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The University of Maryland-Baltimore County had no chance. Not against mighty Virginia Womens Patrick Robinson Jersey , certainly not against history.No 16th seed had ever beaten a No. 1 in NCAA Tournament history, the lopsided ledger climbing to 135-0 through the opening weekend of 2018.The Retrievers also had the daunting task of facing the bracket's No. 1 overall seed, the Final Four-favorite Cavaliers who romped through the nation's toughest conference with just one loss.History was made in Charlotte, North Carolina, that March night.Playing with poise while dismantling the nation's best defense, the commuter school known more for its chess prowess than hoops made all the right moves and busted brackets across the country by pulling off one of the most stunning upsets in sports history: No. 16 UMBC 74, No. 1 Virginia 54.By joining the likes of underdogs Buster Douglas, Joe Namath and the Miracle on Ice hockey team, the Retrievers were easily the biggest surprise of the 2018 sports year."These are the moments that you dream of," UMBC's Jairus Lyles said.UMBC went on to lose in the second round to Kansas State, but set the bar for all future No. 16 NCAA Tournament seeds.No longer is beating a No. 1 in the first round an impossible dream. The Retrievers paved the way.A few more of the biggest sports surprises in 2018:TIGER'S TITLETiger Woods had been showing signs of returning to form from a series of back surgeries, coming oh-so-close to winning on the PGA Tour.A long-awaited victory was all that was missing in his comeback.It came at an unlikely place: the Tour Championship, one of the biggest tournaments outside the majors.Playing like the Tiger of old, not old Tiger, Woods shot his way into a first-round lead at East Lake and stayed in contention all weekend. By the time the approach was hit from the 18th fairway, Woods strode up toward the green like a conquering hero, a mass of fans following him step for step.His career seemingly derailed by debilitating injuries and a series of personal pitfalls Youth Mark Ingram II Jersey , Woods had become a winner again, 1,876 days since he last hoisted a trophy. A huge boon to Woods and maybe an even bigger one for golf.GOLDEN IN VEGASMost expansion teams need a year or two 鈥?at least 鈥?to find their footing in the NHL.Not the Golden Knights of Las Vegas.Vegas started quickly, winning eight of its first nine and kept rolling 鈥?all the way into the Stanley Cup Final in the most successful expansion season in modern sports history.The Golden Knights also helped heal a city scarred by a mass shooting before the season started and invigorated a fan base that had been waiting for a professional team of its own.SISTER JEAN AND THE RAMBLERSUMBC's takedown of Virginia was not the only shocking development of the NCAA Tournament. Possibly inspired by the Retrievers, Loyola-Chicago pulled off a bit of bracket magic of its own.With 98-year-old Sister Jean at their side as the team's chaplain, the Ramblers rambled through the bracket, stunning Miami in the opening round, then taking down Tennessee to reach the Sweet 16.They didn't stop there, finishing off Nevada and Kansas State to become the fourth No. 11 seed to reach the Final Four. Loyola-Chicago lost to Michigan, but its run 鈥?and its nun 鈥?were an inspiration to millions.MIRACLE IN MIAMIThe New England Patriots are known as one of the most disciplined teams in the NFL. It's led them to five Super Bowl titles under coach Bill Belichick, so it's obviously working.That's what made their meltdown against the Miami Dolphins so surprising.Leading 33-28, the Patriots' 10th straight AFC East title seemed to be a foregone conclusion with 16 seconds left and Miami at its 31.Instead of wrapping up the game, the Patriots failed to wrap up the play as the Dolphins double-lateraled their way to a stunning 34-33 victory.As NFL stunners go, the one in Miami is right up there with the miracles of the Meadowlands and Music City.GERMANY TAKES DOWN CANADACanada was among the favorites to win hockey gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, even without NHL players for the first time since 1994. The Canadians were the two-time reigning Olympic champions and still had a plethora of talent on their roster.Canada reached the semifinals and faced Germany, a heavy underdog even after beating Sweden in the quarterfinals.The Germans jumped to leads of 3-0 and 4-1, then held off a big Canadian push to earn an unexpected spot in the finals against Russia. Canada was out and Germany was on its way to a silver medal.WORLD CUP UPSETSFrance won its second World Cup by beating Croatia 4-2. Not much of a surprise Womens DeMario Davis Jersey , but the tournament had a few shocking moments before it reached the final.In the group stage, star Lionel Messi missed a penalty kick and plucky Iceland held two-time champion Argentina to a 1-1 draw at World Cup.Defending champion Germany needed a big rally to beat Sweden to avoid getting knocked out of the World Cup, only to lose 2-0 to South Korea and exit in the opening round.Russia also pulled off a stunner by knocking out Spain in a shootout 4-3.The string of upsets made the 2018 World Cup one of the best.EAGLES WIN SUPER BOWLWhen MVP candidate Carson Wentz went down, so seemingly did the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl chances.In stepped Nick Foles.A quarterback who once considered quitting the game, Foles led the Eagles on one of the most improbable runs to the Super Bowl after Wentz injured his knee in December.Foles caught a touchdown pass in a play nicknamed the "Philly Special" and led Philadelphia on a gutty late drive, earning MVP honors as the Eagles won their first NFL championship since 1960. Saints News:Bengals Alert Police After Saints' Sean Payton Reportedly Smashed Fire Alarm | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and HighlightsNew Orleans Saints head coachSean Paytontook matters into his own hands to avoid a distraction before Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals...NFL power rankings Week 11: New Orleans Saints hold onto No. 1 spot - SBNation.comIs your offense good? Awesome. Is your defense good? Whatever. That idea is clear in the Week 11 NFL power rankings.Thanks to Sean Payton's lost bet, Saints to sport popular color rush jerseys vs. Eagles | Saints | theadvocate.comRemember when New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton lost that bet in the offseason to Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson?Bears, Colts, Saints among NFL's statement makers in Week 10 - NFL.comThanksgiving is less than two weeks away. We're hitting the stretch run of the 2018 regular season. It's go time. Separation time. STATEMENT time. Adam Schein identifies the nine biggest statements made in Week 10.Sean Payton Says He Damaged Fire Alarm in Locker Room Before Saints vs. Bengals | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and HighlightsNew Orleans Saintshead coachSean Paytonwas fed up with a fire alarm before the team's 51-14 dismantling of theCincinnati Bengals , so he took matters into his own hand. Mike Triplett of ESPN...Saints sign Brandon Marshall as Dez replacement - NFL.comThe New Orleans Saints signed veteran wide receiver Brandon Marshall, coach Sean Payton confirmed Monday. The move comes days after Dez Bryant suffered a season-ending injury.Mourning loss of daughter, Jermon Bushrod steps up for Saints - NFL Nation- ESPNThe veteran offensive lineman has leaned on his Saints family during a difficult time, and Sunday they leaned on him a little in Cincinnati.Saints' Michael Thomas tied with this big-name receiver for NFL lead in receptions | Saints | theadvocate.comSaints receiver Michael Thomas caught eight passes in Sunday's 51-14 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals and left Paul Brown Stadium tied for the league lead in receptions.Saints open to bringing back Dez Bryant for 2019 - NFL.comDez Bryant suffered a season-ending Achilles rupture on Friday during his second practice with his new team, the Saints. The team tells Ian Rapoport they are open to bringing back the WR in 2019.Scripted plays be damned, there’s a lot to like about Saints improved defense – The AthleticThe win over Cincinnati will give Dennis Allen confidence to call the plays he wants instead of the plays he might have felt he had to in games prior.NFL News:NFL Playoffs: How Rams can clinch division http://www.thesaintsfootballauthentic.com/max-unger-jersey-authentic , historic playoff berth with win over Chiefs in Week 11 - CBSSports.comThe Los Angeles Rams could clinch the NFC West next week if things break rightNFL Week 10: The 10 dumbest mistakes from Sunday, ranked - SBNation.comThe Jets got embarrassed by the Bills, Tom Brady tripped over his own feet, and even though they won, we still got our weekly "oh Browns" moment.NFL still determined to play Kansas City Chiefs-Los Angeles Rams game in Mexico City despite field concernsThe NFL is still determined to play next Monday's game between the Chiefs and Rams at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, league sources told ESPN, despite significant concerns about the poor playing surface.Week 11 2018 NFL Power Rankings season defining stats for every defenseAmid another shake-up at the top of the NFL Power Rankings, we break down defensive stats for all 32 teams that tell the tale of the 2018 season.The NFL’s elite is a settled matter, but these challengers have emerged - The Washington PostThe Chargers, Steelers and Bears have the capability to upset those at top of the NFL's hierarchy later this season.Debrief: Pats down but NOT out; plus, top five MVP candidates - NFL.comThe loss to Tennessee is concerning -- but Gregg Rosenthal pumps the brakes on talk of Tom Brady and the Patriots' downfall. Plus, the top five MVP candidates through Week 10 and more.Ex-Browns coach Hue Jackson joins Bengals staff - NFL.comHue Jackson is back in Cincy. The former Cleveland Browns head coach is joining the Cincinnati Bengals' coaching staff as a special assistant to the head coach.Tom Brady on critics: 'I absolutely want to play better' - NFL.comIs Patriots quarterback Tom Brady slipping? In an interview with Jim Gray, the reigning MVP admitted he thinks he can play better than he has through the first 10 weeks of the season.Cooper Kupp out for season after tearing ACL Sunday - NFL.comThe Rams' worst fear has been confirmed. Cooper Kupp is done for the season. Rams coach Sean McVay revealed Kupp suffered a torn ACL in Los Angeles' Week 10 win over the Seattle Seahawks.Social Media: Custom Arizona Cardinals Jerseys

Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons can't afford to lean on Matt Bryant's powerful right leg this week.Field goals won't be enough to keep pace against the high-scoring New Orleans Saints on Thursday night.Bryant's four field goals provided all of Atlanta's scoring until Julio Jones caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Ryan with less than two minutes remaining against Dallas on Sunday. That touchdown tied the game before the Cowboys won 22-19 on Brett Maher's 42-yard field goal as time expired.The Saints (9-1) have won nine straight . They led the NFL with their average of 37.8 points per game through Sunday's games."Field goals against them isn't going to cut it the way they're putting points up Youth Michael Thomas Jersey ," coach Dan Quinn said Monday.The Falcons (4-6) already have lost one shootout against the Saints, 43-37 in overtime on Sept. 23."When we get our chances, we have to convert," Ryan said Monday. "We've been doing a good job of that for the most part of the year. ... We've got to be aggressive with our plays when we get our chances."Quinn said the Falcons can win a high-scoring game, even against the Saints."We are. We're equipped," Quinn said. "Certainly when you're going against another team that's high scoring, it was no surprise to see that in the first game, either."Jones has touchdown catches in three straight games, but the Falcons are in a scoring slump. They rank ninth in the league with their average of 26.3 points, but they've been held below 20 points in four games this season, including back-to-back losses to the Cowboys and Cleveland.Atlanta led Dallas 6-3 at halftime despite being held to 110 yards. For the game, the Falcons had 354 yards, their third-lowest total of the season.The two straight losses were devastating to Atlanta's playoff hopes after it won three straight to reach .500.Quinn said the Falcons shouldn't be worried about their fading playoff hopes."Right now we have no luxury of looking at anything big picture Youth Cameron Jordan Jersey ," Quinn said. "Right now there's one picture and that's New Orleans and that's Thursday."Atlanta managed only 80 yards rushing against Dallas. Tevin Coleman had only eight carries for 58 yards, even though he gained 11 or more yards on four runs. The eight carries were his second fewest of the season.Quinn said "it's going to be important" to establish the run. But he said he was only seeking balance, not a greater commitment to the run."When you're in the red zone against them you better finish with it in the end zone because they're certainly able to score and they've shown that this year," he said."Whether it's in the run game or it's in the pass game, it's about being able to find explosive games and being able to score. That's the name of the game when you're facing a team with an explosive offense like them."NOTES: The Falcons are attempting to determine if linebacker Deion Jones will play this week. Jones came off injured reserve last week after missing two months with a broken right foot but was inactive against Dallas . Quinn said Jones did not participate in the team's walkthrough practice on Monday, but instead was scheduled for work after the practice "so we'll get a better assessment of where he's at." Quinn said the goal was to "keep pushing and develop to see where he's at with his confidence level with his foot." Willie Snead has a knack for weaving through a row of linebackers in the middle of the field before making a clutch catch for the Baltimore Ravens.Such was the case last Sunday against Tennessee, when Snead squeezed between two defenders for a 24-yard gain on a third-and-17 from the Baltimore 15."He's on the ground, he makes the catch, he's getting pushed back to the ground, stepped all over, and he just gets up and gives the first-down signal right there in the guy's face," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "That's the kind of competitor he is. He's all ball, all the time."Baltimore general manager Ozzie Newsome rarely chases restricted free agents Color Rush Vonn Bell Jersey , but he made an exception with Snead this past offseason after it became apparent that the receiver's three-year run in New Orleans was done. One of Drew Brees' favorite targets in 2015 and 2016, Snead began last season with a three-game suspension for violating the NFL personal conduct policy. He then fought a hamstring injury and finished with just eight catches for 92 yards and no touchdowns.Armed with a two-year, $10.4 million contract, Snead was delighted to arrive in Baltimore last April."Last year just left a really bitter taste in my mouth, the organization and how everything was handled," Snead said Tuesday. "To be a part of this organization was just a breath of fresh air. I wanted to go somewhere where I'm wanted."It couldn't have worked out better for Snead — and the Ravens."To see that you were right, to see all that come together and him play so well, being exactly what you thought you were going to get, is very rewarding," Harbaugh said.Snead was one of three free agent receivers signed by Newsome in an effort to enhance a passing game that sputtered in 2017. Snead is the possession receiver, Michael Crabtree provides an outside threat and John Brown is the speedster.Snead and Crabtree are tied for the team lead with 30 catches. Brown has 21 receptions for a team-high 424 yards and three touchdowns."I don't have the physical ability like John Brown to run by you, and I'm not big and strong like Michael Crabtree," Snead observed Marshon Lattimore Jersey , "so I have to work harder than everybody else just to stand out."That's how it's always been for Snead, who finally finds himself in a place where his talent is acknowledged and appreciated."This is a guy that's been doubted his whole career — high school, college and the NFL," Harbaugh said. "So I'm fine if they keep doubting him."After starring as a quarterback at Muskegon Heights in Michigan, Snead played three years as a receiver at Ball State before going undrafted in 2014. He finally made it to the NFL the following year."Coming out of college, (people said) I left too early, I wasn't ready to play in the NFL," Snead recalled. "And in the NFL, it was, 'Is he fast enough to separate? Can he make those plays in clutch situations?' I've always been doubted."Not anymore."I'll tell you one thing, Willie comes Sunday ready to play," Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco said. "He's one of the toughest guys I've been around."This Sunday, the Ravens (4-2) host the Saints (4-1). Snead insists this wasn't one of those games that he circled on the calendar."This is another team. I have to approach it that way just to stay focused Authentic Wil Lutz Jersey ," Snead said.New Orleans coach Sean Payton has seen enough of Snead this season to know he's a threat with the ball, and without it."He has a tremendous amount of grit. You see him making plays on third down," Payton said. "He's an outstanding blocker. He'll come across in motion, he'll get to the point of attack in the run game, but he'll also find the holes in the zone and man-to-man coverages."The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Snead has no problem mixing it up with anyone, large or small, at any spot on the field."He can go inside or outside, but man, he makes some — scouts call them blood area — catches," Harbaugh said. "In the middle, that's where he thrives." Custom Washington Redskins Jerseys

