With the Minnesota Vikings’ 2018 season officially over with Minnesota Vikings Womens Hoodie , we now know all of the team’s opponents for the 2019 season. We knew almost all of them going into yesterday’s games, but everything is finalized now.The final spot on the Vikings’ schedule will be filled by the Atlanta Falcons. With their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers yesterday, the Falcons took possession of second place in the NFC South. That means that the Falcons will be making a trip to U.S. Bank Stadium at some point in the 2019 season.With that, here’s a complete look at Minnesota’s 2019 opponents.Home Games: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Oakland Raiders, Atlanta FalconsRoad Games: Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Chargers Womens Customized Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , Seattle SeahawksAt first glance, that looks like an awfully brutal road schedule. The Chiefs and Chargers tied for the most wins in the AFC this year (12 each), and the Vikings have three other playoff teams on their away schedule for 2019.On the other hand, the Vikings only have two home games against teams that made the playoffs in 2018 on their 2019 schedule. So. . .that’s something, I guess.We say this every year when we look at future opponents, but it’s damn near impossible to tell who’s going to rise and fall from one year to the next. At first glance, however, it doesn’t look like 2019 is going to be any kind of cake walk for this Minnesota team. ED NOTE: This has bad words. Most of the other things we write on here usually don’t, but this one does. It seems to be a popular bit, so until the law catches up with me, I’m going to keep doing it. Thanks for understanding, and thanks for not reading and not letting your kids read it if bad language isn’t your thing. Hope you enjoy the rest of our articles—TedAt some point in life a warrior poet will be dealt with unexpected setbacks, maybe two or three, all within close proximity of one another, and it feels like you’re entering a graveyard spiral. How you deal with it determines your way forward, and the paths are quite divergent. Sometimes you can fight through it, level your wings www.vikingscheapshops.com , and fly on towards your destiny. Or things spin out of control, to the point the only thing left is impact, a fiery explosion, and no survivors. So when faced with this scenario, you can do one of two things. You can just accept your fate and get blown to smithereens, or you can grab the stick and fight. And keep fighting, until you level your wings, let the cobwebs clear, and start moving forward again. Because as any good warrior poet knows, moving forward is the only option, and quitting is for losers. And you move forward, because warrior poets are not losers.Because you are Zim Tzu, The King In The North, Subduer of Equestrian Excrement Consumers, Nightmare of Clan Fromage, Breaker Of Gold Fever, High Septon Of Eagan Minnesota Vikings T-Shirt , Lord Commander Of The Iron Range And Twin Cities, Master Of Fortress TCO, Honorary Elder Of Mankato and Protector Of The Realm.And when you do fly out of the spins people want to hear about your aerobatic tales, and marvel at your death defying stunts. And that’s where we come in.* We’re essentially the barnstorming experts**, that take the words that are spoken, and translate them into what Zim Tzu was actually thinking at the time.****We are not in. We’re more out in the cold than a wet dude in the Arctic.**Airplanes are for folks that are scared to fly. Helicopters are where it’s at, yo.***My legal team of Franklin, Bash, and Bateman can’t stress enough that this is 100% satire, and no reading of minds or psychic powers were employed in writing this. No animals were harmed, either. Except eagles. GET IT?!?!What Zim Tzu meant: Holy mother of Odin we beat those horseshit eating jackasses. They literally eat horseshit, which metaphorically was like watching our two most recent games. Especially Buffalo, because what in the sweet fuck was that? Nice win, helps get that shit taste out of the mouth. Let’s fucking go.Q: Why has Kirk Cousins been so good at diagnosing blitzes and avoiding them?What Zim Tzu meant: Well, Granitejaw McDreamy has this thing we call ‘talent’. He also has two other things we call ‘experience’ and ‘health’. And when you combine these three things in a cauldron of witches brew, you get this fuckin’ miracle called ‘a quarterback that doesn’t suck’. And I want you to inject this strange brew concoction straight into my veins, eyeballs Minnesota Vikings Hats , and buttcheeks from now until the end of my days because watching a good quarterback wearing a Vikings uniform play at a high level must feel like what being high on cocaine is like. Q: In what ways has Stephen Weatherly improved as a pass rusher?What Zim Tzu meant: You know Stephen has come a long way. When he first got here he’d stand up at the snap and yell to the sideline ‘HEY COACH AM I DOING THIS RIGHT?’ and then he’d get steamrolled. Look, it was funny as shit, and admittedly we kept him around for comedic purposes only. But now he’s come on strong and on Sunday he went after Wentz like Wentz owed him money and the football was the wallet.Q: What are the keys to having two defensive ends that can play both the strong and weak side of the ball?What Zim Tzu meant: It means I can come at you with more looks than Taylor Swift has costume changes at one of her concerts. And we’ll write your name. In the dirt. Fuckers. Q: You’ve drafted a lot of pass rushers who didn’t have a lot of sacks in college. How do you identify those players coming out, and how important has Andre Patterson been in developing them?What Zim Tzu meant: Andre Patterson is a fucking defensive lineman whisperer. Truth is, he helps defensive linemen with pass rush problems. Then those defensive linemen fuck up some quarterbacks.Q: How much do you coach Dan Bailey during a game like yesterday? Do you get involved with the kicker much, or just decide when you’re going to kick the field goal?What Zim Tzu meant: Yeah, I thought about talking to him. I thought about going up to him and asking him what the fuck his problem was because GODDAMN IT I’M SICK OF KICKERS AND I WILL HACK OFF YOUR GODDAMN LEG WITH A BROKEN HOCKEY STICK AND MAKE YOU LIMP HOME ON A BLOODY STUMP IF YOU DON’T MAKE THIS NEXT KICK. I had zero confidence he would make it.Q: What does the resiliency of this defense bring to the team?What Zim Tzu meant: Well, it’s nice to not get fucking boatraced for the third week in a row, that’s for sure. Let’s see what happens against the Cardinals. Q: Have you gotten another chance to look at Andrew Sendejo’s hit?What Zim Tzu meant: It was bullshit, man. Just like the fuckin’ game clock in Chicago. Q: Do you worry about a player getting a reputation with officials where they’re more likely to flag them?What Zim Tzu meant: Andrew Sendejo’s reputation is so well known it arrives at the stadium three hours before the rest of the team and is more damaged than Minnesota roads.Q: The onside kick seemed like it was pretty well executed. What was going through your mind there as it took a bad hop and bounces off of Adam Thielen at first?What Zim Tzu meant: We are so fucked. Q: What is it about Adam Thielen that makes him so good in that spot?What Zim Tzu meant: He recovered the ball.Q: Do you see a point in the league when quarterbacks are not completing 70 percent?What Zim Tzu meant: Well when you can’t hit or tackle the quarterback shit’s gonna skyrocket. Fuck it, let’s just do 7 on 7 drills and call it good. Q: People talk about how the run game and passing game need to be balanced. With guys throwing better does that become obsolete?What Zim Tzu meant: Not when guys are running for shit.Q: When you see so many teams spreading out and putting you in nickel situations, how does that affect your personnel and the way you (Ed note: original transcription ended there. I don’t know what the rest of the question was)What Zim Tzu meant: I smile, then I laugh, and then I fuck you up and end whatever hope your play had before it begins. Unless I iso Anthony Barr. Then we’re pretty well fucked.
Transcript: Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer Minnesota Vikings Hats , 13 August As we start the final week of Training Camp for the Minnesota Vikings. . .yes, as long as it took for us to get here, it’s nearly over already. . .we got another opportunity to hear from Mike Zimmer about a variety of topics. Naturally, there were plenty of questions about the offensive line, but there were several other topics that were brought up during today’s press availability as well.Below is the full transcript of the question and answer session with Zimmer today, courtesy of the folks at the Vikings’ Public Relations office.Q: What stood out to you about the two big runs Latavius Murray had?A: He’s been running well all camp. The thing I liked about it is the acceleration through the hole when he found it, and he dropped his pads when he gets contact. But he’s been doing that all camp, so he’s looked really good.Q: How do you think Rashod Hill has looked since returning from his illness early in camp?A: Rashod is doing a good job. He’s an extremely athletic guy that has been getting better and better. Sometimes later in the game his concentration leaves him a little bit, so that’s where we’ll have to extend him more plays so he gets used to doing those things. He’s done a really nice job, he’s moving well in the running game, when he sets good in the passing game he’s really hard to get around. He’s done some good things.Q: How was Tom Compton looking? Are you thinking he might settle in at the left guard spot?A: I don’t know yet. We’re still looking and we haven’t made any decisions that way, but he played pretty well the other night, was solid. He really didn’t have any miscues in there, so we’re just going to continue to look. We still got a couple of more weeks before we go.Q: What makes Aviante Collins a good fit on the interior, particularly where he was at left guard?A: I was just sitting there one day Minnesota Vikings Womens Hoodie , and I said, “Let’s just look at him at guard and see what he can do.” Run-game wise, the footwork is similar between a guard and tackle, so that’s not a big change. But pass sets are different, things happen a lot quicker in there, but he’s a very, very athletic guy. It happens a lot quicker in there, so that’s kind of the thing we have to find out about with him. He’s got a little bit of a nasty streak, and that’s good. He’s a big guy, so I just thought let’s look at him.Q: How difficult is it to move a young player between the guard and tackle positions?A: Like this week with Aviante, when we went from tackle to guard it kind of took him a series to get back and say, “Okay, I got to do it this way now.” That will come, but it’s good for him to do those things, because on game day he could play almost anywhere.Q: When you get together with another team to practice Womens Customized Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , what are the key parameters that you establish with the other head coach?A: The biggest thing is that we want to get work done against a good team. It’s important that our guys know that we’re not going to put up with any trash talking, we’re not going to put up with any fighting. We’re not here for that, we’re here to get better. Hopefully our guys will know that, and they’ll have the same thing. Coach Marrone and I have talked about it. We’re really all about getting work done, we don’t way to get in any kind of conflicts like they apparently had in Washington. I didn’t see it, but things like that.Q: Do you have a history with Coach Marrone at all?A: Not really. Adam [Zimmer] was with him in New Orleans, and I know Tom Coughlin pretty well. They have done quite a bit, so when they called me I just expressed my concerns that I don’t want this to be a fight or anything like that, I want to go out there and try and get better.Q: Now that Jalen Ramsey and Dante Fowler are not going to travel here with Jacksonville, does that take any value out of this?A: They’re a good football team, went to the AFC Championship game last year. Whoever they bring, they bring, and whoever they don’t, they don’t. We’re just going to go out and try to improve. They’re defense is very similar to a lot of defenses that we’re going to face this year schematically, so I think that that will be good www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com , especially for our offense. They’re a downhill, power running football team, which is going to be good for our defense.Q: Is there anything you got out of the joint practices in Cincinnati in 2016 that you’d like to see happen again?A: Yeah, I got to go to the ranch for about three days, that was the number one reason. No, schematically everything was pretty similar defensively to both sides. We got a lot of good work done I thought that week. It was really, really hot and humid. I’m thinking back on it, but it’s always good when you get to go against A.J. Green. We get to go against [Leonard] Fournette this week. We’re not going to be pounding him or anything like that, but it’s good to see great players on the other side of the ball.Q: What were your impressions of the backup running backs on Saturday, such as Roc Thomas and Mike Boone?A: All three of them, including Mac Brown, had some very good runs. We missed a protection one time with one of them that got us a sacked. But they showed some explosiveness. I was actually pleased with those three guys, hopefully we can continue to work with those three and see where that leads. Q: On defense, how did you think Mike Hughes applied the techniques he’s been taught during camp?A: Mike did very well for the first time out. We were talking about some of our other corners and how their first game out was a little bit different compared to his. I thought that he played really well. He made a couple of nice tackles, the deep ball down on our sideline that he covered Minnesota Vikings Womens T-Shirt , I thought he was going to intercept it. He made a blitz one time when he was at the nickel and tackled the running back from behind. He did a lot of very good things, it was a good step in the right direction. Q: How about the special teams and in the return game?A: Yeah, you know he dropped the one ball which was not good, but he probably got what was there. We need to do better on special teams overall then we did the other night. That was not good enough so we are going to put a big emphasis on that now.Q: What does Jaleel Johnson’s position flexibility allow you to do as you try to build the depth of the interior defensive line? A: The biggest thing is on game day we can possibly dress one less defensive lineman because we can move guys around. It is good for him because it is two different techniques when you are playing nose and when you are playing the three-technique. It is good for him to do both, and it allows us to see what he is doing better, is this better or is that better?Q: Is there anything you noticed when watching the film of the first offensive drive? A: What I was probably most impressed with was the way we came off the ball with our offensive line. I thought we were physical up front, I thought we came off the ball well, and we did a nice job getting to the second level with the linebackers. I have been saying this in practice, our guys have been coming off the ball [well], it looked like it does in practice. So those things were really good. I think the footwork for the most part with the offensive line when they were in there was good. There were some other things, obviously Stefon Diggs’ catch. Kirk Cousins’ one-yard touchdown pass that he threw was a heck of a throw. He was getting pressured, he got it out quick and stuck it in there. People probably don’t appreciate that kind of a play as much as the one down the sideline. That was a really good throw. Q: What was your impression of Brian O’Neill and Jalyn Holmes?A: Jalyn did some good things. What he has been working on is, especially in the running game, it is kind of a different animal, you have to bow up and get thick and used to the pounding. I thought he did that better the other night. He showed some flashes in the pass rush. I wouldn’t have given him the same grade that Pro Football Focus did though. Somebody told me what his grade was. I didn’t look at it obviously. Actually Minnesota Vikings Hats , O’Neill played pretty well. Some of the things we were working on that he had been doing previously, he did not do, which was good. In the running game he was pretty good. Getting in the second level, blocking his guys. I thought he improved this week, yes. We are now under ninety minutes from kickoff of today’s contest between the Minnesota Vikings and the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have released their inactive lists, so let’s see who will be sitting out of today’s contest.As always, we start with the visiting team.Minnesota VikingsDE Tashawn BowerRB Dalvin CookLB Devante DownsDE Everson GriffenCB Marcus SherelsQB Kyle SloterCB Trae WaynesRookie cornerback Mike Hughes will get his first NFL start in place of Waynes this afternoon. Latavius Murray will be the starter at running back in place of Cook, and Stephen Weatherly will continue to start at defensive end in Griffen’s absence. Rookie defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes is active today for the first time in his NFL career.And now, on to the home team.Philadelphia EaglesDE Derek BarnettOT Jordan MailataDT Haloti NgataG Matt PryorQB Nate SudfeldRB Darren SprolesG Chance WarmackNgata is a bit of a surprise, even though he was listed as “questionable” on the Eagles’ final injury report. His absence will affect the Eagles’ defensive line depth a bit. Will it be enough to get the Vikings’ run game going in any way? We shall see.There are your inactive lists, folks. The Open Thread for the first quarter will be up at approximately half past 2, Central time.
