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The Patriots have a Dont’a Hightower-sized problem After returning from a torn pectoral muscle that sidelined him for most of last season Youth Ryan Allen Jersey , linebacker Dont’a Hightower was expected to be a boost for the New England Patriots’ defense heading into the 2018 season. For a team that had a severe lack of a pass rush in the postseason, the return of Hightower was expected to aid in getting the team’s pass rush back on track. However, two games into the season, Hightower clearly has not regained his pre-injury form. Whether due to injury or some other cause, Hightower thus far has lacked his usual explosion, and looks slow on the field. Perhaps the Patriots erred in counting on Hightower to get back to his pre-injury level of play, because while he was never a good defender in pass coverage, Hightower’s calling-card, his pass rush, has also been lacking to start the season. To say Hightower has been invisible to start the season would be misleading, because Hightower has been noticeable, just for the wrong reasons. 1) 1-10-JAX 46 (3:46) (Shotgun) B.Bortles pass short right to C.Grant to NE 41 for 13 yards (K.Van Noy).Let’s start in the first quarter of Sunday’s loss against Jacksonville, with the Jaguars on their own 46 facing a 1st & 10. Blake Bortles dumps the ball off to Corey Grant in the right flat. Grant evades the tackle attempt of Patriots nickel back Jon Jones http://www.patriotsauthorizedshop.com/authentic-patrick-chung-jersey , and Hightower is in position to tackle Grant along the sideline. However, Hightower over-pursues and whiffs on his own tackle attempt. He looks slow in changing speed and breaking down to tackle. Kyle Van Noy, who is in a worse position to make the tackle than Hightower on this play, winds up limiting the damage to only a first down conversion by wrapping up Grant from behind and taking him down:Your browser does not support HTML5 video.Hightower’s mistake is one you are more likely to see from a rookie linebacker who is a little too eager. But in Hightower’s instance, he overcommits in his pursuit of Grant and cannot stop in his tracks fast enough to tackle Grant. Grant makes him look like an old man on this play.2) 1-10-JAX 35 (14:15) (Shotgun) T.Yeldon left end pushed ob at NE 45 for 20 yards (D.McCourty).In the second quarter, with New England trailing 14-0 and Jacksonville on offense again, this time at their own 35. Jacksonville is in ‘20’ personnel with trips to the right initially, until #30 Corey Grant motions into the backfield right before the snap. With the Pats in their nickel package, Van Noy and Hightower are the two linebackers in, with Van Noy in the middle and Hightower playing closer to the line of scrimmage, shading to the weak side of Jacksonville’s formation. Your browser does not support HTML5 video.At the snap, Bortles hands it off to running back T.J. Yeldon, who runs to the left of the formation. Jags left guard Andrew Norwell pulls and runs in the same direction as Yeldon. On this play Eric Rowe Jersey , Hightower has two options, either attempt to push Norwell back and blow up the play, or fill the gap to his right and wrap up Yeldon at the line of scrimmage.Hightower opts for Choice A, as he tries to lower his shoulder and push Norwell back, but he is completely stoned and winds up getting pancaked into the ground by Norwell, who finishes his block with some tenacity. The smart play here would have been to fill in the gap, because Hightower had the angle to do so, but still, the Dont’a Hightower of old would have the explosion and strength to at least push Norwell back, and limit Yeldon’s gain here.3) 3-3-NE 49 (1:11) B.Bortles pass short left to C.Grant to NE 44 for 5 yards (M.Brown).This next play sums up the Patriots linebacking corps’ performance on the day versus the Jags’ running backs quite well:Your browser does not support HTML5 video.Bortles throws to Corey Grant behind the line of scrimmage, and New England has both Van Noy and Hightower in the position to make the tackle, but both take bad angles and overcommit, and Grant cuts inside to get the first down to firmly put the game out of reach of a possible New England comeback attempt.Hightower looked shaky in Week 1 versus Houston Authentic David Andrews Jersey , and his diminished performance was even more evident against the creative and fast Jacksonville offense in Week 2. Hopefully, Hightower is simply dealing with a lingering injury and will get back to his previous form. But the early returns are discouraging to start the season, and a weakened Hightower in the middle of the defense would be a huge blow for a Patriots defense that already has poor depth at the linebacker position.Week 3 Patriots vs Lions: New England’s wide receiver issues on full display during 26-10 loss The New England Patriots looked good on opening day against the Houston Texans, but their season has taken a turn for the worse ever since: the team struggled against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Detroit Lions and now sits at 1-2 and two games behind the Miami Dolphins in the division. One of the reasons for that is the offense’s inability to consistently move the football down the field.Against the Lions, this was again a major issue as the Patriots finished the game with just 10 points, 209 yards of offense and 12 first downs. Only 120 of those 209 yards came through the air, which makes for one of the least productive outputs of Tom Brady’s career as the team’s starting quarterback. But despite some questionable decision making at times, the blame for this should not solely be placed on the 41-year old’s shoulders.Brady has to play with the weapons he is given, after all. And against the Lions, it was obvious that the weapons as they are currently assembled are not getting the job done – especially at the wide receiver position. Neither Chris Hogan nor Phillip Dorsett are able to carry New England’s offense as number one receivers, while Cordarrelle Patterson’s skill set appears to be limited despite his outstanding athleticism.The Lions attacked the group with tight man coverage – and it was unable to beat it, which took the wide receivers out for most of the game: Hogan had three catches for 31 yards, Patterson one for 12. Dorsett was targeted five times but failed to come down with a catch. The wideouts’ inability to generate consistent separation against defensive backs hurt New England all game long and had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the offense.Without a true threat at the position Youth Malcom Brown Jersey , Detroit was able to focus on other areas: Rob Gronkowski and the running backs. While they had their moments, the Lions did a good job of limiting the other weapons’ impact. Gronkowski finished the game with a team-leading four catches for 51 yards, while the three-headed attack of James White, Rex Burkhead and Sony Michel combined for six receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown.It is not too big a leap of the imagination to say that Gronkowski in particular would have had a bigger impact if not for the wide receiver issues. It was clear that he was Detroit’s defensive priority and nobody else stepped up with the NFL’s best tight end constantly double-covered. The Brady-Gronkowski connection never got off the ground tonight as a result, while the rest of the offense didn’t pick up the slack.Who is to blame for this? Well, the Patriots’ personnel decisions and drafting history at wide receiver certainly did not help and led to the present state of the position. But the problems extend beyond that as Jordan Matthews, Kenny Britt and Malcolm Mitchell all suffered injuries severe enough for the team to cut ties. This combined with Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension made for a bad mix that was presented to a national audience tonight.Maybe it will all look different next week, though, with Josh Gordon potentially active. Or maybe the week after that, when Edelman returns from suspension. The Patriots offense will be drastically different once all the missing pieces are back on the field. Until then, however, the unit will not strike fear into the hearts of defensive coordinators – despite the greatest quarterback of all time leading it.

