NFL free agents are going to have to figure that out as they contemplate where to sign this off-season. With a bunch of cap space http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/lorenzo-alexander-jersey-authentic , Buffalo has the cash, but do they have the cachet? Exciting QuarterbackThe Bills have an exciting quarterback who showed everyone that he’s better than they thought when he was coming out of college. Josh Allen put his money where his mouth is plenty of times last off-season. He’s not afraid to go for the big play. He takes chances. He keeps plays alive. He has a great relationship with the other guys on his team. Receivers should be lining up to play with a guy like that. Sean McDermottPeople love playing for this guy. He holds everyone accountable but also respects every player in his locker room. When he disciplined Ray-Ray McCloud III and LeSean McCoy for separate incidents, he kept his mouth shut. He’s not looking for the spotlight, he’s just looking to win.Stout defense...most of the time. The Bills have exciting young linebackers, a stud cornerback, and Pro Bowl safeties, plus Jerry Hughes pressuring the quarterback. If they can add a pass rusher(s) this off-season, the defense could be next-level in 2019 and keep them in games even if the offense stinks. It can help mitigate the learning curve on the other side of the ball.Room to growSpeaking of the leaning curve http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/charles-clay-jersey-authentic , especially on offense, new players would have the opportunity to come in and make a big impact right away. Being seen as one of the guys that turned around a franchise has to look good from the outside, too. In some cases, the 2018 play was so bad, there’s nowhere to go but up.Cap spaceBuffalo has a whole lot of it. Come to the Bills and get paid. Fans of the Buffalo Bills should get used to conversations about the start of this offseason’s free agency. With over $80 million in available cap space, the Bills should be very active once free agency starts in March. Today’s links include plenty of information on Brandon Beane and his approach, as well as updates on Josh Allen, Lorenzo Alexander http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/phillip-gaines-jersey-authentic , and much more.How the Bills should approach free agency with all that cap space | WGR 550 SportsRadioThe team has about $80 million in salary cap space.Bang for their buck: How the Bills take advantage of their unprecedented cap space without abusing it – The AthleticOnly five teams have entered an off-season with more salary-cap room than the Bills' expected $83.9 million. So, how do they spend it the right way? (Subscription required.)2019 NFL Draft: Mel Kiper has Buffalo Bills going defense in Mock 1.0 | newyorkupstate.com Mel Kiper has the Bills replacing Kyle Williams in Round 1.2018 Buffalo Bills All-22 in Review: Defensive End - WKBWThe Buffalo Bills saw a solid group of defensive ends on their roster in 2018, and with all of them signed in 2019, does that mean the team should stand pat? 7ABC's Joe Buscaglia brings you his full breakdown of the defensive ends on the roster, and what the team can do this off-season.NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico thinks Bills’ Josh Allen ‘energized organization’ in 2018 | newyorkupstate.comBills coach Sean McDermott appeared on Tirico's podcast and called this off-season "an important one for Allen."2018 Buffalo Bills All-22 in Review: Cornerback - WKBWThe Buffalo Bills, in addition to their great young player Tre'Davious White, found a core of youth at the cornerback position to build around. 7ABC's Joe Buscaglia brings you his assessment of the cornerbacks in 2018, and what steps the Bills should take at the position in the off-season.Offensive line makeover: The strategies and ‘intangibles’ the Bills must consider when building Allen’s protection – The AthleticNow that the Bills have a new offensive line leader in Bobby Johnson http://www.billsfootballauthentics.com/jordan-mills-jersey-authentic , the next step is building their 2019 line properly through free agency and the draft. (Subscription required.)Lorenzo Alexander signs a contract extension with the Bills - BuffaloBills.comThe veteran captain and linebacker signed a one-year contract extension with the Bills on Wednesday.Buffalo Bills among betting favorites to land Antonio Brown in 2019 | newyorkupstate.comBet DSI has the Bills among the favorites to land Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown.Featured on Buffalo RumblingsAll-22 Analysis: Fullback Patrick DiMarco might be miscast in Buffalo Bills’ offense under Brian Daboll - Buffalo RumblingsWith the fullback position an endangered species, it’s time to wonder if Buffalo should remain a sanctuary for this beautiful but rare creature.Fan sentiment: Should the Buffalo Bills keep fullback Patrick DiMarco in 2019? - Buffalo RumblingsWhat say you?2019 NFL Draft: Finding a new fullback - Buffalo RumblingsIf the Bills want to move on from Patrick DiMarco, there are cheap options.Replacing Patrick DiMarco with a free agent is pointless since most teams don’t even use a fullback anymore - Buffalo RumblingsThe fullback is a dying position in the 21st-century NFL, so the pickings are slim.Could the Buffalo Bills look internally to replace fullback Patrick DiMarco? - Buffalo RumblingsDon’t get your hopes up. There’s slim pickings on the current roster, especially with the retirement of Kyle Williams.2019 salary cap: What would it cost the Buffalo Bills to cut Patrick DiMarco? - Buffalo RumblingsDiMarco’s role in the offense was obsolete last season.
Buffalo Bills Links Authentic Jeremy Kerley Jersey , 9/21: another potent offense on Sunday as the team hits the road to take on the Minnesota Vikings. Today’s links feature a discussion on the latest episode of The Bills Beat podcast, breaking down Sean McDermott’s defense. It’s an incredibly tough match-up in Minnesota, as discussed by Joe Buscaglia and Matthew Fairburn.The daily links also include plenty of updates on Josh Allen, LeSean McCoy, the latest Buffalo Rumblings podcast and much more.Does the defense have potential to improve? - The Bills Beat with Joe B. and Matthew Fairburn“Now 0-2 on the season, the Buffalo Bills have seen both sides of the ball underperform in their two losses. Might the Bills have the talent and potential to improve on the defensive side of the ball -- as we saw in the second half against the Chargers? What is the key to doing all that?”OBL 9/20: Thurman Thomas on LeSean McCoy; NFL on CBS’ Tracy Wolfson previews Sunday’s game - BuffaloBills.comHall of Famer Thurman Thomas discussed the Pro Football HOF and Bills RB LeSean McCoy’s rib injury.Kelvin Benjamin says Bills offense 'has to get on same page' and start fast vs. Vikings | NewYorkUpstate.comBenjamin says Bills must attack fast against strong Minnesota defense.Buffalo Bills to work out veteran offensive lineman Matt Tobin (report) | NewYorkUpstate.comTobin was recently released by the San Francisco 49ers.Buffalo Bills Studs and Duds: Week 2 vs. Chargers | Cover 1"It was a pretty eventful home opener for the Buffalo Bills at the New Era Field."Breaking down Josh Allen’s first start: The rookie shows talent, but still has much work to do – The AthleticWhen Josh Allen has time to set his feet in the pocket, he can throw it with the best of them. When he's forced to rush, his flaws are evident. (Subscription required.)Featured on Buffalo RumblingsPreviewing Buffalo Bills vs. Minnesota Vikings and Week 3 with Daily Norseman - Buffalo RumblingsThe Bills enter as 16.5-point underdogs. What can Buffalo do to pull off the upset?Buffalo Bills fantasy football preview, week three: Chris Ivory could be a flex sleeper if LeSean McCoy is injured - Buffalo RumblingsIf LeSean McCoy is injured or continues his struggles, it could be the other veteran who has the big dayBuffalo Bills opponent fantasy football preview Cheap Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , week three: Adam Thielen weapon to watch, Minnesota Vikings D/ST - Buffalo RumblingsTre’Davious White can only guard one receiver, much to Buffalo’s dismayBuffalo Bills opponent fantasy preview, week three: Adam Thielen the weapon to watch The Minnesota Vikings host the Buffalo Bills this week, with the former fresh off a 29-all tie against the Green Bay Packers, and the latter coming off a 31-20 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The Vikings’ high-octane offense comes in fifth overall in total yards per game (411.5) and tenth overall in points per game (26.5). With the Bills’ defense allowing 359 total yards per game (18th) and 39 points per game (T-32nd), this has all the makings of a great fantasy match-up for any Viking player.While players like Dalvin Cook and Stefon Diggs should definitely have strong games, there are a few other Vikings who are even stronger plays this week against our Bills.WR Adam ThielenBuffalo cornerback Tre’Davious White often shadows a team’s top receiver, leaving the second wideout covered by an inferior player. If the Bills play zone, White stays on the left side of the field, so he will most likely match up against Diggs for the majority of the game. Enter Thielen Authentic Marcus Murphy Jersey , who operates both outside and from the slot, and who should be able to exploit favorable match-ups all over the field. Whether the player lined up across from him is Phillip Gaines, Lafayette Pitts, Taron Johnson, or Ryan Lewis, Thielen will be the superior player in the pairing. Unless White follows him around, expect Thielen to cause havoc in the Bills’ secondary all day.QB Kirk CousinsSpeaking of creating havoc in Buffalo’s secondary, Vikings fans would definitely like it should that happen. And if it does, it will be Cousins feeding the ball to his talented receivers that drives the offense. Minnesota looks to have made a sound investment in Cousins, as the veteran has thrown for 669 yards and 6 touchdowns through his first two games in purple. Unless the Bills can discover a consistent pass rush on Sunday, Cousins should have an excellent day. Yahoo! projects him to score 19.3 points this weekend White Lorenzo Alexander Jersey , but I think he could have a better day than that. Buffalo has allowed Joe Flacco and Philip Rivers to score 21.7 and 22.7 points, respectively, so far this season.Vikings D/STJosh Allen is making his first road start against a good defense. He threw two interceptions last week at home against another good defense. LeSean McCoy may not play, and even if he does, he will be managing a painful rib injury. Kelvin Benjamin is nursing a hip injury, and he was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice. Yahoo! projects Minnesota to be the number-one scoring defense in fantasy football this week (13.5 points), and with good reason.
Rams have passed all tests thus far Authentic Dominique Easley Jersey , but they’ll have to ace one against Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay | OC RegisterSure, the Packers aren’t as stellar this year as they’ve been in years past. Sure,embarrassed. But my friends, if there’s one thing I’ve learned in all my years of watching football it’s this one simple fact: DO NOT EVER IN YOUR LIFE COUNT OUT AARON RODGERS.Greg Zuerlein makes strong return in 39-10 rout of 49ers | Los Angeles TimesIt’s so good to have Mr. Automatic back. I can go back to not having to worry about field goals and point after attempts. 5 crazy stats from Rams’ blowout win over 49ers | Rams WireWhat’s crazy is that they could narrow it down to just five.Robert Woods, the unsung hero of the Rams’ high-powered offense | PFFUnsung is a bit much I think, he’s vary much so sung among Rams fans such as the discerning readership here at Turf Show Times. I would however concede that you don’t hear his name so much among the sports media, he’s usually overshadowed by Todd Gurley, Aaron Donald Youth Marcus Peters Jersey , and Jared Goff, but this man is a huge part of the Rams’ offensive success and has been since we picked him up last season.49ers offensive line reacts to Aaron Donald’s dominance | Niners NationAaron Donald is the truth. And like the truth, Aaron Donald cannot be denied.Aaron Donald has ‘room for improvement’ after 4-sack game vs. 49ers | Rams WireI’m afraid for all the QBs who we still have to face this year.Rams’ Cory Littleton is a defensive standout who hasn’t forgotten his special-teams roots | OC RegisterCory Littleton. He’s high on the list of people who are going to get paid. Trust.Todd Gurley’s NFL MVP Case Is Only Getting Stronger | The RingerIf anyone is going to break the trend of QBs winning MVP, it’s going to be Todd Gurley In Week 11 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams RB Todd Gurley injured his ankle early on.He played through the injury logging 68 of the Rams’ 80 offensive snaps (85%), though his outputs were dramatically reduced on a night when the Rams’ offense was cranking. QB Jared Goff threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns on 49 attempts compared to Gurley’s mere 12 carries. The NFL’s non-QB touchdown leader didn’t see the end zone that night.The day after the game, Rams Head Coach Sean McVay said:Two weeks ago against the Chicago Bears, Rams fans were left screaming as the Rams’ offense was completely snuffed out by the Bears’ defense while Gurley was largely an afterthought. Goff threw for just 180 yards with no touchdowns and four interceptions while Gurley was handed the ball just 11 times.McVay spoke afterward on Gurley’s limited usage:And this last weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles http://www.ramsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-andrew-whitworth-jersey , Gurley injured his knee. RB Malcolm Brown, whom the Rams turned to against the Chiefs as the subject of McVay’s aforementioned praise, was unavailable having injured his clavicle against the Detroit Lions leaving him out for the remainder of the season.Again, the disparity was overwhelming. Goff threw the ball 53 times; Gurley had just 12 carries.Again, McVay was forced to allude to how much Gurley’s knee changed their approach:Since injuring his knee on Sunday, Gurley missed practice on Wednesday. And yesterday. And is expected to sit out again today.The wild card playoffs begin in two weeks, and the Rams’ best offensive weapon’s knee is in such a worrisome state that the training staff isn’t even willing to let him test it in practice.Consider that against the Chiefs and Eagles, Gurley suffered injuries mid-game that altered the course of McVay’s in-game strategy. Against the Bears just two weeks removed from coming out of the bye Womens Ramik Wilson Jersey , Gurley was apparently healthy and still wasn’t employed with much regularity.So how much is a Gurley at less than 100% going to be used in the last two weeks against the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers with the playoffs looming? How much sincerity is he going to be used with?And asking those questions toward the more important timeframe, how available will Gurley be in the playoffs? And how comfortable will McVay be in gameplanning around his availability?We don’t have much more than questions to go off of at this point, largely because the answers we’ve gotten this week have been so milquetoast.McVay conveniently happened to have not yet spoken to Sports Medicine and Performance Senior Director Reggie Scott before press availability yesterday so he didn’t have much of an update. Gurley himself was his usual concise self:The Rams’ signing of C.J. Anderson should indicate how sincerely concerned they are about the state of affairs at running back. For much of the season, the Rams had just Gurley and Brown as the active running backs on gameday. With Brown gone and reserve RB Justin Davis also ailing, the Rams clearly weren’t comfortable with just Gurley and rookie reserve RB John Kelly as the sole options. That lack of comfort in and of itself is telling.But it only tells us something about the current preparation. Not future execution.And perhaps that’s the real concern.The Rams’ 2018 season was always going to come down to their performance in the playoffs. And with just weeks to go before that referendum begins, their best offensive weapon isn’t 100%. He may not be close. And just how much that changes things starts this week.And that’s where Gurley’s focus is. For now.
