of the most cost-effective ways to get grain from the farmer to the end-user, said Seeber.

The project will repair and increase the capacity of bridges, improve elevator siding, lay down additional tracks, and allow more grain cars to be filled at once.

For farmers, this could mean less trucking and quicker payments.

For farmers, instead of having to drive their truck all the way to an elevator a county away, if this is centrally located, they can just bring it to the rail stop, said Seeber.

For towns, the project creates an economic lifeline.

The railways will now be able to put up to 2,400 grain cars on the tracks each year, taking an estimated 10,000 semis, or motor-carrier trucks, off the highways.

This is expected to create less wear on state roads while helping provide a small-amount of relief for the transportation industry and its current shortage of licensed commercial drivers.

It will allow for a lot more railcars to be serviced in rural Kansas, said Seeber.

The Cimarron Valley Railway will be the largest of the 13 projects. The line of tracks will see rail replacement and bridge repairs totaling nearing $1.1 million in grant money alone.

The total investment of all the renovations will reach nearly $7 million dollars. It will be funded 70% by the state and 30% by the applicants.

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Renovations to rural rail service estimated to take nearly 10,000 semis off the roadways - KSN-TV

Protesters saved the Weddle Covered Bridge in Sweet Home, Oregon, and helped protect the rest of the state's covered bridges.

After the construction of a concrete bridge further down Thomas Creek in 1980, the Weddle Covered Bridge fell into disuse, was deemed unsafe, and slated for demolition later that decade, according to Covered-bridges.org. This sparked outrage among local bridge enthusiasts, leading to protests and one individual even chaining himself to a bulldozer.

This all attracted the attention of Senator Mae Yih, a covered bridge enthusiast herself, who led the Oregon Legislature to establish the Oregon Covered Bridge Program, which helps cover the costs of repairing and maintaining the state's covered bridges. The Weddle Covered Bridge was the first to receive a grant from the program and in 1989, the bridge was moved to its current location over Ames Creek.

The Artist's Bridge in Newry, Maine, is named after an American painter who loved the structure.

Every artist has their muse. For John Joseph Enneking, one of America's first impressionist painters, it was the Sunday River Bridge in Newry, Maine. According to Atlas Obscura, after Enneking finished his duty as a Union soldier in the Civil War, he devoted himself to painting. He became so skilled that he was one of the first Americans to paint Claude Monet's garden.

Over the years Enneking became a master of painting New England's landscapes and, though he lived in Boston, loved traveling to Newry. Enneking was seen painting en plein air near the bridge so often that it became commonly referred to as Artist's Bridge.

The Stark Covered Bridge in New Hampshire's Stark Village was swept downstream in the 1890s but still handles traffic today.

When the Stark Covered Bridge was built in 1862, it only had one central pier holding up the structure. This proved to be no match for the Upper Ammonoosuc River, which, during high waters in the 1890s, destroyed the pier and pulled the bridge downstream, according to the State of New Hampshire. A team of men and oxen had to pull the bridge back to its proper location, where it was repaired and placed on a new set of stone piers.

Campbell's Covered Bridge in Gowensville, South Carolina, is the state's last standing covered bridge.

Now located in a Greenville County park, Campbell's Covered Bridge and the nearby grist mill are perfect places to take in the fall foliage.

At only 38 feet long, it's one of America's smaller covered bridges. But its impact on local communities was felt. According to the SC Picture Project, Campbell's Covered Bridge connected several rural communities and turned what was once a 25-mile, day-long trip into one that took only an hour.

The Philippi Covered Bridge in Philippi, West Virginia, is the only covered bridge in use by the US Highway System.

On June 3, 1861, the first land battle of the Civil War took place in Philippi, West Virginia. During the course of the battle, Union troops took control of the Philippi Covered Bridge and used it as barracks, according to West Virginia Tourism.

Today, despite 60% of the bridge burning in 1989, the double-barreled 286-foot-long bridge, which was built in 1852, is the only remaining covered bridge in service by the US Federal Highway System, transporting cars on US Route 250, according to WDTV.

The Flume Covered Bridge in Lincoln, New Hampshire, is named after a nearby gorge.

