We waited a bit on our FanPulse results for this week since we don’t have a game until Monday Authentic Danielle Hunter Jersey , but the results this week aren’t going to come as a significant surprise to anyone, I don’t think.Following the Minnesota Vikings’ loss to the New England Patriots in Week 13, confidence in the purple through our FanPulse results has dropped to the lowest point we’ve seen all season.In this week’s survey, just 21% of Vikings’ fans declared that they were confident in the direction of the team. The previous low point was 22%, which was achieved following the Week 11 loss to the Chicago Bears.I know that the easy response to this sort of thing is that it simply moves with wins and losses. However, I’m not sure if any other fan base across the SB Nation NFL network of blogs has nearly the level of fluctuation that this team has over the course of the season. I mean, other teams win and lose http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-eric-kendricks-jersey , too, but I don’t think the swings are nearly this great.If I had to venture a guess, it almost certainly has something to do with the level of expectation this team had on them going into this season, and in that sense it’s completely understandable. I can also say that, over the course of the 30+ years that I’ve been a fan of this team, the ability of our fans to go from complete ecstacy to gloom and doom. . .or vice versa, even. . .has to be pretty much unmatched by any other team in the league.I certainly would like to see these numbers start trending upward again. If this team can manage a win over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night Youth Harrison Smith Jersey , I think you can be assured that they will.VIDEO: Minnesota Vikings pay tribute to Tony Sparano On Saturday, prior to their preseason contest against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Minnesota Vikings paid tribute to their former offensive line coach, the late Tony Sparano.A moment of silence was held prior to the game’s kickoff, and a video was shown on the big screens at U.S. Bank Stadium. You can see the full tribute video below, courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings official Twitter account.The video includes brief quotes from both Vikings’ General Manager Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer, as well as Tony Sparano http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-everson-griffen-jersey , Jr., who is currently the assistant offensive line coach for the Jaguars. Sparano’s family also served as honorary captains for the game. As you can see above (courtesy of Peter King’s Twitter account), the Vikings will also be wearing a “TS” decal on their helmets this season in Sparano’s memory.The video was shown on the NFL Network’s broadcast of yesterday’s game, but in the event that anyone missed it, you can see it here.
As Vikings coach Mike Zimmer tries to fix a suddenly broken defense Youth Stefon Diggs Jersey , here’s a good starting point: Don’t put a linebacker on a receiver. Multiple times.Linebacker Anthony Barr drew the short straw on a 70-yard touchdown pass to Rams receiver Cooper Kupp and a 31-yard touchdown pass to Rams receiver Robert Woods. Earlier in the game, Barr tried to cover Rams running back Todd Gurley on what became an eight-yard touchdown pass.The night capped a rough five days for Barr, a fifth-year player who is trying to get a new contract. The first glitch came on Sunday, when Bills rookie quarterback Josh Allen hurdled Barr in a highlight that will be part of the NFL long after Barr is gone from it.鈥淕ot to be concerned,鈥?Barr said on Thursday night regarding the subpar defensive performance generally. “We have to figure something out and get this thing turned around soon.”Yes they do. Since taking a 14-3 record to Philadelphia in January for a chance to earn a spot on the Super Bowl, the Vikings are 1-3-1. They’re now 1-2-1 on the season, and whether the season can be salvaged may hinge on whether they can exorcise a demon or two in the City of Brotherly Love.Vikings 2018 Season, Week 2: Packers News and Notes Normally, in this spot, I try to give you - the faithful DN’ers - a glimpse into the world of an upcoming opponent.This could mean anything from injury updates and player bios, to interesting news regarding mascots, stadiums, and uniform changes.Most of this information goes under the radar and I try to mine the interwebz to bring it to you.But it’s Vikings-Packers week White Eric Kendricks Jersey , ladies and gentlemen.All the news that’s fit to print has been printed.Granted, we still don’t know the status of Aaron Rodgers (hint: we likely won’t until kickoff), or Davante Adams (hint: he’ll play), but it’s a pretty safe bet that every angle will have been covered at some point by the time the game kicks off on Sunday.With that in mind, this week’s “News and Notes” section will look a bit different.By now, you’ve heard that this week’s opponent, the Green Bay Packers, beat the Chicago Bears.No need to rehash.But, if you missed that news completely and do want to read rehash, I did a piece earlier this week and talked all about it. But I won’t abandon this column, even for a week.After all, that’s why they’re paying me the big bucks!There is one other interesting news item that came out of the game, as the website footballzebras.com points out:The Packers erroneously received a fourth timeout during the Bears’ second to last drive.It may not have affected the outcome of the game Kirk Cousins Jersey , because Chicago most likely still would have kicked a field goal, but the two-minute warning would have been in play during the ensuing kickoff return.So, Green Bay would have taken over with no timeouts and no two-minute stoppage.Perhaps the play-calling would have been different.We’ll never know.The Packers on OffenseThe Packers hopes this week rest one-hundred percent on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers.If he plays, the Pack stays in the game.If it’s DeShone Kizer?Goodnight, Irene.Running the ball against the Bears in week one, the Pack averaged just over 3.5 yards per carry, and, though Jamaal Williams’ nice pass protection led to Davante Adams’ 51 yard gain, his starting spot is far from guaranteed when Aaron Jones returns from suspension this week.Adams, Randall Cobb, and Geronimo Allison (no relation) make up the brunt of the Pack receiving corps, with Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis (no relation) taking snaps at Tight End.It’s a formidable group - unless DeShone Kizer is quarterbacking the team, at which point they simply become five people who have never been in my living room.Adams Authentic Mike Hughes Jersey , however, has been dealing with a shoulder injury, suffered at the end of Randall Cobb’s touchdown, so he could be slowed a bit.The Packers on DefensePackers’ Defensive Coordinator Mike Pettine threw a completely foreign look at Bears QB Mitchell Trubisky, as our friends over at Acme Packing Company point out.Pettine had six or more defensive backs on the field on over 60 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, and stayed in the formation even when Chicago presented three-back offensive formations.Minnesota is better at every offensive skill position - individually and collectively - than Chicago, so it could turn out to be a recipe for disaster if Green Bay tries going that route this week.On the defensive line, Mo Wilkerson, Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark form a very solid core, and Nick Perry does a nice job providing pass rush off the edge.Are they Griffen, Joseph, Richardson, and Hunter?Absolutely not Youth Anthony Barr Jersey , but neither were Thomas, Mitchell, Buckner, and Armstead last week and even they gave the Vikings offensive line fits.Beyond Nick Perry, the Packers linebackers are simply not good, and Clay Matthews has become an every down liability.They may get some help this week if rookie Oren Burks is a go, but this is a unit that is in desperate need of some help.It’s really too bad that the Pack couldn’t find a linebacker somewhere who could come in, get after the quarterback, and create some turnovers.They’d be a pretty damn good defense if there was such a player.The Packers defensive backs are a collection of very young, very athletic players - the exception being 35 year old starting cornerback Tramon Williams. Honestly, they’re a confusing bunch of guys whose first and last names all start with the letter “J”, or “K”, so I’m really not sure who the good ones are.There’s a Jermaine Trae Waynes Jersey , a couple Josh’s, and a Jaire.And a Kevin.Mason Crosby still kicks for the team, and the Packers are counting on fifth round draft pick, punter J.K. Scott (really?? More J’s and K’s?) on fourth down.Ridiculous Quote(s) of the Week:Ahhhhh鈥?Here’s where the real meat and potatoes of Vikings/Packers week really shows up.Silly things said by sillier people, who believe that buying a novelty piece of paper from the team somehow puts them on a different level than the guy who buys a hotdog and a giant foam finger.So, check these out and cast your vote for your whichever one you think is the ridicul-est.Choice number one:Choice number two:Choice number three:Choice number four:Honestly, I’m not even sure that last one is a real person, judging by the rest of his tweets (seriously, check them out).I really hope the jokes on me, and it’s just a brilliant troll somewhere out there.Yikes.
The New England Patriots’ prime time matchup versus the Green Bay Packers lived up to its pregame hype and as opposed to last week’s Monday nighter in Buffalo was entertaining from start to finish. New England’s 31-17 victory saw many noteworthy performances Authentic James Harrison Jersey , and without the benefit of a film review, let’s take a look at some of them – for better or for worse:Winner: The pass rushOver the first eight weeks of the season, the Patriots’ pass rush has had its ups and downs. Against the Packers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers, however, it was magnificent. Headed by standout defensive edge Trey Flowers, the group finished with a sack and six hits but its impact goes far beyond the stat sheet: Rodgers was moved off his spot on multiple occasions and was oftentimes unable to get into a rhythm.Winner: RB James WhiteWhile he missed some snaps late in the first half because of an issue with his knee, James White was his usual productive self and a reliable presence in a New England backfield that missed Sony Michel. Once again the former fourth-round draft pick led the Patriots in carries (12) and receptions (6) and finished with a combined 103 yards and two touchdowns. At this point, output like this can be labeled “business as usual” for White.Winner: RB Cordarrelle PattersonOther offensive skill position players may have gained more yards or scored more touchdowns, but Cordarrelle Patterson still had as big a role as anybody in New England’s victory. Finishing the day with 61 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries Limited Andre Tippett Jersey , and one 7-yard reception, the former first-round draft pick led the Patriots ground game against Green Bay. Patterson’s ability to create yards and serve as a serious threat from the offensive backfield kept the defense honest and opened up opportunities for the passing game.Winner: P Ryan AllenHe did not have a lot of work on the day, but when he was needed Ryan Allen delivered. Overall, New England’s punter kicked the football three times for a very good net average of 49.7 yards. Furthermore, his ball placement was outstanding and helped the Patriots win the field position battle. After some inconsistencies over the first eight weeks, Allen had his best performance of the year on Sunday night.Loser: The late down offenseEven though the Patriots played their most complete game of the season versus the Packers, not all was perfect. One area of improvement that can quickly be identified is the late down offense: New England found itself in third or fourth down a total of 12 times but converted only three of the attempts. Whether it is play calling or execution, the Patriots need to find a way to keep drives alive.Winner: Brian FloresEarlier during the season, de-facto Patriots defensive coordinator Brian Flores said that his unit played well in pockets but needed to string together positive plays on a more consistent basis. Against Green Bay this is exactly what happened. Part of it had to do with players limiting mental or technical errors Irving Fryar Jersey Salute to Service , but the play calling and game plan of Flores’ crew also contributed to the positive outing.Winner: WR Phillip DorsettAfter catching only one pass over the last three games, Phillip Dorsett had a comparatively busy Sunday night. While he played only 12 snaps as the team’s fourth option at the position, he still was targeted three times and finished with three catches for 30 yards. Not necessarily an outstanding statistical performance but a step in the right direction for the former first-round draft pick.Winner: WR Josh GordonTwo weeks ago, we wrote that the Patriots being able to acquire Josh Gordon for just a fifth-round draft pick can be considered a steal given his recent performances. Against Green Bay he had another impressive outing — his best of the season so far: as one of New England’s top-two wide receivers, Gordon caught five passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. He did all that despite dislocating his finger in the third quarter, by the way.Loser: The pass protectionAs noted above, not all was perfect against the Packers. And even though it might be nitpicky to list the offensive line’s pass protection as “losers”, this area of the game can be improved upon: Tom Brady was sacked twice on the day and hit sixth more times as the blockers up front — including skill position players — at times were unable to properly handle Green Bay’s creative blitz packages. It was not bad performance by any means (just look to Detroit to see bad pass protection) but on a night when most everything else worked well, the pass blocking did not quite live up.Winner: The run blockingThe Patriots were outstanding in the running game: despite the aforementioned Michel being out John Hannah Jersey , New England registered 27 carries for 125 yards (not counting kneel-downs). Part of it was the hard running by James White and Cordarrelle Patterson, but a big part also was the performance by the offensive line — one that missed its best run blocker (Shaq Mason) — as well as by tight end Dwayne Allen and fullback James Develin. They all helped the Patriots control the pace of the game and attack Green Bay’s run defense.Winner: CB Stephon GilmoreNo matter who he lined up against, Stephon Gilmore was again dominant and had another outstanding day. The second-year Patriot — mostly going against Davante Adams and Jimmy Graham early, and later on also