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 #98 DE Trey Flowers Yesterday Womens Devin McCourty Jersey , the New England Patriots cut their roster down to 52 men. Over the course of the offseason, we have taken a look at the players who fought for these spots to find out who had the best chances of helping the Patriots recapture the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Today, the series has reached its final entry as we finish it by taking a closer look at New England’s number one defensive edge.Name: Trey FlowersPosition: Defensive edgeJersey number: 98Opening day age: 25Experience: 3Size: 6’2, 265 lbs.2017 review: Coming off a breakout season, Trey Flowers was the lone member of the Patriots’ Super Bowl-winning defensive edge rotation to return to the team in 2017. He naturally became the team’s top option at the position and lived up to the expectations that come along with that role: Flowers had another productive season as New England’s best pass rusher and most consistent edge-setter.All in all, the former fourth-round draft pick finished the season as the team’s leader in every significant pass rushing category: Flowers registered 7.5 sacks, 28 quarterback hits and an additional 24 hurries. He also forced two fumbles and was generally one of the most disruptive edge rushers in all of football when it came to impacting plays in a positive way for the defense – something New England lacked opposite of him.Once again, Flowers was a reliable presence along the Patriots’ defensive line. With a revolving door on the left side of the formation, Flowers held down the fort on the right: while a rib injury forced him to miss weeks 13 and 14 http://www.authenticsnewenglandpatriots.com/cheap-david-andrews-jersey , the Arkansas product still finished the regular season having played 802 of a possible 1,060 defensive snaps (75.7%). He added 197 snaps (of 216; 91.2%) during another generally productive postseason run.In the Super Bowl, for example, Flowers was one of the few brighter spots on New England’s defense. Even though he failed to register a sack against one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, he was able to generate regular pressure especially late in the game: just like one year earlier, his strong conditioning – despite playing 100% of defensive snaps – allowed him to challenge the blockers in front of him and increase pressure in the fourth quarter.Despite Flowers’ efforts in 2017, the Patriots came up short in the title game. Nevertheless, the season as a whole can be seen as a another success for Flowers: he was able to make the most out of his opportunities and despite an increased workload when compared to 2016 remained a productive and valuable member of New England’s defense.2018 preview: While the defensive edge was a weakness for the Patriots outside of Flowers last year, it appears to be turning into a strength: with Adrian Clayborn Youth Rob Gronkowski Jersey , Derek Rivers and Keionta Davis all joining the fourth-year man and second-year defender Deatrich Wise Jr. in the rotation, the entire group should be better and more productive when compared to 2017 – and that projection does include Flowers himself.While he had a very good campaign last year, the 25-year old could have benefitted from getting more snaps off and seeing his on-field time reduced a bit: Flowers played around 90% of defensive snaps when active, a vast increase when compared to 2016. With better depth surrounding him, it would not be a surprise to see this number go down into the 60s or 70s again. As a result of this, his impact could go up even more.Ultimately, it would not be a surprise if Flowers surpassed his 2017 production this year in a more clearly defined role and delivered the best season of his career. In turn, this would set him up well heading towards free agency: playing on the final year of his rookie deal, he appears to be in line for a big payday. The question is whether or not he and the Patriots will come to agreement during the season.Patriots bring in a former first-round draft pick for a free agency workout The New England Patriots are apparently still looking for ways to improve their wide receiver depth chart. After already adding Chad Hansen off waivers last week Youth James White Jersey , the team has brought in one of the most intriguing players left on the open market for a workout earlier today. No, it is not ex-Dallas Cowboys wideout Dez Bryant, but it is still another once highly acclaimed draft prospect.According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Patriots brought in wideout Corey Coleman:Coleman originally entered the NFL as the 15th overall selection of the 2015 NFL draft, but failed to live up to the expectations that come along with being a first-round pick: due to a series of injuries and inconsistent play, he appeared in only 18 games over his first two years in the league and caught 56 passes for 718 yards and five touchdowns – 23 catches for 305 yards and two scores coming last year, during a season cut short by a broken hand.In August, after he demanded more playing time in the Browns’ offense, Cleveland traded the 24-year old to the Buffalo Bills for a 2020 seventh-round draft pick. Coleman was unable to make the team http://www.authenticsnewenglandpatriots.com/cheap-eric-rowe-jersey , however, and was let go again after not even a month. Since then, the 5’11, 185 lbs wideout has remained on the open market but had a workout with the Arizona Cardinals just a few days ago.Coleman is just the latest wide receiver to visit Foxboro: the team already brought in Kendall Wright – another former first-round selection – and Brandon Reilly last week.

 on the field after missing the first six games due to injuries.The Seahawks welcomed back linebacker K.J. Wright and tight end Ed Dickson to practice Monday as they began preparations for Sunday's game against Detroit.Wright's return has been a long time coming after he underwent what was deemed minor arthroscopic knee surgery following Seattle's third preseason game in August. The team initially believed Wright would be back within a few weeks Caleb Sturgis Jersey , but a setback in his recovery extended the rehab and ultimately led to the starting linebacker missing nearly two months."We're not too bad right now," coach Pete Carroll said. "We're fortunate we're coming out the last few games we've made it through for the most part. Guys felt good coming out of last week and going into the break. It helped us and to get a few guys back, too, it's a nice little boost."Dickson was placed on the non-football injury list before the start of training camp due to groin and quadriceps injuries and never made it into camp, meaning he had to be a spectator for the first six games of the season. Dickson was likely ready to return a couple of weeks ago, but being on the NFL list required him to miss six games.Dickson's return will be a big boost to a position that suffered a setback when rookie Will Dissly injured a patellar tendon in the Week 4 victory over Arizona. Carroll said Dickson ramped up the intensity of his workouts in the past couple weeks in the hopes of being able to play this Sunday."They've been working really hard so this isn't a big jump for them. That's part of the rehab, particularly for Ed who has had a long time to work at this," Carroll said. "He's been running really hard so he should not feel like it's a big step for him to get back on the practice field and should be able to play extensively on the weekend should he make it through the week."Also back at practice for Seattle was rookie defensive lineman Rasheem Green, who had missed three games with an ankle injury, and tight end Nick Vannett after he missed the game in London due to a back injury.NOTES: Carroll said LB Mychal Kendricks, indefinitely suspended by the NFL for his conviction on insider trading charges Cheap Melvin Ingram Jersey , had a scheduled hearing with the league Monday. Carroll said he was hoping to hear something from the league Tuesday. ... Carroll said he reassured the team that nothing is expected to change in the wake of owner Paul Allen's death last week. "We're fine. Everything is going to be like we've been doing it We'll carry on with the same intensity and expectations and support and all of that, and that it was our job to carry on in the fashion that Paul wanted us to." ... Seattle claimed LB Emmanuel Ellerbee off waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers after safety T.J. Green left the team. Carroll said Green indicated he didn't want to continue playing. The Tennessee Titans will not be escaping quickly now that they're back from London and mired in a three-game skid.First-year head coach Mike Vrabel wants to look closely at what the