I Fox SportsEric Dickerson puts on his Los Angeles Rams sombrero and discusses the evolution of Jared Goff Los Angeles Rams T-Shirt , the Rams victory over the New Orleans Saints, as well as their upcoming matchup with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. The Rams and Patriots seasons mirrored each other in many ways I LA TimesSam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times explores the similarities between the arch of the Rams’ and Patriots’ seasons. What is going on at running back position? I The RingerC.J. Anderson played four more snaps than Todd Gurley did in New Orleans, and had twelve more carries, so what gives? The Ringer explores what is happening at the running back position for the Rams. The Super Bowl officiating crew is setI Business InsiderJohn Parry’s officiating crew has overseen seven Rams’ victories Los Angeles Rams Hats , and never a loss. Parry will now have a chance to officiate what will be one of the most important game’s in the franchise’s history at Super Bowl LIII. Five takeaways from the NFC championship game I Rams Official SiteTake one last look at the victory in New Orleans. Myles Simmons provides five takeaways from the NFC championship game. What’s going on with Todd Gurley and what can we expect from him in the Super Bowl? I ESPNDan Orlovsky discusses Todd Gurley’s “bad day” and what to expect out of him in the Super Bowl. Peter King explores the aftermath of championship weekend I Fox SportsColin Cowherd is joined by Peter King to discuss the conference championship games, reviewing calls, Jared Goff, Tom Brady Los Angeles Rams Hoodie , and building teams through free agency. Are zone running schemes the Patriots kryptonite? I Fox Sports Are zone running schemes the Patriots kryptonite? Mark Schlereth presents some compelling arguments as to why the Rams have more than a puncher’s chance against the Patriots.Random Ramsdom 10/4: offenses are under pressure vs. LA Rams Mark Barron expected to play on Sunday in Seattle. but Zuerlein is out | Rams WireThis has been a long injury for ILB Mark Barron and hopefully he’s right and ready to rock in Seattle. HIs speed and athleticism has been missed during the first four games. Rams’ defense is pressuring the QB more than any other NFL team | Pro Football TalkWith only 8 sacks fo the team, this would come off as a surprise if you weren’t aware of the talent on the roster. Injury report for Rams includes Higbee and Saffold | Rams WIreTwo starters for the Rams failed to make it on the practice field on Wednesday — OL Rodger Saffold and TE Tyler HIgbee. The severity of both injuries remains uncertain. And this is also the longest initial injury list of the year for the Rams. Jared Goff and Marcus Mariotta named players of the week | NFL.comVery few gamblers saw this as a possible outcome in the preseason, but this is why we play the games, gentlemen.Quotes & Notes: Santos is ready for his opportunity in LA | Rams official siteYou know how the media flocks to any presser where a kicker is involved — they love it! And se ya’ round Youth Customized Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , K Sam Ficken!4 grades for the Rams in September | Ramblin’ FanThe grades on the first 4 weeks of the 2018 NFL season have been submitted and things are looking rosy for the Los Angeles Rams. (WATCH) Kurt Warner breaks down how ‘18 Rams can rival the Greatest Show On Turf | Rams official siteKurt Warner hasn’t been an enthusiastic fan of the current LA Rams, especially Goff, but it seems like he’s giving his former team their due.
CHICAGO (AP) — nsferred righty Yu Darvish to the 60-day disabled list to make room for him on the 40-man roster.The Cubs also optioned left-hander Randy Rosario to Triple-A Iowa to create a spot for De La Rosa on the active roster on Friday.A 15-year veteran http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-bobby-cox-jersey , De La Rosa has pitched in relief the past two seasons with Arizona after being used more as a starter earlier in his career. He was 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA in 42 appearances this season before the Diamondbacks designated him for assignment last week. De La Rosa has a 104-87 career mark with Milwaukee, Kansas City, Colorado and Arizona.The Cubs plan to have Darvish throw at least one more simulated game before going on a minor league rehab assignment. Signed to a $126 million, six-year contract in February, he has been sidelined since May 20 because of triceps and elbow injuries. ATLANTA (AP) — Freddie Freeman put the Atlanta Braves ahead, then watched from first base as they almost give away the lead — and possibly their whole season.“My heart’s still pounding,” he said, moments after the last out. “That’s how we’ve been all year.”Reliever Arodys Vizcaino escaped his own jam in a nervy ninth inning and the Braves stopped the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 Sunday night http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-bob-uecker-jersey , avoiding a sweep and cutting their deficit in the NL Division Series to 2-1.“I like our chances. We’ve got a uniform on, so we know we’ve got a chance,” Freeman said.Rookie Ronald Acuna Jr. hit a grand slam that helped the Braves build an early 5-0 lead. After the Dodgers rallied to tie it, Freeman homered in the sixth.In the ninth, the Dodgers got runners on first and second with no outs after a single and a walk. Vizcaino came back from a 3-0 count to strike out slugger Max Muncy, and followed up by fanning Manny Machado on a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third.Because the Braves had already used their allotment of six mound visits, no one could go out to talk with the Atlanta closer, to give him a moment to settle down.Not that he needed a break Tyler Flowers Jersey , apparently.With the entire crowd at SunTrust Park standing, chanting and chopping, Vizcaino fanned a swinging Brian Dozier to end it.“Credit to our guys for fighting back,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “… We had our chances. And those guys made some pitches and got out of some traffic, but our guys stressed them, got on base, and gave ourselves an opportunity. But yeah, to take us over the top and take the lead again http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-orlando-cepeda-jersey , we couldn’t get that one extra hit.”Game 4 is Monday afternoon at Atlanta.Shut out in the first two games at Dodger Stadium, the NL East champion Baby Braves bounced back.Acuna connected in the second, right after Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler walked Braves starter Sean Newcomb on four pitches with the bases loaded.“He continues to amaze,” Freeman said of Acuna. “I don’t think we needed or wanted anybody else in that situation.”Roberts stuck with Buehler, who allowed no baserunners in the next three innings.“It was good to see him recalibrate and give us five innings to at some point save our pen,” Roberts said.Buehler gave up five runs on only two hits and three walks in five innings.“This one is on me,” Buehler said, adding there is “no excuse for the second inning. … Sometimes you just lose it. I’m proud of the way I found the zone again after that and moving forward.”Freeman connected on the first pitch from former teammate Alex Wood to put Atlanta back on top.“Hopefully we’ll have some more big moments during this postseason and this isn’t the only one Phil Niekro Jersey ,” Freeman said. Chris Taylor hit a two-run homer and Muncy added a tying homer in the fifth to lead the comeback for Los Angeles.Tagged at the outset, Buehler regained control as the Dodgers began their rally. Newcomb was pulled after walking a pair of walks in the third and Justin Turner hit an RBI single off Kevin Gausman. Taylor also scored when Acuna bobbled the ball in left field for an error.Taylor connected off Gausman, and Muncy added a tying homer off Max Fried in the fifth.The Dodgers threatened in the sixth. Matt Kemp led off the inning with a double, but with one out was thrown out on shortstop Charlie Culberson’s throw to the plate.MICKEY WHO?At 20, Acuna became the youngest player to hit a postseason grand slam — Mickey Mantle was 21 when he did it for the New York Yankees in the 1953 World Series.Mantle? That’s a new name for Acuna.“No, I don’t recognize him,” he said through a translator. “I wasn’t even born.”NO SWEEP FOR YOULos Angeles was denied its second straight NLDS sweep after winning three straight over Arizona in 2017.RECORD ATTENDANCEThe attendance was 42,385 http://www.bravesfanproshop.com/authentic-tom-glavine-jersey , setting a SunTrust Park record in the second-year stadium’s first postseason game.UP NEXTThe Dodgers are expected to start LHP Rich Hill (11-5, 3.66) when the series continues on Monday. Hill pitched seven scoreless innings in an 8-2 win over Atlanta on July 26.The Braves will start RHP Mike Foltynewicz, who gave up four runs and three hits in two innings in Thursday night’s 6-0 Game 1 loss.“He’s raring to go and itching to get the ball, and it’s still elimination,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “So we’re going to try and go with the best we got.”
J. Hinch named Roberto Osuna the closer for the remainder of the 2018 MLB regular season."I wanted Hector [Rondon] to know that I'm gonna start to use [him] more in the seventh and eighth http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-zack-cozart-jersey , which means that Osuna's going to get the majority of save opportunities," Hinch said in an interview with MLB Network Radio (h/t ESPN.com). "But I need to use him in creative ways, too."MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM MLBNetworkRadio#Astros manager AJ Hinch confirms on quot;Power Alleyquot;: Roberto Osuna is now his primary closer.#NeverSettle IStKWpfCJARondon has been solid in ninth-inning duties, collecting a team-high 13 saves while posting a 2.36 ERA. But the Astros acquired Osuna in July for a reason.The 23-year-old right-hander averaged 32 saves with a 2.69 FIP in his first three seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays, perBaseball Reference.Osuna made 15 appearances for the Blue Jays this year beforeservinga 75-game suspension for a violation of MLB's domestic violence policy. Despite the suspension, Osuna would be available to pitch in the postseason should the Astros clinch a playoff berth.Since arriving in Houston, Osuna has allowedone earned run and struck out three batters in five innings. Twice he finished games in non-save situations for the team:an 8-6 defeat to the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 9 and a 3-4 extra-innings loss to the Mariners three days later. HOUSTON — The Houston Astros fared decently the last time they faced Shohei Ohtani more than four months ago.The Astros will get another crack at Ohtani on Sunday afternoon when they conclude a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels.Ohtani will make first start on the mound since June 6. He missed 22 games on the disabled list with a right UCL sprain but returned exclusively as a designated hitter on July 3.Article continues below ...When Houston’s hitters saw him April 24 in Houston, Ohtani allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings. He threw 98 pitches and issued five walks in an 8-7 victory.To prepare for his 10th career start, Ohtani threw up to 50 pitches in bullpen sessions and will be on a pitch limit.“Very excited Ian Kinsler Jersey ,” Angels manager Mike Scioscia told reporters on Thursday. “But obviously, I don’t know if we could put those expectations that we had for Shohei when he really hit stride, have those expectations what he’s going to come out and do for Sunday. Hopefully, he’s going to get back to that.”Ohtani will oppose Gerrit Cole, who is 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in his last three starts after a three-start losing streak. Cole is 0-1 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against the Angels (66-70) this season and 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in four career starts. With rosters expanding Saturday throughout the majors, the Astros added two pitchers with one, left-hander Cionel Perez, poised to join an already crowded bullpen.Astros manager A.J. Hinch had 10 relievers at his disposal on Saturday as the Astros (83-53) rallied for a 7-3 victory. With right-hander Charlie Morton set for reinstatement from the 10-day disabled list next weekend in Boston, left-hander Framber Valdez or right-hander Josh James Albert Pujols Jersey , who made his debut against the Angels, is likely to be bumped from the rotation.Currently, Hinch has eight right-handers and two lefties in his bullpen heading into the finale of a four-game series with the Angels.“It depends on how our pitching staff goes,” Hinch said of predicting future bullpen usage. “Most of the season our starters have logged the majority of the innings as they should; they’ve gone deep into games. I know I’ve cut back a little bit of that in August, some of it out of performance, some of it out of trying to work the bullpen in there. I guess we have the weapons, but I’m still going to read the game.“I don’t think I need to aggressively change a ton. We’re trying to get to 27 outs, we’re trying to get to as many wins. If the starters get the bulk of those outs, great. If I’ve got to go to the pen early I have the reinforcements. Most of the time in September you don’t worry about running out of pitching.”The Angels on Saturday selected the contract of veteran right-hander Junichi Tazawa from Triple-A Salt Lake. Tazawa is the fifth Japanese native in club history http://www.dodgersfanproshop.com/authentic-babe-herman-jersey , including Ohtani. He signed as a free agent with the Angels on July 13.Tazawa, 32, spent his first seven seasons in the majors with the Boston Red Sox, finishing 17-20 with a 3.58 ERA and four saves in 56 appearances (four starts) from 2009 to 2016. He subsequently made 16 appearances with the Miami Marlins in parts of two seasons before being released May 21 and went 0-1 with a 7.11 ERA in seven games with Salt Lake.“He still has plenty of velocity, spins the ball really well, and he’s a veteran pitcher that can make pitches,” Scioscia said. “He threw the ball well down below and hopefully he’ll continue to bring it up here and throw the ball with the consistency that he has.”