Antwione Williams was arrested on suspicion of DWI in May Since the Mike Zimmer era began Linval Joseph Jersey , off-field shenanigans for the Minnesota Vikings have dropped significantly. Compared to previous regimes, there have been relatively few incidents of members of the purple getting into legal hot water during their downtime. One of the team’s younger players, however, did run into some issues a couple of months ago that we are just learning about today.Antwione Williams, the linebacker that got the start for the team in Denver when Anthony Barr was held out of the game, was arrested back in May and cited for suspicion of driving while impaired. He was also charged with careless driving when he was clocked going 81 miles per hour in an area where the speed limit was 55. When he was pulled over, his blood alcohol level was .09, over the Minnesota limit of .08.Williams entered a guilty plea to the careless driving charge, and the remaining charges were dropped. He was sentenced to 30 days in the Hennepin County Workhouse, but 29 days of that sentence were set aside and he was credited with one day of time served.Williams was initially a fifth-round draft choice of the Detroit Lions in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Georgia Southern. He spent just one season with the Lions before being waived as part of the team’s final cuts in 2017. After that, he signed with the Vikings’ practice squad Authentic Laquon Treadwell Jersey , where he spent the 2017 season.The Vikings appear to think pretty highly of Williams in their race to sort out their linebacker depth chart. Yes, it was only for one preseason game, but the fact that he did start the Vikings’ preseason opener in Denver shows that the team must think he has some pretty decent potential. We’ll have to see how this affects the team’s thought process on him, or if it affects it at all, throughout the rest of this preseason and into the team’s final cutdown. Good Morning!It’s Super Bowl weekend, if you have a favorite food to make feel free to drop it into the comments, we’re having venison burgers on the grill, I haven’t committed to making anything else which means I’ll spend part of my Sunday running around the grocery store trying to find ingredients for something.Since I have time, we’ll catch up on our NFC North opponents this week and then we’ll carry on with our news and links open thread full of beer recommendations, nap strategies, crock pot and smoker recipes. Fire up the mock drafts and drop by for some fan wisdom Youth Andrew Sendejo Jersey , snark and have some delicious bacon.Around the DN since our last open thread:Saxyprince is back with Climbing The Pocket: Episode 128 [IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME]Minnesota Vikings among favorites to sign Bo Levi Mitchell per Chris.Daily Norseman on Minnesota Sports Weekly, give Chris a listen.Vikings news from other sources:From Vikings.com John Randle and his wife talk about the struggle with their son’s health conditions and the strength John had through out the process.Former Vikings Steve Hutchinson joined Wobby from Atlanta in advance of hopefully being elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Hutchinson discusses that process, his favorite memories as a Viking and more.Dave Dameshek sits down with Minnesota Vikings WR Stefon Diggs to talk about his 2018 season and playing next to Adam Thielen.Vikings WR Adam Thielen reflects on his record-setting 2018 season.Daniel House at Vikings Corner puzzles how Gary Kubiak might help the Vikings’ offense.NFC North Roundup: At Windy City Gridiron Julius Peppers retires from the NFL.Draft Wire goes a full 7 rounds and they check in on their Bears picks.Chicago Bears 2019 Roster Turnover: Will a number one wide receiver emerge?At Pride of Detroit 2018 Detroit Lions Awards: Special Teams Player of the Year.Super Bowl 53 Prop Bets: 6 things to watch other than the game and Part 2: another 6 things to gamble on.Detroit Lions film breakdown: Does Romeo Okwara have a place in the team’s future?Over at Acme Packing CompanyPackers 2018 Roster Grades: Offensive Line was average as Packers struggled, (still held though)Current and former Packers weigh in on Mike McCarthy’s firing.Packers 2019 Free Agent TEs: Another off season of expected upheaval.League news: Consistent with the weekend news and links I’ll post league news in the comments, however we’ll continue with the Schadenfreude section up here.Saint’s HC Sean Payton binged Netflix, ice cream after loss to the Rams.From USA Today angry New Orleans Saints fans become anti-Super Bowl partiers.At the Sporting News, a Judge rejects Saints fans’ lawsuit to replay end of Rams game after botched call.We come to today’s media selection: John Randle: Sorry Packer Fans ... I Don’t Really Like You, and I Never WillAgain, we all know the rules, but in case someone is new:-No discussion of politics or religion-No feeding of the trolls-This isn’t a male version of The View, so leave the gender hatred at the door-Keep the bad language to a minimum (using the spoiler tags http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ben-gedeon-jersey , if you must)-Speaking of which, if discussing a newer show or movie, please use spoiler tags-No pictures that could get someone fired or in serious trouble with their employer-If you can’t disagree in a civil manner, feel free to go away-While navigating the open thread, just assume it’s sarcasm.With that, the beer light is on and the bar is open. Belly up & tie one on. Don’t forget to tip your waitress, try the Tears of Our Rivals鈩?and as always, Welcome Aboard!

The Minnesota Vikings went to the Meadowlands Sunday to hand the New York Jets a 37-17 loss Authentic Mike Hughes Jersey , and extend the win streak to three. The defense was stout, the offense got the job done and the Vikings are now where the team belongs. At the top of the NFC North. Here’s this week’s three takeaways from the Jets’ game:Latavius Murray deserves the starting role in the backfieldDalvin Cook must earn his starting job back when he returns to 100 percent. Why plug him in right away when you have a trusted workhorse in Murray? Also, to me, Murray has earned the starting spot after his past couple of performances.He’s made his presence known over the past two weeks. Murray managed to rush for 155 yards off 24 carries against the Arizona Cardinals. He also scored the first rushing touchdown of the season for Minnesota. The touchdown streak continued at MetLife Stadium where Murray scored two rushing touchdowns. He finished the game with 64 yards off 15 carries. Cook has not participated in the last three games with a hamstring injury. When he was playing, he wasn’t very productive in the run game. In the three games he’s played in, he’s recorded 98 yards off 36 carries. However, Cook’s been productive in the passing game. He’s caught nine passes for 107 yards. Cook was only targeted two out of the three games. Cook could be a solid third down back until deemed worthy of the starting spot. Defense still put the clamps on (even with injuries)After a couple weeks of worry, and a couple weeks of promise, I think it’s fair to say Minnesota’s defense will be alright (for now). On Sunday Youth Anthony Barr Jersey , the defense played without Everson Griffen (again), Linval Joseph and Andrew Sendejo. Unfortunately, Xavier Rhodes went down with what head coach Mike Zimmer said was a sprained ankle after Sunday’s game. But, the backups stepped up big and stepped into the shoes that needed to be filled. David Parry, Tom Johnson and Jaleel Johnson all were in rotation to fill Joseph’s absence. The Jets were only able to rush for 71 yards off 24 carries, or about three yards per carry. Stephen Weatherly has been playing well in place of Griffen, he even had a nice pass break up. Holton Hill grabbed an interception after Xavier Rhodes went down with an ankle injury. Seeing all of these guys play their role is fun to watch. With a healthy roster, the defense will no doubt be full and complete. Adam Thielen is currently the best wideout in the NFLHe’s first in the league for targets, receptions and catches. He’s caught 67 of 89 passes for 822 yards and five touchdowns. It's not like Thielen’s the only reliable receiver on the team neither Trae Waynes Jersey , or Cousins’ only target. There are so many talented players on the offense who can catch the ball. Stefon Diggs, Kyle Rudolph and Aldrich Robinson just to name a few. Diggs is fourth in the league for receptions with 48, only 19 less catches than Thielen. Thielen’s on pace for a career-high season. If he continues playing how he is, then he’ll be on track to at least a 1,900 yard season. He’s on the road to break Randy Moss’ single-season record for most receiving yards. Moss’ record came in 2003 when he had recorded 1,632 receiving yards off 111 catches.The guy grew up idolizing, and mimicking the plays of Moss and Cris Carter, this was always a dream for his. He watched two of the greats play, and he wanted to be just like them Authentic Danielle Hunter Jersey , well he certainly is looking like them, especially when he’s being talked about in the same category as the two. The Vikings were in the NFC Championship Game last year, then added quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency, and came into the season thinking they were Super Bowl contenders. And now they’re 1-2-1. So does that have coach Mike Zimmer concerned?Not at all. Zimmer says the Vikings have learned over the last few years that a shaky start doesn’t lead to a bad season, nor does a hot start guarantee a good season.“This isn鈥檛 a time for 鈥榳oe is me,鈥?#8221; Zimmer said, via ESPN. “If people remember, we were 2-2 this time last year. We finished 13-3. We were 5-0 the year before, and we finished 8-8. We were 2-2 the year before that http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-eric-kendricks-jersey , and we finished 11-5, so all the predictors, this isn鈥檛 a good time to predict.”Zimmer makes a good point. It’s a long season, and you can’t be eliminated after four games. On the other hand, with the Vikings facing the 2-2 Eagles this week, one of those two teams is going to have three losses after five games, which means one of the top NFC contenders is going to be in a big hole after Week Five. Vikings-Eagles isn’t a must-win game, but it’s a big one for both teams.