Titans (3-4) must fix to snap that skid that cost them the lead in the AFC South for a franchise that hasn't won its division since 2008. The Titans also get a little bit more time around their bye with their next game not until Nov. 5 in prime-time at Dallas."Losing is never going to feel good," Vrabel said Monday. "I think that they realize that things aren't broken. We just have to fix a few things and finish off a game. We have to try to figure out a way to win a game."Vrabel gave the Titans the day off Monday after Tennessee arrived back in Nashville in the wee hours from their 20-19 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in London. The Titans will work Tuesday and Wednesday before getting their break for the bye.Even with a day to think about his decision to go for the 2-point conversion and the lead with 31 seconds left, Vrabel still isn't second-guessing himself or offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur. Marcus Mariota's pass to Taywan Taylor was incomplete, even though Dion Lewis appeared open to the right side on a day he caught all six passes thrown to him for 64 yards.Vrabel refused to call that a misread by Mariota."We didn't execute the play," Vrabel said. "We didn't score, we didn't get open well enough. We didn't block well enough. Unfortunately, that's not good. That's not good enough."As the Titans look at themselves, dropped passes remain an issue for an offense that ranks 30th in yards passing and 30th in points scored per game. The Titans rank second in the NFL dropping 6.3 percent of passes overall with the third-most drops on third down, according to NFL Matchup on ESPN.Taylor dropped a pass earlier in the fourth quarter and caught only one pass for 8 yards. Corey Davis, the fifth overall pick in 2017 Cheap Jahleel Addae Jersey , caught three for 10 yards. He also dropped a pass on the same drive as Taylor, failing to bring in the ball with one hand.The Titans rank eighth in the NFL in passing defense, yet giving up long passes remains an issue. They gave up a 75-yard touchdown pass on the Chargers' first offensive play and a 55-yarder for the only TDs allowed by a Tennessee defense that ranks third in fewest points allowed per game.Cornerback Malcolm Butler, the Titans' big free agent addition in March didn't start and was limited to 29 snaps. Vrabel said there were a lot of problems on the two TD passes allowed and he wants players not trying to do someone else's job.Tennessee ended a TD drought that spanned 155 minutes, 17 seconds, and the Titans allowed only two sacks after giving up a franchise-worst 11 in being shut out by Baltimore last week. They outgained the Chargers 390-344 and held the ball for more than 35 minutes with a season-high 164 yards rushing.The schedule doesn't ease after the bye with the trip to Dallas followed by hosting New England in the Titans' lone home game in November followed by division road trips to Indianapolis and Houston.Vrabel said he doesn't think any of the Titans have done the best they can and everyone needs to practice and prepare better."Ultimately, it comes down to our performance on Sunday," Vrabel said.Follow Teresa M. Walker at teresamwalker

in the NFL by Pro Football Focus Earlier today Authentic Melvin Gordon Jersey , Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner dropped his latest NFL offensive line rankings of the league’s best units heading into the 2018 season. These rankings are updated from a previous post that ranked the units immediately following the end of last season.It’s not that I was expecting the Chargers’ unit to be a top-10 group or anything like that, but I definitely didn’t expect them to be in the bottom third of the entire league. The Bolts were actually a top team in terms of the least amount of sacks given up while Rivers owned the lowest percentage of being sacked when under pressure.However, it’s not the most surprising thing to see them lower than expected by the fans. We are already gassing up a line that will bring back Forrest Lamp and the addition of Mike Pouncey to replace Spencer Pulley and Kenny Wiggins. Both Pulley and Wiggins rated at the very bottom of their respective positions in pressures allowed. You obviously have nowhere but up to go from there.If you don’t feel like checking out the entire article, here’s what Mr. Renner had to say about the Bolts:Overall Grades From Last Season for Projected StartersLeft Tackle: Russell Okung, 77.4 overall gradeLeft Guard: Dan Feeney, 48.5Center: Mike Pouncey Youth Mike Williams Jersey , 46.5Right Guard: Forrest Lamp, 91.7* (2016 college grade)Right Tackle: Joe Barksdale, 50.7“There is a lot of projection here with Dan Feeney and Forrest Lamp in Year 2 as well as Mike Pouncey, but it’s impossible to think things could get worse. Kenny Wiggins allowed the most pressures of any guard in the league last year (41) while Spencer Pulley allowed the most of any center (38). Simply getting those two out of the lineup has to be worth something.”Once training camp gets underway, I expect the line to gel fairly quickly. Bringing in a veteran at center will make that connection with Philip Rivers click faster and I’d expect Lamp to get up to speed fast than your average first-year starter. My hopes are about as high as anyone’s with this unit and I think everyone else shouldn’t worry about getting their hopes up, either.Now excuse me http://www.chargersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-drew-kaser-jersey , I’m going splinter my office desk with how hard I’m about to knock on it.Which Chargers offensive player are you most looking forward to watching against the 49ers? With three weeks of preseason play in the books there are not a ton of open spots left on the roster. Which offensive player will you be watching closely?Cole Thompson: Artavis Scott. Scott’s the ideal size for today’s slot receiver but may not have the ideal speed to be a full-time player. He does have some return ability skills that could save him from another year of roster cuts. His job isn’t safe heading into Thursday’s action like last season. He’ll need to show some improvement if he wants to make the final cut.Isaac Gutierrez: It’s Justin Jackson for me. All signs point to him being a victim of his own body and ending up being cut due to injury. It will be interesting to see what happens if he comes out and puts up a great performance in the last preseason game. The chances are slim, but there’s still some hope for him.Jamie Hoyle: I can’t believe I’m the first to say this, but I’ll be watching Forrest Lamp on offense. He’s slated to play quite a bit and I’m anxious to see him in his first extended game action. I want to see him work at the second level and get a sense for how he holds up in pass protection. He’s honestly the only player on offense worth watching in the preseason finale because, quite frankly, I’ve seen enough of the rest of the backups along the offensive line and the skill positions are already set.Michael Peterson: I will be watching the tight ends. I wouldn’t be surprised to see all the tight ends play, especially the ones at the bottom of the depth chart as the coaches use this final game to see what they have after they’ve barely shown a thing in the first three games. Johnson Joe Barksdale Jersey , Hunt, and Hamm SHOULD play a lot, but we will see.Matthew Stanley: Since we got teased last week, I’ll be watching Forrest Lamp. The starting offensive line already looks fantastic and if Lamp even sort of lives up to the hype, adding him to the starting line ASAP would be amazing. Lamp hasn’t played in a game in almost 2 years so there will probably be some rust, but I’m more looking at how confidently he moves and how well he moves. It will also be interesting to see if they put him on a restricted snap count or if they really get him out there for a good chunk of time to see how he responds Authentic Casey Hayward Jersey , especially considering he’ll have 10 days before the 1st game.Richard Wade: I’m on the same page as Hoyle and Stanley here. I cannot wait to watch Forrest Lamp. The possibility of him starting the season in the starting lineup is almost too good to be true and I will be watching him closely to see if he looks ready to be on the field. Louis Gorini: I hate to play copy cat but I am going to echo Matt’s responses [Editor’s Note: Who is Matt?]. On offense I am excited to see Lamp play. I just want to see how he performs in his first game in over 18 months. As long as he gets through the game without a set back and doesn’t looked overwhelmed then I will be more than thrilled.Garrett Sisti: Forrest Lamp and Justin Jackson will be the key attractions but Artavis Scott and Geremy Davis can each earn or lose a job tonight.Who will you be watching when the offense take the field?