hopes go (Washington and Philadelphia both won) Womens Ezekiel Elliott Jersey , but it wasn’t the worst day ever as far as a wildcard race will likely go.The green and yellow kryptonite of the Cowboys has been Aaron Rodgers and the Packers for quite some time. Green Bay lost on the road in Los Angeles (during a sports equinox!) as the Rams marched to their eighth straight victory on the season to stay undefeated.It wasn’t exactly the offensive explosion that people expected all week, but the Rams and Packers got feisty towards the end. Green Bay took a lead late and the Rams had to go down and take the lead without leaving too much time for Aaron Rodgers. This is a problem we all know too well.The Situation: Rams down by one (27-26), 5:20 left in the gameLos Angeles took over at the Green Bay 40-yard line (it was an awful punt). They had one timeout remaining while the Packers had two. At this point obviously a field goal gives you the lead but as mentioned many times it’s Aaron Rodgers that you have a hypothetical lead against. Nothing is ever safe.This was an important possession. The Rams didn’t exactly have their season on the line in the moment but there’s a strong possibility that this game could help determine home-field advantage or whether or not the Rams get a bye. Again, it’s Aaron Rodgers, anything is possible (ugh). LA ran six plays on their drive:Run (Brandin Cooks)Pass (Incomplete)Run (Todd Gurley)Run (Gurley again)What ended up being a quarterback scramble but had a penaltyRun (Gurley again)Run (Gurley again)Perhaps the most interesting play call here was the final Todd Gurley run. It came on 3rd and 16 from the Packers’ 19-yard line with 2:50 left in the game. Sean McVay is often regarded as the brightest offensive mind in the NFL these days (rightfully so) Womens Travis Frederick Jersey , but he intentionally chose to play things extremely conservative by taking a field goal when down by a point as opposed to even trying to score a touchdown or get closer despite knowing that Aaron Rodgers was on the other side of things with at least one clock stoppage. McVay was betting on a one-point lead being enough against the best quarterback in the game who’s made a career out of rising to the occasion in the exact type of moment that he was designing with a clear and conscious mind. Jason Garrett has acted similarly this season and been met with noting but criticismWe spent last week talking about how conservative Jason Garrett has been, how the Cowboys were sheepish on their final drive in Washington, and how these exact mistakes would wind up costing the head coach in Dallas his job.Sean McVay’s Rams got extremely lucky that the Packers fumbled the ensuing kickoff return which gave them the opportunity to ice the game with a 29-27 lead. Not to get into a large game of what ifs, but had Aaron Rodgers gotten the opportunity to get the ball with just about two minutes and a time stop left, there’s a solid chance that he would have at least gotten the Packers into field goal range. Why take that risk? Perhaps the more important question is why not try to mitigate that risk at all? Nobody is going to sit here and tell you that Jason Garrett hasn’t been conservative at critical points this season nor that those mistakes haven’t had severe consequences. It is definitely worth saying out loud though that everybody is conservative http://www.thecowboysfootballauthentic.com/geoff-swaim-jersey-authentic , including the head coach that everybody would trade it all for. What’s more is that McVay was conservative in perhaps the biggest moment of the season for the Rams against a team where that type of approach has burned many people before him.Cowboys vs Seahawks: WR Butler, DT Collins inactive, TE Gathers, DT Jones active The Cowboys will be taking on the NFC West Seattle Seahawks this afternoon. Let’s take a look at the official list of inactives for each team and see how it will effect them at kickoff.Cowboys inactivesThere are no real surprises here for NFC East leading Dallas Cowboys. Maliek Collins did not practice all week with a sprained knee, and with Datone Jones working back into the rotation http://www.thecowboysfootballauthentic.com/tyrone-crawford-jersey-authentic , there was no reason to press it. Newly-signed receiver, Brice Butler, is also inactive today as he’s still learning the playbook and getting comfortable with the offensive game-plan. This is the second week in a row the Cowboys have decided to go with Rico Gathers over Dalton Schultz, let’s see if they can get him involved a bit more in week three than they did in week two.Seahawks inactivesThe Seahawks list.The Seahawks inactives aren’t quite as clean as the Cowboys. Seattle will be without their starting linebacker, left guard Womens Joe Looney Jersey , wide receiver, and backup guard. Both the Cowboys offense and defense will get a break today with starters being out for Seattle. Let’s see if they can take advantage of it. The Seahawks are looking to climb out of mighty deep hole, and the Cowboys are looking to hold onto the NFC East. This should be a very exciting, hard fought game!Kickoff will be here shortly! Let’s go Cowboys! Custom San Francisco 49ers Jerseys
rial Coliseum in good spirits. The team had enjoyed a convincing victory over the Seattle Seahawks Authentic Terrance Williams Jersey , had won three games in a row and eight of their last nine games to forge a formidable unit going into the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. But the strong, physical defensive unit that we’ve enjoyed watching throughout the 2018 season was nowhere to be found Saturday night. Instead we were witness to an abysmal defensive unit that posed little resistance to the Rams’ offensive juggernaut. The Cowboys eventually lost 30-22 in a game where the Cowboys made the final score much closer than it deserved to be. In short, the Cowboys were dominated and physically beaten on both sides of the line of scrimmage throughout the entire game. Let’s go to the grades. Overall: DI predicted the Cowboys would play their best, most complete game of the season. Instead, they played one of their worst, not remotely approaching a winning effort. I can think of only a single player who met or exceeded expectations (Michael Gallup). Every other player, every unit, was outplayed. The defense, in particular, was exposed, surrendering:273 rushing yards - most in Cowboys’ playoff history459 total yards - second most in Cowboys’ playoff historyNearly 37 minutes time of possessionIn addition to being pummeled by the Rams’ ground game all night, the defense made no plays - at all. Zero sacks, zero turnovers and only one punt forced the entire game. Offensively things were minimally better, as the Cowboys somehow managed to put 22 points on the board. This despite a running game that was completely shut down (only 50 yards on 22 attempts) and converting only one of ten third-down attempts (worst conversion rate on the season). The offense netted only 308 yards the entire game, meaning the Rams out-gained Dallas by 151 yards (459 to 308)The only reason the team avoids an F is despite all this they somehow managed to make a game of it. A late third-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion created a one-score game. And a late TD just prior to the two-minute warning also created a one-score game. But, of course Womens Allen Hurns Jersey , the Dallas defense couldn’t get a stop. The Rams simply ran for two first downs to run the clock out, an 11-yard scramble by Jared Goff on third down being the back-breaker. Coaching: FHere’s what I wrote of Jason Garrett prior to the game:Needless to say Garrett didn’t share my way of thinking. Garrett and offensive coordinator Scott Linehan lined up and ran the same plays and the same concepts and added absolutely nothing new, different or out of character. They did go for it on four different fourth down opportunities so there’s that. The stubbornness was on full display on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Cowboys had clawed to within eight points (23-15) and had forced their one and only punt of the game. Facing a fourth and 1 from the Rams’ 35, the brain-trust decided to go to a jumbo package with a tight formation. You’ll never believe it but the plunge up the middle failed to gain the needed yards and the game was pretty much over. I guess banging your head against a wall enough makes you think it’s fun. I’ll also note that for the third time in Jason Garrett’s five playoff games the team faced a double-digit deficit before halftime:2014 - Detroit Lions: trailed 14-0 after 13 minutes2016 - Green Bay: trailed 21-3 after 21 minutes2018 - Los Angeles: trailed 20-7 after 26 minutesThat’s a combined 55-10 for those counting. Three times Jason Garrett’s playoff teams have emerged from the locker room unprepared for the game. They’ve been beaten up, run over and outclassed from the opening whistle. Give them credit for coming back and making the games competitive (even winning one) but one has to ask why Garrett’s teams repeatedly play horrid opening quarters in their most important games. Quarterback: CDak Prescott had a quintessential Dak Prescott game. He started out hot, going 3-for-3 for 48 yards and a touchdown strike to Amari Cooper:And then we got bad Dak. Prescott looked flustered and inaccurate as the offense punted on each of the team’s next four possessions. With no ground game whatsoever to help, Prescott was asked to put the team on his back and wasn’t able to do it. Of course, he did perk up in the final 20 minutes, as he always seems to. He led the team on two touchdown drives sandwiched around the drive doomed by the fourth-down failure. His best play of the night came on a pinpoint strike off an improvised scramble:Prescott also hit Cooper for a two-point conversion and later ran for a touchdown. But it was all too little too late. One Prescott oddity: the losing quarterback has posted the higher passer rating in all three playoff games Dak has played:Michael StrawnDak wasn’t the problem Saturday night, but he also wasn’t the solution. Running back: B-I honestly don’t know how to grade Ezekiel Elliott. He had no lanes to run through as the Rams made it their priority to stop Zeke from eating. Elliott had one 15-yard run and a 12-yard catch and that’s about it. He did make a key block on the early Cooper touchdown. But when the league’s leading running back’s biggest contribution was a block you know it was a bad night. Offensive line: D-The offensive line was simply inept. Playing against a defense that allowed more yards per carry than any other NFL team, the Cowboys’ averaged a putrid 2.27 YPA; the second lowest mark in the team’s playoff history (shockingly, the worst number was the team’s victory over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XXX). Aaron Donald and the rest of the Rams’ much-maligned front seven simply punished the Cowboys’ offensive line. Prescott was only sacked once (a dubious sack at that) but also didn’t have tons of time in the pocket. It was a poor effort from a unit that started the season as the team’s best and ended as perhaps its worst. Wide receivers: B+If any unit showed up to play Saturday night it was this group. Gallup and Cooper combined to catch 12 balls on 18 targets for 184 yards and a touchdown. Gallup’s over-the-shoulder catch set up another touchdown and Cooper also hauled in a two-point conversion. There simply weren’t enough opportunities for this group. Tight ends: CAgain, I’m not real sure how to grade the tight ends. Dalton Schultz and Blake Jarwin did make three catches on four targets for 37 yards. But they were mostly called on to block and obviously the overall blocking was woefully inadequate. Defensive line: FIf Demarcus Lawrence, Tyrone Crawford or Randy Gregory made a play Saturday night I missed it. The stat sheet indicates they combined for six tackles, one tackle for loss, zero sacks http://www.dallascowboysteamonline.com/kavon-frazier-jersey , zero fumbles, zero pressures and zero passes defensed. Zero is a good way to describe the way this unit performed as they were thoroughly whipped in every way imaginable. Again, the Rams punted once the entire game. Their drive table (courtesy of Pro Football Reference) is a disaster:Five drives of 64 yards or moreSix scoring drives (only a missed field goal prevented it from being seven)Three drives of 11 or more playsFive drives of at least four minutes; two of more than seven minutesMany believed the Dallas defense to be an elite unit but we should all disabuse ourselves of that notion. Here’s how that “elite” unit did the final six weeks of the season:Those are bottom ten in the league kind of numbers. Linebackers: FWhen the opponent runs at will, from opening whistle to final gun, linebackers have to be held accountable. The dynamic duo of Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch, along with Sean Lee, simply couldn’t get it done. They were credited with 20 tackles but most of them seemed to be five or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Like the defensive line there were zero splash plays from this unit. It was a stunning development for the two youngsters who truly did play at an elite level most of the season.Secondary: C+This unit didn’t give up many big plays but that’s mostly because they weren’t tested much. Goff was largely held in check, throwing for only 186 yards with a long play of only 21. But whenever the Rams needed him to make a play he was able to do it, as the Rams moved the ball at will. Like the other units, I don’t recall a single standout play from the secondary. The only noteworthy play was a horribly timed penalty on Byron Jones. Dallas had actually forced the Rams’ into a rare 3rd-and-long but Jones’ penalty allowed them to convert. It was particularly frustrating because:The infraction was away from the playHad the Rams completed their pass it wasn’t enough for a first downThe hands-to-the-face call was borderline (at best)Todd Gurley ran 35 yards for a touchdown two plays laterSpecial teams: BNothing really noteworthy from this group. On the positive side the coverage units didn’t allow a long return for (seemingly) the first time in months. Brett Maher converted his two extra point attempts and Chris Jones punted. Summary:I can’t help but wonder about Jason Garrett. He simply doesn’t seem to rise to the occasion. His teams don’t play their best when the stakes are highest. This isn’t new, as when we look back even the not-so-great teams of the 2011-2013 had chances to advance but always played poor in those win-and-advance games. I like Garrett and the overall job he’s done. But I’m wondering if reaching the NFL’s final eight is his ceiling? The Cowboys haven’t played terrible in all of their post-season losses but they’ve never come close to playing their best games. When you look at Super Bowl champions those team peaked in the playoffs and played their best games. Jason Garret’s teams don’t. And that’s a problem for a franchise that hasn’t reached the final four for 23 consecutive seasons. The Cowboys exacted revenge for one of their five road losses in 2018 when they eliminated the Seahawks last week. Still, that was a home game for Dallas, this week, they’ll do the travelling.Now, they face the task of being able to go win a playoff game, on the road Womens Antwaun Woods Jersey , which they haven’t done in 25-years and are ‘0’ for their last seven during that span. They are also 3-5 on the road this season after going 12-4 over the past two seasons. When you are the fourth-seed in the NFC, being 8-1 at home doesn’t help much. At some point, to reach