In 10 days Limited Duron Harmon Jersey , the New England Patriots will play for their record-tying sixth Super Bowl title, when the team takes on the NFC-winning Los Angeles Rams on the game’s biggest stage. On Tuesday, the club announced that it will leave the New England area to fly to Atlanta for Super Bowl 53 on Sunday, January 27 — and not was not all.The trip to Georgia, after all, is only one important date on the AFC champions’ agenda that day. Before leaving, players and coaches will be part of a Super Bowl send-off rally at Foxboro’s Gillette Stadium. The event, which will take place at NRG Plaza outside The Hall at Patriots Place, is free and doors will open at 8:00 a.m. ET. The rally itself will then start two hours later at 10:00 a.m. ET.Sunday’s event will not be the first one of its kind as the team usually holds send-off rallies when it travels to play the Super Bowl. When the Patriots went to Houston and Minneapolis the last two years to play in Super Bowls 51 and 52, respectively, the club also held rallies outside Gillette Stadium. And when looking back at those events, we can give an educated guess who will be part of the action.Team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick will speak to the fans, with Tom Brady and the rest of the team’s captains — center David Andrews Lawrence Guy Jersey , running back James White, safeties Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, as well as special teamer Matthew Slater — also present. So make sure to mark your calendars and come support your team! Coming off a hard-fought victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, the New England Patriots need a quick turnaround as another big challenge awaits: the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears, who not only bring a 3-2 record to the table but also own top-10 units on both sides of the football. Safe to say, that this will be an interesting road contest for the Patriots.Let’s analyze it by taking a look at some of the advanced stats heading into the game (courtesy of SB Nation’s Bill Connelly; for his methodology please click here).Patriots offense vs Bears defenseNormal down and distance in the open fieldThe Patriots offense continues to improve its open field statistics and despite a bad start to the year, now ranks among the top-10 in three of the categories. On Sunday, though, a big challenge awaits in a Bears defense that has found plenty of success between its own 10 and the opposing 30: New England and Chicago are matched up evenly from a statistic perspective. That being said, the Patriots’ numbers over the last three games look much improved when compared to their first three – so one could give the edge to Tom Brady and company.Backed Up Situations Near the Goal LineNew England’s success rate while being backed up inside its own 10-yard line continues to be rather average with an interception in week one still hurting the turnover rate. The Bears, on the other hand, have also not been world beaters when having their opponent pinned deep in its own territory.Red ZoneThe Patriots continue to be one of the NFL’s better red zone teams, even though their success inside the 10-yard line has taken a slight hit when compared to last week’s advanced stats. This week Authentic David Andrews Jersey Salute to Service , New England’s offense will face a defense that ranks well in exactly that part of the field – so now would be the right time to show some improvements from the Patriots’ perspective. Maybe Rob Gronkowski, who has only received one target inside the opponent’s 20-yard line, will help.Third DownsWhile their third-and-medium success rate is below average, the Patriots have one of the best overall third down offenses in football. Being able to extend drives has been a key for the team as of late – just watch the last two drives against Kansas City – and it will now try to do the same versus a defense that has been quite productive in this area as well. Talk about a classic battle of strength versus strength.Blitz SituationsNew England’s offense and Chicago’s defense are both faring relatively well in blitz situations – obvious passing downs specified as first-and-18 or more, second-and-14 or more, and third-and-3 or more – with the noticeable outlier being big plays: the Patriots have failed to produce them when playing behind the sticks, while the Bears have failed to stop them in the same kind of situations.Patriots defense vs Bears offenseNormal down and distance in the open fieldNew England’s defensive inconsistency is reflected in the open field statistics. Luckily, it still matches up well against second-year quarterback Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears. The only stat clearly working in the home team’s favor is third down success rate: New England has struggled getting off the field on third downs between their own 30 and the opponent’s 10, while the Bears have had no issues converting in such situations.Backed Up Situations Near the Goal LineNew England’s defense and Chicago’s offense match up rather evenly when it comes to backed-up situations: both teams have had some success in this area of the field – inside the offense’s own 10-yard line – which could make for an interesting battle if situations like these come along.Red ZoneThe Patriots like to use a bend-don’t-break approach when it comes to defense, which is built on strong red zone performances. This year, however, the team has had its fair share of struggles in this part of the field – although it has shown some improvement last week against the Chiefs. Now, the unit will face another one of the NFL’s better red zone offenses and being up to the task once again will be one of the keys to the game.Third DownsWhile the red area statistics clearly favor Chicago Limited Steve Grogan Jersey , the two teams are matched up rather evenly when it comes to third down situations: both units have their ups and downs depending on the situation. One would clearly favor the Bears, though: third-and-short. New England has been atrocious in stopping opponents with less than one yard to go.Blitz SituationsEven though the Bears have an explosive set of offensive weapons in Taylor Gabriel, Allen Robinson II and Tarik Cohen, the team has struggled when playing from behind the sticks. Getting Chicago in such situations would be big for the Patriots therefore, despite them having their own problems as well. However, this matchup still favors New England from a statistical perspective.If the advanced statistics are an indication, the Patriots and Bears are in for what could be a close game of strength versus strength (New England’s offense versus Chicago’s defense), and weakness versus weakness (New England’s defense versus Chicago’s offense). For the visitors, the following questions will need to be answered to decide both battles in their favor:Can the Patriots improve in the red zone on both sides of the ball?Can the Patriots defense force Chicago to play from behind the sticks?Can the Patriots win on third down?If New England is able to accomplish most of those things, it could very well sway the outcome in its favor.
The Titans hadn’t beaten the Patriots since 2002. They didn’t just beat New England on Sunday. They dominated.With a coach who played linebacker for Bill Belichick and a number of players who played in New England Authentic LaAdrian Waddle Jersey , the Titans’ 34-10 victory surely was extra special. It ended the Patriots’ six-game winning streak and got Titans above .500 at 5-4.Darius Jennings got Tennessee off to a good start with a 58-yard return on the opening kickoff. The Titans scored a touchdown seven plays later on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Marcus Mariota to Jonnu Smith.Tennessee never trailed.Mariota completed 16 of 24 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns. He caught a pass for 21 yards and had two rushes for 21 yards.Corey Davis had seven catches for 125 yards and a touchdown.The Titans sacked Tom Brady three times and hit him three other times and held the Patriots to 284 yards.Brady went 21-of-41 for 254 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. The Patriots pulled him in the fourth quarter with the game out of hand.Julian Edelman caught nine passes for 104 yards before leaving with an ankle injury. When the Patriots take the field next Sunday, Tom Brady will have an opportunity to do something he’s never done before. Score a touchdown in the first quarter of a Super Bowl. It may be hard to believe, but the Patriots haven’t scored a touchdown in the first quarter of any of the 8 of the Super Bowls in which Brady has played. Before last year, when Stephen Gostkowski hit a 26 yard FG Limited Shaq Mason Jersey , the Patriots had actually been shut out of all of the first quarters Brady had played in. They’ve been outscored in the Super Bowl 24-3 in the first quarter, and outscored 89-81 in the first half. Brady’s Patriots have been slow starters in all 8 previous Super Bowls, allowing the other team to score first 6 out of 8 games. This team has made their mark in the playoffs by taking early leads and controlling the pace of play. Being able to do that again next week could pay huge dividends for the Patriots against a tough Rams team. All 8 of Brady’s Super Bowls have been close, with last year the biggest margin of victory(or defeat). You could argue they could just as easily be 8-0 or 0-8. Getting off to a fast start could change that trend. We all want to watch an entertaining Super Bowl Drew Bledsoe Jersey Salute to Service , but I’d be ok with a blowout too.Frankly, after all the near heart attacks the Patriots have caused throughout the years, it would be pretty nice to be able to sit back and enjoy the game, without living and dying with each play. That’s probably just wishful thinking Authentic Malcom Brown Jersey , but if the Patriots get off to a fast start, that’s one wish that just might come true. Pat is the host of The Patriot Nation PodcastInteract with him on Twitter @plane_pats
WR Mike Williams “Looks Like a Different Player” So Far in Training Camp As early as it may be in training camp http://www.sandiegochargersteamonline.com/philip-rivers-jersey , members of the media can’t help but get excited about second-year WR Mike Williams and how he has looked thus far.After a rookie season that saw Williams catch just 11 passes for 95 yards, the 2017 seventh-overall selection has looked like a whole new player with his lingering injuries in the rear-view mirror.Following Day 2’s practice, Ricky Henne over at Chargers.com listed an acrobatic catch from Williams as one of the most impressive plays of the day:“Mike Williams high-pointed the ball on a back shoulder throw, using his strong hands to pluck it out of the air as he shielded it away from the cornerback.”At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Williams has all the necessary tools to be a bully against defensive backs and the tenacity to win those 50-50 balls. It looks like he is finally showing the coaching staff what he is capable of at full health.Again, take the early hype with a grain of salt, but something seems a little bit different about the 2018 edition of Mike Williams. It is the midway point in the Los Angeles Chargers season. Who gets your vote for defensive player of the year thus far?Jason Michaels: Derwin James is lighting the league on fire, and he’s just a rookie. Can’t ask for more-- can certainly ask for less and still be incredibly satisfied.Michael Peterson: Derwin James. Making an impact all over the field. On pace for most sacks by a rookie DB. Leads the team in tackles.Ruben J. Gonzalez: I’m gonna throw in Desmond King as the player of the year. Derwin has been spectacular and Ingram and Hayward have both shown their worth Womens Caleb Sturgis Jersey , but I can’t say some of these wins would have happened if King was not where he is when he is where he’s at. He, more than anybody has been so valuable this year.Jake Hefner: This was a toss up between Derwin James and Desmond King. But I have to give it to King on this one. He leads all cornerbacks in overall grade through the first eight weeks of the season according to PFF. Additionally, its hard to argue that the outcome of some games have not been specifically determined by his play (See Pick Six).Mike Murray: Desmond King, the guy is a playmaker (plus he should also get STPOY).Jamie Hoyle: This is a tough one for me because I feel like someone different steps up every week. That said, I’m going to buck the Derwin trend here and go with someone who deserves much more credit than he’s been getting - Adrian Phillips. Phillips is the best, most versatile and most consistent linebacker on the team (I don’t care if he’s listed as a S, he’s a LB), and has made a huge impact on this defense since he began getting more snaps against Oakland. The Chargers are allowing fewer yards per game Authentic Russell Okung Jersey , a lower third down conversion rate per game, and fewer points per game since Adrian started to see the field more in week five. This is no knock on Derwin, it just speaks to how well Phillips has played. Lou Gorini: You all know who it is, the rookie, Derwin James. James is the prototypical Swiss Army knife. People throw the term versatile so often. Being versatile doesn’t mean a players ability to play multiple positions on the field. It means being able to play multiple positions by a player AT AN ELITE LEVEL. That is what James has done. He has played strong safety, free safety, slot corner, linebacker Authentic Melvin Ingram Jersey , and edge. He is one of the leading tacklers on the Chargers defense. And if that wasn’t enough; if you are one of those people that are into PFF grades, then you will love this. James has received grades of 75 or greater for his coverage, tackling, and pass rushing.Richard Wade: I’m tempted to give it to Desmond King for the big plays, but Derwin James has been the guy that has made this defense work this year. He fills so many holes. He’s great in coverage. He’s great against the run. He can rush the passer. You can line him up almost anywhere on the field and he will be fantastic. I really do not think you can overstate just how valuable the rookie has been.Who is your defensive player of the first half? Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys
The Los Angeles Chargers have heard plenty of jokes in the past on their kicking game. From the likes of Roberto Aguayo to Caleb Sturgis Youth Brandon Mebane Jersey , it seemed as if the one Achilles heel that was staring the Bolts in the face was their kicking game. Funny how things have a way of working out. As the Chargers looked to stay alive in the chase for the AFC West, the team called upon Micheal Badgley to play the role of hero against the Cincinnati Bengals. He did so without a complaint, or a missed opportunity either. Philip Rivers struggled the day after his birthday to get the Charger offense going. Going 19-of-29 for 220 yards and a touchdown, Rivers was forced to settle for threes instead of sixes. Keenan Allen once again was the team’s consistent option with five catches for 78 yards and a score. Austin Ekeler bounced back from a rough week in Pittsburgh to combine for 94 total yards of offense a touchdown. But the real story of the day was Badgely. Going 4-of-4 in field goals and a long of 59-yards, the 23-year-old rookie from Miami was the reason for the Chargers 10th victory.As the clock began to wind down in the second quarter, Chargers coach Anthony Lynn called a timeout. Putting faith in his young struggling kicker, Lynn sent Badgely out for the kick of his life. A long of 59 to give the Chargers a five-point lead. As the clock stayed firm at zero, the New Jersey native took a deep breath and let it fly. A perfect snap led to a perfect hold which led to a tight kick nearing the right goal post. Sliding in, the Chargers would take the lead. It was the longest in Chargers history. But it was Badgley’s final kick of the evening that would give the Bolts the dagger to put the game away. With 49 seconds on the clock, Badgely nailed a 49-yard kick give the Chargers a 26-21 lead, thus eliminating a chance for a comeback. Badgley made history in the kicking game Womens Michael Schofield Jersey , an area many have considered to be horrendous for Los Angeles this season. Not only was his 59-yard beauty the longest in team history, but his 59 points is the most by any Chargers kicker through seven career games. The Charger now have the second-best record in the entire AFC. Thanks to losses by New England, Houston, and Pittsburgh, the Bolts are just one game behind the Chiefs for the division lead. If not for an injury to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, Los Angeles could be the team to beat heading into January. As Thursday night rapidly approaches, the Chargers now are a win away from taking control of the AFC West. On Thursday, the Chiefs will play host to the red-hot Bolts in Arrowhead Stadium. All it takes is a game to change a story. For Badgely, it came in the form of a kick. A history-making kick. This is a great time of year to be thankful for what we have, where we have been, and what the future holds. Although the Chargers have lost their way a bit in recent years Authentic Keenan Allen Jersey , the month of December still holds such incredible promise! This advent calendar is an attempt to hearken back to these days of December joy. Each day will bring a new advent from the Bolts’ history that makes it wonderful to be a Chargers fan.Dec. 01: Kicking the Kicker Woes in 2018There’s no need to recap the challenges of the last two seasons, other than to breathe a sigh of collective relief that it is firmly, finally behind us. It hasn’t been pretty. It has been downright ugly at times, costing the Chargers a playoff berth in 2017 and, surprisingly, not putting a total damper on the first half of 2018.Since 2016, the Chargers have gone 4-8 in games decided by three points or fewer. When the kicking unit isn’t a solid lock, it puts the entire team in a scary mindset. They know that, if the game comes down to the 4th quarter, getting ‘close’ isn’t close enough.There was reason to be optimistic in 2017, as Younghoe Koo was a youtube sensation. But after some positive press prior to the season Womens Virgil Green Jersey , Koo left quite a stink with the organization that fumbled its kicking competition. This was, however, just another way of maintaining the norm between 2002-2017, as the Chargers ranked 30th out of all teams for clutch kick success. There are some really, really interesting stats at this page if you are quite the nerd and want to find out why the Patriots know they’ve won the game before the ball is kicked (#1, 89.5%), and why the Chargers (#30, 63.6%), Texans, and Panthers are conditioned to chew their fingernails.The Chargers tried to throw money at the problem in 2018, bringing in Caleb Sturgis to compete w—ohh http://www.sandiegochargersteamonline.com/kyzir-white-jersey , right, I said that I wouldn’t need to dig up our sordid past. The point of the matter is that the Chargers, on October 11, 2018 had the right idea in signing Mike Badgley. Ignoring the absolute nonsense of waiving Badgley on October 30 after a perfect game, the Chargers brought him back into the fold on November 5 and both he and the team have prospered because of it.The ‘Money Badger’ (which is an awesome nickname, btw) has been a perfect 9-9 on field goals and 16 of 17 on extra points. His kickoffs aren’t pretty, but they are improving. Most of the fans would agree that it is more desirable to get those 3-point guarantees at the cost of a few yards on kickoff (the coaches did not agree for one week, but that lesson was learned soon enough).-Jason “Merry her?I hardly KNOW her!” Michaels Custom Washington Redskins Jerseys
Marcus Davenport & Cameron Meredith to get extra looks vs Rams | Saints Roster Battles to Watch [Podcast] As we prepare for the final preseason game coach Sean Payton noted that Barrett http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-benjamin-watson-jersey , Meredith and Davenport would receive a heavy dose of reps. What other matchups should you be keeping an eye on? We’ll tell you!With this being the final week of the preseason there are also some very interesting roster battles to watch and cuts coming to players who would likely make the roster in other years. Will Mitchell Loewen make it? Jermon Bushrod? Devaroe Lawrence? It’s a good year for depth in New Orleans.There are multiple ways to catch your favorite Saints podcast! You can watch it on YouTube (to see the live comments from Who Dat Nation) or download it on iTunes/Google Play/Spreaker. As always, thanks for listening.Want to help keep the podcast on the air and film studies coming out? Consider becoming a Patreon sponsor. Whatever amount you wish to donate per month (1 dollar? 5?) helps us tremendously! Dez Bryant has found a new team, agreeing to join the already prolific offense of the surging New Orleans Saints.The former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver, who has been looking for an NFL home since becoming a free agent in April, will now have a chance to catch passes from one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history in New Orleans' Drew Brees."There is certainly a skillset that he has that is going to be beneficial. So I look forward to getting to work with him. I look forward to building a rapport with him. I look forward to getting him involved in this offense and just become a complement to all the guys that we already have," Brees said. "He'll be a great addition."The 30-year-old Bryant and the Saints agreed to contract terms on Wednesday, and it remains unclear to what extent Bryant will play when New Orleans visits Cincinnati on Sunday.Bryant spent his first eight years in the NFL with Dallas and last season caught 69 passes for 838 yards and six touchdowns, including a 50-yard scoring play, for the Cowboys.However, his professional reputation has been marred at times by public confrontations with coaches and teammates during games and practices.Veteran Saints tight end Ben Watson said players in New Orleans' locker room must guard against pre-judging Bryant based on superficial observations from old television clips without knowing all the facts or how Bryant has evolved personally since."I don't know Dez. I wasn't in the locker room with him in Dallas. I don't know all the dynamics," Watson said. "I also don't know what's transpired with him personally since that situation. So the great thing about a locker room Cheap Drew Brees Jersey , I think, is we take guys in and we say, 'Hey, what are you like now?'"Seeking salary cap relief, the Cowboys released Bryant after last season with two years remaining on the receiver's five-year, $70 million contract.Last season was Bryant's best since he caught 88 passes for 1,320 yards and 16 TDs in 2014, which at the time was his third consecutive season with at least 1,200 yards receiving. He signed his last Cowboys contract right after that, but has not approached that level of production since 鈥?a central reason Dallas released him in April."What matters is, what are we going to do for the next eight games?" said Watson Cheap Marshon Lattimore Jersey , who played for the Patriots when running back Corey Dillon arrived with a reputation as a malcontent from Cincinnati in 2004 and helped New England win a Super Bowl.Watson was still with the Patriots in 2007 when they added another perceived malcontent in receiver Randy Moss, who caught 23 of Tom Brady's NFL-record 50 TD passes that season."People change over time and there are certain factors you just don't know about. So we just move forward," Watson said. "If somebody's new, you have a clean slate and you embrace that person because now they're your teammate."Bryant was among several receivers to work out for the Saints on Tuesday. He'd previously met with Cleveland and Baltimore.New Orleans (7-1), which has won seven straight and leads the NFC South, didn't necessarily need another receiver.Led by the record-setting Brees, the Saints rank seventh on offense overall, averaging 402.2 yards per game, and seventh in passing, averaging 289.9 yards. At the same time, New Orleans is without deep threat Ted Ginn Jr. http://www.saintscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-larry-warford-jersey , who is currently on injured reserve and won't be eligible to return until the final few weeks of the season, if he's ready by then.The Saints also have yet to receive consistent production from Cameron Meredith, a former Chicago receiving leader who was acquired in free agency, but who also is trying to come back from major knee surgery that wiped out his 2017 season.Bryant's return to the NFL with the Saints means he could play against his former club in a few weeks. The Saints play at Dallas on Nov. 29."They're getting a great receiver. He goes up and attacks the ball better than I've seen anyone," Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliot said. "He's definitely a special player and I'm glad he got picked up and I'm glad something worked out for him."Added Cowboys coach Jason Garrett: "I'm happy he has an opportunity to go play and finish the right way, it will be a great environment for him to go out and make an impact."New Orleans also has two games remaining against division rival Carolina (6-2)."The nice thing is we don't play them until December, so we will get an opportunity to see what they are doing with him," Panthers coach Ron Rivera said shortly after hearing about Bryant's agreement with the Saints. "He's a good player. He's a guy that has shown he can go up and get the football."AP Sports Writer Schuyler Dixon in Dallas and Steve Reed in Charlotte, North Carolina, contributed. Custom Dallas Cowboys Jerseys
This Halloween weekend http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ryan-ramczyk-jersey , the New Orleans Saints face one of Who Dat Nation’s most hated non-divisional opponents of the past decade, in the Minnesota Vikings.The story tells itself, from the haunting 34-point loss in the Saints’ first playoff game in January 1988, to the Joyous NFC Championship in January 2010, to the fruitless “Minneapolis Miracle” in January 2018, bad blood remains between the two fanbases.Now, the murderous stretch of the schedule becomes even more chilling, as the Saints face four of last season’s NFC playoff teams in four of the next five games.Fortunately for the Saints, three of those games will take place at home in New Orleans.Unfortunately, this week’s game isn't at home in New Orleans, but in Minneapolis, the scene of the most frightening finish from a season ago.Let’s take a look at this, and all of the matchups in the halfway point of the season, Week 8.Last week I went 10-4I told you so: Saints over Ravens (by the score of 24-23)!What do I know: Bills over Colts?***WEEK 8Thursday, October 25th - Thursday Night FootballDolphins(4-3) at Texans(4-3) Houston’s balanced attack and resurgent defense will lead them past a Miami team that Alex Anzalone Jersey , despite a winning record, can't seem to get out of its own way.Houston wins 28-27.Pick: Texans***Sunday, October 28th - Very Early GameEagles(3-4) at* Jaguars(3-4) - Wembley Stadium - London, EnglandPhilly will rebound from a gut-wrenching loss a week ago, by smashing a Jacksonville team that is falling down like London Bridge.Philadelphia wins 31-10.Pick: Eagles***Sunday, October 28th - Early GamesBroncos(3-4) at Chiefs(6-1)Thanks to their running game and KC’s dreadful defense, Denver will keep this game relatively close, but Kansas City is too good to be beat in this matchup.Kansas City wins 27-22.Pick: Chiefs***Browns(2-4-1) at Steelers(3-2-1)The last time these two teams met, the game ended in a tie.That won't happen this time around in Pittsburgh.The Steelers will get the overtime touchdown to win the game outright here at home.Pittsburgh wins 28-21.Pick: Steelers***Redskins(4-2) at Giants(1-6)Washington’s defense will grind the Giants offense to a dead halt in this one.The Giants trading away their best defenders won't help their cause here either.Washington wins 20-9.Pick: Redskins***Seahawks(3-3) at Lions(3-3)Detroit is relentlessly average at everything they do, and that’s not gonna cut it against Seattle in this one.Seattle wins 21-14.Pick: Seahawks***Buccaneers(3-3) at Bengals(4-3)Mediocre quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Andy Dalton will look fantastic against these far below mediocre defenses.Tampa wins 29-27.Pick: Buccaneers***Jets(3-4) at Bears(3-3)Mitchell Trubisky will be the next quarterback who has a huge game against this Jets team.Chicago wins 24-17.Pick: Bears***Ravens(4-3) at Panthers(4-2)Baltimore will struggle to run the ball against the Panthers defense on the road in Carolina.The Panthers will catch a few lucky breaks and take advantage of them in a very close game.Carolina wins 28-24.Pick: Panthers***Sunday, October 28th - Late GamesColts(2-5) at Raiders(1-5) Despite suffering through rough seasons, both Derek Carr and Andrew Luck will shine in this one.Luck gets the better of the Silver and Black in Oakland.Indianapolis wins 26-24.Pick: Colts***49ers(1-6) at Cardinals(1-6)Is this really necessary? Arizona wins 19-14.Pick: Cardinals***Packers(3-2-1) at Rams(7-0) All of the attention in this one will be given to Aaron Rodgers and Jared Goff, but the true star of the day will be Todd Gurley and his relentless attack on the Green Bay defense.Green Bay’s inability to run the ball against the Los Angeles defense will be their undoing.Los Angeles wins 34-21.Pick: Rams***Sunday Night FootballSaints(5-1) at Vikings(4-2-1) - Game of the WeekMuch will be made of the “Minneapolis Miracle” in the lead-up to this game, and while Saints fans will have to endure the relentless rehashing of that event, this Saints team should have all the fuel they need.They cannot find themselves trying to climb out of the type of hole they faced in both of last season’s pivotal games.Getting more help on the outside Authentic Josh LeRibeus Jersey , in the person of Eli Apple, couldn't have come at a better time, against the Vikings’ deadly passing attack, but ultimately the Saints offense will be the key to victory in this game.A Saints win here won’t change anything about that game back in January.It can’t fix anything from that moment, just like Minnesota’s win that day couldn't make up for their loss in New Orleans with a trip to Super Bowl XLIV on the line.That was the past, and this is the present, in the present the Saints are a better team than they were in January.This Saints team will secure a type of victory they couldn't complete to begin and end last season in Minnesota.This victory will go a long way in fortifying the Saints’ place as a favorite to advance to the Super Bowl this season.Saints win 29-26.Pick: Saints***Monday, October 29th - Monday Night FootballPatriots(5-2) at Bills(2-5)This is going to be a frightfully bad game, as New England will massacre Buffalo in their own house for an early Halloween trick.New England wins 35-16.Pick: Patriots***That’s how I see Week 8 playing out, let’s see if the Saints will win their sixth consecutive game, making it a Happy Halloween for us all.Leave us your picks, comments, and insight below! Justin Tucker stunned everyone with a miss.The Baltimore Ravens' two-time All-Pro kicker is so good that nobody could believe it when he sliced a game-tying extra point wide right in a 24-23 loss to the Saints last month.It was Tucker's first career miss after nailing 222 straight.Despite the shank, Tucker was voted the top player in the league at his position for the second straight year by a panel of 10 football writers for The Associated Press."With the best numbers in NFL history despite kicking in the Northeast and outdoors, is there any question Tucker tops this list?" said New York-based writer Barry Wilner.Tucker Youth Austin Carr Jersey , the most accurate kicker in league history at 90.1 percent, received 92 points in a 10-points-to-one-point system with six of 10 first-place votes.The next three were the same as last year's rankings. New England's Stephen Gostkowski, Greg Zuerlein of the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis' Adam Vinatieri finished in that order.Gostkowski received 79 points, including one first-place vote, and appeared on every ballot along with Tucker and Vinatieri."Gostkowski is consistent, clutch and deadly accurate," said New York-based Dennis Waszak Jr. "He replaced Adam Vinatieri in 2006 and the Patriots' kicking game never missed a beat."Zuerlein, who received 63 points, has a powerful leg and is 26 of 45 (57.7 percent) from beyond 50 yards in his career, though the Rams don't need to call him much any longer because they find the end zone quite often."'Greg the Leg' can deliver from long range with the best of them," San Francisco-based Josh Dubow said.Vinatieri set a pair of NFL records this season, surpassing Hall of Famer Morten Anderson for most points and most field goals. The GOAT turns 46 on Dec. 28 and is in his 13th season with Indianapolis after 10 years in New England, where he helped the Patriots win three Super Bowls by making game-winning kicks in the final seconds in two of the wins.Vinatieri received 55 points and a first-place vote from Simmi Buttar."Doesn't matter how old he is. He's got the most points ever in NFL history. Case closed," said Buttar, who is based in New York.Wil Lutz finished fifth Ken Crawley Jersey , one point behind Vinatieri. He is 19 of 20 on field goals for the Saints. Lutz got a pair of first-place votes."He's come through when called upon for a field goal, and he's limiting opponents in the return game by consistently sending kicks into the end zone," Nashville-based Teresa Walker said.Carolina's Graham Gano was sixth with 39 points. Kansas City's Harrison Butker was seventh with 35 points. Jason Myers of the New York Jets was eighth with 25 points. Buffalo's Stephen Hauschka came in ninth with 22 points. San Francisco's Robbie Gould edged Pittsburgh's Chris Boswell for 10th. Boswell is second behind Tucker on the all-time accuracy list at 87.7 percent.The rankings:1. Justin Tucker, Ravens2. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots3. Greg Zuerlein, Rams4. Adam Vinatieri, Colts5. Wil Lutz, Saints6. Graham Gano, Panthers7. Harrison Butker, Chiefs8. Jason Myers, Jets9. Stephen Hauschka, Bills10. Robbie Gould, 49ers www.nflshopoutlet.com/cincinnati-bengals
Linebacker Kamalei Correa had one crucial tip for how the Tennessee Titans can best handle the franchise's first trip to London for a regular-season game:Sleep as much as possible on the plane."That's the biggest thing man Womens Darius Philon Jersey ," said Correa, who has played in London previously while with Baltimore. "Just get some sleep on the plane because if you don't, then you're not going to be in a good place because as soon as we land we're moving already. We're going to be going to meetings and film and walk-through. If you don't get sleep, you're going to be far behind, so you've got to get some rest."The Titans (3-3) practiced at home Thursday before heading to the airport for the nonstop flight to London. Coach Mike Vrabel joked that the reason for the later departure was because his passport didn't arrive until Thursday. The real reason was much more practical for a franchise that has played outside the United States only twice, both preseason games, with the last in 1994 in Mexico City when still the Houston Oilers."We wanted to try to keep everything as normal as possible," Vrabel said. "We have a great facility here. Guys like to sleep in their own beds, they like to see their wives, they like to see their kids. That's part of their routine. I felt like after talking to some people, you could do it either way."You could go over there and you can spend a week over there Womens Russell Okung Jersey , you could arrive Friday morning, and we're excited."The Titans shipped some equipment to London by ship during the summer, taking advantage of having bought extra gear last year when the team spent a week in Arizona between games out West.This is the second trip to London for the Chargers, who played in London in 2008, and for their coach Anthony Lynn. He spent the entire week in England on his first trip. This time, Lynn has checked out how other teams have approached the trip and chose to give his team more time to sleep and game plan before traveling. The Chargers (4-2) stayed in Ohio after beating the Browns last weekend and also are flying to London on Thursday."Hopefully, it works," Lynn said. "Anytime you're on a plane that long, it's not ideal to get off and go through things. But, like I said, we'll get there Friday and we'll have Friday to relax http://www.chargersfootballauthentics.com/philip-rivers-jersey-authentic , and Saturday to recover, and go play the game on Sunday."Correa played in London last season while with the Ravens. Safety Johnathan Cyprien, currently on injured reserve, played in London with the Jaguars. Linebacker Will Compton, who is dealing with an injured hamstring, and safety Kenny Vaccaro also have played in London with other teams.Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has been on plenty of long airplane rides, and he agrees with his fellow Hawaii native that sleep is the best approach to deal with jetlag. Mariota has had enough practice that he says he sleeps well on planes. The Titans will have seats that stretch out to help them sleep.The Titans will have some time Friday night and Saturday for potential sightseeing, and many of the players have family also traveling. Taking care of business is the Titans' main focus. They've lost two straight and need a win going into their bye to keep themselves atop the struggling AFC South."This will be my first time in London, so I'm excited. The team is excited," safety Kevin Byard said. "But the main thing is to go out there and get a W, and that's what we want to go do."Notes: LB Wesley Woodyard (shoulder) practiced fully for the first time since hurting his shoulder Sept. 30. Vaccaro (elbow) was limited for a second straight day. DL Bennie Logan also practiced fully. Compton Youth Caleb Sturgis Jersey , LB Derrick Morgan (shoulder) and LG Quinton Spain (right shoulder) did not practice.Follow Teresa M. Walker at teresamwalkerChargers UDFA Spotlight: OL Zach Golditch Everyone goes through some crazy stuff in life. Odds are defied all the time. But not many people can say they survived being shot in the neck to then go on and play in the NFL. However, that’s exactly what former Colorado State offensive lineman Zach Golditch is trying to accomplish.Standing 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, Golditch is the prototypical left-tackle for a pass-happy, spread offense. He became a regular starter in 2015 when he started 12 of 13 games, the first two at left tackle before playing the rest of the season at left guard.Golditch started the last 26 games of his career, playing mostly at left tackle but often moved around the formation where needed. Following his senior season, he was named a First Team All-Mountain West selection by the coaches. With his help, the offensive line averaged one sack allowed per game and ranked first in the Mountain West with 492.5 yards of offense per game.Unfortunately, he tore a flexor tendon in his left ring finger while playing in the NFLPA’s Collegiate Bowl. This kept him from doing any positional work during Colorado State’s pro day which likely played a role in his name not getting called over the course of draft weekend.In my opinion, I’m not sure Golditch has much of a shot to make this roster. There are better offensive linemen among the UDFA group and nothing really stood out about his game while watching his film. He has experience and was a trusted member of the Rams’ front five that paved the way for a high-octane offense. I just don’t think he has the speed and strength to match up with the elite EDGE defenders in the NFL. Below you can find a short cut-up of his film against Oregon State from this past year. Take a look and let me know what you guys think (he is #61). Custom Arizona Cardinals Jerseys
Keenan Allen Posted Two of the Top Five Grades by a WR in 2017 To those on the outside of the Chargers organization/fan base Casey Hayward Jersey , Keenan Allen was starting to be viewed as a potential bust who just couldn’t seem to shake the injury bug. In fact, up until this past season, Allen had never stayed healthy through an entire 16-game season.This was a completely valid thought-process as the talented wide receiver sustained back-to-back season-ending injuries in 2015 and ‘16. It also didn’t help the receiver’s outlook when you take into account just how devastating the injuries were.During the team’s contest against the Baltimore Ravens during the 2015 season, Allen came down hard after snagging a beautiful touchdown pass in the corner of the endzone. As the team and fans celebrated, the smiles and cheers quickly turned into faces of disbelief. Allen was taken off the field and soon diagnosed with a lacerated kidney.A what now?It was, by far, the flukiest injury I have ever witnessed on the field. It was so fluky that even the ACL tear he sustained against the Chiefs to begin the 2016 season seem fairly run-of-the-mill. But still, after the absolutely horrendous stretch of bad luck, The Slayer came into this past season with unabashed confidence. What we witnessed was a historic season for not only a Chargers wide receiver, but for the entire NFL.According to Pro Football Focus, Allen had the second and third-highest single game grades for a wide receiver this past season. His phenomenal performances were actually one after the other during weeks 11 and 12, against the Bills and Cowboys, respectively.Against the Bills, Allen exploded for 159 yards on a season-high 12 catches http://www.chargerscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-darius-philon-jersey , double-dipping in the endzone for good measure. He was graded out at a 95.9, just behind Julio Jones’ 99.9 grade from his thrashing of the Buccaneers in Week 12.On Thanksgiving Day, Allen stuffed the stat sheet once more. In Jerryworld, Allen hauled in 11 catches for a career-high 172 yards and one beautiful catch-and-run touchdown.After baring witness to what Allen can produce during a full season of health, Charger fans and the rest of the NFL have no more excuses to not think highly of the the fifth-year wide receiver. If Allen were to have a similar, if not better, season in 2018, it wouldn’t be much of a stretch to argue that #13 deserves to be in the top-tier of NFL wide receivers.Why Hasn’t Hunter Henry Been Placed On Injured Reserve Yet? Based on my social media timeline, it seems a large segment of the Los Angeles Chargers fan base is convinced Hunter Henry is going to play at some point in 2018. This, of course, is being fueled by the fact that Henry, who tore his ACL on May 22, has yet to be placed on the Injured Reserve some ten weeks after sustaining the injury. The assumption here is that the team would have already placed him on the IR if they planned to do so, which obviously means he’s going to play this season.I Desmond King Jersey , for one, don’t believe this is the case. Regardless of how quickly the team placed Jason Verrett and Austin Roberts on IR after their season-ending injuries, there is no immediate need to do the same with Henry. In my opinion, this is all probably best explained by looking first at the NFL calendar, and then examining the league’s IR rules.As far as the NFL calendar goes, teams no longer have to worry about cutting players during the preseason. Every NFL team has the flexibility of carrying a full 90-man roster through the end of the preseason, which means there is no immediate need to clear a roster spot, or even manage the roster. Once they get through the preseason, teams are required to announce their final cuts by September 1.It actually makes sense to wait until final cuts to place Hunter on Injured Reserve Why? Because doing so gives them an easy roster chip they can manipulate as needed should they add someone after announcing the 53-man roster. Rather than exposing someone they might want to keep to waivers, they can simply create a roster spot by moving Hunter to IR.This tactic should sound familiar because they did it with Denzel Perryman in 2017. As you may recall, Denzel injured his ankle in the preseason opener. Like Henry, he was not immediately placed on Injured Reserve. In fact, he made the team’s initial 53-man roster before being transferred to IR in order to make room for Kellen Clemens, who was cut and ultimately re-signed the following day in a cap-related move. In other words Cheap Joey Bosa Jersey , they effectively kept a roster spot open for Clemens by delaying the inevitable with Perryman.What’s more, being placed on IR doesn’t necessarily preclude a player from returning to the active roster during the season. The NFL has two versions of the Injured Reserve: the Injured Reserve and the Injured Reserve – Return Designation. The return designation means exactly what you think it means – Hunter would be eligible to return to the active roster later in the season.Here is how it works: the Chargers would have to place Hunter Henry on the IR with a return designation by 4pm EST on September 1. Assuming they do that, he would be eligible to return to practice after spending six weeks on the Injured Reserve. Additionally, he would be eligible to return to the active roster within eight weeks of being placed on IR.There is no advantage to leaving him on the active roster when they can place him on the Injured Reserve with a designation to return. They could, in theory, add him to the active roster by week nine of the regular season AND have an able-bodied tight end occupy his spot on the active roster while he mends. There is no financial or strategic advantage to keeping Henry on the roster when he is unable to play, which is why the team won’t go that route.It’s important to keep in mind that Hunter Henry sustained his injury on May 22, which means he probably won’t be physically able to return to practice or game action until November at the absolute earliest. And, assuming he makes it back in November, he would probably only be available in a very limited role.The only other viable option for dealing with a long-term injury is the reserve/PUP list. If added to the reserve/PUP list, Hunter would be ineligible to practice or play with the team for six weeks. Once those six weeks are up, the team would have an additional six-week window to decide whether to activate Hunter, transfer him to the Injured Reserve, or release him (they obviously wouldn’t release him). Once he returns to practice Womens Michael Schofield Jersey , the team would have six weeks to either add him to the active roster or place him on Injured Reserve.Assuming Henry is expected to return, the Injured Reserve with a return designation is the more prudent way to go here. It allows them to keep him without using a valuable 53-man roster spot and, most importantly, he could theoretically return to the active roster anytime between weeks 9 and 17 without having the week 12 deadline looming over them, as it would with the PUP.Is Hunter Henry going to come back this season? No one really knows that right now, including the Chargers. But I do know this much: the fact that he been placed on the Injured Reserve yet isn’t an indication of the team’s plans either way. They simply aren’t in any immediate rush, or under any mandate, to do anything with him until September 1.Not only that, but I’m confident the delay in adding him is not an indication that he won’t be added. I would be stunned if he didn’t wind up on the IR by 4pm EST on September 1. It would be foolish to carry someone the team knows won’t play until at least November on the active roster and, regardless of their plans, placing him on Injured Reserve is the definition of Roster Management 101. It’s all but inevitable.Not even the Chargers are incompetent enough to botch this. (Kidding鈥ort of鈥? Custom Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys
The Saints offense took its time on a 20-play drive to open the game Authentic Wil Lutz Jersey , but the methodical approach didn’t lead to any points.A quicker pace later in the half finally got them on the scoreboard. Drew Brees hit three passes for 50 yards and then found tight end Benjamin Watson in the end zone for a touchdown. That was the 500th touchdown pass of Brees’ career and he joins Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Tom Brady as the only players to hit that plateau.That score came with under two minutes to go in the second quarter and put the Saints up 7-3, but the lead wouldn’t last until halftime. Joe Flacco hit John Brown for a 56-yard gain that put the Ravens on the 1-yard-line and Lamar Jackson ran the ball in a few plays later for the first touchdown of his NFL career. Justin Tucker remained perfect for his career on extra points Limited Teddy Bridgewater Jersey , which means the Ravens lead 10-7.Baltimore will get a chance to extend their lead to open the third quarter and anything close to the 10-minute journey that the Saints had to open the first quarter will leave New Orleans short on time to rally back.The Saints defense is legit and ‘swagger-liscious’ [Podcast] The Saints defense is giving Drew Brees fits and Saints fans hope throughout the first few days of training camp. Brian and Chris discuss the top storylines and what makes this young team so appealing. Topics include taking a look at what makes 2018 so different from 2014, the defense looking awesome to start, why we’re not worried about the offense Josh LeRibeus Jersey , the legend of Tre’Quan Smith, and as always we try to answer your twitter questions (follow us @snblog_podcast). With the season returning the podcast will be posting on a weekly basis once again. Twitter questions can be submitted throughout the week, and once we have games we will have a postgame reaction show posted in the hours after the game as well. Join us to celebrate a win Austin Carr Jersey Salute to Service , rage at a loss, or just to engage in ALL forms of Falcons slander.Want to download the podcast directly? Just click here! Also, if you’d like to keep the show going and grow bigger and badder Benjamin Watson Jersey , you can donate here! www.nflshopoutlet.com/baltimore-ravens
Sam Darnold appeared destined to go to Cleveland in the months leading up to the NFL draft.Then New Orleans Saints Womens T-Shirt , the Browns called an audible along the way and went instead with Baker Mayfield at No. 1 overall. After the Giants took Saquon Barkley next, the New York Jets ended up with the quarterback they wanted all along and Darnold was headed to the Big Apple."I thought I could've been there or several other teams," Darnold said Monday. "I honestly haven't even thought about it since I got drafted by the Jets. With (Cleveland) having the (No.) 1 pick, I guess there was a good chance I might have gone there, so I was thinking about it before. But ever since the draft, I haven't thought about it."On Thursday night, Darnold will be in Cleveland. But as the enemy — and a reminder to Browns fans of who they might have had.Not that Darnold, who'll be making his third NFL start, has revenge or redemption on his mind."No, I'm just going to go out there and play ball," he said.Darnold has much more pressing matters at hand, such as trying to bounce back from a 20-12 loss to Miami on Sunday .The No. 3 overall pick struggled at times with some missed opportunities and mistakes, as did the rest of the Jets. But Darnold also had some positive moments, and at 21 years and 103 days old became the youngest player to throw for 300 yards. He finished with 334 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions."Other than the two picks, I thought I played pretty well," Darnold said. "So New Orleans Saints Hats , I'm just going to continue to try to play as consistent as possible and find completions when I can and take shots when I can."Meanwhile, Mayfield hasn't yet taken a regular-season snap for the Browns with Tyrod Taylor as the starter. The former Oklahoma star is considered the future of the franchise for Cleveland — a label that appeared reserved for Darnold."I was excited to go anywhere," Darnold said. "Whoever wanted me, whoever wanted to pick me. As a top pick, it was a dream come true right when it happened. I wasn't concerned with who was picking me, but more with where I was going and where I might need to spend the next, for now, three or four years."The Jets envision Darnold being around for a lot longer than that, and Thursday will serve as the next test — and step — in the young quarterback's development.The Browns are still winless since 2016, but they have a tie and a three-point loss through the first two games so they're no pushovers.Gregg Williams' defense has already caused problems for the likes of Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and New Orleans' Drew Brees, and could be licking its chops to face a rookie at home in front of the Dawg Pound."First of all, I think his guys are ready to play every single game," Darnold said. "They come out fiery and at the same time, they bring pressures that, sometimes, no one's ever seen before. We're going to be ready. I'm focused on what we're doing New Orleans Saints Womens Hoodie , but also on what the defense is doing and how we can attack them."The Jets and Darnold will have to do a better job than they did for much of the game against the Dolphins. New York was just 3 of 10 on third downs, including 1 of 8 in the first half when it fell behind 20-0.This will be the third game in just 11 days for the Jets, no easy task for a rookie QB. Darnold recognizes that this week's preparation will be condensed even more than last week, when New York was coming off a Monday night game in the opener."It's a different challenge, something I haven't necessarily dealt with, but it's awesome," Darnold said. "It's just another challenge for this team and we're going to take it head on. Looking at Cleveland last night, it was moving on right after that game. We watched that game and then got right to Cleveland. Not the final score that we wanted. Obviously, we looked to come out of there with a win, but move on as fast as possible and get to Cleveland because it's a short turnaround."NOTES: TE Neal Sterling (concussion), S Marcus Maye (foot) and LB Josh Martin (concussion) did not practice, although it was more of a walkthrough session. LT Kelvin Beachum (foot) and LG James Carpenter (foot) were limited. ... Jets coach Todd Bowles said he liked what he saw from Mayfield while going through the draft process. "I thought he was he gritty," Bowles said. "Had a great workout when we worked him out. I think he's a tough player and he's going to be a good player." ... WR ArDarius Stewart returned from his two-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance enhancers. The Jets have until 4 p.m. Wednesday to make a decision on whether to activate or release him. If you’re a daily fantasy player, before each game I will look at three/four players from the New Orleans Saints and their opponent’s rosters that I would target in daily fantasy (based off their value and potential results). Unfortunately, the Saints are on a bye week this week, but daily fantasy knows no such thing as “bye.” So we’ll continue Womens Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , but expand out look into the rest of the NFC South.Obviously, Saints QB Drew Brees is a safe QB for daily fantasy leagues, but spending your money on a top-tier starting QB leaves you scraping the barrel to fill out the rest of your roster. So here are two Panthers, one Falcon and one Buccaneers that provide the most bang for your buck. (Values from Fanduel.)QB Jameis Winston (TB) - $7,400Famous Jameis might be one of the best daily fantasy plays in the entirety of Week 6. At $1,100 cheaper than the most expensive QB available (and the 11th most expensive QB), he is an incredible value play going against one of the worst defenses in the NFL - the Atlanta Falcons.RB Christian McCaffrey (CAR) - $8,500McCaffrey is also $1,100 cheaper than the most expensive player at his position this week. In daily fantasy leagues that include full or half-point PPR, McCaffrey is a great play against a Washington Redskins defense that is likely to be still reeling after an embarrassing performance against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football.WR Calvin Ridley (ATL) - $6,700Ridley is an even better value play this week, coming a whopping $2,400 cheaper than the most expensive WR available in daily fantasy. As Julio Jones continues to struggle finding the end zone, Ridley has been one of the beneficiaries. We saw against the New Orleans Saints that Ridley can score (scoring twice, in fact), so he’s a high-ceiling play for Week 6.DST Panthers (@ Redskins) - $3 www.saintscheapshops.com ,900This play is actually a bit of a reach, as the Panthers are one of the cheapest DSTs available this week. But like the Saints last week, the Panthers have a stout defensive line that can give the Redskins rushing game fits all game. Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson are both still banged up, so the Panthers could find themselves with similar success as the Saints on Sunday.My full daily fantasy lineup this week: QB: Jameis Winston (TB) - $7,400RB: Christian McCaffrey (CAR) - $8,400RB: Marshawn Lynch (OAK) - $6,500WR: Calvin Ridley (ATL) - $6,700WR: Jarvis Landry (CLE) - $6,900WR: Doug Baldwin (SEA) - $6,200TE: Jared Cook (OAK) - $6,400FLEX: Robert Woods (LAR) - $7,300DST: Panthers (@ Redskins) - $3,900 Custom Washington Redskins Jerseys
Vikings/Rams early injury reports: Big names hurt on both sides With both teams getting ready for Thursday Night Football White Tom Compton Jersey , we’re getting injury reports for both the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams earlier than we would normally get them. From the looks of things right now, both sides could be missing some pretty significant players.For the Vikings, starting left tackle Riley Reiff did not practice for the Vikings on Tuesday. If Reiff can’t go for the Vikings, they suddenly have a huge problem on the offensive line against one of the best front lines in the NFL. (Well, as opposed to the huge problems they already have. . .missing Reiff would be a ridiculously huge problem as opposed to just a moderately huge problem.) I’m not sure what Plan B at left tackle is at this point. It could be Rashod Hill, who has played there in the past. It could be Mike Remmers White Trae Waynes Jersey , who has also played there in the past. If it’s Hill, one would have to assume that rookie Brian O’Neill, who has actually been solid in relief the couple of times he played this year, would start at right tackle. If it’s Remmers, I don’t know how the Vikings would configure things.In addition, running back Dalvin Cook was a limited participant in practice today. He missed the Buffalo game with a hamstring issue Youth Harrison Smith Jersey , but it was thought that he’d be ready for this one. On the bright side, cornerback Trae Waynes was a full participant in today’s practice after suffering an ankle injury against Buffalo.For the Rams, they could be without both of their starting cornerbacks on Thursday night. Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib both left the Rams’ win in the Battle of Los Angeles over the Chargers on Sunday, both with lower leg injuries. Peters suffered a calf injury that some feared was an Achilles tear, while Talib has an ankle injury. If the Rams are without both of those guys on Thursday, it could be the Vikings can take advantage of. . .you know Youth Stefon Diggs Jersey , if Kirk Cousins gets an opportunity to look at the coverage for more than .2 seconds before he has to take actions to preserve his life.Linebacker Mark Barron has also been sitting out of practices for the Rams this week with an ankle injury.Both teams will have their final injury reports tomorrow, but that’s a primary look at what we can expect. While some have been quick to label new Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins a bust. . .because durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, I guess. . .most of us have come to the realization that he’s done a pretty darn good job for the Vikings thus far this season, particularly in light of how the other potential options they had to look at this offseason have fared. The folks from Pro Football Focus apparently lean more towards the correct opinion based on their latest list of NFL quarterbacks.Through the first nine weeks of the season, PFF has Cousins coming in at #8 on their list of quarterbacks. Given that there are only 32 starting quarterback jobs in the NFL, #8 would seem to be a pretty solid ranking.PFF has Cousins at #8 in accuracy percentage and #10 in “clean pocket grade.” Given how infrequently Cousins actually has a clean pocket to work with White Eric Kendricks Jersey , I’m a little surprised that number isn’t higher. However, he’s done a solid enough job under pressure, apparently, to elevate himself into that #8 spot.By comparison, Case Keenum is down at #25 on this list, and Sam Bradford. . .well Kirk Cousins Jersey , he’s not even on it. Nor is Teddy Bridgewater or A.J. McCarron or most of the other options that the Vikings could have potentially brought in this offseason. The man that replaced Cousins in Washington, Alex Smith, is just ahead of Keenum at #24.Not that we need it, necessarily, but there’s another bit of confirmation that the Vikings and Rick Spielman did the right thing at quarterback this offseason.
A brief look at Cardinals/Vikings history It’s a little later in the week than we usually do this White Ben Gedeon Jersey , but it’s time to take a look back at the history between the Minnesota Vikings and their opponent for the upcoming week. On Sunday, the Vikings will return home for the first time since Week 3 to take on the Arizona Cardinals, who this past Sunday became the last team in the NFL to get into the victory column.These two teams have been fairly evenly matched over the years, but it’s depended heavily on where the games have been located. The Cardinals’ success in Minnesota has been pretty limited over the years, regardless of where they’ve called home.As always, the numbers in this piece are brought to you by the folks from Pro Football Reference. Also, we will focus on regular season numbers only.Games between the Vikings and the Cardinals: 25All-time record: Vikings, 14-11Total Vikings’ points scored, head-to-head: 595 (23.8 points/game)Total Cardinals’ points scored, head-to-head: 559 (22.4 points/game)Longest Vikings’ winning streak vs Cardinals: 4, 12 December 1995 to 12 November 2000Longest Cardinals’ winning streak vs Vikings: 4, 6 November 1977 to 30 October 1983Most recent Vikings’ home win in series: 20 November 2016 (final score 30-24)Most recent Cardinals’ road win in series: 6 November 1977 (final score 27-7)Biggest Vikings’ home win in series: 27 points http://www.authenticsminnesotavikings.com/cheap-rashod-hill-jersey , 13 October 1991 (final score 34-7)Biggest Cardinals’ road win in series: 42 points, 6 October 1963 (final score 56-14, first game between the two teams)Current streak: Vikings, 1 winYes, the last time an NFL team named the Cardinals won a game in Minnesota, they were not the Arizona Cardinals. They weren’t even the Phoenix Cardinals. They were the St. Louis Cardinals. Actually, if you look back at the history between these two teams, the Cardinals won the first four regular season games in Minnesota between these two teams (though the Vikings did get a post-season victory over the Cardinals en route to Super Bowl IX against Pittsburgh).In that 1977 contest, neither team generated a whole lot in the passing game. Both teams threw for 143 yards, and both starting quarterbacks (Fran Tarkenton and Jim Hart) were intercepted three times. The difference was the fact that the Cardinals gained 316 yards on the ground, whereas the Vikings. . .well, didn’t. Two Cardinals running backs Youth Everson Griffen Jersey , Wayne Morris and Terry Metcalf, each had a pair of touchdowns in that one, and they each had one on the ground and one through the air. Morris did the majority of the damage, rushing for 182 yards, and the Cardinals raced out to a 27-0 lead before a garbage time touchdown from Sammy White in the fourth quarter closed the final margin to 27-7.The last game between these two teams took place at U.S. Bank Stadium in 2016, and saw the Vikings riding a four-game losing streak after their 5-0 start. They had to do something to try to get themselves right again, and a couple of their stars did their best to do just that. Near the end of the first half, this happened:That 100-yard pick-six by Xavier Rhodes now stands as the longest interception return for a touchdown in team history, and gave the Vikings a lead at halftime. To start the second half, Cordarrelle Patterson took a kickoff 104 yards for another score, and the Vikings were able to hold off a late Arizona rally to walk out with a 30-24 victory.That’s a brief look back at the history between the Minnesota Vikings and the St. Louis/Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals, ladies and gentlemen. The Vikings have won their last eight regular season games on friendly soil between these two teams Youth Adam Thielen Jersey , and hopefully they can extend that streak of dominance to nine in a row. Coming out of the locker room, the Minnesota Vikings got the football first, trailing the New Orleans Saints by a score of 17-13. The kickoff from Will Lutz went for a touchback, giving Kirk Cousins and company the ball at their own 25-yard line for their first possession of the half. A run by Latavius Murray and a pass to Laquon Treadwell got the Vikings a quick first down to start the drive, and the Vikings then faced a third down situation. Cousins got the ball to Stefon Diggs, but Diggs was stopped inches short, and the Vikings elected to go for it on 4th-and-1. Cousins had Laquon Treadwell for more than enough yardage, but Marshon Lattimore knocked the ball out of his hands to force a turnover on downs.The Vikings forced a third down situation, but Drew Brees flipped a short pass to Alvin Kamara to get the conversion for the Saints to the Minnesota 30. The Saints then tried an end-around to Taysom Hill, but it was sniffed out for a short gain. Brees then found Mark Ingram on a screen, and he took the ball all the way to the Minnesota 9-yard line. An incomplete pass and a stuff of Kamara made it third-and-goal, and the Vikings forced Brees into an intentional grounding call to get a huge stop. On came Will Lutz for a 42-yard field goal attempt http://www.authenticsminnesotavikings.com/cheap-riley-reiff-jersey , and he split the uprights to make the score 20-13 with just over eight minutes remaining in the quarter.Lutz’s kickoff went for a touchback, giving the Vikings the ball at their own 25-yard line once again. On the first play of the drive, Cousins scrambled to his left and was run down by rookie Marcus Davenport, who appeared to strip the ball from Cousins and recover it at the Minnesota 17-yard line. Fortunately, the call was overturned, as Cousins’ knee was down before the ball came loose. A run by Murray brought up a 3rd-and-6 from the 29-yard line, and Cousins hit Stefon Diggs for a huge first down to the 42. Unfortunately, Cousins then looked for Diggs again, and instead threw the ball directly to Saints’ cornerback P.J. Williams, who ran it back 45 yards for a New Orleans touchdown. Lutz added the extra point, and suddenly the Vikings were down by a count of 27-13 with just under six minutes left in the third quarter.It looks like Diggs may have stopped his route early on that one. Whatever the reasoning, it was something the Vikings could ill afford Youth Kyle Rudolph Jersey , and put them down two scores.Marcus Sherels brought a short kickoff out to the 20-yard line for the Vikings’ next possession. Murray started things with a short run, and Cousins found Diggs again for a nice gain out to the 45. Murray then took the ball over midfield, and was stopped short to bring up 3rd-and-4 from the Saints’ 49. Cousins then took another sack, and once again it was Sheldon Rankins that took Cousins to the turf. Matt Wile came in to punt the ball away, and the Saints took over at their own 16.The Saints picked up a first down with a couple of running plays, and as we move to the final quarter, the Saints are looking at a 2nd-and-6 from their own 42.Fifteen minutes left from U.S. Bank Stadium, and it’s not looking promising for the good guys as they trail 27-13. Can they pull off what would be a pretty amazing comeback?
It’s Week 8 in the National Football League White Danielle Hunter Jersey , ladies and gentlemen! The Minnesota Vikings don’t play until Sunday Night Football at about 7:20 PM Central time, but there are plenty of games that will take place before then. For those of you that have been here for a while, you know that can only mean one thing.That’s right. . .it’s a RED ZONE SUNDAY here at The Daily Norseman! We can just sit back and let the power of football wash over us for hours until the one game that we actually care about finally gets underway.So, here is the complete listing of games for your viewing pleasure this afternoon. If you do not have the Red Zone Channel, you can check out 506 Sports to see what games are playing in your area.Early Games on CBSBaltimore Ravens at Carolina Panthers - Greg Gumbel, Trent Green, Bruce Arians - DirecTV Ch 705New York Jets at Chicago Bears - Jim Nantz, Tony Romo - DirecTV Ch 706Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs - Kevin Harlan, Rich Gannon - DirecTV Ch 707Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers - Ian Eagle, Dan Fouts - DirecTV Ch 708Early Games on FOXTampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals - Chris Myers White Brett Jones Jersey , Daryl Johnston - DirecTV Ch 709Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions - Kevin Kugler, Ronde Barber, Chris Spielman - DirecTV Ch 710Washington Redskins at New York Giants - Kenny Albert, Charles Davis - DirecTV Ch 711Late Games on CBSIndianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders - Andrew Catalon, James Lofton - DirecTV Ch 712Late Games on FOXSan Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals - Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth - DirecTV Ch 713Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams - Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman - DirecTV Ch 714The game in London between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Philadelphia Eagles is likely either close to being over or already finished by now. This week’s Monday Night Football contest will feature the Buffalo Bills hosting the New England Patriots.So, enjoy the National Football League action for Week 8, ladies and gentlemen! Mental mistakes, sloppy turnovers and too many penalties have turned the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles into a mediocre team.Carson Wentz and the rest of Philadelphia's offense again had trouble converting in the red zone and on third down Youth Linval Joseph Jersey , even after the defense gave them a perfect opportunity to take a lead.Now the Eagles (2-3) have lost two games in a row for the first time since 2016, which was the previous time they had a losing record."We have to take a hard look in the mirror," Wentz said following a 23-21 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in a rematch of last season's NFC championship game. "Little mistakes are killing us. We're playing like a young, rookie team and we're not."Down 20-3 midway through the third quarter, the Eagles rallied to cut the deficit to 20-14. Then Nigel Bradham recovered a fumble at the Vikings 30 after Roc Thomas dropped a backward pass in the fourth quarter. But another illegal formation penalty followed and Wentz was called for intentional grounding. Coach Doug Pederson elected not to let Jake Elliott try a 58-yarder and the Eagles had to punt."I feel we're where we were two years ago," Wentz said. "I'm confident we'll fix it, but it's frustrating right now."Pederson tried to accept blame for the team's struggles."A lot of self-inflicted wounds. It starts with me. I have to self-examine," Pederson said. "I have to do a better job."Linval Joseph snatched Wentz's fumble out of the air and rumbled the distance to give the Vikings a 10-3 lead in the second quarter. Stephen Weatherly knocked the ball loose and Wentz couldn't recover to catch Joseph from behind after the strip-sack.Kirk Cousins tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Adam Thielen to extend the lead to 17-3 at halftime.The Eagles finally got going on the opening drive of the third quarter, but Eric Kendricks forced Jay Ajayi to fumble at the Vikings 5 and recovered it. Cousins connected deep with Thielen for 68 yards on the next play and the Vikings reached the Eagles 2 before settling for Dan Bailey's 22-yard field goal."I didn't do my job," Ajayi said. "There's no excuse for it."Many of his teammates had a share in the loss.The offensive line is struggling White Dalvin Cook Jersey , receivers aren't making plays and the two turnovers were costly. Playing his third game since returning from a torn ACL and LCL in his left knee, Wentz still hasn't found a rhythm after finishing third in NFL MVP voting last season."It's really just beating ourselves," All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson said. "At the same time, we have to be accountable. It starts with me and goes right down the line."Three illegal formation penalties on the receivers were inexcusable."We can't have that," Pederson said.The Eagles haven't scored more than 23 points in the first five games. They were 2 for 9 on third down."We're just tired of hearing it every game," Wendell Smallwood said of the mistakes. "We have to stop doing it to ourselves. We're putting ourselves in bad situations and having to fight harder than we need to. We're just doing a lot of things we don't normally do that you don't see out of a championship team."
CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs‘ starting pitchers may not be performing as consistent as they would like Luke Glendening Jersey , but Joe Maddon’s offense is finding ways to make up for it.
Addison Russell’s grand slam helped bail out starter Mike Montgomery in Friday’s series opener against the Minnesota Twins. Now, as Tyler Chatwood takes the mound in Saturday’s matinee interleague game at Wrigley Field, the Cubs will push for their third straight victory after they rallied for their second consecutive come-from-behind win Friday at Wrigley Field.
Russell’s blast erased a three-run deficit en route to a 10-6 victory that included home runs by Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Kyle Schwarber. The win came a day after the Cubs scored seven runs in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The run support could be big for Chatwood, who has struggled throughout the season and will make his first start after being activated off the paternity list earlier this week. Chatwood told reporters Friday that he feels good and that he was able to come in and throw a bullpen session as he prepared for Saturday’s start.
He admitted the uncertainty of when his wife would give birth weighed on him in his last start. Chatwood (3-5, 3.95 ERA) has taken no-decisions in four of his past five starts but was effective in his most recent outing. Chatwood allowed a run and two hits in five innings against the Dodgers when he threw 101 pitches. He is 0-2 in three career starts against the Twins with a 6.91 ERA.
“Luckily, everything worked out,” Chatwood said Friday of the week’s events, according to the Chicago Tribune. “Everybody’s good.”
Chatwood will start after the Cubs hoped Yu Darvish could return from a right triceps injury on Saturday. Darvish, who experienced pain in a bullpen session on Thursday, flew to Dallas for a second opinion. Tests showed he has a right elbow impingement and inflammation and will be re-evaluated in three to five days.
The Twins, who have lost six of their last eight games despite Joe Mauer’s five RBIs in Friday’s loss, will attempt to get back on track when left-hander Adalberto Mejia makes his first start of the season. Mejia, who went 4-7 with a 4.50 ERA in 21 starts last year, has spent the entire season in the minor leagues.
Mejia pitched well at Triple-A Rochester and struck out 50 and registered a 2.74 ERA in 49 1/3 innings. He has posted a 4-1 record in June with a 1.41 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 32 innings. Mejia will face the Cubs for the first time in his career.
The Twins announced this week that they would recall Mejia at a time that manager Paul Molitor said makes sense for everyone involved.
“The reports have been his command has been much better,” Molitor told reporters earlier this week Martin Frk Jersey , according to the team’s official website. “More efficient. His off-speed seems to be working. His changeup is the only pitch that’s been hot and cold. His fastball-slider command has been really good. He’s had a handful of good outings in a row. Efficient is good.”
Chris Sale pitched his latest Bronx gem, Rafael Devers went 5 for 5 with a first-inning grand slam and the Boston Red Sox held the New York Yankees to two hits during an 11-0 rout Saturday night to take back baseball’s best record.
Sale (8-4) allowed only Giancarlo Stanton’s clean single over seven innings, striking out 11. He has a 1.73 career ERA against the Yankees, best among pitchers with at least 10 starts against them since 1920. His ERA at Yankee Stadium is 1.86, second only to Seattle’s Felix Hernandez among pitchers with five starts.
Boston is a major league-leading 56-28, just ahead of the Yankees at 53-27. New York held the majors’ best mark by percentage points after winning Friday’s series opener 8-1.
Yankee Stadium hosted a season-high sellout of 47,125, and the crowd gave starter Sonny Gray (5-6) an earful after he gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA against Boston since being acquired by New York from Oakland last season.
RANGERS 13, WHITE SOX 4
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Bartolo Colon overcame a sluggish start to earn his 245th major league win and match Dennis Martinez for the most by a pitcher from Latin America when Texas beat Chicago.
Joey Gallo and Ryan Rua homered for the Rangers, who won for the 11th time in 13 games and clinched their fifth consecutive series. Robinson Chirinos hit a three-run double in the fourth inning that put Texas ahead to stay.
The 45-year-old Colon (5-5) was done after Matt Davidson led off the sixth with a homer to center field that pulled the White Sox to 5-3.