Marquez Valdes-Scantling — played a huge role in helping the Patriots slow down a potent Packers passing game and finished the contest with just two receptions for 15 yards given up on four targets. Furthermore, Gilmore was able to pick up the momentum-changing fumble on the first play of the fourth quarter.Winner: WR Julian EdelmanAfter being limited in practice all week long, Julian Edelman showed no signs of rust. The Patriots’ number one wide receiver finished the day with nine touches an was dangerous as a receiver, runner, and passer: the veteran caught six passes for 71 yards, had two rushing attempts for 28 yards and threw a beautifully executed pass across the field to allow James White to gain 37 yards. A busy but successful day for Edelman.The Patriots get blown out Authentic Tedy Bruschi Jersey , now let the hot takes fly The unthinkable has happened. The Patriots have lost. In fact, not only did they lose, they were blown out by the Jaguars. The loss comes with the inevitable headlines: Brady has lost a step and is about to fall off the cliff. The defense is slow and lacks any significant play makers. The offense doesn’t have enough weapons to compete at a high level all season. This is finally the year that the rest of the league catches up with the Patriots. Let’s all pump the brakes. The Patriots played a terrible game on both sides of the ball, and the coaching also wasn’t great. But that doesn’t mean this is going to be a lost season. Remember what the Patriots looked like opening night last year? They were run off the field by the Chiefs. They looked as though they would be noncompetitive all season. They finished the season 12-4 and lost in the Super Bowl.The offense has some things to figure out. Edelman coming back week 5 will certainly help, but they need to find ways to get their players open in different ways if they’re going to score points this year. Does anyone doubt that they’ll figure it out? They always have, and they have some talent on offense this year, so they’ll be fine.The defense looked slow and couldn’t generate any pressure against the Jags, but they looked fast and were able to push the pocket and cause lots of pressure against Watson last week. They will figure out exactly where guys will fit and play moving forward and their defense will be fine. Will it be top 10 like some thought before the season, who knows Limited Rob Gronkowski Jersey , but it’ll keep the team in games and be fine moving forward. Again, there’s way too much talent on that side of the ball to think otherwise. I understand the headlines and panic. People that hate the Patriots can’t wait for the day the Patriots don’t dominate basically every other team in the NFL. And Patriots fans are deathly afraid of this run ending. It will have to end one day, and when you look around the league at some of the teams, it’s impossible to not know how lucky we are. Having the potential of ending up as one of those middling teams is terrifying for Patriots fans. We must do what we’ve been doing for years, trust that Bill and Tom will figure it out. They haven’t let us down yet, and there’s no reason to think they will this year either.Pat is the host of the Weekend Warrior PodcastInteract with him on Twitter @wtplane
For most of the night Authentic Isaiah Wynn Jersey , Super Bowl 53 between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams was a defensive battle. As a result, the game entered the fourth quarter with both teams sitting at just three points. After punting on each of their first three possessions in the second half, however, the Patriots made a key offensive adjustment to generate some positive momentum after struggling to a certain degree for the game’s first 45 minutes.“I think the real key breakthrough came when Josh [McDaniels] went to the... McDaniels made a great adjustment,” said Patriots head coach Bill Belichick in the aftermath of his team’s 13-3 victory. “We talked about that on the sideline. We went to a two tight end offense but we spread them out. We were able to complete some passes to Julian Edelman and then to Rob Gronkowski at the goal line to score.”After the Rams were forced to punt for the ninth time in their first ten possessions, the Patriots implemented the change to get favorable matchups with the defense’s linebacker corps. The result was the game’s first touchdown drive, a five play 69-yard sequence that saw New England generate three chunk plays: two passes to Gronkowski for 18 and 29 yards and a 13-yarder to Edelman helped set the team up on the L.A. 2-yard line.One play later Limited Danny Etling Jersey , rookie running back Sony Michel was able to finish the series by bursting into the end zone to give his team a 10-3 lead and score what would turn out to be the only touchdown of the 53rd Super Bowl. “It was really well executed,” said Belichick about his team’s offense changing on the fly. “Not something we had anticipated doing a lot this game. We did it against Kansas City, but it was kind of right time, right situation.”How were the Patriots able to pull it off? For Belichick, it all starts with execution. “We had good protection to be able to make those throws. Tom Brady did a great job getting the ball to the open guy — that was a great throw he made to Gronkowski to get it down to the 2-yard line,” said the future Hall of Fame coach. “Josh McDaniels did — as usual — an outstanding job of play calling and eventually finding things that worked and made some big drives for us.”“Running game at the end, we were able to knock out a couple of big runs when we were backed up and then really got the ball back until we had the 10-point lead Sony Michel Jersey Salute to Service ,” continued Belichick. Indeed, New England’s next possession after the touchdown also was a positive one: after an interception by Stephon Gilmore set the team up at its own 6-yard line, New England was able to drive 72 yards in nine plays to take 3:05 off the clock.The Rams received the football down 10 points with only 1:12 left to go — a situation they would not be able to turn into a positive result. Consequently, New England is now able to celebrate another championship and the adjustment made by the team’s offensive staff in the fourth quarter plays a big role in this. Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes will try to play through a hamstring injury that had him as questionable to play today. He got “a couple plays” in practice during the week.The Vikings also have receiver Stefon Diggs active. He was questionable with a knee injury.Minnesota already had ruled out receiver Chad Beebe (hamstring) and tight end David Morgan (knee). Its other inactives are quarterback Kyle Sloter, running back Mike Boone, linebacker Devante Downs, center Brett Jones and defensive tackle Jalyn Holmes.The Patriots’ inactives are defensive tackle Danny Shelton Duke Dawson Jersey , cornerback Duke Dawson, defensive end Derek Rivers, defensive end Keionta Davis, cornerback Keion Crossen, offensive lineman James Ferentz and tight end Dwayne Allen (knee).
Los Angeles Chargers Are Launching a New Documentary Series The Los Angeles Chargers in a partnership with Spectrum SportsNet have announced that they will premiere a new series called Backstage: Chargers on Thursday Youth Denzel Perryman Jersey , September 6, on Spectrum SportsNet. It will also be available the following day on Facebook at facebook.com/backstagechargers for those without access to Spectrum SportsNet.The documentary series which will run throughout the season follows in the footsteps ofNBA and MLB counterparts Backstage: Lakers and Backstage: Dodgers. The show will air on a biweekly basis in 30-minute episodes. The idea behind it is that we will get a behind the scenes look with (heavily curated) access to the locker room, meetings, team transport, and the actual games.Per Chargers.com:And for those who are unable to tune in to watch we will be recapping the episodes here at Bolts From The Blue.Top Ten Defensive Performances of 2017: #7 Tre Boston @JAX Wk. 10 #7.) Tre Boston v. Jacksonville - 6 tackles http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-caleb-sturgis-jersey , 2 interceptions, 3 passes defendedIn just one year with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tre Boston had a significant, yet quiet, impact on the defense. After all Color Rush Melvin Gordon Jersey , how many people knew he actually led the team in interceptions this past season? I sure as hell wouldn’t have guessed that. In the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars following the team’s week nine bye, Boston recorded a pair of interceptions, both coming within the final two minutes of play. Each interception was pivotal as the Bolts were up 17-14 at the time of each pick.However, and it still kills me inside to this day, the Chargers somehow couldn’t find a way to ice the game even with Boston’s spectacular late-game heroics.After the first interception Authentic Virgil Green Jersey , Philip Rivers attempted to run the play clock all the way down before hiking it at the last second. He was a fraction of a second off and he was called for a delay of game penalty. On the next snap, rookie RB Austin Ekeler was stuffed on a hand-off and proceeded to fumble the ball away, giving the Jaguars life once more.On the ensuing drive, Jags QB Blake Bortles threw another ill-advised interception into the arms of Boston, one that he took out of bounds but not before gloating a little beforehand.In the end Youth Caleb Sturgis Jersey , Rivers and co. could not will their way to a first-down and inevitably punted the ball right back to the Jags with 58 seconds remaining. We all know how the rest of this game went so there is no need to re-hash one of the worst losses of the year.Regardless,we have to tip our caps to #33 who had himself a heck of a game and did just about everything he could to keep the Chargers alive in this one but it just wasn’t meant to be. www.nflshopoutlet.com/detroit-lions
Week 1 was a weak one for the likes of Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt http://www.sandiegochargersteamonline.com/derwin-james-jersey , Patriots wide receiver Chris Hogan and any fantasy Football owner who had a Bills player in their lineup. The good news is that last week is but a fleeting memory, while Week 2 offers a fresh batch of players who must be in the lineup along with others best off sitting on the sideline.Don't be surprised to see a name from last week listed in light along with a seemingly ageless workhorse who has fantasy owners feeling like it's 2008 all over again.START: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Chiefs: Mahomes played the role of gunslinger in the win at the Chargers, averaging 17 yards per completion while throwing four touchdowns. He did so without using Pro Bowl TE Travis Kelce (one catch, 6 yards). Even on the road at the Steelers, Mahomes has earned must-start status as he faces a Pittsburgh defense that won't be as fortunate as they were in last week's tie at the Browns. If Mahomes can fully use his toolbox of talent, look for a big afternoon.SIT: Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots: If Hogan can manage only one reception on five targets against a suspect Texans pass defense, then why expect much more when he'll be draped most of the afternoon by All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsay? The Jaguars allowed a mere 159 yards to Odell Beckham Jr. and the rest of the Giants receivers and will be able to duplicate that effort against a weaker New England corps of pass catchers.START: James Conner, RB, Steelers: Pittsburgh gave him 36 total touches and Conner responded with 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns from scrimmage, proving his detractors wrong. He gets a bigger opportunity against a Chiefs defense that gave up a whopping 293 yards from scrimmage to Chargers running backs last week. Don't expect Conner to again sport that massive a workload, but he'll continue to make life without Le'Veon Bell a smooth transition for the Steelers offense.SIT: Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buccaneers: No one saw Fitzpatrick's monster Week 1 coming. However, there's plenty of warning to not play him against the Eagles, who had the third-best fantasy effort against opposing quarterbacks while limiting Matt Ryan to a paltry 51.8 percent completion rate when throwing to his wide receivers. Fitzpatrick's career has been defined by moments of brilliance followed by moments of sheer disgust for his fantasy owners. Bet on the latter this time.START: Jared Cook Color Rush Jahleel Addae Jersey , TE, Raiders: His nine-catch, 180-yard outing in the loss to the Rams shouldn't be too shocking. He's averaged 13 yards per catch in his career and has at least one reception for better than 40 yards in seven of his last eight seasons. Oakland's wide receivers can't be trusted, and the Broncos did allow 116 yards and a touchdown to Seattle's tight ends on just seven targets, meaning Cook will have something good on the menu.SIT: Derrick Henry, RB, Titans: Dion Lewis out-touched him 21-11 in the marathon loss at the Dolphins and will be better suited to expose a Texans defense that gave up 10 completions for 71 yards and a touchdown to Patriots running backs in Week 1. Henry's best chance of success would be in a non-PPR league, and while Lewis shouldn't have as big a gap in touches, starting Henry is a foolish proposition.START: Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles: He and TE Zach Ertz combined for 20 of Nick Foles' 34 targets in Week 1, and while he managed just 33 yards on his eight catches, Agholor has a great opportunity to rebound against a Buccaneers pass defense. Tampa Bay gave up a staggering 88.4 percent completion rate (23 of 26) to Saints wide receivers while allowing more than 20 yards per catch. Foles isn't going to average 3.44 yards per attempt this week, as the Eagles will be more aggressive when it comes to taking shots downfield. That means Agholor, who had 10 targets last week, will be a frequent flyer.SIT: Sam Darnold, QB, Jets: Like the classic Public Enemy song title suggests, don't believe the hype when it comes to Darnold becoming an instant fantasy start. Yes http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-trevor-williams-jersey , he looked great for one quarter on Monday night, but expectations must be tempered especially against a Dolphins defense that was second in fewest fantasy points allowed to an opposing quarterback. Miami's pass rush will be more intense that what Darnold saw in his debut, so fantasy owners should not buy in too hard over 15 minutes of exceptional play.START: Allen Robinson, WR, Bears: Coming off a disappointing four-catch, 61-yard effort on seven targets, it's easy to be discouraged by Robinson. However, the Seahawks ranked 28th in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers as the secondary looks nothing like the once-feared