 
|
|
https://www.texansfanshop.com/hats , the Texans will play some Saturday football against the Jets to fill that collegiate-sized hole in your heart. Last week Houston played a team that could throw the football, and they lost. Today they play a team that can’t throw the football, has to run the football, and even isn’t very good at doing it. Today should be like Houston versus Jacksonville Houston Texans Hoodie , or Houston versus Tennessee (Pt. II), or Houston versus Buffalo. Hopefully it isn’t, though. Maybe Bill O’Brien will take the top off the Texans’ offense and try to attack the Jets deep after picking up their big blitzes. Or he won’t, and Houston will run the ball a lot until the offense clicks over enough attempts. If you want to read more before the game starts Seantrel Henderson Color Rush Jersey , here are our previews:SIX Things To Watch ForPre-Game Recon:Five Questions With Gang Green NationThree And Out: Texans v. Jets PredictionsThis is your thread to hang out in until the game starts. Inactives will be published around 2 p.m. CST.The first quarter thread will be published at 3:20 p.m. CST. See you this afternoon. Houston Texans NewsRoger Goodell, James Baker to speak at Bob McNair service (Houston Chronicle)Stephanie Stradley’s Texans-Colts Q&A with Brad Wells (Houston Chronicle)Texans’ Whitney Mercilus nominated for Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award (Houston Chronicle)Texans’ J.J. Watt hoping for ‘The Office’ sequel (Houston Chronicle)NFL NewsAlex Smith dealing with leg infection after surgery (NFL.com)NFL announces Man of the Year award nominees (NFL.com)McCarthy addressed players, coaches after firing (NFL.com)Foster accuser details events that led to his arrest (NFL.com)Week 14 game picks: Rams top Bears; Texans win (NFL.com)Injuries: Julio Jones expecting to play vs. Packers (NFL.com)Philly LB Grugier-Hill says Cowboys ‘always choke’ (NFL.com)Rosenthal: Just three teams in major need of a QB (NFL.com)Samuels aims to prove he’s a ‘true RB’ for Steelers (NFL.com)Houston & Collegiate SportsIs this the start of the decline for Chris Paul? (The Dream Shake)2018 GBH Bowl Pick ‘Em (Good Bull Hunting)
Despite losing two straight winnable contests Eric Kush Jersey , everything is still in front of the Bears as far as taking care of business in the 2018 season. Win their next two matchups against the Jets and Bills and they’ve put themselves in position for a tight finish in the NFC North down the stretch. Lose either game, and we start talking disappointments. This is where a battle against adversity of a young team learning how to win has to show out. The Bears shouldn’t need Khalil Mack or Allen Robinson to beat an even more banged up Jets squad with a rookie quarterback in Sam Darnold. If they do, everything that’s been said about this Chicago team on paper was always incredibly hollow. Here are Windy City Gridiron’s staff picks for Bears-Jets. Robert Zeglinski: Bears 30 Jets 21 The Jets’ 21st-ranked offense has eight turnovers in their last three games, meaning there’s no better time to rebound for a reeling Bears defense at home. Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.: Bears 28 Jets 14Vic Fangio and the defense is in a funk, but a rookie quarterback that leads the league in interceptions is enough to shake them out of it.Aaron Leming: Bears 31 Jets 20It’s been a tough couple of weeks for the Bears, and the Jets can be a good team (depending on the week). Despite that, this is as close to a “must-win” as the Bears have had this season and I think they answer the bell. Jacob Infante: Bears 34 Jets 24Despite Chicago’s defensive struggles as of late, they shouldn’t be ineffective to the point that they override their offense’s dominance against the Jets.Josh Sunderbruch: Bears 28 Jets 17I think the Bears find their stride against another struggling team as the offense steadies itself and the defense tightens up.Sam Householder: Bears 28 Jets 17The Bears get back on track with a winnable game against a rookie quarterback and a defense that’s allowed 71 points in their last two games.Andrew Link: Bears 35 Jets 27 I think the Bears offense gets back on track, specifically with Mitchell Trubisky’s errant throws. Fangio has seemingly lost his grasp on game-planning, and that won’t change against a Jets offense that can produce explosive plays. ECD: Bears 38 Jets 20The Bears’ offense has been productive in the passing game in the past three weeks. If they can get the ground game going with Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen, this game will be a blowout. Patti Curl: Bears 27 Jets 9Our precious Biscuit still struggles with blitzes and the Jets’ blitz happy ways could give him trouble. But it’s time for a bounce back game for the Bears defense and the Jets offense will be in over its head. WhiskeyRanger: Bears 23 Jets 17Sam Darnold might develop into a good quarterback at some point, but he isn’t one now. The Bears defense should make life difficult for the rookie, though annoying mistakes and poor tackling will probably keep this one closer than it should be.Ken Mitchell: Bears 38 Jets 21Wow, do I really think Chicago’s offense will score 38 points on the Jets? No, I predict a pick-six and or a fumble recovery for a touchdown in there as the Bears defense mauls New York. WCG Contributors: Jeff Berckes; Patti Curl; Eric Christopher Duerrwaechter; Kev H; Sam Householder; Jacob Infante; Aaron Lemming; Andrew Link; Ken Mitchell; Steven Schweickert; Jack Silverstein; EJ Snyder; Lester Wiltfong, Jr.; Robert Zeglinski; Like us on Facebook. Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesAt (7-3), the Chicago Bears are off to their best start since the 2012 season, which is also the last time this team has had a winning streak of four games. For as big of a statement win as Sunday night was, the Bears now head to Detroit on a short week to face the Lions, in what could end up being a deciding factor (for Chicago) in who wins the NFC North. A win on Thursday for the Bears would not only give them an (8-3) record, but would also put them in prime position to be at least 2 games up in the win column with five games left.Even so, Bears fans should enjoy Sunday night’s win. In what was the biggest game for this franchise in at least the last five years, the home team finally came through and delivered that “statement game” many doubters had been calling for over the last few weeks.With just six games left in the regular season, this team looks primed for a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2010. For more on this week’s mailbag, let’s just dive right in.I don’t, personally.I know the popular comparison for Mitchell Trubisky right now is Blake Bortles, but I just don’t see a lot of parallels. Yes, they are both inconsistent at times, but Trubisky is surrounded with about six different dangerous targets https://www.thebearsfanshop.com/Roquan-Smith-Jersey , a good offensive line and most importantly, an innovative head coach that happens to be offensive-minded.I think the Bears have done a much better job of placing pieces around Trubisky early in his career, but the big difference is between the two coaches. He wasn’t good last year and was a large work in progress due to John Fox. There’s no denying that. But, the amount of strides he’s taken this year and some of the “wow” throws he’s made, lends me to believe his ceiling is higher, but more importantly, his floor is much safer.Also, don’t forget about the athleticism that Trubisky brings to the table. After 11 weeks of football, he leads all NFL quarterbacks in rushing yards. Not only does that add extra value in the stats department and give opposing defenses more to account for, but his ability to throw on the run is something that gives him an element that not many quarterbacks in this league have.My original pro comparison for Trubisky was a more athletic Matt Ryan and I’m sticking to that. Albeit, I think the second-year quarterback has a better arm.I’ve received quite a few questions about Trubisky, but this one was one the better ones that covered all of the bases regarding his latest performance.Trubisky didn’t have a great game last night but even so, his progression from Week 1 on the same stage against the Packers to what we saw in Week 11 was quite the upgrade. It’s also best to keep in mind that the second-year quarterback has now faced four of the top 10 defenses in the league over the course of the season.Yes, Trubisky needs to play better and being consistent from week-to-week is a big part of that, but I don’t think he was awful by any means last night. His first interception was a fantastic throw but not a great decision into triple coverage. His second was partially on him, but don’t overlook Allen Robinson being bullied on his route and flat out giving up on the ball.Consistency is something that has lacked in his game to start off his NFL career, but that’s 100% to be expected at this point. They are 10 games into a new and very complex offense. The fact that he is making the majority of the calls from the line and still putting his team in a position to win on a weekly basis cannot be understated. The consistency aspect just requires time and patience — as hard as that may be for a lot of us right now with a guy like Patrick Mahomes lighting it up in Kansas City.A lot of that starts up front with the team’s interior offensive linemen. I think to a certain extent, we witnessed Nagy