BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox ace Chris Sale struck out a career-high 17 in just seven innings against Colorado Best Cheap MLB Jerseys , then was pulled after 108 pitches on a chilly Tuesday night at Fenway Park.Sale became the first pitcher in major league history to fan 17 in a start of no more than seven innings.The big league record for strikeouts in nine innings is 20, done five times. Roger Clemens did it twice for Boston, Kerry Wood and Randy Johnson also accomplished the feat and Max Scherzer was the last to it in 2016.When Boston manager Alex Cora told Sale he was coming out, the lefty used his fingers to form the number 20.Sale surpassed his previous best of 15 strikeouts, dominating the Rockies with a firm fastball and a sharp slider. A seven-time All-Star, Sale struck out the first six batters and fanned eight through three innings. He didn’t allow a runner until Mark Reynolds doubled to begin the fifth.Sale gave up three hits, including a two-run homer to Nolan Arenado, didn’t walk anyone and left with a 3-2 lead. Brandon Workman relieved to begin the eighth and gave up a two-run homer to Charlie Blackmon. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. received some advice from his Hall of Fame father after hitting the first two home runs of his career. In return bestcheapmlbjersey.com , the younger Guerrero plans on sending his father a few mementos from his historic night.Guerrero homered twice to become the third-youngest player to hit his first two major league homers in the same game, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 Tuesday night.Guerrero, who finished with three hits and four RBIs, became the youngest in franchise history to go deep as the Blue Jays won the opener of a six-game trip after losing five of six on a homestand in which they totaled eight runs.“He just said like he always told me, ‘Don’t look for home runs. They’re going to come,'” Guerrero said through a translator. “I’m going to give both balls and the bat to my dad. I’m going to keep using everything that I used today except the bat that I really want to give to my dad.”The touted 20-year-old Guerrero homered in the first inning against Giants opener Nick Vincent (0-2), his first in 14 big league games. His drive to straightaway center was measured at 111.3 mph and traveled an estimated 438 feet.“He was talking about it during batting practice and he did it,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. “We knew that was coming. He’s that good. He could carry a team if he gets hot.He can do stuff like that.”The Toronto slugger had a hard-hit single in the second then added an even more impressive blast in the sixth off Reyes Moronta MLB Jerseys Wholesale , a three-run drive estimated at 451 feet.The crowd at Oracle Park let out a collective gasp as the ball sailed over the wall in left-center. Winning pitcher Trent Thornton even got caught up watching.“I was on second base and I’m just watching it go and go, and I’m like, ‘Wait, I gotta run,'” Thornton said. “He had a great game. That was just a lot of fun.”The only players younger than Guerrero to hit their first two home runs in the same game were Brian McCall in 1962 (19 years, 248 days) and Manny Machado in 2012 (20 years, 35 days).Two-sport star Danny Ainge was the youngest Blue Jays player to homer, doing so on June 2 cheap nba jerseys , 1979 at 20 years, 77 days old. Guerrero is younger by 18 days.Guerrero grounded out in his final at-bat. He entered the day batting .191 with one RBI.“He wasn’t pressing,” Montoyo said. “He just plays and he has fun. He’s an even-keeled kind of kid.”The Guerrero family already had long-ball history at Oracle Park — the elder Guerrero won the 2007 Home Run Derby at the waterfront stadium.“This kid is going to be a great player, he really is,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “You saw the bat speed, you saw how fast the ball comes off his bat. I’ve seen his dad hit balls like that.”Thornton (1-4) pitched three-hit ball into the sixth inning for his first major league win. The rookie right-hander struck out seven and overcame five walks. Thornton also singled twice to help the Blue Jays break out of their offensive funk.Toronto got an overturned replay and added two runs in the first following Guerrero’s first home run.Freddy Galvis hit an RBI double that fell just over the glove of charging right fielder Steven Duggar but was ruled foul by first base umpire Adrian Johnson. After Montoyo asked for a replay, a brief review was held and the call was overturned. Bill McKinney then doubled in Galvis.Pablo Sandoval homered for San Francisco.The Giants used an opener for the first time. Vincent allowed three runs and four hits in one inning in his second career start.LATE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTThornton flew his parents in from North Carolina for the game as a belated Mother’s Day present and got his first win and first two hits since college.“I was lucky I got all fastballs today,” Thornton said. “I just kind of closed my eyes and swung and got lucky two times.”TRAINERS ROOMGiants: C Buster Posey caught Drew Pomeranz’s bullpen session and could be activated off the concussion list as early as Friday. Posey’s next step will be running the bases Wednesday. … Pomeranz threw 60 pitches in his bullpen.UP NEXTEdwin Jackson will make history when he pitches for his 14th major league team in his Toronto debut Wednesday. A 35-year-old right-hander cheap jerseys , Jackson was acquired by the Blue Jays from Oakland on Saturday for $30,000. He made three minor league starts for the Athletics, two at Triple-A and one at Class A. RHP Shaun Anderson makes his major league debut for San Francisco.__

HOF Game | Training Camp Day 8 | Sheldon Rankins Love | Kenny Vaccaro news [Podcast] It’s game time folks!Football season is finally here and Episode 166 of your favorite podcast pays it’s respects by giving some quality time to the HOF Game.Deuce and Ellias share their excitement in seeing some former Saints players in Willie Snead and Chase Daniel.We also get our first look at Lamar Jackson and a chance to see Bears Head Coach Matt Naggy attempt to bring their run run run punt offense out of the dark ages.On the Saints note - Sheldon Rankins received some high praise(tweet below) and Kenny Vaccaro (who many have asked about) looks to get a tryout with the Tennesse Titans after their Safety was lost for the season due to an ACL Tear.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 Austin Carr Jersey Stitched , 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!Fleur-de-Links, May 22: New Orleans is thisclose to hosting 2024 Super Bowl Word on the StreetSuper Bowl LVIII: New Orleans only city bidding on 2024 game; here's how process will work | theadvocate.comTwo cypress boxes sit on a small table inside the door of Jay Cicero’s office.These aren’t any boxes. Adorned with paintings, brass plates and intricate engravings, they house the hopes and dreams of New Orleans’ last two Super Bowl bids.Alvin Kamara open to any role coaches give him during Mark Ingram's suspension | NOLA.comKamara averaged 12.6 touches per game in 2017 while Ingram averaged 18Signing Jay Bromley Youth Benjamin Watson Jersey , Michael Ola gave Saints veterans at positions that can be 'hard to find' | Saints | theadvocate.comNew Orleans used its rookie minicamp in part to land veterans at positions where veteran help is few and far between once the games begin.Former Saint Michael Mauti caught in numbers game | theadvocate.comFan favorite Michael Mauti's release came as something of a surprise last week, particularly since it happened only a month after the veteran linebacker re-signed a contract with his hometownBucs DC Smith: Hargreaves The Starter At Outside Corner | Pewter ReportEarlier this week, Bucs defensive coordinator Mike Smith and defensive backs coach Jon Hoke addressed where CB Vernon Hargreaves will start in 2018.What will Jerry Richardson’s legacy be in the Carolinas? | Cat Scratch ReaderIt may have more to do with sweet biscuits than NFL football.Lagniappe"There are 437,514 possible defensive alignments that the offensive line must deal with" | FootballScoopThe NFL Draft evaluation process always seem to be full of questions and other things that seem really trivial to most Benjamin Watson Jersey Stitched , but somehow front office personnel find a way to make them matter and put a lot of stock into how they’re answered.Would a Healthy Andrew Luck Even Make the Colts Playoff Contenders? | Bleacher ReportTheIndianapolis Coltscan't make the playoffs withoutAndrew Luck —that's pretty clear.A Look Back at the Draft | by NFL Rookies Class of 2018NFL draftees discuss their biggest moments on the field in college, their football idols, and who they’re most excited to play against.Kaepernick collusion case proving that teams viewed him as a starting quarterback | ProFootballTalkRemember when quarterback Colin Kaepernick initially went unsigned after becoming a free agent in March 2017?OTA MVPs: Players Who Shined the Most in Early Workouts | Bleacher ReportSpring revitalizes theNFL .A new sense of hope buds after the previous season's performance. Every organization adds pieces to replenish their rosters as coaches and front office personnel express excitement about all of the new possibilities...Report: Tom Brady Won't Attend Patriots OTAs Monday | Bleacher ReportNew England PatriotsquarterbackTom Bradyreportedly won't be in attendance for the team's voluntary organized team activities Monday, according toIan RapoportofNFL .com.

