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Tim Couch encourages the Browns to do what they didn’t do with him: Practice patience.

Couch Star Lotulelei Jersey , the No. 1 overall pick in 1999, started his rookie season behind Ty Detmer. But a 43-0 loss to the Steelers in the season opener prompted the Browns to press Couch into service.

He took 56 sacks that season and ended up playing only five seasons, making 59 career starts.

The Browns now have used a No. 1 overall pick on Baker Mayfield with plans for him to start the season on the bench behind Tyrod Taylor.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Couch told Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. “I know it’s frustrating for Baker not be starting right away, but it will benefit him long term. Getting a chance to learn behind a veteran that’s had some success in the league is a great thing. Especially coming off a winless season, the last thing they should do is just throw Baker out there and say, ‘This is the No. 1 pick in the draft, and he’s going to turn this whole thing around.’

“That’s a lot of pressure to put on a young QB. I love the decision bring him along slowly and let him get comfortable with NFL game first.”

Couch will analyze the Browns’ preseason games on the team’s local broadcast alongside partner Jay Crawford.

Drew Doughty watched other playoff games this season and couldn’t believe that George Parros Vinny Curry Jersey , the NHL’s discipline czar, had suspended him for a head shot.

”I saw four hits last night that deserved more than that,” the Los Angeles Kings defenseman said.

Doughty’s one-game suspension was the first of several in the first round for a hit to the head of an opponent. Toronto’s Nazem Kadri got three games and Winnipeg’s Josh Morrissey and Nashville’s Ryan Hartman got one game each. Washington’s Tom Wilson and Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov were among those who got off without significant punishment.

The criticism, from Columbus to Colorado and from New Jersey to Los Angeles, was loud enough that the NHL’s department of player safety put out a video last week explaining its reasoning for suspending Doughty and Hartman but not Kucherov or Predators center Ryan Johansen.

”The illegal check to the head rule is often misunderstood or misstated,” the league said in the video. ”Illegal checks to the head and legal full body hits often look similar at first glance because the difference between legal and illegal can be a matter of inches in a sport that moves fast.”

Discontent over the goalie interference rule has been grabbing headlines for weeks, but the head shot discussion carries far more serious implications for a league still grappling with how best to protect its players. What’s acceptable has evolved from the early days of hockey through Scott Stevens’ then-legal crushing blow on Eric Lindros in 2000 to today, where checks to the head are parsed frame-by-frame to determine if a line was crossed. The NHL Brandon Carr Jersey , too, is still facing a federal class-action concussion lawsuit filed by former players alleging it failed to warn them about the health risks associated with head injuries.

Meeting with Associated Press Sports Editors last week, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman insisted there was nothing new about the subject. Asked about player safety, Bettman said Parros is off to good start in the former enforcer’s first season as vice president of player safety. He said he is proud of player safety’s transparency in the form of videos detailing the reasons for suspending a player.

”Sometimes we get accused of splitting hairs, but that’s exactly what they have to do,” Bettman said. ”I think he’s reached the appropriate conclusion when it’s been a hockey play that doesn’t transcend the rules and I think he’s been appropriately punitive in cases where it warranted it. There’s never going to be a shortage of critics of what they do.”

Doughty, a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman, said he hit Vegas forward William Carrier’s shoulder first before his head in Game 1. Kings coach John Stevens added: ”As long as I’m on the earth Phillip Gaines Jersey , I’m going to agree to disagree with that decision.”

The league video emphasized that an illegal check to the head concerns a player’s head being the main point of contact, not the first point of contact. Based on experience, the league said, a player’s head snapping back on these kinds of hits indicates significant head contact.

Los Angeles general manager Rob Blake, who worked under Brendan Shanahan in the department of player safety from 2010-2013, said it’s a tough job while at the same time reiterating the organization was unhappy with the suspension of Doughty. Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen was upset forward Josh Anderson was ejected from Game 1 against Washington for boarding Michal Kempny and called a hit to the head of Alexander Wennberg from Washington’s Tom Wilson that got only a minor penalty ”dangerous.”

Wilson was not given a hearing or suspended. Wennberg missed Games 2, 3 and 4 and the hit was not included in the NHL’s explanation video.

Columbus coach John Tortorella didn’t want to weigh in on the lack of punishment for Wilson, a common refrain across the NHL because nothing can be done after the fact. For a more specific reason Laremy Tunsil Jersey , Bettman doesn’t weigh in on suspensions because any appeals go to him. He does look at suspension videos before they are issued.

”I watch as a fan to make sure they make sense,” Bettman said. ”I want to make sure the videos we send out are clear.”

”I think player safety as a whole has done an extraordinarily good job of changing the culture,” Bettman said.” We have players not making certain types of hits anymore. We have players who are more accountable for their conduct and understand it and I believe that they’ve been consistent.”

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AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tennessee, and Sports Deputy Editor for Newsgathering Howie Rumberg in New York contributed.

The two feel they share that role.

Haden has been a top cornerback in the league throughout his career and Burns B.J. Goodson Jersey , a 2016 first-round pick, feels like he’s starting to come into his own as he enters his third season. The two hope a full offseason and training camp together can help a young group of Steelers defensive backs regain some swagger.

