The 49ers aren’t sweating the absence of kicker Robbie Gould from mandatory minicamp.Gould Jeffery Simmons Jersey , a free agent who has not signed the franchise tag, may not show up any time soon, and 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated today that he’s fine with that.“I’d much rather Robbie be here and doing everything,” Shanahan said. “I love having him around. But I understand how he feels and what’s going on. If that’s the way he’d like to do it Nate Davis Jersey , no problem at all. All of us want it to be perfect the way we want it, but if he doesn’t want to show up until Week One, it is what it is. I’ll take a very good kicker any time, whether it’s Week One or on third down just one play before we have to kick. Robbie’s a hell of a kicker and nothing’s changed on that. I just hope he shows up by the time we play Week One.”The 49ers don’t sound like they’re planning to sign Gould to a long-term contract. It seems likely that Gould will simply sign the one-year Tytus Howard Jersey , $5 million franchise tender. Maybe not until the first week of the season. Fans question why millionaire athletes would put money ahead of the team and ahead of winning. The answer is far from simple. If you could get completely honest answers from any players you wanted, you would likely struggle to find two that had the exact same reasoning. However, it can be cut down to a few simple things.Without a doubt, a significant portion of it is the simple desire for wealth. The same desire that every person on earth shares. NFL players don't play exclusively for the money though. They play for the glory. They want to be the very best and they want everyone to know it. The problem is that "skill" isn't an easy thing to measure. Stats are one method Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , but it's a highly misleading one. Production is always dependent on other players on the team. A great player with no surrounding talent will not produce nearly as much as a good player with incredible surrounding talent.Money is the true measuring stick of importance and value; it's one of its basic functions. It's a way for players to stack up their talent against that of their peers. The difference between $10 million and $10.5 million doesn't sound like much to the vast majority of fans. Both figures are insane amounts and would be plenty to live a comfortable life. But it isn't about that at all. It's about making more than the other athletes at the position.Someone who excels at their job is not going to accept an offer that pays the position's average. It isn't about simply having more money to spend, it's about the respect that comes along with it. A high salary is a sign that you're great at what you do. Settling for less takes humility. Most people are very prideful, athletes especially so.Here are the top 20 athletes who are determined to make headlines in 2017.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine (all times local):5:25 p.m.John Elway says he wants Case Keenum to stay in Denver this season Kyler Murray Jersey , but he’s given his incumbent quarterback the option of leaving if he wants.NFL rules prevent Elway from discussing his pending acquisition of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, a trade that won’t become official until the start of the league year on March 13.But he can talk about Keenum, and he did just that Wednesday at the NFL scouting combine.“My preference would be for him to stay,” Elway said.That would require a contract restructure. He’s due $18 million this season Byron Murphy Jersey , including $7 million guaranteed.Elway said his desire to keep Keenum isn’t a reflection of what he thinks about this year’s quarterbacks crop.“That’s not the reason I’m saying we want Case back. I would like Case back because I think he’s a good football player that can help us,” Elway said. “Now, I gave that flexibility to Case.”Elway also said the Broncos will exercise their options on defensive end Derek Wolfe and wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who is returning from a torn Achilles tendon. The new stadium that will host the Rams and Chargers starting in 2020 does not yet have a name. But the Rams’ home field for the moment just got a new name.The Rams will play this season on United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Andy Isabella Jersey , officials announced today.USC, which operates and manages the Coliseum, had been in talks to give the field a new name for Trojans games. Originally the idea was to rename the Coliseum as a whole, but veterans’ organizations objected to changing that name Zach Allen Jersey , saying it would be disrespectful given that the original name, adopted in 1921, was meant to honor those who died in World War I. So only the field is getting a name change, with the stadium remaining the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.The Coliseum has been the Rams’ home since 2016 and was previously the Rams’ home from 1946 to 1979. It was also home to the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960 Hakeem Butler Jersey , the Los Angeles Raiders from 1982 to 1994, and various pro football teams in other leagues, as well as its longtime status as home of the USC Trojans.
FLORHAM PARK http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-benny-snell-jr.-jersey , N.J. (AP)The New York Jets have signed defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd, the team’s third-round draft pick out of Fort Hays State , to a four-year deal worth the slotted amount of $3.4 million.The 6-foot-4, 315-pound native of Ontario, Canada, was the first Division II player selected in this year’s draft.Shepherd began his college career at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia in 2011 and became a starter after redshirting his freshman season. He then left school for financial reasons and worked various jobs for the next two years before walking on to Fort Hays State’s team in Kansas.He was the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association defensive player of the year as a senior and finished his three-year career at Fort Hays with 168 tackles, including 27 for loss, and 10 sacks.The announcement Friday leaves the Jets with just two unsigned draft picks: quarterback Sam Darnold Zach Gentry Jersey , the No. 3 overall selection; and tight end Chris Herndon, a fourth-rounder.— NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Arthur Smith has never called plays in the NFL. Not even in a preseason game, experience at least his predecessor had a year ago.So the Tennessee Titans‘ new offensive coordinator tests himself calling plays when watching TV copies of old games and at each step of the offseason program.That’s the approach he’ll follow through training camp and the preseason all building up to the season opener Sept. 8 in Cleveland.“So we’ll see how that is after Week 1,” Smith said Thursday.Smith replaces Matt LaFleur, hired in January as the Packers‘ new head coach. That hiring owed more to LaFleur’s experience as a coordinator with the Rams and coach Sean McVay than production with the Titans, who were one of the NFL’s worst offenses in 2018.Yes, Tennessee ranked seventh in the league running the ball with Derrick Henry piling up 625 of his 1 Joey Bosa Jersey ,059 yards in December. But the Titans were 29th throwing the ball, and Mariota managed only 11 touchdown passes with eight interceptions. Only five teams scored fewer points than Tennessee’s 310 — an average of just 19.4 points per game.Vrabel promoted Smith from tight ends coach to coordinator, a coach who had been with this franchise the past eight years working for four different head coaches. Smith also spent two years with Washington with first Joe Gibbs, then Jim Zorn. This is his first time as an offensive coordinator for the man who played offensive line at North Carolina.So Smith said he studies TV copies of games for situations, including the end of a half or games for a better feel than a coach’s game film showing all 22 personnel on the field. He also hits pause to make his own calls. Yes, he knows there’s no pressure watching on a screen or live on the practice field.Vrabel used a similar approach a year ago preparing for his debut as head coach, watching TV copies of games to test what he might do. He’s working closely with Smith this offseason, the same way he is with Dean Pees who is 69 and has been to two Super Bowls with two different teams as a defensive coordinator.“If I do it with Dean Nick Bosa Jersey , there’s probably a pretty good chance that I would do it with Arthur and every one of our coaches,” Vrabel said. “Just try to make sure that we’re all on the same page.”Easing Smith’s transition is Mariota, the quarterback who has been with Smith the past four seasons through coach Ken Whisenhunt, coach Mike Mularkey and his offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie and now Vrabel.“He makes it easy for us to go in there and to talk and to communicate what we like, what we don’t like and I think even out here … he’s done a great job of pushing the envelope with our guys and doing his best to get the most out of everyone,” Mariota said of Smith.Henry certainly approves.“I love Arthur,” Henry said.The Titans are keeping the same offense as last season, meaning formations and the phrases for motions remain unchanged. Smith made it very clear this offense will have some changes as he tweaks or adds plays from other schemes.“I’m not above stealing a great idea … L.J. Collier Jersey ,” Smith said. “But you’re just sitting here saying, ‘What is somebody doing that is a good idea? Does it fit what we’re doing? Does it fit some of our players?’ And we’re always looking at that as long as they give me the opportunity to be in this role.”NOTES: Pees spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since deciding to return for another season. Pees dismissed any worries about his health, saying he was fine. Pees missed a loss at Indianapolis Nov. 18 when taken to a hospital, and Pees said he had an issue with a nerve in the back of his head causing symptoms similar to a stroke. … The Titans announced after practice that they have agreed to terms with guard Nate Davis, their third-round draft pick out of Charlotte. Receiver A.J. Brown out of Mississippi, taken in the second round, is the lone remaining unsigned draft pick.