Should we be concerned about the lack of clarity over who will call the offensive plays for the Dallas Cowboys this season Ezekiel Elliott Jersey White , and just how that will be done? It has been an entire week since Scott Linehan became the ex-offensive coordinator for the team. Jon Kitna has been hired with no official title announced. He is expected to become the new quarterbacks coach, while Kellen Moore will move up to be the new OC. Doug Nussmeier is in the mix with an expectation of larger, yet still undisclosed responsibilities. And after some early reports that Jason Garrett would take over play-calling, that seems to no longer be Plan A. But no one has yet handed out a wiring diagram showing how this will all work. There is a sense of disquiet in social media over the uncertainty.Maybe we need to borrow a line from the old Cowboys killer himself, Aaron Rodgers, and R-E-L-A-X. It is a long time until Dallas plays a game that matters. Despite the assumption that a clearly defined organizational chart is required, teams with this level of change often take a while to figure it out.If you want a historical precedent for not having the play-calling methodology fully delineated at the start of the season by the Cowboys, you have to go all the way back to . . . September 2018.And with this came another unexpected development, as Moore became a go-between for his OC and QB Dak Prescott. In Prescott’s own words:It seemed odd at the time to have a brand-new coach with no previous experience become the middleman in the OC-to-QB communications chain. Now, the expected scenario of Moore being the new OC and likely handling the play calls has not cut out the middleman - it has cut out the guy above and moved the middleman up the food chain.That awkward-seeming arrangement now has had an unintended (perhaps) consequence of getting Moore much more involved in the game plan and play-calling last season. It also may have been a small part of the calculation that Moore is up for the job despite his callowness. It will be interesting to see how Moore winds up handling the play calls as is expected. Will he remain on the sidelines or work from the booth? The addition of Kitna and the presence of Nussmeier makes either option more workable. Since both are quarterbacks Womens Taco Charlton Jersey , either could be the one upstairs, looking over the field and relaying what they see from the defense to Moore. Or Kitna could be the one face-to-face with Prescott on the sidelines while Moore views the big picture for himself.This may be something the team will experiment with during the first couple of preseason games. And the aforementioned experience Moore gained being in the literal middle of things last year could make things go a bit faster than if he was completely new to the organization. Meanwhile, Garrett’s stance of not talking about all this is not hard to understand. After all, he precipitated quite the furor when he spoke about Linehan’s future right after the Cowboys were bounced from the playoffs. Fans and the media alike want answers, but in this case, the team itself does not seem to have come up with conclusive ones yet. And that is probably no real issue at all. They have months to sort it out, and hopefully get it right. This is, after all, a new mix of voices. As has been noted before, the OC role may incorporate a much more collaborative nature than existed with Linehan Taco Charlton Jersey , with more input from both above and below than he allowed. That includes Prescott himself, who has clearly expressed a high comfort level with Moore.This subject will not be closed until we see how things happen in those preseason games, and it may be the season opener before it is truly clear. What really matters is how the offense performs, however the roles and organization chart shake out. We may not like to wait. But we have to. LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys advanced to the divisional round of the playoffs on the strength of their running game and run defense. On Saturday night, it proved to be their downfall.The Cowboys allowed their most rushing yards in a postseason game, while Ezekiel Elliott was held to 47 yards in a 30-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. It was the sixth straight loss in the divisional round for Dallas, and it has not reached the NFC championship game since 1996.“We did not do a good enough job defending the run, obviously,” coach Jason Garrett said. “They were also committed to stopping our run. They had a lot of people around the line of scrimmage and that’s what they were going to do.”The epitome of the Cowboys’ ground game woes on both sides came in the fourth quarter.Dallas was down 23-15 and on the Rams 35 when Elliott was stopped for no gain on fourth-and-1. Los Angeles then went on a 12-play, 65-yard touchdown drive where all but two plays were runs. The drive was capped off by a 1-yard score by C.J. Anderson.“They dominated us up front Womens Demarcus Lawrence Jersey , we didn’t get any movement,” said Elliott about the fourth-down play.Quarterback Dak Prescott said that stop thwarted any momentum the Cowboys had after being down 23-7 midway through the third quarter.“We didn’t get it done on fourth down and that changed the game right there. We weren’t able to execute when we needed to and it hurt,” he said. “Had we made it, we still would have a nice balance running and passing and we wouldn’t have had to drop back on every play.”Dallas allowed only 73 yards in its wild-card round victory over Seattle, who came in with the NFL’s top-ranked rushing attack. The Cowboys didn’t have the same success against the league’s No. 3 rushing team, surrendering 273 yards. The old mark was 269 against the Rams in 1986 as Eric Dickerson ran for 248 yards.On Saturday, it was two backs that gave the Cowboys problems as Todd Gurley (115) and Anderson (123) averaged 6.1 yards per carry. It marked the first time two running backs have had 100-yard games against the Cowboys in the postseason, and the first time it has happened to them in any game since Baltimore in December 2008.The Rams did it behind a dominant game from the offensive line, with left tackle Andrew Whitworth leading the way by winning his matchups when paired up against defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory.“I don’t think they outmuscled us, it was a combination of things. We didn’t get upfield as well as we usually do Leighton Vander Esch Jersey White ,” defensive end Tyrone Crawford said.The Cowboys’ running game also struggled. Elliott averaged just 2.4 yards on 20 carries. It marked the first time in three postseason games that the third-year running back was held under 100 yards.Prescott had a rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, but wasn’t used on any designed runs until late in the game, when Dallas was down by two scores. Prescott said he wasn’t surprised about that while Garrett said most of the run-pass option plays called resulted in handoffs.The Rams came in ranked 23rd in run defense during the regular season, and had allowed 98 yards or more in 10 straight games. The 50 yards allowed marked a season low and the second-fewest since former Cowboys coach Wade Phillips became defensive coordinator in 2017.“We played against a real good front,” Elliott said. “You guys kept asking me about stats and 5.1 yards per carry (allowed by the Rams) and I told you its playoff football and none of that (stuff) matters anymore. They came out and played better than us tonight.”

What Does Landon Collins To The Redskins Say About Chris Ballard And The Colts? | 1070 the FanWith the astronomical news of Landon Collins’ new contract Al Woods Jersey Stitched , it is a reminder of how Chris Ballard will..."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Colts StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Colts NewsYahoo Colts Team PageYahoo Colts ReportYahoo Colts Depth ChartYahoo Colts TransactionsYahoo Colts PhotosShop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Stampede Blue Colts LinksColts News: What does Landon Collins to the Redskins say about Chris Ballard and the Colts?New,33commentsEDTShareTweetShareShareColts News: What does Landon Collins to the Redskins say about Chris Ballard and the Colts?Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY SportsWhat Does Landon Collins To The Redskins Say About Chris Ballard And The Colts? | 1070 the FanWith the astronomical news of Landon Collins’ new contract, it is a reminder of how Chris Ballard will go about free agency.Colts free agency: Why Devin Funchess can work, and why the attempt to woo Landon Collins didn’t – The AthleticFunchess gives QB Andrew Luck a big-bodied option in the passing game and makes for a tantalizing combination with the Colts' T.Y. Hilton.NFL free agency: Colts sign WR Devin Funchess, add red zone targetBig receiver played four years for the Panthers and posted 21 touchdowns in that span.Colts To Sign Wide Receiver Devin Funchess | 1070 the FanThe Colts have made their first move in free agency. On Monday, the team reportedly has agreed to sign wide receiver Devin Funchess to a 1-year deal.WR Devin Funchess agrees to 1-year deal with Colts | CBS 4 - Indianapolis News, Weather, Traffic and Sports | WTTVINDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Indianapolis Colts’ initial step into the NFL’s free-agent waters landed a big wide receiver. The team has agreed with Carolina wideout Devin Funchness on a 1-year deal that could be worth as much as $13 million Youth Erik Swoope Jersey , according to a source with knowledge of the situation...Colts reportedly reach agreement with WR Funchess | Sports | heraldbulletin.comChris Ballard hopes he's finally found his big, possession wide receiver. Devin Funchess hopes a change of scenery will lead to a bigger payday down the road.Colts Place Tenders on Three Restricted Free AgentsThe Indianapolis Colts on Monday announced they have tendered three restricted free agents — center/guard Evan Boehm, safety Matthias Farley and wide receiver Chester Rogers — and also tendered their two exclusive rights free agents — wide receiver Marcus2019 Colts Mock Draft 3rd Look: Combine Leads To New Names For Indy | 1070 the FanOur third Mock Draft look for the Colts in 2019 comes after the Combine with some new names being pegged to Indianapolis. Here’s a compilation of Mock Drafts from around the NFL world.Here’s a look at Colts GM Chris Ballard’s free-agency report card – The AthleticBallard has shown no propensity to spend wildly in free agency, preferring to sign targeted mid-level players.Colts Mailbag: Addressing The Drops, T.Y. Hilton’s Health, Trading For OBJ Or Antonio Brown?In this week’s Colts Mailbag, readers inquire about the Colts’ receivers drops in recent seasons, where T.Y. Hilton stands with his ankle, a Madden-esque trade scenario for Odell Beckham Jr. and much more.2019 Colts Free Agent Spotlight: Clayton GeathersWith the NFL’s new league year starting at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday Erik Swoope Jersey Stitched , Colts.com takes a look at the Indianapolis Colts players set to become free agents, continuing today with unrestricted free agent-to-be Clayton Geathers.2019 Colts Free Agent Spotlight: Ryan GrantWith the NFL’s new league year starting at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Colts.com takes a look at the Indianapolis Colts players set to become free agents, continuing today with unrestricted free agent-to-be Ryan Grant.2019 Colts Free Agent Spotlight: Najee GoodeWith the NFL’s new league year starting at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Colts.com takes a look at the Indianapolis Colts players set to become free agents, continuing today with unrestricted free agent-to-be Najee Goode.COLTS MEDIA As the 2019 NFL Draft is in the books, the post-draft signings are always even more interesting than the last couple rounds of the draft itself each year. The Indianapolis Colts worked heavy on..."As the 2019 NFL Draft is in the books, the post-draft signings are always even more interesting than the last couple rounds of the draft itself each year. The Indianapolis Colts worked heavy on their defense drafting 10 total players, and 7 of those coming on the defensive side of the ball. Naturally Youth Christine Michael Sr Jersey , it would make sense to work on the other side of the ball as they look to bring in UDFAs to fill out the initial roster. One of those possible signings is not disappointing. Well, it actually would be in this case. Troubled former Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly is reportedly being considered by the Colts. Everyone remembers the incident with him running on the field during his brother’s game to assist in a fight that broke out. Kelly was arrested for criminal trespass in 2018 after showing up at a couple’s home, full of liquor and mumbling incoherently after Von Miller’s halloween party. Kelly reportedly was hit by the home owner with a vacuum cleaner hose as well in the incident. Kelly, for what it’s worth, was also suspended from his high school team in his freshman and sophomore years at some points.Kelly was later released by the Denver Broncos and this seems like a poor decision by the Colts should they decide to even offer him an invite. Kelly did progress on the field in the eyes of the Broncos in terms of his on-field performances in practice, but this still doesn’t seem worth it.Even if the he were to get better yet, and the Colts eventually let go — in one way or another — of Jacoby Brissett, Kelly is NEVER going to be the guy just as a result of his major character issues. What’s the point then?

