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Former NFL wide receiver Braylon Edwards was suspended from his Big Ten Network job over tweets about Michigan’s football team Alex Killorn Jersey Kids , and now he says he was drinking and tweeting.

Edwards, a former Michigan star who has feuded with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, tweeted his disapproval of Harbaugh鈥檚 team, particularly center Cesar Ruiz and quarterback Shea Patterson.

鈥淩uiz is weak, line is weak, shea is scared, f鈥搆ing Michigan offense is so predictable Duncan Keith Jersey ,鈥?Edwards wrote at the end of Michigan’s loss to Notre Dame. 鈥淢ichigan football is sadly one thing鈥︹€rash.鈥?/p>

Edwards told the Detroit News that he knows he went overboard but he also thinks the substance of his criticism of the Michigan football program is valid.

鈥淲as the original tweet a little excessive?鈥?Edwards said. 鈥淚 admit I was excessive and emotional and inebriated. Mix those together. But the focus of my tweets remains intact. I stand by that. I was over-excessive Saturday night at 10:29, but I don鈥檛 back down on my overall stance as an alum and a fan. I鈥檝e always defended Michigan. Even this year, I was high on Michigan.鈥?/p>

Edwards has twice been arrested for drunk driving, and both times his blood alcohol level was recorded at 0.16 or higher, twice the legal limit of 0.08. So he acknowledged this isn’t the first time he’s gotten himself in trouble when he was inebriated.

鈥淚鈥檝e been through DUIs. I鈥檝e been through so much, so I don鈥檛 care. I鈥檓 tough. I can eat this. It doesn鈥檛 bother me,” Edwards said. 鈥淭he backlash doesn鈥檛 bother me. But ultimately Authentic Pekka Rinne Jersey Kids , my thing is, we have to address the issue. They鈥檙e 0-17 against ranked teams on the road. You鈥檝e had 40 games in [Harbaugh’s] tenure to figure it out. . . . I鈥檓 a Michigan alum waiting for them to turn the corner.鈥?/p>

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

Newman, who has played the last three years with the Vikings, has 42 career interceptions to lead all active players in the league. With Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes the starters on the outside http://www.officialoilers.com/authentic-adidas-connor-mcdavid-jersey , Newman and Mackensie Alexander remain the primary options to play the slot in the nickel defense. The Vikings also drafted Mike Hughes out of Central Florida in the first round Thursday.

The Vikings exercised the fifth-year contract option on Waynes , too, on a busy Monday.

The NFL announced that practice squad wide receiver Cayleb Jones has been suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the performance-enhancing substances policy, the second Vikings player to do so this month. Backup linebacker Kentrell Brothers also got a four-game ban.

Finally, the Vikings signed 17 college free agents, including South Dakota State wide receiver Jake Wieneke, a Minnesota native.

Wieneke Roberto Luongo Jersey , who played at Maple Grove High School, is the sixth Minnesotan on the roster, joining wide receivers Adam Thielen and Brandon Zylstra, guard Tom Compton, punt returner Marcus Sherels and fullback C.J. Ham.

The former New York Jets star said during a radio interview on 710 WOR Radio in New York that aired Thursday night that he wants ailing players to be taken care of by the NFL. The 61-year-old Gastineau announced last year that he was diagnosed with dementia http://www.officialhockeyjetsshop.com/authentic-adidas-jacob-trouba-jersey , Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, and believes the conditions are the result of brain trauma from playing in the NFL for 10 seasons.

”I want the NFL to treat people right,” Gastineau said during the interview. ”They’ve got to. They have to.”

Gastineau said Goodell told him when they talked at a Jets game over a year ago that he should let him know if he needs anything.

”The Commissioner told me, he said, `Listen, Mark, you know what? You need anything, let me know,”’ Gastineau told host Pete McCarthy. ”He was my ball boy. I treated him great. He told me. … Hey, Roger Goodell, treat people right.”

An NFL spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment on Gastineau’s statements.

Gastineau is the Jets’ career sacks leader and was one of the NFL’s most recognizable stars because of his entertaining dances after taking down quarterbacks for New York from 1979-88. He and Goodell have known each other since the early 1980s, when Goodell interned in the Jets’ public relations department.

”I want to hold you to your promise Mario Lemieux Jersey , Roger Goodell,” Gastineau said. ”You said, `Anything I need! I want the players to be treated right.”

Gastineau, who was joined by his wife JoAnn and lawyer Jason Luckasevic, began to cry during the interview when he spoke of his daily struggles to get out of bed and remember people’s names.

”My brain isn’t the same,” he said. ”My wife, she and I used to go around and do yard work,” Gastineau said while crying. ”But you know what? She does everything now for me. … It’s not good, it’s not good.

”When I’m laying in bed until 3, 4 or 5 (p.m.), it’s not good. There will be days I get up and I’m good. … My wife will tell you, she helps me get out of bed … and she’ll help me remember names. I used to think I was all that Ryan Kesler Jersey , I did. But you know what? I was nothing. You know why? Because of what happened to me.”

Gastineau, who said he routinely cracked his and other players’ helmets during big hits in practices and games, dabbled in boxing after retiring from football and had 17 professional fights. He is a plaintiff in the concussion lawsuit against the NFL, but has not received any money as a result. JoAnn Gastineau said NFL doctors questioned her husband’s dementia diagnosis, but approved it in October after eight months. She said the NFL sent a notice to Luckasevic 30 days later saying it was appealing the settlement again for Gastineau’s Parkinson’s diagnosis.

”The NFL is wrong,” Gastineau said. ”The NFL is wrong, they’re wrong. I’m not telling them to give me zillions of dollars. I don’t want zillions of dollars. I just want to be treated with respect.”

—

Helping Todd Bowles get a Super Bowl ring was just the beginning of Doug Williams' lifelong assistance for the New York Jets head coach.

Their relationship goes back to 1986 when they were Washington Redskins teammates and neighbors. They lived down the street from one another about a mile and a half apart, and their connection has only grown closer in the three decades since.

Bringing his Jets to Redskins training camp for joint workouts with his former team has brought back fond memories for Bowles, who played seven of his eight NFL seasons with Washington and won the Super Bowl when Williams was MVP in January 1988. His ties to Williams, the Redskins' senior vice president of player personnel, helped make the joint workouts happen, and Bowles said he owes his ex-teammate for putting him on the road to becoming Jets coach.

"He got me into coaching Authentic Taylor Hall Jersey ," Bowles said. "He gave me my first job at Morehouse College. I was the D coordinator. We remain very good friends to this day."

Bowles will coach against the Redskins in Thursday night's preseason game, and he's still not revealing if rookie Sam Darnold will start over Josh McCown and Teddy Bridgewater after the third overall draft pick's impressive debut and work this week.