try to get Howard more involved and with some success against the Vikings. All the East to West (jet sweeps, etc) we saw to start the game, makes defenses think more and not be able to stack their linebackers in favorable positions close to the line of scrimmage to shut down those inside zone runs.I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I don’t think Howard is a great fit for this offense, but I do think that Nagy will continue to get creative at the start of games to help Howard create better success up the middle. The big key in that is knowing when to stop and that was something the Bears were a little late on in the second half on Sunday night.I’m not sure he’ll ever truly get going to what we are accustomed to seeing but he should be at least serviceable for the remainder of the year.To be fair, Coach of the Year is decided strictly on regular season games. So, what the Bears would do in the playoffs would have no bearing on the voting process.From the perspective of him winning that honor as a whole, I think he has as good a shot as any coach, but keep in mind that there are currently a pair of one-loss teams that have dominated the NFL. Granted both of them made the playoffs last year, but it will really depend on the angle of the voters. If they value a (5-11) team going from worst to first over candidates like Andy Reid, Sean Mcvay or Sean Payton making big steps, then it could work in Nagy’s favor.As far as Trubisky gaining national respect, until he starts putting up games like Week 4 or Week 10 on a national stage Eddie Goldman Color Rush Jersey , he isn’t likely to get the type of positive attention most fans are hoping for. It’s also worth keeping in mind that many of his critics have already written him off, so those same people swallowing their pride to admit they are wrong is going to take a lot. Trubisky has an uphill climb in that department. The good news? Outside opinions don’t decide football games or determine careers.All-Pro? Probably not.Pro Bowl? Absolutely.I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that Eddie Jackson may be the team’s best defensive back, even with the recent uptick in play from Kyle Fuller and breakout season from Bryce Callahan.Jackson’s presence on the back end has not only become something that we can rely upon, but also someone that we can count on big plays from. That’s something this team hasn’t had in quite a while but even so, I still think he’s another big year away from any All-Pro consideration.Anthony Miller finds himself in the same situation that every other Bears pass catchers does right now. Each week seems to feature a different player. Whether that means a 100-yard day or Trubisky’s go-to target in big situations, it seems like Nagy’s game plan allows for new players to flash each week.With that being said, Miller’s role has grown considerably since his return from the shoulder injury he sustained in Week 3.When looking at his targets over the past four games (not counting Sunday’s weird game), Miller has averaged (6.5) targets per game, which is a big uptick from his first three games, in which he averages (3.67) per game. His role from a week-to-week standpoint may not be consistent, but he has three touchdowns in his last four games and is gaining more of a rapport with Trubisky each week. Miller’s future is bright.This is a great question and one that thoroughly screwed over Akiem Hicks just a year ago.For whatever reason, the NFL’s position designations for their ballots has never made much sense, especially when you’re talking new aged schemes where positions like nickel corners and five-techniques are more of a norm than they were 10 years ago.Last year, Hicks was classified as an edge rusher, instead of a defensive lineman, which hurt him because he didn’t have nearly the sack numbers or overall flash as a true edge rusher that’s primary job is to get after the quarterback.Now, you’ve got Callahan who has been one of the better corners in the league as a whole, but since he plays a position where it’s not considered a part of a traditional “base package” defense, he’s left off the ballot. Being that this is the NFL running the voting, I think that someone with a bit more knowledge on modern day defensive schemes and concepts needs to step in and stop snubbing good players out of this honor.I’m not really sure there’s a right answer for this question.If you’re looking at it from a purely standings perspective, you’re best bet is to root for the Packers. With a Bears and Packers win, Chicago would then have a two and a half game lead (basically three due to both team’s ties) with five games remaining. That would mean that either one of the Vikings or Packers would have to go 5-0 with the Bears finishing at 2-3 or worse, in order to win the NFC North.If you’re looking at it from my perspective, I’d still rather not see Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs over Kirk Cousins.There’s a strong possibility that if the Bears win the division, they’ll be facing the sixth seed, which is likely to be either the Packers or more likely, Vikings. When looking at it from that point of view, I’ll take facing Cousins at home 100% of the time over having to see Rodgers again.
In the middle RuneScape gold of this season we'll be performing more open tests, soft sticks. We wish to see that behaviour, see if it varies, see whether we will need to do anything to help players if they're playing shorter periods. We're searching to explore these things as we begin doing full open evaluations later in the year. Last year we worked together with the entire company to do a little bit of soul searching, to find what we wanted, exactly what we believed we had been good at, and also running big online communities and worlds is a portion of that, he informs us.
NASHVILLE https://www.carolinapanthersfanshop.com/Torrey-Smith-Jersey , Tenn. (AP) that lasted far longer than some of his former teammates at the University of Texas.The two-time Pro Bowl safety officially ended that career Monday by signing a one-day contract with the Tennessee Titans and retiring with the franchise that drafted him with the 19th pick overall in 2007. Griffin, who wore No. 33 in his career, retired at the age of 33.”I can’t say enough, thank y’all, just thank y’all,” Griffin said at a news conference inside the team’s indoor practice field. ”That’s probably all I can say is just thank y’all because it’s a blessing, and I’m so thankful to have that opportunity for the last nine years to play for this organization.”Griffin started 10 games as a rookie and played 141 games over nine seasons with Tennessee Dontari Poe Color Rush Jersey , including 103 straight between 2007 and 2013. He remains the franchise’s all-time leader in tackles by a safety with 912. Griffin also had 25 interceptions, seven sacks, 11 forced fumbles and six fumble recovers with his best season in 2008 with seven interceptions.Controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk thanked Griffin for his nine seasons with the Titans and wished him the best in retirement.”He was such a dependable player for us during his time here, missing only three games over nine seasons, and he was always among our leading tacklers,” Strunk said in a statement. ”His play earned him two Pro Bowl selections and the respect of his teammates. Michael also was invested in our community, finding ways to make a difference.”The Titans released Griffin in February 2016 when he was tied with Corey Graham of Buffalo for the most games played by a safety in the NFL between 2007 and 2015. Griffin signed with Minnesota but didn’t play a game. He then signed with Carolina and started six of 13 games with the Panthers in 2016. He finished his career starting 134 of 154 games played in 10 seasons.Griffin spent the 2017 season working out in case a team called and finished his degree at Texas. He said even when he was with the Vikings and Panthers he always felt he remained a Tennessee Titan.”I was always cheering my guys on Jarius Wright Jersey , always texting them if someone went down, ask how they were doing, keep their heads up, if someone was released whatever it may be,” Griffin said. ”I always stayed in contact with those guys.”Titans linebackers Brian Orakpo and Wesley Woodyard and defensive linemen Jurrell Casey and DaQuan Jones were on hand for Griffin’s announcement.— Brad, Brian, and Jon once again are forced to talk about a Carolina Panthers loss. This time it was to the Cleveland Browns. That makes five losses in a row https://www.carolinapanthersfanshop.com/Da_Norris-Searcy-Jersey , and things aren’t looking great. We talk about who stood out in the loss, both in positive and negative lights. We also talk about the Panthers continued red zone struggles and how the Browns showed off what creativity can do in tight quarters. We also discuss the upcoming divisional showdown with the New Orleans Saints. The Saints are good. The Panthers are bad. This has the potential to get ugly. But this is the Panthers, so of course it also has the potential to go exactly how no one expects it. We talk about what the Panthers need to do to win and if we think it will happen. The show wraps up with a discussion about a question I heard on Garcia and Bailey last week - “do we as a market go too easy on Cam Newton?”Download and subscribe from Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or wherever else you like to get your podcasts.