It likely includes the introduction of Odell Beckham."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Daily Dawg ChowRufio’s PlaybookCleveland Browns’ announce offseason programs & media tour begin MondayNew Cleveland Browns Sheldrick Redwine Jersey ,1commentIt likely includes the introduction of Odell Beckham.EDTShareTweetShareShareCleveland Browns’ announce offseason programs & media tour begin MondayKen Blaze-USA TODAY SportsThe Cleveland Browns are beginning their offseason programs on April 1st, leading up to the 2019 NFL season. Because the Browns have a new head coach, they are allowed to begin their offseason programs two weeks earlier than teams without a new head coach. Monday begins “Phase One” of the team’s offseason program. According to the CBA, that consists of the following:Only the Browns’ strength and conditioning coaches would be allowed on the field. More coaches can start getting involved when minicamps and organized team activities commence, per the schedule below:Offseason Workouts (Phase 1): Begins April 1Offseason Workouts (Phase 2): TBARookie Minicamp: May 3-5OTA Offseason Workouts (Phase 3): May 15 Cleveland Browns Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , May 22, May 29*Mandatory Minicamp: June 4-6*There are other dates; these were the only three announced since they are open to the media.On Monday, Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens will be available to the media starting at 1:30 PM, and then players will be available after that. The assumption is that new Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. will make his debut in Berea, where a media circus will no doubt gather around the star-studded receiver. Beckham is already representing Browns attire on social media:On April 18 Cheap Sheldrick Redwine Youth Jersey , Browns GM John Dorsey will hold his pre-draft press conference at noon.The annual Cleveland Browns Foundation Golf Tournament at Westwood Country Club will take place on May 20. More of the latest Browns news and notes from around the web in today’s dose of the Daily Dawg Chow."Cleveland Browns:“Schedule-guessers have Browns headed to New England for Sunday night opener” (ESPN) - “When it comes to the opener, New England also plays Dallas and Kansas City at home, so the Browns would not be a gimme pick.”“Kitchens says Duke Johnson has ‘a role on our football team’” (cleveland.com) - “He re-iterated Tuesday at the coaches’ breakfast at the NFL annual meetings in Phoenix that Johnson is still a valuable member of the Browns even though they signed Kareem Hunt.”“Freddie Kitchens eager to get to know, coach Odell Beckham Jr.” (C-T) - “New Browns coach Freddie Kitchens can’t wait to work with new receiver Odell Beckham Jr. He’s also eager to build a relationship.”“Baker Mayfield wanted to be a professional gamer” (WKYC) - “It’s no secret that Baker Mayfield is a big video game player. After all, one of his first highlights in a Cleveland Browns uniform came when he performed various Fortnite dances...”NFL:“Cowboys finalize trade for Robert Quinn Womens Sheldrick Redwine 2019 Jersey , sending a 2020 sixth-round pick to Dolphins” (CBS) - “As part of the deal, which has Dallas sending a 2020 sixth-round draft pick to Miami, Quinn will get a new one-year, $9.2 million deal from the Cowboys...”“Greg Schiano steps down from Patriots coaching staff” (NFL.com) - “Schiano announced on Thursday afternoon that he was stepping down from his role on the New England Patriots’ coaching staff.”“NFL looking into high number of lower extremity injuries” (AP) - “Next to torn ACLs, the most time lost for injured NFL players is due to hamstring and lower extremity problems Orange Ozzie Newsome Jersey , of which there are far more than the major knee issue.”“Who benefits more from new replay rule, offense or defense?” (PFT) - “With replay review now available for both defensive and offensive pass interference, an obvious question arises: Does this change benefit offense, defense, or both sides equally?”

Here are four positions the Saints MUST address this offseason."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections InterviewsNew Orleans Saints SatireWho Dat HistoryCanal Street Chronicles Tutorial4 biggest positional needs for the SaintsNew White Michael Thomas Jersey ,14commentsHere are four positions the Saints MUST address this offseason.CSTShareTweetShareShare4 biggest positional needs for the SaintsMatthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsIt’s time for the New Orleans Saints to start game-planning for the 2019 season. That means the Saints need to assess the nature of their 2018 roster and figure out its biggest needs for 2019. Let’s address what I think are the top 4 biggest needs for the Saints to address in either the 2019 NFL Draft or via free agency. Now this won’t include extending players currently under contract, it doesn’t consider the absence of players who are exclusive or restricted free agents, and it doesn’t consider - for now - the holes created by possible trades, cuts, or restructures. But with that out of the way, here are what I consider the most important positions for the Saints to address this offseason:Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsTight EndThis should come as no surprising. With Benjamin Watson retiring after the 2018 season, that leaves Josh Hill, Garrett Griffin - who has only one career reception, and UDFA Dan Arnold.There had been initial hopes that the Saints would be able to get Jimmy Graham if the Packers released him, but it doesn’t look like that will be the case.Jimmy Graham or otherwise, the Saints will have to look at either free agents or a deep draft class to bring something more to the group. When Josh Hill is the best pass-catching tight end of the group, there’s a problem.Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsQuarterbackDrew Brees doesn’t have much left to give in the NFL. He knows it, the Saints know it, the fans know it Michael Thomas Jersey 2019 , and the NFL world knows it.It is more likely than not that 2019 is the swan song for Drew Brees. The Saints will need to do something to address the quarterback position for 2020 and beyond. Maybe the answer is Teddy Bridgewater and Teddy decides to stick around in New Orleans on the bench for another season. Maybe the Saints attempt to address it in the draft, but it’s going to be difficult considering the Saints don’t have a first round pick.We’ll see what happens, but honestly, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Saints ignore this need much like they did last offseason.Bob Donnan-USA TODAY SportsWide ReceiverTo end the 2018 season, the Saints had Michael Thomas at wide receiver, and not really anything else. Ted Ginn missed a big chunk of the year, and like Drew Brees, he isn’t getting any younger. Cameron Meredith missed the majority of his season after never fully recovering from his knee injury. Rookie Tre’Quan Smith was inconsistent all year to say the least. Dez Bryant was signed to a one year deal, but never saw the field. Undrafted free agents Keith Kirkwood and Austin Carr struggled to get separation from NFL-caliber corners.The Saints could opt to rely on Cameron Meredith, previously signed to a two-year deal, but his return from injury is still questionable at best. The Saints could opt to re-sign Dez Bryant, who seemed to immediately latch on with the team and fans with news of his signing. The Saints could instead (or in addition) address the position in the draft. In any event, they need to do something.Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsOffensive LineLike Drew Brees, Max Unger at Center is not getting any younger. Jermon Bushrod is likely to retire at the end of the season. Andrus Peat struggled at times (that is putting it likely) near the end of the season - although his broken hand could have been a primary culprit. Terron Armstead New Orleans Saints Eli Apple Jersey , as great as he is, has failed to play a full 16-game season in his entire professional career.The Saints have young options like Will Clapp out of LSU, but it would be nice to continue to bring in depth via the draft to keep the Saints offensive line one of the better in the league, both in 2019 and beyond. Jacksonville Jaguars safety Tashaun Gipson has a collection of footballs waiting to be displayed in his man cave.All of them are ones he intercepted during his seven years in the NFL.Drew Brees. Ben Roethlisberger. Joe Flacco.Gipson hopes to add to his haul Sunday when the Jaguars (3-1) play at unbeaten Kansas City and against second-year sensation Patrick Mahomes ."He's so good I hope he throws me one," Gipson said Wednesday. "How 'bout this? I'm going to talk him up all week. He's playing so good that when I pick him off I might have to put his ball up there with Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees. That's how good I think he is."Gipson was being a little sarcastic.Although he gave Mahomes plenty of credit for starting the season with 14 touchdown passes and no interceptions, he also made it clear that he likes his team's chances in a matchup featuring the league's top offense against the league's No. 1 defense ."I'm taking this defense over everyone, no matter who we're playing against, no matter who's on offense," Gipson said. "We've got the guys over here to do it. This is something that we're built for. We're built on speed. We're built on toughness. We're built on that fire and passion. We're going to have a good outing on Sunday."On a defense filled with playmakers and trash-talkers, Gipson might be the best combination of both.He guaranteed a victory against New England in Week 2, then went out and held Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski to two receptions for 15 yards. He insisted New York Jets rookie Sam Darnold would be overwhelmed against Jacksonville last week and vowed to get the secondary's first interception of the season. He did get a pick, but it was overturned because of a holding call on the opposite side of the field.Gipson also mocked Minnesota in the preseason, saying there's no way the Vikings would finish ahead of Jacksonville again in total defense. The Vikings are currently 21st. He also ripped Pro Bowl voting, which made him a fifth alternate last season."All of those guys confused me Womens Eli Apple 2019 Jersey ," Gipson said. "It was a travesty."Gipson had 64 tackles, seven pass breakups and four interceptions in 2017, playing mostly in a single-high-safety scheme that forces him to cover sideline to sideline and often makes him the last line of defense.He has 364 tackles and 19 interceptions total.He's often overshadowed on a defense that includes cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Telvin Smith and defensive ends Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue. But he's far from overlooked by coaches and teammates."We call him the tight end whisperer," Smith said.Gipson has made it a goal to make the Pro Bowl this season and can add to his resume against Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who has 23 receptions for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Slowing Kelce might be more important than getting a football with Mahomes' name on it."This is what I get excited for," Gipson said. "This is going to be huge. Not to make this an individual deal, but you want to win your one-on-one matchups. ... If you feel like you're the best, if you feel like you want to put it out there that you're the best, you've got to go against the best."You start getting the respect you deserve once you start doing it against the big people."

