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The NWSL Playoffs get underway when the OL Reign and Angel City FC square off in the first round on Friday night. The two teams will go head to head at Lumen Field in Seattle and the winner will go on to meet San Diego Wave FC in the semifinals. The two sides are familiar foes with five meetings between them this year across all competitions. OL Reign have the winning record this year with three wins, but Angel City are in peak form heading to the postseason. Fans can watch all the action on Paramount+.

Here's everything you need to know about the game:

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Playoff rules

The NWSL postseason is a knockout-round format. Six teams advanced to the playoffs with three rounds of competition including two first round matches, two semifinal games (Nov. 5), and the NWSL Championship (Nov. 11). Each playoff game will be 90 minutes of regulation, and if the score is tied, two 15-minute periods of extra time will be played. If the two periods of extra-time has not determined a winner, then a penalty kick shootout will take place.

Players to watch

Megan Rapinoe (OL Reign): The longtime Reign player announced her impending retirement earlier this year ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. She helped the team punch their playoff ticket on Decision Day when she scored twice on the road against Chicago. The two goals put her in second place in league history for most goal contributions with one club. She has 80 all-time goal contributions for the Reign across 129 matches and has one last chance to make some magic happen at home in Seattle.

Don't miss CBS Sports Golazo Network's Morning Footy, now in podcast form! Our crew brings you all the news, views, highlights and laughs you need to follow the Beautiful Game in every corner of the globe, every Monday-Friday all year long.

M.A. Vignola (Angel City FC): The second-year Angel City defender has had a breakout season under interim head coach Becki Tweed. Her ability to cover ground and be an outlet on offense has aided the team in an impressive second half of the season. She's playing with more freedom at fullback and has become a proactive part of the attack. She provided the opening goal and recorded an assist during Angel City's playoff-clinching victory against Portland Thorns.

Storylines

OL Reign: Make no mistake about it, the Reign struggled during their final stretch of the season. They enter the playoffs in streaky form, with a 2-2-2 record in the last six games, but are coming off a recent 3-0 win against last-place Chicago to close out the regular season. They have a winning record against Angel City across all competitions, and the veteran players to keep perspective and manage expectations. The postseason is where anything can happen, and getting Rose Lavelle and Sofia Huerta back for playoffs could be an x-factor advantage for the Reign.

Angel City FC: The Los Angeles side is the hottest team heading into the postseason. There's zero doubt that Tweed has the players bought in and ready to take on big opponents. They have only one loss in their last 11 games and finally picked up a win against the Reign in August at home during their unbeaten stretch. A 2022 expansion franchise with big ambitions. they're headed to the postseason in their second season, where anything can happen. The quarterfinal could be a chance for Angel City to level the West Coast competition after taking down Portland 5-1 on Decision Day.

Prediction

Angel City has the form and OL Reign has the experience, it'll lead to early nerves before Reign gets settled and get the job done Pick: OL Reign 2, Angel City FC 1.

Injuries for the Kansas City Chiefs' Week 7 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Practice Status

Game Status

The Steelers wrapped up their preparation for Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams by practicing indoors at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on a rainy Friday.

Tight end Pat Freiermuth, who was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and then limited on Thursday, didn't practice at all on Friday and has been ruled out for the game.

Linebacker T.J. Watt, who was added to the injury report on Thursday with a heel injury, was a full participant and isn't on the status report.

"It was minor. I feel great," said Watt. "I had a good day of practice today."

The Steelers are looking healthy otherwise. Receiver Diontae Johnson continues to work his way back after being cleared to return to practice this week. While he remains on the Reserve/Injured List and there hasn't been any word on whether or not he will be activated for Sunday's game, getting him back would be a huge boost for the offense.

"You're talking about who you're bringing back...what was Tae (Johnson), top five, six, seven targets last year in the NFL," said offensive coordinator Matt Canada on Thursday. "You're bringing back a guy like Diontae and his route running capability to do things like that. So, you talk about the passing game, just starting there, and it's going to change a little bit.

"You bring Diontae back and you've got George (Pickens) out there. With Diontae back, we've got some more weapons which you have to respect down the field. I think having speed all around, Calvin (Austin) is obviously really fast. We've got some guys that we think can run, and then you've got Allen (Robinson) inside.

"I think adding, getting some guys back just brings us more to our full arsenal of what we think we can do and be on offense. Not necessarily major play differences, but certainly a difference in how they have to adapt to who we've got out there. I think those guys draw some attention."

At left tackle, Dan Moore Jr. returned to practice this week and said he is feeling good.

"It felt really, really good," said Moore of being back at practice. "Amazing.

"Being away wasn't fun. Not being a part of that win a couple weeks ago, definitely missed out on a lot of fun, it looked like. Happy to be back this week, get rolling,"

Moore missed the Ravens game with a knee injury and rookie Broderick Jones, who was in a training camp competition with Moore for the starting job, stepped in.

Moore said he doesn't know what the situation is going to be this week.

"I show up and do what I am asked," said Moore. "That is it."

Jones also said he isn't sure what to expect, but is prepared for whatever comes his way.

"We still don't know yet to this point," said Jones.

Whether he knows or not, Jones will continue to prepare the way he has all season.

"It's the same way as always, prepare for the worst, always plan, just be ready whenever your name is called," said Jones.