Top Ten Defensive Performances of 2017: #6 Casey Hayward v. BUF Wk. #6.) Casey Hayward v. Buffalo - 4 tackles http://www.sandiegochargersteamonline.com/mike-williams-jersey , 1 TFL, 2 interceptions, 3 passed defendedAfter being signed away from Green Bay during the 2016 free agency period, Casey Hayward went on to have an incredible first season where he led the NFL in interceptions during his first year with the Chargers.In his second year, he put together another long string of phenomenal performances. Game after game, Hayward put the clamps down on one WR1 after another on his way to collecting a career-high player rating by Pro Football Focus of 96.4. What’s even more impressive is that he garnered this rating with only half the interceptions he snagged the year prior. This just goes to show how much of an impact he makes on the Bolts’ defense without having to pick off a pass every other game.With Bills’ rookie quarterback Nathan Peterman getting his first NFL start over Tyrod Taylor, Hayward and the rest of the Chargers’ secondary had a field day while feasting on errant passes stemming from a pass rush that seemed to be running on premium gas.Hayward also made his presence felt in the run defense as well, collecting a tackle-for-loss of Shady McCoy for a loss of two yards and limiting several would-be splash plays by the shifty tailback.This signified a real awakening of the defense http://www.sandiegochargersteamonline.com/philip-rivers-jersey , including the talent among the secondary and how they figured out the formula to take advantage of inexperienced quarterbacks and how to piggyback off of their pass rushers to make life hell for the offense. The San Francisco 49ers are so banged up, they're not even sure which holes to fill first.Three of San Francisco's five starting offensive linemen — left tackle Joe Staley, center Weston Richburg and right tackle Mike McGlinchey — suffered knee injuries during Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers that leave them questionable for this weekend's game against the Arizona Cardinals.The 49ers are also dealing with injuries to their receivers and defensive backfield, and that's making it difficult for coach Kyle Shanahan and the front office to figure out how to adjust the roster.For example, with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo having been lost in Week 3 to a torn ACL, the 49ers would like to sign a free agent to provide insurance behind current starter C.J. Beathard and backup Nick Mullens.But with the availability of so many players unknown right now, Shanahan said the team has to stay flexible to see which positions might need reinforcement."We've got a bunch of situations we're looking into," Shanahan said. "Right now Womens Caleb Sturgis Jersey , I'd love to answer the quarterback situation because you do want a third one in the building. But there a lot of things that are taking precedent right now."Rookie receiver Dante Pettis, San Francisco's main punt returner, injured his left knee against the Chargers and has been ruled out for this Sunday. Fellow receiver Marquise Goodwin, who starts opposite Pierre Garcon, is questionable with quadriceps and hamstring issues.A bit of good news: Strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, who has missed the past two games with a shoulder injury, is expected back against Arizona. But the status of free safety Adrian Colbert, hampered by a hip contusion Authentic Russell Okung Jersey , remains unknown.The 49ers also are missing their leader in the secondary, veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, who is likely to miss his second game in a row with a strained left calf.But the most pressing concern has to be the offensive line.The 34-year-old Staley, a five-time Pro Bowler, left Sunday's game in the second quarter and didn't return. He was replaced by Garry Gilliam.Richburg and McGlinchey both returned to the game, eventually, after getting hurt, but they're still hobbled.Keeping Beathard healthy is a priority considering the 49ers have already lost Garoppolo. In his first start of the season Sunday Authentic Melvin Ingram Jersey , Beathard generally completed 23 of 37 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.But the second-year quarterback took several big hits from the Chargers' defense, some of them plays on which he could have unloaded the ball or slid in the open field to avoid contact."We want him to stay healthy and we're gonna do everything we can to coach him to do that," Shanahan said. "I know C.J.'s gonna work at it too. There's times he's gotta get down and give up on a play."But it's gonna be hard for me to go too hard on him when it's third-and-5 and the game's on the line. Most quarterbacks are going to attempt (to gain yards) in that situation."