It’s an exciting time for fans of the Dallas Cowboys. The playoffs are here Dallas Cowboys Connor Williams Jersey , Dallas is right in the thick of things, and we all know about the thrilling story of what they overcame to get here. None of the potential opponents going forward should look at them as an easy opponent.But if they look like a tough out now, just consider: They are likely to be even better in the future.The reason for that is simple: They are one of the youngest rosters in the league, with a lot of very talented players that are at a point in their career where the arrow is pointing up.Here are some of the best examples.QB Dak Prescott - 25Quarterbacks often have long and productive careers - look at Tom Brady and Drew Brees, for example. And they often have their peak years from their late twenties into their early thirties.With the way he has played and led this team, Prescott has already proven he is a winner and a leader. And he is only in his third season. He is still learning about his position. With what he has accomplished already, he is likely just getting started. RB Ezekiel Elliott - 23He has led the league in yards per game every season of his short career. Running backs tend to peak sometime around age 27 or 28 - which means Zeke has four or five years of top-notch performance left, even with his heavy workload. He has certainly demonstrated durability this season. Despite his heavy workload in the regular season (381 touches), he had plenty of gas in the tank in the wild-card game, with 30 more carries and receptions and a total of 169 yards of offense, not to mention a key block or two. Look for him to eat a lot more in the coming years.DE Demarcus Lawrence - 26Let’s switch to the defense. Lawrence has hit his stride the past couple of seasons, and with his disruptions and tackles for a loss against the Seattle Seahawks, he showed he is a force to be reckoned with. Defensive linemen often have longer careers as experience comes into play. He is going to get paid, and he is almost certainly going to be worth every penny.DE Randy Gregory - 26He might be the same age as Lawrence, but due to suspensions, he is what you call very low mileage. And as he finally begins to accrue some time on the field, he is becoming a worthy bookend for Lawrence Womens Connor Williams 2019 Jersey , having made a couple of big plays against Seattle. He also influenced others with some incredible hustle, forcing Russell Wilson to have to get rid of the ball before he was ready.DT Antwaun Woods - 26Just like Gregory, Woods is a player who has seen very little action, having played in only 16 regular-season games. But he has emerged as a real find at 1-tech, and could be manning the middle of the defensive line for years to come.DT Maliek Collins - 23Despite having to play through injury this season, Collins has been very good at the 3 tech, getting Dallas’ lone sack against Seattle. If he gets fully healthy, he is the final piece in what promises to be a fearsome front four for several years to come.CB Chidobe Awuzie - 23He had probably the best game of any member of the secondary on Saturday. He has been criticized for his ball skills, but don’t forget that he is only in his second year. He has a lot of time to learn.CB Anthony Brown - 252018 was a nice rebound year for Brown as a slot corner. CB Byron Jones - 26He is the old man of the cornerback room, and emerged this season as one of the best in the league. When you have a trio of starters like this, you have a good shot at three or four years of very solid coverage.S Xavier Woods - 23He has become a solid part of the secondary, and remains one of the hardest hitters on the team.LB Jaylon Smith - 23In his second year on the field after missing his entire rookie season, Smith has emerged as a truly outstanding middle linebacker. He possesses phenomenal speed and great knowledge - and his ceiling is likely still a ways away.WR Amari Cooper - 24Back to offense. The man who is justly credited with a tremendous contribution toward saving the Cowboys’ season cost them a first-round pick - and at that age, has years of embarrassing defensive backs ahead. WR Michael Gallup - 22The rookie is already developing into a strong WR2 to pair with the experienced and polished Cooper. It has taken a while for the connection between him and Prescott to develop, but we saw signs of it on the touchdown in the wild-card game. Getting another offseason to develop alongside Cooper is tantalizing, especially with the historical trend of wide receivers growing so much in their second and third years.TE Blake Jarwin - 24He’s just been a one-hit wonder so far, but that great game against the New York Giants offers real hope that the tight end position is not in such bad shape even without adding new talent.TE Dalton Schultz - 22The rookie has been more of a run-blocking specialist Cheap Connor Williams Youth Jersey , but is showing promise. Like Jarwin, he offers a lot of hope for growth.G Connor Williams - 21He has not had the best season, but in the wild-card game, he was more than serviceable when Xavier S’ua-Filo was unavailable. And the belief has always been that he will benefit greatly from a full off-season to put on muscle and gain strength.T La’el Collins - 25Like Williams, he is seen as a bit of a weak link on the offensive line. But when there are three All-Pros comprising the “old” heads there, it is hard to be a standout. And his play has generally been improving over the course of this season/postseason.That is 16 starters plus a TE2 that are 26 or younger. And none of the All-Pro offensive linemen are 30 yet, so they may have several very good years ahead. This doesn’t even consider some backups who could play a much bigger role going forward, like Taco Charlton, Jourdan Lewis, Dorance Armstrong, and the injured Cedrick Wilson.Oh, and there is one other name that I saved for last, because he is something special.LB Leighton Vander Esch - 21All he has done is make second-team All Pro while leading the team in tackles with 140. And he famously has very little experience playing 11-man football. Already one of the best defenders in the league, his growth potential is still through the roof.He just isn’t impressive. When you look at him from the perspective of other teams, his potential is downright terrifying.This is not just a young bunch. It is one that is littered with impressive talent all over the place. The Cowboys may be having one of their most successful seasons in a quarter century, but the future should be even better, and likely for years to come. Houston star J.J. Watt knows how important Sunday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys is to fans of both teams.But the way the Texans' season has gone so far White Randy White Jersey , Watt isn't concerned about the significance of this in-state rivalry and is simply worried about helping his guys turn things around."I'm sure there's definitely something there for the fans on both sides, but ... they could be lining up anybody over there," Watt said. "We need to win this game."The Texans (1-3) got their first victory last week in overtime against the Colts after opening the season with three straight losses. The Cowboys (2-2) haven't fared much better and picked up their second win on Sunday against the Lions.This game tends to be hyped more because these teams meet so rarely. Sunday will be the fifth time between these teams and the first since 2014. The Cowboys have won the last three, with Houston's only win coming in the franchise's first game in 2002.While Watt really didn't want to get into the rivalry aspect of this game, quarterback Deshaun Watson talked about what a win over Dallas would mean to the city."This is pretty much the battle of Texas," Watson said. "Two Texas teams and Houston wants to beat Dallas and have the bragging rights. So, we have to go out there and do our job and try to get those bragging rights so the whole city of Houston can hold that weight for a year."To do that the Texans will have to slow down running back Ezekiel Elliott, who leads the NFL with 426 yards rushing. He had a season-high 29 touches for a career-high 240 yards from scrimmage in the win over Detroit.The 25 carries were by far the most this season and it's what he expects every week — not the 16-carry average from the first three weeks when the Dallas offense was spotty at best."I am young," the 23-year-old said. "I got fresh legs. I'm going to get the ball as much as I can."Some things to know about Sunday's game between the Cowboys and Texans:IRVING'S RETURN WILL WAITDefensive lineman David Irving was activated by Dallas after starting the season on a four-game suspension for the second straight year. But the club said he didn't make the trip because of an excused absence for personal reasons and wouldn't make his season debut.Irving had six sacks in his first four games coming off last year's suspension. He finished with seven sacks in eight games before a concussion sidelined him for the final four games.The fourth-year player practiced for the first time since last November, but missed the two days for personal reasons.DYNAMIC DUOWatt and Jadeveon Clowney led Houston's defense with dominant performances last week. Watt had two sacks, one tackle for loss, one quarterback hit and forced two fumbles against the Colts. Clowney added two sacks, four quarterback hits, four tackles for losses and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.Watt has returned to form this season after playing just eight games over the previous two seasons because of back surgery and a broken leg. He's tied for first in the NFL with four forced fumbles and his five sacks are tied for second."Two elite players. They can really disrupt a game, can affect everything you are trying to do in the run game and the passing game," Garrett said. "Hard to block those guys one on one. You have to have a plan for them. Again, most teams have a plan for them and typically they show up anyway."LAWRENCE LEADSWhile Clowney and Watt have led Houston's defense Randy White Jersey 2019 , the Cowboys have one defensive end leading their group in DeMarcus Lawrence. He leads the NFL with 5 1/2 sacks and ranks second with eight tackles for losses. He's also recovered a fumble and has 21 tackles.Houston coach Bill O'Brien raved about his work this season."Great length, athleticism. He plays very hard, plays hard on every snap," O'Brien said. "He's chasing the ball sideline to sideline, chasing the quarterback. He can wreck a game."PROTECTING WATSONWatson has been sacked 17 times, second most in the NFL. While Houston's offensive line has been criticized for the number of hits Watson has taken this season, he's quick to point out his lineman shouldn't take all the blame for the sacks."A lot of the sacks I put upon me getting rid of the ball or holding the ball too long or trying to create a play where I probably could have thrown the ball away or ran for extra yardage — two or three yards," he said. "But, those guys are doing a heck of a job and ... they're improving, building chemistry, enjoying the game, having fun and just getting better every week."AP Pro Football Writer Schuyler Dixon contributed to this report.

The Indianapolis Colts have released their injury report for Friday Le'Raven Clark Jersey Stitched , the third and final of the week as they get ready to host the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys.Three Colts — guard Mark Glowinski (ankle), safety Mike Mitchell (calf) and rookie linebacker Skai Moore (neck) — have all been ruled out, while wide receiver T.Y. Hilton (ankle) and safety Clayton Geathers (knee) are questionable. Glowinski went down against Houston, Mitchell will miss his second week in a row and Moore popped up on the injury report Thursday after appearing in nine games this season.Hilton has missed practices here and there throughout the week before playing Sunday while nursing his ankle injury Youth Jordan Wilkins Jersey , but never missed the full week of practice and still played. Should the near-1,000 yard receiver miss action against Dallas, it will be his first game on the sideline since missing back-to-back games in Weeks 5 and 6 against the Patriots and Jets.Center Ryan Kelly (knee) appears to be nearing his return after getting injured in Week 12 against Miami, and was a full participant on Friday after being limited Wednesday and Thursday. Same for tight end Mo Alie-Cox (calf) Jordan Wilkins Jersey Stitched , who was injured during the week of practice leading up to Miami.Geathers, Glowinski, Hilton, Mitchell and Moore were joined by left tackle Anthony Castanzo (knee) Indianapolis Colts Abdurrahman Ya-Sin Jersey , linebacker Darius Leonard (finger/shoulder) and guard Quenton Nelson (back) as Colts that missed Friday’s practice. Like Kelly and Alie-Cox, defensive tackle Margus Hunt was a full participant on Friday after being limited throughout the week. Dontrelle Inman remained on the injury report with shoulder issues for the third day in a row, but was a full participant throughout the week.Defensive end Jabaal Sheard (knee) was added to the injury report for Friday and was a limited participant, while tight end Ryan Hewitt was a full participant but added to the injury report with a rib injury. The Colts’ playoff hopes looked like they would go up in smoke when they fell behind the Giants 14-0 in the first half and they聽 trailed by 10 points with less than a minute to go in the third quarter Womens Abdurrahman Ya-Sin 2019 Jersey , but they pulled off a comeback win.Andrew Luck found Chester Rogers for a one-yard touchdown with 55 seconds left to play in the game to put Indianapolis up 28-27 and Malik Hooker intercepted Eli Manning on the ensuing possession to seal the deal. Should the Steelers lose to the Saints later on Sunday, the win means that the Colts and Titans will be playing for a Wild Card berth in Week 17.Luck didn’t have his cleanest game, but came up with several big plays in the second half to help his team off the mat. Most of those came with his arm, but he also came up with a key 14-yard run on the game-winning drive. He ended the day 31-of-47 for 357 yards and two touchdowns.Manning’s pick came on a desperate heave down the field and ended an otherwise effective day on a bad note. The Colts remain one of two teams — the Chargers are the other — that Manning has not beaten over the course of his career and the league’s scheduling policy means the chances of him getting another crack at them aren’t great unless he heads to another team.Whether that happens is one of the big questions of a Giants offseason that will start a week from now. The Colts’ offseason may start at that point as well Indianapolis Colts Abdurrahman Ya-Sin Jersey , but Sunday’s rally means that they can still dream about a playoff run.

Patriots defensive coordinator (except without the title) Brian Flores has a busy weekend E.J. Gaines Jerseys Stitched , taking advantage of the bye week to look for new work.According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Flores will interview with the Dolphins and the Packers today, and will have two more tomorrow.He had previously been reported to be meeting with the Broncos and Browns.The 37-year-old Flores was the Patriots’ defensive play-caller, but never got the same title Matt Patricia had the year before for some reason. (Bill Belichick surely knows and had a master plan and the rest of us aren’t capable of understanding it).The Patriots were seventh in scoring defense (21st in yards allowed), despite a lack of talent in the front seven. And because Patriots coordinators are always in high demand despite their spotty results eslewhere Youth Jarvis Landry Jersey , Flores is a guy everyone wants to talk to this year.Browns trade OT Shon Coleman to 49ers for 7th round pick The fall from grace for Shon Coleman was a fast one. A third-round pick in 2016, Coleman was the team’s starting right tackle in 2017 for all 16 games. Although he didn’t play exceptionally well, for it being his first year as a starter, he held his own.This offseason, the team signed Chris Hubbard from the Steelers to be their new starting right tackle. With Joe Thomas retiring Jarvis Landry Jersey Stitched , the team decided to have an open competition there, with Coleman getting the first crack at it. Less than a week into training camp, though, head coach Hue Jackson had seen enough and replaced Coleman. Rumors quickly started that the club could be trying to move on from Coleman, and on Friday Youth Damarious Randall Jersey , that’s exactly what they did: they shipped him to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 7th round pick in 2019.The trade likely assures that rookie Desmond Harrison will make the roster, and Greg Robinson’s odds of making it seem pretty good as well. The team still has 18 more roster moves to make to get to 53 players by the 4:00 PM ET deadline on Saturday.