Richmond wasn't the site of Redskins training camp when Bowles played, and FedEx Field isn't the same as old RFK Stadium, but simply being around the Redskins took the former safety down memory lane.

"Just seeing the burgundy and gold has been great," Bowles said. "Obviously the Super Bowl, but it's more so the guys I played with: the Darrell Greens, the Charles Manns, the Dexter Manleys, the Wilber Marshalls, the Alvin Waltons and all those guys I played with are really the fondest memories I have."

Training camp looked like a reunion from Washington's Super Bowl era with Bowles in Jets green, Williams overseeing practice and the likes of Darrell Green and Brian Mitchell around. It has been 25 years since they were teammates, yet Mitchell said Bowles is "the same guy he was when he played."

It has been a long time Mark Giordano Jersey , though, and a long road for Bowles to get here. Williams gave him a good push.

The two scouted the same area when Bowles was with the Green Bay Packers in player personnel and Williams worked for the Jacksonville Jaguars in the mid-1990s, and Williams made his Bowles the defensive coordinator at Morehouse College as one of his first hires in 1997. Bowles followed Williams to Grambling State before bouncing around as a defensive assistant for seven NFL teams.

Williams moved into the front office, but Bowles stuck it out and at age 54 is going into his third season as Jets coach. He doesn't feel like he'd be in that spot without Williams, and the Jets certainly wouldn't have been practicing with the Redskins if not for their relationship.

"Just coming back seeing Doug is great because Doug was very close to me," Bowles said. "I talk to Doug all the time, here and not here. He had a part in (arranging the workouts). He had a big part in it."

Bowles credits Williams for putting him on this path, but his appreciation for the Redskins extends to two Hall of Famers: general manager Bobby Beathard and coach Joe Gibbs. They signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Temple in 1986 and gave him the starting free safety job in his second year.

"They signed me and they gave me a chance, so playing for the Redskins is something I'll never forget," Bowles said. "They gave me a chance to meet a lot of people. They gave me a chance at a career that I probably otherwise wouldn't have had. So it's always going to be a special place."

Notes: Bowles was angry that receiver Terrelle Pryor revealed he broke his ankle in May. Bowles said Pryor should keep his mouth shut and told him as much. Pryor is not expected to play Thursday against his most recent team.

The departure of the team's longest-tenured player made Newman think even deeper about the passage of time and his place in the game. Soon after Robison was let go, then, Newman accepted an offer to serve as the assistant defensive backs coach and thus declare his retirement as a player.

"Probably why I was so OK with doing what I did," Newman said. "It's tough, but I feel like having experienced so much stuff, met so many people, for me it's not a hard transition. Some people get depressed and they have a hard time leaving the game, but I've loved this game since the day I played it."

Standing behind a podium on Monday at team headquarters to discuss his unexpected decision, Newman began to tear up. He paused, looking down with his hand pressed against his forehead.

"It was my time, you know?" Newman said, after composing himself.

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer presented the opportunity to Newman on Saturday, when NFL teams had to reach the 53-man limit for the regular season. Newman, who will turn 40 on Tuesday, said he could've kept his spot on the roster if he preferred to keep playing. That would've meant releasing a younger player.

"At some point, you have to be true to yourself and say, 'Hey Authentic Justin Bailey Jersey , do I want to keep going forward, have a chance to maybe tear up your back or neck or whatever?'" Newman said. "Some of the younger talent, obviously, you have to either say, 'I'll be selfish,' and maybe take the roster spot or get somebody else an opportunity to live their dream. So, it was pretty easy. Everybody's asking me if I'm OK and all this. I'm good. I'm still in football. I still have an opportunity to chase a Super Bowl ring."

Newman signed with the Vikings in 2015, the third stop in his career. He played for Zimmer, then a defensive coordinator, with Dallas and Cincinnati too.

"Helping out some of the younger guys, it's a form of coaching, I guess," Newman said. "And I think everybody just assumed that I would do it, so I would like to give it a shot."

The fifth overall pick in the 2003 draft was then asked how he anticipated his life outside of football being different.

"If the hours are anything like yesterday, it's going to change drastically," said Newman, whose 42 interceptions were the most among active players following the retirement this spring of DeAngelo Hall. "I'm not going to have many friends outside of this building Radek Faksa Jersey , that's for sure."

Newman's shift to the sideline puts Mackensie Alexander (age 24) in the nickel cornerback spot and Mike Hughes (age 21) as the next in line. Robison's release paved the way for Stephen Weatherly (age 24) and Tashawn Bower (age 23) to become the primary backups to Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter.

"The guy had an awesome career and he played at a high level," Griffen said. "Do I wish he was here? Of course. I miss my brother. In this league, in this business, the train's going to keep on moving."

Even the punter, Ryan Quigley, was jettisoned on Sunday after Matt Wile was available on waivers after being let go by Pittsburgh, with the Vikings picking a 26-year-old over a 28-year-old. Wile punted for Arizona and Atlanta in 2016, but was not on a roster in 2017.

"We just didn't feel like we were punting very well in the preseason," Zimmer said.

Now it's time to see the payoff.

After general manager Chris Ballard added two potential starting offensive linemen in free agency and used two more in the draft, the Colts believe they've finally solved their most glaring need 鈥?keeping Luck upright and healthy.

"When Chris and I sat down in the beginning and said, how are we building this team, we are building it from the inside-out. That all starts with the offensive line," coach Frank Reich said. "You win and lose games up front on both sides of the ball."

Indy learned its lesson the hard way.

Luck endured more than 400 hits from 2012-16, the highest total among NFL quarterbacks. He's been sacked 156 times in 71 career appearances, an average of 2.2 a game. When Luck missed last season recovering from shoulder surgery, the Colts allowed a league-high 52 sacks.

All those shots eventually took their toll.

Since Luck's 57-game starting streak ended in Week 4 of the 2015 season, the top overall pick in the 2012 draft has appeared in only 19 of the Colts' last 45 games. Not surprisingly Mark Giordano Jersey , they've missed the playoffs each of the last three years.

So with Luck finally back from surgery on a partially torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, Ballard made a calculated gamble for another revamped line.

"I think being part of 鈥?I don't want to say a rebuild because it is not really a rebuild of the offensive line 鈥?but kind of a mentality shift of an offensive line. I have been part of that at a lot of stops and that is something I pride myself in," new right guard Matt Slauson said.

The Colts have tried everything to solve this tricky puzzle.

Then, general manager Ryan Grigson wrote a note to himself, "Protect 12," to remind him of the Colts' greatest need.

He used two of the Colts' top three picks in the next draft on interior linemen. Both are now out of the league.

In 2014, Grigson used his top pick, a second-rounder, on versatile lineman Jack Mewhort and a seventh-rounder on tackle Ulrick John. Mewhort's career was derailed by knee injuries and he unexpectedly retired on Aug. 1 and John is with New England.