that ultimate goal, it’s going to take a road victory to get there. Here is just a quick peek into the Cowboys’ away splits this season:Avg. Road GmPPGYPG# PlaysYds/Pl.1st DN/GmTDsTOSacksPuntsPenSo what gives? Why have the Cowboys been so different away from AT&T Stadium? Well, it’s the offense that stalls and stalls while the defense continuously keeps them in the game before finally succumbing to fatigue. Those numbers above are good enough defensively to have won more than three road games but not with this type of production on offense:QBGMsComp.Att.Comp. %Pass YdsYds/Att.TotalTDsINT/FUMQB RATESACKPts. Add Keep in mind though that four of the five road losses occurred prior to the Amari Cooper trade and the 8-1 roll the Cowboys are currently on. The trip to Carolina in week one was a sloppy start but it is week one. Seattle wasn’t fun, Houston was a heart-breaker, Washington was disgraceful (for the refs), and then there was the one nasty blemish that did happen during the win-streak at Indy. Could the Cowboys have laid such an egg because they had played five games in 28 days and were just spent? Perhaps. The road opponent this week, the Los Angeles Rams, happen to be one of the three most potent offenses in the playoffs along with the Chiefs and Saints. New Orleans did beat this Rams’ team back in week nine and L.A. beat the Chiefs 54-51 a while back in a barn-burner. If L.A. beat KC and NOLA topped L.A., who beat NOLA? Oh right, the Dallas Cowboys and their defense stifled the Saints 13-10 in week 13. A signature victory for such a young roster but again that was at AT&T Stadium. Now, it’s time to see if this team has what it takes to dethrone an NFC heavyweight in Hollywood.A trip to Los Angeles doesn’t seem so bad when considering the alternative of playing the Saints in the Superdome, sorry not sorry, Cody Parkey. Plus, the contingency of Cowboys’ faithful in sunny So-Cal should make it feel much friendlier. At least more so than Philly Womens Jaylon Smith Jersey , Atlanta, and New York were, the sites of the Cowboys three road victories this season. How did this team look in those hostile territories? Road Avg.PPGYPG# PlaysYds/Pl1st DN/GmTDTO/TASacksPuntsPen/YdsNow, the defense has been giving up a little more than usual but a lot of that is inflated by the Giants game where the Cowboys pulled a few key guys. In the three road wins, here’s how the offense has looked:QBGMsComp.Att.Comp. %Pass YdsYds/Att.TotalTDsINT/FUMQB RATESACKPts. Add It’s been a re-occurring theme all season long for the Cowboys, they tend to find themselves in lots of strength-vs-strength games and the Rams are no different: Avg.PPGYPG# PlaysYds/Pl.1st DNTDTOSacksPunt3DN%Will the Cowboys team that beat the Eagles, Falcons, and Giants show up in Los Angeles? Will it even be enough? The Cowboys have been playing with house money for several weeks, nobody expected them to be here but they made history being the first Cowboys team in franchise history to start 3-5 and win the NFC East. This team has fought through everything imaginable to earn this opportunity as they have been in playoff-mode for quite some time. Facing off against their toughest challenge yet vs. these Rams, there is a lot to prove for both teams. The Rams and Sean McVay are the darlings of the NFL but were beat by double-digits in last year’s wild card game vs. the Falcons. The Cowboys need to prove that their offensive philosophy can travel and lead this franchise to it’s 17th Conference Championship game after a historic layoff. After all that we’ve witnessed to date on the 2018 season, does this Cowboys’ team have a little magic left? Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys
g a strong preseason showing Authentic Marcus Murphy Jersey , Nathan Peterman became the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. Like many others, I declared this to be the best decision out of several less-than-ideal choices. Essentially, Peterman as the starter was the result of what a wise man once called “the two sweetest words in the English language”—default. With the clock showing 11:22 in the third quarter of the season opener, default was dethroned. Josh Allen replaced Peterman following his second interception of the day. Peterman finished the game with five completions on 18 attempts for 24 yards. He failed to lead the team to a single first down. Head coach Sean McDermott was asked which quarterback will start the following week, as the Bills host the Los Angeles Chargers. Predictably, he indicated he would need to review “the tape” before making that decision. I’ll save him him the trouble. The Peterman experiment should be over. The primary reason for starting Peterman over Allen should have been his efficacy. Aka White Lorenzo Alexander Jersey , “the best player should take the field.” Peterman’s quick-strike offense and command of Brian Daboll’s offense in the preseason was superior to Allen. On Sunday, his preseason success proved to be a mirage. The pre-snap reads and fast timing offense did not provide Nathan Peterman an advantage. His command of the offense was to the tune of a 0.0 passer rating. Nathan Peterman was not the better player to take the field. I could be accused of writing Peterman off after a very small sample size. That’s assuredly not the case. Peterman can and likely will continue to improve. However, the Baltimore Ravens showed that Peterman is still a work in progress. That means our quarterback room is filled entirely with developmental prospects. Development takes time and effort, with the starter getting the lion’s share of resources. Who, then, should the Buffalo Bills commit their resources to? Josh Allen is and always was the future. One could argue that Allen should be protected or allowed to simmer for a little longer. When AJ McCarron exited Western New York White Jordan Mills Jersey , the Bills removed a massive security blanket for Allen, signaling loud and clear that there is comfort in the “what if” of Allen starting. More to the point, McDermott doubled down on his comfort level with Allen by putting him in for nearly half a game where it was clear Allen would experience failure. Josh Allen was the better quarterback on Sunday. Allen is the future of the Buffalo Bills. The actions of Sean McDermott and Brandon Beane have already systematically removed every layer of protection between Allen and the wolves that many were afraid he would be thrown to. Is it ideal that the Josh Allen era begins now? No, but there’s a new default in town. Buffalo Bills cornerback Taron Johnson has left the game against the New York Jets with a shoulder injury. It’s been an ongoing problem for the rookie, who missed a game earlier in the year with the same problem.Johnson, the 2018 fourth-round pick Youth LeSean McCoy Jersey , has played a majority of snaps for the Bills in 2018. He’s been the team’s primary slot cornerback all year after beating out Phillip Gaines during training camp. He missed Week 2 after injuring his shoulder. He’s known for laying some big hits, but if he keeps injuring himself, he may want to rethink that philosophy. After the release of Gaines, the Bills promoted Levi Wallace from the practice squad at cornerback. Ryan Lewis found his way into the game after the injury to Johnson. Deon Lacy also saw time in the defensive backfield.Johnson had one interception and three defended passes before today’s game in addition tohis 33 tackles.
Heading into the 2017 NFL season Buffalo Bills Womens T-Shirt , the Buffalo Bills revamped their defensive secondary. They allowed former first-round draft pick Stephon Gilmore to sign a lucrative deal with the New England Patriots.hia Eagles. At safety, they replaced veterans Corey Graham and Aaron Williams with a pair of free agents.While some free-agent acquisitions don’t pan out, Buffalo hit on both of its moves at safety that off-season. Micah Hyde, who had served as a jack-of-all-trades in the secondary for the Green Bay Packers over the duration of his rookie contract, was voted to his first Pro Bowl last season. His counterpart, Jordan Poyer, set career-highs in every statistical category the same year. In our second-to-last look at the state of the Bills roster, we profile the safety group, which has been the saving grace of the defense over the better part of the last two seasons.Micah HydeContract status for 2019: Signed; $6,618,750 cap hit ($4.8 million dead cap if cut)Age: 28 (29 on 12/31/19)Playing time: 15 games (15 starts), 881 snaps (86.88% of defensive total), 112 St snaps (25.51%)Key statistics: 58 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 2 interceptions, 5 passes defended Buffalo Bills Hats , 1 fumble recoveryHyde’s 2018 season was not nearly as good statistically as his 2017 season, as he had fewer tackles, interceptions, and passes defended. However, Hyde seemed to perform just as well overall, and the defense was stronger as a group. Now entering his third season as a full-time starting safety, Hyde has developed into one of the league’s better all-around players. He and Poyer form a dynamic duo that should continue to play at a high level next year.Jordan PoyerContract status for 2019: Signed; $3.825 million cap hit ($1.75 million dead cap if cut)Age: 27 (28 on 4/25/19)Playing time: 16 games (16 starts), 1009 snaps (99.51% of defensive total), 101 ST snaps (23.01%)Key statistics: 100 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 QB hits, 2 sacks, 4 interceptions, 6 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recoveryFor the second consecutive year, Poyer was arguably the better of the Bills’ two safeties, even if it is Hyde who receives more of the attention. Poyer’s per-16 game averages with Buffalo are excellent Buffalo Bills Womens Hoodie , as his “average” 16-game season with the Bills includes 100 combined tackles, five interceptions, ten passes defended, a fumble forced, a fumble recovered, two sacks, and seven tackles for loss. His contract is an incredibly friendly one for the franchise, and while I don’t agree with reworking deals that have multiple years left on them, he is someone to watch for in terms of receiving an early extension, especially if he continues his solid play throughout the beginning of next season.Rafael BushContract status for 2019: Signed; $1.8 million cap hit ($300,000 dead cap if cut)Age: 31 (32 on 5/12/19)Playing time: 15 games (7 starts), 452 snaps (44.58% of defensive total), 136 ST snaps (33.26%)Key statistics: 45 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 QB hits, 1.5 sacksThe veteran came in via free agency, and he did a very good job this season. He was the team’s third safety, but he was also their backup slot cornerback. After rookie Taron Johnson was placed on injured reserve in December due to a shoulder injury Womens Customized Buffalo Bills Jerseys , Bush took over as the team’s primary slot corner. His numbers indicate a player who is more comfortable playing in the box and hitting people than he is in coverage, and he did a very good job as a extra blitzer off the edge in pressure packages. While his contract would allow for the Bills to release him at next to no harm to the franchise’s overall cap, it would be wise to retain him for next season. Good depth is hard to find, and the Bills have found a much better R. Bush than the last person by that name to suit up for the team.Siran NealContract status for 2019: Signed; $641,504 cap hit ($214,512 dead cap if cut)Age: 24 (25 on 8/4/19)Playing time: 16 games (0 starts), 15 snaps (1.48% of defensive total), 249 ST snaps (56.72%)Key statistics: 11 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 QB hit, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recoveryThe first of Buffalo’s fifth-round draft picks in April made little impact as a rookie, serving as a core special-teams player but doing little on the stat sheet. His position is one to watch going forward, as the Bills could look to add more quality depth with greater potential in the defense. He could also spend another year learning the defense and playing special teams as a depth player.Dean MarloweContract status for 2019: Signed; $645,000 cap hit ($0 guaranteed)Age: 26 (27 on 7/25/19)Playing time: 2 games (1 start), 54 snaps (5.33% of defensive total), 19 St snaps (4.33%Key statistics: 5 tackles www.billscheapshop.com , 1 pass defendedMarlowe’s season certainly was interesting. Called up from the practice squad leading up to the Bills’ Week 5 game against the Tennessee Titans, he was pressed into starting duty when neither Micah Hyde nor Rafael Bush were healthy enough to play. Marlowe responded by playing every snap on defense, making four tackles and breaking up a pass in a 13-12 Bills’ victory. While he is by no means a world-beater, he is the perfect player to have on the back-end of the roster: he knows the defense well enough to step up in a pinch, and he is on a low-cost contract.Positional OutlookBuffalo is good here. They could very well look to add another player, and they will definitely bring a few in at least for training camp and the pre-season; however, there is no need to allocate serious resources to improve what is already a strong unit. Poyer and Hyde are written into the starting lineup in Sharpie, and while the trio of Bush, Neal, and Marlowe should by no means be guaranteed a roster spot in 2019, they should definitely be given first crack at retaining their jobs. The Buffalo Bills have fired special teams coordinator Danny Crossman, per several simultaneous reports (among them Matthew Fairburn of The Athletic, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, John Wawrow of The Associated Press, Mike Rodak from ESPN, and Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News). Rumors of the firing began circulating on social media around the same time as word escaped that Juan Castillo had been fired. Crossman had been orchestrating Buffalo’s special teams since 2013, operating through three different coaching regimes (four if you count interim head coach Anthony Lynn).Special teams arguably cost the Bills a game or two this year. A missed field goal, aborted extra point Buffalo Bills T-Shirt , and an awful onside kick contributed to a 24-12 loss to the New England Patriots. In a loss to the New York Jets, two touchdowns resulted from outstanding field position on kickoff returns against the Bills, and the team missed two field goals in a 23-27 loss. Against the Miami Dolphins, missed kicks cost a net four points, and a fumbled punt return gifted Miami an easy touchdown drive in a game with a four-point scoring margin. Any way you look at it, gaffes defined the group this season.Crossman’s special teams units suffered from major injuries to the key players this year. Kicker Stephen Hauschka played through an injury for the final quarter of the season. After starting the season 17-of-19 on field goal attempts, Hauschka finished the year 5-of-9. Captain Taiwan Jones went onto injured reserve halfway through the season with a neck injury. The team tried out four different punters this year, with rookie Cory Carter dropping onto injured reserve during the preseason just as he’d created a battle with incumbent Colton Schmidt. Rookie Corey Bojorquez was signed as the new starter, suffered a shoulder injury in October, and was placed on injured reserve after trying unsuccessfully to play through the injury for three weeks. Schmidt returned to the roster, but was cut for ineffectiveness, and journeyman punter Matt Darr finished the season for the team in poor form.Crossman is the third Buffalo Bills coach to see his contract ended this season, joining Juan Castillo and Terry Robiskie.