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After the Chiefs’ season came to an end in the AFC Championship Game Maxx Crosby Jersey , Dee Ford said he has no problem with the team using the franchise tag to keep him in the fold in 2019.The Chiefs have not made any announcements about their plans on that front, but it certainly sounds like there are no plans to let Ford get away this offseason. The defensive look is expected to change with Steve Spagnuolo taking over as defensive coordinator for Bob Sutton, but pass rushers are always at a premium and General Manager Brett Veach didn’t sound like he’s preparing to say goodbye to Ford.“We’re excited about bringing him back,” Veach said, via Matt Derrick of .Veach was not quite as emphatic when it came to Justin Houston‘s future in Kansas City. Houston is set to make $15.25 million with a cap hit of $21.1 million with $14 million coming back to the team if they move on without him. They could also look into other alterations to the contract and Veach said there will “be a time and place” to go through the various scenarios involving Houston. ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP)Gareon Conley is ready for a fresh start.The 2017 first-round pick who was expected to become the shutdown cornerback Oakland has lacked for years had his first season derailed by injuries that limited him to just two games as a rookie and created a void in the Raiders secondary.”I feel like it’s still my rookie year because I didn’t play a lot,” Conley said Tuesday. ”I learned a lot mentally. I feel like it’s my second year mentally knowing the game and the logistics. But physically I feel like it’s my rookie year again because I didn’t play a lot.”Conley is a key part of a revamped secondary that brings back just one cornerback who played at least 100 snaps on defense last year in Dexter McDonald Hakeem Butler Jersey , who is a longshot to make the team in 2018.David Amerson and Sean Smith were let go and TJ Carrie left for Cleveland in free agency. In their place are free agent acquisitions Rashaan Melvin, Daryl Worley and Leon Hall, as well as draft pick Nick Nelson.But perhaps the most important member of that group will be Conley, who is being counted on to provide the lockdown coverage Oakland has been missing ever since Nnamdi Asomugha left seven years ago.”He’s showing why he was the first-round pick,” safety Reggie Nelson said. ”I think there’s a high standard out there for him and he’s holding that up. I think Conley is doing a great job right now doing what the coaches ask him to do. … He just has tight coverage. A great little athlete. He’s going to be great in this game. Just keep learning and playing ball.”Conley wasn’t able to do much as a rookie after being drafted 24th overall out of Ohio State despite a rape allegation that surfaced shortly before the draft but ended up with no charges being filed.Conley was impressive in offseason workouts last year before hurting his shin in minicamp in June. That injury lingered and kept Conley sidelined for all of training camp.He managed to work his way back and made it on the field for his NFL debut in Week 2 but said he was never completely healthy. Conley showed flashes of his ability the first time he was targeted with a pass when he made an acrobatic breakup against the New York Jets and nearly tipped the ball to Nelson for an interception.But he played only one more game, finishing the season with just 93 defensive snaps and seven tackles. In 53 snaps of coverage, Conley allowed just four catches for 35 yards Chris Lindstrom Jersey , according to SportRadar.”I feel like I played all right but I feel like I could play way better watching film,” Conley said. ”I had a couple of good plays but I had a lot of bad plays, too.”Conley tried to work his way back by taking time off practice but never completely healed and eventually needed season-ending surgery.He was limited at the start of the offseason program this year but is now back to full speed and showing the Raiders why he was so coveted coming out of college.”It’s been a dark world that he’s been in, this young man,” coach Jon Gruden said. ”He had a terrible injury he had to rehab from. He’s had to change coaches, learn a new system. It’s been a slow, steady process but man he’s a good player. When he’s feeling good http://www.atlantafalconsteamonline.com/kaleb-mcgary-jersey , you can see why we picked him No. 1.”NOTES: Rookie T Brandon Parker and DL Fadol Brown got into a fight during a two-minute drill late in practice and Gruden sent Brown off the field and to the weight room. ”I didn’t like what happened today, particularly in the situation. … We’re in a two-minute drill to win the game and we got a guy ejected for fighting,” Gruden said. … S Marcus Gilchrist sat out with a minor calf injury.—
COSTA MESA http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/marquise-blair-jersey-authentic , Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers were able to address one of their biggest needs during the first round of Thursday’s draft by selecting Notre Dame defensive tackle Jerry Tillery with the 28th overall pick.The Chargers have one of the best defensive end combinations in the league with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, but depth at defensive tackle has taken a hit during the offseason. They released Corey Liuget prior to the start of free agency while Darius Philon and Damion Square departed as unrestricted free agents.“His inside pass rush ability is what stood out from the tape,” general manager Tom Telesco said. “He runs very well for a big guy. He has size, length and is very flexible.”The 6-foot-7, 305-pound Tillery was a second-team selection to The Associated Press All-America team after leading the Fighting Irish in sacks (eight) and forced fumbles (three). He had 30 tackles, including 10½ for loss, and five quarterback hurries to help lead Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff semifinals.Tillery’s selection not only provides depth, but gives the Chargers an athletic pass rusher up the middle who could challenge for a starting spot. He joins a defensive tackle group that includes 13-year veteran Brandon Mebane and Justin Jones, who was drafted in the third round last year.Tillery played in 50 games with 35 starts during his collegiate career and recorded 13½ sacks. The Chargers were one of his pre-draft visits.“I knew they were interested but I tried to approach each visit the same,” Tillery said. “I think with my size, length and athletic ability, I put them to good use to become a great technician in my pass rush ability and also using my leverage to stop the run.”Tillery’s best game last season came on Sept. 29 against Stanford when he had four sacks and a forced fumble. He played most of last season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder and had surgery in March. Tillery said he had a checkup with his surgeon last week and that he is on schedule to be cleared for contact by the start of training camp in late July.Tillery could also be utilized on special teams after he blocked two kicks last season.This is the third time in the past four years that Telesco has taken a defensive player in the first round. He selected Bosa with the third overall pick in 2016 and took safety Derwin James 17th overall last year. Telesco said he did not receive many offers to trade out of the pick D.K. Metcalf Jersey , and that Tillery was the only player remaining on their board with a first-round grade.“He is a solid first-round player. You don’t always get that at 28,” Telesco said. “I was fine to take a guy on our board at the top or middle of the second round if we couldn’t trade out. It worked out that Jerry was there.”The Chargers still have needs at linebacker, free safety and guard, which they are expected to address on Friday and Saturday. DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — The subject was playing through pain, and Miami Dolphins running back Frank Gore drew on his extensive experience to share his thoughts with teammate Ryan Tannehill.Gore’s an ageless model of durability, while Tannehill plans to return from a throwing shoulder injury and start for only the sixth time in the Dolphins’ past 31 games when they play Sunday at Indianapolis .“He knows how much we need him,” Gore said. “It’s football, though. Everybody is going to be in pain from here on out. Talking to him when he wasn’t playing, he wanted to be out there. He knows that he’s going to be in pain, but you can tell that he wants to play, so that’s a plus for us.”The 35-year-old Gore will be in the lineup too http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/cody-barton-jersey-authentic , which almost goes without saying. He’ll start his 119th consecutive game, by far the most of any active running back.That includes 48 games with the Colts in 2015-17. They then let Gore go, providing him with a little extra motivation when he faces his former team.Not that he needs any.“I want to win,” he said. “I’m going to go out there and try to be me.”The Colts know he’ll do that, and remember Gore fondly.“He’s the kind of teammates everyone wants to have,” Indy quarterback Andrew Luck said. “He always seemed like he was a step ahead, and I’d say, ‘How did you know that?’ And it was always hard for him to explain. He just knew.”The Dolphins (5-5) can count Gore as one of the bright spots in a season full of downers. He beat out the more explosive Kenyan Drake for the starting job and leads the team with 528 yards rushing, padding a career total that is the highest among active players and fourth on the all-time list.And this year may not be his swan song. Gore’s yards per carry average of 4.5 is his best since 2012 with San Francisco. Anyone who has watched him break tackle after tackle this year can believe he’ll be back at 36.“I feel like as long as I’m healthy and blessed and feeling good and know I can still play, I’m going to play,” he said. “I’ll evaluate myself at the end, my body Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , and see if I still want to go out in the offseason and train to get ready for another year. That’s when I’ll make my decision.”He’s already a rarity at a position not known for longevity. Last week he became the first player to rush for 500 yards in 14 consecutive seasons, one more than Hall of Famers Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith.The achievement won Gore plaudits from around the NFL — and beyond.“Frank is my favorite player of all-time that I’ve ever coached,” said former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh, who is now at the University of Michigan. “Surpassing Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith is incredible, just incredible.”Equally impressed — but not surprised — is Dolphins coach Adam Gase. He was a 49ers assistant in 2008, when Gore ran for 1,036 yards for them.“Our guys watch him practice, and it’s almost like you forget where he’s at in his career,” Gase said. “He treats it like he’s an undrafted free agent almost. He practices extremely hard. He finishes everything he does. There’s a lot of pride there. Seeing him 10 years ago and then seeing him now, there’s just not a lot of differences in how he plays and what he can do.”Gore is still chasing a Super Bowl championship ring, and hasn’t been to the playoffs in five years. He thought he would get there with the Colts, but injuries to Luck and others sabotaged their chances.“It just didn’t go the way I planned it http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/phil-haynes-jersey-authentic , but I had fun,” Gore said. “The organization was great. Great people there. We fought.”It has been more of the same in Gore’s native Miami, with his homecoming undermined by a wave of injuries to Tannehill and others.Meanwhile, the old man at running back just keeps showing up for work. Others may be surprised Gore is still going strong, but he’s not.“I know how I train,” he said. “I know how I go out every day in practice. I know in the offseason how I get myself ready. Competing with guys younger than me at my position, being around them every day, that helps me.”And he learned a long time ago how to play through pain.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Nick Foles got the Philadelphia Eagles off to a fast start Parris Campbell Jersey , only to be robbed of another fantastic finish by a veteran receiver’s uncharacteristic drop.“Football is a funny sport, especially playoff football. It’s tough,” Foles said after a tense 20-14 divisional playoff loss in New Orleans on Sunday. “We started the game off hot, battled the rest of the game and gave ourselves an opportunity to win at the end.”Indeed, Foles had the Eagles inside the Saints 30 with just less than two minutes left when his accurate slant pass bounced off of normally reliable receiver Alshon Jeffery’s hands and fell into the arms of Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, virtually sealing Philadelphia’s fate.“I honestly felt at the bottom of my heart that when we walked out on the field, we’d been in that situation so many times that we were going to find a way to score a touchdown,” said Eagles tight end Zach Ertz, whose 16-yard catch over the middle helped get Philadelphia’s final drive rolling. “We were really close. That’s how it’s been all year. We’ve been extremely close a lot of times, and it just wasn’t our year.”After all, Foles engineered late, go-ahead drives in the playoffs a week earlier and last season in the Super Bowl.Time will tell if that was Foles’ finale with Philadelphia. The Eagles might not be able to justify keeping him around as they continue to develop young franchise QB Carson Wentz.They must decide by mid-February if they want to exercise a $20 million option to keep Foles — likely as a backup — for 2019.But if this was it http://www.coltsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-bobby-okereke-jersey , Foles latest performance won’t tarnish his Eagles legacy.“We went out there and gave it everything we had tonight,” said Foles, who finished 18 for 31 passing for 201 yards, one touchdown passing, one short rushing TD and two interceptions. “Everybody has to keep their head up high because that’s what it’s about. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I don’t have any regrets.”With his score on a keeper in the fourth quarter, Foles joined Pittsburgh QB Kordell Stewart and New York Jets running back Freeman McNeil as the only players in the Super Bowl era with at least one TD on a pass, catch and a run in their career playoff games.“There’s always throws you’d like to have back,” Eagles coach Doug Peterson said. “But the way he hung in there and battled and gave our offense a chance to go down there and possibly win this football games, I thought overall he played pretty well.”Foles filled in memorably last season when Wentz had a knee injury and led the Eagles to their first NFL title since 1960, going 5-0 in games that he started and finished.Foles returned to the starting lineup after a back injury sidelined Wentz last month and led the Eagles to four straight wins, including a 16-15 comeback victory at Chicago in the wild-card round.Foles’ uncanny knack for staying poised under pressure was no less evident in New Orleans than in his previous high-stakes triumphs. He largely mitigated the effects of the deafening din of the Superdome with his calm decisiveness. He was not sacked and made only one pivotal mistake — an underthrown downfield pass that intercepted by Lattimore as the Eagles were seeking to build on their early two-TD lead.“I was trying to take a shot down the field and needed to get the ball another foot or so,” Foles said. “Lattimore made a good play.”The Saints capitalized on that turnover with a long Khari Willis Jersey , gritty drive made it 14-7, and New Orleans methodically scored 13 more unanswered points to pull out their sixth straight home playoff victory since coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees joined forces in New Orleans in 2006.Foles also could have used more time with the ball. The Saints dominated time of possession by nearly 33 minutes to 12 during the last three quarters.“He’s a good quarterback, man. He got the ball out quick. He did a good job of surveying the defense and trying to find out where to fit the ball in,” Saints defensive tackle Tyeler Davison said. “He had good poise in the pocket. But at the end of the day, he can only do what he can do.“Our game plan was to get after him, make him uncomfortable back there in the pocket and I feel like that worked.” INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts spent their offseason cramming for Sunday’s test.They understood that to ascend in the AFC South, they needed a bigger, stronger offensive line, better coaching and different study habits. So far, they’ve aced it.Now they face their biggest challenge: Jacksonville’s daunting defense.“We don’t need any incentive. It’s the NFL, we go out there, it’s our job to protect the quarterback Josh Allen Jersey ,” longtime left tackle Anthony Castonzo said. “The past is the past, we’re going to try the best we can.”Just about anything would be an upgrade over what’s happened lately against the Jaguars.When these teams previously met, late last season, the Jaguars finished with four sacks — a significant improvement over the 10 sacks Indy allowed six weeks earlier last season.Those 14 sacks accounted for more than one-fourth of Indy’s season total, showing general manager Chris Ballard where the Colts needed to focus their attention to get back into the division race.Ballard found two starters in the draft, left guard Quenton Nelson in the first round and right tackle Braden Smith in the second. He added right guard Matt Slauson in free agency. Center Ryan Kelly returned to form following an injury-filled 2017 season, and even after Slauson went down with a back injury the Colts have managed to find solid replacements.As a result, Andrew Luck has been sacked just 10 times all season, none in his past 154 attempts— the longest stretch of his pro career.The improvement can’t be measured by pass protection alone. Marlon Mack rushed for career highs each of the past two weeks and has given Indy (3-5) its first back-to-back 100-yard rushing games since 2007.Still, the Colts know they are far from perfect and careful study of last year’s two game tapes reveal just how quickly Jacksonville’s defense can expose their lingering flaws.“I’m not going to tell you what our weaknesses are but this is going to be a big week coming off the bye,” Castonzo said. “It’s going to be tightening the screws on the things that we can.”But this Jacksonville team doesn’t resemble the one that reached last year’s AFC championship game, either.Despite being ranked No. 1 against the pass and No. 2 in total defense http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jawaan-taylor-jersey , only seven teams have fewer sacks than the Jags (19) and only three teams have produced fewer turnovers (seven).It explains why the Jags (3-5) have lost four straight and, like the Colts, are 2½ games behind division leader Houston.Coach Doug Marrone doesn’t expect this week’s challenge to get any easier, especially against an opponent hoping to ace its biggest test of the season.