Located in Lincoln, New Hampshire, the picturesque Flume Covered Bridge overlooks the Pemigewasset River in Franconia Notch State Park. It is debated whether the candy-apple red structure was built in 1871 or 1886, but regardless, it one of the oldest covered bridges in the state. According to New Hampshire State Parks, bridges like Flume "were often called 'kissing bridges' because of the darkness and privacy they provided."

Today, only park traffic such as tour buses are allowed to drive through the bridge. But there's a walkway attached to the bridge's north side so that hikers can travel to its namesake, Flume Gorge, which extends 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty.

The Felton Covered Bridge in Felton, California, is the tallest in the US.

Originally constructed in 1892 as the main access point into Felton, California, the Felton Covered Bridge is now only used for pedestrian traffic. It stretches 80 feet across the San Lorenzo River and stands a whopping 35 feet tall, making it the tallest covered bridge in the country, according to Culture Trip. The bridge is also reportedly haunted by the ghost of a woman who was killed there after she was accused of being a witch.

Connecticut's West Cornwall Covered Bridge is one of the most iconic in all of New England.

After years of trying and failing to construct a bridge to span the Housatonic River, the 172-foot-long West Cornwall Covered Bridge in West Cornwall, Connecticut, was built in 1841 and still carries traffic to this day. But its longevity hasn't come without issues.

According to Connecticut History.org, as traffic advanced, the safety of the bridge was questioned, leading to its temporary closure in the 1920s. In 1945 a 20-ton oil tanker fell through the bridge's floor and in 1968, the State of Connecticut planned on replacing the bridge until the local community petitioned to renovate it instead. In 1973 the state's Department of Transportation inserted a steel support deck that has not only kept the structure healthy well into the 21st century but also won an award from the Federal Highway Administration for historic preservation.

The bridge has grown to become one of the most popular in New England, inspiring historian Michael Gannett to pen "A Historical Guide to the West Cornwall Covered Bridge," and earning it a spot in the opening scenes of the 1967 movie "Valley of the Dolls."

A quirky arch defines Humpback Covered Bridge in Covington, Virginia.

Built in 1857, Humpback Bridge is Virginia's oldest remaining covered bridge, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation. Spanning 100 feet across Dunlap Creek, it is 4 feet higher in the middle, giving the bridge its iconic arched structure.

Traffic hasn't crossed the bridge since 1929, and for many years the bridge was neglected and became rundown at one point a nearby farmer used the bridge to store hay. But in 1954 the bridge was reopened to the public as a tourism spot, following local fundraising efforts to restore it.

Goodpasture Covered Bridge near Vida, Oregon, is famous for its louvered windows.

Stretching 165 feet across the McKenzie River, the Goodpasture Covered Bridge, built in 1938, is truly one of a kind. While some covered bridges are open on the sides so pedestrians can admire the surrounding landscape, Goodpasture features 10 Gothic-style louvered windows on each side, which have helped make it, as Eugene Cascades & Coast writes, "Oregon's most frequently photographed covered bridge."

Though the bridge is picturesque among the fall foliage, during the holidays the bridge is lit up using LED lights and decorated with Christmas trimmings, turning it into an even more photogenic destination.

The Horton Mill Covered Bridge is one of three intact structures that make Blount County, Alabama, the state's covered bridge capital.

Towering 70 feet above the Calvert Prong of the Little Warrior River, the Horton Mill Covered Bridge in Oneonta, Alabama, is the highest covered bridge above a body of water in the US, according to Alabama.com. Built in 1935, the 208-foot-long bridge is one of three bridges in Blount County that make it the state's covered bridge capital. After a renovation in 2013, the bridge reopened to traffic.

The bridge features a dedicated nature trail, which has become a popular spot for local bird watchers to spot resident and migratory birds. It is also the site of the state's annual Covered Bridge Festival.

The Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa, is Hollywood famous and reportedly haunted.

Popularized by the novel and film "The Bridges of Madison County," the Roseman Covered Bridge in Winterset, Iowa, is one of six and arguably the most famous remaining bridges of the original 19 structures erected in the area. The bridge, built in 1883, is not only famous for being the romantic backdrop for Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep it's also reportedly haunted.

According to Only In Your State, there are two spooky folktales involving the bridge. The first tells the story of a father's disapproval of his daughter's boyfriend. One night, the young man rode toward his lover's house intent on being with her but found the father and his friends instead. They chased him back across the bridge but when the horse appeared on the other side, the young man was nowhere to be found.