elite unit it once was. Mitchell Trubisky won't make the mistake of not getting him involved early a second straight week, so look for Robinson to crack double-digit targets on the way to a solid Monday night performance.SIT: LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills: First-round pick Josh Allen makes his starting debut at quarterback, and with the Chargers having little reason to focus on Buffalo's mediocre receiving corps, the bulk of their attention will go toward McCoy, who had eight touches for 20 yards in Week 1. The bar for improvement isn't too high, but McCoy is no longer a must-start nor even a solid RB1.START: Adrian Peterson, RB, Redskins: The Colts allowed 5.5 yards per carry to the Bengals last week, which is even more reason to buy into Peterson's revival tour for at least one more Sunday.SIT: Will Dissly, TE Youth Mike Pouncey Jersey , Seahawks: It's hard to buy into a rookie who averaged 35 yards per catch on three receptions, especially against a Bears defense that made Jimmy Graham almost non-existent last Sunday night. Joey Bosa could possibly make his season debut Sunday.The Los Angeles Chargers defensive end, who has been out with a foot injury, practiced Wednesday. Coach Anthony Lynn said he was excited to see Bosa practicing with his teammates for the first time since Sept. 5.Bosa did individual drills during the portion of practice open to reporters and was listed as limited on the team's practice report. Lynn has continued to stress caution about when Bosa could return, but acknowledged he could play against Denver depending on how well the third-year lineman does in individual and team drills."He hasn't played football in 13-14 weeks, whatever it is. So we have to be careful putting him back in," Lynn said.Bosa first injured his foot during training camp, which caused him to miss the preseason. He reinjured it during practice leading up to the opener against Kansas City. Bosa said two weeks ago that he should not have rushed in trying to get back for the first week.Isaac Rochell, who started three games at defensive end, said Bosa has been a big presence in team meetings even though he hasn't played."He's super engaged. He's been locked in at all times. He has been going through scouting reports and the game plan," Rochell said.The Chargers are 7-2 and have won six straight despite Bosa's absence. Los Angeles' pass rush struggled early in the season, but has 15 sacks in the past four games. Bosa has 23 sacks in two seasons, including an NFL-record 19 in his first 20 games.Bosa's return this week could help bolster a unit that is down two starters at linebacker after Denzel Perryman was placed on injured reserve due to a knee injury. Denver is 3-6 but is ranked 11th in the league in offense."It has been tough seeing him go through the rehab and everything," Rochell said about Bosa. "With him coming back, I think it will add a lot. We're excited." Custom Dallas Cowboys Jerseys
Jerry Jones is getting praised for a football move.There might not be a better way to explain the impact of the oft-criticized owner and general manager's bold trade for Dallas Alvin Kamara Jersey Salute to Service , sending a 2019 first-round pick to Oakland for receiver Amari Cooper with the Cowboys fading fast in the NFC East race.Cooper leads the NFL in yards receiving since joining the Cowboys, who have won five straight games to get to the brink of the division title and a home wild-card game.With Cooper, Dak Prescott looks more like the 2016 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year rather than a struggling quarterback. And Jones' name is coming up in broadcast booths, and as an off-the-wall choice for performer of the week in the NFL.In other words, the primary object of ire for fans fed up with nearly a quarter-century without a trip to the Super Bowl, or even an NFC championship game, is being viewed as someone who saved Dallas' season.The Cowboys (8-5) can wrap up the NFC East with a win at Indianapolis (7-6) on Sunday."I think a big part of doing things with the desire to excel is to show them," Jones said after Cooper scored three touchdowns, including the winner in overtime of a 29-23 victory against Philadelphia that gave the Cowboys a two-game division lead with three to go. Dallas has the tiebreaker by virtue of a season sweep of the defending Super Bowl champs."I think that's a major motivation factor 鈥?to show them. I think the way sports and football, it just gives you a chance when people say, 'I don't like that move, that's not smart.' I like this stuff. As a matter of fact, I make my worst grades when I'm being praised."There were plenty of second-guessers when Jones made the move at 3-5, with conventional wisdom saying the Cowboys had problems beyond a missing playmaker at receiver in the first season without franchise TD catch leader Dez Bryant Authentic Tommylee Lewis Jersey , dumped in a cost-cutting move.Prescott was on that list of issues, mired in a 25-game stretch of mediocrity and numbers sharply lower than those from his sensational rookie season, when Dallas set a franchise record with an 11-game winning streak and had an NFC-best 13 victories.And while Prescott had two interceptions and a lost fumble to help the Eagles stay in a game the Cowboys were dominating, the display he put on with Cooper in the last half of the fourth quarter and overtime was remarkable.Touchdown throws of 28 and 75 yards in the fourth quarter were followed by a 15-yarder on the first possession of overtime , with Cooper grabbing a pass tipped by Philadelphia's Rasul Douglas and cruising in from the 7."I knew he was good," Prescott said. "I knew he was going to get separation and get open and make great catches. But when you just see the run after catch and breaking tackles, and being that great of a player, I'm just thankful we got that trade."Star running back Ezekiel Elliott is a beneficiary of Cooper's presence as well. The running lanes have been wider, and check-downs against defenses preoccupied with the former Alabama standout have been more frequent. Elliott had a career-high 12 catches against the Eagles."I didn't know we were going to get all that, honestly,'" said Elliott, who retook the NFL rushing lead with 1,262 yards. "But when I finally saw him in person, when I saw him catch the ball Tre'Quan Smith Jersey , I saw him run around and run after the catch, that's when I really realized he's truly special."The Cooper acquisition is bringing back good 鈥?and bad 鈥?memories for Jones.The good? An offseason trade for now-Hall of Fame defensive end Charles Haley in 1992, before Dallas became the first team to win three Super Bowls in four years. And the free-agent signing of Deion Sanders in 1995, before the last of those titles.The bad? A pair of trades for receivers during the current Super Bowl drought. Joey Galloway was particularly costly because Jones gave up two first-round picks for not much in return. Roy Williams was a midseason trade similar to Cooper a decade ago.It took Williams 21 games to get what Cooper has in six 鈥?an NFL-best 696 yards since Week 9. Cooper has six touchdowns. The other Dallas receivers have seven combined."He is making big plays," Jones said. "He is altering the defense. There is no question about it. He makes everybody better on both sides of the ball. But you got to make the big plays. You can see he is a difference-maker."Jones has the pats on the back to prove it.NOTES: Coach Jason Garrett said RG Zack Martin re-injured his left knee against the Eagles, just as he did in the teams' first meeting. Martin has been hobbled since spraining the medial collateral ligament in the knee in the preseason. The Cowboys are hopeful he won't miss a game for the first time in his five-year career. ... Garrett said LB Sean Lee and WR/KR Tavon Austin should return to practice as limited participants this week. Lee has missed all five games on the winning streak with a hamstring injury. Austin hasn't played since Week 6 because of a strained groin.Browns vs. Saints: Winners, losers, and honorable mentions [Saints fans: Take our weekly Saints survey, 3 quick questions a week]It wasn’t pretty whatsoever for the New Orleans Saints, but somehow they escaped with a 21-18 victory over the lowly Cleveland Browns in Week 2 to pick up their first win of the young season. Despite the win, head coach Sean Payton was quick to point out how unhappy he was, and that was the general mood of the team’s locker room. Here’s a few winners, losers, and honorable mentions from Sunday.WinnersMichael Thomas didn’t get off to a good start at all Manti Te'o Jersey , putting the ball on the ground. However, Thomas rebounded and turned in a a stellar 12-catch, 89-yard, 2-touchdown day. Thomas was targeted 13 times total, and actually set an NFL record that was previously held by Andre Rison for most receptions (26) through the first two games with 27 total. Defensively, the Saints had a much better showing than Week 1. Obviously, that may not have been too hard to improve upon, but the front seven looked better overall and played with some real getup. Marcus Williams getting the first turnover of the year was key for the team’s comeback, and he nearly scored after interception Tyrod Taylor. Overall, the team had six tackles for loss.LosersZane Gonzalez might have been the subtle MVP of the day for the Saints, as he missed two field goals and two extra points. I don’t believe I’ve ever witnessed a game where a kicker missed that much, especially in the Superdome. The Saints offensive line got bullied a good bit, as it led to three sacks on Drew Brees. They also went just 3-of-12 on 3rd down, which was just horrendous. The short yardage situations were where they probably missed Mark Ingram the most Limited Rick Leonard Jersey , but it was also in those blitz packages where Ingram is also strong.Payton talked about the 4th down touchdown given up to Antonio Callaway with Ken Crawley in coverage, and he said that is something that just can’t happen with the defensive call they had in place. Of course, we can’t just overlook the Ted Ginn Jr. fumble either. That’s negative turnover margin is not going to fly.Honorable MentionsTaysom Hill really does it all. It’s insane to think a backup quarterback is being used as a special teams ace and kick returner. Payton said in the post game press conference that they just tried Hill on special teams returns during the week, and his first and only return was 47 yards. What’s next for him?Both A.J. Klein and Demario Davis led the Saints in tackles, finishing with a combined nine each. Overall, the linebacker play was better. Cameron Jordan picked up 2.0 sacks on the day, and Sheldon Rankins also added another. Marcus Davenport put in some solid work on defense, along with Alex Okafor.Whether it was good or bad, who stood out the most to you? Custom Atlanta Falcons Jerseys
Eli Manning's age suddenly doesn't seem as important as a year ago.The two-time Super Bowl MVP is having somewhat of a bounce-back year after many wondered whether he would remain the Giants' quarterback in the wake of a 3-13 season.Not only did new coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman commit to Manning in the offseason Sheldon Rankins Jersey Salute to Service , the 37-year-old has rewarded their faith. He is coming off a 25-of-29 performance for 297 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-22 win over the Texans in Houston on Sunday.His completion rate of 86.2 percent was the second-highest in a full game in his career, topped only by an 87.1 percent effort against Miami in 2015."I think last week we had great urgency and understanding what we had to fix it and get better," Manning said Wednesday."I think you have to have that same mentality. We got to fix things from last week that there were mistakes and I think that's the mindset is to get better."For the year, Manning is 81 of 110 for 800 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, which came on a pass tipped by a defensive lineman. His statistics are top 11 in the league among quarterbacks as the Giants (1-2) prepare to face another geezer: 39-year-old Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (2-1) at MetLife Stadium on Sunday."I've known Drew a long time and watched his career and obviously what he's been able to do in New Orleans is impressive," said Manning Limited Ryan Ramczyk Jersey , who met Brees in college when the two attended an Indianapolis Colts' game. "So great person, great quarterback and always fun to compete against him."Both quarterbacks have played well this season. Brees is third in the league, hitting just over 80 percent of his passes for 1,078 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions."They're both outstanding players and I think I said it either Monday or yesterday, there's no substitute for experience, especially when you're well-performing guys like they are Authentic Alex Anzalone Jersey ," Shurmur said."They're good players, and so it doesn't surprise me. I think in this game at certain positions, as long as your legs and your arms stay good, you've got a chance to continue to play."Tom Brady of the Patriots is the NFL's current oldest quarterback at 41, while Brees and Jets backup Josh McCown are 39. Manning is the fourth oldest.Manning said the length of quarterbacks' careers are increasing because players are taking better care of themselves, there is less practice and subsequently less throwing. The league also is making sure quarterbacks are protected.How long Manning continues to play is uncertain."I don't think I ever had an expectation of how long it would be in the first place," he said. "You kind of play until you're not."Manning and the Giants are going to have to step it up to compete with the Saints. New Orleans is averaging more than 34 points. The Giants have not scored 30 in a game since their regular-season finale in 2015."You never put a 'you have to score this amount or that amount' Limited Khairi Fortt Jersey , you always have goals you want to hit in general, but you play the game and you don't know what's going to happen or what the circumstances are," he said. "You just got to be ready for whatever game it turns out to be."NOTES: CB Eli Apple (hamstring) and TE Evan Engram (knee) did not practice. Shurmur seemed to give some of his older players a maintenance day with DT Damon Harrison, LB Connor Barwin and RB Jonathan Stewart not practicing. Harrison briefly became a line coach and worked with the group on snap movement. Saints News:Saints fan Anthony Mackie on watching that NFC no-callAnthony Mackie talks with Hoda and Jenna about his new movie, “Miss Bala,” and what happened when he watched that controversial no-call in the NFC championship game between the Los Angeles Rams and his beloved New Orleans Saints.Saints fans, still feeling sting of loss Michael Hoomanawanui Jersey Salute to Service , boycott Super Bowl with New Orleans flairFresh off one of the most controversial plays in U.S. sports history, the city of New Orleans is preparing a near-total boycott of the Super Bowl.Saints News: Dennis Allen a candidate for Bengals DC, per report - Cincy JunglePerhaps the Bengals don’t have their DC wrapped up just yet.Politics and the suite life for Saints playoffs? Insiders got wish granted by Gov. Edwards | State Politics | theadvocate.comIt was the hottest Superdome ticket in 10 years: Saints vs. Rams, with the winner advancing to the Super Bowl.New Orleans Saints fans get special treat while boycotting Super Bowl | Fox NewsRickey Jackson, Willie Roaf agree with everyone else: Saints 'got robbed!’ | nola.comSaints Hall of Famers say they understand why fans are upset with the NOLA No-Call.Former Miami Dolphins Darren Rizzi lands with the SaintsThe Miami Dolphins and Darren Rizzi opted to part ways earlier this week and now the long time special teams coach is joining the Saints.Nickell Robey-Coleman’s request for Saints fans: forgive him.Saints' missed penalty: Drew Brees takes issue with Roger GoodellSaints quarterback Drew Brees said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell should have given an immediate response to the missed penalty in the NFC title game.NFL News:Tom Hanks To Narrate Super Bowl Ad For The Washington Post And Journalism’s Importance | DeadlineTom Hanks To Narrate Super Bowl Ad For The Washington Post And Journalism's ImportanceChiefs' Mahomes wins NFL MVP honors - Kansas City Business JournalThe player considered the Kansas City Chiefs' future was named the NFL's MVP, while two former players made the Hall of Fame.Take A Knee: Aspiring NFL players on Colin Kaepernick’s protests - BBC NewsGeorgia State Panthers players tell Newsbeat why they love football and what Colin Kaepernick means to them.Chris Long named Walter Payton Man of the Year - NFL.comPhiladelphia Eagles defensive end Chris Long was named the 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award presented by Nationwide at NFL Honors on Saturday evening.Saquon Barkley Named 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year over Baker Mayfield | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and HighlightsThe New York Giants decided against selecting a quarterback of the future when they drafted Saquon Barkley with the No...Olympic champion Usain Bolt casually runs 4.22 40-yard dash at Super BowlOlympic track champion Usain Bolt competed in a 40-yard dash race at the Super Bowl and tied the NFL scouting combine's record.Tony Romo Andrus Peat Jersey , at ease in broadcast booth, tells us how hard being an NFL quarterback is - The Washington PostCBS commentator is the talk of Super Bowl week for his ability to distill the complex into terms fans understand.Patriots Unleash Perfect Tweet Summarizing Climb To 2019 Super Bowl | New England Patriots | NESN.comEvery team goes through its fair share of ups and downs throughout the course of a season. Every team deals with some doubt from the outsiders on its way to a championship. But the New England Patriots brought that to a whole new level this season.New England Patriots running back Sony Michel will win Super Bowl MVPSave the serious betting for sides and/or totals in the Super Bowl. Have a bit of fun with a prop or two — never mind the props around even money. Of the...Super Bowl LIII: Tom Brady releases his (almost) annual family photoAt 41, the Super Bowl experience is as much about family as it is football for Tom Brady.Social Media: Custom Cleveland Browns Jerseys
UPDATE: Cook is now inactive for today’s game http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/trae-waynes-jersey , as apparently his hamstring issue flared up during warmups and the team did not feel comfortable putting him out there.Original story follows:It appears we’ve got some good news and some bad news concerning Minnesota Vikings’ running back Dalvin Cook.This was just tweeted out by Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune:Goessling reports that, for now, the plan for Cook is to have him play approximately 20-25 plays Womens Andrew Sendejo Jersey , but he will be available for the Vikings when they take on the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.Cook has missed two of the last three games for the Vikings, sitting out of the Week 3 loss to the Buffalo Bills and the Week 5 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. He did suit up for the Week 4 loss against the Los Angeles Rams, and in that game carried the ball 10 times for 20 yards. He wound up playing a total of 18 snaps in that game http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/xavier-rhodes-jersey , and did not take the field at all in the second half.So, if you’re hoping for a big game for Dalvin Cook on Sunday against Arizona, hopefully he can meet your expectations in a limited amount of time. The Rams definitely won’t have cornerback Aqib Talib on Thursday night against the Vikings. The Rams likely won’t have cornerback Marcus Peters Authentic Kirk Cousins Jersey , either.ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Peters is unlikely to play. Which is a no-brainer, given that Peters suffered a calf strain only four days ago.Making it even more of a no-brainer is the fact that Peters has yet to get his second NFL contract. The one that could make him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. So why take a chance on a short week with a bad calf that could easily be aggravated, becoming the kind of problem that lingers all year Authentic Mike Hughes Jersey , impacts his performance, and ultimately keeps him from getting paid what he deserves.It’s a smart play. A business decision. Erring on the side of caution. Erring on the side of maximizing earnings. And, for the team Womens Adam Thielen Jersey , ensuring that he’ll be good to go deeper in the season.The absence of Talib and Peters gives the Vikings an advantage in a game where they are otherwise significantly disadvantaged. So maybe the Vikings will be able to score in the 20s. The question is whether their defense can keep the Rams out of the 30s.
If the Vikings are going to avoid following a 13-3 season in 2017 with a 1-3-1 start to 2018 Youth Kirk Cousins Jersey , they’ll likely have to do it without running back Dalvin Cook.Cook is expected to miss Sunday’s game against the Eagles, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.The second-year tailback injured a hamstring 20 days ago, during a 29-29 tie at Lambeau Field against the Packers. He missed the Week Three game against the Bills, and he played on the following Thursday night against the Rams, on a pitch count. But Cook had no carries after halftime in the 38-31 loss, and the extra rest following the Thursday night contest apparently isn’t enough to get Cook ready to go.Without Cook, Latavius Murray becomes the top option in the Minnesota backfield. In the two games since Cook was injured, however http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/sheldon-richardson-jersey-authentic , Murray has four total carries for three total yards.And so the reality for the Vikings may be more passing from quarterback Kirk Cousins, who already has 1,387 passing yards in four games. That puts him on pace of 5,548 yards, less than 30 yards short of the single-season record. Stefon Diggs’ tweet about Adam Thielen sums up how we all feel about him. While most of the world was late to the Thielen party, we know how special is and what an asset he is to the WR corps in Minnesota. If Thielen continues to ball out the way he has been, according to Bring Me The News sports he will be on pace to an incredible 150 catches, 1 Womens Brett Jones Jersey ,885 yards and 10 touchdowns. What now, officially, sets him apart from his competitors is that Thielen now holds the record with five consecutive 100+ yards games to start the season since the AFL/NFL merger. According to Fox Sports North he is tied for first with 66 targets, first in receiving with 31 catches, first in first downs with 31, and ranks second with 589 receiving yards. Most people have been sleeping on Thielen because he hasn’t been a flashy top 10 ESPN play of the day kind of guy. But he is always where you need him to be and he does what you need him to do. Case in point, his first touchdown for the Minnesota Vikings against the Carolina Panthers.Thielen was able to go up the middle completely unblocked and score the touchdown off of a blocked punt that he created. It was a good play, but it didn’t get the attention it deserved because wasn’t a one hand grab like Odell Beckham http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/mike-remmers-jersey-authentic , Jr’s touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys. But it was a play that got the job done. And despite what the highlight reels tell you these are the plays that matter.And Thielen continues to be that reliable work horse. You can always find him on the field and no matter who is in his face or how tight the space is, he is going to try his damnedest to make that catch. And as of late that isn’t hard. While Thielen continues his domination of the NFL, there is plenty to look forward to. If he can stay on pace he will surpass the 2012 record set by Detroit Lions’ Calvin Johnson, who currently holds the record for eight straight 100 yard plus games according to Fox Sports North.All the attention and accolades that Thielen is getting are well deserved and overdue. We all knew what a great player he is, we just didn’t think it would take everyone else so long to catch up.
The Chargers listed three players as questionable on Friday’s injury report Cheap Dan Feeney Jersey , but only one of them will miss Sunday’s game against the Rams.Wide receiver Travis Benjamin will not play due to a foot injury. Tight end Antonio Gates is active despite dealing with an illness during the week and fullback Derek Watt, who has a thumb injury, is also good to go.The Chargers remain without defensive end Joey Bosa, who will reportedly be out into October due to a foot injury.聽Linebacker Emmanuel Ellerbee, center Cole Toner, right tackle Joe Barksdale, guard Forrest Lamp and defensive tackle T.Y. McGill round out the inactives.The Rams ruled out kicker Greg Zuerlein during the week due to a groin injury. Sam Ficken will do the kicking for the Rams on Sunday.Linebacker Mark Barron, running back John Kelly Trevor Williams Jersey , offensive lineman Brian Allen, linebacker Trevon Young, defensive tackle Tanzel Smart and defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day are also out this week. Corey Liuget is still trying to get past the worst part of his NFL career.The Los Angeles Chargers defensive tackle returned to the team Monday after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances.Even though Liuget has served his suspension, he said he still hasn't put it behind him."For my own sanity, just to get out there and play I think will be great for me," Liuget said. "It was definitely tough watching the guys out there and knowing that I could contribute but I'm happy to be back."Liuget took full responsibility for the suspension when it was announced in March, but he has sued his former personal trainer Ian Danney. Liuget claims in the lawsuit that it was Danney who injected him with a substance that Liuget thought was an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. Instead, he tested positive because the substance is banned by the FDA and NFL.The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles on Sept. 18. Peter Ginsberg Cheap Derwin James Jersey , who is representing Liuget, said nothing imminent is developing with the case.Messages and emails left with Danney's office in Arizona were not returned. An attorney for Danney is not listed on the district court case docket."It was emotional. I have to be more careful of who I hire and trust," Liuget said. "I do love this game and to be messed up like that is hard."Liuget went to San Jose to work out during his suspension. He said he did an hour of on-field work daily, concentrating on getting quicker out of his stance off the line, hand placement and honing his pass-rushing skills.Liuget's return could not come at a more opportune time for the Chargers (2-2), whose pass rush has struggled. Defensive end Joey Bosa has not played the first four games due to a foot injury, which has allowed teams to double-team Melvin Ingram.The Chargers go into Sunday's game against Oakland with eight sacks, which is tied for 22nd in the league. They had 12 after the first four games last season. They are also 26th in quarterback hurries (19) and tied for 22nd in quarterback pressures (41) Cheap Melvin Gordon Jersey , according to SportRadar.Coach Anthony Lynn said he expects Liuget to immediately return to the lineup as long as he is in playing shape."He's an established veteran. We know what he can do," Lynn said. "It's unfortunate that he got suspended, but we will throw him back in as soon as we can."Liuget said he is happy to be returning to a team that is at .500 at the quarter mark of the season. The Chargers lost their first four games last season before winning nine of their final 12 and missing the playoffs by one game. They have not been at .500 or better after four games since 2015."Knowing that one game cost us last year, it is good knowing that we already have two in the books. We can't put our faith in someone else's hands," he said.Follow Joe Reedy at joereedy Custom Green Bay Packers Jerseys