The bye week fell at a time when the Steelers were dealing with injuries, allowing them to get some of their weapons back all across the board.

"It was getting a healthy squad back. We got a lot of people back, which was great for us," said Jones. "I feel like that was the main focus with the offense and defense. We had injuries on both sides of the ball. Just being able to get those guys back is a big plus."

Blake Shelton made wife Gwen Stefani cry at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on Oct. 19 when he shared the sweet story of how the pair met as judges on "The Voice."

“The first time that I ever met Gwen was in 2014. She wasn’t like any other famous person that I had ever met before. She drove herself to work in a black minivan with car seats in it," the country music superstar, 47, told the crowd as Stefani, 54, laughed beside him.

"She didn’t roll in with security. She came in with a baby and two little boys, which at the time worked like security because nobody was going near — it was chaos," he joked.

The "Nobody But Me" singer said he could tell immediately that Stefani cared more about her sons Kingston, Zuma and Apollo — who were in attendance at the Walk of Fame ceremony — than stardom.

“It was clear to me that she was a mother first and foremost over anything else in the world — that was her No. 1 job,” he said as Stefani struggled to hold back tears.

“And now, standing here almost 10 years later after I first met her, I can say without question that being a mother is still the most important thing in her life. And I got to tell you all, that’s rare in this business," added Shelton.

In the summer of 2015, the pair formed a closer friendship as they supported one another during the simultaneous breakups of their marriages — Shelton’s to country star Miranda Lambert and Stefani’s to Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale.

Friendship grew into love, with the couple tying the knot in 2021.

During her Walk of Fame ceremony, Shelton joked that it was nice to see the devoted mom honored for her "side project" as "one of the biggest stars in the world."

He cited his wife's work both as an entertainer "from music, television and movies" and as a designer for her L.A.M.B. fashion brand.

"She has risen to the top over and over again with her unique style that has made the world fall in love with her," he said. Then, with a glance at Stefani, he added, "Not as much as me, though."

Shelton credited the "Don't Speak" singer with having a special star quality "that no one can ever explain."

"It’s that thing that she was just born with that will make you stop and go, ‘Wait. Who is that? What’s her name? What does she do? Why do I love her already? What the hell?'" he gushed as Stefani laughed again.

"That’s the thing that God gives you," he said. "And without question, God gave Gwen an extra scoop of it."

Shelton went on to call Stefani an "exceptionally talented" songwriter who has "blessed a lot of people’s lives" with her music.

"Now, I know firsthand that it takes a lot of people to make a hit record," he said, referring to the dozens of hits Stefani has scored both with No Doubt and as a solo artist.

"But none of this would have ever happened without Gwen Stefani, the songwriter. So congratulations to my all-time favorite songwriter on your star. You deserve this and I love you," he added.

Stefani, who by that point was wiping tears from her eyes with a tissue, shared a hug with her husband, telling him, "I said it'd make me cry."

The three-time Grammy winner later took to the podium to thank the special people in her life, including Shelton, whom she called her "best friend."

"You have given me the kind of love I never knew before," she gushed to him. "The minute I met you, I knew that I was home and I am so, so proud that you're mine. I can't believe it. I love you so much."

Gina Vivinetto

Gina Vivinetto is a writer for TODAY.com.

Even if confronted with loaded fries, I’ll do it. While still in my car after hitting a drive-through, I will be digging in prematurely at that container, my fingers probing desperately for my starchy prize, past layers of melted cheese, caramelized onions and pickles.

Reaching into a crinkly, grease-dotted bag of French fries elicits a specific type of joy. Like those claw machines at arcades, your hand roots around blindly, searching for that perfect specimen. For me, it’s long and thin with crispy golden edges, a fluffy center and coated in salt.

We are lovers of French fries in Los Angeles, and as our team has found below, many of our favorite restaurants and chefs take them quite seriously.

Give the name, you might assume that the dish at hand was invented in France, but Belgium argues that their history began in the Meuse Valley in the 1680s, when residents would substitute fried fish for potatoes during the winters when the river froze over. Though that origin story has been disputed, UNESCO added the dish to Belgium’s list of cultural treasures in 2017.

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The U.S. has no stakes in its creation, but French fries nevertheless rose to become a popular side dish for meals that range from casual to fine dining. There’s record of fries being served for President Thomas Jefferson at a White House dinner in 1802, and by the 1940s, French fries were commercialized and sold frozen, a boon to the then-developing industry of fast-food chains and fast-casual diners, which Los Angeles was breeding ground to.

Within this sector of potato-derived dishes, there’s a whole world to explore — steak fries, curly fries, waffle fries, shoestring, crinkle cut, wedges, tater tots, poutine and so much more. Everyone has a differing opinion on the ideal fry consistency: Should they be crispy or soft? Fat or skinny? Do frozen fries achieve better crispness than potatoes that are chopped fresh?

No matter your preference, you’re guaranteed to find your perfect fry in L.A. Here, in addition to fries hand-cut from local artisan potatoes, you can expect a range of toppings that reflect a global assortment of cuisines. On this list, you’ll find 17 of the best, most indulgent fries in Los Angeles, including options loaded with Wagyu shawarma, pastrami, chicken tikka, carne asada and more, as well as simply seasoned options that stand on their own. And no, you don’t have to share. — Danielle Dorsey