 Los Angeles Chargers defeat the Seattle Seahawks 24-14 The Los Angeles Chargers featured some of their actual key starters this evening against the Seattle Seahawks in Carson Youth Dan Feeney Jersey , CA, and the results were definitely positive. Philip Rivers saw his first action of the preseason and completed 6 of 7 passes for 62 yards during the 1st quarter of play while feature back Melvin Gordon rushed for 35 yards and a score on 10 attempts.The defense saw a bit of a rough start as they allowed a 60-yard opening drive that was kicked off by a 29-yard strike from Russell Wilson to former Arizona Cardinal Jaron Brown, though they were forced to settle for a field goal attempt that Jason Myers converted from 33 yards out.The Chargers offense responded with a 70-yard drive of their own that culminated in a 2-yard rushing score by Gordon. Roberto Aguayo converted on the point after attempt.The defense was tested on the next two Seattle possessions as the Seahawks drove deep into Chargers territory on both, but they stood strong both times. On one they forced a short field goal attempt and on the other they forced and recovered a fumble.The Chargers special teams showed up in a big way when receiver J.J. Jones received a punt and returned it 72 yards to pay dirt to extend the Los Angeles lead from 1 to 8 before half time.Geno Smith took over for Philip Rivers and in the second half he found second-year wide receiver Mike Williams for a touchdown that reminded people of why he was drafted seventh overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. The defense allowed a touchdown and a two-point conversion late in the game, but the final outcome was never in doubt and they held on for a 10-point margin of victory.Los Angeles Chargers Daily Links: Chargers Have the Best Edge Defender Duo in the NFL Jason Verrett Finally Able to Reclaim Status Among League’s Elite - Ricky Henne“His skill set http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-brandon-mebane-jersey , what he has, his speed, his athleticism, his change of direction -- it is elite,” he said. “Just to see him go through the individuals sometimes Color Rush Derwin James Jersey , you see a guy come back from an injury like that, it takes some time. I don’t see it right now. The way he’s working out (and) the way he’s practicing, he’s in a really good place right now.”Jahleel Addae Shines on Day Two of Minicamp - Ricky Henne“It was a solid day out there,” he said with his patented wry smile. “A real solid day. Just came out there with high energy. Every down I’m trying to get better. Bring that energy and have everybody else feed off of it.”How speed to apply pressure affects overall pass-rushing - Gordon McGuinnessThe Los Angeles Chargers produced the fastest average time to pressure, thanks in no small part to having Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram rushing off the edge. Arguably the best edge defender duo in the NFL http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-tyrell-williams-jersey , they combined for 24 sacks, 23 hits, and 104 hurries, and with an average time to pressure 0.06 seconds ahead of any other team in the NFL, they delivered that pressure quickly.Chargers' Jason Verrett finally fit after nearly 2-year knee rehab - Eric Williams"You can see his energy on the field http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-casey-hayward-jersey , watching him run around and interacting with the guys," Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn said. "It's great to see him out there. He's been waiting for a long time, and he's right on track."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

Julius Peppers  , for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year award.Unlike in the past, when three finalists wereCheap Ryan Ramczyk Jersey selected before a recipient was chosen, one player from every NFL team is a finalist. All will be recognized and participate in NFL functions during Super Bowl week. The Man of the Year will be revealed at NFL Honors, when The Associated Press' individual NFL awards are announced Feb. 2 in Atlanta.The Man of the Year is honored for outstanding community service off the field as well as excellence on it. It was established in 1970 and renamed in 1999 for the Hall of Fame running back."The Man of the Year Award gives us the opportunity to acknowledge 32 exemplary players whose commitment to excellence extends on and off the field," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "This year's nominees have used their platforms to transform communities across the country. We are proud of their work and celebrate their dedication and impact through this award."A total of $500,000 will be donated in the name of the 2018 recipient, with $250,000 going to Character Playbook, the NFL and United Way's digital character education program. An additional donation of $250,000 will be made to the charity of his choice.The other 31 finalists will receive a donation of $50 http://www.saintscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-benjamin-watson-jersey ,000 in their name to expand Character Playbook, and an additional donation of up to $50,000 to their charity of choice. All donations are courtesy of the NFL Foundation, United Way Worldwide, and Nationwide, the presenter of the Walter Payton Award."There's nothing like being able to make a difference amongst those who are seeking empowerment and those who yearn to be inspired," Davis said. "If I can encourage our youth to explore and do whatever it is they aspire to do, from painting to playing the flute, that fills my heart with joy and motivates me to do even more. Making a change one day at a time is what I live for."Jets nominee Kelvin Beachum was awed to be connected with Payton."It's a tremendous honor," the offensive tackle said. "Just the name Walter Payton Ken Crawley Jersey , he's the gold standard. What he did off the field and on the field, his excellence is bar none, top in history. So to be mentioned in the same name and the same breath as him, it's truly humbling."The five current players who have won the award 鈥?Drew Brees, Thomas Davis, Larry Fitzgerald, Eli Manning and J.J. Watt 鈥?wear a Man of the Year patch on their jerseys. All 2018 finalists will wear a Man of the Year helmet decal beginning this week through the end of the season."Being nominated for Man of the Year is an accomplishment," Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett said. "Giving back and making an impact on people's lives in a real way is very important to me."The finalists:Arizona Cardinals: Antoine BetheaAtlanta Falcons: Grady JarrettBaltimore Ravens: Brandon CarrBuffalo Bills: Lorenzo AlexanderCarolina Panthers: Julius PeppersChicago Bears: Trey BurtonCincinnati Bengals: Carlos DunlapCleveland Browns: Christian KirkseyDallas Cowboys: Dak PrescottDenver Broncos: Von MillerDetroit Lions: Matthew StaffordGreen Bay Packers: Kenny ClarkHouston Texans: Whitney MercilusIndianapolis Colts: Jabaal SheardJacksonville Jaguars: Blake BortlesKansas City Chiefs: Dustin ColquittLos Angeles Chargers: Corey LiugetLos Angeles Rams: Andrew WhitworthMiami Dolphins: Kenny StillsMinnesota Vikings: Kyle RudolphNew England Patriots: Devin McCourtyNew Orleans Saints: Mark IngramNew York Giants: Michael ThomasNew York Jets: Kelvin BeachumOakland Raiders: Marshawn LynchPhiladelphia Eagles: Chris LongPittsburgh Steelers: Cameron HeywardSan Francisco 49ers: Robbie GouldSeattle Seahawks: K.J. WrightTampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoyTennessee Titans: Jurrell CaseyWashington Redskins: Vernon DavisNo. 10 Pace Duel: Can Tre’quan Smith finish with a better rookie season than Brandin Cooks? There is definitely an afterlife.I’m convinced of this after watching the ghost of Brandin Cooks parade around NFL Stadiums in a Rams jersey this past year following his run-in with Malcolm Jenkins in Super Bowl LII.During his stint with the Saints, Cooks wore the No. 10 Jersey and became known for his bow and arrow celebration while connecting with Drew Brees on deep balls galore for the first three years of his career.Then, along came some hotshot rookie in 2016 by the name of Michael Thomas (perhaps you’ve heard of him) to steal a bit of his thunder. Witnessing a decreasing role Cheap Josh LeRibeus Jersey , Cooks pretty much forced his way out of town with a little assist from General Manager Mickey Loomis and company, as they looked to swap assets and fix the defense.So, here we are Susan...The Saints have a new kid on the Bourbon Block going by the name of Tre’Quan Smith, and shortly after his arrival to New Orleans, they decided to take on the challenge of following in Cooks foot steps by selecting that very same number.That got me thinking in terms of Yacko, Wacko, and Dot Dot Dot Dot Dot - Could Tre’quan outduel the previous No. 10?For reference, in 10 games (coincidence), Cooks had 53 receptions for 550 yards and 3 touchdowns on 70 targets with a 10.4 yard average. He also added 25 first downs to those totals along with a rushing TD, but we’re looking at this from a receiver standpoint — as I don’t expect Smith to be involved in any gadget plays.Personally Cheap Vonn Bell Jersey , I think Smith will eclipse him in yards and TDs, but may struggle to get the number of targets that Cooks received due to how Drew Brees spreads the ball around, resulting in fewer catches. There’s also this thing of him currently being No. 4 on the depth chart, whereas Cooks came in as the de facto No. 1 that year.Even with those obstacles in his path, I expect the rookie to make a ton of plays like the one below.What do you think people?Vote below and share your thoughts in the comment section!Who Dat!