Apparently $84 million won’t get you a parking spot at the Minnesota State Fair Like everybody else in the state of Minnesota this week. . .and Youth Adam Thielen Jersey , judging from everything I’ve seen on social media, the use of the word “everybody” in this case is only a slight exaggeration. . .Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins made his way to the Minnesota State Fair over the weekend.Or, we should say, attempted to make his way there.Apparently, upon arriving at the State Fair yesterday, Cousins couldn’t find anywhere to park his 2000 GMC Savana van, and had to depart without getting the opportunity to partake in food that has been, in some combination, deep fried, smothered in gravy, and placed on a stick. (Except for the Smoked Soft-Serve Ice Cream, which sounds pretty damn amazing, in my opinion.)According to the story from Bring Me the News, about 122,000 people found their way to the State Fair on opening day, setting a new attendance record. Given those sorts of numbers, it isn’t surprising that parking was relatively scarce.Fortunately for Cousins, the State Fair is going to be up and running for a while yet http://www.authenticsminnesotavikings.com/cheap-riley-reiff-jersey , so he’ll be able to (eventually) get his hands on all the high-cholesterol foods his heart desires. Hopefully he and his teammates will get the opportunity to do so. Mike Zimmer gathered his team around him in a victorious locker room and let them in on what they just accomplished.The Minnesota Vikings, he told them, had never defeated the Jets on the road 鈥?until Sunday. Kirk Cousins and the rest of his teammates broke out in big cheers to celebrate a 37-17 win."Winning on the road is important in this league," Cousins said, "and I was glad we were able to do that."Cousins threw two touchdown passes, Latavius Murray ran for two scores, and the Vikings (4-2-1) pulled away in the second half for their third straight victory.It wasn't the best performance of the season by the Vikings' high-powered offense, but it was certainly good enough against a Jets team that had four turnovers 鈥?including interceptions by Harrison Smith, Holton Hill and Trae Waynes."Any time you score 37 points on the road, you're doing something right," Cousins said. "But there are times where it wasn't good enough. We are so grateful for defense and special teams today because it gave us the opportunity to go out and score points."Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen became the fifth player in NFL history to get at least 100 yards receiving in seven consecutive games, catching nine passes for 110 yards and a touchdown.Murray, coming off career-high 155 yards rushing against Arizona, finished with 69 yards on 15 carries to help lift the Vikings to their first road win against the Jets after losing the first five meetings away from home.In his first game against the Jets (3-4) since spurning their massive offer in free agency, Cousins was far from spectacular but made some big plays late. With the game still hanging in the balance and the Vikings facing fourth-and-8 from the 34, Cousins connected with Aldrick Robinson for a TD to seal it.Cousins, 25 of 40 for 241 yards, opted to turn down New York's three-year Youth Kyle Rudolph Jersey , $90 million deal in the offseason and instead chose to go to Minnesota, which actually signed him to a deal worth $6 million less. The Jets insisted this loss didn't sting any more than usual because it was against Cousins."We don't care," Jets linebacker Darron Lee said. "We only care about us and this team. Don't try to make this about him. We don't care. No one ever spoke about that all week. No one cared."After Cousins made his decision, the Jets turned their attention to the draft, where they selected Sam Darnold with the No. 3 overall pick.In their first meeting, Cousins came out on top 鈥?while Darnold struggled on a cold, windy day.The rookie was 17 of 42 for 206 yards with a TD pass to Chris Herndon and a TD run, but was intercepted three times as New York's two-game winning streak ended."I've just got to find completions," Darnold said. "That's really it. And, we've got to do a better job executing."The Vikings took a 17-point lead early in the fourth quarter when Murray followed a 23-yard run with a 38-yard touchdown scamper, his second score of the game ."It wasn't pretty early on," Murray said, "but we know how important it is to run the ball and we stuck with it."New York wasn't done, though.Darnold's 17-yard throw to Herndon was initially called a touchdown, but it was ruled after a video review that the tight end's heel went out of bounds at the 1. Darnold went in on a quarterback sneak on the next play for the first rushing score of his career, making it 27-17.After the Vikings went three-and-out, Darnold went deep to Robby Anderson, whose legs got tangled with Xavier Rhodes and both needed to be checked by trainers. Anderson was OK Youth Kirk Cousins Jersey , but Rhodes was helped off the field without putting weight on his left leg. Zimmer said Rhodes has a sprained ankle.Hill came on in place of Rhodes and immediately picked off Darnold's pass intended for Andre Roberts. Seven plays later, Cousins put the game away with his TD toss to Robinson."We had so many opportunities to put that game away earlier," Zimmer said. "There were two or three turnovers we didn't take advantage of. ... We've got to overcome ourselves on some of those things."THIELEN FEELIN' ITThielen reached his milestone with a 21-yard catch in the fourth quarter. He joined Detroit's Calvin Johnson (eight, 2012), Denver's Demaryius Thomas (seven, 2014), Dallas' Michael Irvin (seven, 1995) and Houston's Charley Hennigan (seven, 1961) to accomplish the feat.He and Hennigan are the only players to do so in his team's first seven games to open the season."It says it all," Cousins said. "He's a great player. Ultimately, he's a great person and it starts there the way he approaches everything he does. I'm lucky to play with him. The Vikings are lucky to have him."THIRD-DOWN STRUGGLESMinnesota finished 2 of 15 on third downs, while New York was 2 of 13.The Vikings first conversion didn't come until midway through the third quarter on Thielen's 13-yard catch after being 0 for 8 up to that point.The Jets' first third-down conversion came late in the third on Darnold's 6-yard run on third-and-5.INJURIESVikings: LG Tom Compton left in the first quarter with a knee injury and didn't return. ... LB Anthony Barr left in the fourth with a hamstring injury.Jets: RB Bilal Powell injured his neck during a 2-yard run in the second quarter. S Doug Middleton, starting in place of the injured Marcus Maye, also left in the second with a shoulder injury. Neither player returned, and coach Todd Bowles said both would have tests to determine the severity of their injuries.UP NEXTVikings: home vs. New Orleans next Sunday.Jets: at Chicago next Sunday.