Jalen Ramsey reached out and briefly offered to help Andrew Luck off the ground Womens Drew Forbes 2019 Jersey , only to quickly withdraw his hand and walk away.Psych!Ramsey and the Jacksonville Jaguars refused to give the Indianapolis Colts anything Sunday, turning in one of the most dominant defensive performances in franchise history and carrying the team to a 6-0 victory.“Truthfully, I do that almost every week,” Ramsey said of his fake-out moment with Luck. “People just caught it this week.”The Jaguars (4-8) needed that kind of defensive effort to make up for a lackluster offense. They stopped a seven-game slide and snapped Indy’s five-game winning streak, leaving the Colts (6-6) in need of some help to get back into the AFC wild-card picture.Ramsey was at his best while playing through a knee injury. He helped hold T.Y. Hilton to eight catches for 77 yards and also made a game-ending tackle on Erik Swoope with 8 seconds remaining.Ramsey hit Swoope near the sideline at the end of a third-and-6 play at the Jacksonville 29, and the tight end seemed to land out of bounds. But officials ruled Swoope’s forward progress had been stopped and kept the clock running. The Colts were out of timeouts and could only watch the clock wind down.“I didn’t feel very sharp,” Colts quarterback Andrew Luck said. “I didn’t feel I was putting the ball in the right places to give the guys a chance to catch them, but again, give credit to their coverage. I think all the guys in the locker room right now feel that we didn’t hold up our end of the bargain as players. I know I can be sharper. I know I need to be sharper. I’m discouraged, but in a sense I’m also encouraged to get back to work and improve on things.”Luck completed 33 of 52 passes for 248 yards and an interception. He was sacked three times after getting hit just five times in the entire month of November. He was sacked once in the previous five games.The Colts entered with the fourth-most points in the league, having averaged more than 34.6 a game during their win streak. Luck had thrown three or more touchdown passes in eight consecutive games, one shy of the club record.Jacksonville shut them down and out.“It feels great to get in the win column,” Jaguars defensive tackle Calais Campbell said. “It’s been way too long.”Indy left the stadium with plenty of regret and surely some second-guessing.The Colts passed up two field-goal tries in the first half, including taking one successful kick off the scoreboard, and had another solid chance in the fourth quarter.Facing fourth-and-1 at the Jacksonville 19 with 2:38 remaining, rookie safety Ronnie Harrison sacked Luck for a 10-yard loss . Harrison was making his first career start in place of benched veteran Barry Church.The Colts finished 0 for 3 on fourth down 鈥?all of them in field-goal range.“It made sense. They gambled on themselves Indianapolis Colts Marvell Tell Jersey ,” Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack said. “They’re high in the red zone, high on third down, so fourth down, play the lottery. That’s what they did, and they lost.”The most costly one: Adam Vinatieri made a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter, but Jaguars rookie defensive tackle Taven Bryan was flagged for roughing the snapper. That gave Indy a first-and-goal at the 5. Jordan Wilkins caught a short pass on fourth down, but was stopped short of the goal line.“All the numbers say strong go there, and we liked the play we called,” Colts coach Frank Reich said.Indy finished with 265 yards and was 5 of 18 on third down. For Jacksonville, it was the seventh shutout in franchise history and first at home since beating the New York Jets 41-0 in 2006.KESSLER WINSCody Kessler, who replaced the benched Blake Bortles this week, completed 18 of 24 passes for 150 yards and won for the first time in nine career starts. Kessler was sacked three times but played turnover-free football 鈥?barely. He had one interception dropped and managed to wrestle away a fumble of his own. He also was evaluated for a concussion early in the game but returned.KEY INJURIESColts: Center Evan Boehm (neck) left in the fourth quarter, forcing third-team center Josh Andrews into the game. The Colts were already without starter Ryan Kelly. Safety Mike Mitchell (calf) and linebacker Skai Moore (knee) also left the game.Jaguars: Defensive tackle Abry Jones (shin) left the game. Right tackle Jermey Parnell (foot) left briefly but returned.UP NEXTColts: Play at AFC South rival Houston next Sunday.Jaguars: Play at AFC South rival Tennessee on Thursday night. The Colts enter their Week 17 with a playoff spot on the line, and by the time they kick off, they may be playing for the division title. That’s a pretty impressive swing for a Colts team that was..."The Colts enter their Week 17 with a playoff spot on the line, and by the time they kick off Cheap Marvell Tell Youth Jersey , they may be playing for the division title. That’s a pretty impressive swing for a Colts team that was facing an embarrassing 1-5 record and the prospect of a top draft pick back in Week 6. Head coach Frank Reich and company righted the ship and have guided this team to a complete turnaround, putting together a run that makes this team one no one wants any part of in the playoffs. With all that said, they still need a win to make those playoff hopes possible, and that means showing up and winning their match-ups on Sunday night against the Titans. Here are the key match-ups to watch in that game.T.Y. Hilton vs Adoree JacksonPhoto by Andy Lyons/Getty ImagesOver the past 7 games, T.Y. Hilton has been on fire, amassing 48 receptions and 856 yards. He topped 125 yards in 4 of those games and his 155-yard 2-TD romp against the Titans was the game that really got it all rolling. Despite being perpetually hurt this season and missing practices entirely for a couple weeks, Hilton has somehow managed to put together a stretch of incredible football that has served to underline just how valuable he is to this Colts team. He compared this game to a game 7 and said “You know I ain’t missing that,” in reference to whether he would be able to play this week. Adoree Jackson had been having a very solid year in pass coverage before he ran afoul of Hilton, and he will undoubtedly have done a lot of film study on the slippery receiver. The question is, will it matter? The Titans will be without CB Logan Ryan who was lost for the season with a broken fibula, which puts even more pressure on Jackson. If this game goes like the first, Hilton is due another big game.Anthony Walker vs Derrick HenryPhoto by Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesDerrick Henry has been on a tear over the past three games. As Chris Shepherd points out in his scouting report, Henry is running more decisively than perhaps he has in his NFL career. He is a big man and can damage teams when he gets rolling. His 99-yard run against the Jaguars is one of the most impressive runs I’ve ever seen. Having said all that, he will face a tough challenge against our stiff Colts’ defense. This team has limited backs and been a solid team against the run all season long, and this will be a battle of strengths. The Colts have a solid defensive line and with Anthony Walker’s return, a very good linebacker group. Anthony Walker has been a key part of the team’s run defense White Ryan Kelly Jersey , and limiting Derrick Henry’s effectiveness, specifically in terms of getting to the edge, will likely be tasked largely to him. If the Colts can get a lead early and limit big plays from Henry, they will likely force the Titans to become one dimensional in their efforts, which will allow them to do what they love to do, pin their ears back and get after whichever guy starts under center for the Titans on Sunday.Marlon Mack vs Titans run defensePhoto by Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesThe Colts may be without Ryan Kelly on Sunday as he hasn’t practiced this week with a neck injury. While Evan Boehm has been a solid backup, his loss hurts in the running game. The Titans are a stiff run defense anyway, but with the loss of Jurrell Casey to IR, they may not be unbeatable. It will be critical to this match-up to test themselves and see how they can match up against a talented defensive front seven. Marlon Mack has had a solid year over all, but the Colts would love to see him finish the regular season strong with a big statement performance. Given the offensive line’s injuries, that will mean making decisive reads, hitting the holes he gets, and running hard through contact. Mack has shown at times the ability to do all those things. If he can do that on Sunday night it will give the offense a ton of options and open the playbook up against a Titans defense that has been a reliable unit on the year. There are many people who think Mack cannot provide the long-term answer at running back for this Colts team. Sunday night is a chance for Mack to prove he is more than he gets credit for. Pierre Desir vs Corey DavisPhoto by Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesThe Colts have gotten better and better at the cornerback position as the year has progressed. The young unit has developed and grown, and are playing far better football than they were early in the season. Pierre Desir has perhaps had the best run of them, matching up with some very talented receivers and holding them well in check. DeAndre Hopkins and Amari Cooper both struggled to make much headway against him, and the Colts will want the same performance from him against Davis Ryan Kelly Jersey 2019 , who is the Titans’ most dangerous receiver.Regardless of the quarterback throwing the ball, Davis provides a deep threat that the Titans will need to utilize if they want to keep up with the Colts’ offense, and limiting his production will mean seriously handicapping the Titans offense. If he can knock him off rhythm and throw off the timing on routes, it could give the defensive line enough time to get to the quarterback and force a sack or critical turnover. Frank Reich vs Mike Vrabel Round 2Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty ImagesFrank Reich is .500 in rematches as a head coach. He lost an ugly game against the Jaguars and won a big one against the Texans. Divisional match-ups between teams tend to be closer than we feel like they should, regardless of the level of play prior to those games. These Coaching staffs have had a chance to see each other and analyze each other’s personnel and tendencies a bit more frequently than others. That leaves us the question, how will Reich fare in his rematch with Vrabel? The first game was expertly called. The defense was well prepared for the Titans and the Colts offense went off, abusing Adoree Jackson and basically doing whatever they wanted on the way to a major blowout. Vrabel had few answers. Having said that, the Titans lost their defensive coordinator Dean Pees who was hospitalized during the first half of the last game. That is a kind of adversity few teams have to face, and it no doubt played a major role in the way the defense was called and how the game went. That, hopefully, won’t be the case on Sunday, as the Titans will be fully staffed and ready to go.What difference will it make to have their coaching staff whole and ready to go? We won’t know until the game is under way. It will be interesting to see how this plan differs from the first go around. Given Hilton’s hot streak, it is tough to see not using him heavily, especially with Ebron still a question mark in concussion protocol. Frank Reich is about to coach his biggest game of the season, and it is time to find out what he’s got.