NFL Picks: Week 4 of the 2018 NFL Regular Season Everyone on the staff is picking the Chargers this week. The Saints http://www.chargersfootballauthentics.com/joey-bosa-jersey-authentic , Jaguars, and Packers are similarly unanimous choices. Every other game has at least one staff member picking against the majority. This should be an intersting week.MatchupColeIsaacStanleyRichardGrantDanielMichaelGarrettRubenLouJamie.align-l { text-align: left; }.align-c { text-align: center; }.align-r { text-align: right; }table.no-style { width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px;}table.no-style td, table.no-style th { vertical-align: top; }table.bftb-table { width: 100%; border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px; }table.bftb-table td, table.bftb-table th, table.bftb-table p { font-size: 13px; padding: 4px; font-family: "Gotham Narrow SSm A" Youth Tyrell Williams Jersey ,"Gotham Narrow SSm B",Arial,sans-serif; }table.bftb-table thead th { background-color: #3f77b0; font-weight: bold; color: white; text-align: center; }table.bftb-table tbody tr:nth-child(odd) td, table.bftb-table tbody tr:nth-child(odd) th { background: #f4f4f4; }table.bftb-table tbody tr td:first-child { text-align: left; }table.bftb-table tbody th { font-weight: bold; text-align: left; }table.bftb-table td { text-align: center; }table.bftb-table tfoot td, table.bftb-table tfoot th { border-top: 2px double #ccc; }.muted { font-weight: normal; color: #777; }Los Angeles Chargers Daily Links: What is Keenan Allen’s Ceiling? Most accurate NFL QBs by throw type in 2017 - Steve PalazzoloDrew Brees leads the way in overall accuracy on horizontal leads by a wide margin Womens Austin Ekeler Jersey , just edging out Tom Brady in accuracy-plus. Philip Rivers joins Brady and Brees on both lists as he’s been one of the league’s best at hitting receivers in-stride on shallow crosses the last two years. Alex Smith offered good catch-and-run opportunities on his horizontal throws, finishing fourth in accuracy-plus, while Matthew Stafford had an odd breakdown, finishing 35th in overall accuracy, but fifth in accuracy-plus.Top 10 NFL players older than 35 in 2018 - Austin GayleRivers has stood tall as one of the league’s best at the position in nearly all 14 years of his career Youth Brandon Mebane Jersey , and rather than regressing in 2017, he put up his highest overall grade (85.5).Rivers ranked sixth in adjusted completion percentage (75.4) and first in accuracy+ percentage on throws 0-9 yards past the line of scrimmage (23.5) among the 41 qualifying quarterbacks last season. He also ranked inside the top-15 in grade from a clean pocket, grade under pressure and third-down grade among the same group of quarterbacks.The candidates to be 2018's No. 1 fantasy wide receiver - Dan ClasgensAfter missing 23 contests the previous two seasons, Allen played in all 16 games for the first time as a pro in 2017. That led to career highs in targets (147), receptions (102) and receiving yards (1 Womens Michael Schofield Jersey ,393). If he plays a full season again, he could push to be a Tier 1 wide receiver.Chargers’ Mike Pouncey throws down gauntlet with Raiders’ Donald Penn - Will ReevePouncey later deleted the comment but not before several fans and blogger saw it and had themselves a laugh. The former Dolphins center can be forgiven to some extent for letting his oversight of Penn being a new inter-division rival. After all, he has spent all of his seven NFL season with the Dolphins in the AFC East.Social Media Information:BFTB Facebook Page: Click here to like our pageBFTB Twitter: Follow @BFTB_ChargersThe Lightning Round Twitter: Follow @Lightning_RoundThe Lightning Round Facebook: Click here to like our pageBFTB Manager: Richard Wade: Follow @RichardWade

Top Ten Defensive Performances of 2017: #7 Tre Boston @JAX Wk. 10 #7.) Tre Boston v. Jacksonville - 6 tackles Authentic Casey Hayward Jersey , 2 interceptions, 3 passes defendedIn just one year with the Los Angeles Chargers, Tre Boston had a significant, yet quiet, impact on the defense. After all, how many people knew he actually led the team in interceptions this past season? I sure as hell wouldn’t have guessed that. In the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars following the team’s week nine bye, Boston recorded a pair of interceptions Womens Derwin James Jersey , both coming within the final two minutes of play. Each interception was pivotal as the Bolts were up 17-14 at the time of each pick.However, and it still kills me inside to this day, the Chargers somehow couldn’t find a way to ice the game even with Boston’s spectacular late-game heroics.After the first interception, Philip Rivers attempted to run the play clock all the way down before hiking it at the last second. He was a fraction of a second off and he was called for a delay of game penalty. On the next snap, rookie RB Austin Ekeler was stuffed on a hand-off and proceeded to fumble the ball away, giving the Jaguars life once more.On the ensuing drive, Jags QB Blake Bortles threw another ill-advised interception into the arms of Boston Joe Barksdale Jersey , one that he took out of bounds but not before gloating a little beforehand.In the end, Rivers and co. could not will their way to a first-down and inevitably punted the ball right back to the Jags with 58 seconds remaining. We all know how the rest of this game went so there is no need to re-hash one of the worst losses of the year.Regardless,we have to tip our caps to #33 who had himself a heck of a game and did just about everything he could to keep the Chargers alive in this one but it just wasn’t meant to be.Where were you when Dennis Gibson sent the Chargers to the Super Bowl? Throughout the year, SB Nation asks its NFL team sites to address a theme. This week, that theme is “where were you when” and so we are asking all of you, “where were you on January 15, 1995 Womens Mike Pouncey Jersey , when Dennis Gibson sent the San Diego Chargers to their first and so far only Super Bowl?It has been over 23 years since this event, so a fair number of you probably aren’t old enough to remember (and some of you weren’t even born) but for those that were, this moment was unforgettable. It is arguably the most exciting moment Chargers fans have ever been able to experience.A pair of 43-yard touchdown passes by Stan Humphries to Alfred Pupunu and Tony Martin respectively gave the Chargers a 17-13 lead with time winding down in the 4th Quarter. Neil O’Donnell drove the Steelers down the field before being forced into a 4th down on the Chargers’ 3-yard-line. O’Donnell dropped back and looked for running back Barry Foster in the endzone, but the veteran linebacker Gibson broke on the ball and batted it down to seal the victory.I will always remember celebrating the play in a room full of family and friends that had all been anxiously watching the Steelers march down the field “knowing” that Pittsburgh was going to find a way to win. Thankfully, that anxiety was misplaced and this is still the happiest moment I can remember as a Chargers fan.Where were you on January 15, 1995? What do you remember most about this moment?

