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Their new quarterback Linval Joseph Jersey , Kirk Cousins , is playing up to his big contract. They’re one kick away from starting this season unbeaten.For all their strengths and stability, let alone dwindling space under the salary cap, the Vikings still sought upgrades at three positions in the three days that passed since their 29-29 tie at Green Bay .They signed kicker Dan Bailey after cutting their fifth-round draft pick, Daniel Carlson, following his three missed field goals against the Packers.They dropped wide receiver Stacy Coley, a seventh-rounder in 2017, in favor of Aldrick Robinson for a more experienced backup. When defensive tackle Tom Johnson became available, they brought him back to spell Sheldon Richardson and let David Parry go.“I wanted to go somewhere that had an opportunity to win and be a part of an organization that’s right there and right on the brink of having a lot of success,” said Bailey, who like Johnson had offers from multiple teams. “When this situation came up Jarius Wright Jersey Black Friday , it fit the bill perfectly.”Such cutthroat competition is commonplace in the NFL, of course, but nonetheless indicative of the all-in approach the front office has applied in 2018 in pursuit of a Super Bowl.There’s little appetite this fall for leaving one of those 53 precious spots on the roster for a developmental purpose, if it can be used instead for a player who’ll contribute to the current team.When the opening week rosters were established, the Vikings had the youngest average age in the NFC. But they replaced Carlson (23) with Bailey (30), Parry (26) with Johnson (34) and Coley (24) with Robinson, who will turn 30 on Monday.Coach Mike Zimmer even texted general manager Rick Spielman and some of the other evaluators this week with this message: “Thank you for trying to get some more players in here.”Zimmer added: “It’s great to see. We felt like we needed to make some moves after that game.”Carlson was going to have a hard time recovering from his performance in Green Bay. Coley made a couple of less-obvious mistakes, but coupled with some costly dropped passes by fellow wide receiver Laquon Treadwell in that game, the Vikings were understandably concerned about their depth behind stars Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.Then Johnson suddenly became available after his release by Seattle, and the Vikings seized on the opportunity to add a player who was good enough to start for the league’s top-ranked defense last season in a reserve role.Johnson became a free agent and picked the Seahawks after the Vikings signed Richardson. The Seahawks told Johnson they preferred to re-sign him, after dropping him from the roster to accommodate the promotion of a player from the practice squad.“I guess they didn’t think I was going to get as much interest as I got https://www.minnesotavikingsshop.com/Andrew-Sendejo-Jersey ,” Johnson said, adding: “It’s something that I wasn’t expecting, as far the better situation that I’m in. I’m taking full advantage of it.”The same goes for Bailey, who was cut by the Dallas Cowboys on Sept. 1 in a cost-cutting move after he struggled in 2017 down the stretch of his seventh NFL season following a groin injury.“Hopefully,” Zimmer said, knocking his knuckles against the podium, “he’s really, really good for us.”The coach hoped aloud that Bailey would solidify the position the same way Cousins has at quarterback, after the carousel that has spun at both spots since Zimmer arrived in 2014.“For me it was about being patient and waiting for the right opportunity,” Bailey said.“It’s hard to say if I would have waited longer, but that was my game plan going into it. I’m fortunate this opportunity came up Matt Wile Color Rush Jersey , and I took advantage.”___ There really is no touchdown like a fat guy touchdown, and Linval Joseph provided one of those for us on Sunday afternoon as the Minnesota Vikings took on the Philadelphia Eagles.The Eagles had just gained a first down into Minnesota territory at the 31-yard line. On the next play, Stephen Weatherly knifed through the Vikings’ offensive line and hammered Carson Wentz. Then. . .greatness happened.The ball floated out of Wentz’s hands and into the waiting arms of Linval Joseph. Joseph knew exactly what to do with it, as he took off down the right sideline and, with the help of a couple of blocks, got the ball into the end zone for a 64-yard score.It will go down in the record books as a fumble recovery for Joseph and not an interception, per the NFL stats folks.This was the first touchdown in the career of Linval Joseph, and is the third-longest fumble recovery for a touchdown in Vikings’ history by a defensive lineman.That touchdown gave the Vikings a 10-3 lead, and they’ve expanded that lead to 17-3 at halftime.