Brandon Marshall.Marshall's addition adds depth to an offense that already leads the NFL in scoring with 36.7 points per game and ranks in the top five in yards per game with 413.9.Last week Authentic Alvin Kamara Jersey , the Saints signed receiver Dez Bryant, but he tore his Achilles in only his second practice and never played a game for New Orleans.The Seattle Seahawks released Marshall on Oct. 30 after he'd appeared in Seattle's first seven games this season, catching 11 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. But his involvement in the offense dropped after Week 3 and he had just two catches for 16 yards in his last four games.Seattle was the sixth NFL team for the 34-year-old Marshall, who has eight 1,000-plus-yard seasons in his career. His best season, statistically, came with the New York Jets in 2015, when he caught 109 passes for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns. Marshall entered this season trying to come back from an ankle injury and toe surgery that cost him the majority of the 2017 season with the New York Giants. By the time every NFL team has played eight games, there are some heavily established favorites for The Associated Press NFL awards that are handed out on Super Bowl eve.Not this year.MVP? Lots of candidates 鈥?and not just quarterbacks.Coach of the Year? Nearly every division has a contender.Comeback Player? Some likely Hall of Famers are in the mix there.So the AP polled a few of the 50 voters for the awards, including genuine Hall of Famer James Lofton. The theme was clear: There isn't much clarity as we head into the final eight weeks of the schedule.MVPThis honor has gone to a quarterback the past five seasons and 10 of 11. Two running backs, Adrian Peterson in 2012 and LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006, broke through the QB domination in the past dozen years.Lofton and some others select Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes."So good you just can't take your eyes off of him," the CBS analyst says."Maybe this opinion changes next week Youth Drew Brees Jersey , given the stellar competition that includes (Todd) Gurley and (Drew) Brees," adds USA Today's Jarrett Bell. "Maybe not, as the kid keeps showing up. A first-year starter as quarterback? Hey, Mahomes is like the new Kurt Warner."Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News opts for Brees. Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk prefers Gurley.Don't forget about Tom Brady, Adam Thielen or Philip Rivers, and perhaps even a defensive force such as J.J. Watt.COACHAnother wide-open field headed by, according to Jenny Vrentas of Monday Morning Quarterback, Kansas City's Andy Reid."I selected Andy Reid ... for his ability to seamlessly transition from Alex Smith to Mahomes," Vrentas explains. "He's been so invested in Mahomes' development that he sits with him on the bench in between offensive series, going over what they see and how they'll attack the opponent next. Reid has demonstrated an ability to keep his offense fresh and tailored to his players, updating his West Coast system with spread concepts pulled from the college ranks."Bob Glauber of Newsday points to last year's winner, Sean McVay of the Rams."He's one of the brightest minds in the game, and at 32, is proving not only to be a brilliant play caller http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mark-ingram-jersey , but an exceptional leader as well," Glauber says.Not far behind in our little poll: the Saints' Sean Payton, the Texans' Bill O'Brien, the Bears' Matt Nagy, and the Chargers' Anthony Lynn, whose team "plays a road game every week," Lofton notes.COMEBACK PLAYERRarely has there been such an impressive group vying for an award no one really wants to win considering the implications of a comeback.From Watt to Peterson to Aaron Rodgers, from Andrew Luck to Carson Wentz to Deshaun Watson, from Odell Beckham Jr. to Richard Sherman 鈥?WOW!"It's either Andrew Luck or Watt," says Williams, "but Watt has returned to being one of the best at his position. He is playing at an All-Pro and Pro Bowl level. Luck is not one of the top-five quarterbacks in the NFL and maybe not in the top 10."Eric Adelson of Yahoo Sports goes for the Colts quarterback."Can't imagine the frustration he's faced," Adelson says. "A pro's pro."Vrentas picks Watt."The surgery Watt had last October to put his leg back together after a tibial plateau fracture was so complicated that the surgeons couldn't even be certain that it would work, and that his leg would be able to bear the full weight of his body while running full speed," she explains. "Watt Max Unger Jersey , who has nine sacks in nine games, was undeterred. He wasn't back to full strength in the season opener but has steadily gotten better each week, a scary thought for opponents."OFFENSIVE PLAYERAnother free-for-all, with Gurley, Mahomes, Thielen, Brees, Michael Thomas and James Conner getting consideration."Before it's done, he could wind up as MVP," Bell says of Gurley, his choice in this category. "Ditto for Brees. Running backs don't get the same love as quarterbacks in the pass-centric environment of the NFL. But if Gurley breaks LaDainian Tomlinson's single-season TD record and the Rams keep winning big, people will have to take notice. Then again, Brees has a few records and has never been MVP."Domowitch, a Brees supporter for MVP Authentic Sheldon Rankins Jersey , puts Mahomes here. So does Williams.DEFENSIVE PLAYERThis category could be a two-horse race between a pair of thoroughbreds previously honored with the award: Aaron Donald and Watt."Now that's a man who don't need no stinking training camp," Bell says of Donald.Eric Adelson of Yahoo Sports prefers Donald, as well."A game wrecker on every down," Adelson says.Adds Glauber: "Donald is a disruptive force in the middle and already has 10 sacks. The only problem for him 鈥?and the Rams 鈥?is that teams will often go to great lengths to shut him down. Thus, the constant double teams he has to fight through."Lofton likes what Khalil Mack has done in Chicago: "Mack turned the Bears from pretenders to contenders." But this train could be a runaway for Donald and Mack.OFFENSIVE ROOKIENo contest."He's the only good thing going for an awful Giants team," Glauber says of Giants RB Saquon Barkley. "Until the Giants figure out their quarterback situation, he'll be wasted in this offense."But not lost in the awards prognostications."On pace for more than 2,000 total yards 鈥?on a bad team," Adelson notes.DEFENSIVE ROOKIEChargers safety Derwin James has gotten lots of love, but there's no runaway leader."Darius Leonard and Denzel Ward make this an interesting race for the award down the stretch," Williams says.Glauber leans to Leonard: "Halfway through the season, he not only led all NFL rookies with 88 tackles, he led all NFL players in that category. He also has four sacks and three forced fumbles and has already won defensive rookie of the week honors twice."