for his touchdown celebration Sunday Bob Lilly Jersey , and Titans safety Kevin Byard followed Monday night.Byard danced on the midfield star at AT&T Stadium after his end zone interception. He was joined by teammates. 49ers receiver Terrell Owens did the original midfield star celebration in 2000. He promptly was tackled by Cowboys safety George Teague. Cowboys cornerback Byron Jones shoved Byard in the back, although Byard was expecting to have his head knocked off. Former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, now an ESPN analyst, called it disrespectful, as did Jones. Titans coach Mike Vrabel agreed.“That’s not what we want as an organization. That’s not what I want as a head coach Jay Novacek Color Rush Jersey ,” Vrabel said Tuesday, via video posted by Paul Kuharsky of paulkuharsky.com. “I want our guys to play as hard as they possibly can, for each other, between the whistles, as physical https://www.dallascowboysfanshop.com/Bill-Bates-Jersey , as aggressive, as clean as they possibly can. I get that there’s things that cross the line between whistles. Once the whistle blows, celebrate with a teammate. Find somebody else in a Titans uniform. Find a coach. Celebrate with them. But we don’t need to do that. That’s not what we want to do. I talked to Kevin this morning. I’ll talk to the team again tomorrow. That goes for a lot of guys. That’s not what I want. If that’s what they want, then we see it very differently.”Although officials didn’t penalize Byard, he is subject to an NFL fine as the rule book specifically covers stomping on a team logo. Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley’s name comes up a lot when people are discussing potential additions to the roster of NFL head coaches and an NFL Media report on Sunday said the Cowboys “have an affinity” for Riley.Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about that report during a Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan and he suggested it had little basis in fact.“That would be total drawing it out of the air. … Totally speculation Charles Haley Jersey ,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News.The Cowboys currently have a head coach, of course, and Jason Garrett’s future with the team will likely be determined by what happens over the next seven games. One never knows what Jones will decide to say, but it would certainly be imprudent to start talking about potential successors with half a season left to go.Jones believes that these seven games can go well for his team. Jones said he has high hopes for a team with “a chance to be one we remember for a long time” and fulfilling them would likely put off a coaching change for at least another year in Dallas.
DETROIT — The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings are both rebuilding but have played well in their past few games.Detroit hosts New York Friday night at Little Caesars Arena at 7:30.The Rangers (7-7-1) have won four straight and the Red Wings (5-8-2) have four victories in their past five games. Also each team won Tuesday night after trailing by two in the second period. New York beat Montreal 5-3 at Madison Square Garden and Detroit defeated Vancouver 3-2 in a shootout at LCA.Article continues below ...The Rangers trailed the Canadiens 3-1 with less than three minutes left in the second Nick Jensen Jersey , but defenseman Tony De Angelo scored late in the middle period and right winger Pavel Buchnevich, defenseman Neal Pionk and center Mika Zibanejad (short-handed) scored in the third.“They definitely had the momentum … we were able to reset going into the third,” defenseman Marc Staal said.That was also New York’s second consecutive win after winning twice in California. Because of the time difference, teams usually struggle in their first game or two back from a west coast trip. The Rangers won 3-2 in a shootout in Anaheim last Thursday night.“I love how we responded coming back from the trip and we win two hockey games here,” Rangers coach David Quinn said. “It says a lot.”Said Staal: “We’re on a bit of a roll. With wins comes confidence, finishing games.”The Red Wings trailed the Canucks 2-0 in the second period on Tuesday night. Forward Justin Abdelkader’s power-play goal in the second made it 2-1 and Gustav Nyquist’s tied it early in the third period. Center Dylan Larkin scored the only goal of the shootout.“I think part of resilient is guys stepping and making plays at big moments,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “And for a goaltender, it’s just making a whole bunch of saves and I thought Howie (goalie Jimmy Howard) was a big difference that way.”Howard made 40 saves against Vancouver and stopped all three shooters in the shootout.The Red Wings seem like a totally different team than the one that began the season 1-7-2.“Well … we’re bending not breaking I guess,” Howard said. “Early in the season when stuff started to go wrong the body language was off and things really exploded on us and now guys are continuing to keep working.”Detroit is expected to get two forwards back from injury on Friday. Andreas Athanasiou (leg) and center Frans Nielsen (concussion) are expected to return after they each missed four games.Larkin practiced Thursday after missing practice on Wednesday to recover from a minor injury suffered late in Tuesday night’s game. He will play on Friday night.It will be the second NHL game this season for Rangers center Lias Andersson Thomas Vanek Jersey , the seventh overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft. Andersson was recalled from Hartford for the game Tuesday against Montreal and played 12:17 on a line between Jimmy Vesey and Jesper Fast.New York assigned forward Boo Nieves to Hartford of the American Hockey League on Thursday. The New York Islanders have everything working right now as demonstrated by the 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night.The game never felt like it was ever in doubt, Islanders coach Barry Trotz said after Mathew Barzal scored three goals in the victory at Toronto.The Buffalo Sabres, on the other hand, cannot seem to get results even when they play well as they did Saturday in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins.Article continues below ...“I thought we played a very strong 60 minutes and overtime,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said after the Bruins tied the game at 17:31 of the third period on a power play and won in overtime.The Islanders, winners of three in a row and six of their past seven games, will try to keep it going Monday when they visit the Sabres, who have lost three of their past four.“I liked the fact that we stayed with the game plan for the full 60 minutes,” Trotz said after his team dominated Toronto and former Islanders captain John Tavares in his first game against his former team. “We didn’t really deviate and that to me was real good growth. We have to continue to do that. We knew we were up against a real good hockey team and we had to do things the right way and we did.”“I can’t fault our effort Womens Adam Larsson Jersey ,” Housley said after Sean Kuraly’s overtime winner for Boston. “We attacked the game. It’s going to be like this throughout the rest of the season where it’s going to be tight. I thought we felt really comfortable in the situation.”This will be the first meeting between the teams this season.Barzal, who also scored two goals in a win over the Ottawa Senators Friday, scored a natural hat trick in a span of just fewer than eight minutes in the second period on Saturday. He has 10 goals on the season. Robin Lehner made 36 saves for his second shutout of the season and 10th of his career.“You could tell before the game that the guys were dialed in, Barzal said. “They were ready to go. We knew what was at stake against one of the top teams in the league. If we play like that, this team can be pretty special.”Barzal has six goals and two assists on his four-game point streak.“He’s shooting the puck,” Lehner said. “He’s one of the most skilled players in the league and one of the fastest. Just seeing him shooting more in practice, he’s starting to trust his shot and have confidence in his shot. He has a good shot. He just has to keep shooting and he’ll score a lot of goals.”Buffalo is 4-6-4 since its 10-game winning streak Nov. 8-27.The Sabres are struggling to score goals.Jack Eichel has one goal in five games and Jeff Skinner has one in four and they are the team’s top two scorers. Jason Pominville has no points in 12 games and no goals in 14, Conor Sheary has one goal in 19 games, Casey Mittelstadt has one goal in 16 games and no points in seven and Tage Thompson has no goals and one point in 13 games.Eichel missed practice Sunday for what Housley termed as “maintenance” and is expected to play Monday. Goaltender Linus Ullmark returned to practice after being unavailable Saturday because of illness. Goaltender Scott Wedgewood was returned to Rochester of the American Hockey League.Right winger Kyle Okposo was used on the fourth line Sunday with Johan Larsson and Remi Elie. Okposo Cam Talbot Jersey , a former Islander, has not scored a goal in 21 games.“Everybody knows the production, right,” Housley told reporters Sunday. “You look at the statistics, but I think (Okposo) just has to get back to work. I wouldn’t read too much into the lines. We’re just trying to create more balance, and I think (Larsson) has played terrific hockey.”