Cleveland Browns:“Hue Jackson’s new mantra: Go for two” (WKNR) - “Hue for two: Through the first quarter of the season Youth Jarvis Landry Jersey , the Browns co-lead the NFL in a surprising category – two-point conversion attempts.”“Hue Jackson didn’t think about going for it on fourth-and-1, but data suggests he should have” (cleveland.com) - “What’s the most effective play from scrimmage in football when you have two or fewer yards to go?”“Ravens defense ‘holds’ attention of Browns QB Mayfield” (AP) - “Mayfield, a rookie quarterback with the Cleveland Browns, faces Baltimore’s second-ranked defense on Sunday.”“Peppers calls Browns fans ‘wishy-washy’ for quick criticism, says he gets harassed in public” (C-T) - “Peppers, in his second season, is off to a slow start on defense and as a kick returner and said he’s heard about it from fans and media.”NFL:“Week 5 NFL injuries: Gronkowski questionable after practicing, Colts rule seven players out” (CBS) - “Meanwhile, the Patriots could have the services of their star tight end despite Rob Gronkowski missing practices earlier in the week.”“Aaron Rodgers downplays any rift with Mike McCarthy” (NFL.com) - “Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers found himself answering questions if things were fine with head coach Mike McCarthy.”“What’s Plaguing the One-Win Steelers and Falcons?” (MMQB) - “The Steelers play the Falcons on Sunday Jarvis Landry Jersey Stitched , which isn’t great for those of us who predicted those teams would also play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 3.”“Phil Dawson gets another week after ‘old-fashioned miss’” (PFT) - “Phil Dawson missed field goals of 50 and 45 yards Sunday that cost the Cardinals their first victory. So he wasn’t feeling very optimistic when coach Steve Wilks called Dawson to his office Monday.”Final Cleveland Browns 53-man roster prediction The Cleveland Browns roster looks categorically more formidable than it did at this time last season, meaning there aren’t going to likely be many roster cut surprises when teams trim down to their 53-man rosters this week.But John Dorsey and his team may have some surprises up their sleeves when it comes to shaping the bottom of Hue Jackson’s roster. After cuts go down, there’s no telling what the shrewd general manager might do in order to improve several areas of weakness.While we can’t predict or account for those kinds of moves, we’ll use the information we do have available take a look at what the Browns roster could look like after cuts do happen.This is what I think the Browns roster will look like after covering training camp and analyzing the team’s three preseason games.Browns 53-man Roster PredictionPos.Final RosterPlayers CutPos.Final RosterPlayers CutNote: Yes, there are 91 players on the list. DB Tigie Sankoh does not count against the Browns 90-man roster until final cuts, as he was assigned to the team from the NFL’s International Player Development program. The Browns have the option to retain him on their practice squad as an 11th member, although he would not be eligible for active roster promotion this season.Quarterbacks (2)—Tyrod Taylor; Baker MayfieldThe only question here is whether the Browns keep Drew Stanton as an emergency quarterback, and mentor for Baker Mayfield. It seems as though Mayfield has progressed enough that the team feels comfortable enough rolling with Tyrod Taylor and the rookie. Also, Stanton appears completely unable to execute the team’s offense Youth Damarious Randall Jersey , which may be a matter of playing with third-stringers, but I’m more inclined to trust his entire poor body of work than I am to attribute his struggles to that.Running backs (4)—Carlos Hyde; Duke Johnson Jr.; Nick Chubb; Dan VitaleMatthew Dayes may have an outside shot at making the roster, but Dan Vitale is valuable enough to keep over a running back who would not see many active games this season, if any.Wide receivers (6)—Josh Gordon; Jarvis Landry; Antonio Callaway; Rashard Higgins; Damion Ratley; C.J. BoardThis Browns receiver group has improved drastically in one offseason, making the only real contested position the final sixth receiver spot. Whoever gets that spot, and I think it’ll be C.J. Board, will also not likely dress on game days. As DBN’s Thomas Moore noted earlier today, Derrick Willies is Board’s main competition. Willies is a player I have liked after seeing him at training camp. He possesses a great combination of size, speed and ability that may make it difficult for Board to earn that final spot.Tight ends (4)—David Njoku; Darren Fells; Seth DeValve; Devon CajusteReceiver Jeff Janis was brought in for his veteran presence and special teams ability Damarious Randall Jersey Stitched , but he hasn’t shown anything spectacular, or even serviceable, in either role throughout camp and preseason. That opens the door for camp and Hard Knocks favorite Devon Cajuste, who has shown he can contribute on special teams and provide some reliable tight end play in the event DeValve or Fells are forced to miss any time.Offensive linemen (9)—Joel Bitonio, Austin Corbett, J.C. Tretter, Kevin Zeitler, Chris Hubbard; Greg Robinson; Spencer Drango; Desmond Harrison; Austin ReiterVersatility is the name of the game for the Browns offensive line. And as we have seen so far, depth is also a primary concern this season. Look for the team to add an additional player after roster cuts if they are unhappy with Drango and Reiter as their primary interior backups.Defensive linemen (9)—Myles Garrett; Larry Ogunjobi; Jamie Meder; Emmanuel Ogbah; Caleb Brantley; Trevon Coley; Carl Nassib; Chris Smith; Chad ThomasNate Orchard may be the odd man out here if Gregg Williams prefers to continue utilizing rookie linebacker Genard Avery in pass-rushing situations. Orchard has flashed plenty of raw ability and potential but it just doesn’t seem to be adding into production on the field. Chris Smith is also a player who may be in danger Youth T. J. Carrie Jersey , but I think Dorsey brought him in for a reason, and the team sees him as a key rotational pass rusher.Middle linebackers (2)—Joe Schobert; James Burgess Jr.James Burgess Jr. was a key defensive player last season and has shown he benefitted from that extended playing time. He has earned his place on this year’s Browns team.Outside linebackers (4)—Chris Kirksey; Jamie Collins; Mychal Kendricks, Genard AveryNo surprises here. B.J. Bello is a player I really like, but he’s a victim to the numbers game. The Browns may try to retain him on their practice squad.Cornerbacks (6)—Denzel Ward; Terrance Mitchell; Mike Jordan; T.J. Carrie; E.J. Gaines; Jeremiah McKinnonJeremiah McKinnon has been such a surprise standout this offseason. If this decision comes down to him and Denzel Rice, I have to give the slight edge to McKinnon after he balled out against the Philadelphia Eagles last week. But both have been nice surprises after making several stops before Cleveland on their NFL journeys.Safeties (4)—Damarious Randall; Jabrill Peppers; Derrick Kindred; Briean Boddy-CalhounNo surprises here. Boddy-Calhoun has been a playmaker, and everyone else on this list seems to be safe and in the Browns’ future plans.Special Teams (3)—Zane Gonzalez; Britton Colquitt; Charley HughlettNo changes from last season. Gonzalez has flashed a strong and accurate leg throughout camp and has been consistent in game situations. Solon native Ross Martin has a nice leg and may work out for another team somewhere down the line.

All the details of the 2019 NFL Draft you need."WhiteSections 2019 offseason2019 free agency2019 NFL DraftFull ArchiveLibrary 2019 NFL calendar2019 Rams regular season sched2019 Rams preseason schedMasthead Community Guidelines NFL Odds StubHub ✕2019 NFL Draft: Time Los Angeles Rams Customized Jerseys , live TV schedule, draft order, online streaming, and moreNew,2commentsAll the details of the 2019 NFL Draft you need.CDTShareTweetShareShare2019 NFL Draft: Time, live TV schedule, draft order, online streaming, and moreKirby Lee-USA TODAY SportsThe 2019 NFL Draft begins tonight. The Los Angeles Rams aren’t scheduled to get involved until the 31st overall pick, but here’s the info for what we know for tonight.ScheduleThursday https://www.ramsfanstore.com/t-shirts , April 25th, 8pm ET/5pm PTRound 1Friday, April 26th, 7pm ET/4pm PTRounds 2-3Saturday, April 27th, 12:00 Noon ETRounds 4-7LocationDowntown Nashville, TennesseeOn the ClockRound 1: 10 minutes per pickRound 2: 7 minutes per pickRounds 3-6: 5 minutes per pickRound 7: 4 minutes per pickTV Broadcast SchedulesNFL NetworkLive broadcasts all three daysFull covereage streamed on NFLNetwork.com, NFL app, & audio on TuneIn appESPN NetworksThursday: ABC, ESPN Los Angeles Rams Hats , NFL Network, ESPN DeportesFriday: ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network, ESPN DeportesSaturday: ABC, ESPN, NFL Network, ESPN DeportesOther optionsfuboTVPlayers Attending DraftKentucky Wildcats LB Josh AllenGeorgia Bulldogs CB Deandre BakerOhio State Buckeyes EDGE Nick BosaOklahoma Sooners WR Marquise BrownFlorida State Seminoles EDGE Brian BurnsMichigan Wolverines ? Devin BushWashington State Cougars OT Andre DillardIowa Hawkeyes TE Noah FantOklahoma Sooners OL Cody FordIowa Hawkeyes TE T.J. HockensonAlabama Crimson Tide RB Josh JacobsDuke Blue Devils QB Daniel JonesMissouri Tigers QB Drew LockOle Miss Rebels WR D.K. MetcalfOklahoma Sooners QB Kyler MurrayHouston Cougars DL Ed OliverMississippi St. Bulldogs EDGE Montez SweatFlorida Gators OT Jawaan TaylorLSU Tigers ILB Devin WhiteClemson Tigers DL Christian WilkinsLSU Tigers CB Greedy WilliamsAlabama Crimson Tide OL Jonah WilliamsAlabama Crimson Tide DT Quinnen Williams Wade Phillips brought the coat out of the closet in Goliad, Texas Los Angeles Rams Hoodie , to wear for the Rams’ arrival in Atlanta on Sunday night. Phillips’ stepmother, Debbie, sent Bum Phillips’ coat to Wade so he could honor his late father.“Well, they had been egging me on, and then I thought, ‘Well, you know I really should do something,” Wade Phillips said. “If somebody’s going to recognize my dad, I’d love to do that. That’s why I did that.”Bum Phillips wore the coat on the sideline, completing the look with a cowboy hat. Wade Phillips recreated it Sunday.“You can’t do those things anymore https://www.ramsfanstore.com/Ethan-Westbrooks-Jersey ,” Wade Phillips said. “He was the last guy to break the mold, to be on the sideline with a cowboy hat and that coat.”Wade Phillips got a lot of critics’ choice awards for his throwback attire, including from his players.“I thought that was pretty dope because I’d been hearing like rumors, people had been trying to get him to do that for the longest and for him to get to a Super Bowl and finally do that for his dad, I thought that was awesome,” Rams defensive lineman Michael Brockers said.

