WASHINGTON - Howard University's homecoming is underway with a number of on-campus and off campus events in D.C. Here is your guide to things to do in the D.C. area.

Howard University Homecoming Game:

Howard University will be facing off with Norfolk University for their homecoming football game this Saturday, October 21. Kick off is at 10 a.m. and yard fest will take place on the Main Yard shortly after at 12 p.m.

Boo At The Zoo:

Enjoy a spooky family-friendly Halloween event this weekend at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. The event will be held outdoors rain or shine, so be sure to bundle up. Visitors will receive a souvenir tote bag and be able to visit 30 trick-or-treat stations around the Zoo.

Bangin' in Bowie Comedy Series:

Grab a friend and get ready to laugh the night away. FOX 5'S DMV Zone Joe Clair will be hosting his weekend comedy series that will feature performances from Junior from the Steve Harvey Morning Show and national comedy star D’Lai. The event will also include live music and delectable food from Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen.

Howl-O-Ween Dog Parade and Costume Contest:

Enjoy some Howl-O-Ween fun for a full ‘pawty', filled with costumes and plenty of milk bones. The annual event welcomes dog owners and lovers for a day filled with activities, treats, and a seasonal family photo booth. Costumes are encouraged but not required.

National Museum of Women in The Arts:

The NMWA will be reopening this Saturday, October 21 at 11 a.m. and is kicking things off with a day of celebration. Visitors will be able to enjoy a number of events, live performances, drop-in activities, flash tattoos, and tastings. The museum does require tickets for admission, click here to get yours.

The average high is down to 68 in Washington, so today’s highs in the upper 60s to low 70s locally were generally a few degrees above the typical for the date. If you were able to be out in it at all, you undoubtedly noticed it was quite nice. Our weather is trending less favorable over the next 24 hours, but we do stick with relatively warm temperatures through Friday.

Through Tonight: We’re looking at a pleasant evening with temperatures dipping through the 60s. Clouds increase tonight as temperatures reach the mid- and upper 50s for lows.

View the current weather at The Washington Post.

Tomorrow (Friday): Clouds rule the day, with some occasional breaks at times. A couple showers could be around as soon as morning, but the focus should be later day into evening as low pressure develops to our east. Nothing too heavy. Highs are within a few degrees of 70.

Windy weekend: While we miss most of the developing coastal storm that delivers us some showers tomorrow, we get plenty of wind in its wake. Both Saturday and Sunday look to feature gusts at least around 35 mph, and perhaps more like 40 mph. That’ll keep temperatures reaching 60 to 65 or so for highs, with both days feeling cooler.

This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

There’s working to get to the Major Leagues, and then there’s playing in them. This season, 10 players made their big league debut as members of the Nationals. Some of the rookies shared what they learned in their first Major League experiences and the biggest difference from Minor League ball.

RHP Jake Irvin Began season: Triple-A Rochester Debut: May 3

“Nobody has it figured out. That’s kind of the beauty of baseball, that it’s ever-adapting, but at the same time humbling for guys that have played it so long. They can tell you, when you think you’ve got it figured out, the game will find a way to humble you just because it’s a game of failure. Every day, you’ve got to come to the park ready to learn and ready for new experiences because you’re going to be tested in some way or another. Being humbled, working hard and just realizing that the opportunities put in front of you need to make you grateful and not make you feel like you’ve deserved [them] -- because you may have earned it, but you didn’t deserve it. You have to be humble through all of it, humble through your successes and your failures. But the more you put in good work, the more success you’ll probably have.”

OF Jake Alu Began season: Triple-A Rochester Debut: May 9

“The travel schedule’s tough. It’s just different because some days when we’re at home, you’ve got a four o’clock [game] and then you’ve got a one o’clock the next day and then you’re out [on a road trip]. Then, you’re playing the next day at eight o’clock in another city. In the Minor Leagues, with the new schedule down there, you have a very consistent play six days, off Monday, play six days, off Monday. The schedule’s a little different. … I was close to [waking up and not knowing where I was]. (laughs)”

OF Jacob Young Began season: High-A Wilmington Debut: Aug. 26

“I would say how much better the defense out here is than going up. You’ll get a team that has a couple good defenders, I feel like you can see it, but out here there’s just so many less hits available because you’ve got Gold Glovers and All-Stars all over the place. I would say the amount of ground that gets covered and how many less hits – even when you hit a ball hard or you think it’s a hit – how many hits defense steals. … You can just tell, you’ll hit a ball that’s probably been a hit for the last 20 years of your life, and now it’s not.”