After taking Denzelle Good in the seventh round in 2015, Grigson added four more linemen in 2016 鈥?center Ryan Kelly in the first round, Le'Raven Clark in the third, Joe Haeg in the fifth and Austin Blythe in the seventh. Kelly quickly asserted himself as the starter, Good and Clark are among those battling to start at right tackle. Blythe is with the Los Angeles Rams.

The Colts did even worse in free agency. Grigson signed Mike McGlynn, Samson Satele, Gosder Cherilus, Donald Thomas and Todd Herremans 鈥?none lasting more than two seasons in Indy.

This year, Ballard went all in.

He signed Slauson and Austin Howard then selected guard Quenton Nelson with the No. 6 overall pick and Braden Smith early in the second round. All four could start this year Tyler Bozak Jersey , and the addition of Nelson has made the Colts' line bigger, nastier and perhaps better than ever.

The first test for this revamped line came Thursday night in Seattle. In two series, Luck was hit twice 鈥?once on a short run, the other on a sack off the left edge against Haeg, who filled in for the injured Castonzo. Luck bounced up both times and later chalked up the sack to a miscommunication.

"I was tired, I was exhausted. I think emotionally I was worn out, and honestly it was probably the redeye home after the game," Luck said Monday. "But I felt physically OK."

The Colts have three more preseason games and two joint practices later this week with the Ravens to get in sync before their Sept. 9 opener against Cincinnati.

They're convinced this latest line dance will finally work.

"It always comes down to the room," Kelly said Monday. "If you don't have a room that's together and you have individual players on that offensive line, I don't care how good you are, how talented you are, it doesn't matter."

NOTES: IndyCar racer Alexander Rossi attended Monday's practice. When he asked Luck a question during the interview session, the quarterback asked Rossi "did you have enough fuel to get here," teasing Rossi about his fuel-saving Indianapolis 500 win in 2016. "That was a bad joke," Luck said. ... Indy signed receiver Matt Hazel and running back Branden Oliver while waiving receiver Dres Anderson and placing receiver Deon Cain on injured reserve.

A look ahead to top enterprise and feature stories planned globally by AP Sports. New digests will go out each Thursday and Monday and will be repeated on other weekdays. Please note that story plans may change depending on news and other issues.

For access to AP Newsroom and other technical issues Henrik Lundqvist Jersey Kids , contact AP Customer Support at apcustomersupport(at)ap.org or 877-836-9477. For reruns, call the Service Desk 800-838-4616 or your local AP bureau.

As with all our operations, we welcome and want your feedback. If you have thoughts or questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia, deputy sports editor for presentation and storytelling, at 215-446-6632 or at ogarcia(at)ap.org.

All times are Eastern.

—

THURSDAY, May 3

BKN–PLAYOFFS-SHOOTING SLUMPS

They call it ”The Menu.” Warriors star Stephen Curry and his right-hand shooting man, Bruce Fraser, detail together what the two-time MVP might need to work on any given day. Maybe it’s catch and shoots. Or off-the-dribble work. Sometimes, ballhandling into shot. It’s one of several approaches taken by players who might be looking to bust out of a shooting slump. By Janie McCauley. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 a.m. Thursday.

CYC–COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIPS-RATO’S RIDE

Every so often, a particularly steep descent will intimidate the 23-year-old Spanish cyclist. Understandable, considering that nearly four years ago Mauro Rato blew a tire during a race in Spain Roman Josi Jersey , crashed into a wall and broke six vertebrae. It’s been a long climb back – one that landed him in Grand Junction, Colorado, and riding for Colorado Mesa University. He will be among the favorites as the USA Cycling collegiate road national championships roll into Rato’s backyard this weekend. By Pat Graham. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos by 12 p.m. Thursday.

FRIDAY, May 4

FBO–RECYCLING THE PAIN

CINCINNATI – Defensive lineman Devon Still retired from football and started his second career, trying to help families cope with childhood cancer. He’s using lessons learned through his experience with 7-year-old daughter Leah, who became a national story during her recovery from the disease. Still calls it a way of recycling the pain and helping others heal. By Joe Kay. UPCOMING: 800 words, photos by 3 a.m. Friday.

MONDAY, May 7

BUFFALO RISING?

BUFFALO, N.Y. -It has never been easy being a sports fan in Buffalo, where losing – and the way the NFL’s Bills and NHL’s Sabres have lost – has been as customary as the winters are long and wings spicy. The teams’ most notorious moments even have names for them, be it the Bills’ ”Wide Right,” or Sabres’ ”No Goal.” And yet Michael Hutchinson Jersey , a renewed sense of hope has arisen in this rust-belt city after the Bills selected quarterback Josh Allen in the first round of the draft, and the Sabres won the NHL draft lottery over the span of three days. By John Wawrow. UPCOMING: 950 words, photos by 3 a.m. Monday.

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Again, if you have questions about the Sports Showcase Digest or the material listed, please reach out to Oskar Garcia at 215-446-6632 or ogarcia(at)ap.org.

Thanks,

AP Sports

A game behind the Philadelphia 76ers in the race for the third seed in the NBA Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers long ago received a gift from the schedulers: home-and-home matchups against the woeful and wounded New York Knicks to end the regular season, starting Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

Whether the Cavaliers can catch the scorching 76ers remains to be seen. Philadelphia is the NBA’s hottest team with a 14-game winning streak — including a 132-130 victory over Cleveland on Friday — and with games at Atlanta and at home against Milwaukee still on the schedule.

But the Cavaliers have their eyes on that crucial prize, made even more crucial by No. 2-seed Boston’s injury problems. A third seed would ensure a second-round matchup with Boston or the No. 7 seed. A fourth seed could mean a meeting with the No. 1 seed Toronto Raptors.

“I always think you try to take the easy way out, it’s always going to come back and bite you,” Cleveland’s Kevin Love said after losing to Philadelphia. “Both teams played extremely hard tonight, we both wanted to get the higher seed no matter who we’re playing. Some matchups work in your favor, I guess Luke Schenn Jersey Kids , but I just think taking the easy way out in some cases is not the way to go.”

The Cavaliers’ loss to the 76ers revealed a glaring weakness that seemed to have been cured. Cleveland gave up 132 points.

The Cavs entered that matchup on a five-game winning streak and with wins in 10 of 11. The first five wins were scary — the Cavaliers allowed an average of 113 points per game — but in the six games before the loss to Philadelphia, Cleveland had allowed 102 points per game.

“We’re a prideful team, and the only way to get back in was be scrappy, play a little bit more physical and hit more shots,” James said. “We were down 30, and for us to come all the way back shows what were capable of doing. But every offensive rebound here, every missed shot. … We turned the ball over, they made us pay, and they were flying.”