Leonard Fournette would miss another game with a hamstring injury and the team’s roster moves over the last couple of days seemed to confirm the team would face the Cowboys without their 2017 first-round pick.Jaguars coach Doug Marrone made it official on Wednesday. Fournette will sit out for the second straight week and fourth time this season due to his balky hamstring.The Jaguars https://www.jaguarsfanstore.com/Cam-Robinson-Jersey , who also placed Corey Grant on injured reserve with a foot injury, signed longtime Chief Jamaal Charles as a free agent and plucked David Andrews off of the Broncos’ practice squad. T.J. Yeldon has run for 258 yards and caught 22 passes for 194 yards while taking on the lead role for the Jaguars in Fournette’s absence.Marrone also ruled out left tackle Josh Wells with a groin injury. Josh Walker will likely get the start in place of Wells, who moved into the first team after Cam Robinson‘s season-ending torn ACL.Cornerback D.J. Hayden, who has a toe injury, rounds out the group of players ruled out well ahead of Sunday’s game. The Jacksonville Jaguars start the second quarter of the season at raucous Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs at 1:00pm EST.For anyone not traveling to Kansas City for the game, we have a treat in the booth this week:UNIFORM WATCH: Debut of new white tops and black trousers for Sunday.Ed. Note: YaaaaaaaassssssssssOpponentRiding into week five with an undefeated record, the Chiefs are working on a short week after overcoming a ten-point fourth quarter deficit on the road against divisional rival Denver Broncos. The result probably works in favor of the Jaguars as the Chiefs will roll into this game with an air of invincibility, which is always dangerous from a sports psychology standpoint.Offensively, the Chiefs are playing chess while the rest of the NFL is playing checkers. Patrick Mahomes is 5-0 in his career as an NFL starter and has seemingly taken his Big 12 offense with him from Texas Tech as he is currently on pace for 56 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. When you factor in his computer-like processing, quick release, arm strength, and improvisational skills outside the pocket, Mahomes becomes almost impossible to stop and unlikely to contain. Combine these rare attributes with offensive weapons that include Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Sammy Watkins Tashaun Gipson Color Rush Jersey , and Kareem Hunt out of the backfield, and the Chiefs are a recipe for explosive play headaches. There will be times in this game where Todd Wash will scheme up the ideal play call, it will be perfectly executed, and Mahomes will still find a way to complete a pass, which will be frustrating for fans and players alike. I expect the Jags to put Tashaun Gipson in man coverage on Kelce for most of the game and play press man on the outside to take advantage of their size at the cornerback position, jamming the receivers off the line to give the defensive line an extra second to apply pressure. This can be an extremely boom-or-bust game in regards to the defense compiling some sacks and takeaways, but their league-leading 14 points allowed per game will likely take a hit this week. My guy to keep an eye on this week? Tight end Demetrius Harris.While everyone in the country will be tuning in to see the top ranked offense against the top ranked defense, it’s actually the other units that will most likely decide this game. The Chiefs defense has been fairly miserable so far this season, allowing a league-high 451 total yards and 28 first downs per game. Nathanial Hackett and the Jaguars will need to continue to throw on first down to open up the run and allow T.J. Yeldon to add to Chiefs’ 5.7 allowed yards per carry average. Coming off a career high in passing yards, Blake Bortles will need to keep the momentum going against a secondary that likely won’t be able to keep up with the speed that the Jaguars have at wide receiver, and expect the Chiefs to attack with zone coverages to take away the Jaguars’ staple crossing routes. As poorly as the Chiefs defense has performed across the board, here is one interesting tidbit to keep in mind – they currently rank first in third down defense, and when the defense has had to make a stop to win the game (like a three and out to give Mahomes the ball back in the fourth quarter on Monday), they’ve answered the bell.For some thoughts from the Chiefs’ persepctive, check out Ryan O’Bleness’ crossover piece with Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride.StorylinesOffense wins games Dawuane Smoot Jersey , defense wins championships. Is that adage true?Well, in the last seven top ranked offense versus top ranked defense regular season match ups, the offensive team has won six of them. Not great for the Jaguars. With that being said, the NFL hasn’t really seen a defense like this in almost a decade.The Chiefs are also benefactors of playing in the loudest stadium in the NFL, and in a deafening environment like Arrowheard, the Jaguars are going to need be on the same page in regards to communication on the offensive line and snap counts. This is where it is crucial that veteran center and communication captain Brandon Linder suits up this week, and hopefully Hackett has a plan in place where they can mitigate the noise with silent snap counts. Don’t expect too many “Sunday, Sunday” (hand claps) from Bortles this week.The other major storyline for this week is the weather forecast, which is calling for 100% chance of rain. I can’t remember the last time Blake Bortles has had to play in extremely rainy conditions (perhaps someone can assist on this in the comments), but he struggled mightily last year in cold and windy conditions on the road in Tennessee. Conversely, Mahomes’ arm is so strong that it shouldn’t matter whether he is playing in rain or shine. Logically, the rain should favor the Chiefs, who can take advantage of some poor punts on special teams and benefit from the absence of Leonard Fournette to churn out tough, ugly yards. Key matchupsJalen Ramsey vs. Tyreek HillI understand that Ramsey won’t be traveling with Cheetah and they won’t be single-matched often, but the back-and-forth diatribe this week will make this must-see TV. My biggest concern when they are matched up is how aggressively Ramsey plays curl and hook routes https://www.jaguarsfanstore.com/Taven-Bryan-Jersey , anchoring and driving to break and make a play on the football. This mentality can really make Ramsey susceptible to a Hill double move, and if Ramsey bites, it will be over.Austin Seferian-Jenkins vs. Anthony HitchensNo Eric Berry yet this season means that the Chiefs have struggled mightily against tight ends so far this season. ASJ isn’t having a huge year statistically, but this might be his break out game for the Jaguars offense, and I would expect Hackett to try and attack the seams early while the Chiefs back seven are overly-concerned with short crossers underneath.Dede Westbrook vs. Orlando ScandrickScandrick has taken most of the slot reps in nickel and he has not played very well since signing his one-year deal in Kansas City. His lack of foot speed at this stage in his career has been glaring, and it wouldn’t be surprising in the least if the Chiefs match up their best cornerback in Kendall Fuller, who was one of the league’s best nickels in Washington, on Westbrook to even up the match up. Of course, doing this will weaken them on the perimeter for Donte Moncrief and Keelan Cole to challenge deep against one of the weaker starting safety duos in the league.Calais Campbell vs. Mitchell SchwartzSchwartz has played like the best right tackle in football across the first four weeks and Calais Campbell will have his hands full in trying to get to the quarterback. I would expect Campbell to slide inside next to Malik Jackson a ton this week in obvious passing situations and give Dante Fowler Jr.’s speed a go against Schwartz. The Jaguars will need to bring a ton of pressure to make Mahomes uncomfortable to have a chance. Josh Wells vs. Justin HoustonJosh Wells has performed admirably so far in relief duty for the injured Cam Robinson, but he hasn’t necessarily squared off against a world-beater edge rusher to this point. That will change this week against Justin Houston, and Dee Ford is no slouch either in the event they flip their outside linebackers. Ford has been dealing with a groin injury this season, but he was their most effective rusher last week. This will undoubtedly be Wells’ biggest test of the season.Final predictionI can hear Alfie’s voice now — “How are the Chiefs supposed to score 30 points?” I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they do this week. I think the Jaguars will struggle containing Mahomes in the pocket similar to Marcus Mariota a few weeks ago, and the only difference is Mahomes has a howitzer of an arm compared to Mariota’s water gun. My feeling is that the Jaguars offense will get the ball in a two-minute drill situation where they need a touchdown and Bortles and company won’t be able to overcome the crowd noise and inclement weather.I think Chiefs win 30-24.