The second tells the tale of an escaped convict who, when blocked off on both sides of the bridge by the sheriff's men, reportedly screamed and disappeared into thin air, never to be found.

Pioneers and miners first used the Wowana Covered Bridge in the Yosemite Valley during the mid-1800s.

One of the few remaining covered bridges in California, the Wawona Covered Bridge was once the gateway for pioneers and tourists to travel to Yosemite National Park. According to the National Park Service, the bridge was constructed in 1857 and extends 130 feet across the South Fork of the Merced River. It wasn't actually covered until 1879, when a trio of brothers from Vermont who ran the nearby Wawona Hotel felt homesick and decided to add walls and a steeply pitched ceiling which, according to their granddaughters, reminded them of the covered bridges and houses back home in New England.

Throughout the years, many famous people traveled to Yosemite National Park via the Wawona bridge, including Theodore Roosevelt and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

The Cornish-Windsor Bridge connecting New Hampshire and Vermont is the longest wooden bridge in America.

Built in 1866, the Cornish-Windsor Bridge crosses the Connecticut River and connects the towns of Cornish, New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont. According to the State of New Hampshire's website, at 449 feet and 5 inches, the bridge is the longest wooden bridge in the country and the longest two-span covered bridge in the world.

Prior to its construction, three other bridges existed in its place but were all destroyed by floods. The Cornish-Windsor bridge also suffered flood and ice damage in 1977, eventually forcing it to be closed to traffic in 1987. In 1989, after a $4.4 million renovation, the bridge reopened to traffic.

Union and Confederate troops used the Sachs Covered Bridge in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the Civil War.

For over 100 years after David Stoner built this 100-foot-long bridge in 1852, pedestrian traffic flowed over Marsh Creek via the Sachs Covered Bridge; in 1968 it was closed to automobiles. Today it's still a popular tourist attraction. According to Destination Gettysburg, the Department of Highways, in 1938, designated the bridge as Pennsylvania's "most historic bridge," largely due to its use by both Union and Confederate troops during the Civil War.

Perhaps because of its proximity to the location of the Battle of Gettysburg, where more than 50,000 Union and Confederate troops died, the bridge is reported to be one of the most haunted spots in the state. According to Civil War Ghosts, at least three Southern soldiers were executed at the bridge; visitors report seeing three heads floating on the bridge at night, and some claim they've even snapped pictures of the three soldiers' ghosts. Visitors have also reported feeling taps on their shoulders and hearing the sound of gunshots.

The Portland Mills Covered Bridge in Parke County, Indiana, was saved from demolition and is now the perfect backdrop for a picture.

Five years after its construction in 1865, the Portland Mills Covered Bridge was scheduled for demolition. The Town of Portland Mills was to be filled in as a part of the project to create Lake Mansfield, according to Raccoon Lake's website. Instead, in 1961 the bridge was moved to the location of the Dooley Station Covered Bridge, which was destroyed in an act of arson in 1960. After various restorative efforts throughout the last century, the bridge is now open to traffic.

The Newfield Covered Bridge in Newfield, New York, was supposed to feature a European-style mural until the artist died.

When the Newfield Covered Bridge was built from 1851-1853, it originally featured solid siding along the length of the structure. But later, according to the Newfield Historical Society, diamond-shaped windows were cut to let light in and to observe the West Branch of the Cayuga Inlet.

Legend has it that $200 of the original $800 it cost to build the structure were intended for a decorative mural like the ones commonly found in covered bridges in Lucerne, Switzerland. But the artist died and no one could agree on a replacement before the start of the Civil War. The bridge has had to be reconstructed twice and in 1969 it was almost torn down, but Grant and Marie Musser who are nicknamed the "Keepers of the Bridge," saved the structure.

Floods and fires destroyed the four bridges that preceded Bath Covered Bridge in Bath, New Hampshire.

Based on the Town of Bath's history of covered bridges crossing the Ammonoosuc River, it's a miracle the Bath Covered Bridge has handled traffic since its construction in 1832. The area's first three bridges were lost to floods and the fourth burned down, according to theState of New Hampshire.