Luckily for the Cavs — at least for the next two games — the Knicks are one of the worst offensive teams in the NBA.

The Knicks have gone 4-16 in their last 20 games, averaging 105.5 points per game, and that includes 128-, 124-, and 122-point nights. Remove those and New York averaged 102.

Hurting the Knicks: Tim Hardaway Jr. (ankle) remains out.

Solution for New York: The emergence of rookie second-round pick Damyean Dotson Matt Murray Jersey , a two-way player with the G-League’s Westchester Knicks. Dotson had 30 points and 11 rebounds in 36 minutes in the team’s surprising 122-98 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday.

“It’s amazing. Just trying to stay the course, keep believing, keep working hard,” Dotson told reporters after becoming the first Knicks rookie to put up a 30-10 game since Patrick Ewing in 1985-86. “Eventually something good will happen. It’s playing the right way, believing in myself, believing in the development, coming from the G-League, coming from back and forth, playing.”

Doesn’t get much better than that for NFL fans. Tennessee linebacker Wesley Woodyard believes the rare matchup is a showdown for the ages.

”Oh man Jonathan Quick Jersey , it’s going to be a battle of the masterminds,” Woodyard said when the Titans defensive coordinator tries to outwit Belichick and his New England Patriots.

”Two Hall of Fame coaches, I’m sure Belichick will be there hands down. Coach LeBeau’s seen a lot, coached a lot of playoff games, so we’re relying heavily on his experience and to go out there and play hard man. That’s all we can do for our coach.”

Well, LeBeau is only in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for his 14-season career as a cornerback, though he certainly qualifies for consideration for designing the zone blitz on defense. LeBeau also has an NFL-record 45 consecutive seasons as a coach, putting ahead of only one man – Belichick with 43 – in that category.

The two will be very instrumental in determining the outcome on Saturday night when the upstart Titans (10-7) visit Belichick and his defending Super Bowl champion Patriots (13-3) for a spot in the AFC championship game.

And Belichick made it very clear that coaching against LeBeau is not something he enjoys.

”I wouldn’t use that word, no,” Belichick said. ”It’s very challenging. Coach LeBeau is a great coach, he does a tremendous job, (he) has for his entire illustrious career as a player and as a coach. Really revolutionized the game Dustin Brown Jersey , and his system has certainly withstood the test of time.”

Belichick ticked off how LeBeau’s Titans have led the NFL in rushing defense over the past two seasons and led the league this season for the fewest big plays allowed of 20 yards or longer. Belichick says the foundation of LeBeau’s defense remains the same over the years, modified for the players he has and the teams he’s facing.

The man with five Super Bowl titles as head coach in New England made clear he has great respect for LeBeau, whom he considers a good friend.

”He’s such a great person, very humble guy that accomplished so much but he’s very modest about it,” Belichick said. ”I learn an awful lot from watching him, watching his defenses and watching the way that he does things. Techniques and adjustments and schematics and so forth. He’s one of the great coaches to ever walk the sidelines in this league.”

Told that Belichick said he learned a lot from him, LeBeau said he was humbled.

”Not very many coaches have the record Coach Belichick’s gotten, in fact he’s probably closing in on the best ever,” LeBeau said Wednesday. ”That’s quite a compliment.”

The two haven’t coached against each other in the playoffs but once before with Belichick overseeing the Patriots. LeBeau and the Pittsburgh Steelers won home-field advantage in 2004 by beating the Patriots 34-20 on Oct. 31, then Belichick and New England won the AFC conference championship Jan. 23, 2005, beating the Steelers 41-27.

”It’ll be interesting to see how it comes out Philipp Grubauer Jersey ,” LeBeau said.

LeBeau said preparing for a Belichick-coached team means understanding the players won’t beat themselves. Add in Tom Brady, one of the best quarterbacks ever to play the game makes the Patriots always a formidable opponent, according to LeBeau.

The Titans trust that LeBeau, who turned 80 the day before this season opened in September, will put them where they need to be. Titans linebacker Derrick Morgan said that’s what LeBeau did in the second half of the Titans’ upset of Kansas City 22-21 in the wild-card game. The Titans allowed only 61 yards total offense and no points in the final 30 minutes.

”He has all the experience in the world, probably been to 50 playoff games give or take,” Morgan said. ”We have a lot of confidence in him that he’s going to put us in the right positions.”

After kickoff, LeBeau said both coaches will be focused only on what’s happening on the field.

”Once we walk on that field,” LeBeau said, ”we won’t know who the hell’s on the other side of the field to be honest with you.”

Everyone else will know.

—

With the 49 states that currently don’t have sports wagering now able to launch it, the NFL’s word of choice is “integrity.” As sports wagering takes root, the NFL will have another go-to term.

“More.”

Yes Brock McGinn Jersey Kids , the dormant push for an expanded regular season surely will return, as the NFL realizes that 256 regular-season games will be great for betting — and that 288 will be even greater.

The NFL dropped the issue, at least publicly, once it became clear more games couldn’t be reconciled with the heightened sensitivity to player health and safety. But the issue undoubtedly lingers, with the NFL likely hoping that it will come up organically and naturally as the league and the union begin to negotiate a new CBA in earnest.

Will the NFL Players Association ever go for it? Possibly, if it comes with more efforts to enhance player safety. Expanded rosters, for example, would help. And don’t rule out a possibility that first came up several years ago: A total of 18 regular-season games per team, with maximum participation of 16 games per player.

That would incorporate more layers and levels of strategy into the week-to-week marathon, with coaches adopting a suicide-pool mentality to determining the right time to rest key players. Of course, injuries will help make the decisions easier, with guys who would have missed at least two games anyway having the chance to make up the two games and get to 16. Players who are dinged up but otherwise would be able to play will be more likely to get a game off Authentic Brock Nelson Jersey , especially during the annual short-week game.

However it plays out, the concept of a larger regular season hadn’t died before gambling became something that states could legalize. As that process happens, the urgency to capture two more weeks of TV, ticket, and gambling revenue will give both the league and the union an incentive to come up with a way to make it work.

Don’t be surprised if, by 2021 if not sooner, it does.

In pockets of Game 2 in the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night, the Golden Knights were surprisingly outworked, outbattled and outhustled in losing 3-2 to the Washington Capitals. Game 3 is Saturday night in Washington and Vegas is going to need to up the energy level even further in a frantic series with scoring chances galore.

Vegas outshot the Capitals 39-26, but the hustle stats in Game 2 went to Washington, which handed the expansion club just its second home loss of the postseason. Washington had 18 blocked shots to eight for Vegas, helping goaltender Braden Holtby turn things around. He allowed five goals in the opener but was sublime in Game 2 as he made 37 saves – none bigger than stopping Alex Tuch with the paddle of his stick in a sprawling move with just 1:59 left.

