The San Francisco 49ers are not planning to rest many starters against the Rams in Week 18, but due to injuries, some backups will get a chance to play more. Quarterback Sam Darnold will start, offering him a chance to showcase his abilities before becoming a free agent. Return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud is coming off IR and will get game time to shake off rust. Running backs Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason will have opportunities to prove themselves as reliable options behind Christian McCaffrey. Cornerback Samuel Womack could see increased playtime due to Jason Verrett's injury, and offensive tackle Jaylon Moore will likely get snaps as Trent Williams is not expected to play the whole game. Defensive lineman Clelin Ferrell has personal incentives to play for, including snap count and sack targets.
The Los Angeles Rams are resting their starters, including Matthew Stafford and Aaron Donald, for the upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers, giving backups a chance to prove themselves. Key players to watch include quarterback Carson Wentz, running backs such as Rivers and Royce Freeman, tight end Allen, wide receiver Atwell, and rookie pass rusher Hampton. This game presents a significant opportunity for these players to showcase their abilities and potentially earn more playing time in the playoffs or compete for starting roles next season.
Xbox users are being alerted to a significant change in Xbox Network's storage policy, effective from January 9, where screenshots and gameplay clips will be deleted after 90 days. To prevent loss of data, players are advised to back up their captures to an external device or a service like OneDrive before the deadline. The change does not affect captures stored on internal or external drives, although some users have reported issues with internal storage. Gamers should visit the 'My Captures' page to manage and save their files accordingly.
WhatsApp users will soon see a change in how their chat backups are stored on Google Drive, as these will start counting towards the Google account's storage limit. Previously, WhatsApp backups were exempt from the 15 GB free storage quota on Google Drive. The change, which is currently being tested in the WhatsApp beta program, is expected to be implemented in the first half of 2024 for all users. WhatsApp is informing users about the upcoming change 30 days in advance, and those concerned about storage space can consider local backups or backing up text messages only to save space.
As Week 14 approaches, there are several unanswered quarterback questions in the NFL. Joe Flacco is expected to start for the Cleveland Browns, Trevor Lawrence is likely to play for the Jacksonville Jaguars despite an ankle injury, Derek Carr will play for the New Orleans Saints despite dealing with rib and shoulder injuries, and Geno Smith's status for the Seattle Seahawks is in doubt, with Drew Lock preparing to start. The instability at the quarterback position has been a defining theme of the 2023 season, with numerous backups starting games and potentially leading their teams to the playoffs.
Alabama's backups had a chance to shine in their 66-10 victory over Chattanooga, with over 50 Crimson Tide players seeing the field. Quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Dylan Lonergan got playing time in the second half, while running backs Richard Young and Justice Haynes scored their first touchdowns. Head coach Nick Saban praised the young players' development and experience, emphasizing the importance of game time for their growth. With tougher matchups ahead, including the Iron Bowl against Auburn and the SEC championship game against Georgia, having more players with game experience will be beneficial for Alabama.
WhatsApp for Android will no longer exempt backups from counting towards Google Drive storage limits, starting with beta users in December and all Android users in the first half of 2024. Users will be notified 30 days in advance and can choose to use WhatsApp Chat Transfer for wireless transfers between devices. Google suggests upgrading to Google One subscriptions for more storage and will offer limited promotions. This change aligns Android with iOS, where backups have always counted towards storage limits.
Several Washington Commanders players, mostly backups, showcased their potential and contributed to the team's preseason win against the Baltimore Ravens, highlighting the team's improved depth. These players demonstrated their ability to make valuable contributions when called upon in the upcoming season.
GravityRAT, a cross-platform malware capable of targeting Windows, Android, and macOS devices, has been found masquerading as messaging apps BingeChat and Chatico in a narrowly targeted campaign since June 2022. The updated version of the Android remote access trojan can exfiltrate WhatsApp backups and receive commands to delete files. The threat actor is suspected to be based in Pakistan, with recent attacks involving GravityRAT targeting military personnel in India and among the Pakistan Air Force by camouflaging it as cloud storage and entertainment apps.
Several Washington Commanders backups could potentially become starters by the end of the 2023 season, including Cornelius Lucas, Benjamin St-Juste, Darrick Forrest, and Brian Robinson Jr. Additionally, the article suggests that the team should consider employing a kicking coach to help improve the consistency of kicker Joey Slye, who has struggled with extra point accuracy.
The San Francisco 49ers' preseason schedule has been announced, with their first game against the Las Vegas Raiders on August 13. The game will likely feature backups, as most starters are pulled before the end of the first quarter. The following two games will be against the Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Chargers, respectively, and will also showcase the team's backups.