 Vikings Youth Linval Joseph Jersey , hopefully the team has a short memory, because it sure has been a short, but long week. The Los Angeles Rams look to take on a Vikings team that was basically stunned last week, while Minnesota is looking to prove that the game against Buffalo was a fluke. Here’s three things to look out for:3. A blitz-friendly defenseI don’t recall seeing a whole lot of blitzing last week, then again I didn’t see a whole lot of the game because I was working. From what was on social media, I think it's fair to say that there wasn’t much aggressive play calling last week. Not as much as the fans wanted to see, at least. One play that really gets me pumped is when the defense sends in either Harrison Smith or Andrew Sendejo to blitz the quarterback. Both are very quick, and if effective can pressure the quarterback in under three seconds. With Todd Gurley in the backfield, blitzing will help with filling the gap in the trenches. It will also help put the pressure on Jared Goff. Minnesota can’t allow Goff anytime to throw the ball. If the Vikings allow Goff to get the ball off with no pressure, then it’s going to be a long day for that secondary, just look at last week. The Vikings aren't the same team without that aggressive demeanor. 2. Pat Elflein There is just something about Elflein’s return that just makes me feel all warm and cozy inside. Probably because he’s a big safety blanket Youth Everson Griffen Jersey , and a type of player that can’t be replaced, easilyElflein, last year’s Vikings Rookie of the Year will finally be able to begin his sophomore campaign. He also will help build that consistency on the line that fans and probably players have been waiting for. He started in 14 games last season, as well as the two playoff games. Elflein was a star at Ohio State. He started in 53 consecutive games before his injury against Carolina last season during week 14. Elflein gives that veteran type feel, even though it’s only his second year in the league. He reminds me of Matt Birk, I’m truly excited to have him back in the lineup, and I’m sure Kirk Cousins is too. 1. Kirk Cousins will have a “complete” gameI don’t mean that he’s going to play the whole game, well he is, but that’s not what I’m getting at. Last week against Buffalo, Cousins had a horrible first half, but a respectable second half http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/xavier-rhodes-jersey-authentic , despite getting rolled over all together. As much as I would love to see the run game get rolling, I believe the Vikings will focus on the pass game with the Rams’ defensive backs being a little shaken up.The offense will try and expose that area of the defense as much as possible. Hopefully Cousins will get some more time to throw the ball or at least feel more protected with Elflein back in the lineup. Cousins will throw the ball about, I’m going to say 48 times for 425 yards and three touchdowns. *****My final thoughts and predictions:I never know what to expect out of the defense sometimes. I get the defense is one of the best in the league, but definitely not the most consistent. The Rams offense is loaded with weapons on all fronts. I feel that Zimmer and Edwards will figure out a solid game plan to shut down the offense. If anyone is more upset about the result last week it’s Zim. Vikings will find a way to pull it off and prove that the game against the Bills was a fluke. Vikings win 27-21. The history between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints has gotten significantly more interesting over the past couple of years. . .well, from a Vikings’ fan perspective, at least. The Saints had run off a few wins in a row over the Vikings, but the purple broke that streak last season. The regular season history between these two teams is what we’ll be focusing on here.As always, all of the numbers used in this post come from the good folks at Pro Football Reference.Total regular season games between the Saints and the Vikings: 29All-time record: Vikings, 19-10Total Vikings’ points scored, head-to-head: 732 (25.4 points/game)Total Saints’ points scored, head-to-head: 531 (18/3 points/game)Longest Vikings’ winning streak vs Saints: 6 games Youth Harrison Smith Jersey , 27 September 1970 to 12 September 1976Longest Saints’ winning streak vs Vikings: 3 games, 9 September 2010 to 21 September 2014Most recent Vikings’ home win in series: 11 September 2017 (Final score: 29-19)Most recent Saints’ road win in series: 18 December 2011 (Final score 42-20)Biggest Vikings’ home win in series: 42 points, 4 December 1988 (Final score 45-3)Biggest Saints’ road win in series: 22 points, 18 December 2011 (Final score 42-20)Current streak: Vikings, 1 winThe Saints and Vikings opened last season at U.S. Bank Stadium on Monday Night Football, and we saw the start of what looked like an outstanding season for quarterback Sam Bradford. Bradford completed 27-of-32 passes for 346 yards and three touchdown passes. Stefon Diggs brought in two of the scores, while the other was hauled in by Kyle Rudolph. The Vikings dominated throughout most of the evening, and the Saints got a late touchdown to make things slightly less lopsided, but the Vikings won 29-19. Then, before we knew it, Bradford was basically done for the season. . .but the Vikings did alright anyway.Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees has set a lot of records in his NFL career Youth Anthony Barr Jersey , and he probably could have set some more the last time the Saints won in Minnesota. In 2011, against a defense that’s on the short list of the worst in Vikings’ history, Brees was pretty much unstoppable. Brees completed 32-of-40 passes for 412 yards and five touchdown. . .and threw his last pass at the 13:36 mark of the fourth quarter. The Saints put Brees on the bench after that, but had they wanted to let him set records in that one, they could have. As it was, the Saints won 42-20 as the Vikings spiraled to a 3-13 season.That’s a quick look at the history between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints, ladies and gentlemen. There’s plenty more to come before this Sunday’s contest, and we’ll have everything right here for your reading pleasure.

