predictions the omicron wave may be nearing its nationwide peak the irs under fire tax season starts tomorrow and warning that refunds will be delayed. how to make sure you get yours. extreme sticker shock. used car prices hit a new high dealers struggling to feel half empty lots, making it nearly impossible for some to get a car. >> a lot of people cannot afford a car today. and tom brady now out of the playoffs after almost pulling off another epic comeback could we have seen the last games for him and aaron rodgers? this is nbc "nightly news" with kate snow. >> good evening. it's hard to know what vladamir putin is planning, but the u.s. secretary of state today was very clear, telling nbc news if russia decides to move troops into ukraine, no matter the size of the incursion, that move would be met with swift and severe action by the united states and its allies. russia has already amassed more than 100,000 troops just outside ukrainian territory. president biden has said putin has a stark choice either de-escalation or diplomacy late today the state department ordered the departure of family members of staff in ukraine if there is military conflict ahead between russia and ukraine. the head of the british military said it may be on a scale we haven't seen in europe since world war ii raf sanchez starts us off tonight. >> reporter: tonight, as russia adds even more forces to those already encircling ukraine, the u.s. issuing its strongest warning yet to vladamir putin secretary of state blinken promising severe economic sanctions if a single russian soldier crosses the border >> in the event there is a renewed russian incursion, russian forces going into ukraine, there is going to be a swift, severe and united response. >> reporter: with russian troops massing along the northern, southern, and eastern borders, europe now teetering on the brink of war the state department still weighing whether to evacuate nonessential u.s. embassy personnel. but warning american citizens in ukraine not working for the u.s. that if war does break out, they shouldn't expect to be evacuated by the government britain also accusing the kremlin of preparing to mount a coup in kyiv to topple ukraine's president and replace him with an ex-politician friendly to moscow >> this is very much part of the russian playbook >> reporter: russia dismissing that as disinformation a first load of u.s. weapons arriving this weekend to help ukrainian troops defend themselves. but president biden, under pressure at home and abroad to do more and fast ukraine urging biden to impose punishing sanctions on russia now. a call echoed by both republicans and democrats in congress. >> i believe that we need to act now. >> reporter: tonight, ukrainian volunteers arming themselves, and preparing for the worst. >> and raf, what do we know about the u.s. family members being told to leave now? >> reporter: yeah, kate, in just the last few minutes, the state department ordering the families of u.s. embassy staff in kyi to leave the country because of the threat of invasion. they're also saying non-essential embassy staff can leave if they choose to kate >> thank you it's been an especially violent weekend for law enforcement officers in this country. at least three gunned down in the line of duty two have died, and now the search is on for one of the suspects. here's kathy park. >> reporter: tonight in houston, the manhunt intensifying for the suspect who shot and killed corporal charles galaway after an early morning traffic stop >> witnesses describe the suspect as hispanic male. said he got out of his vehicle and immediately fired upon the deputy multiple times >> reporter: authorities now looking for a white toyota avalon. what they believe could be the suspect's car. >> what we are seeing on what appears to be a regular basis on the streets of harris county has got to stop >> reporter: this tragedy comes less than two days after a gun battle kille officer jason rivera and badly injured officer wilbur mora. he is fighting for his life they were responding to a domestic disturbance call friday night at a harlem apartment, when police say the accused suspect fired multiple times when the pair approached >> we can't continue to allow violent shooters to remain on the street we need to collaborate with city, state, and federal entities the way we did during 9/11 >> reporter: this latest violence brings the tally to five nypd officers shot this year tonight, as communities in texas and new york mourn the men who died in the line of duty, we're learning about who they were behind the badge. 47-year-old corporal charles galaway is described by colleagues as a beloved mentor >> his role was taking a lot of these young officers sworn in and mentoring them, teaching them what it takes to be a safe and efficient officer. >> reporter: 22-year-old jason rivera joined the nypd to strengthen ties between law enforcement and the community. his positive spirit, captured in this 2017 message to students. >> stay strong, do good in your school, and trust me, you'll be finished soon it goes by like that, all right? >> kathy joins us live from the police precinct in harlem, near where the shooting took place. any update on the second officer who was shot >> reporter: well, kate, we learned that officer mora was transferred to another hospital tonight in critical condition the mayor says he's fighting hard and holding on meanwhile, there is a growing memorial outside this police precinct this community has been shaken by this violence kate >> kathy, thank you. protestors from across the country marched on washington today, voicing opposition to covid vaccine mandates, as a new nbc news poll shows americans losing confidence in the president's virus response josh letterman has more from washington >> reporter: tonight, the vaccine battle reaching a fever pitch in the nation's capital. >> if there is risk, there must be choice >> reporter: thousands rallying on the national mall for the defeat the mandates protest, featuring some of the nation's most prominent anti-vaxers. >> we got turned away because we didn't have a proof of vaccination card >> i'm fully vaccinated, but not this vaccine the main reason being, because it's quote, unquote experimental >> reporter: that's not true covid-19 vaccines are fully approved more scrutinized for safety than any vaccine in history supporters say mandating vaccines is the only way to get life back to normal, and to protect those most vulnerable. but a new nbc news poll shows deep pessimism that may be hampering the vaccine effort 7 in 10 believe the country is on the wrong track. 