In what felt like a dominating performance from start-to-end White Aqib Talib Jersey , the Los Angeles Rams have clinched their ticket to the NFC Championship game with a win over the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday.ough the game felt like it had a much wider scoring gap. Prevent defense was the result of the game becoming a one score game.Let’s take a look at the stock report:Stock DownCB Marcus PetersMarcus Peters had a game to forget on Saturday night. It started with a dumb penalty that resulted in a free 15-yards for the Cowboys (which lead to a touchdown on the next play). It progressed to a bunch of off-coverage, easy catches underneath, and a play where he vacated his deep zone and allowed WR Michael Gallup a massive gain down to the 1-yard line. Peters and Amari Cooper’s antics carried over to the postgame with the two nearly fighting:FS Lamarcus JoynerLamarcus Joyner is the second member of the secondary on the stock down portion as his game wasn’t great, though it wasn’t terrible either. He was the victim of the first touchdown from WR Amari Cooper as he was undressed on a fantastic route by Cooper in man coverage. Joyner did have a fantastic tackle on a crucial fourth-and-one short of the sticks, getting the ball back to the offense.Stock UpOffensive lineThe Rams had 273 rushing yards in the contest with both RB’s C.J. Anderson and Todd Gurley exceeding the 100-yard mark. Not only that, but QB Jared Goff was sacked a grand total of zero times. Goff routinely had clean pockets and plenty of time to throw the ball Youth Tyler Higbee Jersey , when needed. Absolutely outstanding job from the offensive line, these five deserve the game ball.RB’s C.J. Anderson and Todd GurleyAnderson rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns (5.3 yards-per-carry) and Gurley rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown (7.2 yards-per-carry). These guys played possessed all night, breaking tackles and hitting holes with plenty of burst. The duo is a great mix of power (Anderson) and speed (Gurley). So long as the running game is clicking, the Rams will dominate. The offense had zero three-and-outs in the game.DT Ndamukong SuhWhat perfect timing for Ndamukong Suh to have his best game as a Ram. Suh only had four tackles and a tackle-for-loss, but man oh man was he an issue for the Cowboys offensive line when it came to the running game. Suh’s emergence is coming at the perfect time as the Rams approach the ultimate goal — a Superbowl.ILB Cory LittletonCory Littlejohn (kidding) combined for seven tackles, a tackle-for-loss, and a pass deflection. Littleton looked fierce today Youth Samson Ebukam Jersey , maintaining his responsibilities in the run game and using his terrific closing speed to finish tackles. The entire front-seven did a fantastic job stepping up, becoming more physical, and forcing the Cowboys offense off schedule consistently. RB Ezekiel Elliott had 20 carries for 47 yards (2.4 yards-per-carry).Coaching staffThat was quite a masterful gameplan, wasn’t it? Head Coach Sean McVay was dominant offensively. One of his major qualms in his short career was his affinity to pass the ball and forget about the running game, but not today. Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips had the defense flying to the ball as a collective unit.Enjoy it Rams fans, onto next week! We’ll find out tomorrow who the Rams are slated to play between the New Orleans Saints or Philadelphia Eagles. Rams head coach Sean McVay said on Wednesday that he expects to make an earlier call on running back Todd Gurley‘s status this week and anyone looking for hints about which way that’s going to go got one on Thursday.McVay said that Gurley will not take part in the team’s second practice of the week. Gurley, who was a last-minute inactive last week due to a knee injury Youth Cooper Kupp Jersey , was also out of practice on Wednesday.McVay also said, via Vincent Bonsignore of , that the decision on Gurley won’t be determined by whether he practices this week, but it seems like an outsized risk to put him on the field Sunday if he’s not going to work in the more controlled practice environment during the week.C.J. Anderson would be in line for his second straight start if Gurley is out again this weekend. The Rams need a win or a Bears loss to lock themselves into the No. 2 seed in the NFC.
THOUSAND OAKS Los Angeles Rams T-Shirt , Calif. (AP) — remainder of the season because of a collarbone injury.Coach Sean McVay said Wednesday that Brown is likely headed to injured reserve after sustaining the injury in the Rams’ 30-16 win over Detroit on Sunday.Brown had a non-surgical procedure to reset his clavicle and will miss eight to 10 weeks, McVay said.Brown has 212 yards rushing and five receptions for 52 yards and one touchdown catch this season as the backup to star running back Todd Gurley. Brown is also a key special teams contributor.“It’s a big loss for our football team,” McVay said Wednesday. “He means a lot to us in a variety of different ways.”McVay said Justin Davis, an undrafted free agent from Southern California in his second season, and rookie John Kelly will compete to fill Brown’s role. Kelly, a sixth-round draft pick from Tennessee, has not been active in the regular season after rushing for 197 yards and three touchdowns in the preseason. Chicago Bears (4-3) at Buffalo Bills (2-6)1pm ET, FOXAt this point in the season Los Angeles Rams Hats , most teams have produced enough outputs to develop a narrative summing up their performances to this point. That’s certainly the case with these two.The Bears, as many predicted, look much better under new Head Coach Matt Nagy. Their three losses have come by a total of just 11 points including a one-point loss to the Green Bay Packers and a one-possession loss by seven points to the New England Patriots. Not exactly a ton for them to rue. But this is a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010. If they’re going to end that streak, it’s going to have to come with some maturation that I’m not sure should be surprising should it come to pass.As for the Bills...yeah. One note? They are passing for less than 150 yards per game. No team has passed for less than 150 per since the 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars. That is bad.Kansas City Chiefs (7-1) at Cleveland Browns (2-5-1)1pm ET, CBSThe Chiefs remain in the top tier of 2018 contenders and for good reason.The Browns do not. And after firing their head coach and offensive coordinator, they’re clearly already in the bag this year.New York Jets (3-5) at Miami Dolphins (4-4)1pm ET, CBSI mentioned that “most” teams have a developing narrative at this point. Most.The Jets are still well off the mark, but much of that has to do with the quality of their roster and not necessarily the job of Head Coach Todd Bowles. They’re likely to be without former Los Angeles Rams CB Trumaine Johnson for the fifth week in a row which certainly hasn’t helped.As for Miami Los Angeles Rams Hoodie , they’re probably the least-impressive four-win team in the NFL as of right now. And with QB Ryan Tannehill still out, it means the Fins have to stick with backup QB Brock Osweiler.Detroit Lions (3-4) at Minnesota Vikings (4-3-1)1pm ET, FOXThis one’s actually a pretty fun NFL North battle.Most metrics rank the Lions’ defense as one of the league’s worst. That has put QB Matthew Stafford and the rest of Detroit’s offense under pressure for most of 2018.And of course after a berth in the NFC Championship last year, the Vikings were expected to compete among the best teams in the conference this season. And honestly, it’s not like they’re far off. Losses to the Rams and New Orleans Saints and a tie to the Pack is nothing to really condemn the team. And in all sincerity, the Week 3 home loss to the Bills stands out as probably the single biggest anomaly of a game in the NFL this year. But it does mean at 4-3-1 they have left themselves very little margin for error. Beyond this game, they have four contests coming up of significant difficulty.Atlanta Falcons (3-4) at Washington Five-game Winners (5-2)1pm ET, FOXAtlanta is one of the least predictable teams this year. The offense has been strong but wildly inconsistent. The defense hasn’t been good as a whole since a Week 1 loss. They’ve got to solidify things on that side of the ball quickly to avoid dropping another few disappointing ones over the next month that could put them out of the playoff picture.Washington is one of the strangest teams in the league in 2018. Their defense has improved significantly while the underlying metrics don’t support the performances suggesting a fall back to reality. They’ve won four games scoring 24 points or less.Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) at Carolina Panthers (5-2)1pm ET Youth Customized Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , FOXFitzmagic continues to amaze, but the real story is QB Jameis Winston who has been benched for this game. Now in his fourth season after being taken first overall in the 2015 NFL Draft, Winston’s performance level has seemingly declined. After losing four of their last five, they’ve got Head Coach Dirk Koetter on a hot seat that’s gaining heat quickly.Carolina on the other hand has managed things well to this point though QB Cam Newton has a worrisome shoulder injury. That doesn’t bode well on a short week with the Pittsburgh Steelers inviting the Panthers north on Thursday.Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2-1) at Baltimore Ravens (4-4)1pm ET, CBSProbably the best game of the early slate.The interesting thing here may be momentum as the Steelers are riding a three-game win streak while the Ravens are on a two-game losing skid.