Good Evening!Hey fellow DN’ers Womens Tom Compton Jersey , I hope you enjoyed the Vikings win today over the 49’ers.Personally I was glad for the win but I thought the Vikings should have put the game away much sooner than they did.I’m on call tonight and it’s time for the first Sunday night game of the season and we’ll have the fun of watching one of our NFC North opponents start the season 0-1.I think most of us will be cheering for the Bears, but hey if you want to cheer for the Packers go ahead.....I wouldn’t tell us in the thread though.Stop by let’s make fun of the mistakes our NFC opponents make on the field and maybe be entertained. Personally I don’t want the either team building early momentum (yes I know it’s early in the season) but both of these teams are improved as compared to last year if you believe the talking heads.With that, let’s be neutral....just kidding, Let’s Go Bears.Also, GIF’s are welcome in this game thread.A few rules though, these will look oddly familiar.-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, 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 Womens Danielle Hunter Jersey , feel free to go away-While navigating the Bears-Packers thread, just assume it’s sarcasm With their victory on Sunday over the Philadelphia Eagles, the Minnesota Vikings are back on the upswing in the Power Rankings across the internet. While we understand that Power Rankings aren’t gospel, or anything even approaching it, it is kind of interesting to see where the various pundits across these vast interwebs have our favorite football team ranked compared to the rest of the National Football League.So, how far up the rankings have the Vikings climbed this week? Let’s take a spin around and find out.Associated Press: #9 (Last week: #14)No Vikings-centric commentary from the AP this week.MMQB, Sports Illustrated: #7 (Last week: #10)SB Nation: #10 (Last week: #12)No Vikings-centric commentary from the mothership this week.Walter Cherepinsky, Walter Football: #12 (Last week: #15)Look, it’s the same damn “overrated team” link that he’s had every other week. I won’t bore you with it.Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: #13 (Last week: #20)Elliot Harrison Authentic Brett Jones Jersey , NFL.com: #9 (Last week: #13)Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News: #9 (Last week: #13)Bleacher Report: #8 (Last week: #8)Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk: #11 (Last week: #17)ESPN: #11 (Last week: #13)Frank Schwab, Yahoo! Sports: #6 (Last week: #13)USA Today: #12 (Last week: #17)Yes, it’s quite a significant swing upwards for our favorite football team, folks. The purple moved upwards in 11 of the 12 rankings that we use to put together our roundup, and stayed even in the one where they didn’t move up.The average ranking for the Vikings after falling to 1-2-1 last week was sitting at 13.75. With their big win on Sunday. . .a win that might have saved their season. . .they’re now back to being a Top 10 team with an average ranking of 9.75.Here is the graphic representation of the rankings so that you can check out the rise and fall throughout the first five weeks of the season. As always, you may click to embiggen.It would be nice to think that the Vikings have bottomed out as far as potential low points this season are concerned. However, we don’t have to look back that far to remember that neither the Vikings nor any other NFL team can take anything for granted in a given week.We’ll be right back here in the same place again next week for another Power Rankings Roundup!