In March 1833, the town voted to post a sign (that still hangs today) reading "ONE DOLLAR FINE TO DRIVE ANY TEAM FASTER THAN A WALK ON THIS BRIDGE," encouraging people to "walk" their horses across the structure instead of gallop, fearing that the impact would cause the fifth bridge to collapse, according toHistoric Structures.

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21 beautiful covered bridges to visit on a fall road trip - Insider - INSIDER

Setting term limits for the justices on the Supreme Court is a much better way to respond to the expected confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett than packing the court. Many who recommend term limits suggest that each term should last eighteen years. Justices terms would be staggered so that there would an equal number of openings during each presidential term. Such a plan would reduce the role of fortune in determining how many justices a president nominates, and the political parties would no longer be tempted to resort to all-out war every time a justice leaves the court, as their departures would be mandated and fairly distributed.

Term limits would also eliminate the incentive for presidents to pick young and relatively inexperienced judges just to try to prolong their time on the high court. And leaders from both parties could tell their voters that they have ensured that the other side will never again get a lifetime appointment, as stated in a Washington Post editorial. Steven G. Calabresi, a law professor at Northwestern, adds, In the case of early retirements or deaths, the president would nominate and the Senate would conrm a replacement to ll out the unexpired term with no possibility of reappointment.

When the founders were debating the Constitution and seeking to create an independent judiciary, they determined that lifetime appointments would be beneficial, helping to protect both judges and the Constitution from political influence that might undermine them. But many now believe that the pendulum swung too far the other way, with a high court too reflective of past political fights and thus unresponsive to contemporary realities, as Ilya Shapiro, Director of the Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute, wrote in the Atlantic.

The main shortcoming of the often-suggested implementation of term limits is that it will leave the current court in place, possibly for a decade or more, because the currently sitting justices would retain their lifetime appointments. This would leave in place a court many believe includes a justice who was appointed in an illegitimate way, who is expected to vote to undo health care rights (by demolishing Obamacare) and womens rights (by overturning Roe v. Wade), as well as play a key role in tilting the results of future elections in favor of Republicans.

For this reason, some advocate for packing the court. However, packing the court will make it difficult for the court to function smoothly. Imagine consensus building with fifteen members. If the Supreme Court would have different judges ruling on different matters, that would create a lot of tension in terms of what is assigned to which panel of justices. And the GOP may well come back in the future and pack or repack the court some more, turning its composition into even more of a political arena than it now is.

The way out of these difficulties is to make the terms limits retroactive. Such a law would immediately end the term of one liberal justice, Stephen Breyer, who was appointed in 1994, and a conservative justice, Clarence Thomas, who was appointed in 1991. This would allow President Joe Biden to appoint two liberal judges, which would still leave a conservative majority, but of the kind we have had recently, with a five to four makeup, rather than the six to three configuration that Coney Barretts confirmation is expected to cement. Chief Justice John Roberts could continue to provide glimpses of some kind of political balance by occasionally siding with the liberals.

One may argue that there is a strong norm against introducing laws that take effect retroactively. However, given the extremely unfair way the Republicans blocked the nomination of Merrick Garland and the way they are rushing through the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett, this seems merely to balance the books.

Beyond the number, there is a voice issue. The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg left the Supreme Court not merely short of one liberal vote but also deprived of a powerful justice and persona. No one has ever charged Justice Breyer with these qualities. Hence, if Biden is able to replace him, he could appoint a liberal with a strong voice, so that liberal Americans feel that at least they have been heard, even in cases in which their views still will not be heeded.

Amitai Etzioniis a University Professor and professor of international affairs at The George Washington University. His latest book,Reclaiming Patriotism, was published by the University of Virginia Press in 2019 and is available fordownload without charge.

Image: Reuters.

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Forget Court Packing: Only Term Limits Can Save The Supreme Court - The National Interest

Fall is a great time to tackle projects around the house. The weather each fall allows homeowners to make improvements to their homes exteriors without worrying about extreme heat or cold, while interior projects like painting are made easier because homeowners can open the windows to allow for proper ventilation.

Fall also marks a great time to prepare for upcoming projects that can make winter work that much easier. For example, fall is a great time to take stock of your gutters so you can address any issues before leaves begin to fall or the first snowstorm touches down. Compromised gutters can contribute to water issues in basements and adversely affect a homes foundation if not addressed immediately, so it behooves homeowners to learn the signs that gutters are in need of repair or replacement.