DENVER (3-6) at LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (7-2)Sunday Authentic Keenan Allen Jersey , 4:05 p.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE - Chargers by 7 1/2RECORD VS. SPREAD - Broncos 3-5-1, Chargers 5-4SERIES RECORD - Broncos lead 65-51-1LAST MEETING - Chargers beat Broncos 21-0, Oct. 22, 2017LAST WEEK - Broncos had bye, lost to Houston 19-17 on Nov. 4; Chargers beat Raiders 20-6AP PRO32 RANKING - Broncos No. 23, Chargers No. 5BRONCOS OFFENSE - OVERALL (11), RUSH (9) Youth Michael Schofield Jersey , PASS (17).BRONCOS DEFENSE - OVERALL (21), RUSH (26), PASS (10).CHARGERS OFFENSE - OVERALL (8), RUSH (7), PASS (13).CHARGERS DEFENSE - OVERALL (14), RUSH (17), PASS (17).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES - Broncos have won two of past three in series . Denver hoping for better post-bye run after franchise-worst eight-game skid last year. ... RB Phillip Lindsay leads all rookie rushers with 591 yards on 110 carries for 5.4-yard average. ... Rookie RB Royce Freeman Womens Isaac Rochell Jersey , who's missed two games with sprained ankle, returns this weekend. He has 4.4-yard average and four TDs. ... Broncos are fifth in league with 45 plays of 20 yards or more. . LBs Von Miller (9) and Bradley Chubb (8) have most sacks by pass-rushing duo. Chubb has 6 1-2 sacks in past four games. . Denver leads league with three blocked kicks (punt, field goal and extra-point attempt). . Chargers are league-best 13-3 since Week 9 last season. Their six-game winning streak marks 11th time since merger they had streak of six or more. . QB Philip Rivers has thrown two or more TDs in nine straight games. Only five QBs in league history have string of 10 or more games. . RB Melvin Gordon third in AFC with 1,033 scrimmage yards. He has at least 120 yards and TD in five straight games. . WR Keenan Allen has four touchdowns in past five games vs. Denver. . LB Melvin Ingram has sack in three straight games. . Chargers allowing just 15.5 points per game during winning streak. ... Fantasy tip: Broncos QB Case Keenum has thrown two or more touchdown passes in three of past five past games. Allowing a rookie quarterback to lead two fourth-quarter touchdown drives and then botching a snap to cost a team a chance to get into range for a game-tying field goal might seem a bit improbable.For the San Francisco 49ers, games like that have become far too typical in two years under coach Kyle Shanahan.San Francisco's 18-15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday was the team's league-worst eighth in the past two years in games decided by three or fewer points as the 49ers (1-7) have too often been close but not quite good enough."It's something we've got to do to get better and get over that hump," Shanahan said. "It comes down to, you can do a lot of things throughout a game, but when it comes down to the end when we need to close people out and we need some closers to do that. We've had some opportunities to do it."They had plenty of chances against the Cardinals on Sunday http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-trevor-williams-jersey , starting when they had the ball on first-and-goal at the Cardinals 4 trying to add to a nine-point lead.A botched zone read led to no gain on first down on the last play of the third quarter, before Matt Breida was hit for a loss on second down and C.J. Beathard was forced to scramble for just 2 yards on third down. San Francisco settled for a field goal and a 15-3 lead.That figured to be safe against the league's lowest-scoring offense led by rookie quarterback Josh Rosen. But the Cardinals drove 75 yards and scored on a 13-yard TD pass to Larry Fitzgerald to cut the deficit to five.The 49ers gained two first downs on the next drive before punting but seemed to be in good shape when they recovered a fumble with 4:44 to play. They got one first down on a penalty before Beathard was sacked on third down, leading to another punt and setting the stage for Rosen's comeback in the final 2:16.Rosen led the Cardinals on a 73-yard drive for the go-ahead score on a pass to Christian Kirk with 34 seconds left. The 2-point conversion made it 18-15 but the Niners managed to get the ball to the Arizona 45 before Erik Magnuson's snap went over Beathard's head to end the game."In order to win an ugly game in the NFL, you've got to be good on four-minute offense and four-minute defense, and we weren't there at the end, Shanahan said. "We went into that game knowing that we had to protect the ball and not turn it over and hoping to get turnovers. We accomplished that goal. That's why I think we had a very good chance to win at the end of the game."The Niners have three close losses this year, all after Beathard took over as starting quarterback in Week 4 following a season-ending knee injury to Jimmy Garoppolo.They blew chances on both sides of the ball in all three of those losses, leaving plenty of blame to hand around.After giving up the go-ahead field goal in the fourth quarter of a 29-27 loss at the Chargers on Sept. 30 Desmond King Jersey , the offense went three-and-out on the next drive before Beathard threw an interception. The defense was unable to force a kick on the final drive and the Chargers ran out the clock.The situation was even worse at Green Bay on Oct. 15 when the 49ers were unable to hold on to a 30-23 fourth-quarter lead against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. San Francisco had two three-and-outs with a chance to either run down the clock or add to the lead and allowed the Packers to drive 58 yards to the game-tying score.Beathard then threw an interception with the 49ers driving for a go-ahead field goal and Rodgers drove the Packers from their own 10 into range for Mason Crosby's game-winning field goal in the final 1:07.San Francisco almost blew another close game with Garoppolo at quarterback only to have a potential interception overturned by a defensive holding call on Detroit, allowing the 49ers to hold on for a 30-27 victory.NOTES: Shanahan said there has been no movement on potential trades before Tuesday's deadline, with receiver Pierre Garcon one of the players who has been discussed as a possible target for other teams. "I know those guys are talking nonstop right now and they'll probably do it all the way up to the deadline tomorrow," Shanahan said. ... The 49ers had several players nursing injuries who would have missed practice if they had one: Beathard (right wrist), S Antone Exum (concussion), LB Reuben Foster (hamstring), RB Raheem Mostert (ankle), G Mike Person (ankle) Authentic Russell Okung Jersey , C Weston Richburg (knee), CB Richard Sherman (calf, heel), T Joe Staley (ankle), S Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder). Custom Indianapolis Colts Jerseys
While some have been quick to label new Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins a bust. . .because durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Authentic Mike Hughes Jersey , I guess. . .most of us have come to the realization that he’s done a pretty darn good job for the Vikings thus far this season, particularly in light of how the other potential options they had to look at this offseason have fared. The folks from Pro Football Focus apparently lean more towards the correct opinion based on their latest list of NFL quarterbacks.Through the first nine weeks of the season, PFF has Cousins coming in at #8 on their list of quarterbacks. Given that there are only 32 starting quarterback jobs in the NFL, #8 would seem to be a pretty solid ranking.PFF has Cousins at #8 in accuracy percentage and #10 in “clean pocket grade.” Given how infrequently Cousins actually has a clean pocket to work with, I’m a little surprised that number isn’t higher. However, he’s done a solid enough job under pressure, apparently, to elevate himself into that #8 spot.By comparison, Case Keenum is down at #25 on this list, and Sam Bradford. . .well, he’s not even on it. Nor is Teddy Bridgewater or A.J. McCarron or most of the other options that the Vikings could have potentially brought in this offseason. The man that replaced Cousins in Washington, Alex Smith, is just ahead of Keenum at #24.Not that we need it Youth Anthony Barr Jersey , necessarily, but there’s another bit of confirmation that the Vikings and Rick Spielman did the right thing at quarterback this offseason. Name one facet of the Buffalo Bills offense and coach Sean McDermott will point to something in need of drastic improvement.From passing to protection, receiving to rushing, McDermott on Monday provided a blunt assessment of how anemic the Bills were a day following a 22-0 loss at Green Bay."Where do you want to start?" he said. "Offensively, wasn't good enough at all. Bottom line."A week after rookie quarterback Josh Allen, literally and physically, took a leap forward in his development by hurdling Minnesota linebacker Anthony Barr in a 27-6 win at Minnesota, he and the Bills offense took two — maybe three — steps back.Allen completed just five of his first 19 attempts and finished 16 of 33 for 151 yards passing, while being sacked seven times and committing three turnovers (two interceptions and a lost fumble).LeSean McCoy mustered just 24 yards rushing on five carries in a game the Bills managed a season-low 56 plays from scrimmage and had seven three-and-outs. Buffalo was shut out for the first time in 10 years and finished with just 145 yards, matching its worst total since a 40-7 loss at Chicago on Oct. 8, 2006.And Allen is getting hit so often, McDermott expressed concern over whether the first-round draft pick can stay healthy for the remainder of the season to continue his development."In order for the young man to play, he needs to be healthy Trae Waynes Jersey , and in order for him to be healthy, you can't stand back there and take hits," McDermott said.Not all the league-worst 21 sacks Buffalo has surrendered can be blamed on what's been a patchwork offensive line. Allen has been faulted for being indecisive and holding on to the ball too long.The trouble is, the Bills (1-3) have little time to address the numerous issues plaguing their offense in preparing to host the Tennessee Titans (3-1) on Sunday."Didn't do well in any area and that's my responsibility," offensive coordinator Brian Daboll said. "We'll work hard to get it fixed, but at the end of the day just not good enough."It doesn't help that Daboll is in his first year on the job, and overseeing a unit led by a rookie quarterback and a group of unproven receivers behind starter Kelvin Benjamin ."There are no excuses," he said. "We all have a job to do, and we got to make sure we do it well."One issue is Benjamin, the 2014 first-round draft pick whom the Bills acquired in a midseason trade with Carolina a year ago.Benjamin has just seven catches for 92 yards despite being targeted 21 times. His production mirrors that of the rest of Buffalo's receivers, who have combined for 26 catches for 330 yards and one touchdown through four games."I've got a concern with those types of numbers," McDermott said, when informed his receivers are averaging 82.5 yards a game.As for Buffalo's feeble running attack Authentic Danielle Hunter Jersey , he was critical with how the Bills were pushed around to open the game at Green Bay.After McCoy caught a 7-yard pass on the first play, the Bills were unable to convert a first down. McCoy ran for 2 yards on the next play, and then Chris Ivory was stopped for no gain.McDermott has issues, too, on defense after Buffalo allowed the Packers to convert 11 of 20 third-down situations.Take away a six-quarter stretch spanning the second half of Buffalo's 31-20 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 16 through the end of the Minnesota game, the Bills have been outscored by a combined 103-9, including a season-opening 47-3 loss at Baltimore."My patience hasn't worn thin," McDermott said. "When I see things that are up to our standard, we celebrate those. But when it's not up to our standard, my tolerance is not very high."
The Oakland Raiders have released former starting cornerback David Amerson in the first significant move since Jon Gruden took over as coach last month.
The Raiders announced the move to cut ties with Amerson on Monday before his $5.5 million salary for 2018 would have been fully guaranteed later this week.
Amerson was a revelation after being claimed off waivers from Washington by the Raiders early in the 2015 season. Amerson started 14 games for Oakland that year and set a franchise record with 26 passes defensed and added a career-high four interceptions.
That play earned Amerson a four-year contract extension the following summer worth up to $38 million 49ers Cheap Jerseys , but he never played to the level of that deal.
Amerson’s play regressed in 2016 and he struggled mightily this past season as part of a secondary that became the first to fail to record any interceptions in the first 10 games of the season in NFL history.
Amerson played only seven games before being sidelined by a foot injury for the rest of 2017. He allowed opponents to catch 23 of 31 passes thrown into his coverage area for 391 yards and four touchdowns. The 155.6 passer rating when targeting Amerson was the highest against any defender targeted at least 20 times, according to SportRadar.
Amerson was originally a second-round pick by Washington in 2013. He has eight interceptions and 63 passes defensed in 68 career games.
The Raiders still must make a decision on cornerback Sean Smith, who is owed $8.5 million for 2018 and might not be back. T.J. Carrie, who was the team’s most effective cornerback this past season, is eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next month.
Oakland is counting on 2017 first-round pick Gareon Conley to be the starter next season at one cornerback spot. He played just two games as a rookie because of injuries.
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DENVER — Jacob deGrom will start for the New York Mets, hoping the offensive life his teammates have shown will help him end his agonizing misfortune.
Colorado Rockies left-hander Tyler Anderson (4-1 4.48 ERA) will oppose de Grom (4-2, 1.55) in the opener of a four-game series at Coors Field.
The Mets scored four runs in the ninth inning Sunday to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-3, giving New York (30-38) consecutive victories for the first time since it won four straight games from May 18 to May 21. They scored on a two-strike double by Jose Bautista, a two-run homer by Brandon Nimmo and a solo homer by Asdrubal Cabrera.
“We’ve been waiting for a big hit to happen,” Nimmo said. “I don’t know what it means for the future, but for right now Seahawks Cheap Jerseys , to get two wins in a row against a good D-backs team, that’s awesome.”
Nimmo’s homer gave the Mets only their sixth win in 25 games since May 21.
Meanwhile, Rockies closer Wade Davis gave up four runs in the ninth inning Sunday and threw 38 pitches in one-third of an inning as the Rockies (34-37) fell 13-12 to the Texas Rangers. The meltdown finished a 2-4 road trip and the Rockies slipped three games below .500 for the first time this season.
The Rockies have lost 12 of their past 16 games, and Sunday’s defeat marked the 21st time — the most in the National League — the Rockies lost after having a lead. Their bullpen has a 5.49 ERA, the highest in the NL.
“It’s tough. There is no way around that,” Rockies shortstop Trevor Story said after the loss on Sunday. “You never want to lose games, obviously, late like that. It’s just one of those weird stretches right now. We are very confident in our guys, but it’s tough to put words to it.”
The Rockies have lost seven straight games at Coors Field where they play their next seven games against the Mets and the Miami Marlins. Their record there is 11-19.
The series against the Rockies will conclude a 10-game road trip for the Mets, who dropped the first four games before the back-to-back wins at Arizona.
The ace right-hander has the lowest ERA in the majors and has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 straight starts. During that span, he has a 0.87 ERA (six earned runs Arizona Cardinals Jerseys Womens , 62 1/3 innings) with 83 strikeouts and 17 walks, but the Mets are 2-8.
In his last start Wednesday at Atlanta, de Grom gave up one run in seven innings with no walks and seven strikeouts. It was his sixth straight start of at least seven innings in which he allowed two or fewer earned runs.