53% disapprove of joe biden's handling of covid. his worst numbers yet. and just 45% say they're vaccinated and boosted. >> everybody wants to say we're extremists and all i can say is, we're living in extreme times. >> reporter: mr. biden suffering another blow to his vaccine push on friday his vaccine mandate for federal workers blocked in court >> obviously, we are confident in our legal authority here >> reporter: across the u.s., a tale of two pandemics. one showing glimmers of hope in the northeast and mid-atlantic, as cases plummet in areas where omicron may have peaked in new york, the governor citing a 66% drop in just the last two weeks. >> this is extraordinary progress >> reporter: but in the south and west, where omicron hit later, a different story entirely one of cases surging, setting new records and overrunning hospitals. but dr. anthony fauci says he's hopeful the country will soon see a turnaround possibly by mid february >> we don't want to get overconfident, but it looks like it's going in the right direction. >> reporter: there's a big caveat fauci predicting more pain and suffering in areas where fewer people are vaccinated and boosted. >> and josh joins us now from the national mall josh, was this protest against the vaccine itself or targeted more at the mandates >> reporter: well, they say it's about the mandates, but the speeches today were filled with misinformation about vaccine risks. we asked rally goers whether they, themselves, were vaccinated all but one of them told us they weren't kate >> josh, thank you believe it or not, tomorrow is the start of tax season, the first day you can file with the irs but there are warnings tonight that the agency is so overwhelmed and understaffed, your refund could take a lot longer to get to you this year. monica alba has the story and three things you can do to get your refund faster. >> reporter: when tax filing season kicks off on monday, ethan miller will be ready earlier than ever. >> it's a level of concern that i have had in the past. >> reporter: eager to file online to avoid a delay for a refund >> i hope i'm not waiting months and months >> reporter: like millions of americans still waiting for their 2020 payments, including sidney rodriguez. >> i am newly married. i have some student loan debt, and it's just something that i could use right now to alleviate some of the anxiety. >> reporter: the main reason why -- the irs is simply overwhelmed and understaffed processing returns with a shrinking workforce and reduced budget officials point out that fewer than 15,000 employers were available to handle 240 million calls at this point last year that's one person for every 16,000 requests. the white house placing blame on the previous administration >> the irs right now has an unacceptable backlog. in customer service that people are receiving is not what the american public deserves, and the president is very mindful of that. >> reporter: calling on lawmakers to act and fund the irs with $80 billion needed to ease the bottleneck and address staff shortages. what can americans do now to prepare >> consider hiring professionals if you think you need help. make any i.r.a. contributions before the tax deadline do this early so you can file electronically with direct deposit and avoid any issues of getting paid your refund >> monica joins me now. am i the onl person who hasn't done any of those things yet? the filing deadline is later this year, right? >> exactsly, kate. april 18 for mos taxpayers due to the emancipation day holiday here in washington the last two years of the pandemic, the deadline got pushed back months. but that won't be the case for 2022. kate >> monica, thank you up next, tom brady almost pulled off another amazing comeback was that the last game he may ever play in the nfl? also ahead, the average cost of a used car no $28,000. why prices have gone through the roof we're back with the nfl matchups everybody is talking about tonight. tom brady's tampa bay now out for the season after its loss to the rams it follows another crushing defeat for green bay's aaron rodgers. the question now, what's next for two of the game's greatest players? sam brock reports from tampa bay. >> that pass is incomplete >> reporter: for all the magic tom brady has conjured in his unparalleled two decade plus career, there was nothing he could do to complete a last-minute comeback against a stack l.a. rams squad the defending champs dethroned, even as the 44-year-old has captivated imaginations and championships to the tune of seven super bowl rings >> i love the game and being out there with my teammates we had a lot of success over the years trying to do the right thing. >> reporter: now the questions are sure to cascade in about what's next for number 12 >> for brady, what ultimately this will come down to is he is so incredibly competitive and so driven to win championships. for a long time, he's had his team in position to do that. >> reporter: that ability may be in question with the buccaneers older and injured and soon to be over the cap brady's possible career closing loss, mimicking aaron rodgers, whose packers just suffered a stunning defeat at the hands of the san francisco 49ers. >> the 49ers win it! >> reporter: not only slamming the door on a once promising season, but also putting a harsh spotlight on rodgers' future in green bay. >> i'm going to take some time and have some conversations with people around here and make a decision >> reporter: what does aaron rodgers' legacy look like right now? >> this has been a legacy shifting season for aaron rodgers. on the football field, it comes down to the fact that in 17 years with aaron rodgers, the packers have made just one super bowl. they won one championship >> reporter: and off the field, it's been a roller coaster year for rodgers. mired in a vaccine controversy of his own making after he misled the public about his vaccination status in august >> yeah, i'm immunized. >> reporter: rodgers later apologizin when his unvaccinated status came to light now fans, from green bay to florida, appreciating the talent they have witnessed for years. as two fixtures of the nfl now face crucial questions