C Drew Millas Began season: Double-A Harrisburg Debut: Aug. 28

“The speed of the game is faster. The fans play a huge part … The nerves are high. But as you get in the environment more and more, your brain and your body, I feel like the nerves just kind of calm down and you get used to playing the game. It’s the same game, at the end of the day. The big jump for me this year was Double-A to Triple-A because you saw the heavy arms in Double-A, and they’d attack you with their stuff. Then in Triple-A, they’d start to pitch to what you’re weak to. … Then here, you’ve got guys that will attack you with their stuff and then you’ve got guys that will pitch to your strengths, so you kind of have to identify them throughout the course of it. So it was a lot at first, and I think I did a good job of kind of taking it all down and understanding that it’s the same game at the end of the day.”

Speaking at his Wednesday press conference, Brian Daboll previewed the Week 7 matchup between the New York Giants (1-5) and Washington Commanders (3-3). Naturally, it began with the status of quarterback Daniel Jones, who missed Sunday night's game in Buffalo due to a neck injury.

Here's what you need to know:

?? Jones is "doing better" and "eager to come back." He is cleared to throw but not cleared for contact. The quarterback gets evaluated each day.

?? Jones won't take any team reps to start the week but can go through individual drills and help with the scout team. "I think he gets evaluated pretty much every day, so when they tell me he's cleared, that's when he'll be cleared."

?? Daboll confirmed Jones' season is "not over."

?? Left tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) is getting closer but did not practice on Wednesday. The same goes for offensive tackles Evan Neal (ankle) and Matt Peart (shoulder), wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (knee), and rookie center John Michael Schmitz (shoulder).

?? Before Daboll took the podium, the Giants announced that they signed offensive lineman Justin Pugh from their practice squad to the active roster. In a corresponding move, the team waived tight end Lawrence Cager. The Giants signed Pugh to their practice squad on Oct. 3 and elevated him to the roster this past Saturday. A day later, he played all 77 snaps in Buffalo.

?? On Tuesday, the Giants lost another offensive lineman but made a pair of roster moves to address the manpower shortage on their injury-ravaged line. Ezeudu, the Giants' starting left tackle in the previous five games, was placed on injured reserve with a toe injury he suffered Sunday night in Buffalo. The second-year pro was hurt in the first quarter of the Giants' loss, did not return to the game, and left the locker room in a walking boot. The Giants bolstered their line by signing a pair of linemen off other teams' practice squads, versatile former Giant Tyre Phillips (Philadelphia) and tackle Josh Miles (Atlanta).

?? Daboll said Ezeudu has a chance to return this year.

?? Will Pugh be the team's starting left tackle if Thomas can't go again? "We'll see. We got a bunch of new guys today."

?? Daboll said Pugh "did some good things" at left tackle. They'll give him reps in practice and get him ready to go. He does a good job of staying in front of guys, has quick feet, can get to the second level, and has a lot of experience.

?? Asked about defensive lineman A'Shawn Robinson not playing as much recently, Daboll said it's because they have been in more nickel than base defense. "That's kind of the reason, but we'll work with him, put him in some different little spots here based on how we're getting played to make sure he gets in there more."

?? Rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt has "got to play." Practice is important, but Daboll said you have to get him game reps. Each week he gets better. "You can go out here and practice and do that, which is important, but you've got to get some game reps and run routes against DBs that are playing in the NFL in a competitive way. I think each week, he's gotten a little bit better. There's a lot to learn when you're a young player, but he's done a good job of practicing the right way, of preparing. I think he's got some good talent, and we're going to play him."

?? More on Hyatt: "I mean, you're a rookie. It's a hard position to play, receiver. I coached it for six years. There weren't many rookie receivers that I've had that have played right away. (Wide receiver) Deion Branch comes to mind as one of them. But it's a learning experience when you're a young receiver. There's a lot of different things that happen that maybe didn't happen to him in college relative to whether it's press coverage, certain adjustments, things like that, and that happens for most. The position, when I coached receivers, it takes a little bit of time for younger players."