Gutters hanging off the home: Gutters were once installed predominantly with spikes. However, many industry professionals now install gutters with hanger brackets. Why the change? Spikes loosen over time, leading to the gutters hanging off the home. That can contribute to serious issues if left untreated. Gutters hanging off the home need not necessarily be replaced, but rather secured to the home, ideally with hanger brackets instead of spikes. Brackets hook into the front of the gutter and are then screwed into the fascia of a home. A professional who specializes in gutter repair can perform this task relatively quickly, and its an inexpensive yet highly effective solution.

Gutter separation: Gutters that are no longer fastened together can leak and contribute to issues that affect the homes foundation, siding and appearance. Clogs and the accumulation of debris can cause gutters to separate because they are not designed to hold too much weight. Replacement of separated gutters may or may not be necessary depending on how big the problem is and the condition of the existing gutters. If replacement is not necessary, separated gutters may be remedied by securing the joints, another relatively simple and inexpensive fix.

Peeling exterior paint: Paint that appears to be peeling off of your home may indicate that water is seeping over the edge of the gutter closest to your home. When that happens, water is coming down the side of the house, causing the paint to peel. In such instances, replacing the gutters is often necessary.

Basement flooding: Not all signs of deteriorating gutters are outside a home. Many a homeowner has been flummoxed by flooding in their basements, and such flooding can be caused by aging, ineffective gutters. Thats because deteriorating gutters sometimes allow water to leak near the foundation of a home, contributing to basement flooding.

Fall is an ideal time to inspect gutters and have any issues fixed before leaves begin to fall or harsh winter weather arrives.

Story courtesy of Metro Creative Connection

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Signs your gutters are in need of repair - The Oakland Press

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The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,403 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 and five additional deaths Sunday, as several regions saw a significant drop in positivity rate.

The state received the results of 46,496 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday afternoon. The state's seven-day rolling positivity rate went down to 4.04%.

Illinois now has seen 249,580 total cases of the virus and 8,171 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 4,418,372 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Saturday, Illinois had 1,504 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 356 were in intensive care units, and 134 were on ventilators.

Regional update: According to aJuly 15 updateto Gov. JB Pritzker's COVID-19 response plan, the state will be tracking public health metrics in a slightly different way to monitor any potential resurgences of COVID-19. Additional restrictions can be placed on any of the state's 11 health regions if the region sustains an increase in its average positivity rate for seven days out of a 10-day period.

A region also may become more restrictive if there is a seven-day increase in hospital admissions for COVID-19-related illness or a reduction in hospital medical/surgical beds or ICU capacity below 20%. If a region reports three consecutive days with more than an 8% average positivity rate, additional infection mitigation will be considered through atiered system of restriction guidelinesoffered by the IDPH.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen four days of positivity increases and three days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.4%, a decrease of 0.6 percentage points in one day. Currently, 41% and 57% of medical/surgical beds and ICU beds are available, respectively.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen four days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.3%, a single-day decrease of 0.6 percentage points. Currently, 32% of medical/surgical beds and 47% of ICU beds are available.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen three days of positivity increases and four days of hospital admission increases.The region's positivity rate decreased to 7.6%, a decrease of 1.1 percentage points in a single day.

Additional mitigation measures from the IDPH have been placed on the region, and the region has gotten down below 8%. If it can hold below 8%, it will avoid additional mitigations. To return to the standard Phase 4 restrictions, the region will need to maintain an average positivity rate of less than or equal to 6.5% over a 14-day period. Currently, 31% of the region's medical/surgical beds and 30% of its ICU beds are available.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has seen six days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.7%, a decrease of 0.9 percentage points in a single day. Currently, 42% of medical/surgical beds and 50% of ICU beds are available.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen five days of positivity increases and three days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 7.5%. Currently, 41% of medical/surgical beds and 41% of ICU beds are available.

Chicago has seen two days of positivity increases and two days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.0%. Currently, 27% of medical/surgical beds and 40% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen three days of positivity increases and four days of hospital admission increases. The region's positivity rate decreased to 5.9%, a single-day decrease of 0.8 percentage points. Currently, 30% of medical/surgical beds and 35% of ICU beds are available.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard online.

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Here's where each health region in northern Illinois stands as of Sunday - The Herald-News