2015 New Orleans Saints draft class - where are they now? As the New Orleans Saints are trimming their roster Youth Patrick Robinson Jersey , Hau’oli Kikaha was the most recent roster casualty. Kikaha was a 2nd round pick for the Saints in the 2015 NFL Draft. So that got me thinking... where is the rest of the 2015 draft class? The Saints had nine picks that year, and only two are sure bets to make the 2018 roster.Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesAndrus Peat was the Saints first selection, 13th overall in the first round. Peat, after a couple of seasons struggling to live up to his first round selection, finally came into his own in 2017. He’s going to be a staple of the 2018 Saints offensive line.Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty ImagesTyeler Davison was the Saints second selection in the 5th round. After the unfortunate situation surrounding Nick Fairley’s long-term health forced the talented defensive tackle into possible early retirement, Davison is one of the many Saints asked to step up. Davison will be a rotational player stuffing the interior of the defensive line in 2018.The same can’t be said for the second pick for the Saints in the first round. Stephone Anthony was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a 2018 5th Round Pick (that was later used to trade up for Marcus Davenport).The Saints selected Garrett Grayson in the 3rd round of the 2015 NFL draft. Grayson was waived in 2017 and signed to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad in 2018.In addition to Davison, the Saints selected Davis Tull in the 5th round of 2015. Tull was waived in 2016, and (notice the theme?) signed to the Atlanta Falcons practice squad later in 2016. Tull was later waived by Atlanta and is currently a free agent. The final 5th round pick for the Saints was Damian Swann. Swann was waived in 2017 and, like Tull Cheap Mark Ingram Jersey , is a free agent.The Saints selected Marcus Murphy in the 7th round of the 2015 draft. Murphy is currently vying for a roster spot with the Buffalo Bills to back-up Pro Bowl RB LeSean McCoy.Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty ImagesThe remaining draft pick of the Saints in 2015 was PJ Williams, a starter for the Saints in 2016 and the start of 2017, who now finds himself on the roster bubble in 2018. If Williams were to surprisingly get cut by the Saints in 2018, the 2015 NFL Draft class would look mighty disappointing... Football purists are smiling. For one week, the video game nature of the NFL hit pause.Only one quarterback on Saturday or Sunday threw for 300 yards, let alone 400. No pinball shootouts.Ten players rushed for at least 100 yards, and Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson went for 95.There were two shutouts!Quite the reality check to learn that strong defense, an efficient ground game, and control of the clock still can win. Yes Wil Lutz Jersey , some nasty weather in Baltimore and the New Jersey Meadowlands contributed to the lower number of points. We figure to see more of that over the final two weeks of the schedule; it is December, after all.These developments, if they aren't an aberration, could bode well for such teams as Baltimore, Chicago, Seattle 鈥?which actually was upset at San Francisco 鈥?and Dallas, which also lost, blanked at Indianapolis. They could be bad news for the high-scoring machines whose defenses are leaky, including previously considered powerhouses in Kansas City http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-demario-davis-jersey , New England and Pittsburgh."You've got to stay on the field on offense," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Sunday after a wet 20-12 victory against Tampa Bay. "If you do that, you have a chance to generate some points."And yards. Baltimore rushed for 242 of them on 49 attempts. Unheralded rookie Gus Edwards finished with 104. Jackson averaged 5.3 yards per rush and the Ravens are 4-1 since he replaced injured Joe Flacco as starter."He makes you play 11-on-11 football instead of 11 on 10," Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said of Jackson, the 32nd overall pick in April's draft. "We had him wrapped up a couple of times and he squirted out of there and was able to extend plays."Ah yes, 11-on-11 football. Not the flag football, 44-40 variety that excites fantasy fanatics, but the balanced game in which solid tackling, crunching blocks and a variety of strategies are paramount.As the playoffs approach Marcus Williams Jersey , the supersonic offenses could sputter. Teams primarily relying on them should know they might need to win man against man in the trenches, rule in a slugfest rather than in a points spree.Of the division leaders, the Saints and possibly the Rams own that balance, though neither is as physical as, say, the Cowboys,Bears or Seahawks. But the clubs unlikely to light up scoreboards also know if they can establish the tempo with their ground games and their stingy defenses 鈥?and an attitude that no opponent will intimidate them 鈥?they can be valid contenders in January.Two of those clubs took a step backward on Sunday. Still, the Cowboys figure to win the NFC East and the Seahawks aren't likely to blow a wild-card spot. Rather than panic after their defeats 鈥?Seattle's loss against the lowly 49ers being the more problematic 鈥?they'll go back to what they do best.Because they have confidence in what they do best, which helped them turn around 2018 after slow starts."We didn't give ourselves a chance Authentic Alvin Kamara Jersey ," Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said. "We weren't scoring and so it wasn't a complementary game of football. That's what we've been playing these last five weeks and we didn't do that tonight."Heading into December, the prevailing view was that a prolific offense was a necessity to win the NFL championship. People became enamored of the fireworks the Rams, Saints, Chiefs and Chargers could provide.Now, with two weeks left in the schedule, it's becoming clear that asymmetry isn't such a great thing. Maybe some of the clubs who are showing they feature balanced game plans and approaches and talent 鈥?say Houston, Chicago, Indianapolis and the Chargers 鈥?should be reckoned with as much as New Orleans and Kansas City and the Rams. Custom Seattle Seahawks Jerseys

A day after their first win of the season Elandon Roberts Jersey , the change in the mood of the previously winless Detroit Lions was evident.In one corner of the locker room, linebacker Marquis Flowers and running back LeGarrette Blount engaged in a heated debate over whether Kobe Bryant or LeBron James was the greater basketball player."Just coming in today, it was a little bit different," Lions wide receiver Golden Tate said. "It's kind of a sigh of relief."Winning has a way of lifting the tension. Especially considering the quality of the opponent that the Lions beat.Sunday's decisive 26-10 victory over the New England Patriots was fashioned by a smothering performance from the Lions defense.The Lions held the Patriots to 209 yards, the fewest they've allowed since holding the New York Giants to 197 yards on Sept. 8, 2014."To finally get our first win, against a team like that, that's a yearly contender for the Super Bowl, it's a pretty big deal Shaq Mason Jersey ," Tate said.It was only the third time since 2007 that the Patriots produced fewer than 210 yards.Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who led the NFL with 4,577 yards passing last season, was limited to 133 yards."That is amazing," Lions cornerback Darius Slay said. "That is really amazing."In the first quarter, Detroit held a 126-5 edge in yards and a 12:30-2:30 advantage in time of possession. The first three drives of the game saw Detroit outgain the Patriots 196-13 and hold a 14-0 edge in first downs. The Lions outgained the Patriots 231-70 in the first half."We couldn't execute anything," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.Lions running back Kerryon Johnson, who finished with 16 carries for 101 yards and became the first Lions running back to record a 100-yard rushing game since Reggie Bush against Green Bay on Nov. 28, 2013 Cheap Stephen Gostkowski Jersey , felt the defensive performance was what keyed the win."I think the defense was a lot more impressive than we were," Johnson said. "They had to shut down Tom Brady."Slay preferred to view their success story as a team effort."This was really all about the offense controlling the ball and keeping us rested," Slay said. "The best game plan against Tom Brady is keeping him off the field, and the offense kept putting up long drives."The Lions also handed much of the credit to coach Matt Patricia, the former Patriots defensive coordinator who earned his first win as an NFL head coach."He made everything smooth this week," Slay said. "He knows everything about that team and he made sure we knew it as well."Patricia wasn't about to take the pat on the back without returning it to his players."A week ago, the story was completely different as I stood here," Patricia said. "It was a good collective team effort. I think everybody that had a significant role, I thought they did a good job."Improving to 1-2 on the season while handing the defending AFC champion Patriots (1-2) their second straight loss Cheap Malcom Brown Jersey , the Lions said it won't matter if they don't carry the momentum into Sunday's game at Dallas against the Cowboys."Now that we have this win, it means nothing if we don't come back this week