”Right now, I’m just trying to show him the way I go about my business,” Haden said. ”Training camp is one of the biggest spots where we can see growth and we can see what the offseason did.”

Haden spent his first seven pro seasons in Cleveland. He feels an entire spring of organized team activities and minicamp with Burns and the Steelers will only prove beneficial as the team works through training camp and the preseason.

”I’m trying to understand the whole defense, not just the corners and safety, but also the linebackers and defensive linemen,” Haden said. ”I’m just trying to get the whole system from the ground up and get an overall grasp of the defense.”

Cleveland released Haden on the eve of the 2017 regular season and the Steelers immediately acted. They quickly signed the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback with the hope he could give a young secondary an instant jolt.

”Having a veteran guy in your room that got to the level everybody wants to get to Matt Judon Jersey ,” Burns said, ”you kind of sit back and think that you can learn from him to get to that point.”

The Steelers did just that last season.

Pittsburgh ranked 16th against the pass in 2016, but Haden provided a necessary boost as the Steelers ended fifth in passing yards allowed. A 45-point outburst by Jacksonville in the AFC divisional playoff marred an otherwise strong season.

”I think the communication was the biggest thing for us, just no blown coverages,” Haden said. ”In the Jacksonville game, there were a couple times where people were just running free. We have the ability, we have the players Matt Bryant Jersey , we just have to be on the same page and make sure everybody’s covering their man.”

That has been the focus for Burns. He has carried a noticeably different, more confident swagger during training camp practices. He’s still locked into regular one-on-one practice battles with four-time All-Pro wide receiver Antonio Brown, a daily matchup Burns welcomes.

”Ever since I got here it’s been a battle with (Brown),” Burns said. ”It’s just something I expect from myself. I don’t even request it. I just step up, we go at it and go to work.”

It has already paid off for the third-year cornerback.

Burns jumped Brown’s slant route during the team’s first padded practice and picked off Landry Jones’s pass in the end zone. He also jumped a Ben Roethlisberger pass and came up with an interception that would’ve been returned for a touchdown.

Burns said that sort of intuition comes with experience.

”You can feel the speed of the receiver,” Burns said. ”A play can only go for so long, so once you figure out the timing of it Jatavis Brown Jersey , that’s when you have a chance to make a play on the ball.”

Burns seeks similar game-changing plays alongside Haden in the secondary this season.

”(Haden) is helping us in certain situations that he has already been put in before,” Burns said. ”That’s what Joe is doing for us.”

NOTES: Coach Mike Tomlin said Brown was sent to Pittsburgh to be evaluated for a ”minor, day-to-day” injury. Brown missed the previous two practices with his undisclosed injury. Tomlin wouldn’t say what sort of injury. … S Morgan Burnett (hamstring), Sean Davis (groin), T.J. Watt (hamstring), Vance McDonald (foot) and Alejandro Villanueva (undisclosed) also missed practice on Thursday.

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A county medical examiner says Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano died of heart disease.

The Hennepin County medical examiner’s office said Monday that the 56-year-old Sparano died of arteriosclerotic heart disease, or hardening of the arteries. The manner of death is listed as natural.

Sparano died Sunday in Eden Prairie Emmanuel Lamur Jersey , a Minneapolis suburb. He had been the Vikings’ offensive line coach since 2016.

Sparano began his NFL coaching career in 1999 and had stints as a head coach with the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders.

He was the Dolphins’ head coach from 2008-11 and went 29-32. He went 11-5 and won the AFC East in his first season with Miami.

Sparano also spent time with the Browns, Redskins, Jaguars, Cowboys and 49ers.

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Recognizable National Football League names change teams literally every offseason for one reason or another. The hard salary cap utilized for the building and maintaining of rosters in the league leads to veterans and James Harrison Jersey , in some cases, even stars becoming 鈥渟alary cap casualties,鈥?individuals released because their current clubs can no longer afford to keep them around. Those players change teams, in part, because they want to continue making as much money as they can while at the same time extending their careers. Others choose to change teams because they believe those organizations give them the best opportunities to chase rings, championships and Pro Bowl appearances before their careers end.

It must be pointed out that many of the players spotlighted in this piece had little Mark Duper Jersey , if any, choice regarding changing teams this past offseason. Front offices and general managers either move in different directions, or they offer players what they deem to be low-ball聽deals that are not worth signing. Hindsight is 20/20, as the adage says, and there is a long history of players later regretting changing teams during the winter or spring months because of varying factors. Leaving a championship franchise for money seems like a great idea at first, but cash isn鈥檛 everything Jahleel Addae Jersey , especially for somebody who has already made a solid living in the league.

Brady, a three-time nominee, will be up against first-time nominees Jose Altuve of the World Series champion Houston Astros, James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Alexander Ovechkin of the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals in male athlete nods announced Wednesday. Brady was also nominated in 2004 and 2008.

Shiffrin faces three first-time nominees for female athlete in Sylvia Fowles of the WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx, Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and soccer player Julie Ertz.

Newly retired racecar driver Danica Patrick will be the first woman to host when the show airs July 18 from Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Kevin Durant of the NBA champion Golden State Warriors, who won last year Melvin Gordon Jersey , received a nod for best championship performance. He goes against Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles, World Series MVP George Springer and Villanova’s Donte DiVincenzo, most outstanding player of the men’s Final Four.

Brady is also nominated for record-breaking performance, along with tennis star Roger Federer, New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and Diana Taurasi of the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury.

Cleveland’s LeBron James earned his 14th consecutive nomination for best NBA player and will be going for his third straight trophy. He is up against Harden, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis of the Pelicans.

The nominees for breakthrough athlete are Ben Simmons of the 76ers Ryan Fitzpatrick Jersey , Utah’s Donovan Mitchell, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara and tennis player Sloane Stephens.

Winners of most categories will be determined by online fan voting that ends before the show airs.

Football is returning to San Diego.

Via the San Diego Union-Tribune Stephon Gilmore Jersey , the Alliance of American Football confirmed on Tuesday that San Diego will be the sixth city that will be getting a team in the league that will launch with eight franchises.

Mike Martz, a San Diego native, will coach the San Diego team. He served as offensive coordinator the Super Bowl XXXIV champion Rams in 1999, and as head coach Martz took the Rams to Super Bowl XXXVI.聽(Maybe Kurt Warner can come out of retirement to play for Martz, or at least openly muse about the possibility before claiming it’s a #slownewsday when people react.)

The Chargers played in San Diego from 1961 through 2016, moving to L.A. last year. The AAF is due to begin playing the Sunday after Super Bowl LIII.

Last week, the Arizona Cardinals sent a 2020 sixth-round draft pick to Cleveland in exchange for Taylor, who started 29 games for the Browns the past two seasons.

"It means another opportunity," Taylor said after he practiced Wednesday Cameron Erving Jersey , the second day of the Cardinals' voluntary workouts this week. "Obviously, they (the Browns) didn't have me in their plans up there. It is what it is. I felt like I did what I needed to do up there as far as help change the culture. I was very loyal to the Browns, but letting me go, it definitely puts another fire in my gut to come out here and ball out."

First-year coach Steve Wilks said Taylor might be the leading candidate but he has to earn the job.

"I think when you look at what he's done on paper, I think you can say that," Wilks said, "but once we get out on the field, it's a clean slate for everybody."

Taylor said he understands that.

"I've always got 100 percent confidence in myself," he said. "But at the same time, you've got to put the work in. You can't just come in here and be like oh, you're going to be the guy. There's a ton of guys in here that are really good. I've been watching the last couple of days. I just have to come in here and make sure I'm doing my job so I get that opportunity."

The Cardinals think highly enough of Taylor that they released another veteran cornerback Ty Sambrailo Jersey , Marcus Williams, on Monday.

Wilks is known for his work with cornerbacks. He was cornerbacks coach of the Carolina Panthers before being promoted to defensive coordinator there last season.

"I'm excited," Taylor said. "I've watched his defenses a lot. I'm a big film guy. Just seeing him when he was with Carolina, knowing him when he was with San Diego. I had some old friends that played for him. I've heard what type of coach he is and then seeing out there the past couple of days, it's amazing. This whole organization is a great organization."

Asked what he thinks of Taylor, Wilks said, "When you look at him over the time, particularly a couple of years ago when he had his best season on the other side of (Joe) Haden, to make plays on the ball, extremely smart. He's physical and I love the way he tackles. We take a lot of pride in that, of course I do Jacquizz Rodgers Jersey , in making sure our cornerbacks tackle."

Taylor's three career interceptions came in that 2016 season opposite the longtime standout Haden and he said he welcomes the challenge of playing opposite Peterson.

"It's just more plays for whoever's over there," Taylor said. "More plays, that's how you've got to look at it. More opportunities for you to get picks. When I went to Cleveland, I played opposite Joe Haden. That meant more plays that year. I made a lot of plays on the ball. Playing opposite from a guy like Pat, it's a huge deal, you've got to hold your own."

The Browns went 1-31 in Taylor's two seasons there, but the losing didn't wear him down, he said.

"I've always felt like I was a winner," he said. "I rarely lost in high school, didn't really lose in college. My mindset was just worry about what I can do on the field. If that meant staying late and making sure I had my job right, that's what it meant. I just always tried to keep the other guys together Barkevious Mingo Jersey , because in the NFL you could win or lose by three points, two points, one point. Every Sunday is different."

Taylor, and especially his wife Mackenzie, are happy to be moving out West. She grew up in suburban Phoenix. He was a second-round draft choice by the Dolphins out of Boise State in 2013.

"She's more of a topic than I am," he said. "We're both excited. I've been waiting to play on the West Coast my whole career. I went to Miami and all the way north to Cleveland. So I'm happy to be kind of close to home. I know she's happy to be around her family. We're going to definitely have way more support at games now."

The letter released Thursday is signed by Johnson and players Josh McCown and Kelvin Beachum of the Jets Ito Smith Jersey , and Demario Davis of the Saints. Davis is a former Jet. They cited the need for action on pretrial reform in the eight remaining days of the 2018 legislative session.

”Our bail system has been failing low-income communities and communities of color for generations,” they wrote. ”We are at a moment of crisis, but also one of great opportunity: together John Miller Jersey , we can create a pretrial justice system that reflects the best values of New York for all New Yorkers.”

Also sent the letter were Carl Heastie, speaker of the New York State Assembly, and John Flanagan Craig Robertson Jersey , majority leader of the New York State Senate.

The coalition noted ”we were so disappointed that the state budget negotiations failed to produce meaningful bail reform.”

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There were suggestions before the draft that some teams might want Lamar Jackson to play a position other than quarterback at the professional level, but there were no indications from the Ravens that they’d be moving him after they took him at the end of the first round.

There’s still no sign that they’d consider moving him permanently, but they appear to be open to something on a temporary basis. They have been experimenting with formations that include both Jackson and starting quarterback Joe Flacco at the same time.

“Gosh Brandon Carr Jersey , I sure like him out there helping us,” coach John Harbaugh said, via ESPN.com. “If you put two quarterbacks on the field at once Ray-Ray Armstrong Jersey , what options does it create for our offense? That’s what we’re trying to figure out. …聽Joe has to be able to do other things if [Jackson is] throwing the ball. It gets the creative juices flowing for our offensive coaches, and they’ve worked hard on that.”

Jackson said it has been fun seeing “what they’re going to come up with next” and time will tell how many of these ideas survive the drawing board to become an actual part of the Baltimore offense during the 2018 season.

The Capitals will next face Pittsburgh in the second round of the playoffs for a third straight year. The Penguins won each of the last two years on the way to winning consecutive Stanley Cup championships..

Chandler Stephenson had a goal and an assist Demarcus Robinson Jersey , and Dimitry Orlov, Devante Smith-Pelly and Lars Eller also tallied for Washington.

Nick Foligno had two goals, Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored and Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 22 saves for the Blue Jackets, who lost in the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive season and fourth time overall. They remain the only active NHL franchise never to win a playoff series.

Washington won four straight games after going down 2-0 at home with both games decided in overtime.

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TORONTO (AP) – Frederik Andersen stopped 32 shots to help Toronto force a decisive Game 7 in the first-round series.

William Nylander, Mitch Marner and Tomas Plekanec scored for the Maple Leafs, who trailed the series 3-1 before winning two straight. They also trailed 1-0 early in the second period of this one. Nikita Zaitsev added two assists, and Marner and Plekanec each had one.

Jake DeBrusk scored for the Bruins Blake Martinez Jersey , and Tuukka Rask – pulled in Game 5 at home, finished with 27 saves.

Game 7 is Wednesday night in Boston with the winner advancing to face Tampa Bay in the Eastern Conference semifinals..

There was a moment of silence before the opening faceoff at Air Canada Centre to honor the 10 people killed Monday when a van mounted a sidewalk in Toronto’s north end and struck multiple pedestrians. Fifteen others were injured.

Panthers running back Christian McCaffrey apparently will be catching a lot of passes this year.

Coach Ron Rivera has said that he can envision the second-year top-10 pick getting 200 rushing attempts this season. On Thursday, offensive coordinator Norv Turner said that it’s realistic to see McCaffrey averaging 25-30 touches per game.

If he gets 25 touches per game, that’s 400 for the season. Which means that he’ll need to catch 200 passes.

The single-season record for receptions is 143.

McCaffrey had 117 rushes and 80 catches in 2017 William Hayes Jersey , a total of 197 touches. While it’s hard to imagine the workload doubling, the team needs to use McCaffrey more than it has to justify the fact that he was taken with the eighth overall selection. Part-time running backs would have been available later in the draft, allowing the Panthers to focus on getting a full-time impact player with its first-round pick.

For example, cornerback Marshon Lattimore was on the board at the time; he ended up being taken three spots later by the Saints. That’s not to say it was a mistake to take McCaffrey. However Marcus Allen Jersey , it would be a mistake to have that much faith in him on draft day but not use him extensively on game days.

The Knicks lacked talent, and needed a player with the flexibility to play in multiple spots.

Kevin Knox checked off those boxes. And so the decision-makers were comfortable using the ninth pick Thursday night on the 18-year-old forward.

”We were set,” Mills said at the team’s training facility. He called Knox a ”perfect fit for how we want to play.”

Knox played one season at Kentucky, where he led the Wildcats in scoring at 15.8 points per game and 3-pointers with 57. Mills said the Knicks held ”two or three different conversations” with John Calipari, Knox’s coach at Kentucky.

The Knicks ”did our research,” Mills said. ”(We) did our due diligence.”

Knox shared the SEC’s Freshman of the Year award with Alabama guard Collin Sexton, who was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers, and was also an AP Honorable Mention on the All-America team.

At 6-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Knox shot .445 from the field, and .341 from 3-point range.

”He fits what we’re going to be about,” Knicks GM Scott Perry said. ”He’s long, he’s athletic Doug Flutie Jersey , he can play multiple positions, we think he has tremendous upside. He’s coming from a program in Kentucky that’s produced a lot of great pros.

”We thought Kevin was an excellent fit for what we’re trying to get done here.”

New York is coming off a 29-53 season as it tries to rebuild. The franchise’s cornerstone piece, Kristaps Porzingis, the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft, suffered a torn ACL in his left knee in February and it isn’t known if he will play this season.

New York has only nine players under contract, after reserve center Kyle O’Quinn opted out of the last year of his $4.3 million contract Wednesday, although starting center Enes Kanter could opt out of his $18.6 million contract on June 29. Joakim Noah, who was banished from the team following an incident with then-coach Jeff Hornacek during a practice in Denver, is still under contract and is slated to earn $18.53 million next season.

While it is unlikely that the Knicks will be a playoff team next spring, Perry pushed back against the notion that the selection of Knox over Villanova’s Mikal Bridges and Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. was a symbolic waiving of the white flag on the 2018-19 season.

”There’s a lot of talented young people in this draft,” Perry said of Knox, who is the youngest player the Knicks have drafted since Michael Sweetney in 2003. ”We just thought Kevin separated himself for us.”

The Knicks’ youth movement continued in the second round as the team used the 36th overall pick on Mitchell Robinson. The 20-year old is listed at 6-11 and 225 pounds Justin Evans Jersey , but did not play college basketball despite having committed to Western Kentucky University.

As a senior at Chalmette High School in Chalmette, Louisiana, Robinson averaged 19.6 points, 12.5 rebounds and 7.9 blocks. He played in the 2017 McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic games, which are showcases for the pre-eminent high school players in the country.

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Earning a bye week gave the Philadelphia Eagles an opportunity to work even harder.

No mini-vacations. No golfing. No beach trips.

Instead, the Eagles (13-3) kicked off preparation for next Saturday’s divisional playoff game by holding their toughest practice since training camp.

Players put their pads on Wednesday and got after it on the indoor field as starters faced off like it was a hot day in August instead of a frigid January afternoon.

”The guys in this room aren’t afraid to work, grinding, enjoying the process, enjoying the small things a lot of people don’t like to do this time of year,” Pro Bowl safety Malcolm Jenkins said. ”We understand the significance of the situation we’re in and we want to take advantage of the time we have. Guys didn’t want to be off for the whole week. We want to get better.”

The Eagles are the NFC’s No. 1 seed but no longer are Super Bowl favorites after losing MVP candidate Carson Wentz in Week 14. Oddsmakers have three NFC teams listed ahead of Philadelphia.

Backup quarterback Nick Foles played well the first five quarters he filled in for Wentz, then struggled in the last five. He was 20 of 48 for 279 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions versus 23 of 49 for 202 yards with one TD and two picks. Foles and the rest of the starters sat out the final three quarters of a 6-0 loss to Dallas that prevented Philadelphia from setting a franchise record for regular-season wins.

The defense looked sharp in the last two games, but had a tough three-game stretch on the road to start December.

So Jerry Rice Jersey , members of the team’s players’ council told coach Doug Pederson they wanted to practice in pads instead of going through walkthroughs during their bye.

”It’s not a punishment thing; it’s not coming directly from me,” Pederson said. ”It’s what the players want. I listen to my guys. I think they understand that there is a sense of physicality that we have to get back to. So you get back into pads and it sort of refocuses the guys a little bit.”

Of course, there was no tackling at practice, but the intensity level was much higher.

”We were moving around, moving fast,” Foles said. ”Pads are different, and getting to move in pads, getting to throw in pads is a good thing.”

Even the receivers welcomed the change of pace.

”All gas and no brakes now,” Alshon Jeffery said. ”You have to keep working hard and we wanted to go out and compete against one another.”

The Eagles are in the postseason for the first time since a 26-24 home loss to New Orleans on Jan. 4, 2014. Foles rallied Philadelphia from a 20-7 deficit late in the third quarter and tossed a 3-yard touchdown pass to Zach Ertz for a 24-23 lead with 4:54 remaining, only to watch special teams allow a long kickoff return that helped set up a winning field goal.

The NFC East champions will host the Saints (11-5), Panthers (11-5) or Falcons (10-6) on Jan. 13. They’ll be seeking their first playoff win since advancing to the 2009 NFC championship game as the sixth seed.

Expectations outside the locker room are low. Many folks are predicting Philadelphia is the most likely team with a bye to be one and done. Panic-stricken fans even called for Pederson to bench Foles for second-year pro Nate Sudfeld Barkevious Mingo Jersey , who threw his first career pass against the Cowboys. Sudfeld was 19 of 23 for 134 yards. Pederson actually was asked by reporters to confirm that Foles was indeed the starter.

Obviously, he’s not benching Foles for a guy who just made his NFL debut.

”He’s the guy now,” Pederson said. ”But, he doesn’t have to feel the weight of the entire team. This is a team sport. We have to play great defense, obviously, and special teams has to own up to their jobs. Then offensively, we just have to be better all around. I want Nick to embrace it; he has embraced it. At the same time, the guys around him also need to own their jobs and their responsibilities going forward.”

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Former NFL player Braylon Edwards and former NFL head coach Jim Harbaugh do not think highly of each other Warren Sapp Jersey , and Edwards’ latest comments about Harbaugh’s team have landed him in hot water.

Edwards, who played at Michigan, has frequently criticized Harbaugh’s coaching at Michigan. After Michigan lost to Notre Dame on Saturday night, Edwards tweeted his disapproval of Harbaugh’s team, particularly center Cesar Ruiz and quarterback Shea Patterson.

“Ruiz is weak, line is weak, shea is scared, f–king Michigan offense is so predictable,” Edwards wrote. “Michigan football is sadly one thing……Trash.”

Today Big Ten Network announced that Edwards has been suspended from his television job for that.

“Effective as of Sunday, Sept. 2, Braylon Edwards has been suspended indefinitely from his role at the Big Ten Network due to a violation of the network鈥檚 social media guidelines,” Big Ten Network announced.

The suspension came shortly after Harbaugh said he didn’t appreciate Edwards’ remarks.

鈥淣o. 1, it鈥檚 not true. It鈥檚 not factual Max Unger Jersey ,鈥?Harbaugh said. 鈥淭here鈥檚 nobody in our program who thinks those things about any player on our team, let alone the two players described. On the other level, it鈥檚 disappointing that a member of the Big Ten Network would choose to attack the character of two of our players. And, if someone wants to attack the character of anybody on the ball club, come after me.鈥?/p>

Edwards was the third overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft and played eight NFL seasons, making the Pro Bowl in 2007. Harbaugh was the 26th overall pick in the 1987 NFL draft and played 14 NFL seasons, and later coached the 49ers for four years.

The 36-year-old indicated that he’s in the best shape of his career Thursday following the team’s first training camp practice at St. Vincent College.

A leaner, trimmer Roethlisberger hopes the additional offseason work can play a part in helping the Steelers to another championship.

”Anything you can do to lighten the load on your knees and ankles, I think is important,” said Roethlisberger, who worked with a personal trainer and nutritionist to cut sugar and carbohydrates from his diet to get him ready for his 15th season.

”The knees, the ankles, being lighter … those are all positives when it comes to this age Jordan Poyer Jersey , playing football and a sport where you’re pounding on your knees and you’ve had a couple knee surgeries.”

It could be his last chance to win a championship with two-time All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell.

Bell is away from the team after he and the Steelers failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension earlier this month, meaning he will play under the $14.5 million franchise tag for the second straight year.

Bell skipped training camp last year and signed his franchise tender less than a week before the start of the season. He is expected to follow the same plan and then play what could be his final season in Pittsburgh.

”I don’t know what’s going on with his agents and how this whole thing works, so I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” Roethlisberger said.

Nobody’s sure when Bell will show up either. Until then, former Pitt star running back James Conner, rookie fifth-round pick Jaylen Samuels and veterans Stevan Ridley and Fitzgerald Toussaint will carry the load.

”Le’Veon is one of the best, if not the best in the business,” Roethlisberger said. ”We miss him as a teammate, but I look at it as an awesome opportunity for the other guys.”

Roethlisberger, whose contract expires in the spring of 2020, is excited about the offensive line in front of him and the Steelers’ skill players at running back and wide receiver, led by Bell and four-time All-Pro Antonio Brown.

”I really like where this team is at,” Roethlisberger said. ”If I didn’t have a good feeling about this team Mark Herzlich Jersey , it probably wouldn’t be as exciting, but I am excited about this group.”

He led the team to a 13-3 regular season last season, which included a second straight AFC North title and third in four years. But the Steelers were upset by Jacksonville at home during the divisional round in the playoffs.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said it’s reasonable to expect another big season from Roethlisberger after his renewed offseason conditioning focus.

”Regardless of position, we always say physical conditioning precedes anything else,” Tomlin said. ”When a guy shows up in great shape, that’s oftentimes a springboard for big-time play.”

While Roethlisberger hopes the additional work can prolong his career, he also reiterated that he’s only focused on this season.

”I think the biggest key is physical health,” Roethlisberger said. ”When you get done with the season, how do you feel physically? Do you feel physically able to go back another season or not? We’ll address that when the season is over and that’s a long ways away.”

Roethlisberger established career highs in completions, attempts, completion percentage, yards and touchdowns under Todd Haley, but shared an at-times contentious relationship with the Steelers’ former offensive coordinator.

This season Melvin Gordon Jersey , he will work with former quarterbacks coach Randy Fichtner, who has taken over the play-calling duties after Haley’s deal wasn’t renewed in January. Roethlisberger said Fichtner hasn’t changed much offensively.

”He’s not going to change who he is,” Roethlisberger said. ”He’s not going to change his approach to the game and be a different person.”

As long as it leads to a Super Bowl title, that’s all that matters to Roethlisberger.

”If you win more than you lose, that’s important, but winning those games can lead to Super Bowl opportunities, so that’s always our ultimate goal,” Roethlisberger said. ”There’s 31 other teams doing the same thing. That needs to be our singular focus.”

—

Womens James Washington Jersey

Senzatela worked out of a first-inning jam en route to throwing seven scoreless innings in his first start of the season P. J. Williams Jersey , Nolan Arenado hit his National League-leading 22nd home run and the Colorado Rockies beat the San Francisco Giants 8-1 on Tuesday night.

Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon had three hits, including his first homer since June 20. Trevor Story had an RBI triple for the Rockies, who have won five of their last six games.

D.J. LeMahieu added a run-scoring double for Colorado, which has beaten the Giants in 14 of the past 16 games at Coors Field dating to Sept. 7, 2016.

Senzatela, recalled earlier in the day from Triple-A Albuquerque, struck out four and walked none while limiting the Giants to three hits but two of them came in the first inning. He got out of the two-on, two-out jam by retiring Pablo Sandoval Jim Otto Jersey , getting him to pop-out on a 2-0 changeup.

”To get out of that inning with a zero, stranding those runners, was huge,” Senzatela said through a translator. ”I settled down pretty nicely and I’m glad I gave the team a chance to win.”

Arenado said Senzatela’s ability to work out of first inning trouble helped set the tone for the rest of the game.

”Getting out of that first inning with no runs was huge,” Arenado said. ”I feel like sometimes we always give up a run in the first and lately they haven’t. He was just great, pounding the zone, throwing strikes getting ahead of guys. It was awesome. Our pitching in general lately has been huge for us and I think that’s why lately we have been playing better.”

Senzatela started in the spot vacated by struggling Jon Gray, who started for the Rockies in their season opener but was optioned to Albuquerque last weekend.

Senzatela (3-1) made the team out of spring training and began the season in the Rockies’ bullpen before being optioned on May 2 to Albuquerque James Harrison Jersey , where he went 3-1 with a 2.15 ERA in eight starts prior to his recall. As a rookie last season, Senzatela had most of his success as a starter, going 10-5 with a 5.03 ERA in 20 starts.

Chris Stratton (8-6) went 5 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs on 11 hits, including Blackmon’s solo shot in the first inning as well as Arenado’s three-run drive.

”His fastball command wasn’t real sharp tonight,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. ”Fastballs missed their spots there. That’s usually his forte, he commands it so well. He threw some good fastballs to Arenado and the changeup stayed in the middle. He wasn’t real sharp with his command. He threw strikes but he needed to work the edges.”

The Giants broke through for a run on Alec Hanson’s RBI single in the eighth off reliever MikeDunn.

The Giants were trailing 3-0 when Arenado broke the game open in the fifth with a three-run homer. Stratton walked LeMahieu to start the inning and Blackmon singled before Arenado drove a 3-2 offering over the left-center field wall.

GIANTS NEMESIS

Arenado has driven in 90 runs in 100 career games against the Giants, the second most among active players. Matt Kemp leads with 93 career RBIs against the Giants. Said Arenado: ”I think they bring out the best in all of us. They bring out the best in me – three World Series rings and they’ve always been one of the top tier teams in our division. It’s always a tough place to play and I always want to beat them because I always feel like they’ve beaten us in the past, a lot.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: The team’s starting rotation is nearing full strength again. Manager Bruce Bochy said that RHP Johnny Cueto is slated to be reinstated from the 60-day disabled list on Thursday C.J. Mosley Jersey , when he’s scheduled to start against the St. Louis Cardinals. Cueto was placed on the DL, retroactive to April 29, because of a right elbow sprain. RHP Jeff Samardzija is slated to start Saturday’s game against St. Louis after being reinstated from the 10-day DL. Samardzija went on the DL after leaving a May 30 start against Colorado following one inning due to tightness in his pitching shoulder.

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis has gone on the 10-day disabled list with a blister on his right middle finger. Bettis left his last start on Sunday against the Los Angeles Dodgers after three innings because of the finger injury. Senzatela was recalled from Albuquerque to fill Bettis’ roster spot and started Tuesday against the Giants in the place of RHP Jon Gray, who was optioned Saturday to Albuquerque.

UP NEXT

Giants: LHP Andrew Suarez (3-4, 4.18 ERA) is coming off a strong outing in which he allowed one run on seven hits over six innings in a 2-1 win against Arizona.

Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (5-3, 4.23 ERA) has gone 1-3 with a 5.26 ERA in eight previous starts at Coors Field this season.

Former Lions tight end Brandon Pettigrew has been arrested and accused of punching a police officer.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pettigrew had a confrontation with a limousine driver when he refused to pay the $97 fare at 3 a.m. today. The driver called police, who found Pettigrew visibly intoxicated. When they asked him his name, he refused to give it Patrick Kerney Jersey , argued with officers and then punched an officer three times in the chest, according to the report.

Pettigrew was charged with two counts of aggravated assault, theft of services and public drunkenness.

The Lions chose Pettigrew in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. He played his entire career in Detroit, with his last game coming when he suffered a torn ACL midway through the 2015 season. Although he hasn’t officially announced his retirement, he is presumed to be done playing. Pettigrew was previously arrested for disorderly conduct and public drunkenness in 2017.

The Madden 19 quarterback ratings that recently emerged were either subsequently revised or incorrect.

The video game franchise officially has unveiled its players with overall ratings of 99 Jimmie Ward Jersey , and the list includes not one but two quarterbacks: Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers. The previously-leaked ratings had only Rodgers at 99, and Brady at 97.

The other 99s include Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Broncos linebacker Von Miller, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly, Steelers receiver Antonio Brown, and Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.

The initial ratings really don’t mean all that much, because the ratings are subject to change, on a regular basis to reflect actual performance. And for those (like me) who have developed an unhealthy obsession with Madden Ultimate Team, the initial ratings don’t matter, because the early phases of the 12-month MUT life cycle consist of players with much lower base numbers Phil McConkey Jersey , with a broad collection of improved ratings emerging over time for current and former players, culminating in a frenzy of far-fetched 99-rated players being released in May, June, and July.

And, yes, I’m still trying to get them to make a 99 Ultimate Legend version of Chris Simms. But the folks at EA apparently aren’t willing to fetch quite that far.

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The race to the playoffs continues for two Western Conference rivals Wednesday night as the Anaheim Ducks host the Minnesota Wild.

Minnesota’s home win Monday night clinched their postseason spot. For Anaheim, the playoffs are not yet confirmed.

The Ducks (41-25-13) have gained two consecutive overtime wins to move into the top wild-card spot. They are two points ahead of Colorado with a game in hand and trail Los Angeles by one point for third place in the Pacific Division.

On Friday, Anaheim bested the Kings 2-1. On Sunday, the Ducks defeated the Avalanche 4-3. Ryan Miller earned the victory Sunday after he came in to begin the second period for starter John Gibson Michael Strahan Jersey , who was shaken up late in the first period. The Ducks’ goaltending tandem made 28 saves.

Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler also was hurt in the contest. He will be out two to six weeks, the team announced on Tuesday.

“(Gibson and Fowler) are both big parts of our hockey club,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf. “We dealt with a lot of injuries (at) the start of the season and throughout the year. The one thing we do have is experience with our young players. We’re going to look to some of them to step up and fill some of those minutes.”

Minnesota (44-25-10) finished March with points in seven of eight games. The Wild posted a 3-0 win over Edmonton on Monday night. Devan Dubnyk stopped 22 shots to gain the shutout. He is among the league leaders with five shutouts this season, three behind league leader Pekka Rinne of Nashville.

The win allowed Minnesota to secure their sixth consecutive playoff appearance.

Zach Parise had the first two Minnesota goals in the victory over the Oilers. The first came on a broken play that turned into a two-on-one. Parise kept the puck and fired it low past Cam Talbot.

“You want to get the early one, get the lead, play with the lead … to get one early, get the crowd into it, get our team going, it was important to us,” Parise said.

The Wild will play out the season without stalwart defenseman Ryan Suter. He sustained a fractured fibula Saturday versus Dallas. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon is also injured Jaron Brown Jersey , though coach Bruce Boudreau said Monday that he would be ready for the playoffs, according to media reports. Both are listed as day-to-day on injured reserve, as is defenseman Gustav Olofsson.

“When Suter’s out, I feel like maybe I have to step up, and same with (Matt Dumba),” Minnesota defenseman Jonas Brodin said. “We played pretty good (Monday). We played a lot against McDavid, that line, so I think we did a great job (to) shut the line down, but I think the whole D corps did a great job today.”

Added Parise: “Ryan’s a tough guy to replace, but they did a good job all over the ice Nick Perry Jersey , made smart plays and simple plays and did a good job, especially against their top line.”

Carson Soucy made his NHL debut on defense versus Edmonton after being called up from Iowa of the AHL on Sunday.

The Ducks are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. They fell behind 3-1 to the Avalanche but scored two goals in 96 seconds in the third period to tie the game. Ondrej Kase powered in the overtime winner with an assist from Getzlaf.

The Ducks are getting strong performance from their second line. Against Colorado, Andrew Cogliano had one goal and one assist, Ryan Kesler scored a goal and Jakob Silfverberg had two assists. Kesler also had two minor penalties. Anaheim is among the most penalized teams in the NHL. Minnesota is mid-pack in the NHL in power play percentage.

The two injuries marred the victory. Gibson, who had a concussion earlier this season, was bowled over in a net-front collision. He finished the first period but did not return. The team said Tuesday that he is day-to-day. Reto Berra was recalled from San Diego of the American Hockey League to back up Miller if needed.

Fowler was hit hard into the boards late in the third period. He was not available for overtime.

“We’re going to have to probably move some (defensive) pairs around a little bit,” Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said. “There will be some mix and match on the back end, more so than to say we’re going to put one guy in and he’s going to take Fowler’s spot. That’s not fair to the people vying for that position.

“The best thing we can do is put a game plan in place and mix and match our pairs. Play the right way and do a lot of things we’ve been doing for long stretches.”

Following Wednesday’s game, Minnesota stays on the road to end its regular season. The Wild play at Los Angeles on Thursday night and then move on to battle San Jose on Saturday evening.

The Ducks host Dallas at home Friday and travel to Arizona Saturday to wrap up their regular season.