“It’s a really, really good group and honestly right now collectively, I would have to say when you look at them on film they’re probably the best offensive line that we have seen this year,” Marrone said.WELCOME BACKJaguars running back Leonard Fournette is expected to return after missing six of the past seven games because of a strained right hamstring.He practiced in full for the first time in more than a month Monday and did the same Wednesday. Marrone says the coaching staff won’t limit Fournette’s touches against the Colts.“We are full-boring everybody,” Marrone said. “Once a guy is ready to play, that has to be our expectation.”PAYING TRIBUTEAdam Vinatieri became the NFL’s career scoring leader at Oakland.On Sunday, the Colts will celebrate the record-breaking moment during a pregame ceremony at Lucas Oil Stadium. Details are being kept under wraps.Not surprisingly, the 45-year-old Vinatieri doesn’t want to make too big a deal out of it.“I want to keep it fairly low key,” Vinatieri said. “I don’t want to be a distraction. It’s a fun accomplishment Josh Oliver Jersey , it’s a big accomplishment not only for me but for the guys I’ve played with. But at the end of the day the only thing I want to get out of this weekend is a win.”GOING BACKJaguars receiver Donte Moncrief, who spent the first four years of his career in Indianapolis, is looking forward to going back for the weekend.“There’s going to be a lot of emotions,” Moncrief said. “I’ve still got to go out there and play and make plays like I’ve been doing. Don’t try to make it too big. Just go out there and do what you usually do.”Moncrief has 29 receptions for 379 yards and two touchdowns this season. He signed a one-year, $9.6 million contract with the Jaguars in March, betting on himself to stay healthy and prove he’s worthy of a more lucrative, long-term deal in the league.MR. 3,000With seven passing attempts Sunday, Luck will hit No. 3,000.He needs one TD pass to tie Eli Manning (156) for the 10th-highest total in league history over a player’s first seven seasons and three to match Cam Newton (158) for No. 9.
Deshaun Watson‘s performance in just a few games as a rookie last year has everyone looking forward to what the Houston Texans quarterback can do in a full season.Perhaps no one is more excited about Watson’s potential than DeAndre Hopkins Justin Layne Jersey , Houston’s top receiver who has suffered through a revolving door at the position since he was drafted in 2013.“The possibilities, what we can do is limitless,” Hopkins said.Watson threw for 1,699 yards and 19 touchdowns and ran for 269 yards and two more scores in seven games, with six starts, before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in right knee in practice last season. He’s healthy now and determined to help the Texans bounce back from last year’s injury-plagued 4-12 season, their first losing record since 2013.“I’m very excited for the new season and the potential that we have,” Watson said. “Now we’ve just got to go out there and perform and do it on the field.”After he was injured last season Watson remained a fixture at the facility. He spent countless hours studying film, picking the brains of coaches and teammates and doing everything he could to continue his development while his knee healed. Coach Bill O’Brien loves that work ethic and believes the time Watson put in to improve mentally will pay dividends when he’s back on the field this year.“I really can’t say enough about the guy. He’s a great guy,” O’Brien said. “He’s worked very hard to understand the system going into his second year. He’s the type of guy that’s always going to show up to work. He loves football. He’s got great questions. He’s been great since the day he walked in the door here.”Some things to know about the 2018 Texans.WATT’S RETURN: While Watson returns on offense, the Texans should also get a boost from the return of J.J. Watt to lead the defense. The three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year is healthy heading into the 2018 season after playing just eight games over the last two years because of a back injury in 2016 and a broken leg last season.He made his preseason debut in Houston’s third game against the Rams and has said he’ll be ready to go for Houston’s opener against the Patriots on Sept. 9.The defensive end said he’s feeling great, and was asked if he thinks he’ll be the same player he was before the injuries Benny Snell Jr. Jersey , when he piled up 38 sacks and 116 tackles combined in 2014-15.“Any way I answer that question, I’m screwed,” he said. “You want me to say: ‘Yeah, it’s going to be incredible,’ then you’re setting insane expectations. I say: ‘No, I think I’m going to suck,’ that doesn’t bode too well for myself either. There’s really no good way to answer that question so I’m literally focused (on) what I can control.”“Through all my injuries, that’s probably the biggest thing I’ve learned, is control what you can control,” he said. “All I can control is today; workouts, practice, meetings Zach Gentry Jersey , and then tomorrow I’ll be able to control that.”HONEY BADGER IN HOUSTON: Houston’s biggest offseason acquisition was free agent safety Tyrann Mathieu, the Honey Badger.Mathieu joined the Texans after spending his first five seasons in Arizona, where he played 66 games with 57 starts. The Texans hope, Mathieu, who has 11 career interceptions, will improve a secondary that allowed 215 yards passing a game last season. Though he’s new to the team, Mathieu has tried to step in and help mentor some of his younger teammates.“I just want to bring some energy,” he said. “I want to make as many plays as possible … I just want to be the ultimate leader for those guys and just show those guys that I’m going to show up every day.”Hopkins is a big fan of Mathieu and has enjoyed sparring with him in training camp this year.“He’s the quietest and (most chill) guy outside of the football field, but once he’s on the field he’s the Honey Badger,” Hopkins said.CLOWNEY’S ENCORE: The Texans are hoping for another big performance from Jadeveon Clowney after the top overall pick in the 2014 draft had the best season of his career last year.Clowney sat out most of training camp after offseason arthroscopic knee surgery, but returned last week and played against the Rams.The defensive end anchored Houston’s defense last season with Watt out, finishing second in the NFL with a career-high 21 tackles for losses and his 9 1/2 sacks Nick Bosa Jersey , 21 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles were also career bests.He thinks Houston’s defense will be tough to deal with now that Watt is back and he’s playing at such a high level.“If we stay healthy, I don’t see much bad going wrong with this defensive line and this secondary we put together,” he said. “I’m excited about this team and this defense.”16<button class="view-gallery">View Gallery</button> Gallery:WATCH: Texas Football Days Presented By Jack In The Box | The Features COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Most rookies hit the figurative wall late in the season as the rigors of a full first year in the NFL catch up quickly. Derwin James, though, still feels like he did at midseason.James will need to be at his best as the Los Angeles Chargers meet the Baltimore Ravens in an AFC wild-card playoff game. Sunday’s matchup comes two weeks after the Ravens posted a 22-10 victory.“I don’t feel like it affects me because in high school and college I was active the whole year doing different sports, so I feel like my body is acclimated to it,” James said. “There have been some games where I have felt sore, but off the field I got the right treatment.”James, who was the 17th overall pick in last April’s NFL draft, has made an immediate impact across the league. He led the team in tackles (105), becoming the first rookie in franchise history to have 100 or more stops. He also joined the Rams’ Corey Littleton as the only players in the league with 100-plus tackles L.J. Collier Jersey , three or more sacks (3.5) and three or more interceptions.According to Pro Football Focus, James graded out as the fifth-best safety during the regular season, including second in pass coverage. What James has done to date has even surprised defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, who had his share of talented young defensive backs when he was at Seattle.“What he’s brought to the table for us just as a skillset and the flexibility it offers us, I mean, I can’t say enough about it,” Bradley said. “People talked about his energy, his fear and his love for the game, but I’d be lying if I said I thought it was to this level.”Bradley has deployed James in a variety of roles depending on the opponent. There have been some weeks where he has played mostly in the box to support the run defense and others where his coverage skills have been used to play the middle third of the field. One consistent thing week in and week out has been James being used as an extra pass rusher.“I knew what type of player I was. I knew what I wanted to do when I came here,” James said. “I feel like I’ve done those things here.”James’ run-stopping and pass-rushing skills will be needed against the Ravens, who come into the game ranked second in the league in rushing. Since Lamar Jackson became the starting quarterback, Baltimore is averaging 229.6 yards on the ground over the final seven games.James is the 13th-best safety against the run Marquise Blair Jersey , according to Pro Football Focus, and eighth in pass rushing.“When he blitzes, he gets to the quarterback,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He also can disrupt the run game. He’s a dominant player.”With both teams likely not changing their strategy from two weeks ago, James likes the fact the Ravens are focused on the run.“That should put a chip on your shoulder there alone,” he said. “They’re going to run it right at us. We know that. We gotta stop ’em.”This will be the fourth time that James has faced Jackson. The first two times were in college when James was at Florida State and Jackson was at Louisville. James said the biggest difference now is the players around Jackson.“I feel like he has better blockers around him, which allows him to be more patient in the pocket and find receivers. He’s doing good,” James said. “This is Round Two, though, this year. This is the one the really counts.”