 New England has displayed numerous issues in the Donald Trump Jersey Black Friday passing game during back-to-back losses . But its inability to produce a sustained rushing attack has been just as glaring.Coach Bill Belichick said he’s seen moments in which his team has looked good running the ball.He also acknowledges those instances have been few from a rushing attack that has yet to produce a touchdown through three games.Now the Patriots will have to find a way to fix things without starter Rex Burkhead. He was placed on injured reserve Wednesday , three days after he left the loss to the Detroit Lions with a neck injury.“It’s been inconsistent,” Belichick said. “We need more consistency in every area of our game. So, the answer’s the same for all of it 鈥?running game, passing game. We haven’t been consistent enough.”Burkhead goes to IR as New England’s leading rusher this season, carrying 24 times for 86 yards. Running back Kenjon Barner was signed Wednesday to fill his spot on the roster.But the coaching staff will be looking primarily to veteran James White and rookie Sony Michel to increase their output in Burkhead’s absence.Michel has been the Patriots’ second-most productive running back so far, tallying 24 carries for 84 yards.White has gotten his touches mostly through the passing game, hauling in a team-best 14 catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He has rushed 13 times for 66 yards.He said Burkhead’s loss hurts, but is nothing they can’t recover from.“Rex is a good football player. It’s tough to see him go down,” White said. “Guys like myself, Sony, Kenjon 鈥?we just gotta step up and kind of fill that void.”Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has been pleased with how Michel has performed after missing the entire preseason with a knee issue.“He’s a young player that’s in his second game,” McDaniels said. “So, trying to bring him along, improve just like everybody else 鈥?nothing special or anything like that. We’re just trying to do the things that we feel like we can do to move the ball and make first downs and score points.”That is expected to be tough again this week against a Miami Dolphins defense that is allowing opponents just 89 rushing yards per game. The Dolphins are also only giving up 17.3 points per game. New England is averaging 19.7 points, tied for 25th in the NFL. The Patriots averaged 29 points per game in 2017.Still, Miami coach Adam Gase isn’t taking much comfort in New England’s early issues. He expected the Patriots would be a handful to prepare for even without the roster changes they’ve undergone over the past few weeks.“It’s a challenge, period https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Eric-Rowe-Jersey , just dealing with anything that (McDaniels) has his hands on because he’s going to be multiple,” Gase said.“Once the game starts, you might have a little bit of an idea, but he’s always going to have that next step ready to go.”White has confidence that he and his teammates will be able to turn things around.“We have a lot to improve on, but we have all we need here,” he said. “We’re gonna continue to work, be on the same page, start fast and keep that energy for four quarters. That’s really what we need to do.”Notes: The Patriots also placed linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley on injured reserve Wednesday and signed defensive end John Simon. Bentley has 13 tackles and one interception on the season. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy said the remaining linebackers will do what’s necessary to fill Bentley’s void. “When put in this situation 鈥?backs against the ball 鈥?we stick together and play Patriot football. We know what we’re capable of.” … Defensive end Trey Flowers, who sat out the Detroit loss with a concussion said he’ hopeful he’ll be able to return this week. “I expect to work and be able to play,” Flowers said. “Whatever happens, happens.”___ TEAM TALKPatriots-Bills Sunday Injury Report.Andy Hart’s Keys to the Starting Lineup: Pats execution beats Buffalo emotion.Press Pass: Players on Josh Gordon adjusting to New England. (1.35 min. video)LOCAL LINKSMike Reiss shares some quick-hit weekend thoughts: Pats haven’t broken stride on one-year anniversary of Jimmy G. trade; Josh Gordon trade value; More.Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Sunday Patriots news, AFC East notes: ‘Did you know? Since 2000 when losing the turnover battle the Patriots are 38-37, or slightly over .500. But the rest of the NFL when losing the T.O. battle is just 713-2765-8’.Ryan Hannable’s Sunday 7: CB Jonathan Jones explains video of three-year-old daughter that went viral.Tom E. Curran glances at the record and explains why Tom Brady’s historic mastery over the Bills is likely to continue tonight.Kevin Duffy gives us five things to watch tonight: Real measuring stick for the defense.Matt Dolloff talks up the Bills’ defense that might keep tonight competitive.Zack Cox offers his Patriots vs. Bills preview: Expect a heavy workload for James White.Andrew Callahan previews Pats-Bills: Predictions, game plans, matchups; More.Karen Guregian warns the Patriots to drop the turnover habit. /Agreed!Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots-Bills Week 8 Monday Night Football: Players to watch.Mike Reiss reports Rob Gronkowski will travel with the Patriots, but adds Gronk stopped short of saying he’d play Monday night against the Bills as he recovers from a back injury.Evan Lazar takes a solid look at LT Trent Brown, who is happy to be in New England and proving to be a rock on Tom Brady’s blind side.Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) NFL Films profiles Danny Shelton’s path to the NFL and how being a parent to four dogs has helped him through his career.NBC Sports Boston passes along a report that the Patriots have ‘had internal discussions’ about reacquiring Jamie Collins.Ryan Hannable mentions the rumor that the Pats are interested in adding a premium WR at the trade deadline, possibly Demaryius Thomas.Rich Thompson Patriots Notebook: Gronkowski is ‘good’ for homecoming vs. Bills; Michel doubtful; Injury upate; More.Karen Guregian NFL Notes: Even without a trade James Develin Color Rush Jersey , Patriots still the favorite as usual.Matt Chatham (Real Thing Patriots Podcast) Buffalo Preview: MNF mismatch, how Patriots keep Bills down. (41 min.)NATIONAL NEWSAndy Benoit (SI) Patriots-Bills preview: Can Buffalo pull the upset on Monday Night Football?Preview Team (Pro Football Focus) NFL Week 8 New England @ Buffalo preview.Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Rob Gronkowski indicates he will play on Monday night.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Nine Patriots are questionable for Monday night.Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Devin and Jason McCourty honored by NFLPA for community work.Albert Breer (SI) Monday Morning QB: Redskins rising, Rams relentless, Vinatieri on top: Week 8 in the NFL.Peter King (ProFootballTalk) Football Morning in America: On the role a Rolex played in keeping the Rams perfect.Will Brinson (CBS Sports) Sorting the Sunday Pile: Old-school Redskins could win NFC East, Cam Newton dissects top defense.Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The seven plays that explain NFL Week 8.Nate Davis (USA Today) 32 Things we learned from Week 8 of the 2018 NFL season.Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) The winners and losers from NFL Week 8.Jason La Canfora (CB Sports) Week 8 NFL insider notes: Seahawks quietly contenders with new-look offense, Steelers can’t bench Conner.Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) Trade deadline has potential to be most active ever, with Pats, Eagles, Steelers in mix.Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) NFL trade deadline: Seven deals that contending teams should make in 2018.Conor Orr (SI) ‘The Bill Bilcheck’ is running for probate judge, and of course he’s a Patriots fan.Robert Whitney (TheAOSN) The NFL’s scariest teams at midseason. Patriots 3rd. Brandon Thorn (USA Football) How offensive tackles keep edge rushers on their toes.Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) NFL Week 8 winners, losers: Browns coach Hue Jackson could be in trouble.John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Week 8 grades.Dana Hunsinger Benbow (IndyStar) Former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano lands NFL job, has his eye on a different one. “Hated Patriots? Of course, of course, it’s a deep hatred...”Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Chuck Pagano hopes to coach next year, beat the hated Patriots./Pats would love to see you coaching again too Chuck.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) TNF ratings up in comparison to ’17, way down in comparison to ’15.Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL keeps teasing London with the possibility of its own team.Kevin Seifert (ESPN) The NFL fires an official and opens Pandora’s box. What’s next?VIEW FROM BUFFALOVic Carucci (Buffalo News) Bills vs. Patriots doesn’t qualify as a rivalry.Anthony Gulizia (ESPN) 28 wins, 13 opposing QBs: Inside Tom Brady’s Bills dominance.Sal Maiorana (Democrat & Chronicle) Do the Bills have a Monday night miracle in them? It’s highly unlikely.Alan Pergament (Buffalo News) Bills fans should root for ‘Tess Effect’ on Monday night.Sal Maiorana (Democrat & Chronicle) The 10 most unforgettable Monday Night Football games in Buffalo Bills history.Mike Rodak (ESPN) Patriots past helps guide OC Brian Daboll in Buffalo.

