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Pierce hopes to name Raiders starting quarterback after preseason game against the Cowboys

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Pierce hopes to name Raiders starting quarterback after preseason game against the Cowboys
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Pierce hopes to name Raiders starting quarterback after preseason game against the Cowboys

2024-08-12 04:17 Last Updated At:04:21

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Raiders' quarterback battle between Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew has been even and coach Antonio Pierce is ready for the competition to end.

He said Sunday that he hopes to name a starter after Las Vegas hosts the Dallas Cowboys in a preseason game Saturday. The Raiders will then have just one exhibition left, Aug. 23 against the San Francisco 49ers, before the season begins.

“We've got to get ready to play football,” Pierce said. “We've got enough film. We'll have two games in to evaluate.”

He said he hasn't determined which quarterback will start, but like in Saturday's 24-23 preseason loss at Minnesota each will get a quarter of action.

O'Connell, who went 5-4 after becoming the starter last season, opened the game against the Vikings behind center. He drove Las Vegas 83 yards on 15 plays before the series stalled on a sack and resulted in a field goal. O'Connell completed 7 of 9 passes for 76 yards.

“I think it was solid, but a few things I need to work out," O'Connell said after the game. “It will never be perfect, no matter how much you play. I definitely know I have a few things that need to be corrected.”

Minshew, who nearly led the Indianapolis Colts into the playoffs last season, played the second quarter, leading the offense to 17 points. He finished 6 of 12 for 117 yards and a 20-yard touchdown pass to DJ Turner.

“I’ve never been on a team where one quarterback plays the whole time (in preseason),” Minshew said. “There’s going to be an opportunity. We both have to hang in there and lead the offense when we’re in.”

By the time both quarterbacks left the game, the Raiders had a 20-7 lead.

“I thought both guys were efficient,” Pierce said. “I thought there were some opportunities that Minshew made down the field that were really good. When it's a clean pocket, you can see what this offense can be with both guys.

"I thought Aidan did a really good job of being backed down in the red zone and Gardner with the two-minute drill. Everything we wanted to get out of preseason (opener), we got.”

Three key pieces were missing offensively.

Star wide receiver Davante Adams remained on paternity leave for the birth of his son, but Pierce said he was back with the team.

Pierce also was hopeful two potential starting offensive linemen will return next week. Left tackle Kolton Miller and left guard Jackson Powers-Johnson have been on the physically unable to perform list. Miller is rated by Pro Football Focus as the NFL's 10th-best tackle, and Powers-Johnson was a second-round draft pick this year out of Oregon.

Pierce said if he had a do-over against the Vikings, he probably wouldn't have used all his timeouts at the end of the game.

He called his first timeout with 49 seconds left and the Raiders ahead 23-21. The Vikings had third-and-3 at Las Vegas' 39-yard line, and Pierce hoped to force a field goal and get the ball back in time to try to score, if necessary.

But Minnesota picked up the first down. Pierce then used his final two timeouts even though he couldn't prevent the Vikings from running down the clock to kick the winning field goal, which is what happened.

“Lesson learned,” said Pierce, who is entering his first season as the full-time coach after going 5-4 as the interim last year. “We thought maybe it would play out a little differently.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce talks to his players before an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/3387204Name)

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce talks to his players before an NFL preseason football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/3387204Name)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) scramble past Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andre Carter II (55) during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) scramble past Minnesota Vikings linebacker Andre Carter II (55) during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) throws against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) throws against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half of an NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

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Everything you need to know about the 2025 Sundance Film Festival

2025-01-23 00:08 Last Updated At:00:11

PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — As many in the entertainment industry navigate the devastating effects of the California wildfires, some will soon be decamping to cleaner air in the mountains. The annual Sundance Film Festival begins Thursday in Park City, Utah.

The 41st edition of Robert Redford’s brainchild will, as always, be a year of discovery and discussion. There are timely films:

— “Free Leonard Peltier,” which will premiere just days after former President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of the Indigenous activist nearly half a century after he was imprisoned for the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.

— Oscar-winner Mstyslav Chernov’s“2000 Meters to Andriivka,” a joint production between The Associated Press and Frontline about an attempt to liberate an occupied territory in Ukraine

— Several films about trans rights including “Heightened Scrutiny,” about civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio. It's a topic even more pressing after President Donald Trump signed executive orders Monday rolling back protections for transgender people.