Welcome Aboard!that was last Thursday’s Vikings-Rams game http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/stefon-diggs-jersey , at this point of the season I’m getting apathetic until the Vikings team I was expecting starts showing up on the field.I previously said I would post these on Monday night as long as my new job allows and/or if it’s a common opponent for the Vikings but since Case Keenum is playing QB for the Broncos he gets a Monday night post.Since I have the Denver defense in fantasy football and Travis Kelce I don’t know who I’ll be cheering for but I’d like to see an entertaining game at least as I was not entertained at all last Thursday.Stop by let’s make fun of the mistakes our potential future opponents make on the field and maybe be entertained. With that, let’s be neutral....just kidding, I need fantasy football points from both sides and I’d like to wish continued success to Case. Also, GIF’s are welcome in this game thread and if you’re unfamiliar with me I have a very dim view of personal attacks, they don’t belong anywhere on the Daily Norseman and particularly not in a thread I post.A few rules though, these will look oddly familiar.-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, 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 http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/trae-waynes-jersey , feel free to go away-While navigating the Chiefs-Broncos thread, just assume it’s sarcasm.George Iloka: How Does He Fit as a Viking ? When I saw George Iloka got cut by the Bengals - apparently a salary cap casualty - I wondered if Mike Zimmer would attempt to sign him.After all he made an attempt a couple years ago, and sure enough he did - only this time successfully.Signing Iloka looks more to be an opportunity signing, rather than a need signing, as the Vikings have All-Pro Harrison Smith, and Andrew Sendejo - who is coming off his best season - as returning starters.So how does Iloka fit as a Viking?WHAT ILOKA BRINGS TO THE VIKINGSFirst, coming from Cincinnati - which still runs a Zimmer defense - Iloka is well versed in the Vikings defensive scheme.Zimmer and Iloka both said he was familiar with around 80-85% of the Vikings’ defensive calls, so that’s about as close to plug-and-play as you can get for a free-agent signing.Iloka is also coming off his 2nd best year with a 71.4 overall PFF rating last season - average and below Smith, Sendejo and even Anthony Harris. So, it’s doubtful Iloka starts at either safety spot this year Womens Andrew Sendejo Jersey , barring injury, given Harrison Smith is an All-Pro and Sendejo is an established starter coming off his best season.But even though Iloka may not be a starter, he could see the field in a number of ways.First, Iloka could likely have a special teams role.Obviously the Vikings punt coverage team could use some help after it's performance the first two preseason games, and Iloka could help out there and in other special teams as well.He is a larger (6’4”, 225 lbs.) safety with presumably more speed than a linebacker, so that has value on special teams.And speaking of linebackers - Iloka could fit as a strong safety/linebacker covering a tight end.His 6’4” frame and greater athleticism than a typical linebacker could be a better matchup in coverage - particularly in the red zone - who could deny the tall throw to a tight end in the end zone.It could be also that if Anthony Barr is used more as a pass rusher this year, having a taller safety/linebacker to cover a tight end makes some sense.That is usually a more difficult assignment for either Sendejo or Smith, and it’s also not Barr’s forte either.IF ILOKA IS IN, WHO’S OUT?Lastly http://www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com/xavier-rhodes-jersey , if the Vikings choose to keep Iloka on the roster - which seems likely - that will likely impact the status of other safeties - sooner and/or later.Beyond Smith and Sendejo as starters, Anthony Harris, Jayron Kearse, Tray Matthews and Jack Tocho are fighting for backup spots.Harris and Kearse have been core special teamers that have played very well in those roles.Tocho has flashed well in coverage during preseason, but has been inconsistent as well.Matthews has made some good plays both as a safety and special teamer, but isn’t up to speed on the defensive scheme.Kearse has missed both pre-season games with minor injuries - which may not be the real reason - and this hasn’t been Anthony Harris’ best training camp either.This is also his last year on Harris’ rookie deal.Beyond that, Andrew Sendejo is going from a $3.5 million salary cap hit this year to a $5.5 million cap hit next year, with only $50k dead cap this year.While I doubt Zimmer would replace Sendejo at the last minute in training camp this year, it may be that Sendejo - who turns 31 next month, may not be in the Vikings plans beyond this season.It’s also possible that the Vikings opt to keep five safeties on the roster this season Authentic Kirk Cousins Jersey , and one less linebacker, particularly if Iloka can fulfill special teams responsibilities.But if I had to guess at the moment, it seems more likely Iloka replaces Kearse, and Harris may have more of a challenge from Tocho than last year.Beyond that, Iloka, 28, could be groomed as Sendejo’s replacement next year if he’s deemed worthy of an extension.Last, it’s also possible that Iloka doesn’t make the roster in two weeks and is released.That’s also happened before with defensive guys Zimmer has signed from his old team.But at the end of the day Iloka’s release was an opportunity for the Vikings to explore a potential upgrade to safety depth, and a potential replacement for Sendejo down the line.We’ll see how it pans out.

 This year’s June practices that are open to the public are starting at 11:00 A.M. on June 12th New Orleans Saints Hoodie , 13th and 14th. Fans will get their first look at the 2018 team that will hopefully continue it’s success from 2017.Tuesday, June 12鈥?1:00 am – 1:20 pm Practice – (Open to the Public)Wednesday, June 1311:00 am – 1:20 pm Practice – (Open to the Public)Thursday, June 1411:00 am – 1:20 pm Practice – (Open to the Public)These are a great opportunity for fans to get their first glimpse of the rookie class, headlined by Marcus Davenport. It also provides the opportunity to see current stars Drew Brees, Michael Thomas, Marshon Lattimore, Alvin Kamara and much more! All practices are weather permitting, and fans should arrive early to get a good seat. Also, be sure to bring some Saints swag to hopefully get signed by your favorite player!As always Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , there are certain things fans must keep note of as we get closer to open practices. The team’s website makes note of the following:Per the Saints Website:FAN INFORMATIONIn the event of inclement weather, (including rain, thunderstorms