and have a great week of practice and go out there and handle business on the road against another good opponent," Tate said."We're happy we got that first win, but now we've got to put that game to bed. Now we've got to prepare like we did last week for the Dallas Cowboys on the road. Try to hit restart and go do it again." The Patriots have been at their best on offense this season when they've established the run and avoided facing a significant number of third downs.Achieving success in both areas could be difficult on Sunday against a Vikings team that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is expecting to offer "as big a challenge as we're going to have all year."The Vikings are the NFL's stingiest defense on third down, allowing opposing offenses to convert on a league-low 28 percent of their opportunities. They are also allowing only 94 rushing yards per game, which is tied for the fourth-fewest in the NFL.One of the reasons, McDaniels said, is Minnesota's ability to mix up its personnel and coverages. That is bolstered with talented players that are spread throughout its defense."They have a great front, they have linebackers that are very athletic http://www.patriotscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-stephon-gilmore-jersey , the team speed in general is tremendous," McDaniels said. "You're not going to outrun this group."The Patriots are 1-3 this season when converting on less than 33 percent of their third downs. The lone exception was their 27-20 season-opening win over the Texans. The Patriots went just 4 of 14 on third down (29 percent) in that game, but were able to take advantage of some early Houston mistakes in jumping out to a 24-6 lead.New England can't count on that against Minnesota.The Vikings' offense has been turnover-prone at times this season, but Minnesota enters Sunday's matchup with a plus-2 turnover margin overall. The Vikings were turnover-free in last week's win over Green Bay. It was their first game since their Week 7 road victory over the Jets in which they didn't have a giveaway.New England has had to adjust offensively in recent weeks as it played through the injury-related absences of its leading rusher Sony Michel (knee) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (ankle, back), one of Brady's favorite options on third down.Both were effective in their returns to the starting lineup against the Jets. Gronkowski caught his first touchdown pass since Week 1 and Michel rushed for a season-best 133 yards."They are one of the best teams at running the ball in the red zone and one of the best teams at stopping the run in the red zone," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said."When you can run the ball in the red zone that typically leads to touchdowns because you don't get in third-and-longs and things like that where you've got to throw in a condensed area."The Patriots are also hopeful that the return of Rex Burkhead from injured reserve will ultimately provide a boost similar to those provided by Michel and Gronkowski. Burkhead was one of New England's go-to options in short-yardage situations last season. But he played only three games before suffering a neck injury against the Lions on Sept. 23. His status for Sunday is to be determined.While Burkhead's absence hasn't affected the Patriots' ability to score touchdowns in the red zone (24 TDs on 38 drives inside the 20), center David Andrews said they recognize room for improvement."(The Vikings have) got a great defensive front, I think they play really hard Cheap Joe Thuney Jersey , big, tough guys in there," Andrews said. "I don't know what the game plan is going to be yet, but whatever it is, we just have to execute it, do whatever we can up front to be at our best and be the most physical team."AP Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell in Eagan, Minnesota, contributed to this report.

Two passions fuel Jimmy Graham Womens Caleb Sturgis Jersey , each related in one way or another with moving quickly through the air.Football in the fall, flying in the offseason.A 1950s-era amphibious plane that he restored to pristine condition also represents how far he has come back from a serious knee injury. Both rebuilds occurred a few years ago while he was playing for the Seattle Seahawks.This season, the aviation enthusiast and pass-catching tight end has landed in Wisconsin for the next leg of his NFL career with the Green Bay Packers."They ebb and flow together. It's the two biggest parts of my life," Graham said about flying and football. "I don't think I could be as good at one without the other."Graham, a five-time Pro Bowler, signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Packers in the offseason following three years with the Seattle Seahawks. The Packers brought him in to provide a big target in the red zone for Aaron Rodgers.Through six games, Graham has 27 catches for 349 yards and a score, including 11 receptions on 20 targets over the past two games. With the Packers choppy so far in the red zone, Graham isn't perhaps having quite the touchdown production he initially envisioned."Hopefully they'll start coming my way, too. It's kind of a rough start for us, just not finishing really and not getting the ball down in the end zone," Graham said after the 33-30 win on Monday night over the San Francisco 49ers."We've got to work off that, with (Rodgers) and these receivers and these running backs and this O-line we've got, we've got a lot more than 30 points in us," Graham said. "And learn from this ... to get to where we're scoring every time we touch the ball. That's the goal. Start fast, finish fast."It's a goal to focus on for next week, though, when the Packers return from their bye to prepare for a game at the Los Angeles Rams.During this off week Authentic Russell Okung Jersey , Graham figures to be back in the air. He spoke about his love of flying over the summer during the EAA AirVenture show in Oshkosh, about 50 miles southwest of Green Bay."I'll fly on off days. But basically once Wednesday starts, I'm doing nothing but watching film, getting the body ready and running people over," Graham said.He wasn't kidding — two days later, the Packers started training camp.Graham was drafted by the Saints in 2010 out of Miami. He played only one season of college football following four seasons as a power forward for the Hurricanes' basketball program. He followed in the footsteps of other NFL tight ends with basketball backgrounds such as Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates.One of the main reasons he got into football was because "a lot of people didn't believe I could do it," Graham recounted."I took that whole idea of how difficult and impossible this thing was going to be and just took one day at a time and kind of used it as fuel," he said.His love of flying goes back to childhood after first seeing the Tom Cruise movie, "Top Gun." He wanted to be a Navy Seal or Marine, but he got bigger and taller, so he played basketball.It was during his junior year at Miami he had the opportunity to sit in a single-engine plane with a pilot certified in aerobatics. The experience got him hooked."Flying was such a want and a dream that I had as a child, the first moment that I had to attack it, I did," Graham said.It was a challenge, too."I feel like in my life, I'm always on the move, and I'm always looking for my next challenge, what can push me. And flying has really fulfilled that in many ways," he added.He wants to share that passion with a new generation of aviators after becoming the honorary co-chair of EAA Young Eagles Program Authentic Melvin Ingram Jersey , which is dedicated to giving youth ages 8 to 17 their first free ride in a plane."He brings a completely different perspective to our Young Eagles program. He's a very accomplished individual, but did it really essentially himself," EAA Chairman Jack Pelton said."As he tells the story, he took his first airplane ride and it hooked him on aviation," Pelton added. "So I think that's going to make him very relatable because that's where he came from."At Oshkosh, Graham gave rides to two young and aspiring pilots in his 1957 De Haviland DHC-2 Beaver. He started restoration on the classic in the summer of 2015.That November, Graham tore a patellar tendon in his knee, an injury that forced him to miss the final month of the season. The plane was finished in the summer of 2016. Graham returned for the 2016 season, and he has played every regular-season game since."I think flying really focuses me, centers me," Graham said. "It gets me to disconnect from the pressures that this game can provide."4 things we learned from the Chargers week 1 loss to the Chiefs Good Afternoon Chargers nation. How are we feeling today? The sour taste of defeat is always something a team never would like to have in their mouths. If you’re the Chargers however, losing the Kansas City Chiefs is just a consistent gut punch to the stomach. It’s nine punches right to your abdomen, each one making your feel weaker than the last one. Nine straight match ups have come and gone over the past five seasons to where the Bolts offense has been unable to best the Chiefs. In fact, that might one of the biggest downfalls of young Chargers general manager Tom Telesco’s career. Since taking over as the man in charge, Telesco has gone 2-9, with one of his wins coming in an overtime 36-yard field goal from Nick Novak. Sure, that kick secure the Bolts their first playoff appearance since 2009, but even the most loyal of