RENTON http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/marquise-blair-jersey-authentic , Wash. (AP) — At this time a year ago, K.J. Wright was entering a contract year with no certainty he would stay with the only team he’d ever played for.Then he got hurt during preseason. And needed surgery. And had a setback, and got to the point of resigning himself to the idea his career with the Seattle Seahawks was over once last season ended.“As soon as I knew I had to have surgery I was like, ‘Dang, this is not very good.’ Contract year, surgery, five games, all those signs say, ‘Thank you for your services but we’ve got to move on,'” Wright said.But Wright is still in Seattle. He’s healthy and taking part in offseason workouts and the happy recipient of a two-year contract that likely means Wright will play his entire career with one team.For the longest-tenured Seahawks player currently on the roster, and one of the few remaining holdovers from its Super Bowl-winning team, it’s a meaningful opportunity.“I didn’t see it happening. I thought I was going to be in a different color jersey. But they love me here,” Wright said on Wednesday.“I’m glad they love me and they know what I bring to the table. I’m still a hell of a linebacker and can make plays all over the field. You all saw the last few games and found a way to make me happy. Everything is good.”Wright’s future was uncertain after playing in just five games last season due to a knee injury. Before the injury troubles of 2018, Wright was incredibly durable for Seattle having started 63 of the previous 64 regular-season games. Wright, who will turn 30 years old this summer, was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2016 when he had 124 tackles and four sacks.Wright said at the end of last season he intended to test the free agent market to see where his value stood. But he also had indicated a desire to play his entire career in one place and continue to team with middle linebacker Bobby Wagner.“What I went through last year really put things in perspective for me, to approach every game D.K. Metcalf Jersey , every practice with gratitude because you just never know when something may happen and it could be your last play,” Wright said. “I’m really thankful. I’m just going to go into this season and have fun. Just enjoy it.”Wright is also providing some advice for Wagner as he goes through his own contract situation. Wagner has been present for Seattle’s entire offseason program, but is not participating because he is entering the final season of his contract, a move his longtime teammate supports.Wright said he believes attending the offseason program and participating in training camp last year entering a contract year — rather than holding out — helped when it came time for Seattle to offer him a new deal.“I think it played a lot into it,” he said. “You have a guy who stayed true to himself, was there for the team. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter, but it doesn’t hurt you. If anything it helps you.”NOTES: Seattle signed RB Marcelias Sutton, an undrafted rookie out of Oklahoma and waived/injured RB Adam Choice. … QB Geno Smith was back after missing last week’s open OTA practice due to a family issue. Smith is in competition with Paxton Lynch for the backup job behind Russell Wilson. … A special guest at practice on Wednesday was Seattle native and actor Rainn Wilson. The former star of “The Office” even held for a 38-yard field-goal attempt by kicker Jason Myers, which was good. ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills safety Micah Hyde can’t forget the one and only time he picked off Detroit’s Matthew Stafford.It happened in the final minutes of Hyde’s final regular-season game with the Packers, when he intercepted Stafford’s attempt to Golden Tate at the goal line and helped seal Green Bay’s NFC North-clinching 31-24 victory on Jan. 1, 2017.“All our DBs were hurt. I had an ankle (injury), I had a shoulder, but I was still in the game and our final corner got hurt, so I had to play corner” Hyde recalled. “We were 4-6 so we had to win out to get into the playoffs. It was a huge play in a huge game.”Article continues below ...Hyde’s next meeting against Stafford will carry far less significance.Detroit (5-9) is all but mathematically eliminated from contention, and travels to face the Bills (4-9) on Sunday in a matchup of non-conference teams in the midst of closing out what amount to transition seasons.What’s not changed is Hyde’s view of Stafford, in which he dismisses the quarterback’s fading production and Detroit’s dwindling number of proven receiving threats with Tate traded to Philadelphia http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/cody-barton-jersey-authentic , Marvin Jones Jr. on injured reserve , and Calvin Johnson three years into retirement.“Gunslinger, man,” Hyde said.“Just because he doesn’t have that feel for his receivers like he usually had in the past with Tate and Johnson and those type of guys, it’s been difficult,” he added. “But that’s not going to stop him from slinging the rock.”Stafford is still averaging 36 attempts and completing more than 66 percent of them, and yet his yardage has dropped. With 3,187 yards passing, he’s in jeopardy of finishing under 4,000 for the first time in eight years.The dip is a reflection of the changes at receiver, and the Lions placing more emphasis on a running game with the addition of rookie running back Kerryon Johnson.In his third season as offensive coordinator, Jim Bob Cooter has had to adapt to the changing roster. That was evident in a 17-3 win at Arizona last weekend, when Stafford finished with 101 yards passing, the second fewest in a career start, and the Lions’ defense contributed with a touchdown on Darius Slay’s 67-yard interception return.“We’d love to move the ball every drive and score points, but we’re going to find a way to win that game,” Cooter said. “If it’s pretty Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , if it’s ugly, we’ll take the win.”ALLEN ON THE RUNBills rookie quarterback Josh Allen has 335 yards rushing in his past three games, and taken over the team lead with 490 yards — 11 more than running back LeSean McCoy — and five touchdowns.“There’s God-given talent that he has, and he’ll give defenses fits at times,” offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. “Does that mean we want to have him lead the team in rushing? I would say no. So we’ve got to do a good job in our running game.”SLOW STARTERSThe Bills have been outscored by a combined 168-32 in the first half of their nine losses. That includes squandering a 17-13 lead in a 27-23 loss to the Jets last weekend — the first time Buffalo’s blown a four-point or better halftime lead since a 28-25 loss at Miami on Oct. 23, 2016.COACHING CONNECTIONDaboll and Lions first-year coach Matt Patricia spent time together on Bill Belichick’s staff in New England. Their history goes back further in playing against each other at the Division III college level in New York.Daboll was the receivers coach in New England and played a role in hiring Patricia, who was an assistant at Syracuse.Patricia submitted his application on bright orange paper, representing Syracuse’s color.“I totally did that on purpose. I knew it was going to be a little bit different,” Patricia said. “We laugh about it all the time.”TIGHTENING UPThe Lions’ defense is beginning to find its identity under Patricia. Even before smothering a woeful Arizona team, the Lions held the powerful Rams under control until the fourth quarter. The 30-16 loss to Los Angeles was the only time in the past five games that an opponent has rushed for over 61 yards against Detroit. The acquisition of defensive tackle Damon Harrison seems to have paid dividends.LITTLE HISTORYThis marks just the teams’ 11th meeting, and first since Buffalo’s 17-14 win at Detroit on Oct. 5, 2014.The Bills have just two players left — defensive tackle Kyle Williams and defensive end Jerry Hughes — who were on the team then. It was also Buffalo’s final game before the NFL officially approved the team’s sale to Terry and Kim Pegula from the estate of Hall of Fame owner Ralph Wilson, who was from Detroit.The Lions have 10 players left from 2014.