 As a father of 5, and plenty of things on the to-do list, listening to the ‘talking heads’ just don’t rank high on my priority list. I will sit down https://www.steelerssportshop.com/hats around 12:45 p.m. ET and settle in to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers do battle with any number of opponents. Much to my surprise this week, when Mike Tomlin was heading into the locker room before the Steelers played the Ravens, ESPN’s Dianna Russini asked Tomlin about several different topics, but none larger than the question about Le’Veon Bell.Tomlin, the constant wordsmith, gave Russini, and media outlets everywhere, a tremendous quote on his All-Pro running back who has passed up $7.7 million dollars and has watched James Conner turn in an All-Pro performance of his own.Just watch his response below:As I dug a bit deeper, the fan and media reaction to Tomlin’s remarks were outstanding. People were reading so much into Tomlin’s remarks Pittsburgh Steelers Hoodie , when they should just be taking them at face value.How often does Tomlin have to tell the media he is only concerned about the players who are there in the facility working everyday? How many times does he have to refuse to talk about Bell, because he isn’t there> This was just a unique way of saying the exact same thing. He wants volunteers, or people willing to do work, not hostages who are trying to leverage something for themselves.Maybe this was Tomlin being more candid than he had been previously, but his stance on Bell’s absence has remained strong throughout offseason workouts, training camp, the preseason and the first half of the regular season. If/when Bell returns, Tomlin will then have to make some tough decisions, but until then he will do what he has been saying he will do since the start of the season — focusing on those “volunteers” who are a part of this 5-2-1 team who has won four games in a row.Tomlin loves to make comments like this, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone he used the words he used. But while some want to dissect his words, I suggest we all do something a bit more constructive...Praise James Conner for his ridiculous play throughout the four games during this winning streak. PITTSBURGH (0-0) at CLEVELAND (0-0)Sunday Franco Harris Jersey , 1 p.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE 鈥?Steelers by 6 陆RECORD VS. SPREAD 鈥?Pittsburgh 7-10, Cleveland 4-12SERIES RECORD 鈥?Steelers lead 73-58LAST MEETING 鈥?Steelers beat Browns 28-24, Dec. 31, 2017AP PRO32 RANKING 鈥?Steelers No. 5, Browns No. 31STEELERS OFFENSE – OVERALL (3), RUSH (20), PASS (3).STEELERS DEFENSE – OVERALL (5), RUSH (10), PASS (5).BROWNS OFFENSE – OVERALL (24), RUSH (18) https://www.steelerssportshop.com/Rod-Woodson-Jersey , PASS (22).BROWNS DEFENSE – OVERALL (14), RUSH (7), PASS (19).STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES 鈥?One-sided rivalry for two decades, Steelers are 33-6 against Browns since 1999. … Steelers without Pro Bowl RB Le’Veon Bell, who has been in extended contract holdout with team that has turned nasty. … Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is 21-2 as starter against Browns. … Roethlisberger surpassed 50,000 career yards passing last season, one of only eight NFL QBs to reach plateau. … Ohio native Roethlisberger is 24-4 in games played in home state. … Steelers went 7-1 on road last season. … Steelers All-Pro WR Antonio Brown led all receivers with 1,533 yards receiving in 2017. Brown burned Browns in last season’s opener 鈥?11 catches, 182 yards 鈥?and made critical 38-yard reception in fourth quarter to seal Pittsburgh’s 21-18 win. … Brown’s 582 catches and 7,848 yards are most in five-year span in league history. … Steelers DT Cameron Heyward had team-best 12 sacks in 2017. … Steelers will face former offensive coordinator Todd Haley Rocky Bleier Color Rush Jersey , whose contract was not renewed after six seasons. … Browns coming off just second 0-16 season for any NFL team. … Cleveland’s roster has been overhauled, with 31 new players from last season. … Browns have lost 13 straight openers and are 1-18 in Week 1 since returning as expansion team. Lone win came in 2004. … QB Tyrod