Malleability — the critical component that continues to separate the New England Patriots from the rest of the league.Perhaps some have gotten so accustomed to their unparalleled ability to mold and shape each week’s opponent-specific game plan into something entirely different than the week prior that they’ve been lulled into a false sense that this is a common trait among NFL teams.It’s not. In New England Ryan Allen Jersey , when something isn’t working, it’s discarded. When something is working, it’s utilized and built upon. It’s not exclusively a week-to-week process, either. Time and time again we’ve seen wins manufactured from large-scale halftime adjustments; personnel packages and play designs scrap-heaped as unforeseen circumstances arise. At times these adjustments aren’t even made from half-to-half . They’re made on the fly from series-to-series.It all stems from an environment of ego-reduction that has been established in Foxborough — something rarely seen or accomplished anywhere else in the NFL. Instead of stubbornly trudging onward when presented with new information that an idea or plan is failing, the Patriots acknowledge that being wrong is part of the process, and that it’s more important to quickly adapt in the moment.All of this, of course, flies directly in the face of the narrative that commonly portrays the Patriots’ system as the end-result of an authoritarian, all-knowing Bill Belichick whose lofty ego is matched only in size by his intellect. Does he have final say on everything that happens on the field and with the roster? Of course. But, you’d be hard-pressed to find an organization with a climate more primed for the flow of information between its players and its coaching staff than New England.With that said, expect the Patriots’ schematic malleability to be put on display once again on Sunday afternoon as they host the Minnesota Vikings. In their decisive, two-touchdown victory on the road against the Jets in week 12, it became clear after a back-and-forth opening quarter that the Jets front-seven was unable to sustain leverage at the point of attack with consistency. Josh McDaniels dialed up a heavy dose of 21-personnel (two wideouts with Rob Gronkowski, James Develin Danny Shelton Color Rush Jersey , and a running back) on a season-high 34% of the team’s snaps as the Patriots continued to carve out massive holes on the ground. New England’s offensive line put together their most complete performance of the season as they paved the way for running backs Sony Michel and James White to have career highs in rushing yardage.That will not be the case this Sunday.In fact, don’t be surprised to see Patriots take the offensive game plan in an entirely different direction — operating primarily from the shotgun, employing a ton of 10 and 11-personnel groupings, and splitting everyone out wide to force the Vikings to guard every inch of the field. Why? Here are three reasons.Linval JosephThe Vikings’ defense comes into the contest ranked fourth in rushing yards allowed per game (93.6), third in yards allowed per carry (3.7), and fourth in DVOA against the run (through week 11). A big reason for that — both literally and figuratively — is Linval Joseph.The Patriots have faced a serious slate of talented, run-defending interior defensive lineman this season: Marcell Dareus, Chris Jones, Akiem Hicks, Kenny Clark, Jurrell Casey, etc. None of them are better against the run than Linval Joseph. Simply put: the man is violent. His quick, powerful hands punch and stick to blockers, allowing his long arms — which are as thick as telephone poles — to maintain separation while he scans the backfield before shedding his man. Once free Lawrence Guy Color Rush Jersey , he has the quickness to chase down runs from behind that no 6’4”, 330-pound human should be able to. He’s also incredibly smart, and has great instincts for when the inside trap play is coming. Joseph keeps gifted linebackers Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr clean and available to read, penetrate, and disrupt, and he consistently allows new teammate Sheldon Richardson — a familiar face for the Patriots from his years with the Jets — to work one on one on the interior.Harrison SmithHe is the best safety in the business, and it’s pretty tough to make an argument for anyone else over him. He is a complete player who the Vikings use as chess piece to eliminate aspects of their opponent’s offensive game plan.So far in 2018, Smith has played 99.29% of the teams snaps, and is the league’s highest-graded safety against the run according to Pro Football Focus. Injuries to strong safety Andrew Sendejo and new Viking George Iloka have forced Smith into the box a bit more in, where he is lethal at diagnosing run concepts and impacting the game at the line of scrimmage. Identifying where Smith is on every play will be pivotal to how the Patriots go about attacking the Vikings defense — particularly in the red zone, where Minnesota is the best in the league. Spreading the Vikings secondary out with formations and forcing Smith to tip his hand as to his assignment by utilizing motion with Rob Gronkowski when he’s lurking in the box will prove critical.Defensive Back DepthIt will likely be talked about quite a bit this week, but the injury suffered in week 12 by number-one corner Xavier Rhodes is a massive one. Trae Waynes will assume number-one duties if Rhodes is not able to give it a go this week. With talented first round pick Mike Hughes already on injured reserve, Mackensie Alexander and undrafted free agent Holton Hill will be slated for quite a bit of action on Sunday. That is the primary reason we should see a large decrease in the amount of big personnel packages from Josh McDaniels and the Patriots offense this weekend. Alexander and Hill will immediately become targets of Tom Brady’s once they step onto the field, and the goal should be to keep them in the game as much as possible.By consistently forcing Minnesota into dime and nickel packages Drew Bledsoe Jersey , the impact of Linval Joseph is severely diminished, All-Pro safety Harrison Smith’s coverage responsibilities can be uncovered, and the pressure is dialed up on two wide-eyed, unproven corners.It’s wild what a difference a week can make in the NFL.Follow Brian Phillips on Twitter @BPhillips_SB, and be sure to keep an eye out for his work on the new Pats Pulpit Live weekly preview and postgame shows! Joe Bellino, the 1960 Heisman Trophy winner who served in the Navy for four years before beginning a short career with the Patriots, has died at the age of 81.Bellino grew up in Massachusetts and was a three-sport star in football, baseball and basketball, and had scholarship offers all over the country. He chose Navy, where he knew he’d have a four-year military commitment and would have to put his pro sports career on hold.At Navy, Bellino played three seasons, from 1958 to 1960, and was a running back, receiver Montee Ball Color Rush Jersey , defensive back, kickoff and punt returner, and punter. He won the Heisman Trophy at the end of his senior season, in 1960, when he scored 17 touchdowns and led Navy to the Orange Bowl. described Bellino’s running style as “like a berserk butterfly,鈥?and the sports writer Red Smith wrote that Bellino 鈥渨riggles like a brook trout through congested traffic.鈥濃€淎ll I know is that I was quick,鈥?Bellino told the years later. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 big in the shoulders or waist, but my legs were stocky and I was built low to the ground. I could run straight, or sideways, without losing any speed, and I had lateral movement that let me bounce in and out.鈥滻n those days, the Heisman Trophy wasn’t awarded at a formal ceremony, and Bellino found out he was the recipient when he got pulled out of class at Navy.鈥淚 was in engineering class when I got the news,鈥?Bellino recalled. 鈥淪omeone said the superintendent needed to speak to me. I thought https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Malcom-Brown-Jersey , 鈥楪eez, I鈥檓 in trouble academically.鈥?#8221;With the Heisman came an invitation a few months later to visit President John F. Kennedy in the White House, which Bellino described as “just two guys with Boston accents talking football.”Despite his college exploits, Bellino lasted until the 17th round of the NFL draft and the 19th round of the AFL draft, because teams knew they would have to wait four years to get him on the field, thanks to his military commitment. After serving in the Navy, Bellino began his rookie year with the Boston Patriots in 1965 and spent three years with the team, primarily serving as a punt and kickoff returner.After retiring as a player, Bellino spent two more decades in the Navy reserves and was a high school football coach.

At the end of Sunday night’s game Melvin Gordon Color Rush Jersey , the Steelers jumped offside on three consecutive Chargers field goals in a desperate attempt to block the game-winning kick. The third time, the Chargers made the kick anyway. But if they hadn’t, the officials could have given them the three points.That’s the word from former NFL heads of officiating Dean Blandino and Mike Pereira, who both said in a video for FOX that committing repeated penalties in an effort to stop the other team from scoring is a penalty itself that can result in the team being given the score.“There is something in the rulebook that I don’t know if a lot of people know about: There is a penalty for continually fouling to prevent a score,” Blandino said.Pereira said in situations like the game last night, the rules allow for the referee to just give the team the points.“If you deem that they intentionally did this, intentionally fouled on successive plays . . . the referee could in fact award a score,” Pereira said. “Successive penalties intentionally committed to try to prevent a score, you can go ahead and award a score.”Blandino said he would have supported the referee warning the Steelers after the second offside penalty that if they did it again Austin Ekeler Color Rush Jersey , the Chargers would be given the points.“The rulebook is clear. You give a warning and after the warning you give a score. I would have strongly considered it after the second one, but certainly the third one,” Blandino said.That result would have been among the strangest endings in NFL history: A team winning a game not because it kicked a game-winning field goal, but because the other team’s penalties prevented it from kicking a game-winning field goal. PITTSBURGH (AP) — Philip Rivers watched Ben Roethlisberger do what the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback so often does — lead a game-tying drive late in the fourth quarter — and decided it was time for the Los Angeles Chargers to do something they so rarely do: win a big one on the road against a team with Super Bowl aspirations of its own.So the longtime Los Angeles quarterback gathered his teammates around him and delivered a very blunt message.“It was ‘Let’s go win it,'” Rivers said. “‘Let’s make this the last drive and win it.'”Done and done. Rivers drove the Chargers 64 yards in 11 plays to set up Michael Badgley’s 29-yard field goal on the final snap as the Los Angeles rallied for a 33-30 victory on Sunday night.Badgley’s initial 39-yard attempt sailed wide left, but the Steelers were called for offsides. Badgley’s ensuing 34-yard attempt was blocked, but Pittsburgh’s celebration was cut short when the Steelers were again flagged for crossing the line of scrimmage early. The Steelers jumped once more Badgley’s 29-yarder, but the Chargers gleefully declined the penalty as they spilled onto the field.“There was no worry or doubt,” Badgley said. “It’s just one of those things where you stay tough. It’s a situation you never really plan out there where you get three in a row like that. You just have to go do what you know how to do.”Down 23-7 at the half Joey Bosa Color Rush Jersey , the Chargers (9-3) became the first visiting team to win in Pittsburgh after trailing by 16. The Steelers (7-4-1) had been 174-0-1 when up by that much at home. Now Pittsburgh heads into the final quarter of the season having its once comfortable lead in the AFC North trimmed to just a half-game over surging Baltimore (7-5).“Don’t need to panic,” Roethlisberger said. “Don’t need to worry.”Might be time to start. The Steelers have dropped two straight for the first time this season and seemingly had no answer for the Chargers in the second half.Rivers completed 26 of 36 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns for Los Angeles. Keenan Allen caught 14 passes for 148 yards and a score and Justin Jackson ran for 63 yards and a touchdown in place of injured starter Melvin Gordon. Desmond King added a 73-yard punt return for a score as the Chargers bolstered their postseason chances by winning in Pittsburgh for just the fourth time in 19 tries.