and extreme heat), the team may move practice indoors with little or no advance warning. Please be advised that fans attending any open practice will not be allowed inside the indoor facility due to space limitations if inclement weather forces the team indoors. We apologize in advance for this inconvenience. Media and fan alerts, updates and schedule changes will be made daily on www.neworleanssaints.com, Twitter, and Facebook.Gates will open to the public 45 minutes prior to each practice. There is no charge to view practice.Fans are welcome to take photos of the players during training camp. However, video is prohibited. Saints staff may request at any time that you cease using those devices. Small cameras and binoculars will be allowed. No spectator cameras with lenses more than six inches long will be permitted. Binocular cases and camera bags are not permitted.Restrooms are available.Food, beverages and merchandise featuring the newest Saints gear are available for purchase.Parking for fans is available in the New Orleans BabyCakes baseball stadium parking lot.Vistors with special needs should see a Saints representative for appropriate assistance. The ADA dropoff site is in front of the main entrance gate for practice. A viewing area is available for our disabled fans.There are also several items that are not allowed, and the team’s website lists them here:Animals www.authenticsneworleanssaints.com , except service animals assisting those with disabilitiesBackpacks, duffel bags, large bags and hard containersBicyclesCoolers and outside food and beverage, except for fans with medical/dietary needsHoverboards or other self-propelled devicesLaser pensArtificial noisemakers (air horns, bullhorns, whistles etc.)Objects that may obstruct another fan’s view, including umbrellas of over 4’ in diameterOversized purses or handbags (none larger than 16”x14”x13” are allowed)Remotely controlled model aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and dronesSelfie sticks and video camerasWeapons and firearms (including fireworks, knives, pepper spray and electronic stunning devices)Any other item deemed unacceptable by New Orleans Saints management. Fans are reminded to please leave such items appropriately secured in their vehicles. Prohibited items that are discovered will be confiscated New Orleans Saints T-Shirt , disposed of and will not be returned.The Ochsner Sports Performance Center is a smoke-free facility and no smoking, lighters or e-cigarettes are allowed on the grounds.Fans can also attend practices in July and August, and you can find that information here.New Orleans Saints vs New York Giants: Bold Predictions It’s a pretty common occurrence for fans and analysts to make bold predictions about a game or season. If the prediction doesn’t come true, then that’s OK - you said it was bold! If it DOES come true, though... now you look like a genius!So in that spirit, some of the Canal Street Chronicles writers were asked to share with me a bold prediction or two for the Week 4 of the regular season for the New Orleans Saints: on the road against Eli Manning and the New York football Giants. This is their chance to look brilliant!Here are a few of the bold predictions provided by some of the contributors at Canal Street Chronicles:The Daily Advertiser-USA TODAY NSophomore Bounce Back - Marcus Williams gets a pick-six. (Tee)CThe Other Cam - Cameron Meredith has 125+ receiving yards and 2 TDs. (Brian)Big Day for the Defense - Saints defense recovers two fumbles. (Ellias)Defensive Line too - Saints defense sacks Eli 6 times. (Alex) Change of Strategy - Marshon Lattimore shadows Sterling Shepard all game. (Chad)Can’t Guard Mike - Michael Thomas scores 3 TDs. (Butler)Here are my three bold predictions for the game:Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsSaquon Barkely finishes with twice as many rushing yards as the entire Saints team in a Giants loss.Taysom Hill returns a kickoff for a touchdown.Drew Brees passes for less than 250 yards.So there are some of our bold predictions for the game. What are yours?

in the Arizona Cardinals preseason opener. The second unit Womens Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , not so much.On Monday, Steve Wilks parsed the good from the not-so-good in the wake of Saturday night's 24-17 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in his first game as Cardinals head coach."I liked the way we ran the football early on with the first group, setting the tone up front as we talked about," he said. " ... We need to improve with the second offensive line. We talked about that and giving the quarterback, whomever may be back there, the opportunity to be able to step up and go through his progression."There was one serious injury for Arizona. Backup linebacker Jeremy Cash went down with a season-ending torn ACL, not long after he returned a fumble 12 yards for a touchdown. The Cardinals waived/injured Cash on Monday and signed linebacker Gerald Hodges to a one-year contract.Hodges is a five-year NFL veteran who played with New Orleans last season, San Francisco in 2015 and 2016 and Minnesota from 2013-2015. He was a fourth-round draft pick of the Vikings out of Penn State.The Cardinals worked out inside air conditioned University of Phoenix Stadium on Monday and have an outdoor practice Tuesday before wrapping up training camp with another indoor session Wednesday.Arizona plays at New Orleans on Friday night and next week will move workouts to its training facility some 40 miles to the east in Tempe.Quarterback Sam Bradford played in only the opening series, completing his only pass for 6 yards.David Johnson, back after missing all but the season opener a year ago with a fractured wrist, looked like his old self in his short time on the field, gaining 14 yards in each of the offense's first two plays before calling it a night.The front five — rookie center Mason Cole, guard Mike Iupati and tackle D.J. Humphries on the left side and guard Justin Pugh and Andre Smith on the right — looked particularly strong on those plays."It was a great job with the offensive line coming off the ball, getting to the second level," Wilks said, "and a tremendous job on the outside with Larry (Fitzgerald) coming in and blocking the support player, the safety. So all 11 guys working together. Again, it's encouraging."But the second unit struggled up front, leaving rookie Josh Rosen scrambling to get plays off under duress.Backup center Daniel Munyer had a particularly tough time, repeatedly rolling the ball to Rosen in shotgun formation."I had about five or six bad ones www.saintsauthorizedshops.com , which was frustrating because I don't do that," Munyer said. "I ended up getting out of it but I did feel bad because it was when Josh was at quarterback. I told him afterward, 'Man, I'm sorry.' I didn't even know I was doing that until it was too late and that