Taylor will be 29th different starter for Cleveland since ’99. Taylor expected to start while Browns develop top overall pick Baker Mayfield, who had strong training camp. … Browns DE Myles Garrett missed last season’s opener vs. Steelers with ankle sprain. He’s vowed to “chop down” Roethlisberger since being drafted first overall in 2017. … Browns starting RT Chris Hubbard was Steeler from 2013-17. … Browns WR Josh Gordon set to play in first season opener since 2013, when he led league with 1,646 yards receiving. Gordon, who says he’s as “locked in” as at any point in career, has been suspended for 54 of past 64 games. … Gordon missed training camp to get counseling and won’t start, but expected to have major role. … Browns coach Hue Jackson needs strong start after going 1-31 past two seasons. Fantasy Tip: Until Gordon gets up and running, Browns WR Jarvis Landry will likely be feature target for Taylor. Landry led league with 112 catches last season and his 400 in first four years are most by player to start career.___

 Anthony Prince of Newark made his bet and was handed a https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Daesean-Hamilton-Jersey ticket at incredible 750-1 odds with about a minute left in the game, as the Broncos trailed by 2 points on their final drive. Denver kicked a field goal with 6 seconds left to win 20-19, capping a second half comeback that started with the Broncos down 12-0.FanDuel says its system should have calculated his odds at 1-6, meaning a bettor would have to wager $600 in order to win $100.Prince bet $110 on the Broncos but was stopped when he went to collect from FanDuel’s betting window at the Meadowlands Racetrack in East Rutherford, New Jersey.“They said Case Keenum Color Rush Jersey , ‘Oh, we can’t honor this ticket,'” Prince told News12 New Jersey, which first reported the story. “I said, ‘Why? This is fair and square.’ They said the system had a glitch in it and they’re not obligated to pay for glitches.”FanDuel said in a statement that its system malfunctioned and it is not obligated to pay out on an obvious error.“A small number of bets were made at the erroneous price over an 18 second period. We honored all such bets on the Broncos to win the game at the accurate market price in accordance with our house rules and industry practice, which specifically address such obvious pricing errors Jared Veldheer Jersey ,” FanDuel said in its statement. “We have reached out to all impacted customers and apologized for the error.”How the matter is handled could have far-reaching effects on the budding sports betting industry in New Jersey at a time when new sports books are opening in some other states and lawmakers throughout the country consider whether to also jump in for the potential tax revenue. New Jersey challenged a federal ban and won a U.S. Supreme Court decision in May that cleared the way for gambling on games to expand beyond Nevada.The idea that player money and winnings would be protected and regulated by the state has been a major selling point among sports betting supporters who contrasted legal gambling with shady offshore betting sites where players often have little recourse in disputes.But gambling regulators also have policies in place to void obvious errors in sports bets.David Rebuck, director of the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, said the agency is investigating whether there are grounds to compel FanDuel to pay Prince the stated payout of $82,000. He added the agency is looking “just as importantly @ how it occurred given internal controls exist to prevent such an error. Those findings might also result in the need for further action.”FanDuel’s operation just a few miles from New York made $3 million in its first full month in August and quickly became the most popular sports book in New Jersey.FanDuel declined to say how many bets were made at the incorrect odds.Prince said FanDuel offered him $500 and some tickets to future New York Giants games, adding he should take the offer because they’re not obligated to give him anything.