Aleksander Barkov and Patrik Laine will take center stage on Thursday in their home nation of Finland.Barkov’s Florida Panthers (2-4-3) and Laine’s Winnipeg Jets (7-4-1) will square off for two nights in a row at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki as part of the 2018 NHL Global Series.Both Barkov Jared Goff Jersey Elite , 23, and Laine, 20, were born in Tampere, a two-hour drive from Helsinki. The two stars are on opposing sides in the NHL but they were linemates while playing for Finland in 2016 for the IIHF World Championship.Article continues below ...“At the World Championship, it was natural,” Barkov told NHL.com. “We’re from the same town. I’ve known about him for a long time. I knew he was going to be a very good player.“And he knew about me, so it was an easy transition to friendship. He’s a very good friend.”There will be a lot of friends at Hartwall on Thursday as Barkov and Laine have said they will leave numerous tickets for their loved ones from Finland.It should be a great show, especially the individual battle between these two dynamic forwards.Barkov was the NHL’s second overall draft pick in 2013 and became an All-Star last season. Considered one of the league’s best two-way centers, he scored 27 goals and totaled a career-high 78 points last season.“He has sick hands,” Laine told NHL.com when asked about Barkov. “He plays with a long stick, so his reach is really good. He’s good at back-checking and taking the puck away. He’s pretty magical on shootouts. His overall game is one of the best.”Laine is pretty special too. The NHL’s No. 2 overall draft pick in 2016 Authentic Brandin Cooks Jersey , he scored 36 goals as a rookie and 44 last season. Laine finished second in the league in goals last season, trailing only Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.And, like Ovechkin, Laine’s one-timer is nearly unstoppable. Laine led the NHL last season with 20 power-play goals.Panthers starting goalie Roberto Luongo has yet to return from injuring his right knee on opening night. Backup netminder James Reimer has struggled in seven games, including five starts (1-3-1). He has a high goals-against average (3.41) and an unimpressive save percentage .878. The third-string goalie is Michael Hutchinson (1-1-2, 4.17 GAA, .839 save percentage).Winnipeg’s goaltender choices are a pair of 25-year-olds: starter Connor Hellebuyck (4-4-1, 3.00 GAA, .907 save percentage) and backup Laurent Brossoit (3-0-0, 1.67 GAA, .957 save percentage).Hellebuyck led the NHL with 44 wins last season, posting a 2.36 GAA and finishing second in the voting for the Vezina Trophy.So far http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/jared-goff-jersey , though, he has been outplayed by Brossoit.Jets coach Paul Maurice said Hellebuyck will get the nod Thursday but he has not made a decision on his starter for Friday’s rematch.“The open door on that one is that Laurent has been so good in volume games. He’s played so well,” said Maurice. “My starting point would be slightly leaning toward that, but I’ll judge it all based on the game.” DENVER (AP) — Dustin Brown got the jump on a Colorado line change ahead of his game-winning shot.Brown scored on a breakaway 56 seconds into overtime and the Los Angeles Kings withstood a late comeback attempt by Colorado and beat the Avalanche 3-2 on Monday night.“The puck got kicked into our zone,” Brown said. “They were trying to get a change. I was coming out of the blue-line door — so that’s 30 or 40 feet for them to change, and I got in behind them.”Brown gathered in a pass from Jake Muzzin in the Avalanche zone and skated between the circles before sending a wrist shot past the stick of goalie Semyon Varlamov for the winner.Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Brown beat Colorado skaters into their zone.“You can’t hide in 3-on-3, so Mikko (Rantanen) changes and their guy is behind him,” Bednar said. “And then we were late coming on and it’s in the back of our net. You can’t let guys get in behind you 3-on-3 or they’re going to score. That’s it.”Sean Walker and Drew Doughty also scored for the Kings. Jonathan Quick had 22 saves and earned his 299th career win. He has 17 wins in 24 career games against the Avalanche.Nathan MacKinnon and Carl Soderberg scored for Colorado, which lost its fifth straight.With an extra attacker on the ice in place of their goalie, the Avalanche evened the score at 2-2 at 18:40 of the third period on a goal by Soderberg. Tyson Barrie’s shot from the point went off Soderberg’s skate and into the net past Quick. The outcome for Colorado mirrored its overtime loss Saturday to Chicago.“It’s unfortunate because it’s so quick — bang, bang — in overtime,” Erik Johnson said after Colorado fell to 1-8 in overtime games this season. “We clawed our way back so hard http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/brandin-cooks-jersey , it’s tough to swallow. It was looking like we weren’t going to come up with anything, so we need those two points. We’ll take the single one right now, but it certainly stinks not to get that extra one.”Trailing 2-0, the Avalanche cut the deficit in half when MacKinnon finished a 2-on-1 break with a shot from in front that beat Quick. Rantanen set him up with a cross-ice pass that allowed MacKinnon to flick the puck over Quick’s glove.Walker, who had an apparent first-period goal negated by a goalie interference call, extended the Kings’ lead with a wraparound shot that got past Varlamov at 12:58 of the second period. It was the first NHL goal for Walker, who got the inside edge on Rantanen and stuffed the puck into the net through a narrow opening before Varlamov could get to the side and close it.“It was a roller coaster,” Walker said. “Pretty high and then pretty low. And then luckily, I got the other one. You want to get your first one out of the way.”With the Kings on the power play, Doughty opened the scoring with a slap shot from the top of the right circle 22 seconds into the second period. Doughty scored off a feed from Tyler Toffoli.NOTES: At 5:40 of the first, the Kings had an apparent goal by Walker negated by goalie interference. Matt Luff was called for the infraction as he backed into goalie Semyon Varlamov at the same time Walker took his shot. … Colorado’s Tyson Barrie is one shy of tying John-Michael Liles (275) for most points by a defenseman in Avalanche franchise history. … The Kings have assigned F Michael Amadio to Ontario of the American Hockey League.UP NEXTKings: Complete back-to-back set at Las Vegas on Tuesday.Avalanche: Host the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night.