Washington also showed its mettle on the penalty kill, limiting the Golden Knights to a single goal in four attempts – including a 5-on-3 on the third period.

”You’ve got to try and capitalize on those,” Vegas defenseman Luca Sbisa said. ”It’s just one of those games, even at the end, with Tuchy having that chance. Most of times it goes in. It’s just one of those games.”

And while Washington outhit the Golden Knights, 46-39, it was some of Vegas’ bigger hits that ignited the Capitals in the second period.

Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb hammered Washington’s first-line forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, sending him to the dressing room with a little more than five minutes left in the first period. He didn’t return.

Washington coach Barry Trotz didn’t provide an update on his star afterward, but said it was the key moment in the game for his team.

”It galvanized us as a group, I think it might be a turning point for us,” Trotz said.

With Kuznetsov out Tyler Ennis Jersey , Trotz added Nicklas Backstrom to his top line with Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson. And 5:38 into the second period, with the game tied at 1-all and the Capitals on a power play, Ovechkin scored his first career Stanley Cup Final goal to give the Capitals the lead.

”I think they got energy from that, I think they were pissed off, that’s how sports go,” Vegas forward Erik Haula said. ”You see one of your best players go down and you’re pissed off, that’s part of it. It’s no excuse for us. Bottom line is we were right in that game I think, it was right there for us to grab, we just came short.”

Vegas unraveled and gave up more uncharacteristic chances in front of Marc-Andre Fleury, who has yet to lose consecutive games this postseason. The Golden Knights also had 12 turnovers compared to Washington’s four.

”We shot ourselves in the foot a few times with some turnovers,” Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt said. ”At the end of the day you really have got to see where your game is at. If you look at it as a whole, we played really well for parts of the first period and we got caught up in the transition game in the second period – and that’s not the game we want to play.”

Instead, Washington fed off the momentum and dictated the tempo, and a little less than four minutes after Ovechkin scored, Brooks Orpik broke a 220-game goal drought with the eventual game winner. It was his first goal since Feb. 26, 2016.

”I haven’t yelled that loud for someone to score a goal since Ovi scored one of his milestones Kyle Connor Jersey ,” Washington forward T.J. Oshie said.

Though the Golden Knights outshot Washington 15-6 in the third period, the Capitals skated faster, competed better, worked harder and played smarter to steal home-ice advantage with their first-ever Final win. The Capitals return to Capital One Arena, where they have just a 4-5 record in the postseason. Vegas is 6-2 on the road in the playoffs.

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More Stanley Cup coverage: The Tennessee Titans seem confident that their young wide receivers will quickly make an impact this year.

Injuries limited Corey Davis in his rookie year last season and Tajae Sharpe missed his second consecutive season after re-injuring his right foot . Taywan Taylor, the third-round pick a year ago, had his production fall off after a promising start. Rishard Matthews is the lone true veteran going into his seventh NFL season.

So far, the Titans have added only a pair of veteran receivers that have a combined 59 NFL catches: Michael Campanaro and Nick Williams.

”After your rookie year, you’ve just got to go,” first-year Titans coach Mike Vrabel said. ”We’re counting on Corey, we’re counting on Taywan, we’re counting on Tajae and all of the guys.”

A vote of confidence or simply expectations, Davis said it doesn’t matter to the receivers.

”We’re going to come out here, and we’re going to do our job to the best of our ability,” Davis said. ”Rishard’s a competitor, Tajae Brent Burns Jersey , Taywan, we’re all going to come out here and compete day in and day out.”

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk fired coach Mike Mularkey despite the franchise winning its first playoff game in 14 years. Tennessee replaced him with Vrabel , who hired Matt LaFleur from the Los Angeles Rams as his offensive coordinator. The primary reason for the moves were to get more out of quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans’ offense, which ranked 23rd in the NFL averaging only 224.4 yards passing per game.

Eric Decker, who led the receivers with 54 catches last season, wasn’t brought back. Of the returnees, Matthews has been the team’s top receiver since signing as a free agent in 2016. Sharpe has the most production of the other receivers after starting 10 of 16 games as a rookie with 41 catches for 522 yards.

”We’re all starting with clean slates,” Sharpe said. ”The new coaching staff, they weren’t with us last year, so we all just have to prove ourselves. We just want to come back out here and compete and get one percent better every day and just keep working.”

The Titans’ biggest hope for offensive improvement rests on Davis developing into the No. 1 receiver he was drafted to be. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Davis struggled with injuries as a rookie with offseason ankle surgery limiting him until the final week of the team’s offseason program, then he hurt a hamstring a week into training camp. That sidelined him for five games , and Davis finished with 34 catches for 375 yards starting nine of 11 games.

He showed flashes of potential but didn’t catch his first touchdown pass until the postseason. That was a one-handed grab for his first TD in the Titans’ divisional loss at New England, and he added his second in the fourth quarter of the rout.

”It’s a lot of injuries, up and down, but this year’s going to be different http://www.officialblues.com/authentic-adidas-dmitrij-jaskin-jersey ,” Davis said. ”Just got to stay healthy and go out and ball.”

Fully healthy, Davis, Matthews, Sharpe and Taylor spent time working out with Mariota in March. Even while learning a new offense, Davis said he believes he’s ready to take advantage of a full offseason and be Tennessee’s No. 1 receiver. The game has slowed down for Davis, and now he’s busy building his timing with the quarterback he calls Ocho.

Mariota said the second year for any player in the NFL is almost like a sigh of relief.

”You understand the situation, you understand what’s expected of you,” Mariota said. ”Everything’s not brand new, so I mean I can’t speak for him. But I think as you get older and as you continue to build up your years, the surroundings, the organization, everything just feels a little more comfortable.”

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The New York Yankees are trying to make the most of a rare trip to Citizens Bank Park. The Philadelphia Phillies are trying to prove they can keep hanging with some of the best teams in baseball.

The Yankees Authentic Alexander Radulov Jersey , making their first trip to Philadelphia since the 2009 World Series, will go for their second straight win over the Phillies on Tuesday night. It could turn out to be a pitcher’s duel between Yankees ace Luis Severino against former Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta.

New York took the first game of the series 4-2 on Monday night and held Philadelphia to three hits. The Phillies (41-35) need to win the last two games in the set for their fifth consecutive series victory.

Three of those series wins have come against the Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals — who are all above .500.

Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said his team is embracing the tough stretch on the schedule.

“It shows we’re not scared of any situation. We don’t back down from any opponent,” Kapler told NBC Sports Philadelphia ahead of Monday’s series opener. “We’re resilient. When we have a loss like (Sunday) we bounce back the next day. We come prepared. We’re working in that clubhouse like animals, and we know this is not going to be an easy matchup by any stretch. But we’re prepared for it.”