“I said, ‘Wow Connor McGovern Color Rush Jersey , for real?'” Prince said. “You’d rather go to the corner bookies now; you’re not getting paid here.” After seeing nearly a dozen other tight ends come off the board at the 2018 NFL draft, Wisconsin‘s Troy Fumagalli was finally selected in the fifth round by Denver.More Badgers coveragePreview: Happ, defense key as Badgers plot return to tournamentFreshman Cruickshank adding element of speed to BadgersThree AP voters have Badgers ranked in top 15Badgers’ Happ named preseason All-AmericanBadgers emphasize turnovers as big test with Northwestern awaitsFumagalli, who was taken with the No. 156 selection, was named the Big Ten’s tight end of the year after catching 46 passes for 547 yards with four touchdowns. He finished his time with the Badgers ranked seventh on the school’s receptions list with 135 and 13th in receiving yards with 1,627.A former walk-on https://www.broncosfanstore.com , Fumagalli is the sixth Wisconsin tight end to be drafted since 2006, but first since Lance Kendricks in 2011.The Broncos have a few other Big Ten tight ends on its roster in Jeff Heuerman (Ohio State), Jake Butt (Michigan) and Austin Traylor (Wisconsin).

 Doesn’t matter if they’ve been involved in blowouts, shootouts or close games that come down to the final moments, the results have all https://www.ramsfanstore.com/Todd-Gurley-II-Jersey been the same: another Rams win.And because of that, they are the unanimous top team in the latest AP Pro32 poll for the third consecutive week.Once again, the Rams received all 12 first-place votes and 384 points in balloting Tuesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.“The Rams keep finding different ways to win,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.“On a day when Jared Goff isn’t sharp, Todd Gurley scores three touchdowns and Sean McVay makes a gutsy fourth-down call to ice the Seahawks in a shootout win.”And the Rams will look to extend their perfect start as they head to Denver to take on the Broncos.The league’s other 5-0 team, the Kansas City Chiefs, stayed at No. 2. The Chiefs face their biggest test of the season so far when they travel to Foxborough https://www.ramsfanstore.com , Massachusetts to face Tom Brady and the Patriots on Sunday night. The Patriots jumped three spots to No. 4.“Showdown looms with KC,” Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki said.The Saints inched up a spot to No. 3 after Drew Brees became the NFL’s all-time leader in yards passing in New Orleans’ 43-19 rout of Washington on Monday night.The Cincinnati Bengals, who pulled off an unlikely fourth-quarter rally to beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 on Sunday, moved up a spot to No. 5. The next two weeks could go a long way in determining how the Bengals do this season. This week, the Bengals host the Pittsburgh Steelers in a key AFC North matchup. Coach Marvin Lewis is 2-15 at home against their rivals, including the postseason.And the following week, their matchup against the Chiefs got flexed into the Sunday night slot. Cincinnati is 6-14 in prime-time games since 2011, including 0-5 on Sunday night.“We’ll know a lot more about the Bengals after they face the Steelers and Chiefs in the next two weeks, but this team is playing smart Los Angeles Rams Customized Jerseys , winning football,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa.The Carolina Panthers, who squeaked past the New York Giants on Graham Gano‘s 63-yard field goal with 1 second remaining Sunday, jumped three spots to No. 6.The Jacksonville Jaguars dropped four spots to No. 7 after getting routed in Kansas City.“Injuries are taking a heavy toll on an offense struggling to overcome injury issues at running back and left tackle,” The Sporting News’ Alex Marvez said of the Jaguars.The Chicago Bears stayed at No. 8 during their bye week and will return to action against the reeling Miami Dolphins.The Minnesota Vikings jumped five spots to No. 9 after topping the Philadelphia Eagles 23-21 in a rematch of last season’s NFC championship game.Baltimore dropped five spots to No. 10 after losing 12-9 in overtime to AFC North rival Cleveland.And in a Bay Area bummer, the Oakland Raiders, who are down four spots to No. 31, and the San Francisco 49ers, down one place to No. 32 https://www.ramsfanstore.com/t-shirts , round out the poll.