A nine-game stretch against the National League’s three last-place teams — Miami Cody Barton Jersey , Cincinnati and San Diego — seemed like a chance for the St. Louis Cardinals to fatten their record and make a surge up the National League Central ladder.
Instead, St. Louis wasn’t even able to tread water. It went 4-5 in that span, including consecutive 4-2 losses Tuesday and Wednesday night to a San Diego Padres team that currently looks like a cellar-dweller in name only, having won five straight series.
Now the Cardinals (36-30) will have to get their work done against better teams. Beginning with the opener of a three-game series Friday night in Busch Stadium against the Chicago Cubs (38-27), they play 19 straight games against teams that currently have winning records.
What’s more, they’ll play this weekend without their most consistent hitter, first baseman Jose Martinez, who leads the team in all three Triple Crown categories (.321 average, 10 HR, 42 RBIs). He’ll miss the series on paternity leave in Venezuela.
Luke Voit will be recalled from Double-A Springfield to replace Martinez on the roster. The big right-handed hitter could get a couple of starts this weekend as Chicago will trot out left-handed starters Jon Lester and Jose Quintana.
Lester (7-2, 2.22 ERA) gets the call in the series opener, which, if this year’s form is any indication, may become a pitcher’s duel. He’ll be opposed by right-hander Michael Wacha (8-1, 2.47), who will seek his ninth straight win.
Lester is coming off a 2-0 win Saturday at Wrigley Field against Pittsburgh, allowing only one hit in seven innings with two walks and five strikeouts. In his last eight starts, Lester is 5-1 with a 1.63 ERA, and he hasn’t permitted a run in his two starts this month.
He’s 1-0 in two starts this year against the Cardinals, permitting only two earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. In his career against St. Louis Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , Lester is 6-4 with a 2.22 ERA in 16 starts, limiting hitters to a .220/.282/.344 slash line.
Wacha hasn’t lost since March 31 against the New York Mets and is building a case for his second All-Star appearance. In his last start on Saturday, Wacha beat Cincinnati 6-4, permitting four hits and two runs in 5 2/3 innings with three walks and six whiffs.
He has faced the Cubs once this year, working 5 1/3 innings and yielding two runs (one earned) on May 6 in a no-decision as the Cardinals won 4-3 in 14 innings. But Wacha has been rocked most of his career against Chicago, as he’s 4-7 with a 6.12 ERA in 17 outings, including 15 starts.
Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo has had his way with Wacha, going 18-of-40 in his career with three homers. Chicago teammates Ian Happ, Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras also have two homers each against Wacha.
The Cubs lost two of three in Milwaukee this week, suffering 4-0 and 1-0 losses in the series’ final two games and falling 1 1/2 games behind the Brewers in the Central.
“We almost should be grateful we won one of three,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon said. “We played well the first game Phil Haynes Jersey , then shutout, shutout.”
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Kyle Williams thought he had experienced close to every emotion before wrapping up his 13th and final NFL season.Turns out, there was room for one more before the Buffalo Bills defensive tackle entered retirement.With his team standing at midfield during pregame introductions, Williams was introduced last and got a standing ovation. It was when Williams entered the field that he noticed his wife, Jill, and their five children standing beside his teammates.Then came the tears.“I didn’t know that was going to happen,” Williams said. “I get past the goalposts and I see my family and I lost it. I’m fairly certain that that’s the first time I’ve openly boo-hooed inside the cage of a football helmet. And it will be the last, so first and last happened today. Just grateful, grateful for everything.”That reception, along with an actual 9-yard reception on offense in the fourth quarter — another first — in a dominant season-ending 42-17 win over the Miami Dolphins resulted in the ideal send-off for the 35-year-old player considered the heart and soul of the Bills over the last decade.“It is special for this team and this city to see how we played and how we wanted to play for him and send him out the way that we did Ugo Amadi Jersey ,” said Bills quarterback Josh Allen, who had five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing).Williams announced his decision to retire on Friday. The former fifth-round pick blossomed to become a dominant presence in Buffalo, earning five trips to the Pro Bowl while becoming a fan favorite thanks to his tireless work ethic.His final game featured a little of everything.Williams had one tackle for a loss — stuffing running back Kalen Ballage for a 3-yard loss in the first quarter — as part of a dominant defensive effort that resulted in four sacks and two interceptions.He was brought onto the field as part of a goal-line package and used as a decoy on Allen’s 1-yard plunge to open the scoring in the opening minutes of the first quarter.Then, in the closing minutes of the fourth, Williams made his first career reception to raucous applause.The Bills then took the unusual measure of taking a timeout after a fourth-down kneel with 1:19 remaining so Williams could get a final curtain call from the fans, who chanted “Thank you, Kyle!” in unison.“You don’t have those opportunities a lot to be able to do that,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “I know it’s more of a basketball type of deal, but to be able to put the defense back out there one more time it was more important to me that we honor Kyle’s career than it was to score potentially another touchdown.“I wanted to do it the right way.”Williams capped the day by circling the field to greet and say goodbye to the fans, many of whom wore his No. 95 jersey.“It was spontaneous Dwayne Haskins Jersey ,” Williams said. “I was giving some people some fives on the way in and thanking them and it just really got to me — well, I can’t do a 10-yard section and not hit the whole place. So I also made a lap with my kids and they had an opportunity to enjoy it.”His three sons then followed him into the locker room, where they sat at Williams’ stall sipping Gatorade while waiting for their dad to shower and change.Williams finishes his career with 48½ sacks in 183 games — the most by a Bills defensive tackle.And he went out in style for someone who arrived in Buffalo not wanting to seek attention.Williams was difficult to miss on Sunday.“Yeah, the whole thing has been a little out of my comfort zone,” Williams said. “It was a great day. My family enjoyed it. My kids enjoyed it. We all get to enjoy it because we won.”