Chargers fans have got to be getting a little antsy and aggravated at seeing the boys of in red completely demolish their boys year in and year out. A 38-28 loss to open the season is tough. Mainly due to the fact that many around the league believed that this could be the Chargers season. Yes, we get it angry Chargers fans who will be commenting later http://www.sandiegochargersteamonline.com/trevor-williams-jersey , they say that every season. Still, with a revamped offensive line, a strong growing defensive unit and the undeniable talent that is quarterback Philip Rivers, this really should be the first time that people can say ‘this is the Chargers season’ and mean it. But let’s stop making excuses and stick to the facts. The lackluster offensive performance along with a poor rush allowed the Chiefs to take away a much needed season-opening win from the Bolts. Still, there was plenty to appreciate from the game from and even more to look back and fix for the future. Here’s some of the biggest takeaways from Sunday’s action.Bet on the Young Talent The Chargers overall performance was filled with poor playing calling and even worse execution on both sides of the ball. That being said, the youthful movement from the past several draft classes was on full display and boy, did it not disappoint. As written in a column earlier this morning, safety Derwin James is a rising star, making plays in both the running game and pass coverage. His top level speed helped save a touchdown against Chiefs receiver DeAnthony Thomas while he also recorded the only sack of afternoon. Fellow rookie linebacker Kyzir White impressed out on the field as well. Leading the Chargers defense with six total tackles and three solo stops, White looked good in space and really only missed one key play in the open field against Chiefs wide reciever Tyreek Hill. Second-year wide receiver Mike Williams showed fans why the Chargers drafted him seventh overall last season with five receptions for 81 yards. Meanwhile, second-year running back Austin Ekeler looked to possibly cause some drama in the Bolts backfield following his 126 total yards of offense along with solo touchdown. The Bolts need to get offensive guard Forrest Lamp and defensive end Joey Bosa healthy but overall, Telesco’s young talent has much to hold their heads high about. The third receiver spot is still wide openOh Artavis Scott, how some of us miss you. Following his season-ending ankle surgery, the Chargers are still in the midst of finding a consistent third receiver for the offense. With the losses of Scott, tight end Hunter Henry and the decline of legendary Charger Antonio Gates, Telesco might want to be getting on the phone to see who is available for the right price. When looking back at Rivers stat line, the 36-year old quarterback went 34 of 51. In reality, of the () passes missed, nearly 15 of them were drops. Chargers receivers Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin combined for three total catches on 10 targets for nine yards and a touchdown. While Williams was able to score Womens Austin Ekeler Jersey , that’s not enough to take away from the poor overall performance he displayed against one of the more questionable secondaries in the league. When looking back at the film, hopefully receivers coach Phil McGeoghan excuses Kennan Allen and the other Williams from the room. They shouldn’t have to hear the verbal beat down that should be coming to the rest of the receiver room. J.J Jones, three strikes and you’re out There’s always something good and something bad you can say about a player’s performance. They may make a great tackle than miss one in the open field later. They could make an unbelievable catch before dropping an easy snag near the end zone. Then there’s J.J. Jones, who could not have had a worse outing if you yourself wrote it.Jones was irrelevant with the offense, collecting zero receptions on zero targets. From there, things only spiraled downward. Averaging just 18 yards per kick return and -4 yards on punts, Jones offered little to no success on the Chargers special teams unit. Then the icing on the cake; two fumbles that would lead to a turnover and eventual score from the Chiefs offense. If Jones’s role was limited to being a special teams contributor, he might not be around longer. Everyone can have a bad game finding open space but two fumbles? Sorry, no second chances. The Chiefs offense is legitAs much as it might pain for everyone to hear; this Chiefs team might have gotten better. Sure, while the defensive woes in the secondary might be a problem to begin the season, the offensive production that quarterback Patrick Mahomes displayed on Sunday afternoon were legitimate. Many believed that the second-year quarterback could stumble out of the gate to truly begin his NFL career. He soared instead, leaving the Chargers defense and special teams in questions for the future. Having a consistent rhythm under center, Mahomes was able to go 15 of 27 for 256 yards and four touchdowns. Sure, it helps to have one of the league’s fastest receivers in Hill as your go-to option, but with an inability to have a consistent pass rush to make him flustered is a flat out problem. The Chiefs offensive line is a strong group but with players such as Eric Fisher and Cameron Erving only allowing combined one sack? That speaks dividends on the Chargers pass rush moving forward. The Oakland Raiders are still wondering how the Chicago Bears convinced them to give up outside linebacker Khalil Mack along with a second-round pick while Denver nearly lost a close one to the Seattle Seahawks. This Chiefs unit is no joke moving forward and if the Chargers can establish a pass rush, they might be adding more wins to that nine streak column. Custom New York Jets Jerseys

The Buffalo Bills unfolded an astute defensive game plan at Minnesota and unleashed their front seven on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins.The most important part of their preparation and execution? Forcing Cousins to fumble.With a third-down strip-sack of Cousins inside the 20-yard line to turn the ball over on each of Minnesota's first two possessions Youth Mike Hughes Jersey , Buffalo converted those big plays into 10 easy points on the way to a 27-6 victory Sunday."We drop back every single day and talk about having two hands on the ball and protecting the football and understanding how important that is," said Cousins, who also threw an interception.Since Cousins became a full-time starter for Washington to begin the 2015 season, he has fumbled 33 times. That's one behind Seattle's Russell Wilson for the most in the NFL over that span. Cousins has lost 13 of those fumbles, including the pair in the first quarter on sacks by Jerry Hughes and Trent Murphy . Lorenzo Alexander and Matt Milano, who picked off the bobbled pass in the third quarter , recovered them.According to Alexander, the defense made Cousins a prime target for prying the ball loose in meetings during the week."With guys like Jerry and Trent coming in from behind, they just don't have the awareness that a running back or receiver would have," Alexander said. "We're always taught to strip the ball because sack fumbles are game-changers."With Vikings running back Dalvin Cook held out because of a hamstring injury and the Bills ahead 24-0 with less than three minutes elapsed in the second quarter, the pressure only increased on Cousins and his offensive line. The Vikings attempted a franchise-record six rushes, two of which were scrambles by Cousins. He finished 40 for 55 for 296 yards, including a late touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph ."Our secondary has been doing a fantastic job of making the quarterback hold the ball for us Womens Danielle Hunter Jersey ," said Hughes, who dominated left tackle Riley Reiff throughout the game and had two quarterback hits.Milano and Kyle Williams also registered sacks. The Vikings had only 46 yards at halftime."They're a good defense," Reiff said, "and it wasn't fun."Head coach Sean McDermott took over the play-calling responsibility from defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier at halftime last week against San Diego, with the Bills trailing 28-6. McDermott said he and Frazier, the former Vikings head coach, were in collaboration with the play-calling this time."I want to give credit to the staff and players with getting on the same page with what we're trying to get done," McDermott said.That included a priority of pressuring Cousins, who lost to Carolina with Washington while McDermott was the defensive coordinator there in both 2015 and 2016. Cousins threw two interceptions, lost three fumbles and was sacked six times over those previous two games."He had always given me a hard time when I played him, so I just felt that these guys were going to be a challenge," Cousins said, "and they were." Kirk Cousins gave the Minnesota Vikings exactly what they needed for a victorious debut by their new quarterback.The throws Cousins made in tight coverage at important times were on target. Unlike Jimmy Garoppolo Womens Dalvin Cook Jersey , he kept the ball out of the other team's hands.Cousins passed for two touchdowns and the Vikings forced four turnovers, fueling a 24-16 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday that stuck Garoppolo with his first loss in eight games as an NFL starting quarterback.Cousins connected with Stefon Diggs in the second quarter and Kyle Rudolph in the third quarter for scores, and the defense