The Green Bay Packers defeated the Buffalo Bills 22-0 on Sunday Color Rush Lane Taylor Jersey , and they did so thanks to a dominating performance from beginning to end by their defense.f surprising names who made the big plays in this game, however, and today we give out a game ball to a player who has been much-maligned by Packers fans over the last two-plus seasons.On offense, it was a bit of a struggle for Aaron Rodgers and company. The Packers’ quarterback completed just over half of his passes and although there were a few drops, he was inconsistent with his accuracy. Rodgers’ overall line was 22-for-40 for 298 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, which was tipped twice by linebacker Tremaine Edmunds and tight end Jimmy Graham.Instead, it was the Packers’ running game that was particularly effective, as the team posted 141 total rushing yards. That’s where we’ll start with today’s game balls.RB Aaron JonesOnce again, the second-year back showed that he is absolutely the Packers’ best, most explosive runner. We’ll need to check the snap counts tomorrow to see how the total workload broke down between him, Jamaal Williams, and Ty Montgomery, but one can easily make an argument that Jones continues to be under-utilized.He played the third series of the game after Williams and Montgomery got the first and second, respectively, then got the fourth, but seemed to be an afterthought for stretches in the third quarter. However, he more than doubled up Williams’ rushing yardage despite having the same number of carries — Jones had 11 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown, while Williams picked up just 27 yards on his 11 carries.Jones had 50 total yards on his first series alone, including 30 on his first carry of the game. It continues to astound that McCarthy isn’t giving him more touches at this point Jaire Alexander Jersey , especially with the game well in hand in the fourth quarter.LT David BakhtiariBills defensive end Jerry Hughes recorded an absurd 15 quarterback pressures last week against the Minnesota Vikings, particularly left tackle Riley Reiff. He may have only brought Kirk Cousins down for one sack, but he made Cousins’ life a living hell for three hours.This week, David Bakhtiari largely kept him in check. Hughes had no sacks in the game and although he had three tackles for loss in the run game, Bakhtiari did what he is paid the big bucks to do: keep elite pass rushers from getting to Aaron Rodgers. He did that, and we’ll want to see the pressure numbers to be sure, but the Bills’ overall lack of pass rush was a big reason for the Packers’ solid passing success in the first half of the game. It all starts with Bakh.OLB Kyler FackrellWe would be remiss if Fackrell were not included in this post today. Not only did he have a whopping three sacks of Josh Allen, but he also helped to bring down the Bills’ quarterback twice on scrambles up the middle. While one sack was probably of the lucky variety, his other two were excellent plays, including a great speed rush around right tackle Jordan Mills late in the game.All told, he finished with four total tackles (he wasn’t credited with a tackle on one of the two scrambles), and he put together arguably his finest performance as a pro.DTs Kenny Clark/Mike DanielsIt’s almost silly to separate these two players, as much of their success builds off of each other. Once again, Clark and Daniels were active all game long, helping to collapse the pocket regularly and allowing the Packers’ linebackers to clean up Allen. In addition, Clark helped track down Allen on one scramble, forcing and recovering a fumble for the Packers’ third turnover of the game.With Muhammad Wilkerson injured and out for the year, the Packers need these two (along with Dean Lowry) to step up, and the two big names definitely held up their end of the bargain today.Honorable Mention: S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix & Mason CrosbyWe have criticized Clinton-Dix here at APC much of this season for his tentative play, but he made one of the best plays of his career in this game. Diagnosing a throw from Josh Allen quickly, he broke to the sideline to attack a pass intended for Kelvin Benjamin. Clinton-Dix caught the football Authentic Josh Jackson Jersey , laying a big incidental hit on Benjamin in the process.Beyond that, Clinton-Dix was solid on the back end, with no glaring missed tackles or bad angles to speak of. He finished with four solo tackles and that interception, and play of that caliber will be very helpful for the Packers moving forward.As for Crosby, he hit all three of his field goal attempts, including a pair from 52 yards out. He only gets an honorable mention, however, because of a point-after attempt that hit the right upright after the Packers’ opening touchdown. On Friday, the Green Bay Packers listed three players on their injury report as Questionable and one — cornerback Kevin King — as out for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins. On Sunday, one of the questionable players will join King in street clothes as the rest of the team takes on the Miami Dolphins.Right tackle Bryan Bulaga, wide receiver Randall Cobb, and inside linebacker Blake Martinez all seemed to be coming down to game-time decisions in week ten. Of those three, Cobb was ruled out for the game and is inactive, while Bulaga and Martinez will both start the game.This is the fourth game that Cobb will miss due to his hamstring injury this season. He had a huge performance in week one against the Bears, including the game winning 75 yard touchdown, but has been anything but impressive since. Equanimious St. Brown was announced as his replacement in the starting lineup.The Packers only listed six players as inactive because the active roster currently remains at 52 players, one short of the maximum 53.Meanwhile, the Dolphins will be missing three starting offensive linemen, including both of their offensive tackles due to injury, as well as quarterback Ryan Tannehill.Packers InactivesQB Tim BoyleS Ibraheim CampbellWR Randall Cobb CB Kevin KingCB Will RedmondOL Alex LightDolphins InactivesDE Charles HarrisOT Ja’Wuan JamesC/G Ted LarsenTE Durham SmytheQB Ryan TannehillOT Laremy TunsilDE Jonathan Woodard
short-staffed cornerback position The Buffalo Bills www.billsfootballauthentics.com , already thin at cornerback, have lost starting cornerback Phillip Gaines to an arm injury in the first quarter. After making a tackle, Gaines immediately signaled to the sideline and was eventually carted to the locker room. To make matters worse, Gaines was starting at nickel cornerbback because rookie Taron Johnson was already sidelined with his own shoulder injury. Buffalo is now down to just three healthy cornerbacks on the field.Replacing Gaines at slow corner is safety Rafael Bush, typically listed as Buffalo’s “Big Nickel”. He’s used to covering tight ends and running backs, not necessarily wide receivers.Buffalo released cornerback Ryan Carter this week and brought him back to the practice squad. Tre’Davious White has been shadowing the top receiver against the Chargers with Vontae Davis on the other side. Lafayette Pitts is seeing more time than he probably should be as the team’s depth cornerback.Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott addresses the LeSean McCoy trade rumors As the Buffalo Bills (2-3) prepare for Sunday’s important AFC clash with the Houston Texans (2-3), there has been rampant speculation that Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy could be on the move. During a press conference Wednesday, head coach Sean McDermott addressed the media about rumors that McCoy Buffalo Bills T-Shirt , Buffalo’s best offensive playmaker, has drawn interest other teams around the league. One of those speculated to be interested in McCoy’s services is the the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost Jay Ajayi for the season to a torn ACL in Sunday’s 23-21 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Before taking any questions, McDermott opened his press conference by addressing the McCoy trade rumors head-on, calling McCoy “a valuable member of our football team.” “LeSean is one of our better players. I thought he had a good game the other day. Really, we’re just looking forward to playing the Houston Texans,” McDermott said of rumors swirling around the trade of McCoy. “We get calls all the time, incoming calls happen all the time. Brandon [Beane] and I talk a lot Buffalo Bills Hats , and I won’t go into any more detail than that.”After a slow start to the season (he also missed the win over the Minnesota Vikings with a rib injury), McCoy carried a season-high 24 times for 85 yards in Sunday’s 13-12 win over the Tennessee Titans at New Era Field. That matched his rushing production through his first three games of the season. In four games, McCoy has rushed 45 times for 170 yards, to go with 10 catches for 64 yards. He has not scored a touchdown in 2018. With the Eagles, the reigning Super Bowl champions, in a position to trade for a running back with Ajayi’s season-ending injury, it makes sense for the Eagles to kick the tires on a trade for McCoy, who spent the first six seasons excelling in Philadelphia. Has McCoy heard the trade rumors or given any consideration to changing teams? “I heard about [the trade rumors]. I kind of just stay focused on the job Buffalo Bills Womens Hoodie , the task at hand. I’ll let that stuff work itself out. We’ll see what happens,” McCoy told the media. ”No, I just stay focused (on the task at hand),” McCoy continued. “I don’t pay attention to it too much, trade stuff and everything else. I should never have gotten traded (from Philadelphia) anyway, I was killing stuff, you know? I never really pay too much attention to it. This week, we’ve got the Texans; I’ll worry about that. They’ve got a good defense Womens Customized Buffalo Bills Jerseys , a lot of big name guys on that defensive line. I’ve got my hands full this week. Last week was my first week of really getting out there and running. [I’m] just trying to get some rust off, get going, play after play. It felt good.”
Buffalo Bills ride dominant defense to win in Minnesotafirst two games of the 2018 season Cheap Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , getting outscored 75-9 through the first six quarters of two lackluster performances. But in the Bills’ locker room, the players knew they had turned a corner in the second half of Week 2’s 31-20 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The unit held the high-flying Chargers to only three points and only 61 total yards of offense (including only three rushing yards when the Chargers were in an obvious run the ball and kill the clock mode) after halftime.Head coach Sean McDermott assumed the play-calling duties in the second half of that game, but for Week 3’s road game with the Minnesota Vikings, defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier re-claimed play-calling duties, and the unit responded with a thoroughly dominant performance. The Bills (1-2) were flying across the U.S. Bank Stadium field on defense, swarming quarterback Kirk Cousins and coming away with three sacks while clamping down on a high-octane offense. The Bills brought the heat from the get-go and never let Cousins feel comfortable in the pocket. While the offense struck early and often for 17 first-quarter points en route to a 27-0 halftime lead, the defense limited Minnesota to only 46 first-half yards Authentic Marcus Murphy Jersey , forcing two fumbles that led to 10 points. The 46 first-half yards were the fewest a Bills’ defense had allowed in the first half since the Cleveland Browns managed two first-half yards in 2004. Jerry Hughes returned to his dominant pass-rushing self, registering 15 pressures against the Vikings, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That figure represents the most pressures in a game over the last three seasons. Linebacker Matt Milano enjoyed one of the finest games of his career, finishing with a sack, a fumble recovery, and an interception, becoming the first member of the Bills to accomplish that feat since Troy Vincent in 2004.The Vikings White Lorenzo Alexander Jersey , who exploded for 22 fourth-quarter points in a Week 2 tie against the Green Bay Packers, didn’t enter the red zone until there was 3:30 remaining in the fourth quarter. Buffalo also re-discovered its stout run defense, allowing the Dalvin Cook-less Vikings ground game to run for only 14 yards (and only 12 in the first half). Minnesota’s talented wide receiver duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, who ran wild against the Packers for a combined 21 catches for 259 and three touchdowns, were held to 22 yards on six catches in the first half. Much of the credit goes to second-year pro Tre’Davious White, who has emerged as an up-and-coming lock-down cornerback, and Ryan Lewis White Jordan Mills Jersey , who earlier in the week was elevated from the practice squad. Were it not for a late touchdown once the game was well out of hand, Buffalo was poised to pitch the first shutout of the Vikings on their field in more than 50 years (since the 1962 season). All-told, an impressive bounce-back effort for a Bills defense that ranked at or near the bottom of the league in almost every category heading into Week 3. Week 4’s showdown with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers at Lambeau Field will serve as another test of whether or not this Bills defense has truly turned a corner. The Buffalo Bills sit at 2-3 after five weeks and the most difficult portion of their schedule. With a rookie quarterback taking his lumps, Buffalo isn’t completely out of it in a crowded AFC playoff field.The Kansas City Chiefs are the lone undefeated team in the conference and the Cincinnati Bengals are 4-1. Most of the rest of the AFC is mired in a huge logjam somewhere between 2-3 and 3-2. Then the Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts are bringing up the rear.Buffalo’s next two games are against teams behind or tied with them in the standings. They can really get a running start into their Monday night showdown against the New England Patriots looming at the end of October.Here is the complete AFC playoff picture:1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)2. Cincinnati Bengals (4-1)3. New England Patriots (3-2, win over MIA)4. Tennessee Titans (3-2, win over JAX)5t. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)5t. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)5t. Miami Dolphins (3-2)5t. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2)9t. Cleveland Browns (2-2-1)9t. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1)11t. Buffalo Bills (2-3)11t. Houston Texans (2-3)11t. New York Jets (2-3)11t. Denver Broncos (2-3)15t. Oakland Raiders (1-4)15t. Indianapolis Colts (1-4)
makers have a two-touchdown gap affair at New Era Field tonight.The question of course is whether the Bills can make a game of things. At 2-5 Torry Holt Jersey Salute to Service , there’s not much reason to think they could...except that this is the NFL. And just five weeks ago, these same Bills went into Minneapolis and mollywhomped the Minnesota Vikings in Minnesota. So yeah.As for the Pats, it’s Monday Night Football. QB Tom Brady. HC Bill Belichick. Hard to see them dropping this one, even on the road. But who knows!Maybe we get a game on our hands to close out the first half of the 2018 season.Let’s hope so.New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills TV ScheduleGame time: 8:15 PM ESTChannel: ESPNDate: Monday, October 29Announcers: Joe Tessitore, Jason Witten, Booger McFarlandLocation: New Era Field | Orchard Park, New YorkOnline Streaming: WatchESPNOdds:New England Patriots -13.5 (-115)Buffalo Bills +13.5 (-105) GLENDALE, Ariz. — Larry Fitzgerald took a backward pass from Josh Rosen, shuffled a couple of steps right and set his feet.Arizona’s all-time leading receiver cocked his right arm back and let a not-quite-a-spiral fly into the desert air. The ball landed softly into the hands of Cardinals running back David Johnson, hitting him stride for a 32-yard touchdown.The Cardinals may have lost 31-9 to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, but Fitzgerald added another highlight as Arizona fans celebrated what could be the final home game of his storied 15-year career.“It’s awesome Authentic Jack Youngblood Jersey ,” Rosen said. “This town loves Larry, he’s an unbelievable player. The fans were looking for something positive and that was a fun one.”Fitzgerald hasn’t decided if he will return for a 16th NFL season and the Cardinals still have one game left, next Sunday at Seattle.Arizona’s first season under Steve Wilks was a huge disappointment, possibly sending the Cardinals (3-12) toward a coaching search for the second straight season by New Year’s Eve.Amid one of the worst seasons in franchise history, Fitzgerald showed he’s still got it, even at 35.Entering Sunday’s game, Fitzgerald was Arizona’s leading receiver with 59 catches for 645 yards and five touchdowns. He caught six passes for 62 yards against the NFC West champion Rams (12-3), extending his streak of games with a catch to 226 straight — second all-time to Jerry Rice’s 274.Fitzgerald holds the NFL record for catches with one team and is third all-time overall with 1,299. He’s second all-time with 16,252 yards.Fitzgerald also is one of the most respected players in the NFL and in Phoenix sports history, both on the field and off.“I can’t really speak enough about Larry, not only what he brings to this organization Limited Jared Goff Jersey , but to the shield itself, the National Football League,” Wilks said. “Just a true pillar of this league.”Arizona’s home finale felt like the end of the line for Fitzgerald, even if he hasn’t made a decision yet.Fitzgerald stood alone in the Cardinals’ inflatable helmet at the end of pregame introductions and ran onto the field to the first of many chants of “Larry!” from the home crowd.Throughout the game, the video boards showed highlights of Fitzgerald’s career to the Christmas-inspired song “Twelve Days of Fitzmas.”The Cardinals kept his receptions streak alive by targeting him early and often. Fitzgerald then did something he had never done before, lofting his first career TD pass into the hands of Johnson, setting off another “Larry!” chant.“It was a great throw. He threw it up there,” Johnson said. “I didn’t have to slow my stride or anything.”The Cardinals had the Fitz pass in the playbook most of the season, insisting it wasn’t put in just because this might have been his final home game.Even so, when Fitzgerald came to the sideline after his first TD pass, offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich got a massive chest bump from the veteran receiver.“I guess it’s like a layup in basketball; you can’t miss,” said Fitzgerald Orlando Pace Jersey , 2 for 4 for 53 yards career passing. “I just wanted to put a little air under it. It came out a little wobbly, like (former teammate) Kurt Warner’s ball. But, like Kurt Warner’s ball, it was effective.”As the clock wound down on another Cardinals’ defeat, the few remaining fans started a chant “Larry!” — maybe for the final time.When it was over, Fitzgerald found himself surrounded by photographers, following his every move as Rams players and coaches lined up to congratulate him on the field.Even after 60 minutes of pounding each other, the respect was there for one of the greatest receivers — and people — in NFL history.“I play a team sport. I’m not Michael Phelps or Tiger Woods. Those guys do individual things,” Fitzgerald said. “Everything I’ve done has been in the context of a team setting. It’s a little uncomfortable to be singled out. There’s 11 guys with me and I wouldn’t be able to do my job without every single guy doing it. It’s cool, but still, you never get used to that.”