After the loss to the Braves, Mets third baseman Todd Frazier said, “For us not to put up any runs for him again, I told him I was sorry. I don’t know what else to tell him.”
DeGrom is the first pitcher since Randy Johnson of the 1999 Diamondbacks with five consecutive starts of seven innings or more with two or fewer runs allowed without his team coming away with a win.
De Grom is 3-0 with a 0.99 ERA in five starts against the Rockies and 0-0 with a 4.26 ERA in one start at Coors Field.
Anderson has thrown seven innings in each of his past two starts — both on the road, including a 7-2 win on Wednesday at Philadelphia, where he gave up six hits and one run and broke a string of four straight no-decisions.
Anderson is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA in one start against the Mets.
The Rockies are 7-7 in starts by Anderson, who is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in five starts at Coors Field this year and 9-6 with a 3.73 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) there.
ave up four runs and nine hits over 5 1/3 innings. He has just one win over his last 11 starts. Marcell Ozuna homered for the Cardinals Colts Cheap Jerseys , who have lost three of four.
MARLINS 5, GIANTS 4
MIAMI (AP) – Brian Anderson hit a game-ending sacrifice fly in the ninth inning to lift Miami over San Francisco.
J.T. Realmuto had two hits and scored twice for the Marlins, who have won three straight for the first time since winning four in a row April 28-May 1.
Andrew McCutchen hit a two-run home run and Buster Posey had three hits for the Giants, who have lost four of five.
Drew Steckenrider (3-1) pitched a scoreless top of the ninth.
Wrestling masks have replaced the dog masks.
The underdog Philadelphia Eagles are having fun with the media frenzy leading up to the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. They’re staying relaxed, loose and won’t be intimidated by their opponent’s incredible success.
Three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson on Wednesday donned masks that resembled the ones WWE star Rey Mysterio and other luchadores wear in the ring.
”This was a gift from Mexico so I can have super powers all week,” Cox said about the green mask featuring an Eagles logo.
”I’m just having fun right now. We know why we’re here. We can’t come into this all uptight. You have fun when it’s time to have fun and get serious when it’s time to get serious.”
Johnson and defensive end Chris Long pulled out German shepherd masks and wore them off the field and in their interviews after the Eagles beat Atlanta in the divisional round. The Eagles (15-3) were the first No. 1 seed to enter their first playoff game as an underdog.
The city Jaguars Cheap Jerseys , which has always had an underdog personality, embraced the masks. Johnson and Long then turned it into a charitable venture . They created underdog T-shirts that were sold with all proceeds going to the Philadelphia school district’s not-for-profit arm.
The Eagles were underdogs again in the NFC championship game and routed the Vikings 38-7. They’re in the same spot against the Patriots, who are 4+-point favorites on Sunday.
But these Eagles don’t fear Bill Belichick, Tom Brady or New England’s dynasty. Johnson called Brady a ”pretty boy” and made it clear he’s not bothered by the hype.
”I definitely respect him and all that he’s done in this league,” Johnson told The Associated Press. ”I’m not going to go into the Super Bowl worshipping this man and make him more than what he is. No disrespect.
”As far as bulletin-board material, they can put it on their nightstands for all I care Chiefs Cheap Jerseys , in their bathrooms, I don’t care. I don’t think you need any motivation to play in the Super Bowl. They know that.”
Brady and Belichick have led the Patriots to five Super Bowl titles, including two of the past three seasons. They beat the Eagles 24-21 in the big game 13 years ago.
Philadelphia players respect the duo’s accomplishments, but aren’t going into the game already defeated. Several players were part of a 35-28 upset win at New England in 2015. The Eagles were a losing team under Chip Kelly that season, but still went on the road and knocked off the 10-1 Patriots.
That won’t matter when the teams meet for the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Still, it’s a confidence-booster for some guys.
”I think when you’ve been playing for a long time Patriots Cheap Jerseys , you’ve had games where you’ve played unbelievable players and unbelievable coaches,” All-Pro center Jason Kelce said.
”To me, this isn’t any different. These guys have been more consistent throughout the years, but this is the NFL. You play good players every week. There’s good coaches you go against every week. I don’t think you look at this any different than the fact that this is just another game. You see what they do really well and how you can defend it.”
Eric Thames doesn’t give much thought to the way he wrecks the Reds Aleksander Barkov Jersey , leaving everyone else to marvel.
Thames hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning Thursday night, and the Milwaukee Brewers slowed the Cincinnati Reds‘ best surge of the season with a 6-4 victory .
Thames has been the Reds’ biggest nemesis. He hit a record 10 homers against Cincinnati last year – the most by a Brewer against one team in a single season. Thames gave the Brewers a 5-4 lead when he homered in the seventh inning off reliever Amir Garrett (0-1).
Thames’ third home this season against the Reds was the turning point in a game that started badly for the Brewers and included a benches-clearing incident in the third inning when Cincinnati’s Joey Votto exchanged words with catcher Erik Kratz.
”I’m not really thinking about, `It’s the Reds, yeah I’m going to get some hits,’ or whatever,” Thames said. ”In this park, the ball will travel a little bit, so that’s nice. For me, it doesn’t matter if it’s the Royals, the Yankees or the Reds, I try to have the same approach.”
Thames is 3 of 3 in his career against the left-handed Garrett with three homers.
”Me and him, we have a past history – three home runs,” Garrett said. ”He got me today. Sometimes Evgenii Dadonov Jersey Kids , you get got. That’s how the game is.”
Jesus Aguilar hit a two-run homer off Anthony DeSclafani, connecting for the third straight game. Eric Sogard added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.
Milwaukee beat the Reds for the sixth straight time and improved to 6-1 overall against Cincinnati this season, including 4-0 at Great American Ball Park.
Junior Guerra (4-5) gave up Jose Peraza’s second career leadoff homer and Jesse Winker’s two-run shot while getting his first victory since May 14. Corey Knebel pitched the ninth for his eighth save in 10 chances.
The last-place Reds were the hottest team in the NL Central heading into the game, winning nine of their last 10 games.
Votto was in the middle of a dispute for the second straight game.
The third inning opened with Votto thinking he’d drawn a walk on a 3-1 pitch, but plate umpire Roberto Ortiz called it a strike. When Votto returned to the batter’s box, he exchanged words with Kratz. Votto removed his batting helmet, and the benches and bullpens emptied.
Players milled briefly, many joking with one another. When play resumed, Votto flied out.
”It was just a little bit of a misunderstanding at the plate,” Votto said. ”It was just two guys having words. It was really nothing.”
Votto was ejected in Atlanta on Wednesday by plate umpire Carlos Torres for arguing a called third strike, his eighth career ejection.
MILWAUKEE MOVES
The Brewers called up LH reliever Mike Zagurski from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned RH Adrian Houser. Zagurski last pitched in the majors in 2013 with the Pirates. He played in the Japan Central League in 2015-16.
THAMES’ STATS
Thames homered off a left-hander for the first time since June 6 last year against San Diego’s Ryan Buchter. Thames missed 41 games earlier this season with a torn ligament in his left thumb. His three homers off Garrett are his highest total off any pitcher. He has six homers in 34 career at-bats in GABP.
”We’ve had no answer for him,” interim Reds manager Jim Riggleman said.
GOING DEEP
Aguilar has homered in three consecutive games for the second time this season – he also did it from May 18-20. He recorded his eighth three-hit game this season, a career high.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Brewers: CF Christian Yelich left the game with a tight lower back after he grounded out in the first inning. He felt his back tighten a couple steps toward first base. … Travis Shaw was back at third base after missing two games with a sore right wrist. He took batting practice pregame and felt good enough to play Lions Cheap Jerseys , although the wrist is likely to bother him at times. He went 0 for 4.
Reds: Top prospect Nick Senzel today had surgery on his broken right index finger. Senzel hurt his finger Friday with Triple-A Louisville. There’s no estimate for the infielder’s return.
UP NEXT
Brewers: Chase Anderson (5-6) beat the Reds 7-6 at Great American Ball Park on May 1, allowing four runs in 5 1/3 innings. He’s 2-1 with a 4.15 ERA in six career starts at Great American.
Reds: Sal Romano (4-7) has lost all of his four career starts against the Brewers, giving up 13 runs in 18 2/3 innings.
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The opener of the Boston Red Sox’s three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Friday night went as anticipated on paper.
The Red Sox jumped out to an 8-0 lead after two innings and Chris Sale dominated the Royals, striking out 12 in six innings. The Royals scored four meaningless runs the final three innings against the Red Sox bullpen in a 10-5 loss.
The Red Sox and Royals will meet again Saturday night and Boston will again be heavily favored.
Boston (60-29) leads the majors with 60 victories and has a major league-best .674 winning percentage. The Red Sox are 31 games above .500 for the first time since concluding the 2013 season at 97-65.
Their 60 wins are the fourth most after 89 games in the 118-year franchise history. The only teams with more wins after 89 games were the 1946 Red Sox at 63-26 and the 1912 and 1978 clubs at 61-28.
Boston is 5-2 on its nine-game, 10-day trip to New York, Washington and Kansas City. It is 32-17 away from Fenway Park.
The Red Sox are 3-1 against the Royals this season. The Royals went 8-4 against the Red Sox in the previous two seasons, Boston’s worst record against any opponent during that span.
Left-hander David Price will start for the Red Sox on Saturday. He is 9-6 with a 4.28 ERA in his first 17 starts.
Price is coming off a poor start on Sunday at Yankee Stadium, allowing eight runs and nine hits across 3 1/3 innings.
Before that, Price had been magnificent in his previous nine starts, posting a 7-1 record with a 2.72 ERA. He allowed 17 earned runs in 56 1/3 innings during a span from May 12 through June 26. He allowed no more than three earned runs in any of those starts.
Price is unbeaten in seven career starts and one bullpen appearance against the Royals. He is 4-0 with a 2.13 ERA against Kansas City, giving up 12 earned runs in 50 2/3 innings.
The Red Sox’s dynamic duo of Mookie Betts and J.D. Martinez are tough on any pitching staff and that was the case again Friday.
Betts led off the game with a home run, the 100th of his career. He joins Tony Conigliaro Packers Cheap Jerseys , Jim Rice and Ted Williams as the only Red Sox players with 100 home runs before their 26th birthday.
Betts is batting .369 (41-for-111) with nine home runs and 19 RBIs in 26 career games against the Royals. His batting average is the best for any opposing hitter with a minimum of 100 at-bats against Kansas City.
Martinez hit a two-run shot in the second inning and leads the majors with 27 home runs. Only Carl Yastrzemski, 29 in 1969, and David Ortiz, 31 in 2006, had more homers before the All-Star break. Martinez leads the American League with 73 RBIs.
The Royals will send rookie right-hander Brad Keller (2-3, 2.09 ERA) to the mound as they attempt to snap a seven-game losing streak.
Keller, a Rule Five pick from the Arizona Diamondbacks, threw an eight-inning, complete-game six-hitter at Seattle in his previous start, only to lose 1-0 to the Mariners.
He is 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA in 13 appearances at Kauffman Stadium. He has a 2.25 ERA in three home starts.
Keller made two relief appearances in May at Boston. He got the final two outs of the seventh inning withoutout giving up any runs in a 5-4, 11-inning victory on May 1 and the next day threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in two runs Ravens Cheap Jerseys , Eduardo Rodriguez struck out six in six innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 3-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
Rodriguez (10-3) allowed three hits and walked one. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances, finishing a six-hitter.
The Nationals (42-43) have lost five in a row to fall below .500 this late in the season for the first time since being 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015. The preseason NL East favorites held a players-only meeting after the game.
A throwing error by Adam Eaton on Bradley’s sacrifice fly and a wild pitch by Ryan Madson (2-4) in the seventh inning contributed to Washington’s 17th loss in 22 games.
Nationals starter Erick Fedde left one batter into the second inning with right shoulder stiffness. Manager Davey Martinez said Fedde was scheduled to have an MRI.
YANKEES 6, BRAVES 2
NEW YORK (AP) – Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer and CC Sabathia pitched six effective innings, leading the Yankees to the victory.
Yankees rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres left in the fifth inning because of tightness in his right hip and was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain.
Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka also homered for New York. Higashioka became the ninth player since 1920 whose first three hits were home runs.
Sabathia (6-3) yielded two runs and five hits.
Atlanta starter Julio Teheran (6-6) lasted just five innings, allowing five runs and five hits. He struck out 10 and walked four.