There are even some controversies brewing: “The Stringer,” from documentary filmmaker Bao Nguyen, calls into question who took the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Napalm Girl” photograph. Retired AP photographer Nick Ut and the AP, which conducted a six-month investigation into the allegation, are contesting it vigorously and lawyers have asked for it to be pulled from the program.

“The film is an investigation,” said Eugene Hernandez, the director of the festival, who is moving forward with plans to screen it. “I think it will be a really important conversation that will come out over the next few days after the film is seen by more people.”

Don’t worry, it’s not all heavy. There’s drama of course, even a film about starting over after a fire (“Rebuilding,” with Josh O’Connor), horror, satire, literary adaptations, comedy, documentaries about famous faces, and some that simply defy categorization.

“There’s some really funny stuff in the program,” Hernandez said. One of those Hernandez cited is “Bubble & Squeak,” about a married couple accused of smuggling cabbages into a nation where they’re banned.

For first time filmmakers, Sundance can be their chance to break through in a big way. That happened last year for “Dìdi” filmmaker Sean Wang. Some films that debuted last January are still in the awards conversation, like “A Real Pain” and “A Different Man.” For actors, the festival is both a casual respite to awards season glitz (snow boots are more likely on red carpets than high heels) and can be a chance to show audiences a new dimension of their talent.

“It’s a strong year of renewal for our artist community,” Hernandez said. “And we have a lot of really great voices and stories that we get to unveil in the coming days.”

Here’s everything you need to know:

Sundance runs from Jan. 23 through Feb. 2. There are about 90 features premiering across the 11 days, with screenings starting early in the morning through midnight. Award-winners will be announced on Jan. 31.

Stars with films premiering include Jennifer Lopez, Benedict Cumberbatch, Diego Luna, Conan O’Brien, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Ayo Edebiri, Olivia Colman, André Holland, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Bowen Yang, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Lily Gladstone, Dev Patel, Emily Watson, John Lithgow, Marlee Matlin, John Malkovich, Rose Byrne, Chloë Sevigny, Josh O’Connor, Ben Whishaw, Dylan O’Brien, Lili Reinhart and Willem Dafoe.

One of the greatest things about Sundance is that it’s often the under-the-radar movies that become the breakouts.

But some of the higher-profile premieres going into the festival include: Bill Condon’s “Kiss of the Spider-Woman,” starring Lopez; Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary “SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)”; “Opus,” a horror about the cult of celebrity with Edebiri and John Malkovich; Andrew Ahn’s “The Wedding Banquet,” with Bowen Yang and Kelly Marie Tran; the war satire “Atropia,” with Alia Shawkat; “Pee-wee as Himself,” about the late Paul Reubens; “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore”; and Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman’s doc “The Alabama Solution,” about a cover-up in one of America’s most notorious prison systems.

Festival organizers have been in dialogue with filmmakers, staff, audiences and donors about the effects of the fires, supporting and accommodating where possible including pushing back deadlines to allow filmmakers more time to finish. The festival will also have a QR code displayed before screenings for information on sharing resources or contributing to relief efforts.

“As hard as the last week has been, this will be a moment to come together,” Hernandez said. “The community’s really responding to support those who need it most right now. I think that’s going to be a profound aspect of this year’s festival.”

For the most part, yes. Starting in 2027 the festival will no longer be primarily based in Park City. It may stay in Utah but would operate mainly out of Salt Lake City. Other finalists are Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio. The Sundance Institute is expected to announce its final decision in the first quarter of 2025.

“Park City as the home of Sundance is such a special place,” Hernandez said. “I look at it optimistically because we have two more exciting years in this current configuration. I think we’re going to make the most of those two years and make them as memorable and meaningful as we can.”

Access to the movies premiering at Sundance doesn’t necessary require an expensive trip to Park City anymore. The festival has fully embraced an online component for many of their films.

What started as a necessary COVID-19 adjustment has become a vital part of the program. From Jan. 30 through Feb. 2, audiences can stream much of the program online. Prices start at $35 for a single film ticket and go up to $800 for unlimited access.

Otherwise, films that secure distribution can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a year to hit theaters or streaming services. Steven Soderbergh's “Presence,” which premiered last January, is just hitting theaters this week.

For more coverage of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival visit: https://apnews.com/hub/sundance-film-festival

The marquee of the Egyptian Theatre is shown Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

The marquee of the Egyptian Theatre is shown Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

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