Super Bowl: Bears vs. Texans.Could happen.The native of Chicago and lifelong Bears fan also is close friends with Houston star defensive end J.J. Watt. So what could be better for the popular standup comedian than his favorite team facing off with his football buddy in the big game?"We were just talking about that Ethan Westbrooks Jersey , a friend and me, talking about going to the Super Bowl this year. It could be a Watt/Bears extravaganza," says Maniscalco, who also is an actor and author. "It would be nice."The last time the Bears were this good with this kind of swagger about them and a lot of confidence, they were doing the 'Super Bowl Shuffle.' "Maniscalco is headed for Madison Square Garden for four shows on Jan. 19-20 that nearly are sold out. The Garden is a natural spot for comedy 鈥?have you seen the Knicks lately? 鈥?and Maniscalco recognizes the tie-ins between sports and funniness."Madison Square Garden is the epicenter for lots of great events," he notes. "Comedy and sports definitely go together, though it's not something I build my standup around. I tailor my act to whoever is there. It is something for me that I always loved, incorporating some sort of sports material into my act John Sullivan Jersey Salute to Service , some of it's improvisational."You're out there and exposed in both. If people are not out there laughing, you are out there like a pitcher who cannot throw strikes. Comedy is very naked and very exposed. So is anybody who is kind of doing something on an individual level, like in sports."Maniscalco, who threw out the first pitch for a Mets game at Citi Field last season and enjoyed the camaraderie of hanging out in the dugout, was a soccer player as a youngster. Part of his comedy routine 鈥?he has a Netflix special that premieres on Jan. 15 鈥? centers on his father, who would come to Sebastian's games with a legal pad, write down what he saw, then break down what his son did and didn't do.His father would sit away from the other parents in the stands."No one knew who he was Authentic Kurt Warner Jersey ," he jokes. "They were saying, 'Hey, does someone owe money here?' He looked like he was coming to collect a debt."Now, Maniscalco says, dad comes to his shows and does the same critiquing of the comedy.Much of Maniscalco's material focuses on family relationships and stuff people go through in their daily lives. He steers clear of politics, despite the deep well of potential material there."The recipe for success to me is staying true to who I am, to my family, and sharing experiences people can relate to Limited Marshall Faulk Jersey ," he says.His friendship with Watt started through Twitter when the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year said he was a fan of Maniscalco since high school. The comic and his family have visited with Watt when they were in Houston, and marveled at the impact Watt has had in the community."He is like a leader. He inspires people," Maniscalco says, noting Watt's fundraising role after Houston was hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. "If something needs to get done, he gets it done. You kind of strive to do the things he does. It makes you a better person."So if Watt and the Texans play his beloved Bears in the Super Bowl, where will Maniscalco's allegiance be?Well, he isn't quite saying. But, though he has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years Eric Dickerson Jersey , he still roots for all the Chicago teams.If the Texans and Bears get to Atlanta, and you see a guy on the street wearing a Watt jersey and Bears jacket and hat, it might be Maniscalco.No kidding. The Rams played without running back Todd Gurley for the final two weeks of the regular season because of a knee injury, but there’s been optimism about his outlook for Saturday’s game against the Cowboys.Tuesday’s update from head coach Sean McVay did nothing to change that. McVay said that Gurley took part in the team’s first walkthrough of the day and that he would do the same when they hold another one later on Tuesday. McVay also said that Gurley is going to take part in practice on Wednesday.Assuming the practice work goes well, that should leave Gurley on track to play this weekend.In the event things do go the other way, the Rams would turn to C.J. Anderson as their lead back. He ran 43 times for 299 yards and two touchdowns in the two games that Gurley missed in December.
The Denver Broncos have lost guard Ron Leary Jared Goff Jersey Elite , their best offensive lineman, to a torn Achilles, the latest misfortune for a team that's mired in a four-game skid.loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday and was replaced by Max Garcia.Coach Vance Joseph said Monday that Leary will be placed on injured reserve."That's a huge loss for us from a leadership perspective," Joseph said. "From a player perspective, it's a huge loss. You know, we have great depth in that room, obviously with (right guard Connor) McGovern and Max being starters now and (rookie) Sam Jones dressing on game day. So http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/jared-goff-jersey , we'll see how that works out, but I feel good about that room. I do."General manager John Elway said on his weekly radio show that he's searching for a roster replacement for Leary, but with a game Thursday night in Arizona that addition won't be someone who can provide immediate help.The Los Angeles Rams could have some tough games against the Arizona Cardinals this year In a short series examining the NFC West “rivals,” I have already covered the San Francisco 49ers. Today: the Arizona Cardinals. Oh, and before your eyes glaze over, we play these jerks in Week 2. There’s been some recent eye rolling from NFL fans when the Arizona Cardinals are mentioned as upstart disrupters in the NFC West. They’re brittle, unproven Authentic Brandin Cooks Jersey , and probably need a year or two to establish their identity. But then again, in the NFL, nobody knows anything until they play the games. The Cardinals are fine even if/when QB Sam Bradford’s knee explodes.I genuinely root for QB Sam Bradford; I want the guy to play a full season just because I know he works hard and his talent is so great that he deserves the chance to compete. The Cardinals are a nice fit for Bradford, as he has a legit star WR to throw to in Larry Fitzgerald, and two young speedsters in WR Chad Williams and WR Christian Kirk. Drafted in the second round, Christian Kirk has a chance to be a pain in the ass for the Los Angeles Rams’ secondary. The Cardinals also have an explosive left tackle in D.J. Humphries; he’s super athletic when he’s not hurt -- which is kind of the motto with this team. Speaking of getting hurt, Bradford will have some help with his running game with the return of RB David Johnson Brandin Cooks Jersey Elite , who was fantastic before a season-ending injury last season.And if you’ve watched your fair share of UCLA games the past couple of years, you know that once he’s given the opportunity, QB Josh Rosen will be up to the task. I believe that Rosen’s biggest challenge will be staying healthy, but if he can accomplish that, he can throw like a guy who has been in the league for 15 years. Rosen is also a guy that can step in even if Sam Bradford goes down in the first quarter of Week 1. With Steve Wilks as their new head coach, the defense will improveBrought over from the Carolina Panthers, the ex-defensive coordinator comes with a new 4-3 defensive scheme. Wilks is a strong leader that will bring some much needed youth and inspiration to the culture. Bruce Arians kind of looks like the type of person who’d steal people’s lunches out of the community refrigerator while Wilks seems like a coach that has the locker room in the palm of his hand — not great news for opposing teams.The Cardinals defense is going to be betterLast year http://www.losangelesramsteamonline.com/brandin-cooks-jersey , the Cardinals defense was pretty lopsided — guys like CB Patrick Peterson were lining up alongside the part-time line cook at the local Cracker Barrel. They’ve plugged in CB Jamar Taylor, which is alright. I really like second year safety Budda Baker, who could end up playing a lot better this season. The Arizona Cardinals should probably be encased in bubble-wrap until the season begins because these dudes have proven themselves to be injury-prone. However, they could have also endured some bad luck that is now done with and LA Rams’ fans shouldn’t view this NFC West team as two easy wins this season.With one of the best running backs in the league and potential future star in Josh Rosen, the Cards may not be a favorite to win the division, but they’re still ready to cause some havoc.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — that the word “savage” best describes New Orleans’ offense.Certainly Authentic Sam Mills Jersey , the Saints are scoring so often, and in so many ways, it’s enough to bruise defenders’ egos.“I’m glad we don’t have to play them,” Saints linebacker Alex Anzalone said Monday, a day after New Orleans broke the 50-point mark in a victory over Cincinnati.Even by the lofty standards offensive-minded coach Sean Payton and record-setting quarterback Drew Brees have set since joining forces in 2006, New Orleans is putting points on the board with exceptional proficiency.The Saints have never averaged better than 34.2 points per game for an entire season. That mark was set by New Orleans’ 2011 squad that featured Brees and four skill players that each gained more than 950 yards from scrimmage: tight end Jimmy Graham, receiver Marques Colston, and running backs Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas.The 2018 Saints, who host defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia on Sunday, currently lead the NFL with an average 36.7 points through nine games. Maintaining that pace for the rest of the regular season would put them third all-time in scoring behind the 2013 Denver Broncos (37.9 points per game) and the 2007 New England Patriots (36.8). And the way the Saints are playing, their current scoring average could very well increase before the season is out. They’ve scored at least 40 points in five of nine games so far.They’ve also added yet another potential receiving target, signing veteran Brandon Marshall on Monday.“He’s got good length and size. He’s another big target,” Payton said of the 34-year-old Marshall, who became a free agent when he was released by Seattle on Oct. 30. “I thought size was important but (also) experience and someone that we felt had strong hands.”Eleven different Saints have gotten in the end zone this season, including Brees, who dove over the pile at the line of scrimmage for his third rushing TD this season during Sunday’s 51-14 triumph at Cincinnati. The 39-year-old QB also is having one of his most efficient seasons, completing 77.3 percent of his passes for 21 TDs and only one interception.Brees’ completion rate arguably has been aided by his decision to often throw shorter passes, particularly to Kamara, who has 55 receptions for 473 yards and three TDs. But Brees asserts that Saints’ offensive production has stemmed in no small part from their ability to methodically sustain drives with high-percentage plays.“It pays dividends as the game goes on,” Brees said. “You wear a defense down. … We say, ‘Don’t get bored with the (short) completions, the four-yard runs. They result in big plays if we keep it up.”A case in point is Brees’ 72-yard game-breaking touchdown pass to receiver Michael Thomas in the final minutes of a Week 9 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, whose defenders crashed down to swarm Kamara on the play.During the Payton-Brees era Limited Rickey Jackson Jersey , the Saints have more often than not been a pass-heavy team. But not this season. New Orleans ranks eighth in yards rushing and seventh in yards passing.“We’re hoping to have balance,” Payton said. “Our offensive line has played well. We’ve been consistent rushing the football. I feel like Drew’s playing at high level. … Having that ability to rush or pass is something that can help.”And while Brees is in the twilight of his career, New Orleans is enjoying major production from two of its younger skill players.The 23-year-old Kamara has 1,109 yards and 14 TDs from scrimmage on mix of runs and receptions. Thomas, 25, has caught 78 passes for 950 yards and seven TDs.Saints right tackle Ryan Ramczyk is in only his second NFL season, but said even he can see the Saints’ offense is “definitely special.”“The cohesiveness up front really helps us out. And then guys like Mark and Alvin and Drew, Michael — all those guys around us — are special athletes,” Ramzcyk said. “When we come together, we can make a lot of great things happen.”And that takes a lot of pressure off the Saints’ defense, which yielded 48 points in a season-opening loss, but since has been good enough to help New Orleans win eight straight. Next up are the Philadelphia Eagles (4-5).