Colon already had the most wins by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic, having surpassed Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for that distinction with his 244th victory at Kansas City on June 18, six days before a loss at Minnesota. Colon won in his first start at home since June 6 to match Martinez, who is from Nicaragua.
White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon (1-3) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
GIANTS 7, DIAMONDBACKS 0
PHOENIX (AP) – Dereck Rodriguez blanked the Diamondbacks into the seventh inning and San Francisco made it two wins in a row at Arizona.
Brandon Crawford, Andrew McCutchen and Joe Panik homered on another rough night for Shelby Miller (0-2) Mike Green Jersey , who struggled in his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Panik’s homer, off reliever Jimmie Sherfy in the eighth, was his first since April 3, a span of 162 at-bats.
Ty Blach and Cory Gearrin completed San Francisco’s 10th shutout of the season.
The Giants have won nine of 11 to pull into a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for second in the NL West, 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Diamondbacks. San Francisco can complete a three-game road sweep on Sunday.
Rodriguez (3-1), the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan ”Pudge” Rodriguez, dominated in his sixth major league start. He allowed six hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out five and walked two.
MARINERS 6, ROYALS 4
SEATTLE (AP) – Ryon Healy had four hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs to lead Seattle over Kansas City.
Felix Hernandez (8-6) gave up four consecutive hits, including a three-run homer by Mike Moustakas, to start the game. But the right-hander settled down to pitch four scoreless innings after that, helping the Mariners to a season-best sixth consecutive win.
Edwin Diaz worked a perfect ninth for his 31st save. The Mariners (53-31) are 22 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2003 season.
Jason Hammels (2-10) lost his fifth straight, allowing six runs and 13 hits in six innings.
PADRES 4, PIRATES 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Wil Myers homered Johnny Gaudreau Jersey Kids , doubled and drove in three runs, and rookie Joey Lucchesi threw five scoreless innings to send San Diego past Pittsburgh.
The Padres had to hold on after closer Brad Hand allowed two runs in the ninth before earning his 23rd save. Hand gave up doubles by Elias Diaz and Austin Meadows, and a triple by Gregory Polanco. The reliever then got Jordy Mercer to fly out to shallow right field, pinch-hitter Jose Osuna to foul out to right and struck out Starling Marte.
Myers, limited to 19 games this season due to injuries, homered off Trevor Williams (6-6) in the third, his second. Myers then chased the San Diegan with a two-run double to give the Padres a 4-0 lead in the fifth.
San Diego won for just the third time in 13 games.
Lucchesi (4-3) won for the first time since April 28. He was making his third start since missing five weeks with a strained right hip. The left-hander allowed one hit while striking out five and walking four.
BLUE JAYS 4, TIGERS 3
TORONTO (AP) – Justin Smoak led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run and Toronto handed Detroit its 11th straight loss.
Smoak connected against reliever Joe Jimenez (3-1) for his 11th homer of the season.
Seyunghwan Oh (4-2) worked one inning for the win. Randal Grichuk also homered for the Blue Jays, who have won 10 of 11 at home.
John Hicks hit a solo homer in the Detroit second off Sam Gaviglio and Nick Castellanos made it 3-0 with a two-run shot in the third, his 12th.
Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer to cap Toronto’s three-run fifth that tied the score.
RAYS 5, ASTROS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Wilson Ramos drove in four runs in the first two innings against Justin Verlander, and Tampa Bay won for the seventh time in eight games.
Matt Duffy finished with three hits, including two in the first two innings, to help the Rays move to .500 (41-41) for the first time since June 1. Tampa Bay has held opponents to two runs or fewer in five straight games for only
Eighteen years after the Raiders made kicker Sebastian Janikowski a surprise first-round draft pick Jason Spriggs Jersey , his career in Oakland has come to an end.
The team told Janikowski this week that he won’t be brought back when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next month.
”The Raider Nation salutes Sebastian Janikowski as the sun sets on his illustrious career with the Oakland Raiders,” owner Mark Davis said in a statement Thursday. ”He joined the team as a surprise first-round pick in the 2000 Draft and finishes his time in Oakland as one of the greatest or perhaps the greatest kicker in pro football history. His powerful left leg produced an NFL-record 55 field goals of 50-or-more yards. The motto `Once a Raider, Always a Raider’ has never been more true as his 18-year career makes him the longest-tenured player in Raiders history.”
Article continues below ... Davis’ father, Al, made the stunning decision in 2000 to take Janikowski with the 17th overall pick. The only other kicker taken in the first round since the start of the common draft era in 1967 was Steve Little, who went 15th to the Cardinals in 1978.
Janikowski’s successful career made him the Raiders all-time leader in games played (268) and points scored (1,799). His 55 field goals from at least 50 yards are the most in NFL history. The only other player from the 2000 draft still on his original team is Tom Brady, who was picked 199th by New England.
Janikowski, who turns 40 on March 2, missed all of last season with a back injury. His agent, Paul Healy, said in an email that Janikowski is too young to retire.
Janikowski said last spring that he hoped to still be with the Raiders when the team moved to Las Vegas in 2020. But that didn’t happen after the back injury sidelined him before the start of last season and Giorgio Tavecchio took over as kicker.
There was some thought that new coach Jon Gruden might give Janikowski another chance since he was Oakland’s coach when Janikowski was drafted and for his first two seasons. Janikowski is one of five players who were on NFL rosters last season who have played at least one game for Gruden, joining punter Shane Lechler, kicker Matt Bryant, cornerback Aqib Talib and Raiders left tackle Donald Penn.
Janikowski’s departure leaves long snapper Jon Condo as the only player on the Raiders with the team before Al Davis died in October 2011. Condo is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next month and his long-term status with the franchise is unknown.
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Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan felt the organization ”lacked football IQ” in previous years.
So Khan hired two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Tom Coughlin to handle all football-related decisions.
With Coughlin calling the shots, the Jaguars (10-6) made the postseason for the first time since 2007 and will host a playoff game for the first time since January 2000.
”It’s a structure that’s been unsuccessful in the past, but for me, what I felt we lacked was football IQ,” Khan said Thursday, three days before Jacksonville hosts Buffalo (9-7) in an AFC wild-card game. ”And you can’t just say Corey Linsley Jersey , `Let me go to craigslist or Backpage.com and get some football IQ.’ You want somebody who really it’s not just a job, it’s a passion, emotion and a drive. Nobody really personifies that better than Tom Coughlin.”
Khan wasn’t sure how the front-office dynamic would work with Coughlin and new coach Doug Marrone joining carry-over general manager Dave Caldwell.
Coughlin and Marrone changed the culture almost overnight and improved the roster by signing the best free-agent class in franchise history.
”The norm is these things don’t work,” Khan said. ”The short answer is: How do you get people together who are going to pull toward one goal, which is winning, and not be focused on, `Hey, is this right? Who gets the credit? Who gets the blame?’ This was the one time for us to really get that right.”
The Jaguars appear headed in the right direction, with a young and talented roster that appears built to be competitive for several years.
”I think it turned out better than probably, certainly, I thought it would,” Khan said. ”And really the credit is to (Coughlin). I can tell you he never asked for the 53-man roster. It was my idea, `Tom, that means nothing changed. It’s maybe not good for Dave’s ego, but there has to be somebody in charge, and it needs to be you.'”
The biggest question entering the season was about quarterback Blake Bortles.
Jacksonville picked up the fifth-year option in his rookie deal, a decision that seemingly will keep Bortles under contract another year. He’s due to make $19 million in 2018.
The Jags made the move in May, after passing on available quarterbacks in free agency and in the draft.
”Maybe we’re not the biggest idiot on the football block,” Khan said. ”When his option was picked up, it was like David Bakhtiari Jersey , `What are these guys smoking?’ You’ve got to stay the course, but yet you have to have the agility and the flexibility. You have to have both.
”The other thing with Blake is he’s really a nice guy. … He’s from the area, he’s a nice guy, he’s talented, he’s stayed healthy. He’s not a China doll. We are invested. We want him to be successful.”
Bortles completed 60 percent of his passes this season for 3,687 yards, with 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. His passer rating was up and his turnovers were down, and he did it without star receiver Allen Robinson. Bortles also had a running game that stalled late in the season and two rookie receivers playing in place of Robinson and Allen Hurns.
He said he managed to avoid thinking about the future by focusing on football.
”My goal is to play football in Jacksonville for as long as they let me, and in order to do that, we have to win football games,” Bortles said this week.
The biggest one in a decade comes Sunday at EverBank Field.
The Jaguars sold every ticket available with ease and even got permission from the NFL to remove tarps covering four sections in the upper deck to satisfy part of the demand.
”If one thing we have proven, it’s fans matter,” Khan said. ”They matter for us. We want them in the seats. … We want them showing up. We need the energy. If the Seattle and Houston games are example, it should be a notch up and it would be certainly (be) an incredible experience.”
Khan also said the Buffalo-Jacksonville game is the most expensive wild-card ticket on the secondary market. He said he saw Tennessee-Kansas City tickets available for $38, about $150 less than those for sale to see the Bills and Jaguars do something they haven’t done since 1999.
Buffalo in the playoffs for the first time since then and Jacksonville is hosting a playoff game for the first time since that same season.
”Could you imagine the hottest ticket in football is right here, selling for five, six times face value?” Khan said. ”Could you believe that happening in freaking Jacksonville?”
Jackie Bradley Jr. never doubted he would pull out of his slump Lane Taylor Jersey , even as he hit .167 in June and fell further down Boston’s batting order.
He kept putting in the work. Kept tinkering with his stance and his swing. Kept believing he would snap out of it.
”You have to trust that what you’re doing is going to produce results,” Bradley said after his second straight three-hit game helped the Red Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-1 on Tuesday night.
”If it doesn’t early on, it’s a long season,” said Bradley, who batted ninth and drove in four runs. ”You’ve just got to continue to grind. There’s no other way.”
Mookie Betts homered on John Lamb’s first pitch of the game, and J.D. Martinez hit his major league-leading 24th home run to back David Price’s six strong innings and lead the Red Sox to their fourth win in the last five games. The Angels lost their fourth straight game.
Christian Vazquez also hit one of Boston’s four homers to help Price (9-5) bounce back from his previous loss on Wednesday in Minnesota that was his first since May 3. He allowed five hits on Tuesday, including a solo homer to Chris Young, and two walks while striking out seven.
Bradley has now had back-to-back multi-hit games after producing just five in his previous 68 games this season. He had three hits, all singles, against Seattle on Sunday but still entered the night hitting .189.
”We all want the results now,” Bradley said. ”Sometimes the game’s a lot tougher than that. You can do everything right and still be out.”
Two-time AL MVP Mike Trout, who began the game batting .387 in June, singled in four at-bats for the Angels while serving as designated hitter to aid his recovery from a sprained right index finger. The Angels went hitless in their last three innings against Boston’s bullpen and fell into fourth place in the AL West for the first time since opening day.
SAFE BETTS
Betts’ homer into the Red Sox bullpen sent right fielder Michael Hermosillo crashing over the wall in pursuit. It was his 15h career leadoff homer, extending his franchise record.
”Trying to set the tone against a good team,” Betts said. ”Just letting them know we’re here and we’re ready to go.”
SACRIFICIAL LAMB
Lamb (0-1) got just five outs. He allowed five runs, three earned Alexander Kerfoot Jersey , on six hits and a pair of walks.
He escaped more damage in the first after Betts’ 20th homer of the season, then was removed in the second after giving up Bradley’s two-run double and two more run-scoring hits.
”It was just a nice welcome to Fenway ballpark I guess by one of the better baseball players in the game right now,” Lamb said. ”I tried to get ahead on the outside part of the plate and they went ahead in the run column.”
Deck McGuire needed just one pitch to end that inning, but he surrendered solo homers to Bradley in the third and Vazquez in the fifth before Martinez hit one in the sixth that made it 8-1.
IN A JAM
Price only had trouble in the third, when Young homered and then the Angels loaded the bases with two out on two singles, a wild pitch and a walk. He retired Albert Pujols on a grounder to third to end the inning.
”Pujols can tie the game at that point,” Price said. ”To get that ground ball is big.”
TRAINER’S ROOM:
Angels: McGuire was checked out by the team athletic trainer after Christian Vazquez lined a ball up the middle in the third inning, but he remained in the game.
Red Sox: Knuckleballer Steven Wright was put on the 10-day DL with left knee inflammation, and RHP reliever Justin Haley was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket.
UP NEXT:
Angels: LHP Andrew Heaney (4-5, 3.43 ERA) gets his first start since going seven innings and allowing one earned run on Friday against Toronto. Heaney has pitched at least seven innings in three of his last four starts.
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (9-3, 3.44) has allowed two earned runs or less in four of his last five starts, holding the Twins to one hit over seven scoreless innings in his last turn on Thursday.
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CLEVELAND — There is no team Edwin Jackson enjoys facing more than the one he will face Saturday afternoon at Progressive Field. The 34-year-old right-hander will be on the mound for the Oakland A’s, facing a Cleveland Indians team Jackson has beaten 10 times in a row.
It’s been more than 10 years since Jackson lost to Cleveland. The last time, and the only time, he lost to the Indians was on Aug. 17, 2007 Authentic Travis Kelce Jersey , when Jackson was pitching for Tampa Bay.
Since then, Jackson is 10-0 against the Indians. In 16 career appearances against Cleveland, Jackson is 10-1 with a 2.76 ERA. His 10 wins against the Indians match his most victories against any opponent. He has also beaten Pittsburgh 10 times.
Jackson’s 10-game winning streak against Cleveland is the longest by any pitcher against the Indians since Charlie Hough won 13 in a row from June 30, 1984, to April 4, 1988.