The Yankees (51-25) have the best record in the majors, and they ended a season-worst three-game losing streak on Monday. The team did so with a healthy amount of New York fans among the 44,136 in attendance.

Severino (11-2, 2.24 ERA) will try to give Yankees fans more to cheer about Tuesday.

Severino tied a season high by allowing eight hits in his last start. The Seattle Mariners scored three runs against the 24-year-old righty Phillip Danault Jersey , but the Yankees still picked up a 4-3 win last Thursday.

“Every time they give me the ball, I want to go out there and have a good game,” Severino told reporters after the game. “Today, I wasn’t the best. Wasn’t feeling that good, wasn’t feeling that comfortable. I was missing some pitches and getting deep in counts. But we got a great team and got some runs.”

Severino, who has never faced the Phillies, has allowed more than three earned runs in just one of his 16 starts in 2018. The Yankees are 14-2 when he pitches.

The Phillies, on the other hand Jason Pominville Jersey Kids , are just 6-8 in Arrieta’s 14 starts this year.

Arrieta (5-5, 3.42) has a 6.97 ERA in four starts this month. Arrieta did have his best start of June in his last outing, however. He struck out five and gave up three runs and four hits in six innings against the Cardinals last Wednesday.

Arrieta, who spent parts of four seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, has faced the Yankees eight times in his career. He is 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA and 1.213 WHIP in those games.

Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and infielder Neil Walker are the Yankees with the most experience against Arrieta. Stanton is 2-for-11 with a solo home run, and Walker has a .243 average in 37 at-bats.

The 6-foot-6 Authentic Marcus Johansson Jersey , 230-pound Greenway was expected to join the team in time to play at Nashville on Tuesday, with seven games to go in the regular season. The Wild are in third place in the Central Division, just ahead of a crowded race for the two Western Conference wild cards.

Greenway had 92 points in 112 games for Boston University. The Terriers lost to Michigan in the Northeast Region final of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.

The 21-year-old Greenway had 13 goals, 22 assists and 52 penalty minutes in 36 games in his junior season. He took a hiatus to play for the U.S. team at the Olympics in South Korea, scoring one goal in five games while playing often on a checking line.

”It’s rare to find a player with that combination of size, speed and skill, and he’s a guy we think is ready to play in the NHL,” Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher told reporters. ”It’s a tough league. I’m sure there are going to be adjustments Tyler Bozak Jersey , and he’s going to have to learn the league and figure out how his game translates at this level, but having said that the skill set is pretty impressive.”

Greenway, who was drafted in the second round in 2015, can give the club a big-bodied, aggressive presence at the net that it could use more of.

”He’s certainly a physical strong man on the ice, but just a very good kind person off the ice,” Fletcher said. ”He gets along with people and loves life. He’s worked hard for this. I’m very happy for him.”

The Wild also reassigned right wing Zack Mitchell to the minors on Monday.

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It’s OTA time. Otherwise known as Organized Team Activities Morgan Rielly Jersey , it’s basically practice without pads. But they don’t call it practice because the term was coined at a time when practice in the offseason was nearly as intense practice in the preseason/regular season, but without pads.

Under the climate created by the 2011 labor deal, the OTAs became far less intense and extensive. They nevertheless remain the centerpiece of the offseason program, giving teams a chance to implement their offensive and defensive playbooks, and to commence the process of figuring out who will earn roster spots and starting jobs. So when players who are under contract choose not to show up for these technically voluntary sessions, it’s noteworthy.

In Philadelphia, where defensive end Brandon Graham has made it clear that he wants a new deal, Graham is expected to show up, according to Tim McManus of ESPN.com. However Ivan Provorov Jersey , as Graham recovers from a May 1 ankle procedure, he’s not expected to participate in the practices.

The Eagles had been trying at times during the 2017 season to get Graham to extend his deal, but the terms weren’t deemed to be sufficiently favorable to Graham to result in an agreement. With Graham now one year away from free agency or the franchise tag, the Eagles may have a greater degree of urgency to get something done.

Steve Pearce hit a three-run homer in the ninth inning and the Blue Jays ended a five-game road losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday night.

”We needed it. We did it in dramatic fashion, and sometimes that’s what you need to start a little streak,” said Pearce, who is 4 for 6 in two games since returning from the disabled list because of a strained oblique.

Pearce’s fourth homer was a line drive down the left-field line off Justin Anderson (1-2), who gave up a two-out single to Aledmys Diaz and walked Devon Travis to bring Pearce to the plate. Pearce was waiting for a slider Kailer Yamamoto Jersey , and Anderson left it hanging over the middle of the plate.

”It was in the back of my mind, but I was just trying not to strike out,” Pearce said. ”In that situation, you’ve got two guys on, you’ve got to put it in play and let the chips fall where they may.”

Seunghwan Oh (3-2) got the win despite giving up a solo home run to Luis Valbuena that tied it at 1 in the eighth. Ryan Tepera earned his sixth save, striking out Jose Fernandez to end the game.

Marcus Stroman threw five scoreless innings for the Blue Jays, who had lost 10 of their last 11 on the road. Stroman, who had not started since May 8 because of shoulder fatigue, allowed six hits and one walk.

Stroman said it was his best performance of the season Jason Spezza Jersey , able to effortlessly switch between pitches that he described as ”easy” and ”natural” coming off his hand. After going through a limited spring training because of inflammation in his shoulder, Stroman treated his stint on the disabled list as a second chance to get his body ready for the season.

”I thought he looked like the old guy,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said.

Teoscar Hernandez gave the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead on his solo home run in the third. The shot to left-center was the 13th this season for Hernandez, who went 2 for 4.

Los Angeles had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Angels used five rookie starters, including right-hander Jamie Barria, who gave up one run and four hits, and walked four in five innings.

TERRIFIC TAG

The Angels had a chance to tie it in the bottom of the third after loading the bases with one out, but Russell Martin tagged out David Fletcher at home plate to end the inning. Valbuena popped out to short center, and Kevin Pillar’s throw home arrived ahead of the rookie second baseman.

”I knew he was out Authentic Louis Domingue Jersey ,” said Stroman, who was backing up Martin on the play. ”I had the best view. The throw couldn’t have been any more perfect. Right on the money. Literally, Russell could have closed his eyes and probably caught the ball, put that tag.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Blue Jays: RHP Aaron Sanchez (right finger contusion) and LHP Jaime Garcia (shoulder) were placed on the disabled list Saturday. LHP Tim Mayza was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.

Angels: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani (elbow) will be re-evaluated Thursday and will not travel with the team during its upcoming 10-game road trip. … C Rene Rivera (right knee) was transferred to the 60-day disabled list.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 3.75 ERA) is seeking his first win since May 25. He has allowed seven runs in 7 1/3 innings in his last two starts.

Angels: RHP Felix Pena (0-0, 5.40) will make his second career start. Pena faced the Blue Jays as a reliever with the Cubs last season, striking out all three batters he faced.