CARDINALS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 4
PHOENIX (AP) – Yadier Molina and Yairo Munoz homered, Miles Mikolas threw six strong innings and St. Louis broke loose late to beat Arizona and take two of three from the first-place Diamondbacks.
Molina’s three-run shot on the first pitch from reliever Fernando Salas highlighted a five-run seventh inning after Arizona had nursed a 2-1 lead through six. Tommy Pham drove in three Cardinals runs with a double and two singles.
The Diamondbacks dropped to 1-5 on their homestand and lead the surging Dodgers by just a half-game in the NL West.
Mikolas (9-3) gave up two runs, seven hits and four walks.
Arizona reliever Yoshihisa Hirano (2-1) had his franchise-record streak of 26 games without allowing a run end when Munoz homered on the first pitch of the seventh. Hirano gave up four runs, one earned, on three hits in two-thirds of an inning for his first loss since coming to the major leagues from Japan this season.
ASTROS 5, RANGERS 4, 10 INNINGS
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Evan Gattis drove in Jose Altuve with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, sending AL West-leading Houston to the road win.
Altuve stopped a 0-for-13 slide with a one-out single in the 10th. Chris Martin (1-2) then hit Yuli Gurriel with a pitch before an errant pickoff throw allowed both runners to move up. Gattis followed with a fly ball to right-center.
Gurriel homered Bills Cheap Jerseys , doubled and scored twice as the Astros overcame an early four-run deficit. Collin McHugh (4-0) pitched three scoreless innings, and Ken Giles got three outs for his 12th save.
Texas’ Shin-Soo Choo homered and singled to extend his on-base streak to 44 games, the longest in his career and in the majors this season.
DODGERS 6, PIRATES 4
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Rich Hill earned his first win in three months, Yasmani Grandal and Chris Taylor drove in three runs apiece, and the Dodgers swept the Pirates for the second straight year.
The Dodgers outscored the Pirates 31-8 in the three-game series while winning their fourth in a row overall.
Hill (2-3) allowed two runs in five innings for his first victory since April 1. Kenley Jansen earned a five-out save, his 23rd of the season.
Gregory Polanco hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh. Clay Holmes (0-1) was charged with four runs in 2 1/3 innings in his first major league start.
CUBS 5, TIGERS 2
CHICAGO (AP) – Javier Baez stole home, Willson Contreras hit a tiebreaking homer and the Cubs earned their sixth straight victory.
Conditions at Wrigley Field favored the long ball, with a game-time temperature of 92 degrees, a heat index of 102 and the wind blowing out.
David Bote also connected for Chicago. Jose Quintana (7-6) pitched six effective innings in his first win since May 31, and Brandon Morrow got three outs for his 19th save.
Nicholas Castellanos and John Hicks went deep for Detroit, which has dropped 13 of 15. Francisco Liriano (3-5) permitted three runs in six innings.
ATHLETICS 4, PADRES 2
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Stephen Piscotty doubled three times and drove in three runs Panthers Cheap Jerseys , powering Oakland to the win.
Khris Davis added an RBI single for the A’s, who have won 14 of 17 to move a season-high nine games over .500.
Lou Trivino (7-1) retired two batters for the win. Blake Treinen pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.
Christian Villanueva hit his 17th home run for San Diego. Jose Castillo (1-2) got the loss.
PHILLIES 4, ORIOLES 1
PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Aaron Nola stuck out nine in seven innings, Nick Williams hit a two-run homer and the Phillies beat the Orioles to sweep a two-game interleague series.
Nola (11-2) gave up one run and seven hits to win his fifth straight decision. Victor Arano tossed two innings for his first career save.
Philadelphia pulled within 1 1/2 games of NL East-leading Atlanta and improved 10 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 2011 season with a franchise-record 102 wins.
Orioles right-hander Yefry Ramirez (0-2) gave up two runs – one earned – and one hit in five innings.
METS 6, B Enrique Hernandez has helped the Los Angeles Dodgers solve a problem they’ve had for years – Giants ace Madison Bumgarner.
Hernandez and Matt Kemp each homered for the second consecutive game, Alex Wood got his first victory since May 20 and the Dodgers beat Bumgarner and San Francisco 3-1 on Saturday night.
Hernandez’s two-run shot in the fifth inning was his fourth career homer against Bumgarner in 34 at-bats. He also has five doubles against the left-hander.
The utility player usually feasts on Bumgarner’s fastballs, but he punished the left-hander for a bevy of breaking pitches Saturday, crushing one into the left field seats for his 10th home run this season.
”He adjusted to me and I hadn’t really made many adjustments,” Hernandez said. ”Today he came at me with the same gameplan and it took me three at-bats to adjust, but I’m glad that I did.”
Bumgarner (0-2) was making just his third start since returning from the disabled list because of a broken finger that occurred during spring training. He threw 112 pitches while giving up three runs on five hits over six innings.
”Each time out I’m getting better and better, that’s all I can ask for,” Bumgarner said. ”It’s the first time I went over 100 pitches and my velocity is creeping up and my stretch and grip is coming back.”
The Dodgers have won five straight, all at home, and are 11-2 in June and 21-6 since May 17.
The Giants have lost 17 of their last 23 road games and are 3-6 on their 10-game trip to Washington, Miami and Los Angeles.
Kemp hit his 12th home run and has reached base in 15 of his last 18 games against the Giants. Both Hernandez and Kemp went deep in a 3-2 win Friday over the Giants.
The Dodgers lead the majors with 34 home runs in 13 games in June.
Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth for his 17th save.
The Dodgers clinched their first series victory over the Giants this season and evened the season series 6-6.
WOOD STANDS TALL IN VICTORY
Wood (2-5) credited a change in mechanics for his improvement Saturday. He was coming off a three-start stretch when he gave up 13 earned runs in 12 innings Bengals Cheap Jerseys , going two innings in one start and 4 2/3 in another.
On Saturday, the left-hander gave up one run on four hits over 5 2/3 innings with two walks and two strikeouts. He held the Giants hitless until Mac Williamson singled to lead off the fifth.
”We found something with my posture,” Wood said. ”I saw some good strides in my (between-start) bullpen and got some repetitions out there. I felt really good with the adjustment and saw that translate over.”
Wood gave up three hits in the fifth, but the Giants’ only run in the inning came on a sacrifice fly from Alen Hanson. Wood threw 29 of his 85 pitches in the fifth inning.
”As the game went on, I got a little fatigued,” Wood said. ”I think you naturally start to revert back to some of the things you got yourself into, but I felt really good about the progress tonight.”
TRAINERS ROOM
Giants: 3B Evan Longoria elected to have surgery to insert a pin into his fractured left hand with the hopes of returning shortly after the All-Star break. … RHP Johnny Cueto, on the DL with right elbow inflammation, will throw live batting practice Monday. … RHP Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) pitched three innings for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday and manager Bruce Bochy said he believes his starter will be back soon.
Dodgers: LHP Clayton Kershaw (back) will pitch a three-inning simulated start either Tuesday or Wednesday at Dodger Stadium while the Dodgers are in Chicago to face the Cubs. Manager Dave Roberts said Kershaw will follow that outing with a bullpen session and likely another simulated start before going out on a minor league rehab assignment. … LHP Rich Hill (blister) followed his minor league rehab start Thursday with a bullpen session Saturday and remains on track to return to the active roster Tuesday at Chicago.
UP NEXT
RHP Chris Stratton (7-4, 4.56 ERA) will pitch for the Giants on Sunday at Dodger Stadium in the finale of a three-game series. LHP Caleb Ferguson (0-0, 9.53) will be looking to pitch past the fourth inning for the first time as he makes his third career start for the Dodgers.
Rhys Hoskins gave the Phillies all the runs Zach Eflin needed to stay perfect in June.
Eflin continued to shine for Philadelphia with just four hits allowed over seven shutout innings Titans Game Jerseys , and Hoskins hit a three-run homer to help the Phillies beat the New York Yankees 3-0 on Wednesday night.
Eflin, acquired in the 2014 trade that sent fan favorite and former NL MVP Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers, won his fifth straight start and kept the surprising Phillies in the thick of the NL East race.
”You can see why they’re kind of excited about him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. ”I thought he threw the ball really well and really was in command. He kind of shut us down. We were pretty quiet. Even when we’re not scoring runs, we’re mounting things. We really didn’t mount that much against him.”
Eflin (6-2) became the first Phillies pitcher to win five starts in a month (he had a 1.76 ERA in June) since Cole Hamels went 5-0 in May 2012. Eflin has turned into a stopper of sorts for Philly: He won his fourth game this month following a Phillies loss. Eflin walked two, struck out six and helped the Phillies avoid a three-game sweep before beginning a key four-game series against the division rival Washington Nationals. The Phillies trail the Atlanta Braves by 2 1/2 games, and the Nationals are 3 1/2 back.
”Being able to be healthy and to focus on pitching alone is probably the biggest thing,” Eflin said. ”Going in with a great game plan and two catchers who know how to call a great game is extremely beneficial. And doing that and putting the puzzle pieces together has been awesome.”
Eflin, who did not allow a homer over 30 2/3 innings in June, also at last got most of the 42,028 fans at packed Citizens Bank Park to root, root, root for the home team. Yankees fans swarmed the stadium for all three games of the series, and ”Let’s go Yankees!” chants boomed at first pitch.
By the time Searanthony Dominguez struck out Gleyber Torres to wrap up his fifth save, over two scoreless innings, Phillies fans were on their feet as Yankees fans trudged toward the exits.
Manager Gabe Kapler implored Phillies fans to pack CBP for the Nationals series.
”You need exposure to that because we expect to be in the playoffs many times in the coming years,” he said. ”These are young players that are going to be expected to perform under those conditions. It’s nice to have some exposure to that early in their careers.”
The Yankees, who have the best record in baseball at 52-26 Redskins Game Jerseys , sat slugging outfielder Aaron Judge for the series finale. Boone wanted to pair a day of rest with Thursday’s off day to keep Judge fresh when the team returns to the Bronx for a weekend set with Boston. The Yankees and Red Sox have been neck and neck atop the AL East, the only teams with a legitimate shot at the division title.
Luis Cessa (0-1) lasted only three innings in his first start for the Yankees since last Aug. 14 and was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after taking the loss. The Phillies had two runners on and two outs in the second inning when Hoskins connected on an opposite-field shot to left for his 12th homer of the season. He hit his sixth home run in 17 games this June, and he has given the Phillies a lead with 11 of his homers.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka, on the 10-day DL since June 9 with strained left and right hamstrings, is set to throw again on Friday. The Yankees haven’t decided if Tanaka will make a rehab start or throw a simulated game.
Phillies: RHP Pat Neshek, out all season because of an injured right shoulder, is set to make his third rehab appearance on Friday. He’s pitched twice for Double-A Reading. … RHP Jerad Eickhoff (nerve) will throw a bullpen session on Thursday and head to Florida for more work. … RHP Luis Garcia (sore right wrist) will throw a bullpen session on Friday and could possibly be activated on Sunday. … RHP Edubray Ramos (right shoulder) will throw from flat ground on Thursday.
HOSKINS MILESTONES
Hoskins became the fastest Phillie to reach 30 career homers in games played (119), topping Chuck Klein (132) and Ryan Howard (134).
”My first thought was, `Wow.’ Any time you get mentioned in a sentence with either of those guys or anyone of their caliber is pretty humbling,” he said.
RELIEF ACE
Yankees reliever Giovanny Gallegos struck out a career-high six over three innings.
UP NEXT
Yankees: After a day off on Thursday, CC Sabathia (4-3, 3.18 ERA) takes the mound to open the three-game set against the Red Sox. Boone said Luis Severino, the majors’ first 12-game winner, will start on Sunday.
Phillies: RHP Aaron Nola (9-2, 2.58) opens the first of a four-game series against the Nationals.
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PHOENIX — Crack the door, and these days the Arizona Diamondbacks will blow right through.
Three times in their last four games, Arizona has made an opponent pay and pay and pay for a blunder here or a miscue there.
The Diamondbacks did it again Tuesday, when they took advantage of three throwing errors in a six-run first inning for the impetus needed for a 13-8 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. The game was not decided until Jon Jay’s three-run homer in the seventh inning Cardinals Cheap Jerseys , but the decisive first inning helped them build an 8-0 lead.
“Those are some of the characteristics of a good team, that when they sniff a little blood, they are going to go out there and execute,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “When you get second chances in this game, you have to take advantage. Our guys are ready for that.