CHICAGO (AP) — Matthew Boyd was mostly dominant on the mound http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-isaiah-johnson-jersey , then the Detroit Tigers’ bats backed him up in a big way.Niko Goodrum lined a two-run homer in Detroit’s five-run sixth inning, Boyd struck out 13 to tie a career high and the Tigers topped the Chicago White Sox 11-5 on Thursday.“Boyd came out and set the tone for us,” catcher John Hicks said. “We swung the bat very well and pushed a lot of runs across. It was a good day.”Article continues below ...Boyd (6-6) allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings, and all but three of the outs he recorded came via strikeout. He struck out the side in the first and fourth innings, did not walk a batter and won for the first time since May 28.The 28-year-old left-hander reached double digits in strikeouts for the second straight start, for the fourth time this season and fifth time in his career.“It’s not like you keep track or anything that you’re striking guys out,” Boyd said, “but you’re keeping that in mind the next time you face them.”Miguel Cabrera added a 454-foot solo shot and doubled Devin Bush Jersey , and Jeimer Candelario also homered. Hicks and Nicholas Castellanos each had two RBIs as Detroit rebounded after being swept in a doubleheader on Wednesday to win for just the second time in its past 13 games.White Sox rookie Eloy Jimenez hit a 436-foot two-run homer to center and had three RBIs. Jose Rondon also had a two-run drive off Boyd, but Chicago’s winning streak ended at three games and the White Sox failed to climb back to .500.“When you attack hitters and you’re in the zone a lot you’re going to give up some home runs,” Detroit manager Ron Gardenhire said.A woman in the first row just beyond the White Sox dugout on the third base side was struck by a foul liner off the bat of Detroit’s Victor Reyes in the eighth inning. She was treated by stadium personnel at her seat, and a team spokesman said she wasn’t seriously injured.Last month, the White Sox announced they would become the first team in the majors to extend protective netting beyond the dugout to the foul poles before the end of the season.Chicago’s Reynoldo Lopez (4-8) retired the first nine Detroit batters, but allowed nine hits and seven runs (six earned) before Goodrum’s shot to right chased him with one out in the sixth.“I executed pretty good pitches in the first three innings,” Lopez said through a translator. “I tried to keep executing my pitches, but they were able to hit them.“What started as a good outing ended as a bad day.”Lopez was 7-10 last season with a 3.91 ERA http://www.steelersfootballauthentics.com/diontae-johnson-jersey-authentic , but this year it has ballooned to 6.34.Detroit jumped ahead 1-0 in the fourth on Castellanos’ RBI single. Rondon homered to right in the bottom of the inning to put Chicago ahead 2-1.The Tigers regained the lead when Hicks drove in two runs with a single to center.Detroit broke it open with five runs in the sixth. After Cabrera, Christin Stewart and Harold Castro each doubled, Goodrum lined his seventh homer to right. He had three hits on the day.After Jimenez cut it to 8-4 in the bottom half of the sixth, Cabrera homered to center in the seventh.Candelario’s drive in the ninth completed the scoring.BREAK FOR CEASEAfter winning his major league debut on Wednesday, White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease will make his next start after the All-Star break, manager Rick Renteria said.The 23-year-old Cease allowed three runs and four hits through five innings in the first game of a doubleheader, but settled down after a two-run first when he walked three and hit a batter.ONE-NIGHT APPEARANCEThe Tigers returned Tyler Alexander to Triple-A Toledo after the left-hander made his major league debut as the 26th man in the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader. Alexander allowed two runs in five innings in a no-decision as the White Sox came back to win 9-6 in 12 innings.TRAINER’S ROOMTigers: Placed OF JaCoby Jones on the 10-day IL with a lower back strain and recalled OF Reyes from Triple-A Toledo. Jones left the first game of Wednesday’s doubleheader in the fifth inning with back spasms. Reyes led off and played center field, and finished with two hits and an RBI. … After the game Justin Layne Jersey , Gardenhire said RHP Victor Alcantara would go on the IL to have oral surgery.White Sox: 2B Yolmer Sanchez left the game in third with a lacerated right hand that required three stitches and he is day to day. After he singled in the third, Sanchez got hurt when Boyd threw wide to first. Sanchez dived back to the bag and Goodrum had to step over Sanchez awkwardly to catch the ball and cut him. … SS Tim Anderson (right high ankle sprain) played catch on Thursday. There’s no timetable for his return.UP NEXTTigers: Host Boston on Friday, but haven’t named a starter to face Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (8-4, 4.79 ERA).White Sox: Following a day off Friday, the White Sox send RHP Lucas Giolito (11-2, 2.72) to the mound against the Cubs and LHP Jon Lester (7-6, 3.89) on Saturday in the opener of a two-game series between the crosstown rivals at Guaranteed Rate Field. The old football cliche tells us that Super Bowl championships are won, and contenders built http://www.steelersfootballauthentics.com/benny-snell-jr.-jersey-authentic , during NFL Draft classes, and that good sides are bolstered with free agent signings. While one cannot overstate the importance of each and every NFL Draft, free agent signings often blow up in the faces of front offices and general managers for one reason or another. Perhaps the money and salary cap space tied-up on signings prevent teams from making other necessary moves to compete for playoff spots. Maybe injuries and age affect the players involved, or maybe one of them literally quits and retires at halftime of a game because life is too short to play for a horrible team. NFL clubs have given observers and customers a plethora of bad recent signings over the past several seasons. Some involved curious decisions regarding quarterbacks who probably should not have been paid in the first place. Others were transactions that saw players past their primes earn paychecks from teams that probably should have gone in different directions. The benefit of hindsight allows us to look back and produce imaginary scenarios in which both teams and players make different decisions. Could any of the players mentioned in this piece have chosen more wisely and signed elsewhere instead of where they landed? Would it have even mattered for any of them?
Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea took an important step forward in battling the mental hurdles that have hindered him for the past six weeks.
His Oakland teammates took an equally big leap at the plate when they batted around during a four-run sixth inning.
Manaea pitched four-hit ball and allowed three runs over six innings Josh Oliver Jersey , Stephen Piscotty hit a tiebreaking, two-run single with two outs in the sixth inning and the A’s broke out of their funk to beat the Los Angeles Angels 6-4 on Saturday.
”I wouldn’t say I’m back,” said Manaea, who has had an uneven season since throwing the first no-hitter in the majors this season on April 21. ”I’m going to think and it’s just going to be a natural part of it but I would say I’m a little more calm in gathering my thoughts and not just thinking about the very, very little things that I can’t be worried about during games.”
Manaea was perfect through the first four innings but was on the verge of coming unraveled after giving up three consecutive hits including Chris Young’s three-run home run in the fifth.
After walking Jabari Blash after Young’s home run, Manaea settled down to retire the next two batters then set down three of the four he faced in the sixth to end his day.
”Definitely collected myself and slowed the game down,” Manaea said. ”Kind of was just going through the motions a little bit. I was just throwing it and not executing. After the home run I just stepped off and really had to focus and slow the game down.”
Chad Pinder homered and tripled Deandre Baker Jersey , Marcus Semien also went deep and Jonathan Lucroy drew a bases-loaded walk to help Oakland end its season-high four-game losing streak.
Manaea (6-6) struck out four and walked one to win for the second time in nine starts.
”All it takes for a guy of his caliber and talent level is to get a good outing or two under his belt and then he’s back to pitching confidently,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. ”When he’s confident he usually pitches game like that.”