by defeating the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football.Here were the snap counts for the Chiefs:OffenseDefenseSpecial teams (only)Starters (offense): WR Tyreek Hill Authentic Steven Nelson Jersey , LT Eric Fisher, LG Cam Erving, C Jordan Devey, RG Andrew Wylie, RT Mitch Schwartz, TE Travis Kelce, WR Sammy Watkins, RB Kareem Hunt, WR Chris Conley, QB Patrick MahomesStarters (defense): NT Derrick Nnadi, RDE Chris Jones, LOLB Dee Ford, LILB Reggie Ragland, RILB Anthony Hitchens, ROLB Breeland Speaks, LCB Orlando Scandrick Laurent Duvernay-Tardif Jersey , RCB Steve Nelson, S Jordan Lucas, S Ron Parker, CB Kendall FullerActive, but did not play: QB Chad HenneInactive: S Eric Berry, RB Darrel Williams, LB Justin Houston, LB Nate Orchard, OL Mitch Morse, OL Kahlil McKenzie, DT Justin HamiltonTakeaways (in no particular order)No Chiefs skill-position player played more than 90 percent of offensive snaps—wide receiver SammyWatkins and tight end Travis Kelce each had 60 snaps (86 percent), while WR Tyreek Hill had 52 snaps (74 percent).Running back Kareem Hunt needed just 46 offensive snaps (66 percent) to record 141 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns. Spencer Ware had 22 offensive snaps in the game. Darrel Williams got in the game for two snaps.Offensive lineman Jeff Allen had two offensive snaps in his return to the lineup.There were no iron men on defense (100 percent of snaps) this week likely thanks to the big lead. Outside linebacker Breeland Speaks led the team with 57 defensive snaps for 97 percent.Coming into the game, linebacker Dorian O’Daniel had 10 defensive snaps. Against the Bengals, due to an injury to Terrance Smith and other factors, which I’m sure we’ll hear more about this week, O’Daniel had 25 defensive snaps (42 percent) and 17 special-teams snaps. The Chiefs are working safety Eric Murray back in (22 defensive snaps for 37 percent) Limited Allen Bailey Jersey , but Jordan Lucas stayed in the lineup as the “starter.” Lucas had 50 defensive snaps (85 percent) in the Chiefs win.Derrick Nnadi earned his third start in a row but had just 22 defensive snaps (37 percent). Xavier Williams had 19 defensive snaps (32 percent). With the Chiefs having a big lead in the third quarter, CB Charvarius Ward, CB/S Josh Shaw, LB Ben Niemann and CB Tremon Smith all saw more action than they may have otherwise.Chad Henne had no snaps, which, according to social media and calls on the post-game show last night, not everybody agreed with. The NFL announced Tuesday that rather than the Kansas City Chiefs playing their Monday Night Football game against the Los Angeles Rams in Mexico City, as originally planned since April, the game would be played at the Los Angeles Coliseum due to poor field conditions at Estadio Azteca.Chiefs head coach Andy Reid came to the podium in Kansas City Thursday showing full trust and support in the league for its decision.“They take consideration of a lot of things,” he said of the league. “I’m sure there are a lot of things I don’t even know. One thing I do know, we have the best fans in the world. I do know that. I feel for the ones who couldn’t go, as does the organization and the league that have made arrangements.”The Chiefs and Rams were set to be the first teams to play in Mexico since November of 2017, when the Oakland Raiders “were blown out of Mexico City.”Kirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsSome Chiefs seemed disappointed they wouldn’t get that opportunity.“It’s disappointing for sure just because seeing that environment and seeing that fanbase and how excited they were for the game,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “We wanted to get out there and be in front of all those people and be able to show them American football and everything that we’re doing here.”Right tackle Mitch Schwartz shared Mahomes’ feelings on the situation.“I thought it’d be fun to play in Mexico,” Schwartz said. “I’m obviously glad they didn’t put us in any adverse conditions with the field conditions, but not a usual game week Authentic Chris Jones Jersey , not something you get to do, play very often. I thought it’d be a good experience and I came here the year after the team when to London, so I missed out on that one, so I want to get one of these foreign games in, and hopefully, there will be opportunities down the road, but from a team perspective, I don’t think it really matters. We get on on the plane Sunday and wherever it takes us is where we play ball.”It has been widely reported that because of the elevation of Mexico City, the Los Angeles Rams opted to move their operation to Denver for the week, the thought being this would help them get their lungs right for the game. ESPN reporter Adam Schefter explained Wednesday that because of the wildfires in California, the Rams would remain there for the week despite the shift to the Coliseum.Reid and the Chiefs never saw the need to make such a move (something our own John Dixon saw as an advantage for the Chiefs ahead of the game). “We were going to stay here for practice,” Reid said. “We did a bunch of studies and talked to people in the offseason and felt like it was best to stay here and practice. We really haven’t had a change much other than going to a hotel in Los Angeles, but other than that, not a lot of changes.”Wide receiver Chris Conley agreed.“I think either way it was going to be kind of a road game,” he said. “You never know what conditions you’re going to get. But you know we’re going to be in LA now, and they’re going to be excited about this game and the world’s going to be watching. But you really tune out the things that are outside of those white lines and you play your game.”The only NFL show in the country on Monday night Eric Fisher Jersey Salute to Service , the Los Angeles Coliseum, which holds more than 78,000 people, should be rocking for the game.Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images “It’s going to be loud,” Mahomes said. “The Coliseum has a lot of historic value and the place is going to be packed. It’s definitely going to be a little different where you were hoping you’d get a little more of a neutral crowd, whereas in L.A. there’s going to be a lot of Rams fans there. “You have to be used to that when you play in the NFL. We’ve played in a lot of hostile environments and hopefully, we can get some Chiefs fans out there too.”Ever a league supporter, Reid told reporters he looks forward to playing in Mexico City sometime in the future.“We looked forward to that,” Reid said. “The whole NFL did I think, and our fans, the ones that were going to travel there. Great people. We will be back. I know the National Football League will be back. How much they care about our neighbors there says that.”
The Washington Capitals were going to face a challenge playing at altitude Friday night Los Angeles Kings Hoodies Womens , but the task is even tougher if they are missing some key players.Forward T.J. Oshie could be out for the game at the Colorado Avalanche after taking a hard hit by Winnipeg defenseman John Morrissey on Wednesday night. Oshie, who has suffered four concussions in his career, was thrown backwards onto the ice in the final minute.Capitals coach Todd Reirden didn’t have an update on Oshie but felt the NHL should examine the play.Article continues below ...“It’s something I think the league is going to look at,” Reirden told The Washington Post. “It’s similar to a situation that happened in Vancouver earlier in the year — a vulnerable player that’s thrown to the ice… We’ll see and check in on T.J. I have not talked to our trainer since the end of the game, so I’m not sure exactly where things stand with him.”The NHL did punish Morrissey with a $8,467.74 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct on Oshie.Washington (8-7-3) has lost three of its last four http://www.flamesshoponline.com/authentic-jaromir-jagr-jersey , including two at home before leaving for a four-game road trip. In addition to losing Oshie, leading scorer, center Evgeny Kuznetsov, left Wednesday’s game with a possible concussion in the first period.The Capitals didn’t practice Thursday so there was no update on their injuries.Washington is going to need everyone to go against the Avalanche’s top line. Mikko Rantanen (a goal and two assists), Nathan MacKinnon (a goal and an assist) and Gabe Landeskog (one goal) combined for six points in a 6-3 comeback win over Boston on Wednesday night. The trio is the highest scoring line in the NHL while Rantanen leads the NHL in points.They’ve been a big reason Colorado (9-6-3) is scoring at a high rate this season.“Saying the same thing after every game it feels like, but it’s a pretty good line to play with Johnny Gaudreau Jersey Kids ,” Rantanen said after the win over the Bruins.Wednesday’s win was Colorado’s second in a row after a five-game losing streak. That streak started when Calgary rallied from three goals down in the third period to win in regulation.The Avalanche had a third-period rally to beat Boston and a win over the Capitals would give them a boost going into a three-game road trip next week. While the top line has been consistently producing this season, Colorado is starting to get more secondary scoring. Alexander Kerfoot, Tyson Jost and Matt Calvert also had goals Wednesday.It was Jost’s second in three games since returning from a head injury.The Capitals are going to see a familiar face Friday night. Goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who signed with Colorado after helping Washington win the Stanley Cup last season, is slotted to start in net.The Avalanche’s defensive unit has also been a positive. The addition of Ian Cole this summer has given Colorado some depth and championship experience on the blueline. Cole won two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh.“If you look at the way he plays and the way he carries himself, every practice and every game there’s an intensity and there’s a sturdiness to his game Los Angeles Kings Hats Womens ,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar told reporters Wednesday. “There’s an attention to detail, too, that I think a lot of our guys can look at and try to emulate.” PITTSBURGH (AP) Penguins goaltender Matt Murray looks ready to return from a concussion that’s kept him out for the past three weeks.Murray practiced with his teammates on Monday and could be available on Tuesday night when the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions visit the New York Islanders.Coach Mike Sullivan said Murray looked strong during Pittsburgh’s workout. Murray hasn’t played since taking a shot off his mask in practice late last month.The Penguins created a spot for Murray on the roster on Monday when they reassigned Tristan Jarry to the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Jarry split starts with Casey DeSmith during Murray’s absence.Pittsburgh has hung tough without Murray, who helped backstop the Penguins to consecutive Cups. The Penguins trail first-place Washington by two points in the Metropolitan Division with 10 games left in the regular season.—
Why it must stay benched: Not only is it annoying to furiously pound a number of buttons being a madman for thirty seconds, additionally, it felt pointless. We could be wrong, but wed be prepared to bet weve never successfully realized a change of possession that wasnt pre-destined.