The New Orleans Saints made a flurry of moves to reduce their roster from 90 to 53 players by 4 p.m. eastern time Saturday afternoon. Some moves were viewed as head scratchers by the team's loyal fanbase www.thesaintsfootballauthentic.com , and some talented players had to be released on positions of solid depth. The Saints will undoubtedly make a number of additional moves in the upcoming weeks, some even before the team's season opener on September 9th against Tampa Bay. For now though, here is what the Saints initial roster looks like after some tough decisions by the coaching staff. * = Rookie QUARTERBACK (3)Drew Brees, Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Tom Savage, J.T. Barrett* This was set as soon as the Saints pulled off a trade with the New York Jets for Bridgewater on Wednesday. As usual, New Orleans' championship hopes are tied to the right arm of their Hall of Fame quarterback. The 25-yr old Bridgewater is under a one year contract, which would have to be renegotiated if the team views him as a longterm replacement for Brees. At the least, he provides a more reliable alternative if Brees were to miss any time with injury. Unable to take control of the backup reigns, Hill remains a developmental project who will be available for special teams, and perhaps a holder for placekicker Wil Lutz. Undrafted rookie J.T. Barrett will most likely be brought back to the practice squad. RUNNING BACK (4)Alvin Kamara, Boston Scott*, Zach Line, Trey Edmunds (Mark Ingram will not count towards the roster while he serves his four game league suspension)Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Jonathan Williams One of a few surprising decisions that the team made was releasing Jonathan Williams, who looked like he had clinched the number three job behind Kamara and Ingram. Instead, the Saints went with the faster and more versatile rookie 6th round pick Scott, and the second year Edmunds, who can also play fullback. Line will again pave the way for Kamara and Ingram to form one of the top rushing attacks in the league. Williams, or perhaps another veteran back, may still be brought in while Ingram is out. Veteran Mike Gillislee, recently released by the Patriots, is visiting the team, and could be a solid addition if signed. WIDE RECEIVER (6)Michael Thomas, Tre'quan Smith*, Cameron Meredith, Ted Ginn Jr., Austin Carr, Tommylee Lewis Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Brandon Tate, Keith Kirkwood*Another surprise was the fact that the Saints cut Tate in favor of Lewis New Orleans Saints T-Shirt , presumably to be the primary kick returner. Carr had an impressive training camp, and closed out the preseason strong to cement his spot. Ginn on the other hand, struggled throughout preseason, even being singled out by Sean Payton numerous times for poor route running. Meredith looks as if he can be an important part of the offense as he returns to form after missing all of last year. Smith, a rookie 3rd round pick, was the Saints most dangerous offensive player in four preseason games, and already has some talking that the team has gotten another third round steal, as they did with Kamara a year ago. He and Thomas may quickly form one of the most lethal 1-2 wideout combinations in the NFL. TIGHT END (3)Ben Watson, Josh Hill, Dan Arnold Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Michael Hoomanawanui , Deon Yelder*The Saints hope that the 37-yr. old Watson will be able to provide the receiving threat at tight end that he did in his previous stint with New Orleans from 2013-15. Hill returns as a known commodity as the number two tight end. Arnold turned in an impressive receiving performance, moving up the depth chart and overtaking Hoomanawanui after being converted from a wide receiver earlier in the summer. Yelder may return for the practice squad as a developmental project. OFFENSIVE LINE (8)Terron Armstead, Andrus Peat, Max Unger, Larry Warford, Ryan Ramczyk, Will Clapp*, Cameron Tom, Jermon Bushrod Jake Roth-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Josh LeRibeus, Rick Leonard*The Saints have one of the best starting five offensive lines in the league, but depth was a growing concern. The versatile Clapp was unexpectedly available in the 7th round when the Saints grabbed him in this spring's draft, and he would wind up being the most consistent of any of the reserve offensive linemen. Tom returns for his second year, and like Clapp can play any of the interior spots. Fourth round pick Leonard may be brought back on the practice squad after showing some improvement late in preseason. The 34-yr old Bushrod is better suited for guard than tackle at this stage of his career, and may still be a roster casualty if the team can find a capable tackle alternative. Leonard seems a good candidate to return as a member of the practice squad. DEFENSIVE TACKLE (4)Sheldon Rankins, David Onyemata, Tyeler Davison, Taylor Stallworth*Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Jay Bromley Traded = Devaroe Lawrence The trade of Lawrence to the Cleveland Browns for a conditional 7th round draft choice was surprising to some, but it may have come down to a toss-up at the position between he and the undrafted rookie Stallworth. Both had outstanding training camps and were disruptive throughout the preseason. Davison is a reliable run-stopper, and both Rankins and Onyemata are potential breakout stars. DEFENSIVE END (5)Cameron Jordan New Orleans Saints Hats , Alex Okafor, Trey Hendrickson, Marcus Davenport*, Mitchell Loewen Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = George Johnson, Al-Quadin Muhammad Loewen had a solid camp, and his ability to play inside at tackle helped him earn his spot. Davenport missed much of preseason because of injury, but flashed disruptive potential in each of the team's final two games. Hendrickson had an outstanding training camp, and could be one of the breakout stars on defense. Okafor looks well on the way to full recovery from last year's Achilles injury, making the decision to move on from Muhammad and Johnson a bit easier after quiet training camps. LINEBACKER (6)Demario Davis, Alex Anzalone, Craig Robertson, A.J. Klein, Manti Te'o, Nate Stupar Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Hau'oli Kikaha, Jayrone Elliott Elliott was unable to follow up on his 2.5 sack/2 forced fumble performance in the preseason opener against Jacksonville, but was still expected by some to stick around. The oft-injured Kikaha, a 2015 2nd round draft choice, just wasn't able to stand out well enough after being moved from defensive end, and wasn't able to provide significant versatility at the position. Robertson and Stupar cemented their roster positions with amazing performances over the last two weeks. Anzalone continues to flash tantalizing athleticism and potential, in hopes that he can stay healthy, while free agent addition Davis should solidify an improved linebacking corps that still struggled with consistency throughout the preseason. CORNERBACK (6)Marshon Lattimore, Ken Crawley,Patrick Robinson, Arthur Maulet, Justin Hardee, P.J. Williams Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts =Marcus Williams, Linden Stephens*, Kamrin Moore*It shocked some that P.J Williams remained a Saint at the roster deadline on Saturday. The team obviously feels comfortable in Williams' knowledge of the defense and his abilities, despite his previous inconsistency New Orleans Saints Womens Hoodie , because they made the decision to move on from some talented players. Rookies Moore and Stephens each seem like excellent candidates for the team's practice squad if they are not claimed by another team. Maulet and Hardee have good value on special teams, but cemented their roster spots with solid pass coverage in both practice and preseason games. SAFETY (5)Marcus Williams, Vonn Bell, Kurt Coleman, Chris Banjo, J.T. GrayDerick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsNotable Cuts = Natrell Jamerson* (cb/s)THE Marcus Williams played like a potential All-Pro all summer, and he looks to be emerging into a leader on a young but very talented secondary. Bell had some struggles in coverage and positioning, and has yet to record an interception in his two year career, but will take on an increased role in the defense. He may be pushed for playing time by Coleman, a free agent acquisition from Carolina. Banjo is a special teams standout who gave the team some solid snaps at safety a year ago. A very puzzling move was the fact that the Saints kept Gray, who was mistake-prone throughout the preseason games, over the 5th round pick Jamerson, who can play both safety and corner. Especially after Sean Payton had singled out how impressed he was by Jamerson's play on more than one occasion. He looks to be a good candidate for the practice squad as well. SPECIALISTS (3)Wil Lutz (K), Thomas Morstead (P), Zach Wood (LS)The Saints are one of the deepest teams in the NFL, evidenced by the fact that so many talented players could not make their way onto the roster. Expect a number of