“We don’t have to be super heroes,” Anzalone said. “Things aren’t going to always go our way, but we just have to give our offense a chance, and we’ve been able to do that these past eight games.” Brandon Marshall takes nothing for granted when discussing his opportunity to join the Saints' seemingly inevitable march to the postseason."Let's not jump ahead. I've got a lot of learning to do and a lot of catching up," Marshall said after his first practice with New Orleans on Wednesday. "I've been at the top and I'm on the bottom right now."By bottom, the 34-year-old Marshall means getting cut repeatedly in the past couple seasons, most recently by Seattle a couple weeks ago.Even after he worked out for New Orleans (8-1) last week, Marshall wasn't the Saints' top choice. New Orleans went instead with Dez Bryant, but lost the former Dallas Cowboys star to a season-ending Achilles injury in his second practice."When you're on the other side of 30 and you don't produce, this is the situation you'll find yourself in," Marshall said. "Being cut two times in a year is interesting. It built a lot of character. ... When Seattle cut me, I just continued to work out Willie Roaf Jersey Salute to Service , stay in shape and have faith."Marshall had flown back to his temporary home in Seattle after his Saints tryout, only to hop back on a flight to New Orleans again on Sunday afternoon, while the offense he was about to join was putting up 51 points in Cincinnati.Ankle and toe injuries cost Marshall most of his 2017 season with the New York Giants, who didn't bring him back, leaving him free to sign with the Seahawks. Marshall said he wasn't full healthy until around Week 3 or 4 of this season which, ironically, was about the time his snap count began to plummet in Seattle."I know that the narrative is that I'm done," Marshall said.Yet Marshall predicted he'd demonstrate in practice that between his 6-foot-5 frame, route-running, strong hands, and ability to quickly grasp offensive schemes, that he can still help a team with playoff credentials. Marshall noted that because he played in Chicago under then-offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer, a former offensive assistant to Saints coach Sean Payton, he is familiar with New Orleans' scheme.Payton called Marshall's ability to process a play book "one of his strengths," adding that he expects Marshall's transition in New Orleans "to be pretty smooth."Meanwhile, Marshall described the opportunity to play with Saints record-setting QB Drew Brees "a wide receiver's dream." Likewise, Brees was quick to throw a few compliments Marshall's way."He's a smart, veteran guy who is very fluid. I've seen him in a lot of different offenses 鈥?seen him be successful both as an outside receiver, an inside receiver. He's very versatile. He's a big target. A big catching radius. Just watching him run today, he's pretty impressive."We talked for a while today," Brees added. "He's excited. We're excited to have him."Marshall's addition adds depth to an offense that already leads the NFL in scoring with 36.7 points per game and ranks in the top five in yards per game with 413.9.Seattle released Marshall on Oct. 30 after he'd appeared in the first seven games this season, catching 11 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. But he had just two catches for 16 yards in his last four games.Seattle was the sixth NFL team for Marshall, who has eight 1 Drew Brees Jersey ,000-plus-yard seasons in his career. His best season, statistically, came with the New York Jets in 2015, when he caught 109 passes for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns.Even now, Marshall insisted, his motivation remains to achieve "greatness.""There's no reason why, with technology and modern medicine and with access we have to doctors around the world, why athletes can't play into their mid-30s or their 40s," Marshall said, stressing that he now feels "fit as a fiddle and healthy as a trout."It's not yet clear whether Marshall will play much, if at all this Sunday against Philadelphia. But Eagles coach Doug Pederson said his defense has to be prepared for the possibility."He's, I think, a red-zone threat with his size and so I think that's where we'll see him a little bit, is down there," Pederson said. "He's another big, physical receiver, hard to defend and our guys definitely have their work cut out this week."Notes: Starting left tackle Terron Armstead did not practice. He was listed on the injury report as having a shoulder injury. Veteran Jermon Bushrod is filling in, resuming the role he occupied on New Orleans' 2009 Super Bowl championship squad. Custom Green Bay Packers Jerseys
NEW ORLEANS (AP) —y criticism that he was a bust during his underwhelming first few NFL seasons.That doesn’t mean the 2009 Heisman Trophy winner with Alabama Authentic Marshon Lattimore Jersey , and 2011 first-round draft choice by New Orleans, was able to tune out such slights entirely.“I know people wanted me out, calling me a bust, this and that. I heard all that stuff my first few years, but I never really paid attention to the naysayers,” Ingram said Monday after tying Deuce McAlister for the most rushing touchdowns in Saints history with 49.“I always do it for the people who love me, for the people who care about me, for the people who believe in me,” added Ingram, whose father, Mark Sr., was an NFL receiver. “I have a great support system. I have a good mind, good head on my shoulders and I’ve always had that belief in myself that I could be a great player in this league.”Ingram’s record-tying touchdown embodied the determination that carried him beyond the lean early years. He dragged Buccaneers safety Andrew Adams several yards before bowling into the end zone, giving New Orleans a more comfortable 11-point, fourth-quarter lead in its NFC South-clinching, 28-14 comeback victory in Tampa Bay on Sunday.“I was hungry to make the play,” Ingram said, crediting leading receiver Michael Thomas for a key block. “It was a big play in the game, and it was just a lot of emotions in that game having to come back, very gritty. So, very passionate and I was happy to be able to make that play for the team.”Ingram said he also was pleased to join McAllister — whom he admires and considers a mentor — in the record books with a memorable run.“That was a good run to be able to tie Deuce,” Ingram said. “He had such a great career here and set the standard for running backs coming through New Orleans. He’s always been supportive of me and I appreciate him, so just to be able to have a run in that fashion to tie such a great record in this franchise, it’s good.”McAllister retired after the 2008 season Limited Marcus Williams Jersey , but remained in the New Orleans area and close to the Saints, working as a team ambassador and eventually becoming a radio analyst.Ingram said McAllister always has been “encouraging” and “supportive,” describing how McAllister sometimes attends running back video sessions and shares his thoughts. “Or if he sees something in a game, he might send me a message.”“It has just been a good relationship over the years and I appreciate him,” Ingram continued. “I’m thankful for his mentorship and he’s been a good asset to my career.”While Ingram showed promise as a rookie, he missed six games with injuries and was a bit of an afterthought on a record-setting offense that featured quarterback Drew Brees, tight end Jimmy Graham, receiver Marcus Colston, and running backs Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas.Ingram rushed for 602 yards and five TDs in 16 games in 2012, then managed just 386 yards and one TD in 11 games for what was a playoff team in 2013.The overwhelming majority of his pro production has come since 2014, when he rushed for 964 yards and nine TDs in 13 games and was named to his first of two Pro Bowls. He has surpassed 1,000 yards each of the previous two seasons and had a career-high 12 TDs last season, despite splitting carries with Alvin Kamara.A four-game suspension, tied to a positive test for a banned substance, likely will prevent him from hitting 1,000 yards this season — his final campaign under contract. But he has averaged 4.7 yards per carry and has rushed for 519 yards and five TDs in nine games.“He’s run with confidence,” Saints coach Sean Payton said. “His health has been outstanding really the last year and a half, two years. I thought the (touchdown) run (Sunday) was impressive and he’s been real consistent. That’s pretty good company when you look at what Deuce accomplished.”Meanwhile, Ingram has established himself as a team-first, locker-room leader, most notably for how he’s gone out of his way to hasten Kamara’s development and celebrate his success, becoming close friends with the young running back in the process.“If I’m bringing younger players along, making them better, teaching them and helping them and encouraging them Alvin Kamara Jersey Salute to Service , it makes the team better, and it makes the competition stronger, which makes me better,” Ingram said.Ingram said if any younger players approach him for help, “I’m going to tell them what I think, what I see, what I would do. And try and encourage them and help them anyway I can just because that’s just like what a good person would do in my eyes. I would never shun somebody just because I feel threatened. I’m going to compete. I’m going to work my butt off. I have confidence in my abilities no matter what.” The NFL trading deadline passed and the New York Giants decided to stand pat despite speculation they would be wheeling and dealing with a second straight season going down the tubes.Linebacker Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and safety Landon Collins will finish the season with the Giants, who are 1-7 for the second straight year and have virtually no chance of making the playoffs in Pat Shurmur's first season as coach.Cornerback Eli Apple and 2016 All-Pro defensive tackle Damon Harrison were the only players traded, and they were shipped the week before the deadline.Heading into their bye week, the question facing Shurmur is where does the team go from here.To be honest, there isn't a lot he can do. This team has only made the playoffs once since winning the Super Bowl in 2012. There is not a lot of depth.The one change fans and the media want is at quarterback. Two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning is as stationary as a quarterback can be and that does not work in the NFL, especially when his offense line is playing poorly. The 37-year-old has been sacked 31 times and this past Sunday he seemed to ducking as soon as the pressure got near him.Many wanted Shurmur to put in rookie Kyle Lauletta to see what the fourth-round pick out of Richmond could do.That's probably not going to happen now.The 22-year-old was arrested Tuesday on motor vehicle and related disorderly persons offenses while driving near a road construction site to practice.Weehawken police said he failed to obey a police officer's order and almost hit the officer while making an illegal turn. He was charged with eluding police, obstructing administration of law and resisting arrest. He was also charged with reckless driving, disregarding an officer's directions, improper turn and failure to remain in a marked lane.He might face a league suspension. The Giants would look foolish replacing Manning for him. Veteran Alex Tanney also isn't the answer."We're trying to do what we can to win this season, and certainly you always do what you can in the short run," Shurmur said before heading into the bye.What the Giants will do is evaluate all facets of their games to find plays that work.There is little they can do with the offense line. It was revamped to start the season and 60 percent has changed. Center Jon Halapio broke a leg and is done for the season. Right tackle Ereck Flowers was cut and free agent right guard Patrick Omameh struggled, was hurt and lost his job. Left tackle Nate Solder, the big free agent signing who has struggled at times, and rookie second-round draft pick Will Hernandez are the only starters remaining.The talent in the skill positions is obvious. Odell Beckham Jr. (61 catches for 785 yards) and Sterling Shepard (40 for 542) are outstanding receivers.Shurmur needs to find a way to get second-year tight end Evan Engram more involved. He was an explosive receiver last season and that has been missing.Saquon Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, has helped the passing game, catching 58 passes for 497 yards and two touchdowns.The biggest need is to get the running game going. Despite getting 519 yards from Barkley Authentic Tommylee Lewis Jersey , the rest of the team has contributed just over 100 yards. It has allowed opposing defenses to play the pass, limiting the offense. The unit has hurt itself with penalties and sacks that have created too many third-and-long plays, and it has settled for too many field goals, averaging 18.5 points."We got good players," said Manning, who wants to remain the starting quarterback. "There's some good football. There are some good plays. There's some big plays, some explosive plays. There's just some bad football as well. So, it's just cleaning up the bad stuff."The positive for the Giants has been James Bettcher's defense. It has given the Giants a chance to win games. Its only drawback is it has not taken the ball away more. New York has seven takeaways."We always said from the beginning, we got all the weapons that we showcase, and we expected to win," Collins said of the season. "So yeah, I'm very surprised by it."Barkley, who lost only five games in his last two seasons at Penn State, said losing in the NFL has been an adjustment for him, as it has been for many of his teammates."It's part of the NFL, it's a part of the sport. It's adversity right now," Barkley said. "When we get this thing going, and we get this thing rolling, we're going to look back at this and laugh, and see how this made us tougher." Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys