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DAVIE Miami Dolphins Jerseys Stitched , Fla. (AP) — Ryan Tannehill‘s pass traveled 2 yards before landing in the hands of a young receiver, who dropped it.Tannehill laughed. He doesn’t mind when a throw to his 2-year-old son, Steel, falls incomplete.Their easygoing post-practice game of catch contrasted with what preceded it Monday — two hours of spirited work by the Miami Dolphins.With players in full pads for the first time in training camp, there was a fight or two, plenty of trash-talking and one high-stakes play at the end of a passing drill, with the losing unit required to do pushups.“It’s a competitive sport,” Tannehill said. “I like what I see from our guys as far as the fire.”More Miami Dolphins newsRally led by FitzMagic comes up short for DolphinsDolphins can’t hang with explosive Cowboys in QB Josh Rosen’s 1st start with MiamiDolphins QB Josh Rosen will reportedly start in place of Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. CowboysDolphins’ excruciating start to season continuesDolphins can’t contain Patriots as Antonio Brown scores in debutIncreasing intensity is understandable with the clock ticking toward another season, and it’s a little louder now for Tannehill because he turned 30 Friday.After missing the end of the 2016 season and all 16 games last year due to knee injuries, he says he’s fully recovered and healthy. Five days into camp, he’s pleasantly surprised his arm isn’t even sore.“I feel great,” Tannehill said. “I was telling somebody the other day, I feel like I’m 25. Thirty just sounds old.”Thirty is a little old to still be without a playoff appearance, as Tannehill is. But given the way such peers as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning aged so gracefully in recent years Super Bowl Isaiah Prince Jersey , Tannehill might have a decade or so left to play.“He seems to keep getting better,” coach Adam Gase said. “I guess I look at 30 now, and for quarterbacks it doesn’t seem — how many guys do we have that are 39 or 40 and MVPs of the league?”The best hope for the Dolphins’ future would be that Tannehill becomes a late-bloomer. He has been a starter since his first training camp in 2012, and his best season came two years ago, when he was leading Miami toward a wild-card berth until sidelined by his first knee injury.He hasn’t played since, and these days he’s not thinking about the arc of his career.“I’m just trying to get better,” he said. “I feel like I have a lot of good football left in front of me, and just want to be the best I can this year.”It helps that the offensive line could be the best Tannehill has played behind, easing a perennial problem with pass protection.And while favorite receiver Jarvis Landry departed last offseason, Tannehill is delighted about several newcomers, led by veteran running back Frank Gore.“It really surprises me how hard he hits the hole,” Tannehill said. “That has probably been the most fun thing for me — just seeing him put his foot on the ground and go downhill and find a way to get through a crease where it looks like a human being can’t fit.”Danny Amendola and Albert Wilson give Tannehill two experienced new targets at receiver, and he has been impressed with rookie tight end Mike Gesicki, a second-round draft pick from Penn State.“He has incredible range Football Isaiah Prince Jersey ,” Tannehill said. “If you put a ball anywhere near him, he has the ability to either jump and get it or reach out and get it. One way or the other, he’s going to get his hands on it.”And then there’s Steel Tannehill, who’s only 3 feet tall and a little inexperienced, and Dad hasn’t figured out yet whether he should be a receiver or quarterback. But he’s the camp newcomer who gets Tannehill gushing the most.“I don’t know what position he is,” Tannehill said with a grin. “Right now he’s the fun assistant.” INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Andrew Luck was at his best when it mattered most for the Indianapolis Colts.Including some fancy footwork at a big moment.After throwing three TD passes, Luck calmly stepped through Miami's pass rush and found Chester Rogers for a 34-yard gain that helped set up Adam Vinatieri's 32-yard field goal as time expired in the Colts' improbable 27-24 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday. "There's a moment there where you're thinking ‘Don't go down, stay up, give our guys a chance,'" Luck said. "I'm glad it worked out."For most of Indianapolis' fifth straight win, Luck & Co. struggled.He was picked off twice in a 17-second span at the end of the first half. The Colts also lost a fumble. They had a punt partially blocked and Vinatieri came up well short on a makeable field goal — though it appeared the Dolphins (5-6) might have deflected the kick.Then, with the Colts trailing 24-14 early in the fourth, Luck found a way to rally his teammates.He overcame two offensive penalties to set up Vinatieri's 46-yard field goal with 8:26 left. He fired a perfect 12-yard strike to Eric Ebron, tying it at 24 with 4:25 remaining. And after the Colts' defense forced a second straight three-and-out Isaiah Prince Jersey nfl draft , Luck took over on his own 42 and kept his balance just long enough on third-and-9 to connect with Rogers."I didn't think that," coach Frank Reich said when asked if he thought Luck might fall down. "I saw him stepping up and I'm so accustomed to him finding a way to make a play. I wasn't anticipating him finding someone for a 30- or 40-yard gain, but what a play."Four plays later, Vinatieri trotted onto the field and made the 28th game-winning kick of his career.The resurgent Luck finished 30 of 37 for 343 yards. He has thrown at least three TD passes in eight consecutive games, tying Peyton Manning for the second-longest streak in NFL history.Luck also had his first career reception , a 4-yard catch for a fourth-down conversion that eventually led to a 1-yard TD pass to Jack Doyle late in the first half.It's the longest win streak for Indianapolis (6-5) since it also won five in a row in the first half of the 2014 season.The Dolphins, meanwhile, have lost 10 of their last 11 road games — perhaps none more frustrating than this game.Ryan Tannehill returned after missing five games with a shoulder injury and played well from the start.His 33-yard TD pass to Kenyan Drake on the opening possession ended the team's nine-quarter streak without a touchdown and his 74-yard TD pass to Leonte Carroo tied it at 14 late in the first half. Jason Sanders kicked a 29-yard field goal early in the third quarter and Drake's nifty 14-yard run with 13:36 remaining gave the Dolphins a 24-14 lead.With Luck working his magic, it didn't last. He led the Colts on three scoring drives in the final 8 1/2 minutes."It hurts," Tannehill said. "We were in a good position to win and to not finish it hurts."INJURY REPORTDolphins: Receiver Danny Amendola (right knee) and center Travis Swanson (ankle) both left in the first quarter.Colts: Linebacker Darius Leonard injured his knee on the first play of the game but returned on the next defensive series. Running back Marlon Mack entered the concussion protocol in the fourth quarter.STAT PACKDolphins: Frank Gore ran 14 times for 67 yards against his former team. … Drake caught five passes for 64 yards and the TD. … Xavien Howard picked off Luck twice. … The Dolphins squandered their last chance when Howard was called for a personal foul following the Colts' last touchdown and Senorise Perry drew a holding call on the ensuing return to pin Miami at its own 6-yard line.Colts: Luck's streak of consecutive dropbacks without a sack ended at 239. … Ebron has 11 TDs this season — matching his career total coming into this season. … T.Y. Hilton had seven catches for 125 yards. … Mack ran 15 times for 85 yards.UP NEXTDolphins: Host Buffalo in a division matchup next Sunday.Colts: Visit Jacksonville next Sunday, seeking a series sweep of last year's AFC runner-up.

The Rams continued adding undrafted rookies to their roster on Tuesday.They announced the addition of five players a day after they signed 14 undrafted free agents. Nine of those 14 players are on the offensive side of the ball and the Rams added four more of them on TuesdayWide receivers Justin Sumpter and Jonathan Lloyd will join offensive linemen Matt Kaskey and Justice Powers on the practice field. San Jose State defensive tackle Owen Roberts rounds out the group.Lloyd played with Giants first-round pick Daniel Jones at Duke and caught 51 passes for 604 yards and five touchdowns last season. Sumpter had 21 catches for 316 yards and four touchdowns at Kennesaw State.Kaskey was a three-year starter at Dartmouth and Powers started at right tackle for UAB. The Rams drafted two offensive linemen Dakota Allen Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , added three undrafted rookies to the group on Monday and also signed former AAF lineman Jeremiah Kolone.Roberts had 23.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks over four years at San Jose State. After a short stint at home, the Los Angeles Rams (8-0) are back on the road in Week 9 — heading east to take on the NFC South leading New Orleans Saints (6-1), in what is looking to be their toughest match of the year. The Rams have been a very good road team since Sean McVay has taken over as head coach, but winning in front of a raucous crowd in the Superdome won’t come easy. Do the Rams have what it takes to make it nine straight and remain undefeated on the year? The Turf Show Times staff make their predictions...gorams (@AndrewKulick)Is the Saints offense better than the Rams? NoIs this Saints defense better than the Rams? Absolutely NoIs the Saints special teams better than the Rams? Absolutely NoIs the Dome any different than playing at home in the Coliseum before a hostile crowd? NoThe answers to these questions speaks volumes in the lack of faith any TST staffer has if they’re picking the Saints against in the best team in the NFL.Rams will crush New Orleans and finally silence the non-believers.Prediction: Rams win, 45-23Charlie Hiller (@charliehiller)This is the game of the year for the NFC. For the most part, we all thought the NFC had about 6 teams that could reasonably win the conference. 8 weeks into the season and now it feels like it’s bound to be the Rams or the Saints playing in February. And what’s more fun than watching two offensive powerhouses playing against defenses that are totally liable to disappear! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a 60-point over under before. I’d probably take the over anywayPrediction: Rams win, 37-34Eddie Perez (@iAmEddieP_)Rams are facing off against another elite QB this week in the form of Drew Brees. Brees also happens to have one of the brightest young receivers as well in Michael Thomas (no, not OUR Mike Thomas, the better one) and RB extraordinaire Alvin Kamara. It will be a tough task for the Rams defense to contain all of those weapons.I chose the Rams to fall last week, and I emerged wrong. Cool. Prove me wrong again, Rams. I’ll pick Drew Brees & the Saints.Prediction: Saints win Dakota Allen Jersey Baby , 31-28Eric Nagel (@Eric_nagel)Let’s keep it rolling! Either that or we lose. Which is less ideal than winning.Prediction: Rams win, 30-27Skye Sverdlin (@skyeattolah)I can definitely see our inconsistent corner play being an issue in the Superdome, and the Saints giving the Rams their first bad week of the season in a high scoring affair. On the other hand, it seems like shootouts often don’t fully live up to expectations and perhaps the Rams will control pace with Todd Gurley this week. I also think that Wade’s been saving some ways to generate pressure via the blitz for this one. Who knows, but...Prediction: Rams win, 27-26Kristian Ramirez (@KristianRamirez)I originally was going to stick to my original prediction that this would be the first L for the Rams. But with the news that The Rams are gaining a new pass rusher and the Saints are losing one to injury, it might be enough to give the Rams the edge. Really, I just don’t want the undefeated streak to end.Prediction: Rams win, 33-30TG50 (@MrTimGodfrey)After narrowly beating the Green Bay Packers, the road game to New Orleans is a godsend right now. The Rams need a little road trip to clear their heads and get back to rolling people. What better place to get your mind right than Nawlins? The birthplace of Mardi Gras and peeing in the street (one of those is right). The Saints have the No. 1 rushing defense and allow the lowest YPG (74.1) and YPC (3.2), so Gurley could be a more active contributor to the passing game. Goff will face another tough test against an improving Saints pass-D and new Saint Eli Apple. The Rams will need their starters to play their best game on Sunday.Which means depth guys like Johny Kelly and Justin Davis can get absolutely wrecked on Bourbon Street. Get some gourmet hot dogs Dakota Allen Jersey nfl draft , hurricanes in those massive QT travel mugs and have a ball.Prediction: Rams win, 33-30Elijah Kim (@Big_EZK)The Rams head to New Orleans to face Drew Brees and the Saints potent offense. While the Rams are all-in, evident further by adding pass-rusher EDGE Dante Fowler giving the Rams a multitude of first round pass rushers (Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Ndamukong Suh, and now Fowler), the Saints are no joke with their explosive offensive weapons like Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas and their improving defense lead by a strong Ohio State secondary featuring Vonn Bell, Marshon Lattimore, and now Eli Apple.Ultimately, the home field advantage proves to be the difference and “Dome Sweet Dome” prevails for Who Dat nation. The Saints win a very close shootout.Prediction: Saints win, 38-35Michael Frank (@turfshowtimesmike)What stands out is that the Vikings put up 450 yards of offense on the Saints on the road. Rams survived the trap game vs. Denver Infant Dakota Allen Jersey , beat the Powerhouse (yes, powerhouse) Aaron Rodgers and the Packers fresh off the bye, so I can see the Rams back in full force to win. The momentum is with the Rams. The Saints are an extremely dangerous team but have the worst pass defense in the NFL. Saints are at home, but the Rams will be on turf too.Prediction: Rams win, 38-31Brennan Smith (@BrennanJSmith)I predicted a few weeks ago that this would be the Rams’ first loss of the season and I won’t deviate from that now. Drew Brees passed for only 120 yards last week, but New Orleans found other ways to win with turnovers. New Orleans seems to be getting hot at the right time and the Rams will be stretched to defend Michael Thomas, Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram. I envision Thomas burning an over aggressive Marcus Peters and Kamara slipping out of the backfield for a few big gains. Potentially having Cooper Kupp back will be a boost offensively and Todd Gurley should have another big performance, but the Saints at home will edge LA and hand the Rams their first loss.Prediction: Saints win, 42-35Sosa Kremenjas (@QBsMVP)This is going to be a showdown of two great teams. Obviously this game will have major playoff implications down the road in the NFC, so regardless of how early it is in the season, it’ll be extremely important. The Rams need to do everything they can to limit Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas defensively Discount Dakota Allen Jersey , though I do think their offense will be able to carry them by scoring a bunch against a vulnerable Saints defense.Prediction: Rams win, 38-35seattlerams (@seattlerams_nfl)The Rams are 11-1 on the road in the Sean McVay era, with their lone loss at the hands of a team with an outstanding defense (something the Saints do not have.) Combine that with Cooper Kupp’s return (we hope) and the fact that there is nobody in the NFL that I want to see embarrassed at home more than I do Sean Payton, I’m taking the Rams in a laugher.Prediction: Rams win, 48-17Sean Wilkinson (@Papa_Lurch)The Rams have their second tough game in a row this week against the Saints. While the Saints defense has zero chance to slow down the Rams, that Drew Brees guy is pretty good too. The Rams defense has struggled allowing big plays this year and Brees is likely to exploit that at every opportunity.I expect another high scoring affair, but I think the Rams come out on top in another exciting game.Prediction: Rams win, 41-313k (@3k_)This warm and hearty Speckled Butter Bean, Okra, Lamb Soup delivers on Southern flavors, and when topped with rosemary cornbread Dakota Allen Jersey nfl draft , it is a filling dish.Prediction: Saints win, 34-30Brandon Bate (@NoPlanB_)Unless I see a pretty drastic improvement in play from the Philadelphia Eagles, this may be the only loss I predict for the Rams all year. I had originally pegged them for four losses back in September (though I’ve yet to pick against them through Week 8), but they certainly look like a 14(+) win team. It’s a road game in front of a rowdy crowd. The Saints are going to put up a lot of points. And honestly, it’s just difficult for me to pick the Rams to win 16. Might come down to a late 4th quarter field goal, but I’m taking the Saints in a close one. Wouldn’t shock me in the slightest if the Rams pull this out. And if they do, you can probably expect me to predict their next loss in Week 17, when Sean Mannion & Co. take the field. Prediction: Saints win, 38-35

After the Jaguars made an unexpected appearance in the 2017 AFC Championship Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys 2019 , they had a decision to make regarding quarterback Blake Bortles, who was entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal. They made the wrong decision.The Jaguars converted the balance of the contract to a three-year arrangement that paid out $26.5 million guaranteed, and then the Jaguars finally decided after one more year that Bortles isn’t the answer. Fueling the decision was the availbility of Nick Foles, the Super Bowl LII MVP who came relatively cheap ($22 million per year), thanks to lingering doubts about his abilities — doubts that surely will serve only to fuel Foles for 2019, and beyond.Yes, Foles struggled with the Rams. His time with the Chiefs, while underrated, wasn’t spectacular. But forget about the distant past. More recently, he has proven that 2019 Mecole Hardman Kansas City Chiefs , in the right system and with the right support and the right coaching, he can be the right man for the job. By reuniting him with former Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, Foles should be in good hands, and the Jaguars should be in a great spot.Foles carries with him a vastly underrated set of intangibles. He can lead. He can inspire. He can connect. He can hold teammates accountable because he makes himself accountable.Bortles, frankly, never really clicked, but the Jaguars (until Foles was available) never really had a better option (other than passing on Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson for Leonard Fournette, that is). Too many teammates resented the double standard that the team appied to Bortles, demanding excellence from them but looking the other way regarding the obvious deficiencies at the most important position on either side of the ball.With Foles, the most important position on either side of the ball is taken care of. With plenty of other talented players Mecole Hardman Jersey Cheap , the Jaguars could threaten to recapture the division, and they could shake up the upper crust of the conference.However it plays out, they’ll be better off than they were with Bortles. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Will Power topped qualifying once again. Now he has a chance to turn pole position into a tidy little payday if he can drive to another victory.The Team Penske star earned career pole No. 56 Saturday at the inaugural IndyCar Classic at the Circuit of the Americas, edging Andretti Autosport teammates Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay.Sixteen of Power’s 35 career victories have come from pole position. Do it again Sunday and he’ll earn a $100,000 bonus. But the Australian said he’s eying an even bigger prize: a season championship to match his 2014 IndyCar crown.“I want the $1 million at the end of the year,” Power said. “That’s much better.”Power started on pole position at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg but finished third behind winner and Penske teammate Josef Newgarden.The top three had to dig deep for the final laps to knock rookies Colton Herta of Harding Steinbrenner Racing and Felix Rosenqvist of Chip Ganassi Racing from the top spots. Herta will start fourth and Rosenqvist fifth.Herta was the breakout driver at preseason testing here and briefly held pole position until the final seconds of qualifying. He had trouble Friday when his engine blew early in practice, putting pressure on the team just to get him back on the track.“To show we had the pace during qualifying was reassuring. I know we can back it up in the race,” Herta said.IndyCar is racing for the first time at the track built for Formula One in 2012. After two days of preseason testing last month and two days of practice and qualifying this week, the drivers think the 3.41-mile track Mecole Hardman Jersey Womens , one of the longest of the IndyCar season, could produce some wild racing as tires wear out quickly with no track limits in the turns.The biggest impact will be on Turn 19, where drivers will be allowed to swing wide into the runoff area. That will help cut lap times by 0.2 to 0.3 seconds.Some drivers like it. Some don’t. Several had trouble negotiating the turn on Saturday.“I’m not a fan of track limits. That’s why I like racing in America, because you don’t really have track limits. You go off in this grass, gravel or wall,” Rosenqvist said. “I’m kind of a fan for opening it up. You know it’s going to be the same for everyone. They’re not going to look at this guy was one millimeter over the line or not, which is a bit ridiculous.”Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud questioned whether it’s safe. His qualifying session ended early after Tony Kanaan ran wide into the gravel on Turn 19 to bring out a red flag.“The track was designed a certain way. I think there was a reason,” Pagenaud said. “It’s really a tough corner when you have track limits. When you don’t have track limits, running off wide, you’re actually facing the guardrail. It’s not as safe Mecole Hardman Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , not designed that way. It’s actually bad on the car as well because you’re really bottoming pretty hard.”Other items from Austin:ROOKIE PUSHHerta and Rosenqvist weren’t the only rookies making a push deep into qualifying Saturday.Santino Ferrucci of Dale Coyne Racing and Carlin’s Patricio O’Ward both made it past the opening rounds. O’Ward, last season’s Indy Lights champion, will start eighth in his IndyCar season debut. Ferrucci will start 11th.The circuit veterans were impressed by the youngsters. Power, Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon, who have won seven IndyCar titles between them, are all 38 years old. Herta is 18. O’Ward is 19.“I think it’s great for the future of the sport,” said Dixon, who will start sixth Sunday. “Some of us are getting pretty old.”PAGENAUD’S PROBLEMSThe 2016 champion has seen his qualifying in the first two races doomed by red flags in the early sessions. The Frenchman will start 22nd Sunday. He started 13th in St. Petersburg and raced his way to finish seventh.“I need to find a lucky charm or something,” Pagenaud said. “It’s really frustrating to start at the back like this. I’ve got a good car.”

New England has a confident fan base."WhitePatriots News Opinion and Analysis Contribute! FanPostsFanShotsAbout the Site List of Patriots Twitter AccountsWrite For Pats Pulpit!New User Welcome and Commenting GuideCommunity GuidelinesMastheadTopics Patriots Off-Season CoveragePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots NewsPatriots Draft CoverageSportfolio ManagementSB Nation FanPulsePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots fans feel pretty good about the team following the 2019 NFL draftNew White Derek Rivers Jerseys ,11commentsRelated: AFC East fan confidence has grown quite a bit since the end of the 2018 seasonEDTShareTweetShareSharePatriots fans feel pretty good about the team following the 2019 NFL draftChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY SportsWhile the success of a draft class can only be fully evaluated after a few years have passed, every pick immediately gets dissected by fans and media members when it is made. Add it all up and you get a quick reaction to how a team fared in the draft. The New England Patriots’ haul this year, for example, has been rated as one of the best in the NFL due to its mix of addressing needs and bringing high-upside developmental talent onto the team.It is therefore no surprise that this sentiment is reflected among the Patriots’ fanbase, as a look at the latest FanPulse numbers — sign up here if you also want to participate in future surveys — shows: 91% of New England’s fans are confident in the direction of the franchise after the draft Derek Rivers Jerseys 2019 , which marks a 9% increase when compared to the numbers from before the NFL’s college player selection meeting took place.The world champions’ fans are therefore among the most confident in all of football. Only six fanbases have more trust in their teams’ development in point in time, two of which from the AFC: the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts saw 100% and 98% of their respective fans vote ‘yes’ when it came to the question of confidence. Both teams, of course, were among the most active since the offseason began.Whether or not this activity will lead to on-field success and in return a continuation of fan happiness remains to be seen. The same goes for the Patriots: traditionally among the most critical fanbases in the league, it apparently feels good about the team as it stands right now and with the draft in the books.If you are interested in participating in our FanPulse survey White Deatrich Wise Jerseys , please click here! ATLANTA (AP) — The Latest on Super Bowl 53 (all times EST):6 p.m.Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein and defensive back Blake Countess returned to full participation when Los Angeles held its final practice before the Super Bowl. Coach Sean McVay also said running back Todd Gurley is fully healthy before Sunday's game against the New England Patriots.The Rams wrapped up their on-field work for the week outdoors at the Atlanta Falcons' training complex in nearby Flowery Branch."We're going into this game as healthy as you could hope for," McVay said.Zuerlein wrapped up the practice with seven field goal attempts and four kickoffs. He was listed as limited in practice over the past two weeks with a sore non-kicking foot from a halftime warmup mishap at the Superdome in New Orleans. But the powerful kicker appears to be ready."He hit the kickoffs and his field goals really well," McVay said. "That's kind of what we expected. That's what we hoped, and he'll be ready to go."Gurley got just five touches in the NFC championship game despite playing on 32 snaps. McVay said no injury is limiting his star running back, who missed two late regular-season games with a sore knee."We expect him to play a big role in this game Deatrich Wise Jerseys 2019 ," McVay said.The Rams will spend the weekend at their hotel before heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday."Now, really it's about just tightening things up, making sure we clean up any of the last little details, a little bit over 48 hours out," McVay said. "But there's a confidence that I think has been earned. Certainly White Joe Thuney Jerseys , we respect the Patriots, but we're coming here with the expectation of winning a game."

ALAMEDA https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-derek-carr-jersey , Calif. (AP) — The last two weeks of Year 2 under Jon Gruden have looked an awfully lot like the first season did for the Oakland Raiders.The Raiders have back-to-back lopsided losses following an encouraging season-opening win, with the struggles on both sides of the ball exposed during a 34-14 loss at Minnesota on Sunday.“This is something you can’t just move on from.” linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. “It’s a long road ahead. If we don’t get this corrected, then it is going to be a long season. We need to hold each other accountable and make sure nobody is comfortable after this loss, because there is a lot of things that need to be fixed. We experienced a long season last year. I am not trying to go through the same thing and many others on this team will say the same.”Gruden’s first season back in Oakland was a rough one, featuring the trade of star pass rusher Khalil Mack before the start of the season and a four-win campaign when the Raiders often looked overmatched.The talent level was supposed to be better this season, although that hasn’t helped the performance the past two weeks, starting with a 28-10 loss to Kansas City. The Raiders have lost back-to-back games by at least 18 points for the first time in seven years.Gruden didn’t directly address Whitehead’s comments but acknowledged his team needs plenty of work, especially from the first and second-year players who are being counted on to carry a big load.“I’m not going to get into all the problems that he’s talking about,” Gruden said. “We had some breakdowns, no question, and when have breakdowns and penalties against good teams on the road, usually you lose the game, and that’s what happened. You don’t fall behind 21-0 to a team like that on the road and expect to win, certainly, but in response to his questions Derek Carr Jersey White , I’ll deal with him individually.”WHAT’S WORKINGAbout the only thing working well for the Raiders right now is the connection between Derek Carr and tight end Darren Waller. Waller had 13 catches for 134 yards, the best marks for any tight end in the league this season. Waller now has 26 catches for 267 yards this season. Waller came into the season with 18 career catches for 178 yards since entering the league in 2015.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe defense fared well in the opener against Joe Flacco and the Broncos and managed to keep Patrick Mahomes and the high-powered Chiefs off the scoreboard in three of four quarters in Week 2. There was little positive at all against Kirk Cousins and the Vikings. Oakland forced no turnovers and just two punts all day; Minnesota had no problem gaining yards on the ground or through the air. The few positive plays were negated by penalties, including five that generated first downs. Oakland also allowed a 92-yard TD drive, the third time this season an opponent has driven at least 90 yards for a touchdown.STOCK UPWR J.J. Nelson. One of the only bright spots in the lopsided loss was Nelson, who made his debut with the Raiders after missing the first two weeks with an ankle injury. He had four catches for 36 yards, including a 29-yarder for a TD off a flea- flicker.STOCK DOWNCarr. After promising signs in the opener, Carr has gone back to a quarterback who is unwilling or unable to stretch the field, and the results have been poor. Oakland has stalled offensively after scoring on six of the first 10 drives this season. The Raiders had a 17-drive stretch the past two weeks that featured 10 punts, three interceptions, one missed field goal, one turnover on downs, one drive that ended at halftime and one touchdown. Oakland managed to add a garbage time TD against the Vikings, but has had little consistent offense since a fast start to the season.INJUREDRT Trent Brown left the game with an ankle injury. … LBs Vontaze Burfict (elbow), Marquel Lee (ankle) and Nicholas Morrow (ankle) also are dealing with injuries and Gruden said the team might need to bring in some new linebackers this week for depth. … RG Gabe Jackson (knee) isn’t expected to practice this week after getting hurt in training camp, but could be an option next week.KEY NUMBER3 — Rookie running back Josh Jacobs was expected to be a key part of the passing game this season Antonio Brown Raiders Jersey , but that hasn’t developed yet. His only catch through three weeks was a 28-yarder in the opener and he has been targeted just three times during the 46 pass plays when he is on the field.“We’re trying,” Gruden said. “We definitely do want to get Josh to be a big part of the passing game. No doubt. We certainly do.”NEXT STEPSThe Raiders head to Indianapolis for the second contest in a five-game stretch away from Oakland. They will go straight from there to London for a “home” game against Chicago before going to Green Bay and Houston following an off week. ALAMEDA, Calif. (AP) — The good feeling from his first coaching win in nearly 10 years wore off quickly as Jon Gruden went back to work Monday.Gruden knows there’s plenty of work needed to get the Oakland Raiders to the level he hopes they can reach as even their first victory of the season came with some flaws.The defense allowed seven plays of at least 20 yards, Derek Carr threw two more interceptions and the Raiders needed a thrilling comeback before prevailing 45-42 over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.Next up for the Raiders (1-3) is a road game against the Los Angeles Chargers that already has Gruden concerned.“You start seeing the Chargers, you see Philip Rivers. It’s hard to rejoice in your victories for very long,” he said. “We have a real challenge. (Melvin) Ingram is unbelievable. Derwin James is a good player. (Joey) Bosa they tell me is coming back, so we have work to do.”It’s just a lot more enjoyable to do it after a win for a change.There were plenty of positive developments that the Raiders hope to build on for the future, starting with a defense that had four takeaways, including one returned for a touchdown; two good punt returns from Dwayne Harris that set up scores; and a clutch performance down the stretch from Carr, who bounced back from two early interceptions to throw for 437 yards, four TDs and the game-tying 2-point conversion.“He’s a tough guy. There’s not a lot you don’t like about him,” Gruden said. “He stood in there, made a throw to Jared Cook yesterday. Deep pattern down the left sideline. He got punished on a cross-dog blitz. Throw the interception on a deep ball to Martavis (Bryant) and came back and played his best football. He showed mental, physical toughness. Those are two things you have to have to be a great quarterback. He showcased it yesterday.”Carr had plenty of help on offense despite several drops from his receivers, including what should have been a long TD to Bryant in the first half.Amari Cooper had eight catches for 128 yards and one touchdown Womens Bo Jackson Jersey , Jared Cook had eight catches for 110 yards and two TDs, Jordy Nelson caught the game-tying 2-point conversion, and Jalen Richard had an 18-yard catch and run on the game-tying drive.But the best performance of all might have come from running back Marshawn Lynch, who rushed for 130 yards in his most productive game since 2014. He forced 11 missed tackles against the Browns, according to Pro Football Focus, and might have had an even bigger day if not for a quick whistle that negated a long run when the officials wrongly ruled Lynch had been tackled.“If that’s not a Hall of Fame back, I don’t know what is,” Gruden said. “Honestly. What he did yesterday, what he’s done since he’s been here is incredible. He wants the ball more and more and more. … This guy does not want to come off the field. He picked up six or seven blitzes yesterday, too, that no one is talking about. But some of the runs, good night! Why would you have a quick whistle with Marshawn Lynch? I don’t understand how you can blow a whistle like they did yesterday, but some of the runs he’s making, some of the finishes and determination he is putting on tape is unbelievable. I don’t see many guys in football running like this.”NOTES: CB Daryl Worley returned to the team after serving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse and personal-conduct policies. He can resume practice on Wednesday but the team has until later in the week to put him on the active roster. …LG Kelechi Osemele and RT Donald Penn both left the game with injuries and Gruden didn’t have any additional information on their availability this week.

Today at 3:30 p.m. CST http://www.thetexanslockerroom.com/authentic-nick-martin-jersey , the Texans will play some Saturday football against the Jets to fill that collegiate-sized hole in your heart. Last week Houston played a team that could throw the football, and they lost. Today they play a team that can’t throw the football, has to run the football, and even isn’t very good at doing it. Today should be like Houston versus Jacksonville, or Houston versus Tennessee (Pt. II), or Houston versus Buffalo. Hopefully it isn’t, though. Maybe Bill O’Brien will take the top off the Texans’ offense and try to attack the Jets deep after picking up their big blitzes. Or he won’t, and Houston will run the ball a lot until the offense clicks over enough attempts. If you want to read more before the game starts Andre Hal Jersey White , here are our previews:SIX Things To Watch ForPre-Game Recon:Five Questions With Gang Green NationThree And Out: Texans v. Jets PredictionsThis is your thread to hang out in until the game starts. Inactives will be published around 2 p.m. CST.The first quarter thread will be published at 3:20 p.m. CST. See you this afternoon. HOUSTON (AP)With Deshaun Watson’s year done, the Houston Texans will look to Tom Savage to try and salvage their season. Coach Bill O’Brien confirmed that Watson was out for the season on Friday, a day after the star rookie quarterback tore the anterior cruciate ligament in one of his knees during practice. O’Brien said he didn’t have any other details on the injury, and wouldn’t say if Watson will have surgery. A fiery O’Brien brushed aside the notion that Watson’s injury signaled doom for this team. ”We’re not going to give in to what’s out there – (that) the demise of the Houston Texans is upon us,” he said. ”Like that’s ridiculous. We’re going to show up and fight and play.” Savage started the season opener, but he was benched at halftime in favor of Watson, who started each game since. Savage will make his fourth career start when the Texans host the Colts on Sunday. ”You can’t really replace Deshaun Watson. You know what I mean,” Savage said. ”The kid’s been playing absolutely lights out. But that’s not my job. My job is to go out there and help this team win and do whatever I can to help.” Watson was in the locker room before practice on Friday Jeff Allen Jersey White , but a team official said he didn’t want to speak to reporters. He later released a long statement on Twitter . ”I promise that I will continue to work diligently so that this team can one day bring a championship to Houston,” he wrote. ”And when I return I will be better, stronger and more focused than ever before! Now the grind begins.” Watson’s injury is the latest setback to a team that dealt with Hurricane Harvey before losing three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt and linebacker Whitney Mercilus to season-ending injuries on Oct. 8. Last week, owner Bob McNair apologized for saying ”we can’t have the inmates running the prison” during a meeting of NFL owners about players who protest by kneeling during the national anthem. Savage said O’Brien’s leadership has helped make these trying times easier on the players. ”Ultimately he’s communicated with us. That’s the one thing,” he said. ”He didn’t act like none of this stuff was going on. I think it would be easy to be like: `Hey, we have practice at nine. We’ll see you out there.’ But he communicated with us. He’s one of the guys and he truly is a player’s coach. And that’s what we’ve all appreciated.” Watson, who won a national championship at Clemson last season, had been a bright spot in a tough season for the Texans (3-4). The 12th overall pick in this year’s draft was the AFC offensive player of the month after throwing for 1 J.J. Watt Jersey ,171 yards with 16 touchdowns and running for 145 yards and another score. ”He’s a very special player. He’s a special kid. He’s got a great future,” O’Brien said. ”These things happen. They’re tough when they happen, but they happen … but in the short time they played for us, it’s obvious … and also the type of guy that he is, that he will be one of the top quarterbacks in this league for a long time.” His teammates described the moment Watson was injured on a non-contact play. ”I saw him go down,” receiver Bruce Ellington said. ”He got right up, so I didn’t think anything would happen … we just thought he was going to get it checked out, and everything was going to be OK. And then we heard the bad news.” Players were quick to point out that they don’t have time to feel sorry for themselves. ”With football Christian Covington Jersey White , comes adversity. We understand that,” left tackle Chris Clark. ”And it’s always one of those things you just have to endure … we practice for this. This is what we do. This is what we get paid to do. So next guy up, just step in there, and we keep the wheels moving.” Houston has signed T.J. Yates, who was with the team in 2011-13 and 2015, and O’Brien said he would back up Savage on Sunday. O’Brien added that they would also sign Matt McGloin, who played for him at Penn State. —

Send us any and all of your training camp questions!" Ask PODAsk POD: Detroit Lions training camp mailbag!New Barry Sanders Jersey White ,32commentsSend us any and all of your training camp questions! EDTWe’re a full week deep into Detroit Lions training camp and there are storylines abound. What’s going on with Darius Slay, Damon Harrison Sr., and Trey Flowers? OMG, Matthew Stafford threw an interception to a rookie? WAIT, TWO rookies?!?! That’s fine because T.J. Hockenson is already the best tight end to ever wear a Lions uniform. Obviously the past week has been full of overreaction and excitement. That isn’t a condemnation of anyone. That’s literally what makes training camp so fun. It’s a time to be optimistic Darius Slay Jersey , it’s a time to provide some realy analysis, and it’s a time to be emotional. Football is back, and the emotion is the fun part.This is also the time for our mailbag to return. So if you haven’t been out to Allen Park this week, but want to know specific things about the team, now is your time! Submit your questions in the comment section below or via Twitter using the hashtag #AskPOD. They don’t have to be training camp questions. In fact Sylvester Williams Jersey , they don’t even have to be Lions-related questions.But the best we get will be answered either on our weekly PODcast or our mailbag article early next week. Let’s hear it! The Lions have elected to hold on to the former first-round pick."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Detroit Lions NewsDetroit Lions NotesDetroit Lions AnalysisDetroit Lions TransactionsDetroit Lions Game RecapsDetroit Lions NewsDetroit Lions TransactionsDetroit Lions exercise Taylor Decker’s fifth year optionNew,64commentsThe Lions have elected to hold on to the former first-round pick. EDTShareTweetShareShareDetroit Lions exercise Taylor Decker’s fifth year optionThe Detroit Lions have chosen to exercise the fifth-year option of tackle Taylor Decker, the team announced via their official Twitter account on Monday.The option is for the 2020 season and means that the upcoming 2019 season is no longer a contract year for the tackle. His salary in 2020 will not be guaranteed. The total for that salary hasn’t been announced yet, but it will equal the average salary of the third-to-25th highest salaries at offensive line. Last year, that number was $9.625 million. It will almost certainly be a little more than that. Decker was selected 16th overall by the Lions in the 2016 NFL draft. He started all 16 games in an impressive rookie season. Injuries limited him in his sophomore year http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-matt-prater-jersey , as he was only featured in eight games in 2017.He played a full season once again in 2018 but nagging injuries hampered his play as he slightly regressed. Decker scored his first career touchdown in 2018, where he caught a pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford on a trick play against the Los Angeles Rams. Detroit’s 2016 draft class has proven to be a boon to the Lions offensive line, with Decker, third-round pick Graham Glasgow and fifth-round pick Joe Dahl all set to feature for the team in 2019.

Cincinnati again could land Joe Burrow. No way this gets messed up. Right?The University of Cincinnati football Bearcats are in the midst of signing the highest-rated class in recent memory (and highest in the “Group of Five”) and are headed to the Birmingham Bowl where they’re 7-point favorites over Boston College.A.J. Green vows for more Pro Bowls with the Bengals.With a dozen days left in the decade http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-john-miller-jersey , an interesting tableau played out in the Bengals locker room Wednesday involving A.J. Green and Geno Atkins, the two Bengals players from this decade that should end the next in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Quick Hits: A.J. Green On His Injury: We Wouldn't Be 1-and-Where-We're-At; Dunlap Breaks Down GenoThe A.J. Green watch has now lurched into the offseason even though there are two games left. He’s now looking at his training schedule after coming to terms with not playing this season and being given a clean bill of health for workouts heading into next season. He’s simply not at 100 percent and he’s not going try it at less than that. He figures he’s at 80 percent and will be full go to start a regular off-season regimen.Zac Taylor and Andy Dalton spoke with the media to preview the Bengals Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins“It’s Dolphins week. We had a good walkthrough already. Guys are locked in and ready to go. We’re fired up and relatively healthy coming out of the last game. John Miller is still dealing with a concussion, so he’s going through the protocol and is day-to-day right now. Other than that, we came out pretty healthy, and most guys will be able to practice these next couple of days.”Taylor Made Takes: Head Coach Zac Taylor breaks down Dolphins and building upon the team's core“There were opportunities where we could have gone and built a bigger lead in the second quarter, and we didn’t capitalize on those opportunities. That’s something that playoff teams do, championship teams do, and we’ve got to get to that level.”Another 1K season could pay off for Bengals' Joe MixonAnd suddenly, the leader of the Bengals' rushing attack is positioned to carry the most leverage into the offseason. After an unproductive start to the season, Mixon needs 75 yards to surpass 1,000 rushing yards for the second consecutive season.Stephon Gilmore Uses Two Simple Words To Roast Bengals WR Tyler BoydGilmore was his usual dominant self Sunday, picking off two passes while returning one for a score in the New England Patriots’ victory over the Bengals. So, it was a surprise when Cincinnati wideout Tyler Boyd confidently claimed he “won” his matchup with Gilmore — an assertion his own head coach disagreed with.As franchise tag hovers, A.J. Green fears Bengals' lack of commitmentOn Wednesday Josh Malone Jersey White , Green was asked by local reporters about his future with Cincinnati once his four-year, $60 million deal expires at the end of this season. The injured 31-year-old said he understands the franchise tag and its projected value of $18 million in 2020.Around the leagueJaguars fire Tom Coughlin as VP of football operations"Within the past hour I informed Tom Coughlin that he was being relieved of his duties as executive vice president of football operations of the Jacksonville Jaguars, effective this evening," Jaguars owner Shad Khan said in a statement released shortly after 7 p.m. ET. "I determined earlier this fall that making this move at the conclusion of the 2019 season would be in everyone's best interests but, in recent days, I reconsidered and decided to make this change immediately. I thank Tom for his efforts, not only over the past three years but for all he did from our very first season, 25 years ago, to put the Jacksonville Jaguars on the map. General manager Dave Caldwell and head coach Doug Marrone will each report to me on an interim basis. My expectations, and those of our fans, for our final two games and the 2020 season are high."Haskins: 'I throw up' watching NFL debut vs. GiantsAfter several gruesome outings to open, Haskins has improved, showing flashes of development that should buoy his 2020 outlook. While he gets rattled in the pocket, the past few weeks http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-mark-walton-jersey , the rookie has been quicker with his decision making, less reluctant to fire the ball into tight spaces, and had fewer wayward passes.Trubisky knows Mahomes, Watson comps won't stop"You just play your game and find a way to win for your team," Trubisky said Wednesday in advance of Sunday's game against Mahomes' Kansas Chiefs, via the Chicago Sun-Times. "The comparisons are out there, and they are never going to stop. Me, Pat and Deshaun [Watson] are kind of all grouped together because we're in the same draft class, drafted in the first round and all that."Terrell Suggs: Hard to turn down Chiefs with Mahomes"I was really uncertain about my future last week, but I talked to coach and it was a brief conversation and I was like, 'OK,'" Suggs said Wednesday, via ESPN.com. "I asked coach, 'I just learned the hard way that a player like me just (doesn't) fit in anywhere. He was like Womens Clint Boling Jersey , 'Trust me, you'll fit in here.'" The Bengals hired a head coach to emulate the Rams’ offense. Now they want to emulate their defense too.Aubrey Pleasant, the Rams’ cornerbacks coach of the last two seasons, was requested by the Bengals to be interviewed for their defensive coordinator spot. It appears their request was accepted by the Rams. Pleasant will interview with Cincinnati later this week, per Gary Klein of the LA Times.Since Taylor was officially introduced as the Bengals’ head coach, two of his candidates, Jack Del Rio and Dom Capers, have declined the defensive coordinator job. Pleasant seems to be the favorite for the gig considering his connection to Taylor’s former team.After Pleasant interviews with the team, it was reported that Taylor has his eyes on a few other candidates as well. Texas A&M and Florida defensive coordinators Mike Elko and Todd Grantham are reported to receive interview requests, along with ex-Falcons defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel and Saints’ defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn.Pleasant has been with the Rams for as little time as Taylor. He’s been just as crucial of an assistant to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips as Taylor was for head coach Sean McVay. He’s also quite the energizer:We’ll see if Pleasant impresses Taylor and the Bengals’ organization enough to reunite him with Taylor in Cincinnati.

Former Steelers tight end Jesse James says he’s glad to be away from all the drama in Pittsburgh. Getting paid a ton of money helps Womens Graham Glasgow Jersey , too.The player who caught only 30 passes and started only seven games last year ended up with a four-year, $22.6 million deal in Detroit. The details are as follows, per a source with knowledge of the transaction:1. Signing bonus: $7.145 million.2. 2019 base salary: $805,000 fully guaranteed.3. 2020 base salary: $3.8 million, $2.55 million of which is fully guaranteed.4. 2021 base salary: $4.95 million.5. 2022 base salary: $5.7 million.6. 2019-2022 workout bonuses: $50,000.The deal includes a fifth year at a salary of $5.9 million, but the contract voids if James is still on the roster on the fifth day after the Super Bowl to end the 2022 season. The phony year bumps the perceived annual average from $5.65 million to $5.7 million. But, again, it’s a phony year; the real average is $5.65 million.The deal also included up to $1.2 million in escalators for 2021 and 2022, based on playing time, catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns.James was largely supplanted by Vance McDonald last year in Pittsburgh, with McDonald starting nine of the team’s 16 games. Every team has needs, and the Lions will change plenty before the season ends. It’s still time to look ahead to what they might be." NFL DraftDetroit Lions 2020 Draft needs entering the seasonNew,39commentsEvery team has needs, and the Lions will change plenty before the season ends. It’s still time to look ahead to what they might be.EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Detroit Lions 2020 Draft needs entering the seasonTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Stephen Lew/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesGah! It’s a draft article in August! What the crap? Look, we do this song and dance every year. I know many of you are far from thinking ahead to the draft. As always, however, we don’t start looking ahead to predict the Lions record or to immediately assume they’ll be picking high enough to only take the best of the best. We start looking ahead now because it’s fun to take stock of what we think the teams need now so we can laugh at it later. How can we talk about how right or wrong we were if we don’t dive into what we think the team needs most? And with that, we’re going to go through the Detroit Lions draft needs for 2020.1. CornerbackOne of the most glaring needs on the Lions roster at this point last season was on their defensive interior. A Day 3 pick was the only significant addition to a squad that desperately needed an influx of talent. Bob Quinn’s shrewd moves as the season progressed Miles Killebrew Jersey , as well as the emergence of Da’Shawn Hand as a massive draft steal, made that need look silly in hindsight. Can the team do the same at cornerback in 2019? The addition of Justin Coleman at nickel seems to have filled a hole that needed filling, but the starting corner spot opposite Darius Slay and depth behind are still big question marks. Maybe Rashaan Melvin doesn’t play like he did in 2018, but even if he plays well, he is only on a one-year deal. Maybe Teez Tabor makes massive, incredible strides in his play to not only keep his roster spot but prove he was worth a draft selection in the first place. Maybe Amani Oruwariye proves that he was the draft steal we’ve all made him out to be. Then again, maybe none of those things happen and the Lions are still left scrambling for a defensive back who can actually play outside corner competently.2. Jack linebacker (Edge)Signing Trey Flowers was taking a big risk that his pressure-but-not-necessarily-sacks production in New England could be better utilized in Detroit. It was also the only significant move the Lions made on the edge. They drafted Austin Bryant in the fourth round, but the injured Clemson pass rusher isn’t expected to have much of an impact his rookie year, and, frankly, the Lions having the kind of luck to hit on back-to-back fourth-round picks is enough of a stretch for me that I’d still consider it a long-shot. Devon Kennard got a decent number of sacks in 2018, but rarely got pressure consistently and isn’t likely viewed as a long-term fix at the position.3. Interior offensive line (LG/RG)It’s the second week of the preseason and the Detroit Lions only have three offensive line positions locked in. Yes, three, not four. Why not Graham Glasgow? Because Glasgow doesn’t even have an official position yet. Is he left guard, is he right guard, who knows? The Lions certainly don’t, and we’re staring down the barrel of a couple of players who we have seen playing poorly for years getting starter reps at either guard spot or a former fifth-round pick whose best position in 2018 was fullback (Joe Dahl).4. Offensive tackleWhen the Lions drafted Taylor Decker in 2016, I wasn’t super thrilled. He wasn’t a player I had rated very highly, and I didn’t view his upside as overly impressive. He made an immediate fan out of me with his play as a rookie, shedding many of his bad habits from his college days and playing like a man who knew what he wanted to be and knew how to get it. After a shoulder injury in 2017, he looked like a completely different player Womens T.J. Jones Jersey , and it wasn’t a better one. Right tackle hasn’t fared much better, with Rick Wagner generally playing well but playing poorly enough on his bad days to make Lions fans wish Tyrell Crosby, the team’s fifth-round steal would get some starting time. Those hopes were dashed when both of the possible reasons Crosby fell to the fifth reared their ugly heads in the 2019 preseason. He allowed three sacks, suggesting his talent level matched his Day 3 draft status, and after potentially suffering a concussion, it brings to question some of the concussion rumors from his past. 5. Wide ReceiverKenny Golladay still looks like he could be a legit stud and Marvin Jones could be bouncing back from the injury that ended his 2018 season. Outside that, wide receiver is a bit of a mess now, let alone looking past 2019. Danny Amendola is a short-term band aid, and not a very reliable one with his injury history, and the team could use a serious influx of talent to the position with so little depth behind those three. 6. Defensive end (Edge)Like Devon Kennard, Romeo Okwara had a bunch of sacks but very little pressure as a pass rusher in 2018. I think Okwara factors a bit more into the long-term plans of the team, however, but the addition of Trey Flowers likely pushes his role a bit to the back burner. So what keeps edge so high on this list? Flowers is here for a while and Okwara provides depth, so defensive end shouldn’t be as big of a long-term need. It’s less about that and more about contingency planning, as several of these for the rest of the list will be. If the Trey Flowers signing doesn’t look like it’s going to work out, the team may have to act fast to course correct and draft/develop isn’t a solution if you don’t have the resume of doing so consistently.7. QuarterbackSo, contingency planning. 