the team's cuts to make their way back onto the practice squad, as well as more roster decisions to be made in the upcoming week. In the meantime, the initial roster is set, and the defending NFC South Champions now set their sites on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the season opener, in a year that they hope will finish off with their second Super Bowl title. Although the Los Angeles Rams hadn't lost a game until last week, their spectacular season has featured several close calls.Not many were closer than their 33-31 victory just five weeks ago in Seattle, where the Seahawks racked up 190 yards rushing, intercepted two passes by Jared Goff and came agonizingly close to a huge NFC West win.With the second-place Seahawks (4-4) visiting the Coliseum on Sunday for the rematch, the Rams (8-1) have a chance to essentially end the division race with seven weeks to go. The Rams aren't looking that far ahead, but Aaron Donald hopes Los Angeles will learn from that narrow win in Seattle 鈥?and a 45-35 loss at New Orleans last week."We're in a good place, and we're locked in," said the Rams' superstar defensive tackle, second in the NFL with 10 sacks. "We play these guys twice a year, so we've got respect for them. We've just got to get after them."The Rams have never lost back-to-back regular-season games in their 1陆 seasons under Sean McVay Womens Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , but they've thrived primarily on the strength of an offense that has been able to outscore nearly every opponent, including the Seahawks. NFL scoring leader Todd Gurley rushed for three TDs in Seattle, and the Rams kept the ball out of Russell Wilson's hands in the final 3:38 by running out the clock.The Seahawks also are coming off a loss after the Chargers won in Seattle last week, but the Seahawks know they can beat the Rams because they did it last season at the Coliseum.Even if the division race might already be out of hand, they've got a chance to begin their playoff rally with a statement victory."We can't allow them to score as many points as they put up," Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. "We feel like we did a really good job against the run for the most part. We have to find a way to do that, make them one-dimensional, make sure Todd doesn't get into the end zone as many times as he did."More things to watch in this NFC West showdown:TOUGH CHECKDonald has sacked Wilson eight times in their careers, more than any other quarterback. But Donald and the Rams didn't manage to sack Drew Brees last week, and they still have something to prove to the Seahawks 鈥?particularly to guard D.J. Fluker, who wasn't impressed by the toughness of the Los Angeles defense in the clubs' previous meeting.The Seattle offensive lineman said the Rams "want to be pass rushers," but hadn't "seen a team go out there and actually take it to them." Donald had no interest in starting a public discussion this week: "We're just going to go out there and play a game and let our play speak for us."RUN AROUNDSeattle's impressive rushing performance in their first meeting with the Rams included 116 yards from Chris Carson, but he is in question for the rematch because of a hip injury that caused him to sit the final 2陆 quarters last week against the Chargers. Mike Davis and seldom-used Rashaad Penny probably would replace Carson.But Seattle also has offensive line concerns after Fluker injured his calf late in the loss to the Chargers. Fluker's addition to the offensive line helped spark Seattle's turnaround in the run game starting in late September.GURLEY GOESGurley has scored a touchdown in a franchise-record 12 straight games, and his 868 yards rushing are the NFL's most by a whopping 162 yards over Pittsburgh's James Connor.Gurley's 16 TDs this season are the most in the league and the second-most in NFL history through nine games, trailing only Jim Brown's 17 in 1958. That's the challenge facing Seattle's run defense, which is giving up 4.8 yards per attempt 鈥?tied for fourth-worst in the league 鈥?but has been effective in stretches.GET MARCUSFormer Washington Huskies defensive back Marcus Peters was targeted repeatedly by the Saints, and the Rams' top corner took the blame for much of Brees' success. The Seahawks undoubtedly saw the former Pro Bowl cover man's struggles on video, but Rams defensive coordinator Wade Phillips has limited options in the continued injury absence of cornerback Aqib Talib. The Rams' best solution might be increased pressure on Wilson, who has been sacked 25 times already this season.SAFETY PLANBradley McDougald has been one of Seattle's defensive standouts, but with a quick turnaround to facing Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers next Thursday, McDougald may end up sitting out against the Rams because of a bothersome knee injury. If McDougald can't play, the Seahawks would turn to second-year safety Delano Hill, which could create an extremely young secondary. If Hill starts, he would play alongside second-year free safety Tedric Thompson, second-year cornerback Shaquill Griffin and rookie cornerback Tre Flowers. Nickel cornerback Justin Coleman, in his fourth season, would be the veteran of the group.AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed.

on Sunday afternoon Minnesota Vikings T-Shirt , the Minnesota Vikings are dealing with a couple of injury issues. Some of those issues have left them short at a pretty important position, and it will be interesting to see how they handle it.Tashawn Bower (ankle) and Everson Griffen (personal issues) are both going to miss Sunday’s game for the Vikings, which means that they only have two defensive ends on the roster healthy enough to play on Sunday: Danielle Hunter and Stephen Weatherly. Weatherly has started the past two games in Griffen’s absence, and Hunter has had a strong start to the season. The rest of the defensive end depth chart, however, is on the shelf in some way. The Vikings had signed Jonathan Wynn to the practice squad earlier this week, but as of Saturday night had not made a move to place him on the main roster.It will be interesting to see how the Vikings handle this Minnesota Vikings Hats , and there are a couple of different potential solutions. First, the Vikings have rookie Jalyn Holmes available and could potentially use him as a defensive end. Holmes has not been active for a game yet this year, and primarily worked on the inside in camp as a three-technique tackle. However, he played a lot of defensive end in college and could fill that spot in a pinch.The other solution. . .and one that I’d, frankly, like to see. . .involved linebacker Anthony Barr. During the offseason, the Vikings had said that they were going to attempt to use Barr more as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end Minnesota Vikings Hoodie , particularly in pass-rushing situations. However, we haven’t really seen much of that during this early portion of the regular season. With the situation the Vikings are currently looking at, however, they might not have much of a choice. The upside of that is that it would give Barr the opportunity to get after the opposing quarterback, and it would keep him far away from opposing wide receivers. This can only be considered a good thing.Like I said, I’m not sure exactly what the Vikings are going to do as far as their defensive end situation on Sunday, but they don’t have a whole lot of readily-available solutions at this point Youth Customized Minnesota Vikings Jerseys , either.Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers: Inactive lists for both teams We are about an hour away from kickoff at Lambeau Field between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers in the first half of the Border Battle for this season, and both teams have released their lists of inactive players leading up to today’s contest. Let’s take a look at who will be sitting this one out, starting with the visiting team.Minnesota VikingsRB Mike BooneDE Tashawn BowerC Pat ElfleinDT Jalyn HolmesQB Kyle SloterRB Roc ThomasG Bryan WitzmannNo real surprises on the inactive list for the Vikings in this one, with the possible exception of Bower. We knew that Elflein would be sitting this one out, and the Vikings have decided to roll with just Dalvin Cook and Latavius Murray at running back for today’s contest.Now, on to the home team.Green Bay PackersLB Oren BurksCB Deante BurtonS Raven GreeneS Josh JonesOL Alex LightWR J’Mon MooreWR Equanimeous St. BrownAs we’ve already mentioned, Aaron Rodgers is active and will start for the Packers at quarterback. Green Bay has three quarterbacks active today www.minnesotavikingsteamonline.com , as DeShone Kizer and Tim Boyle are both in uniform today behind him on the depth chart. The Packers have also activated wide receiver Davante Adams, who was limited in practice with a shoulder issue all week.Those are the inactive lists for today’s contest, folks. The Open Thread should be up and running here shortly for your viewing pleasure as we get closer to kickoff.