Two of the top four teams in the NHL are guaranteed to be out the playoffs after the second round.Goodbye Nashville or Winnipeg. Goodbye Boston or Tampa Bay. Thanks for playing.That’s the reality under the divisional playoff format that could pit the top two teams in the Eastern and Western Conferences against each other in round 2 after Pittsburgh and Washington were forced into that predicament in back-to-back playoffs.”There’s not a whole lot of logic there Custom Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys ,” Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik said.How’s this for logic? If ranking teams 1 through 8 in each conference like the old format that was in place from 1993-94 through 2013, the No. 2 seed is facing the No. 4 seed, 3 versus 7, and 5 versus 6 in the first round in the East and the West this year.A Penguins-Capitals style repeat could happen this year with the Central’s Predators and Jets on a crash course for a second-round showdown and the Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning locked into a stacked Atlantic bracket with the Toronto Maple Leafs.”You’d think that’d almost be a third-round series kind of thing, but so be it,” Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis said. ”It is what it is. You’re going to have to see a team like that eventually. There’s not much you can do to change it.”Maybe this spring will be enough to spark a change in the oft-criticized format in its fifth season that is agreed to between the league and NHL Players’ Association through the 2019-20 season. The Capitals getting knocked out in the second round by the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Penguins didn’t lead to much debate.”I would assume after his year there’d be a bigger appetite to do it,” Washington general manager Brian MacLellan said. ”In the past it hasn’t affected as many teams as might be required to get that movement. It’s basically been us that’s been the team that’s not benefited from the 1 through 8. But we’ll see what happens this year with a couple more really good teams being beat out in the second round.”Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the playoff format is not a burning issue for owners, wasn’t discussed by GMs and should be looked at over a long period of time instead of focusing on ”anomalies.””It’s worked I think for the most part as we anticipated it would work,” Daly said. ”I do believe in terms of the matchups in the first two rounds of the playoffs, they’re better with this format. They’re just more intense and more familiar with this format than they were in the old format.”Reigniting and creating new rivalries was the goal of this playoff format, which mimics the one in place for most of the ’80s and early ’90s. Inequities have happened, but so has plenty of drama on Cup runs by the Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks and the Penguins twice.”I think that as a fan, you want to see matchups against rivals,” said New Jersey defenseman Ben Lovejoy, who won the Cup with Pittsburgh in 2016. ”I think that that pits archenemies against each other more often and it can backfire every once in a while. You can get two high seeds playing each other in the first round or the second round and perhaps that’s not fair but I think ultimately it’s good for the game to have heated playoff series against teams that don’t like each other and see each other a lot.”Heated playoff series make this time of year fun, but Predators versus Jets and Bruins versus Lightning would be just as compelling www.officialpenguinsproshop.com , if not more so, in the conference finals. Hockey people reluctant to fault the system typically take an approach like Winnipeg GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, who said, ”Whether the format itself is right or wrong, if you want to win the Cup, you have to find a way to get through this format.”The difficult part is the format isn’t created equally, making one road to the third round or the Cup Final potentially easier than another.”I don’t necessarily agree with how it is, but it’s the way it is,” said winger Wayne Simmonds, whose Flyers open against the Penguins. ”You have to have a mindset that you’re going to play teams in your division first and foremost and that’s just the way it is.”Orpik said players can’t wait to revisit the format when the agreement is up, which could be part of the next round of collective bargaining talks. But there’s no consensus on what would be better – a return to 1 through 8, league-wide 1 through 16 or something else. The expected addition of a 32nd team in Seattle could spur change, too.”You can play a 1-to-16 playoff pool, but I would suggest to you that there’ll be inequities in that,” Predators GM David Poile said, referencing travel among the issues. ”Pick your poison. I think you change that and you come up with the next idea, you’d run into the same thing. … I don’t think there’s any exact playoff plan that everybody would say is perfect.”— A winning streak after a slow start can do wonders for a team’s confidence. Ending a long skid against a certain opponent should do more.On Saturday night at Rogers Place Pittsburgh Penguins T-Shirts Authentic , the Edmonton Oilers go for their first win over the Nashville Predators in more than 4 1/2 years.Since recording a 5-1 victory on March 18, 2014, in Edmonton, the Oilers have gone 0-10-2 versus Nashville. That includes two shutouts among five straight regulation losses.Article continues below ...Edmonton (3-2-0), which is looking for its fourth consecutive win, has yet to hold a lead after one period in any game this season. The club can thank Cam Talbot for the recent surge as he enjoys a resurgence.After a career-best 42 wins and 2.39 goals-against average two seasons ago, Talbot slumped to 31 victories and his GAA rose to 3.02 last season. He credits staying confident early for his recent success as he’s stopped 79 of 86 shots while winning three straight starts.“I’m just going out there and trying to give us a chance,” Talbot said Friday. “I know that if I can get us through that first 10-15 minutes, we seem to take over the game after that point.”Having Connor McDavid on the ice also gives the Oilers a huge confidence boost. He collected two assists, one coming on Leon Draisaitl’s game-winner 37 seconds into overtime, as Edmonton opened its home schedule Thursday night with its third straight win, 3-2 over the Boston Bruins.McDavid, the reigning two-time scoring champion, has four goals and seven assists through five games. He also scored goals in each of the Oilers’ last two matchups with the Preds.Still, coach Todd McLellan praised Talbot, who stopped all 12 shots in the opening 20 minutes and finished with 27 saves against the Bruins.“Talbs was essential in the first period,” McLellan told the team’s official website on Thursday. “We were flat Pittsburgh Penguins Hoodies Authentic , we were frozen. Once we got going and once we got skating and supporting puck movement, we were a lot better.“Without Cam’s performance in the first period, we don’t get a chance to come back.”But Talbot hasn’t beaten the Predators since joining Edmonton as a free agent in 2015 despite solid statistics. In seven starts, the 31-year-old is 0-6-1 with a 2.89 GAA.Nashville (6-1-0) opened its road trip through Alberta with a 5-3 win over the Calgary Flames on Friday night. The Preds’ lone loss of the season came in their home opener on Oct. 9 against the FlamesPekka Rinne stopped 15 of 18 shots Friday before being lifted early in the third period after colliding with winger Kevin Fiala. According to the team’s official website, Predators coach Peter Laviolette did not have an update on Rinne after the game.Juuse Saros made nine saves the rest of the way to get the win, and will likely start with games on back-to-back nights as well as to give the 35-year-old Vezina Trophy winner some extended rest.“Just because we have the backup in doesn’t mean we can’t win,” defenseman Yannick Weber told the team’s official website on Thursday. “Juuse gives us a chance to win every game he plays. We’ve seen it already this year, too, and we have a lot of confidence in him.”Saros, a 23-year-old Finn who defeated the New York Islanders twice in his only two appearances of the season before Friday, has stopped 55 of 60 shots.He also made a career-high 46 saves in a 4-0 win over the Oilers on Dec. 14, 2017, in Edmonton.Rinne is 20-6-1 with a 2.31 GAA and four shutouts in 29 career starts against the Oilers.With a goal and assist Friday, Nashville’s Filip Forsberg has four goals and two assists in a four-game streak. Two of the three career goals the winger has scored at Rogers Place have come on the power play.