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Although he won two Super Bowl rings as a running back before beginning a coaching career that eventually put him in charge of the Los Angeles Chargers last season, Lynn never forgot about missing his college graduation.

On Saturday, the Chargers' 49-year-old head coach will take that long-delayed walk to get his diploma when he receives his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies at UNLV.

"Football has always been my No. 1 priority, and sometimes that's good, sometimes that's bad," the Chargers' head coach said Friday after running a workout with their rookies and undrafted free agents. "But I chose football over education. I thought, at some point, 'No more excuses. Just go back and get it done.'"

While he led the Chargers to a 9-7 record last season, Lynn was also hitting the books. He spent the past 18 months completing his coursework while simultaneously navigating his first head coaching job.

Lynn didn't say much about his studies to his Chargers assistants or players, but he strategized like any good coach to manage his workload. With the help of a counselor, Lynn used a five-week down period in last summer's schedule to line up his daily educational goals and deadlines for the following year.

"It requires you to be a master planner," Lynn said with a grin.

He recently completed his 30-page capstone research project about the challenges and pitfalls facing athletes as they make the transition into post-competitive life. After starting out with the goal of learning more about the mental health of athletes with head injuries, Lynn eventually took 30 hours of online classes in subjects such as sociology, public health and psychology.

"Mental health is broader than what I thought," Lynn said. "Things like identity crisis. Things like boredom with athletes post-career, and how that can lead to other sicknesses that are sometimes fatal. So that's probably the biggest thing I learned."

The seeds of Lynn's return were planted in 2014 while he was on Rex Ryan's staff with the New York Jets. Dave Szott, Lynn's good friend and a former Jets lineman who became a coach and executive with the club, finished his degree 15 years after leaving Penn State with the encouragement of his own wife, Andrea.

"I remember she looked at me and said, 'Coach Jonathan Drouin Jersey , you should do the same,'" Lynn recalled. "'There's no reason why you shouldn't do that, no excuses.' And that just gave me a little push and inspired me to go back, or at least investigate it."

Lynn put it off for a couple of years while he moved with Ryan to Buffalo and attempted to land his own head coaching job. He eventually connected with an educational firm that has expertise in such endeavors, and he committed to his studies in earnest in 2017.

"I said, 'You know what? It's now or never,'" Lynn recalled with a smile. "And then I become a head coach."

But with the Chargers' encouragement, Lynn decided to continue his educational pursuits. He did most of his coursework remotely, but also went to UNLV recently for face-to-face discussions with his professors.

Lynn also was motivated by his highly educated children. His daughter, Danielle, is receiving her master's degree in business administration from the University of North Texas next week. His son, D'Anton, a former Penn State defensive back, will miss the graduation ceremony at UNLV because he'll be at work with the Houston Texans in his new job as an assistant coach.

"They were happy," Lynn said. "I'm not the butt of the jokes anymore when I go to one of their graduations. They would always say stuff like, 'That's why you didn't graduate.' I'd talk about how hard I work. 'That's why you didn't graduate.'"

Lynn wasn't planning to participate in UNLV's graduation ceremony until he realized what it could mean to other athletes, coaches and professionals facing similar educational challenges. His mother and daughter will be in attendance in Las Vegas along with Chargers owner Dean Spanos and his wife, Susie.

"I decided to walk, because if it could inspire one person, then it's worth it Paul Stastny Jersey ," Lynn said. "Dave Szott inspired me. Maybe if I inspire one, then it's worth it."

The rookie will become the youngest quarterback to start a season opener in the Super Bowl era 鈥?since the 1966 season 鈥?at 21 years and 97 days old at kickoff against the Lions in Detroit.

Darnold, the No. 3 overall pick, beat out incumbent Josh McCown and the since-traded Teddy Bridgewater for the Jets' starting job with a solid summer and preseason.

"We are trying to help the team win and we feel like he gives us a good chance to win," coach Todd Bowles said. "We're not starting him because he's a rookie and he's not ready. We're starting him because he gives us a chance to win the game."

Darnold will also be the first rookie quarterback to start a season opener on "Monday Night Football." The former USC star is used to the spotlight and playing in big games, but even the coolest of California kids might feel a little case of the nerves before this prime-time debut.

"I'm just going about the week like how I normally would, so just going about it that way," Darnold said. "I think toward the game I might get a little nervous. I guess we'll see."

The Jets have had just two rookie quarterbacks open a season under center: Mark Sanchez (2009) and Geno Smith (2013). Nope, not even Joe Namath did what Darnold is about to accomplish. Broadway Joe was Mike Taliaferro's backup for New York's season opener in 1965 before starting the next three games.

Oh, and both Sanchez and Smith won in their debuts, so Darnold could make it 3-0 for Jets rookie starting QBs.

But he also has a bit of history against him.

Here's a look at how the previous youngest quarterbacks to start a season opener in the Super Bowl era fared in their first NFL games:

DREW BLEDSOE, New England Patriots, Sept. 5, 1993 (21 years, 203 days)

Loss: Buffalo 38, New England 14

After being the No. 1 overall pick, Bledsoe started right away for the Patriots 鈥?and had a rough debut at Buffalo. He went 14 of 30 for 148 yards and two touchdowns with an interception and was sacked three times while losing to Jim Kelly and the Bills.

Bledsoe started 12 games as a rookie for Bill Parcells' Patriots, going 5-7 and finishing with 15 TDs and 15 INTs. He soon carved out a terrific career for himself and was selected to four Pro Bowls. A serious chest injury in the second game of the 2001 season against the Jets gave Tom Brady a chance to play 鈥?and the rest is, well, NFL history.

MATTHEW STAFFORD Authentic Josh Manson Jersey , Detroit Lions, Sept. 13, 2009 (21 years, 219 days)

Loss: New Orleans 45, Detroit 27

Stafford beat out veteran Daunte Culpepper for the starting job in training camp and was under center for the season opener at New Orleans.

Stafford went 16 of 37 for 205 yards and was intercepted three times, including twice by Darren Sharper, in the blowout loss. He ran for a touchdown, though.

The No. 1 overall pick that year had much better days to come.

Stafford is the fastest player to reach 3,000 completions and last year joined Brett Favre, Dan Marino and Peyton Manning as the only QBs to reach 200 career TD passes before the age of 30.

JAMEIS WINSTON, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sept. 13, 2015 (21 years, 250 days)

Loss: Tennessee 42, Tampa Bay 14

Winston was the top pick in the draft that year and had a solid summer to win the starting job. He got off to a bad start in front of the home crowd, though, as his first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown by Coty Sensabaugh. It marked the first time a rookie's first throw was returned for a TD since Brett Favre 鈥?then with Atlanta 鈥?in 1991.

Winston was 16 of 33 for 210 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions, along with four sacks. He was outplayed by fellow rookie Marcus Mariota, the second overall selection that year, who threw four TD passes.

DeSHONE KIZER Nikita Kucherov Jersey , Cleveland Browns, Sept. 10, 2017 (21 years, 250 days)

Loss: Pittsburgh 21, Cleveland 18

Kizer was a second-round pick out of Notre Dame and beat out the likes of Brock Osweiler, Cody Kessler and Kevin Hogan to start the game at home.

He also nearly helped pull off an opening day upset , going 20 of 30 for 222 yards with a TD and an interception while also running for a 1-yard score that capped an impressive 12-play drive.

But Kizer was benched a few times during the Browns' 0-16 season and traded to Green Bay in the offseason.

GREG LANDRY, Detroit, Sept. 15, 1968 (21 years, 272 days)

Loss: Dallas 59, Detroit 13

Landry was a first-round pick of the Lions out of UMass and started the season opener 鈥?and it wasn't good. He threw four interceptions, including one returned 35 yards for a TD by Chuck Howley, in the rout.

He finished 15 of 31 for 231 yards and had two touchdown tosses, but was benched in favor of Bill Munson in Week 2. Landry started one more game as a rookie 鈥?a 12-0 loss to Philadelphia 鈥?before becoming mostly a solid backup and spot starter for Detroit through 1978. He also played for Baltimore and Chicago, as well as two years in the USFL.

The Redskins have agreed to acquire Alex Smith from the Kansas City Chiefs James Neal Jersey , effectively pushing Cousins into free agency following a tumultuous six years with the club the drafted him. Cousins will be the top free agent available when the league year opens in mid-March and should have no shortage of suitors.

”Next week is now officially the first time since 2007 that I’ll be choosing where to play football,” Cousins posted on Twitter. ”I’m open to suggestions.”

The 29-year-old Cousins is coming off his third consecutive 4,000-yard passing season. In his time as a full-time NFL starter, he has completed 67 percent of his passes for 81 touchdowns, 36 interceptions and a 97.5 QB rating.

Despite previously saying Washington could win with Cousins, coach Jay Gruden said at the scouting combine that ”it’s time for us to move on” and find some continuity at the position.

The Redskins now seemingly have that in Smith, who will join the Redskins once the trade becomes official March 14 and has agreed to a four-year extension with $71 million guaranteed.

Cousins could easily command more than that on the open market with the New York Jets, Denver Broncos Roman Josi Jersey , Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and Cleveland Browns among the teams interested in upgrading at quarterback.

After becoming the first QB in NFL history to play two consecutive seasons on the franchise tag – making almost $44 million in the process – Cousins is looking for long-term stability in the wake of almost-weekly questions about his future in Washington persisted over the past few years. Agent Mike McCartney declined to comment on the plans of the Cousins camp in an email to The Associated Press on Tuesday.

This is perhaps the first time in Cousins’ football career that he has been No. 1 on any list. He did not have any scholarship offers as a high school senior, was not considered a top prospect after four years at Michigan State and got picked in the fourth round in 2012 by the Redskins – the same draft they traded up to make Robert Griffin III the No. 2 pick.

Only 39-year-old Drew Brees, who’s expected to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints, threw for more yards last season than Cousins, who is the best option available in a crop that includes Case Keenum, Sam Bradford and Josh McCown. Though during the 2017 season it was reported that Cousins could set a record for QB contracts, it’s unclear how close he might come to the $135 million Vladimir Sobotka Jersey , five-year deal with $92 million guaranteed that Matthew Stafford signed with the Detroit Lions.

NOTE: The Redskins re-signed safety Deshazor Everett to a multiyear deal and waived running backs Dare Ogunbowale and Kenny Hilliard and tackle Kevin Bowen.

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The Rockets have reason to feel good, tied with Golden State after winning Game 2 in a rout in the Western Conference finals.

But a big challenge awaits Sunday at Oracle Arena, where the Warriors have won an NBA-record tying 15 straight playoff games.

Houston coach Mike D’Antoni knows all about Golden State’s success in Oakland, but thinks it has less to do with being at home than the fact that the Warriors are a great team.

”The challenge is you’re playing Golden State. That’s why they’ve won 15 in a row. Not because of the building, but because they’re good,” he said. ”All these players are used to playing in hostile environments … it helps a little bit (but) sometimes you feed off the energy also from the other crowd. So you try to take them out as soon as you can and take out the crowd.”

The Rockets aren’t daunted by Golden State’s winning streak there and are looking forward to the challenge.

”It’s definitely a great place to play,” Trevor Ariza said. ”Their fans are great. They bring a lot of energy to the game. At this point there’s nothing like playing in that type of environment and trying to silence them.”

Ariza was one of the keys to Houston’s 127-105 win in Game 2 that helped erase the memory of Houston’s tough home loss in the series opener. Ariza had 19 points as one of five Rockets who scored more than 16 points to rebound after an ineffective performance in Game 1 because of foul trouble.

While the Rockets know what happened in Game 2 won’t matter if they don’t take care of business on Sunday night, they do believe it gives them a bit of momentum.

”Yeah Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , just because we know we’re more than capable of it,” James Harden said. ”We’ve just got to go out there and do it every possession.”

Houston’s 127 points were the most the team has scored this postseason. But they’re quick to point out that their success on offense was the product of solid defense. That, they say, is the reason it won’t be difficult to recreate what they did in Game 2 on Sunday night.

”It wasn’t anything special that we did,” Harden said. ”We just created more opportunities with our defense.”

Sunday will be just Houston’s second game at Golden State this season and first since the Rockets got a 122-121 win on Oct. 17 in the opener for both teams on the night the Warriors received their championship rings.

”A lot has been going on since then,” Harden said. ”But as long as we take those same principles and that mindset that we have, no matter where we play, we’ll be pretty good.”

Kevin Durant has scored 75 points combined in the first two games to lead the Warriors Connor Brown Jersey , but Stephen Curry hasn’t really gotten going yet as he rounds into form after missing almost two months with a knee injury. The Rockets know the 2015 and 2016 Most Valuable Player is capable of having a huge game at any time and they must account for him at all times, just as they do with Durant and Klay Thompson.

”I just think everybody on their team can shoot,” Ariza said. ”When they’re in a scoring position, you just have to give some sort of resistance. Try to make them think about doing other things.”

The Warriors have much more experience at this level of the postseason with this being their franchise-record fourth straight trip to the conference finals. But Houston has plenty of veteran leadership led by nine-time All-Star Chris Paul, who said it’s easy to look forward regardless of how the last game went.

”It feels like Game 2 was a week ago now,” he said. ”That’s how it is in the playoffs … we’ve done a great job all year staying even-keeled. We tried not to get too high or too low.”

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