 Bills Hey Womens Laquon Treadwell Jersey , kids! Yours truly has the Stock Market Report for the next couple of weeks, because Ted is blessing the rains down in Africa or something or other on vacation. I’m assuming that nobody has told Ted that Africa has snakes, because if they had I’d think that the midwestern United States would be just about as close as Ted would get to the place.But, even though I’m making jokes at Ted’s expense, at least he had the good sense not to sit down and subject himself to the absolute hot mess of a garbage pile of a dumpster fire of a complete freaking disaster that the rest of us subjected ourselves to on Sunday afternoon. How bad was it for the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills? Well, we have this little number from Chase Stuart from the outstanding Football Perspective website:Yeah, it was that bad. The Vikings’ afternoon was a disaster right from the start, and it only got worse from there. They were a three-score favorite, and the competitive portion of the game was effectively over by the midway point of the second quarter. All in all, for fans of the purple, it was a pretty bad day.Isn’t that right, Mr. Powter?Cause you had a bad dayYou’re taking one downYou sing a sad song just to turn it aroundYou say you don’t knowYou tell me don’t lieYou work at a smile and you go for a rideYou had a bad dayThe camera don’t lieYou’re coming back down and you really don’t mindYou had a bad dayYou had a bad dayThe Stock Market Report for the Minnesota Vikings’ Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day follows.Blue Chip StocksDan Bailey, K - Pretty much the only guy in a Minnesota Vikings’ uniform that wasn’t a complete and total screw-up for most of the day on Sunday. Kudos to you, sir.Solid InvestmentsStephen Weatherly, DE - I don’t want to completely crap on everyone. . .though there will be plenty of that in the next category. . .so I will say that Weatherly had a solid first NFL start with Everson Griffen sitting this one out. He tied for the team lead in tackles and had a sack, and I didn’t see a lot of egregiously awful stuff from him. So, for a young guy making his first start, I’ll give him a little bit of credit.Junk BondsThe entire offensive line, and especially Riley Reiff - The Vikings’ offense managed to generate just about nothing in the first half of play. A lot of that had to do with the fact that Kirk Cousins was under siege. On each of the Vikings’ first two drives, Cousins fumbled on third down plays. On both of those plays, he was hit from behind. Is some of that on Cousins? Sure it is. But that was the start of a pattern we saw all day.Reiff’s play was particularly egregious, given that he’s the highest-paid member and the de facto leader of the offensive line. Jerry Hughes ate Reiff’s lunch all afternoon on Sunday. Not only did Hughes eat Reiff’s lunch, he followed Reiff home, and when Reiff went to the refrigerator to get himself a snack, Hughes ate that, too. I know that Reiff isn’t considered an elite tackle or anything, but man alive he’s gotta be better than he was on Sunday.The rest of the offensive line was relatively awful on Sunday, too. Now, on a short week, they have to prepare to take a trip to the West Coast to face what might be the best front four in the NFL. What’s the worst that could happen?Anthony Barr http://www.thevikingsfootballauthentic.com/andrew-sendejo-jersey-authentic , LB - I know that Eric touched on this briefly in his preview leading up to this week’s game, but I want to ask this:Exactly what has Anthony Barr done since the hit that knocked out Aaron Rodgers last October?Here’s a summary of Barr’s first half:Honestly, this is a guy that sat out a little bit of Organized Team Activities earlier this year because he saw lots of people getting new contracts and not him. He’s a guy that’s playing for his next contract, whether it’s in Minnesota or somewhere else. If he keeps playing the way he has been so far, frankly whoever wants him can have him. I don’t know if it’s rooted in injury or disinterest or unhappiness with his contract or what it is, but he damn sure doesn’t look like a guy that Rick Spielman and company should be preparing to back up the proverbial armored truck for.I’ll grant you, just about every guy on the Vikings’ defense on Sunday had a bad game. I’m not sure if any of them had a worse game than Barr, and in Barr’s case it’s becoming more of a pattern.I could greatly expand on the Junk Bonds section, but we’d be here all night, so let’s move on.Buy/SellBuy: John DeFilippo let this game get away from him - To say that the Minnesota Vikings’ play calling was unbalanced on Sunday would be the ultimate understatement. In 65 offensive plays on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings had six rushes. Two of those runs came from Kirk Cousins on scrambles, which means that the Vikings called four designed runs on Sunday afternoon against the Bills.Four. As in, like, one per quarter. Mike Boone and Latavius Murray had two carries each. That was it.I know that Dalvin Cook sat this one out, but seriously. . .there needs to be some sort of balance there, even when the game gets out of hand early.Sell: John DeFilippo isn’t a great offensive coordinator - That having been said, I do think that DeFilippo is a good offensive coordinator overall. He’s shown a lot of things to be excited about over the first few weeks of the season, and I think that a game like this is going to prove to be the exception rather than the rule for him going forward. Besides, he didn’t make Kirk Cousins cough up those fumbles and put the offense in a terrible position early. Much like Bob Schnelker, that was not John DeFilippo’s fault.Buy: The Minnesota Vikings have a lot of talented defensive players - It’s hard to deny that the Vikings have numerous talented players on the defensive side of the football. Guys like Danielle Hunter and Linval Joseph and Harrison Smith and Xavier Rhodes are all among the best in the NFL at their positions. There are as many talented players on the Minnesota Vikings’ defense as there are on any other defense in the National Football League.Sell: The Minnesota Vikings are one of the best defenses in the National Football League - Having said that, something has happened to this team and they’re not even close to anything resembling a “great” defense. Not anymore. They fell apart in the second half against New Orleans, they fell apart against Philadelphia, they weren’t great against San Francisco, they weren’t great against Green Bay, and they damn sure weren’t great today against Buffalo. They still have the reputation of being a great defense, certainly, but as of right now they’re coasting on that reputation a bit.Buy: Mike Hughes has all the skills to be a great return man - We’ve seen all the highlights, and we know that part of the reason the Vikings liked him coming out of college was because of his potential ability as a return specialist.Sell: Mike Hughes needs to bring every kickoff out of the end zone - Having said that, Mike Hughes is not Percy Harvin or Cordarrelle Patterson. Yes, I know the Vikings were looking for a spark today. However, on the three returns that Hughes brought out of the end zone on Sunday, he failed to reach the 25 on any of them, and on two of the three the Vikings were penalized Youth Mike Hughes Jersey , pushing them back to inside their own 10-yard line. Sometimes it’s okay to just take the ball at the 25-yard line. Somebody needs to tell him that.Buy: This is one of the most embarrassing losses in recent regular season history - All of the indications were that the Vikings should have won this game in a big way. The Bills got throttled in their season opener and didn’t look great in Week 2, either. The Vikings were at home, they looked to be the better and more talented team on paper, and they were looking to bounce back after their tie against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2. But, that didn’t happen.Sell: The 2018 season is over - That said, this is Week 3. Yes, the Vikings have two very difficult road games coming up. Yes, it’s very possible that this team could be 1-3-1 after those two games. But this team does have talent, and although this is humiliating and not at all what we were expecting, there’s still a lot of football to be played. The Vikings have to make some adjustments and get some things straightened out, but it’s only September. At least, that’s what I’m going to keep telling myself.I’d give you a Grandson Quote of the Week, but. . .well, I don’t have kids. Therefore, I have no grandkids. Therefore, I have no such thing along those lines to offer you.That’s this week’s SMR, folks. I’ll be back with this next week as well with Ted still being on vacation. *****Download Link Here*****Episode Notes:Here’s the link, when it goes live, to my review of the Eagles gameHere’s the discussion of the game probability and late game management I mentionedThis is my 2014 article on Chad GreenwayThis piece on rushing overrelies on yards-per-carry to make its point, but it does an excellent job otherwise demonstrating that the relationship is positive but not huge.This piece does an excellent job localizing it to the first three quartersThis one, by Ben Baldwin, shows that the relationship between running — whether by volume, effectiveness or attempts — doesn’t seem to relate to much to passing.This study breaks it down in a variety of ways and found the same.Special thanks to Rhymesayers Entertainment and Atmosphere for the new theme song!Arif - @ArifHasanNFLJames - @bigmonoTo listen to more, this is the link to that iTunes feed. If you can’t for whatever reason subscribe via iTunes, subscribe to via our RSS feed, which should support the RSS reader or podcast organizer of your choice. You can still leave a review even if you can’t subscribe via iTunes because it’s easy to create an AppleID. We also have a YouTube channel. Our podcasts are automatically uploaded there.If you want to make sure you don’t miss an episode and find out ways to support the show, head to our website!But we also have a Patreon and that should make it even easier to support the best podcast for your Minnesota Vikings. We know that it’s a tough ask given all the problems involving their transaction fees, but if can manage it, check it out here. If you wanted to donate via Paypal instead of Patreon, head to this link.Once again, contact me at arifmhasan (at) gmail dot com or the podcast at NorseCodePodcast (at) gmail dot com. Follow us on twitter at @NorseCodeDN or just me at @ArifHasanNFL. You can follow producer and host James Pogatshnik at @bigmono.