finished the job with three sacks and three second-half interceptions of Garoppolo. Mike Hughes turned one pick into a 28-yard touchdown return, the first by a rookie in a Vikings season opener."I'm so grateful for this opportunity that I've been given, and I just want to make good on it with every chance I get," said Cousins, who had no turnovers.Harrison Smith sealed the game with an interception with 1:35 left . He also recovered a fumble by Alfred Morris at the 2-yard line after Linval Joseph stripped the ball just in front of the goal line in the late in the first half and sacked Garoppolo on a third-down safety blitz late in the fourth quarter ."It was pretty smooth sailing there for a while," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, "and it was good to find the fight and the heart that we had there at the end."Garoppolo finished 15 for 33 for 261 yards and a touchdown pass to rookie Dante Pettis late in the third quarter. With an injury depleted offensive line in front of him and the absence of top wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, Garoppolo was unable to capitalize on the opportunity for a comeback after the 49ers defense forced three straight three-and-out possessions by the Vikings to start the fourth quarter. DeForest Buckner had 2陆 sacks for San Francisco."We knew it was going to be a tough challenge with the environment, going against a tough team," Garoppolo said. "They stood up to everything we thought they would, but with all the things that went bad we still had a shot at the end there. Just a tough way to end it."Cousins went 20 for 36 for 244 yards Youth Kyle Rudolph Jersey , targeting Adam Thielen 12 times. Thielen caught six passes for 102 yards."He played the way he always does," said cornerback Richard Sherman, who made his 49ers debut. "Efficient. Doesn't make a lot of mistakes. He's poised and doesn't get rattled."Vikings running back Dalvin Cook caught six passes for 55 yards. He said Cousins was "locked in" from the start."I like to see a guy next to me with that look in his eyes," Cook said.TOO KITTLE TOO LATETight end George Kittle had five catches for 90 yards, but the one he didn't make for the 49ers stood out. Wide open after beating Anthony Barr up the seam, Kittle had what would've been a 30-yard completion fall off his fingers at midfield. The third-down interception by Hughes came next to give the Vikings a 17-3 lead."Misjudged it," Kittle said. "Thought it was a little closer to me. Probably ran a bit too far with my arms out. Just a bad play."MINNESOTA MEMORIESFred Zamberletti, the team's original athletic trainer who died last week at age 86, was honored with a pregame moment of silence. The Vikings also staged a 20th anniversary tribute to the 1998 squad that went 15-1 and reached the NFC championship game. Robert Smith, one of 28 former players who were introduced at halftime, received the loudest ovation. He focused on the current team at the end of his speech."We want to see them accomplish something that we weren't able to do," Smith told the crowd, "and we want them to do it for you."INJURY REPORT49ers: Goodwin hurt his right quadriceps in the first quarter and didn't return. ... RG Mike Person went down in the second quarter. His replacement Joshua Garnett was hurt in the third quarter Womens Tom Compton Jersey , both with left foot injuries. With three backups on the OL already inactive, rookie Mike McGlinchey moved from RT to RG for the first time in his life while Garry Gilliam took over at RT ... With two starters at LB already out, Malcolm Smith (hamstring) and Reuben Foster (suspension), Smith's sub, Brock Coyle, suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter and needed several minutes to get up.Vikings: CB Trae Waynes hurt his right knee while ripping a deep pass away from Pettis in the end zone in the second quarter and didn't return. With Mackensie Alexander (ankle) inactive and Terence Newman retired, the Vikings had SS Jayron Kearse in slot coverage in the nickel defense with Hughes on the outside for Waynes.UP NEXT49ers: Host Detroit next Sunday. They haven't lost to the Lions at home since 1975, a streak of 12 straight wins.Vikings: Play at Green Bay next Sunday. They haven't faced the Packers on the road in September since the 2008 season opener.

Adam Thielen is doing things even Hall of Famers Cris Carter and Randy Moss didn't accomplish in Minnesota.The former undrafted wide receiver from NCAA Division II Minnesota State is the first player in NFL history with at least 100 yards receiving in eight straight games to start the season. Calvin Johnson also had an eight-game streak in 2012.Thielen already has 74 catches Womens Austin Carr Jersey , putting him on pace to break Marvin Harrison's single-season record of 143. Carter holds the Vikings record with 122 catches in 1994 and 1995. Thielen has 952 yards receiving. At this rate, he'd break Moss' team record in 14 games. Moss had 1,632 in 2003. Johnson holds the NFL record with 1,964 yards receiving.Thielen also has a touchdown catch in five consecutive games. No players since 1970 has 100 yards receiving and a TD catch in six straight games.Thielen is closing in on becoming the sixth undrafted player with back-to-back seasons of 80 catches and 1,000 yards.Here's a look inside more numbers going into Week 9:KING ADAM: Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri became the NFL's all-time scoring leader, surpassing Hall of Famer Morten Anderson. Vinatieri has scored 2,550 total points during his 23-year NFL career.AGELESS AP: Adrian Peterson became the oldest player, at 33 years and 221 days old, to rush for more than 100 yards and also have a rushing and receiving touchdown in Washington's win over the Giants. Peterson is also only the fourth player age 33 or older to have 140-plus yards rushing in a game.MAHOMES MASTERY: Patrick Mahomes has thrown four touchdown passes in three consecutive games for Kansas City, joining Drew Brees (2011), Dan Marino (1984) and Peyton Manning (2004) as the only quarterbacks to do that. Marino's streak was four games. Manning's was five. Mahomes also has passed for 300 yards in seven straight games. Only Andrew Luck (2014) and Brees (2011) have done that. Luck reached eight games.ELITE COMPANY: Carson Wentz is the second quarterback in NFL history with at least 30 pass attempts and a passer rating of at least 115 in four consecutive games Youth Marcus Williams Jersey , joining Peyton Manning, who did it with Denver in 2012.PERFECTION: Russell Wilson was 14 of 17 for 248 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions in Seattle's win at Detroit, becoming the first quarterback in franchise history to post a perfect 158.3 passer rating. Rams QB Jared Goff also had a perfect rating in Week 4 this season.4 daily fantasy players from the Saints and Buccaneers matchup If you’re a daily fantasy player, before each game I will look at three/four players from the New Orleans Saints and their opponent’s rosters that I would target in daily fantasy (based off their value and potential results). Obviously, Saints QB Drew Brees is a safe QB for daily fantasy leagues, but spending your money on a top-tier starting QB leaves you scraping the barrel to fill out the rest of your roster. So here are three Saints and one Buc that provide the most bang for your buck. (Values from Fanduel.)WR Michael Thomas (NO) - $8,500Thomas doesn’t come cheap, coming in only $500 cheaper than the most expensive WR available for daily fantasy. Even still, he’s absolutely worth it. He’s Drew Brees’s go-to, #1 target in the pass game, and with the running game stealing Alvin Kamara as a potential receiving option Womens Sheldon Rankins Jersey , look for the Saints to lean on Thomas even more. Gone are Willie Snead, Brandon Coleman, and Coby Fleener. Tre’Quan Smith is a rookie. Ted Ginn and Benjmain Watson are ancient. Thomas is a star.WR Mike Evans (TB) - $7,700Yes, Mike Evans will likely have lockdown corner Marshon Lattimore shadowing him the entire game, but last season, Ryan Fitzpatrick shows that he likes to lean on Evans in the same way Brees can lean on Thomas. At $1,300 cheaper than the most expensive WR available, even if it’s just in garbage time, Evans should have a decent game.TE Benjamin Watson (NO) - $4,900Most people who follow my writing know that I’m not very high on Ben Watson. He turns 38 this season Womens Vonn Bell Jersey , two years older than the recently-retired Jason Witten. But, with Mark Ingram out for the first four games of the season, in goal-to-go situations, Watson could be one of Brees first reads to punch it into the end zone. He’s just incredible value here, a whopping $3,000 cheaper than the most expensive TE available.Saints DST (vs TB) - $4,600Gone are the days of the Saints DST being a laughing stock of the NFL. They have a young and talented core that is ready to make stops, force turnovers, and pose for the camera. Facing a Tampa Bay team that will be without Jameis Winston and has a less-than-stellar running game, the Saints defense is a sneaky play in daily fantasy this week.My full daily fantasy lineup this week: QB Andrew Luck (IND) - $7,300RB Dalvin Cook (MIN) - $7 Authentic Alex Okafor Jersey ,300RB Chris Carson (SEA) - $5,900CRB ) - $7,800WR Michael Thomas (NO) - $8,500WR Mike Evans (TB) - $7,300MWR ) - $6,300WR Pierre Garcon (SF) - $6,200TE Benjamin Watson (NO) - $4,900FLEX Saquon Barkley (NYG) - $7,600DST Saints (@ GB) - $4,600Dunz’s 50/50 daily fantasy record: 0-0 Custom Pittsburgh Steelers Jerseys