BOSTON — Rick Middleton’s name is all over the Boston Bruins‘ record books.It hasn’t been enough to send the man they call ‘Nifty’ into the Hall of Fame — but it is enough to get his No. 16 raised to the TD Garden rafters prior to Thursday night’s game against the New York Islanders.Acquired from the New York Rangers in exchange for Ken Hodge — the latter reunited with Phil Esposito in New York Custom San Jose Sharks Jerseys , Middleton is third in goals (402), even strength goals (275), and shooting percentage (20.0), fourth in points (898) goals created (357.2), and goals for on ice (1,319), fifth in power play goals (102), sixth in assists (496) and game winning goals (52), tied for sixth in hat tricks), seventh in shots (2,007), eighth in games played (881) and goals per game (0.46) and 10th in plus-minus (plus-220).Article continues below ...Oh, and he’s the team’s all-time leader with 25 short-handed goals.“Loved ‘Nifty,’ even though I was a defenseman,” said current Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “Crafty. One-on-one. Played in traffic. I liked watching him and Barry Pederson feed off each other.”Cassidy’s banged-up team (13-7-4) comes home for a two-game homestand after a split of a Montreal/Toronto trip — and still looking for more production.The Bruins, top heavy with the Patrice Bergeron line doing much of the scoring, is now without Bergeron, who suffered an upper body injury that will cost him a month. General manager Don Sweeney admitted Monday he is searching for a possible trade for offense — and the Bruins recalled Ryan Donato from Providence, where he had nine points in 10 games since his demotion.The defense www.mapleleafsshoponline.com , missing as many as six regulars at one point, has lost Kevan Miller again, this time for at least five weeks with larynx damage suffered when he took a puck to the throat in Toronto.“He plays his heart out. That’s two blocked shots that have put him out,” said Cassidy. “We’ll miss him.”Brandon Carlo, who has been out since Nov. 10 with a shoulder/collarbone injury, returned to practice Wednesday and expects to play either Thursday or Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings. Meanwhile, Charlie McAvoy (concussion) has been skating but took a day off Wednesday — a move not considered a setback.The Islanders (12-9-2) will “re-open” their old home, the Nassau Coliseum, Saturday night. First, they have the Bruins and are coming off a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals in Brooklyn Monday night.The Bruins swept three games from the Isles last season.“We’re headed in the right direction,” coach Barry Trotz. “We’re trending in the right direction from a total hockey standpoint, from the people running it, such as Lou (GM Lamoriello), and the infrastructure behind that.”Hard-working forward Casey Cizikas, who has missed the last six games with a lower body injury, was removed from IR and will be back for Thursday night’s game.“He brings a lot of intangibles,” said Trotz, whose new team lost to his old team — the defending Stanley Cup champions — Monday night, in a game played after Trotz received his championship ring.The Bruins have alternated Jaroslav Halak and Tuukka Rask since Rask returned from a three-day personal absence Toronto Maple Leafs T-Shirts Womens , leaving Rask in line for Thursday. He is an impressive 12-5-0 with a 2.22 goals-against average and .930 save percentages lifetime against the Islanders.Halak, who spent his last four seasons playing for the Islanders, was 7-1-1 with a 1.53 GAA and .950 save percentage against New York before going there.Thomas Greiss has played three straight and seven of the last eight games in goal for New York. He is 8-4-1 on the season and is 2-3-0 with a 1.63 GAA and .950 save percentage lifetime against the Bruins.Robin Lehner, who has struggled this season with his new team (4-5-1), is just 4-11-3 with a 2.71 GAA and .922 save percentage all-time against Boston. VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Can the Vancouver Canucks surprise again?That’s the question heading into Monday’s contest between the hometown Canucks (5-3-0) and the visiting Washington Capitals (3-2-2).The Canucks were expected to struggle from the get-go of this National Hockey League season, but they have managed to beat tough opponents in Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, among others. Vancouver’s latest feat was an overtime victory at home over Boston, which always sparks emotions due to its triumph in seven games over the Canucks in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals.Article continues below ...Now, the Canucks will try to better the defending champions.To do that, they will likely have to get more offense from center Bo Horvat and second-year winger Brock Boeser, who teamed up for the winning goal Saturday. The Canucks need them to keep producing as star rookie Elias Pettersson remains out with a concussion.“Brock and I have some good chemistry out there and, thankfully, the pucks are going in right now,” Horvat told reporters.Horvat has five goals and one assist in the club’s first eight games. He sits second in club scoring behind Pettersson, 19, who accrued eight points before he was sidelined by a hit from Florida defenseman Mike Matheson. The Panthers rearguard received a two-game suspension for his actions.Boeser is tied for third in team scoring with Sven Baertschi. They both have five points.Vancouver will have to shine again with Pettersson. He has resumed skating on his own, but his return date remains uncertain.Vancouver goaltender Jacob Markstrom is confident that the youth-laden Canucks can turn in another solid effort when the Capitals visit.“When we play organized and when we play for each other and everybody’s giving 100 per cent, we can beat any team Toronto Maple Leafs Hoodies Womens ,” he told reporters.Meanwhile, the Capitals are looking to regain top form after last season’s first ever title and a summer of celebration.“We’re still trying to find our game,” forward Brett Connolly told The Washington Post. “Would we have liked to have picked up where we left off? Yes. But it’s not easy. We played a lot of hockey last year and (had) a short summer, and you come in here and there are a lot of distractions, a lot of that kind of stuff. We’ve done some good things, and we’ve done some not- so-good things. I think if you look at last season, we weren’t very good either at the start. We weren’t at our best. Just take the positives and know that we can overcome that.It hasn’t been disastrous. We’re still getting points, we’re still above .500 right now with a tough couple back-to-backs to start the year. So (it’s) not the worst start, but obviously we have another level.”The Capitals will visit picturesque Victoria, B.C., after Monday’s contest as they have a two-day break between games. But according to forward Nicklas Backstrom, the Capitals are not guilty of being too relaxed by thinking they are stable club too soon.“I don’t feel that we have that attitude in the locker room,” Backstrom told The Washington Post. “It’s a process. We want to get better as a team, we want to play the same way as we did last year, so we’ve just got to keep working.”
A couple weeks back RuneScape gold we had our highest peak concurrent user level for eight years, Mansell reveals. Those games are moving through a true renaissance, and not only as a one off. We have had four years of consistent growth now.RuneScape doesn't get as much media as some of the other large online names. Mansell posits that its lack of Steam does not help. He states that the match would be sitting around sixth or fifth on the Steam most played games list, and he hopes to keep up the game's expansion with the introduction of a mobile version.
The first Elite Dungeon RuneScape gold arrives on Runescape It's time for Runescape lovers to receive their best weapons in the ready as Jagex have established the very first Elite Dungeon into the match. The Temple of Aminishi will welcome courageous players that opt to input its depths either solo or with friends to defeat the evil that resides inside. |
Blog Kategorien
Immer auf dem Laufenden bleiben!
Die aktivsten Blogs
Letzte Kommentare der Blogs
|
Autor:
RSS-Feed abonnieren
 Besucher
0 Mitglieder und 39 Gäste sind Online |
 Forum Statistiken
Das Forum hat 1944
Themen
und
7092
Beiträge.
|