definitely killed some momentum in terms of timings with the throws and everything like that."Rosen, the 10th overall pick in the draft, completed 6 of 13 passes for 41 yards and was responsible for a delay-of-game penalty. But he had passes dropped and never had much time to throw.Rosen will get some time with the first team against the Saints, Wilks said."We're going to give him the opportunity to get in there with the ones and get into a rhythm and really get the timing down with those guys," the coach said.The Chargers outgained the Cardinals 387 yards to 174, running 77 plays to Arizona's 49.The Cardinals were 0-for-11 on third-down conversions compared with Los Angeles' 6-for-16. The Chargers, though, committed four turnovers to Arizona's one."Third down was not good on either side (offense or defense)," Wilks said. "That's where we've got to improve. That's going to help time of possession. That's going to help giving us opportunities to have more yardage and get the ball in the end zone." If the Baltimore Ravens are to end their run of three straight years without a playoff berth, they're going to have to play a whole lot better in the second half of the season.Baltimore staggered to the midpoint with a .500 record and two straight losses, including a 36-21 dud at Carolina on Sunday that showcased many of the team's shortcomings: untimely penalties, a turnover-prone offense and a porous defense.Fortunately for the Ravens, they still have time to get it right."We're 4-4 in a .500 league, we're a game out of first place and we've got our season in front of us," coach John Harbaugh said Monday. "We'd all like to have to a better record than we do right now. We probably should have a better record. But the record is what it is. That's our starting point, that's where we fight from."The second half begins Sunday with a home matchup against the AFC North-leading Steelers (4-2-1), Baltimore's biggest rival. If the Ravens are going to right the ship New Orleans Saints Womens T-Shirt , this would be the ideal place to start."It's perfect timing. It's a game we need this week," Harbaugh said. "I think it's all set up the way it's supposed to be set up and organized the way it's supposed to be organized from a big-picture standpoint."That Ravens were soaring just two weeks ago, when they rang up 11 sacks in a 21-0 rout of Tennessee. Last week, the defense got to New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees only once, and Cam Newton escaped Sunday without being sacked.Clearly, the opposition is making adjustments to offset the once-ferocious pass rush."Yeah, people are playing completely different," Harbaugh said. "People aren't going to drop-back pass and just let us rush the quarterback in coverage. So I think that's the main thing. The game plans we've gotten in the last two weeks have been very different than the ones we've seen on tape."Baltimore's offense has also struggled. Joe Flacco threw two interceptions, Alex Collins fumbled immediately after taking a handoff and the Ravens had another game in which they finished with a negative turnover differential."You can't leave a guy unblocked and (let him) run into the backfield early in the game when you have a chance for a good play," Harbaugh lamented. "Those end up being devastating plays. Those are the mistakes that we've got to clean up."After that game in Tennessee, the Ravens had won three of four to move to 4-2. Now, they're just trying to remain upbeat."We are obviously not in the most ideal situation possible but we still have eight games left," Flacco said. "There is obviously a bigger threat now to let this stuff affect you mentally, let it affect the team and how we are jelling together. So we have to combat that just by being ourselves and being as tough as we possibly can."The Ravens know they have to look forward, not back. Yet Flacco acknowledged that a 4-4 record at this stage is disappointing."Overall, when you look at us, you would think that we are pretty good," he said. "There is no lying in this league. You are what your record says you are, and that's the bottom line."

 and analysts to make bold predictions about a game or season. If the prediction doesn’t come true www.thesaintsfootballauthentic.com , then that’s OK - you said it was bold! If it DOES come true, though... now you look like a genius!So in that spirit, some of the Canal Street Chronicles writers were asked to share with me a bold prediction or two for the Week 8 of the regular season for the New Orleans Saints: a Sunday Night Football match up of the Saints traveling to Minnesota for the third time in two season. This is their chance to look brilliant!Here are a few of the bold predictions provided by some of the contributors at Canal Street Chronicles:Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty ImagesGround Game Strong - The Saints rush for 150 yards as a team. (Bob)VERY Bold - Ken Crawley gets an interception. (Chad)Not as bold - Marcus Williams gets an interception. (Bob) Brees Has a Solid Game - Drew Brees throws for 375 yards and 3 TDs. (Hendrix)Quan-Tum Leap Forward - Tre’Quan Smith has his first 100+ yard receiving game. (Bob)Here are my three bold predictions for the game:Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty ImagesThe Saints triple up the Vikings rushing game.Adam Thielen is finally held to under 100 receiving yards.The Saints attempt a fake field goal.So there are some of our bold predictions for the game. What are yours? The Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals heard a petition seeking a new trial from Cardell Hayes on Wednesday in the 2016 shooting death of former New Orleans Saints defensive end Will Smith on Wednesday.According to Kevin McGill of the Associated Press, Hayes’ attorney New Orleans Saints T-Shirt , Paul Barker, told the court that prosecutors in the original case failed to disprove the notion that Hayes acted in self-defense. Hayes and Smith ended up in a confrontation following a traffic collision when Hayes shot and killed Smith and wounded his wife, Racquel.Hayes was convicted of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years in jail.Barker claimed a new trial should be granted as a new witness has come forward supporting Hayes’ claims that Smith fired a guy first, which resulted in Hayes’ retaliation in self-defense. However New Orleans Saints Hats , Smith’s gun was deemed to be loaded and unused by authorities. The witness, Michael Burnside, had been deemed not credible at a hearing last year after delivering scattered testimony.The defense also claimed they should have been able to introduce evidence of Smith’s arrest on a domestic violence charge to refute the testimony of character witnesses such as Smith’s teammates with the Saints that spoke unflinchingly about his high reputation.It’s uncertain when a decision on the appeal will be issued by the court.