?? Daboll said running back Saquon Barkley will be limited to make sure he gets to gameday. Barkley made his return on Sunday night from an ankle injury. "I'd say he's in a good spot."

?? Asked about current Commanders center and former Giant Nick Gates, Daboll said they appreciated his time and he's doing a good job in Washington. "He's a tough guy."

?? Commanders quarterback Sam Howell "slings it" and is "not afraid to turn it loose." He has a good arm and stands in the pocket. Daboll liked him coming out of college.

Today (Thursday): Sunshine should sneak in between the clouds and a light south wind helps to warm things up. Highs are in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Confidence: High

Tonight: Clouds increase overnight as moisture moves in from the Atlantic, feeding into the area ahead of an area of low pressure approaching from the Midwest. South breezes remain light. Overnight lows settle in the low to mid-50s. Confidence: High

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest weather updates. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend...

Tomorrow (Friday): Clouds dominate and scattered showers are likely to start popping up by midday and continue through the afternoon. Highs should still reach the upper 60s, helped along by a light but steady south breeze. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: Showers are possible through the night but should be light and scattered in nature with most rain totals averaging around a quarter-inch. Lows are mainly in the lower 50s. Confidence: Medium-High

Cooler air surges into the region on gusty northwest winds Saturday. Sunshine breaks through the clouds, but they are ever present for a partly cloudy day on average. Showers should be off the table as they quickly pull to the north and east. Highs only reach the lower 60s. Skies clear overnight with lows in the mid- to upper 40s. Confidence: Medium

Sunday sunshine is abundant, but gusty northwest winds are not much fun and manage to hold highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Overnight lows range from the low to mid-40s downtown to 35 to 40 in our colder areas. Confidence: Medium-High

Sunshine remains in place Monday and those pesky winds finally start to diminish. Temperatures still struggle to climb, with highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Confidence: Medium-High

GQ Sports

Vote Now for the WNBA's Most Stylish Player

A'ja Wilson just scored her second consecutive WNBA title. Can she defeat Satou Sabally for a Most Stylish crown?

By The Editors of GQ

October 19, 2023

The Finals

The WNBA Finals are over; the Las Vegas Aces are, for the second consecutive year, champs. And now it's time to give out one more trophy—the one for the league's most stylish player. Strong stuff in the semifinals: freshly-minted Finals MVP A'ja Wilson defeated her teammate (also, it should be said, a freakin' WNBA champion) Kelsey Plum, while Satou Sabally took down Natasha Cloud.

So here we are, with perhaps the league's starriest star set to face off against one of its best-dressed up-and-comers. It's gonna be a knock-down, drag-out, very very stylish fight. So go vote! Now! On the GQ Sports Instagram, and come back here tomorrow to see who'll be taking home the trophy.

The Semifinals

And now, things are getting interesting. In the quarters, Las Vegas Aces star Kelsey Plum dispatched Rae Burrell, while her teammate A'ja Wilson edged past Courtney Williams. Washington Mystics star Natasha Cloud triumphed over Nalyssa Smith, while Most Improved Player Satou Sabally knocked off Kahleah Copper.

Which sets up quite the heavy next-to-last round. Cloud and Sabally will tussle on one side of the bracket, while on the other we'll have a battle of the Aces. Head over to the GQ Sports Instagram to vote, and check back here tomorrow to see who'll be facing off in the finals.

The Quarterfinals

With the WNBA Finals set for a pivotal Game 4 on Wednesday, the first round of our almost-as-important tournament is in the books. And Round 1 of our most stylish bracket had its share of chalk results and proper upsets. Finals participants Kelsey Plum and A'ja Wilson stayed alive in this tournament, too, while Kaleah Copper knocked off Liberty star Breanna Stewart. Pre-tourney favorite Shatori Walker-Kimbrough was upset by Courtney Williams, while Satou Sabally mounted a last-minute comeback to edge past Dijonai Carrington.

All of which sets us up for a wild quarterfinal round. On one side of the bracket, Natasha Cloud will battle Nalyssa Smith, while Sabally and Copper face off. On the other side, Plum and Wilson are eyeing a semifinals matchup—but they'll need to get past Rae Burrell and Williams, respectively. It's gonna be a hoot—and you've got until this time tomorrow to head over to the GQ Sports Instagram to vote.