Young, a late replacement after Angels left fielder Justin Upton was scratched from the starting lineup 40 minutes before first pitch, hit a three-run home run for Los Angeles.
The A’s had lost six straight and 12 of 13 to AL West teams before rallying to beat the Angels for only the third time this season.
Semien homered leading off the sixth to chase Los Angeles starter John Lamb. Reliever Noe Ramirez (2-3) hit Pinder with a pitch, retired Jed Lowrie on a fly out, then walked Khris Davis before hitting Matt Olson to load the bases.
Ramirez struck out pinch-hitter Dustin Fowler but Lucroy walked to force in the tying. Piscotty then lined a 1-1 pitch to center, scoring Davis and Olson.
Yusmeiro Petit and Lou Trivino retired three players apiece. A’s closer Blake Treinen gave up a two-out RBI single to pinch-hitter Jose Fernandez in the ninth but got Luis Valbuena to ground out for his 15th save.
Lamb pitched into the sixth inning and allowed a pair of solo home runs in his first start since July 16, 2016. He struck out five and walked one. The 27-year-old left-hander missed 50 games last season after testing positive for drugs while in the minors.
”I thought he had all his pitches working,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ”He may have gotten a little tired coming out for the sixth. Got us to a nice point in the game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hold it.”
GEM OF A DEBUT
Angels right-hander Jake Jewell made his major league debut with a scoreless eighth inning. He hit Piscotty with a pitch but got Franklin Barreto to strike out looking for the third out.
JUST GET THERE
The A’s are 31-0 when leading after the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Angels: Upton was a late scratch due to lower back stiffness.
Athletics: Third baseman Matt Chapman was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised right hand and will meet with hand specialist Dr. Steven Shin on Monday in Los Angeles. Chapman took infield practice before the game but did not throw. … LHP Brett Anderson threw 30 pitches in the bullpen.
UP NEXT
Lefty Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.68 ERA) starts for the Angels in the series finale Sunday at the Coliseum. Right-hander Daniel Mengden (6-6 Julian Love Jersey , 3.90) starts for the A’s.
It’s 2017 in the sports world, so only one thing reigns supreme: offense. In basketball rule changes have removed the hand check and freed up smaller, less intimidating players, allowing them flourish as championship-bound jump shooters (a la Golden State). On the other end of the spectrum, casual baseball fans are pleading with the league to generate more guaranteed offense in a game because it sitting through three and a half hours of for a 3-2 contest isn’t everyone’s idea of fun. Point being, offense has come to the forefront of everyone’s mind in sports because it puts butts in seats and keeps viewers at home tuned in anticipating what happens next.Football is no different from this paradigm shift--in fact, you could probably say it was a major proponent of it. By giving quarterback’s more protection in the pocket and receivers more leeway down the field http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/darius-slayton-jersey , the NFL shifted away from its gritty defensive character of old and set forth a chain reaction in other major American sports leagues (mainly the NBA and NHL). Offense has become the paramount focus of professional football, and as more players enter the league, offensively challenged athletes are hastily being added to the endangered species list.Yet even as NFL puts offense at center stage, those athletes that struggle to contribute positive yards or points have slithered their way onto rosters (and in some cases, championship-caliber teams!). And other times, it’s not necessarily something wrong with a group of players, but the offensive culture around them facilitated by a head coach or coordinator. Regardless Quinnen Williams Jersey , each team has a black eye on the most productive side of the ball and for the remainder of this piece we’re going to countdown the absolute worst offensive contributors on every roster in the NFL. Without further ado, let’s get to the countdown!
With perhaps the most frustrating road trip of their season in the rearview mirror Will Harris Jersey , the Minnesota Twins return home Thursday looking to get back on track in the opener of a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Target Field.
Minnesota went 1-8 on their I-94 excursion that began by dropping two of three to the Chicago White Sox and ended with sweeps by the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. As a result, the Twins now sit 13 games under .500 and 12 games behind American League Central-leading Cleveland, holding down third place in the division.
“I think we’re all frustrated,” manager Paul Molitor said after the Brewers hit three solo home runs in a 3-2 victory over the Twins at Miller Park on Wednesday. “You win one game and you’re on the road for 10 days, playing good teams.
“We’re creating some of our own problems. At the same time, we’re not catching a lot of breaks. We’ll get home, looking forward to that. Have a nice homestand before the break. We’ll try to get these guys ready for a series with Baltimore tomorrow.”
The Twins will turn to Aaron Slegers (0-0 Austin Bryant Jersey , 3.38 ERA) for his first start of the season in the hopes of turning things around.
He has made just one other major league appearance this season, allowing two runs over 5 1/3 innings of relief May 30 at Kansas City. He has a 5.66 ERA in five career outings, including three starts, in the big leagues overall. Slegers has never faced Baltimore.
Like the Twins, the Orioles come into the series looking to snap out of a slump. They have lost nine of their last 10 games, including two in a row to Philadelphia this week.
Manager Buck Showalter still has confidence his team can turn things around.
“There are some really good people in that locker room and I’d really like to see them get a return, but you can’t will it. You can’t just hope it Rashan Gary Jersey ,” said Showalter. “It’s got to be one pitch at a time. You can’t look at the big picture.”
Andrew Cashner (2-8, 4.48) gets the start for Baltimore on Thursday, and he is looking for his first victory since May 21. He has a 3.21 ERA over his last five outings, four of which were quality starts.
Keeping the ball in the park has been a big reason for that recent run of success. Cashner had allowed 11 home runs through his first nine starts but only three over his last seven — and none his last time out when he held the Los Angeles Angels to a run on four hits and a pair of walks while striking out four over six innings of work.
“That’s what I try to do every time I take the mound, just keep the team in the game and grind it out, no matter if it’s pretty or ugly,” Cashner told the Baltimore Sun. “Just try to get through the seventh. Maybe next time I’ll get through the seventh. I thought I got stronger as I went along. The breaking stuff was better Darnell Savage Jr. Jersey , the offspeed was better. Something to build on as we go and keep moving forward.”
Cashner will be making his first career start at Target Field but is 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in two previous starts against the Twins, who tagged him for five runs (four earned) over five innings on March 31 in Baltimore.
Whether athletes will admit it or not, particularly in team sports, they would want their name in the record books for an accomplishment. Peyton Manning recently became the NFL's all-time leading passer. While the day may have been bittersweet for him, as it came on a day where he had one of his worst games as a pro (four interceptions to five completions) his name is still immortalized. He has an abundance of records, as he has also thrown the most touchdown passes, but he also has a bad record: 28 interceptions in his rookie season Elgton Jenkins Jersey , the most for any NFL rookie.Either way, a record is going to ensure your name is remembered forever, be it a good one or a bad one. Some of the names you'll see on this list set records in both categories. It can just show you that any great player can have a bad day or that when you're around long enough, you're bound to have done more than the average player, be it good or bad.This list though isn't to honor Peyton Manning's 500-plus touchdown passes, his 55 touchdowns in a season, Eric Dickerson's 2 Jace Sternberger Jersey ,105 rushing yards, Michael Strahan's 22.5-sack season or Devin Hester's 19 punt/kick return touchdowns. This list will focus on records that their holders would like stricken from history. It will include interceptions, fumbles and any action that player committed that hasn't been seen since.One of my favorite sports movies is Major League and announcer Harry Doyle (played by Bob Uecker) has a scene where he hilariously points out that pitcher Rick Vaughn broke an American League record with four wild pitches in one inning. That's sort of the gist of what this list will focus on. Here they are, the NFL's most embarrassing records.
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