 The Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles have played against each other 27 times throughout the years Womens Ben Gedeon Jersey , dating back to their first matchup in 1962. According to Eagles fans, only one of those games has ever mattered.[Waits for Philly fans to throw full beer cans and scream “THIRTY-EIGHT TO SEVEN!!!!1!!1” a few dozen times]OK, now that we’re done with that, let’s take our weekly look back at the Vikings’ history against their upcoming opponent. As always, the numbers in this story are brought to you by the good folks at Pro Football Reference.Total regular season and playoff games between the Vikings and the Eagles: 27All-time record: Regular season: Vikings, 13-10. Playoffs: Eagles, 4-0.Total Vikings points scored, head-to-head: 594 (22.0 points/game)Total Eagles points scored, head-to-head: 650 (24.1 points/game)Longest Vikings winning streak vs Eagles: 7, their first seven meetings from 28 Oct 1962 to 3 Dec 1978Longest Eagles winning streak vs Vikings: 5, from 11 November 2001 to 4 January 2009Most recent Vikings road win in series: 28 December 2010 (final score 24-14 http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-remmers-jersey , the infamous Tuesday night game)Most recent Eagles home win in series: 21 January 2018 (final score SHUT UP)Biggest Vikings road win in series: 21 points, 15 December 1963 (final score 34-13)Biggest Eagles home win in series: 31 points, twice (48-17 on 11 November 2001 and...SHUT UP)Current streak: Eagles, 2 winsObviously, the Vikings can’t do anything on Sunday that will make up for the thrashing they took in last year’s NFC Championship Game. Even if they win by a score of 38-7 or better, it’s a regular season game and the Eagles already have their shiny new Super Bowl rings.What the Vikings can do is try to find the wheels that fell off of their defense last January and haven’t been put back on yet. The Los Angeles Rams will likely expose a lot of defenses throughout the course of the season, but the way they out-schemed the Vikings in every way on that side of the ball was uncharacteristic of what we’re used to seeing from a Mike Zimmer-coached defense. The offense looked much better last week, but Minnesota is still dead last in rushing and pressures allowed through four weeks. The Vikings need to clean things up in a hurry. Meanwhile, the defending champs are coming off a disappointing loss of their own. They squandered a two touchdown lead on the road to the Tennessee Titans, allowing three straight fourth down conversions in the game-clinching overtime touchdown drive. Most of the key pieces have returned for a shot at a repeat in Philadelphia. However, throughout the preseason and through the first four weeks of the regular season Cheap Anthony Barr Jersey , this doesn’t look like the Eagles team that rampaged their way to a title eight months ago.While the Vikings dominated this series early on, winning the first seven matchups, the Eagles have seven of the past nine between the two teams. Both of the Vikings wins during that stretch were rather unexpected. In the aforementioned Tuesday night game, Joe Webb and the 5-9 Vikings upset the 10-4 Eagles that were favored by 14.5 points at kickoff. Philadelphia was favored by seven points in 2013 when Matt Asiata had the hilarious stat line of 30 rushes, 51 yards, and 3 touchdowns in a 48-30 Vikings win.The most recent regular season game between the Vikings and Eagles wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing contest. In Week 7 of 2016, each team turned the ball over four times. Despite putting up paltry offensive numbers, Carson Wentz and the Eagles won 21-10 thanks in large part to six sacks of Sam Bradford. It was the first loss of the season for the Vikings, who would stumble to a 3-8 finish after starting 5-0. That’s a brief look at some of the history between the Vikings and the Eagles as we prepare for Sunday’s game in Philly. We’ll have more for you as we get closer to kickoff.Don't Sleep on Vikings OL Josh Andrews When Josh Andrews was picked up by the Vikings during the off-season, there wasn’t much fanfare. Great- a second-rate, backup Cheap Adam Thielen Jersey , practice squad, free-agent offensive lineman - big deal.Andrews came from Philadelphia, so presumably new Vikings offense coordinator John DeFilippo must have liked what he saw in Andrews while he was there.Andrews, 27, was a backup center/guard in Philadelphia during his four years there - half of which were spent on the practice squad - including last season.All that doesn’t suggest much - on and off practice squad, only played in a couple games, never won a starting job.The big hurdle for Andrews was that he was playing behind Jason Kelce, who went to two Pro-Bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in three of Andrews’ four years with the Eagles.At left guard, where Andrews played at Oregon State, there was less formidable competition after Evan Mathis left, but Allen Barbre and Stefan Wisniewski were the preferred veterans and played well for Eagles.That left Andrews with a Super Bowl ring but not much of a starting opportunity in Philly.Minnesota http://www.vikingscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-trae-waynes-jersey , by contrast, is the land of opportunity when it comes to the offensive line.I’m not sure how many offensive linemen have started for the Vikings over the past few years - but I’m gonna guess more than 20.And with Nick Easton on IR and Pat Elflein on the PUP list, a guy who can play both guard and center should have a decent opportunity.Especially as the only guy with any substantial playing experience vying for the left guard position is Tom Compton.So What Does Josh Andrews Bring to the Table?Andrews is 6’2”, 311 lbs. and as you can see a little from the picture, built like a tank - but also good athleticism.Against Denver Andrews played 40 snaps at center and 7 at left guard (at end of game) and was the highest graded offensive linemen for the Vikings according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).His grade for the Denver game is very representative of his career pre-season grade - low 80s (good) in pass protection and low-mid 70s (average) in run blocking.From what I can infer, his run blocking grade at left guard is a little better than at center over his career.Those grades are very competitive compared to his competition at left guard and center.Andrews also did well enough in preseason to beat out a former 3rd round pick for a roster spot in 2015.Andrews himself was undrafted in 2014.So, the Vikings and new OL coaches Andrew Janocko and Clancy Barone have something to work with in Josh Andrews, who showed well against the Broncos.It may be worthwhile for the Vikings to give Andrews some first/second team reps at left guard against the Jaguars - both in practices and in the pre-season game - to see how he does there before taking over at center for Edison.