Round 1

We're midway through perhaps the most anticipated WNBA Finals in league history, with the New York Liberty fighting back from 2-0 down to force a Game 4 against the Las Vegas Aces. And all year, the W has been electric. That's thanks, of course, to the level of play on the court. But it's also due, at least in small part, to the WNBA's stars' embrace of pregame fashion. That's right: the WNBA has been giving every other league serious competition when it comes to tunnel fits. And so, with the 2023 WNBA champ set to be crowned shortly, we’d like your help in giving a different sort of award. Welcome to GQ's annual Most Stylish WNBA Player tournament.

The 16-player bracket is stacked; there might not be an easy matchup among them. Still, there are highlights: Aces star Kelsey Plum, busy fighting for a real-world championship, will also defend her 2022 Most Stylish crown, while perennial style all-stars like Shatori Walker-Kimbrough, Breanna Stewart, and Arike Ogunbowale will try to knock her off. The league’s 16 strongest fit connoisseurs face off, starting now, in a five-day, five-round competition to determine the league’s best-dressed player. Each round lasts for 24 hours, and it’ll all take place on GQ Sports' Instagram. Cast your vote every day, check back here for updates, and stick around to see who hoists the GQ Most Stylish WNBA Player trophy at the final buzzer.

Today (Wednesday): Skies are partly sunny today as we bump a few degrees higher. Starting from the 40s early this morning, we should see afternoon highs reach the mid- to upper 60s with light winds. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: Temperatures fall back into the 50s this evening, then overnight lows drop back to the mid-40s to near 50 under partly cloudy skies. Confidence: High

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest weather updates. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend...

Tomorrow (Thursday): Probably the nicest day of the week. Temperatures trend another notch warmer with partly to mostly sunny skies, as a light breeze from the south pushes afternoon highs to near 70 to the low 70s. Confidence: High

Tomorrow night: The southerly breeze continues, which means a warmer night than tonight. Lows settle in the 50s with increasing clouds. Confidence: Medium-High

Friday should be a partly to mostly cloudy day as our next system approaches from the west. The chance of a light shower arrives by afternoon as highs reach the low 70s again, with scattered light showers possible Friday evening and overnight. Confidence: Medium

A few light showers could linger into Saturday morning, but drier air arrives by afternoon as winds turn breezy from the northwest, with highs in the low to mid-60s under partly sunny skies. Saturday night lows cool off to the mid- to upper 40s. Confidence: Medium

Sunday shapes up as a partly sunny and windy day. Winds could gust over 30 mph with daytime highs only topping out in the low 60s. Confidence: Medium-High

One day before the dedication celebration for the new Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., the building hosted a major gathering of nearly 600 mayors and urban and civic leaders from around the world as part of the 10th annual Bloomberg CityLab conference.

The event, organized by Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the Aspen Institute, gives attendees an opportunity to explore new ideas and urban interventions that are being pressure-tested now and will impact the future of cities—where more than half the world's population lives. The site of Wednesday's morning plenary, the Hopkins Bloomberg Center at 555 Pennsylvania Ave., is envisioned in part as a venue for such events, briefings, and convenings that inform national, local, and global policymaking.

Image : Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

Speakers Wednesday morning included Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser, who announced the creation of a new pipeline program to help graduates of two historically Black universities—Howard University and the University of the District of Columbia—launch careers in local government in the nation's capital.

Image : Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

Other presenters included Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a 2001 Johns Hopkins University graduate and the state's first Black governor, who spoke about resilient, inclusive, and equitable economic development for cities, small towns, and rural areas; and Chiedo Nwankwor, senior lecturer and vice dean for education and academic affairs at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and director of SAIS Women Lead. Nwankwor took part in a conversation about the past, present, and future for African cities as their populations and economies grow.

Image : Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

The morning began with remarks from former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, now senior advisor and infrastructure coordinator at the White House, who touted the far-reaching impact of the bipartisan $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill signed in November 2021. The bill is helping rebuild roads, bridges, and rails, expand access to clean air and water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, and address the effects of climate change, including extreme weather and sea-level rise.

Landrieu noted that mayors and other local leaders have "proximity to reality"—they see first-hand the impact of their actions and the people affected by their decisions every day. It's a tremendous responsibility but also presents an incredible opportunity, he said.