“These guys, they believe,” Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said. “When you believe in something strongly, you can will it to happen.”Roethlisberger threw for 281 yards with two scores and an interception for the Steelers. Antonio Brown caught 10 passes for a season-high 154 yards and a touchdown. James Conner added 60 yards rushing and two touchdowns before leaving in the fourth quarter with a leg injury.STEELERS SOAR … THEN STUMBLERoethlisberger and Brown are among the most productive quarterback/wide receiver tandems in the league but that didn’t stop Roethlisberger from publicly tweaking Brown following a loss to Denver last week, though the star wide receiver stressed he understood it was nothing personal.The minor dust-up certainly didn’t seem to have an impact on their play. Roethlisberger hit Brown for a 9-yard gain on Pittsburgh’s second play from scrimmage and again for 46 yards on the following snap. The two connected on a 28-yard score late in the second quarter that seemed to put Pittsburgh firmly in control on a night the franchise celebrated the 1978 and 2008 Super Bowl champion squads.Suddenly, a team that looked capable of joining them appears to be in a bit of a tight spot with a somewhat daunting final month ahead that includes games against New England and New Orleans.“There’s a quarter left of football,” Brown said. “We’ve got to continue to figure out a way to win and get ourselves to the dance.”GETTING A HEAD STARTDown 13-0 in the first quarter, the Chargers appeared to be in trouble before Rivers hit a streaking Travis Benjamin for a 46-yard touchdown to get Los Angeles on the board on a play that began with Chargers right tackle Sam Tevi standing up and shuffling his feet backward an instant before the ball was snapped.Several Steelers pointed at Tevi as the play began looking for a penalty Forrest Lamp Color Rush Jersey , but there were no flags on the field when Rivers lofted a rainbow down the right sideline to Benjamin.Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin called it “unfortunate” but declined to criticize the officials.“I am going to keep my mouth shut,” Tomlin said. “I am going to do that because I send enough money to (the NFL in fines).”It marked the second time this season Los Angeles benefited from a non-call on what appeared to be a pre-snap penalty. The Chargers scored a touchdown in Cleveland in October on a play in which left tackle Russell Okung moved before the ball was hiked to Rivers.JUSTIN WHO?Austin Ekeler was given the first crack at filling in for Gordon but managed just one yard on eight carries in the first half. The Chargers turned to Jackson, a rookie seventh-round pick from Northwestern, in the second half. Jackson’s quickness appeared to catch Pittsburgh’s defensive front off guard, and his 18-yard dart up the middle early in the fourth quarter marked the first touchdown of his career.INJURIESPittsburgh WR Justin Hunter, given a spot on the game-day roster over rookie James Washington, left in the first half and did not return after injuring himself while diving for a Roethlisberger pass in the end zone. … Steelers WR Ryan Switzer was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion after taking a vicious hit by Los Angeles linebacker Jatavis Brown in the fourth quarter.UP NEXTChargers: Host Cincinnati next Sunday.Steelers: Travel to Oakland to play the Raiders next Sunday.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The starting pitching for Minnesota has been stellar cheapmlbjerseyshop.com , thanks to some strategic adjustments and natural improvement by several members of the rotation.All those home runs by the Twins have sure helped, too.Jake Odorizzi stretched his scoreless streak to 20 innings with seven frames of one-hit ball, Max Kepler and Mitch Garver homered, and the thriving Twins beat the Detroit Tigers 6-0 on Friday night.“With this offense, we’re never out of a game. It’s a fun team to be a part of right now, and as the summer goes on, it’ll be even more enjoyable,” Odorizzi said.Odorizzi (5-2) retired his last 20 batters after a first-inning double by Christin Stewart, striking out five without a walk while lowering his ERA to a career-best 2.32. The right-hander beat the Yankees in New York with six shutout innings last weekend and defeated the Houston Astros with seven scoreless innings in his turn before that. He’s relied on his slider and cut fastball more than ever with remarkable results.“As a pitcher, when you know what a pitch is going to do, it gives you a lot more confidence to throw it,” said Odorizzi, who has won each of his last five starts.Jose Berrios, Martin Perez and more recently Kyle Gibson have been just as good.“Every time I catch them, it seems like it’s the best outing I’ve seen,” Garver said. “I don’t know how far they can carry that, but I’m just impressed.”Jorge Polanco drove in three, including a two-run double in the third for the Twins (24-12), who have the best record in the majors. They are 12 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2010 season.Garver, part of a trio of catchers who have collectively been the most productive offensively in baseball this season Cheap MLB stitched jerseys , hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning off Tyson Ross (1-5) for his eighth shot in 21 games. Garver also drew three walks. Kepler went deep in the fifth for the Twins, who entered the evening ranked fourth in the majors in homers and are on pace to smash their team record (225 in 1963).“I came into this season looking to be that force in the lineup,” Garver said.The Tigers were blanked for the second straight game and an American League-most fifth time this season.Detroit’s rotation has been decent, but Ross has bogged it down. The right-hander gave up six runs in five innings with four walks and one hit batter with only two strikeouts, pushing his ERA up to 6.11.“He’s been there and done it,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “He’s just misfiring.”COLLISION COURSEAs Marwin Gonzalez beat out an infield single in the sixth, Ross threw wildly past first baseman Niko Goodrum, who bruised Gonzalez’s face with his leg as he descended from his jump to try to catch the ball. Both players left the game. Gonzalez showed no signs of a concussion. Goodrum bruised his right knee.“He’s very sore. They had it checked out, X-rays, the whole package, and everything came back negative,” Gardenhire said.STARTING TO FILL UPThe announced attendance was 26,789, the second-largest of the season at Target Field with a first-pitch temperature of 60 degrees and ample sunshine. The Twins held a flash sale this week for their 12 remaining games in May, with $5 seats available in the upper deck outfield sections without processing fees. They sold 20,000 in about 20 hours. Then another 12,000 standing room tickets were snatched up in less than a day.With a season ticket base eroded by fan apathy from an average of 91 losses over the previous eight seasons, the Twins played in front of the eight smallest crowds in Target Field history — all under 15,000 — over their first 15 home games. Cold, damp April weather didn’t help. The Twins entered the weekend ranked 23rd out of 30 major league teams in average attendance (16 Best Cheap MLB Jerseys ,843 tickets sold per game).TRAINER’S ROOMTigers: Stewart, making his first start since April 17 after suffering a strained right quadriceps, batted second for his highest position in the lineup this season.Twins: 3B Miguel Sano has been moved up to Triple-A Rochester on his extended rehab assignment for a severe cut on his right heel that has kept him out all season. Baldelli wouldn’t put a timetable on his return, but he made next week sound realistic.UP NEXTThe Tigers will start RHP Spencer Turnbull (2-2, 2.31 ERA) in the split doubleheader Saturday that was scheduled to make up the April 12 matchup postponed by wintry weather. LHP Gregory Soto is slated to make his major league debut while taking the mound in the second game.RHP Michael Pineda (2-3, 6.09 ERA) will pitch the first game for the Twins. RHP Kohl Stewart (0-1, 7.50 ERA) will be promoted from Triple-A Rochester to start the nightcap. BOSTON (AP) — Michael Chavis had a simple thought as he walked to the plate.“A single scores him. Don’t try to be a Superhero and hit a home run or anything like that. Just need one,” Chavis said Wednesday night after his walk-off single in the 10th inning gave the Boston Red Sox a 6-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies.J.D. Martinez homered in his third straight game and Boston recovered after blowing a five-run lead.Martinez hit a two-run shot and Eduardo Rodriguez struck out 10 over six innings for the Red Sox, who won for the 12th time in 15 games. They split the two-game set to remain unbeaten (13-0-4) in their last 17 interleague series at Fenway Park.Trevor Story had a two-run single but exited with a left knee injury after a collision with a Rockies teammate. Tony Wolters doubled twice for Colorado, which had won four of five.Xander Bogaerts opened the 10th with a double on the first pitch from Chad Bettis (1-3). After Rafael Devers was intentionally walked, Chavis hit a grounder up the middle on the next pitch to win it.“Pitches in the zone,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the two-pitch rally. “You don’t get too many of those, especially late in the game.”Brandon Workman (3-1) struck out David Dahl with two runners on to end the top of the 10th.A night after Boston ace Chris Sale became the first pitcher in major league history to strike out 17 batters in seven innings — and Colorado matched a franchise worst with 24 Ks — Rodriguez had the Rockies whiffing again. They ended up with 16 strikeouts in all.But, as on Tuesday when they rallied for a 5-4 victory in 11 innings, the Rockies overcame an early deficit.“Going up against the world champs toe-to-toe, beat them last night, took them to the last round tonight, and they strung a couple of hits together there at the end,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.The bigger concern is Story, who came out after colliding with outfielder Raimel Tapia chasing a shallow fly down the left field line in the ninth.“I think the trainers right now are optimistic bestcheapmlbjersey.com ,” Black said. “Our medical staff looked at some of the replays on television. It looked like there was a collision and a hard contact to the knee. But cross our fingers that he’s going to be OK. . Right now, we’re cautiously optimistic.”Boston built a 5-0 lead with two runs in the first and three in the third against German Márquez, who entered 5-0 with a 2.02 ERA in nine career interleague starts.In the seventh, the Rockies loaded the bases with nobody out against Rodriguez. Ryan McMahon singled and Wolters doubled before Rodriguez plunked Charlie Blackmon with a pitch and was pulled. Matt Barnes gave up Story’s two-run single and, with Story running from first on a 3-2 pitch with one out, pinch-hitter Daniel Murphy bounced to second, scoring Blackmon to tie it.Dahl had a sacrifice fly and Wolters a run-scoring double in the fourth to make it 5-2.Mookie Betts‘ RBI single made it 3-0 before Martinez, unlike his other three homers the past four days that went over the Green Monster in left field, drove a slider into Boston’s bullpen in right.FIVE AND DONEBoth starters gave up five runs and were pulled in the seventh.Rodriguez allowed nine hits and walked one. Márquez went 6 1/3 innings, striking out six with 10 hits and a walk.“I think overall I did well,” Márquez said through a translator.TRAINER’S ROOMRockies: Murphy, who entered batting just .200, started on the bench for the fifth time in seven games. Black said it had nothing to do with a fractured left index finger that caused Murphy to miss 3½ weeks.Red Sox: Cora said LHP David Price (on the injured list with left elbow tendinitis since May 3) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Friday and if it goes well, he’ll “probably” start next week in Toronto. … 2B Dustin Pedroia took grounders with the other infielders before batting practice as he continues to try to work back to a rehab assignment from soreness in his surgically repaired left knee that’s limited him to nine games over the past two seasons.UP NEXTRockies: After a day off Thursday, RHP Jon Gray (3-3, 4.25 ERA) is slated to start the opener of a three-game series in Philadelphia on Friday against LHP Cole Irvin (1-0, 1.29).Red Sox: Off on Thursday before RHP Rick Porcello (3-3, 5.15) looks win his fourth straight decision Friday. Houston RHP Gerrit Cole (4-4, 3.88) is scheduled to start in the teams’ first meeting since Boston defeated the Astros in the AL Championship Series last fall.