“We talk about them (opponents) being in their most vulnerable state when they are making mistakes, and we have to be ready. It’s not a good feeling when you are on the (other) side of it and it is not going well. But when you are executing and fighting back a little bit, it is very gratifying.”
Arizona right-hander Zack Greinke, who has lost only one of his last 25 starts at Chase Field, will oppose Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon in the final game of the series Wednesday.
The Pirates have lost eight straight series, and a failure to execute has hurt in the first two games of this series. They blew a 5-0 lead entering the seventh inning in a 9-5 loss Monday, when the Diamondbacks combined timely hitting and extra benefits, including hit batter, an infield error, two wild pitches and a balk.
First baseman Josh Bell and second baseman Josh Harrison had throwing errors and pitcher Trevor Williams made an errant pickoff throw in the first inning Tuesday around two singles and Ketel Marte’s two-out, two-run triple. Five of the six runs were unearned.
“We didn’t handle the ball like we needed to handle the ball,” Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. “We weren’t able to execute defensively the way we needed to execute defensively. We’ve got work to do. We are not playing at the level we are capable of playing.”
Arizona scored six runs in the eighth inning of a 12-7 victory at Colorado on Saturday, capitalizing on a double-error by reliever Bryan Shaw early in the inning. Only one of those six runs was earned.
“That’s what you have to do,” said Jay Falcons Cheap Jerseys , who had his first three hits in his fifth game with the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. “When you have chances, you have to make the most out of the opportunities. We’ve been able to do that the last couple of days, and we just have to keep it going.
“I think that’s the mentality they have here. I saw that last year playing on the other side. That’s just the mentality you have to have.”
The Diamondbacks have scored 51 runs in their five-game winning streak, with heavy contributions from Paul Goldschmidt and Marte. Goldschmidt is hitting .477 with five homers and 12 RBIs in the last 11 games, with six multi-hit games. Marte is hitting .389 with 11 extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in the last 11. He hit his NL-leading seventh triple Tuesday.
Greinke (5-4, 3.53 ERA) has won his last two decisions and is 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA and a .229 opponents’ batting average since beating the Dodgers at Chase Field on April 30. He is undefeated at home this season, going 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA in seven starts while continuing the success he had at home last year. Greinke was 13-1 with a 2.87 ERA in 18 home starts in 2017.
Greinke took a no-hitter into the eighth inning of a 2-1 victory over Pittsburgh at Chase Field last season, losing it when Gregory Polanco led off with a homer down the right-field line. Greinke struck out 11 and walked one in that game, his lone start against the Pirates last season. He is 7-3 with a 4.59 ERA in 11 career starts against the Pirates, about half of those games coming when he was with Milwaukee in 2011-12.
Taillon (3-5, 4.08) has been effective for the most part, but a few rocky outings this season caused his ERA to jump over 4.00. He has given up three runs or fewer in 10 of his 13 starts, but has given up five, seven and six in the other three.
After winning his first two decisions and giving up two earned runs in his first 20 2/3 innings, Taillon is 1-5 with a 5.36 ERA. He has not faced the Diamondbacks in his three seasons.
Cincinnati’s Matt Harvey will try to build on the momentum from his last start 49ers Game Jerseys , but he’ll have to do it against a team that has handled the right-hander, even when he was in his top form.
Harvey (2-5, 5.66 ERA) will start the second game of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. The Braves will counter with veteran Anibal Sanchez (3-1, 2.55).
The Braves won the series opener 5-4 in 11 innings on Monday to end Cincinnati’s seven-game winning streak. Atlanta leads the season series 3-2.
“It’s starting to come around,” Harvey said. “We have been watching a lot of video, making sure everything stays the same throughout the start.”
Harvey defeated the Chicago Cubs 6-2 in his last start and allowed two runs in six innings, striking out six. That broke a three-game losing streak and improved his record to 2-3 with Cincinnati, which he joined on April 8 in a trade that sent catcher Devin Mesoraco to the New York Mets.
“(The Cubs game) was a lot closer,” Harvey said. “It’s trusting your mechanics and the work that goes in between starts.”
But in 13 career starts against Atlanta, Harvey is 3-7 with a 5.27 ERA. He appeared in two games against the Braves while with the Mets and went 0-1 with a 12.37 ERA. In his only start against Atlanta in 2018 Seahawks Game Jerseys , Harvey allowed six runs in six innings.
Sanchez has been the biggest surprise of the season for Atlanta. Picked up late in spring training, the right-hander has provided consistency in the back end of the rotation. After missing a month with a hamstring injury, Sanchez has made five starts and gone 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA.
He was roughed up a bit at Toronto in last start, giving up four runs on five hits and four walks in five innings.
Sanchez has not faced the Reds this season. In four career starts against Cincinnati, Sanchez is 2-2 with a 2.52 ERA. He threw a two-hit shutout against the Reds in 2015, the last time he’s defeated them.
Atlanta continues to show the ability to produce in the late innings and lead the National League with 141 runs in the seventh or later. On Monday the Braves scored the tying run in the seventh and won it in the 11th when second baseman Ozzie Albies delivered the game-winning homer.
It was the 17th homer for Albies and the first walkoff homer of his career.
Albies is batting .545 (12-for-22) during the four games of the current homestand. He had two doubles to go with his homer on Tuesday and leads the league with 44 extra-base hits.
“He’s starting to swing the bat,” manager Brian Snitker said. “He’s been a real stellar guy for us. No doubt he’s aggressive. That makes him what he is. He’s having a heckuva year.”
Cincinnati right fielder Scott Schebler had a double and a homer in the series opener. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games and 17 of his last 18. Schebler missed three games in the last series while on the bereavement list.
Shohei Ohtani’s elbow injury has healed enough that the Los Angeles Angels‘ two-way star can begin a hitting program immediately.
General manager Billy Eppler said Thursday that Ohtani underwent an MRI in Los Angeles that showed improvement to his ulnar collateral ligament, clearing him to take batting practice in private.
”That’s news I was hoping to hear,” Eppler said on a conference call.
Ohtani was placed on the disabled list with a UCL sprain June 8. He will be re-evaluated by doctors in three weeks.
Asked whether Ohtani needs Tommy John surgery that could cause him to miss the rest of this season as well as all of the 2019 season, Eppler said Buccaneers Game Jerseys , ”No doctor has told me that Shohei needs surgical intervention at this time.”
Ohtani has a Grade 2 sprain, or partial tear, of the UCL in his right elbow. In hopes of avoiding Tommy John surgery, the Angels had Ohtani’s ligament injected with platelet-rich plasma and stem cells earlier this month. Eppler said he has not had additional injections.
Eppler said Ohtani will not play in rehab games but will take batting practice in a ”private and controlled environment” and could face live pitching as soon as this weekend. Because Ohtani is not a position player, rehab games were deemed unnecessary.
”We can control a little bit more the progression,” Eppler said. ”This allows for more freedom, structure and control.”
Ohtani has not been cleared to pitch yet.
His last appearance came June 6 in a start against Kansas City. Ohtani left after four innings with a blister and also mentioned he was feeling tightness in his elbow. An MRI taken the next day revealed the UCL in his right elbow had progressed from a Grade 1 strain to a more serious Grade 2 level.
Ohtani won four of his first five decisions before getting injured. He was batting .289 with six home runs and 20 RBIs.
”I know that not being able to play baseball competitively and only being able to train doesn’t really satisfy his appetite and his hunger to play,” Eppler said. ”He’s now one step closer. I can only assume he’s excited about it.”
The Turner family could be growing within the Carolina Panthers organization.
The team is interviewing Norv Turner for its vacant offensive coordinator position Redskins Elite Jerseys , said a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press Thursday on condition of anonymity because the team does not discuss potential coaching candidates.
The Panthers fired offensive coordinator Mike Shula and quarterbacks coach Ken Dorsey Tuesday, two days after a playoff loss to the Saints.
If the 65-year-old Turner is hired, he’s expected to bring in his son Scott as quarterbacks coach. Scott Turner is an offensive analyst at the University of Michigan and previously worked for the Panthers as an offensive quality control coordinator from 2011-12.
It would also be quite a family reunion if both are hired.
Norv Turner’s brother, Ron, is an offensive consultant for the Panthers and his nephew Cameron is the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach.
After initially giving Shula a vote of confidence on Monday, Panthers coach Ron Rivera fired him a day later saying that the team’s offense needed a ”different perspective” and ”different ideas” going forward.
Carolina was 11-5 this season and finished 19th in total offense under Shula, but again struggled moving the ball through the air finishing 28th in the league. Quarterback Cam Newton turned in his worst two quarterback ratings of his career in the last two seasons.
Norv Turner began working in the NFL in 1985 as a wide receivers coach for the Los Angeles Rams and later won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys as an offensive coordinator in the early 1990s.
Turner has worked as the head coach of the Washington Redskins (1994-2000), Oakland Raiders (2004-05) and San Diego Chargers (2007-12) and was a combined 114-122-1 with five playoff appearances but no Super Bowl appearances. While in San Diego, Turner employed Rivera as his defensive coordinator before the Panthers hired him as head coach in 2011.
Turner last worked in the NFL from 2014-16 as the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
Former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Torry Holt praised Turner on Twitter, tweeting ”get ready for Bang 8’s, Deep Digs, Power Run game, and a ton of shifts on offense. His style will challenge his players. Outstanding offensive MIND.”
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DENVER — In the rubber game of their series Sunday, the Miami Marlins for the third straight game will start a pitcher against the Colorado Rockies who has never taken the mound at Coors Field.
The Marlins’ hope is that left-hander Caleb Smith (5-6 Cardinals Game Jerseys , 4.03 ERA) replicates the effort of Trevor Richards and not Wei-Yin Chen.
The latter wasn’t hit hard Friday night but gave up nine hits and seven runs in four innings, and the Rockies romped 11-3. On Saturday, Richards allowed three hits and one run in six innings in Miami’s 6-2 victory.
Smith received a no-decision Monday at San Francisco, allowing four runs and six hits and throwing 88 pitches in four innings in Miami’s 5-4 victory. Smith allowed two hits and one walk in seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in his only start against the Rockies on April 29 in Miami.
Smith has limited opponents to a .221 average and in 76 innings has allowed 62 hits with 87 strikeouts and 32 walks.
“He’s been pretty good,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Smith, who turns 27 next month and was acquired in a November deal with the New York Yankees. “He’s been a nice surprise for us. He’s a guy with a lot of swing-and-miss without having huge velocity. But they don’t see the ball that well.
“He’s got a good little breaking ball. He’s got a good changeup. And everything works off his fastball. He’s not really a young, young guy. He’s a guy that’s been a little bit more polished, a guy that we’re really more willing to just keep putting him in there, not worrying about his innings (limit) or things like that. Early in the year, we were trying to find out is he a reliever, is he a starter, but he’s been pretty solid for us out of the rotation.”
German Marquez (5-7, 5.20) will start for the Rockies. He won for the first time in four starts Tuesday against the New York Mets when he gave up four runs in six innings in Colorado’s 10-8 victory. He’s 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA in two starts against the Marlins, including April 28 when he gave up three runs (one earned) in six innings in Colorado’s 4-1 loss.
The Rockies are 7-8 in starts by Marquez Falcons Game Jerseys , who is 2-4 with a 7.45 ERA in eight starts at Coors Field this season.
The Marlins broke a three-game losing streak Saturday and are 4-4 on a three-city road trip that ends Sunday. They scored at least six runs for the first time in a 10-game span, which they last accomplished June 11 in a 7-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants.
The Rockies had their four-game winning streak end Saturday as they dropped to 4-2 on a homestand that ends Sunday. Bryan Shaw gave up a grand slam in the seventh inning to J.T. Realmuto, a line drive that just cleared the wall in right field and put the Marlins ahead 6-1.
It was the career-high-tying eighth home run Shaw has allowed this season and the first grand slam he has yielded.
In a major-league leading 41 appearances, Shaw has a 7.57 ERA. He has been scored upon in 11 of his past 16 appearances, a stretch in which he has a 13.15 ERA in 13 innings while allowing 29 hits, including five homers.
A free agent after last season, Shaw signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Rockies, who envisioned him working in a setup role. That may be changing.
Scott Obert (back strain) and Mike Dunn (rhomboid strain) are scheduled to make rehab appearances Saturday and Monday and if all goes well, they will join the Rockies on Tuesday in San Francisco and be activated the following day. That would pave the way for Shaw to pitch earlier in the game in lower-leveraged situations.
“We might have to take a step back with Bryan going forward, if we get some of our guys back,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.
25.02.2019 04:26