If all that wasn’t impressive enough, Jackson’s record in eight career appearances at Progressive Field is 5-0 with a 1.90 ERA.
The A’s signed Jackson to a minor league contract in early June, and called him up to the majors on June 23. He is 1-0 with a 2.13 ERA overall this season after making two starts for Oakland.
“Based on the way he was available and the way he’s been able to pitch for us it’s a surprise, but he’s always been able to do that a little bit with the sinker and the four-seamer,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said, according to USA Today.
“Now he just manipulates a little bit more and the off-speed stuff with the changeup speed and the slider. It really keeps you off-balance.”
Jackson’s last start was against the Indians, and it resulted in a 7-2 victory in Oakland on June 30. He pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on two hits, with six strikeouts.
The Indians will start ace Corey Kluber on Saturday. Kluber (12-4, 2.64 ERA) started the season very strong, but has had a couple of tough outings over his last four starts. In his first 14 starts Jake Ryan Jersey , Kluber was 10-2 with a 1.99 ERA. However, in his last four starts he is 2-2, with a 5.95 ERA.
Kluber’s last start was a 9-3 win over Kansas City on Monday, a game in which Kluber pitched six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
In two starts against the A’s last year Kluber was 1-0 with a 2.03 ERA. In eight career appearances, including seven starts, against Oakland he is 2-4 with a 2.66 ERA.
The Indians won the first game of the series 10-4 Friday night. In the last two meetings between the two teams Cleveland has outscored Oakland 25-7.
The Indians on Friday designated for assignment reliever George Kontos to clear a roster spot for pitcher Carlos Carrasco, who was activated off the disabled list and started Friday’s game.
The Indians will be adding another player in the not too distant future. The team has signed outfielder Melky Cabrera to a minor league contract as an eventual replacement for outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Tuesday with a left calf strain.
“It’s a significant strain. He’s going to miss considerable time,” said Indians manager Terry Francona.
Cabrera played 17 games with the Indians earlier this season, hitting .207. He was designated for assignment on June 14. He had three hits Thursday in his first game at Triple-A Columbus.
“Three hits in his first game is pretty phenomenal,” Francona said. “We want to let him get his legs under him, but when he signed he knew he wasn’t going to stay (at Columbus) forever. So at some point we’ll have to make a decision (on how to add Cabrera to the major league roster).”
NEW YORK — A major theme of Friday’s pitching matchup at Yankee Stadium when the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees continue their four-game series will be the long road that Nathan Eovaldi and Jonathan Loaisiga took to reach the mound.
For Eovaldi Womens Marian Hossa Jersey , is it his fourth start with the Tampa Bay Rays after a second Tommy John surgery. For Loaisiga, it is his major league debut with the New York Yankees after a quick ascent through the minors following Tommy John surgery and missing two seasons.
The Yankees opened the series with a 4-3 victory Thursday when Gleyber Torres hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning off Blake Snell. Torres leads all rookies with 13 homers and 33 RBIs, and the Yankees are 11-3 in their last 14 games and 11-2 in their last 13 home games.
Matt Duffy homered for the Rays, who are on a seven-game road losing streak after striking out 15 times. The Rays also are 4-10 in their last 14 games overall.
Eovaldi, who was 23-11 with a 4.45 ERA in 51 appearances (48 starts) in two seasons for the Yankees, is 1-1 with a 3.94 ERA in his first three starts for the Rays. Though he said his velocity is coming back, he is averaging 97 mph on his fastball, which is roughly the same he averaged on the pitch with the Yankees.
“For sure, the fact that I’ve been throwing the ball good as it is (is nice),” Eovaldi said Thursday. “So I’m going to try to keep doing that with my fastball command and really make sure I execute the off-speed pitches and get them down. Other than that, when you step between the lines, it’s about going out there and competing.”
“I know Nate really appreciated his time here, but, no, I’m not overly concerned,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s been so focused on what he’s doing and kind of his surroundings, and he’s thrown the ball well for us since he’s gotten back. I think that focus won’t change, and it won’t change just because he’s facing a former team.”
Eovaldi last pitched Sunday in a 5-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners when he allowed three runs and four hits in five-plus innings. He allowed a solo homer to Nelson Cruz and a two-run homer to Mike Zunino while throwing 102 pitches, his most since Aug. 4, 2016, against the New York Mets.
“I feel like I’ve been throwing the ball well,” Eovaldi said. “I’ve been recovering better now that we’ve been getting into kind of a five-day routine of things. I feel like my arm really hasn’t been as sore as when I first started from my rehab.”
Eovaldi is the 35th player to pitch after multiple Tommy John surgeries and the 13th to start a game.
He is facing the Yankees for the first time. He is 10-4 with a 3.73 ERA in 24 appearances (23 starts) at Yankee Stadium.
Eovaldi was one of those young low-cost pitchers the Yankees were hoping to develop. Now Loaisiga is one as he fills in for Masahiro Tanaka Patrick Kane Jersey , who injured both hamstrings last Friday against the New York Mets.
Loaisiga is pitching above Double-A for the first time and is 6-1 with a 3.00 ERA in 10 combined starts with Double-A Trenton and Class A Tampa this season. He attended spring training with the Yankees after being added to the 40-man roster in November.
“I’m excited to see him pitch here,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s a guy with a really good arm, really simple athletic delivery, and I think a big reason why he’s the guy we chose is that we feel like his stuff is excellent, but his delivery is low-maintenance enough that it should allow him to step up.”
The 23-year-old originally was signed by the San Francisco Giants in 2012, and the Yankees signed him in February 2016. He was 8-1 in the Dominican Summer League in 2013 but did not pitch again until 2016 because of Tommy John surgery.
“It’s been a tough road for me to get here, and now it’s about enjoying this moment and this opportunity and trying to help this team win,” Loaisiga said through an interpreter. “I’m focused on winning; it’s everything for us and I’m looking forward to it.”
Loaisiga is the 15th native of Nicaragua to appear in the majors and the 11th pitcher. He is the first native of Nicaragua to appear in a game for the Yankees.
The career leader in wins by a Nicaraguan is Dennis “El Presidente” Martinez. Martinez won 245 games from 1976 to 1998 with Baltimore, Montreal, Cleveland, Atlanta and Seattle, and Loaisiga is aware of his impact.
“He’s a baseball ambassador,” Loaisiga said. “You look up to him as a kid, because he’s proof you can make it to the big leagues. For us, it’s following in his footsteps, and hopefully doing well and representing Nicaragua well.”
The Houston Astros‘ offense looks to be back on track.
After totaling 21 runs in their previous seven games, the World Series champs have scored in double-figures in each of their last two.
Yuli Gurriel and Alex Bregman each homered and Charlie Morton won his 11th as the Astros beat the Chicago White Sox 12-6 Saturday for their fifth straight win.
”I think we’re swinging the bats well and playing good baseball,” Bregman said. ”I think offensively, we have a done a good job of passing the baton to the next guy, and if we continue to do that, we will be successful.”
Morton (11-2) allowed five runs and five hits with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander has won four of his last five starts.
”I feel bad for Charlie because he got a little nickel and dimed at the end with a few soft hits and an ill-timed walk and then a well-placed, bases-clearing double Kyler Fackrell Jersey ,” Houston manager AJ Hinch said. ”I thought his stuff was really good at the end. . That saying that he pitched better than the line indicates, that’s going to be the day today. Still a winning pitcher, still a guy that gave us a chance to win.”
James Shields (3-10) allowed a season high-tying eight runs on a season-high 10 hits with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings for the White Sox, who have lost four straight. Shields had allowed one run over his prior two starts.
”Just wasn’t my day today,” Shields said. ”I’m just not really happy about not going deep in the game. I’m really trying to save this bullpen. These guys are taxed. I really wanted the ball and be that guy to go deeper in the game.”
Gurriel, who also had an RBI single in the eighth, hit a three-run homer to left field to increase Houston’s lead to 4-0 in the third inning.
Josh Reddick had a run-scoring fielder’s choice and Evan Gattis added an RBI single to push the Astros’ advantage to 6-1 in the fifth. However, Matt Davidson had an RBI single with the bases loaded and Omar Narvaez followed with a three-run double to pull Chicago within one in the sixth, chasing Morton.
Bregman’s two-run homer in the bottom of the inning extended Houston’s lead back to three.
”A 2-0 count, I was trying to get something over the middle of the plate,” Bregman said. ”I was fortunate enough to put a good swing on it.”
Bregman finished a triple shy of the cycle to extend his hitting streak to 12 games.
”He’s doing everything right in the batter’s box as far as seeing the ball, his selectiveness, his approach is A-plus,” Hinch said. ”Bat-to-ball has been exceptional.”
Max Stassi hit an RBI double in the second and an RBI single in the eighth for the Astros. Marwin Gonzalez added an RBI single in the seventh as every Houston starter had a hit. Houston won 11-4 Friday night.
”It’s an excellent ball club, let’s face it they’ve got guys that swing the bat up and down the lineup,” Chicago manager Rick Renteria said of the Astros. ”They’ve got an air of confidence that they play with, which comes with the things that they’ve accomplished. It’s natural.”
Avisail Garcia hit a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a solo home run on to the train tracks in left in the eighth for Chicago. Garcia has five home runs in his last six games.
TUCKER PROMOTED
The Astros promoted top prospect, outfielder Kyle Tucker from Triple-A Fresno. Tucker, who was named to the Pacific Coast League’s All Star team, was hitting .306 with 14 home runs and 66 RBIs. He went 1 for 4 with a single and run scored in the seventh and an RBI walk in the eighth to go along with three strikeouts. The Astros optioned outfielder Jake Marisnick to Fresno in a corresponding move.
TRAINER’S ROOM
White Sox: SS Tim Anderson returned to the lineup. Anderson was out Friday after being hit on the left forearm the previous day. Anderson went 0 for 4 and reached on an error in the fifth.
UP NEXT
White Sox: RHP Lucas Giolito (5-7) will make his 18th start of the season in the series finale. Giolito is 2-3 with a 7.50 ERA in his last eight stars and gave up nine runs in two innings in his last start against the Astros on April 21.
Astros: LHP Dallas Keuchel (5-8) is looking for his third straight win. Keuchel allowed two runs over seven innings in his last start Tuesday against the Rangers.
A defense lawyer representing the former president of Pilot Flying J truck stop chain has made his closing arguments in a case in which four former employees of the chain are accused of conspiring to defraud customers in a rebate scam.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reports attorney Rusty Hardin told jurors Tuesday that the case is a civil matter and shouldn’t be in criminal court. Hardin’s client Youth Jason Sanders Jersey , Mark Hazelwood, has been on trial with the three others since November in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga. Hardin also said former sales executive Brian Mosher, who previously made a plea deal and testified for prosecutors, falsely accused Hazelwood.
Pilot Flying J is controlled by the family of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. The Haslams haven’t been charged with any wrongdoing. The governor has not been involved in the company in recent years.
Federal prosecutor Trey Hamilton presented his closing argument Monday, and former sales staffer Heather Jones’ attorney, Ben Vernia, argued her case Monday. Hamilton is to give a rebuttal argument Wednesday.
On Tuesday Paul Hornung Jersey , attorney David Rivera said former Pilot Flying J Vice President Scott ”Scooter” Wombold was an honest supervisor. Rivera said Wombold didn’t realize Mosher wasn’t telling his customers that he was reducing their fuel discounts.
Former sales staffer Karen Mann’s lawyer, Jonathan Cooper, told jurors that Mann didn’t know her boss and his salesmen were lying to trucking companies about the cuts she made at former executive Arnie Ralenkotter’s command. Cooper said Mann never lied to anyone.
”She wanted to be part of a team,” Cooper said. ”She was not trying to cheat anyone.”
Ralenkotter, a former sales director, pleaded guilty and testified on the government’s behalf.
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Information from: Knoxville News Sentinel, Tom Brady shook off a hand injury and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Danny Amendola with 2:48 remaining Gustav Forsling Jersey , rallying the New England Patriots back to the Super Bowl with a 24-20 comeback victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC championship game Sunday.
Brady, wearing a black bandage on his right hand, showed no signs of being hampered. And, with the game – and possibly the season – on the line, the Patriots star came up big again.
Brady finished 26 of 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns for the Patriots (15-3), who’ll play Philadelphia in Minneapolis on Feb. 4.
The Jaguars (12-7) led 20-10 early in the fourth quarter, but couldn’t hold against the defending champions.
Jacksonville – looking to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history – had one more shot John Hayden Jersey , but Blake Bortles’ throw on fourth-and-15 to Dede Westbrook was knocked away by Stephon Gilmore.
The Patriots then ran out the clock, with Dion Lewis’ 18-yard scamper with 90 seconds remaining sealing the victory. And they did it mostly without tight end Rob Gronkowski, who left the game late in the first half and didn’t return.
EAGLES 38, VIKINGS 7
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Nick Foles threw for three touchdowns and Philadelphia made big play after big play, winning the NFC title in a stunning rout of Minnesota.
Next up: the Eagles’ first Super Bowl appearance since 2005, against the team that beat them then, AFC champion New England.
Foles was on fire Authentic Jonathan Toews Jersey , throwing for 352 yards in a performance that might make the Philadelphia faithful miss injured Carson Wentz a whole lot less.
Patrick Robinson’s spectacular 50-yard interception return got Philadelphia (15-3) started. Then Foles and his offense tore up the league’s stingiest scoring defense, with long TD throws to Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.
LeGarrette Blount had an 11-yard scoring run when things were decided in the first half, and the Eagles were headed to an NFL title game the Vikings (14-4) hoped to be in at their own stadium.