"You will hear the president say this every time he talks—when we do things together, when we seek common ground, there is nothing that we cannot do if we make sure that we don't leave anybody behind," Landrieu said. "And we will build a country from the bottom up and the middle out that will be so strong, we never have to look over our shoulder again and think about going backwards, but only think about going forward. You know what I call that? Building a bridge to the future. And that is what this conference is all about."

Image : Will Kirk / Johns Hopkins University

Bloomberg CityLab continues through Friday in Washington, D.C. Thursday's schedule includes a panel discussion on urban violence prevention that will feature Daniel Webster, professor of American health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and distinguished research scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions.

The Giants host the Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The Commanders have a number of talented players who the Giants will have to find matchups for to walk away with their first home win of the season.

Terry McLaurin vs. Adoree' Jackson and Deonte Banks

Depending on how the Giants decide to matchup against the Commanders this week, it could either be Adoree' Jackson or Deonte Banks getting most of the reps against Terry McLaurin. McLaurin only spends about 17% of his offensive snaps in the slot and splits the rest nearly evenly between lining up outside on the right and left side of the formations.

The Giants have played Deonte Banks for the vast majority of his snaps at right cornerback, though in some games they have favored getting matchups for Banks and Jackson against specific wide receivers. Washington's receivers (McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Curtis Samuel) do not have huge height/weight disparities, which might indicate the Giants will let Jackson and Banks simply play their sides of the field. This would give them both chances against Washington's top wide receiver.

McLaurin has been very consistent throughout his young career with three straight seasons between 1,050-1,200 yards despite inconsistent quarterback play. PFF has not tracked him for more than three drops in any of those seasons, and they have him without a drop in the first six games of 2023. McLaurin ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine in 2019 before being drafted in the third round. He is an excellent route runner and has snared more than half of his contested catches throughout the his NFL career, resulting in a very high ratio. He is a physical player who is not afraid of contact.

McLaurin is tied for 21st in the NFL with 31 catches for 342 yards and a receiving touchdown. According to PFF, he has grabbed 96.9% of the catchable passes thrown in his direction, which is eighth among wide receivers with at least 25 targets this season. Quarterback Sam Howell likes to get the ball to McLaurin down the field - 19.1% of his targets are for at least 20 yards (ranks 27th in the NFL).

Howell is not afraid to hold the ball and fire from the pocket into tight windows downfield. PFF has tracked him with 11 big-time throws this year, tied for fifth in the NFL, but he also has eight turnover-worthy plays, which is also tied for eighth. Howell has been sacked a league-leading 34 times this season. His 3.01-second average time to throw is sixth-slowest in the NFL, according to PFF.

Washington pass rush vs. Giants' offensive line

It's difficult to focus on an individual matchup here without knowing which Giants are healthy and how they will configure the line. The Commanders are tied for sixth in sacks (19) and their sack per pass attempt rate (9.2%) ranks 11th, although their pressure rate (35.8%) is just 18th.

Washington only blitzes on 27.6% of passing downs (19th), and only six teams use stunts and twists less than they do (22.4%), according to PFF. They want to put their stable of talented first-round pass rushers into 1-on-1 situations and give them a chance to win. All four of their starters have been effective at rushing the passer this season.

Montez Sweat has racked up the most traditional stats with 4.5 sacks and nine quarterback hits. He has 23 pressures (second on team) but his pass rush win percentage (11.9%) is only third for Washington, according to Pro Football Focus. He lines up almost exclusively on the left side of the defensive line, and uses length and power to make his way to the quarterback.

Chase Young, despite only having three sacks and seven quarterback hits, has been the most dangerous pass rusher on the line. He lines up almost exclusively over the left tackle and leads the team with a robust 19.6% pass rush win rate, according to PFF. He leads the team with 31 pressures, and his speed and power appear to have returned after his ACL injury as he is playing the best ball of his NFL career.

Jonathan Allen plays next to Young at right defensive tackle. His three sacks, seven quarterback hits and 12.9% pass rush win rate are tied for second on the team, and his 21 pressures are third. Fellow defensive tackle Daron Payne has not been as consistent with only 12 pressures, one sack, six quarterback hits, and a 5.1% win rate as a pass rusher. Payne has been an excellent run defender with five tackles for loss and 19 total tackles.