2019 is unique for the Lions in that they have signed not only one, but three separate quarterbacks who didn’t fit the traditional ‘backup only’ type of mold. Connor Cook was eventually cut, but both Tom Savage and Josh Johnson are guys you bring in if you think they can hold down the fort on game day. Previous Lions backups dating back to 2009 were there to help Stafford on game day. It could just be the team planning for Stafford’s injury in 2018, making sure they don’t get caught with no way to win. It could mean they’re ready to start looking ahead, however Darius Slay Jersey White , and unlike 2019, the 2020 draft looks to be just loaded with NFL talent at the most important position. With Stafford’s contract becoming workable, it’s no longer out of the realm of possibility.8. LinebackerThe team views Jarrad Davis as a stud even if he has yet to bring the fan base on board. Likewise, they drafted Jahlani Tavai in the second round with the hopes to further lock down the linebacker position. I’m a little bit worried about the depth at this position, with Christian Jones no longer under contract in 2020 and no discernible depth there, but it’s a position I feel they have young, capable starters the team has faith in and believe the depth can be addressed in the mid or later rounds.9. Defensive tackleAmazing that the position viewed as weakest to start 2018 is possibly overall the strongest to start 2019. I’m a bit concerned with durability, as the team is presently sitting with something like their fourth or fifth nose tackle working with first team due to injuries to nearly every defensive tackle. Still, it’s a position I think they build from what they have rather than target with earlier draft choices.10. Running backKerryon Johnson is not only a capable starter, but a possible star at the running back position. Why even consider running back early at all then? Well, the concerns with Johnson stemmed from his upright running style and durability due to opening himself up to more punishment than he needs to. As a rookie, he flashed immense potential but also justified those concerns and landed on IR. C.J. Anderson is a solid complementary back, but I don’t view him as a great long-term option either. The team is likely to add another back in the 2020 draft, but I doubt it’s a very high pick. If things go south this season, it could be.11. SafetyQuandre Diggs is locked in. 2018 third-round pick Tracy Walker is poised for a huge role in 2019. The Lions spent a third-round pick on Will Harris in 2019. The team is extremely unlikely to spend any high draft resources on the position again, which probably wasn’t a consideration when PFF did their first mock and gave the Lions a safety. Jokes aside, this isn’t a position the team is likely to do much at even if they let Tavon Wilson go this year or next. Even their depth is rather solid with Andrew Adams getting some early snaps, Charles Washington providing excellent special teams work, and UDFA C.J. Moore making a strong push for playing time.12. Tight endThe Lions just drafted T.J. Hockenson eighth overall and signed Jesse James to a decent mid-term contract. The likelihood of them addressing the position highly again in 2020 is close to nothing. Not impossible, but unlikely enough to fall at the very tail end of this article.

Last Week: 9-3Weeks 1 through 8: 63-61-4Home teams shown in bold. Odds taken from Odds Shark.Kansas City (-16.5) vs. ArizonaArizona’s coming off a bye and they will keep it somewhat close here. 16.5 points is a lot. Prediction: Josh Rosen has his best game to date on Sunday.<em>Pick: Arizona (+16.5)</em>Atlanta (-6) vs. ClevelandJulio Jones finally scored a touchdown last week! Matt Ryan is playing great http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-sione-takitaki-jersey , and the Browns and Baker Mayfield aren’t. Falcons win and continue their push.<em>Pick: Atlanta (-6)</em>New York Jets (-7) vs. BuffaloIn what could have been an interesting matchup of first round picks at QB, we will most likely get Josh McCown vs. Nathan Peterman.<em>Pick: New York Jets (-7)</em>Chicago (-6.5) vs. DetroitLions are scuffling, but they are 3-1 ATS in their last four road games. Gut feeling: It’s a divisional game, so this one stays close.<em>Pick: Detroit (+6.5)</em>Indianapolis (-3) vs. JacksonvilleMust-win game for both teams if they want to hang around the playoff picture. The Jaguars don’t score much, so I think the Colts take it at home.<em>Pick: Indianapolis (-3)</em>New England (-6.5) vs. Tennessee Congrats Tennessee! You have just come off an emotional MNF win and get to return home on a short week… to face Tom Brady and the Patriots.<em>Pick: New England (-6.5)</em>New Orleans (-5.5) vs. CincinnatiAfter how the Saints looked last week, it would be doing them a disservice to not take them here. The Bengals hang around for a while Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , but the Saints bury them late.<em>Pick: New Orleans (-5.5)</em>Tampa Bay (-3) vs. WashingtonA very good Redskins defense got exposed last week vs. Atlanta at home. They need to get back on track here, and they will.<em>Pick: Washington (+3)</em>Los Angeles Chargers (-10) vs. Oakland The Raiders, man the Raiders….. they aren’t good. Keep an eye on the Chargers in these next three weeks. They should be 9-2 when the calendar flips to December.<em>Pick: Los Angeles Chargers (-10)</em>Green Bay (-10) vs. MiamiPackers desperately need this one, and it’s going to be cold in Green Bay.<em>Pick: Green Bay (-10)</em>Los Angeles Rams (-9.5) vs. Seattle9.5 seems like a lot here. It’s a divisional game, and both teams are hungry and motivated.<em>Pick: Seattle (+9.5)</em>Philadelphia (-7) vs. DallasEagles are coming off of a bye, and I’m having trouble seeing Dak & the Cowboys offense putting up many points here. Philly wins big.<em>Pick: Philadelphia (-7)</em>San Francisco (-3) vs. New York GiantsNick Mullens looked great against the Raiders last Thursday http://www.brownsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-austin-seibert-jersey , but there’s tape on him now and New York’s defense is better than Oakland.<em>Pick: New York Giants (+3)</em> It’s known that the Steelers don’t want to send receiver Antonio Brown to a division rival or the Patriots. It’s been speculated that Brown could land with the 49ers or the Cardinals. Peter King has thrown a few darts in a different direction as part of Monday’s column.How about the Carolina Panthers?“New owner David Tepper, a Pittsburgh guy, went to Pitt and then Carnegie Mellon, and donated $55 million to CMU, which now has a Tepper School of Business in his honor,” King writes. “He bought a 5 percent stake in the Steelers in 2009 Trysten Hill Jersey , preceding his purchase of the Panthers last year. So he’ll know the holes in Brown’s persona, but he’ll also know the difference Brown could make in a passing game that needs a downfield threat.“Brown has averaged 114 catches and 1,524 yards a year for the past six years with the deep-armed Ben Roethlisberger, and he’ll be motivated to keep the distractions to a minimum so he can earn a new deal. Tepper is motivated to inject new life into a 24-25 team since Carolina’s Super Bowl appearance three years ago. Though G.M. Marty Hurney is a conservative type by nature, I think he could be convinced to take a shot on this get-rich-quick scheme. It’d thrill Cam Newton too.”The Tepper connection bears watching, given that he either knows or should be in position to find out what he needs to know about Brown. And that’s the flip side to this one; if the Panthers don’t make a move for Brown http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-connor-mcgovern-jersey , maybe other teams without that inside information should take heed of Tepper’s tepid reaction to Brown being available.King also suggests Washington, the Raiders, the Bucs, and the Jets as possible Brown destinations.The Steelers claim they want significant compensation, Brown claims he wants a new deal, and it will not be easy for a new team to thread the needle on this. If the Panthers don’t even try Tony Pollard Jersey , maybe no one else should, either.