about what the next chapter might be >> and sam joins me now. where do things stand right now with brady's potential return to the team or not? >> reporter: kate, after what just transpired in raymond james stadium, you would have to think he's considering coming back, but tom brad has not commented on his future he has said before he would play to 45 but the problem is, the bucs are not going to be able to bring back a lot of those good players and that's casting into doubt whether brady would have a good roster to return to. >> sam brock, a lot of people watching. still ahead, the winter wildfire threatening an iconic california landmark. and the price hike for used cars now higher than ever. what's driving up the cost crews in california are battling a rare winter wildfire tonight it's already scorched more than 1,000 acres near big sur along the coastline and shut down portions of historic highway 1 near the bixby bridge. hundreds have been ordered to evacuate. but calmer winds today are helping crews make some progress against that blaze now to the skyrocketing prices for used cars, rising faster than almost any other product. it's a major roadblock for consumers who need affordable transportation rehema ellis on what's driving those huge price hikes. normally the lot would be two lines >> reporter: amir yousef sells used cars in new jersey. and the past two years, he's had less to sell. he blames covid for accelerating the shortage before the pandemic, this lot was typically packed with about 120 used cars. today, there's only 45 >> we are paying around 30% more for the same car that we used to buy before the pandemic >> reporter: you have to pass that on to the customer >> yes >> reporter: nationwide, the price of a used car has skyrocketed at 37% in the past year. the average cost soaring above $28,000 for the first time ever >> everybody is frustrated >> there's a shortage of cars. >> reporter: in west new york, new jersey, a smaller dealer but the same story >> it's got 120,000 miles on it. >> reporter: nick constantino has been selling cars a this corner lot for nearly 60 years. his fleet is older with a lot more miles, but he also has less to sell. >> all the years i've been in business, the last two years are the worst years i've ever seen >> reporter: he says that's hurting business and the lower income buyer >> a lot of people come here cannot afford a car today >> reporter: that's the hard reality for john cook and his wife in alexandria, indiana. >> we don't have that nest egg >> reporter: no nest egg to replace their 1990 subaru that was totaled in an accident he needs a car to help care for his five grandsons. >> i didn't expect it. i expected a premium price. i didn't expect it to be that on a fixed income >> reporter: even with financing, it's a challenge. with the average monthly payment for a used car topping $500. in fact, a study this week found the average worker would need to work five weeks a year to afford the additional costs is there one thing or a series of things leading to a lack of inventory in the used car market >> there are fewer semiconductor chips, which means there are fewer vehicles being built which means ultimately there are fewer vehicles being sold into the used market >> reporter: whatever the market has to do, john just wants a car so he and his wife can get back to being involved grandparents. >> and there's still some growing left to do for our kids. we need to be there. >> reporter: but in today's market, getting there in a used car may be further down the road. rehema ellis, nbc news when we come back, the message from the past, finally delivered after nearly 80 years there's good news tonight about the past coming to life all thanks to a surprise delivery 76 years late in 1945, world war ii ended. ♪ kiss me once, kiss me twice ♪ bing crosby was jukebox favorite >> this is a holiday everybody take the day off. >> a hit on the silver screen, too. and on december 6, 1945, john, a young army sergeant stationed in germany, penned a letter to his mom back home in massachusetts. 76 years later, that letter finally showed up at his widow's house. >> the mailman rang my doorbell, and he said to me, was your husband in the army? and i said, yes, he was. he said i do believe i have something from him. >> angelina instantly recognized her husband's handwriting. >> i thought that is unbelievable it was just like a shock. >> where the litter has been all this time remains a mystery, but it recently arrived at a pittsburgh postal facility workers there tracked angelina down through the church listed in her husband's obituary >> i actually felt as though he was here with me when i was reading that letter. >> reporter: her beloved johnny died six years ago. >> as for the food, it's pretty lousy most all the time >> he spoke about everyday things like the food and weather >> it was raining and snowing again this morning. >> shedding new light on his time overseas >> it looks as if i won't be here much longer before i return to the states. >> a glimpse into the life of service, angelina had heard little about during their 61 years together their son, rob, says the letter has been a gift the family will treasure forever >> he was my hero. we didn't know a whole lot about that part of his life just to get that little sliver of information was pretty special. >> a special reminder of the man she loved so much. >> and i miss him always yep. he'll always be with me i'll never forget him. that's for sure. >> john and angelina had five kids together she's now a grandmother to six and has three great-grandchildren. and angelina just celebrated her 90th birthday we wish her all the best that is nbc "nightly news" on this sunday lester holt will be back with you tomorrow i'm kate snow. for all of us here at nbc news, stay safe and have a good night. all day yesterday and half a day today. >> okay. >> so far. >> right now at 6:00, in the dark for two days. pg&e crews still working to restore power. an unusual winter wildfire still burning. the big warning tonight for people living on the monterey peninsula. time is running out to get that extra dose. the fast-approaching deadline for first responders into the south bay. the news at 6:00 starts now. thanks for joining us. i'm audrey asistio. >> and i'm terry mcsweeney. the clock is ticking for south bay first res

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