___ Interesting game up in the Pacific Northwest as the Los Angeles Rams are tied with the Seattle Seahawks at 17 after one half.It’s been a wacky half.QB Jared Goff tried to force a throw in early to RB Todd Gurley in the redzone that got a funky deflection for an interception following yet another punt block by LB Cory Littleton. And while QB Russell Wilson was able to march the Seahawks down for a TD, Goff and the Rams were able to match thereafter and things settled into a back-and-forth that resembles many of the Rams-Seahawks contests we’ve gotten accustomed to over the years.Of course, this was supposed to be different. The Rams were supposed to blow the Seahawks out.Is this a matter of the Rams dominating the second half then? With WR Brandin Cooks being evaluated for a concussion, do the Rams lean into RB Todd Gurley? Does Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips put in some adjustments to stymie the Seahawks’ offense? The latter seems the most difficult with Wilson just making schoolyard plays out of nothing, but we’ll see.It’s Rams-Seahawks. In Seattle.It’s supposed to be a slugfest.

 First a recap: Jimmy Garoppolo rose to prominence as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s backup and heir apparent. He played sparingly until 2016, starting two games in place of a Minnesota Vikings T-Shirts suspended Brady before suffering a shoulder injury.The Patriots dealt Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers in 2017, where he made his debut during Week 12. He was off and running after that, throwing for 1,542 yards and six touchdowns with five interceptions in five starts, all wins, while earning a 94.0 passer rating.That resume was enough to earn Garoppolo one of the richest contracts in NFL history. His $137.5 million extension was the second-largest contract in the league until last week, when Khalil Mack signed with the Chicago Bears.His first start since signing didn’t quite meet expectations.Garoppolo struggled all afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings, completing just 15 of 33 passes for 261 yards and a touchdown.He was under duress throughout, as the 49ers’ offensive line wilted when faced with the combined talents of Linval Joseph https://www.minnesotavikingsshop.com/hats , Everson Griffen, Danielle Hunter and newcomer Sheldon Richardson.The damage: 12 passes defensed, three interceptions and three sacks. It was, by virtually any metric, the worst game of Garoppolo’s brief career.Garoppolo set career lows in all the wrong areas: completion percentage, passer rating and yards per attempt. He also set some notable highs.That was the first time in his career that Garoppolo has been picked off three times, and just the second time he’s suffered three sacks. He also lost 24 yards on those three sacks, another career high.The Vikings’ defense was particularly effective in the red zone, holding Garoppolo without a touchdown and limiting him to just three completions.It shouldn’t be particularly surprising that a quarterback — even a quarterback with as much hype behind him as Garoppolo — would struggle against the Vikings’ defense.Mike Hughes, Xavier Rhodes and Harrison Smith weren’t exactly showing off on those interceptions Minnesota Vikings Hoodie , but Garopollo’s run as the 49ers’ starter last season wasn’t particularly easy.He showed out against the league’s top pass defense last year, posting a 102.4 passer rating after completing 70 percent of his passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars en route to one of the most impressive wins of his young career.Maybe the Vikings are just that good. The Minnesota Vikings have been built around a stifling defense since Mike Zimmer was hired as head coach.That foundation has developed a frightening amount of cracks, one-fourth of the way through Zimmer’s fifth season. The Vikings allowed 456 passing yards in their 38-31 loss in Los Angeles to the Rams on Thursday night, the highest total against them since 1980.Zimmer said afterward he’s never been a part of pass defense so poor in his career, which includes successful stretches as an innovative defensive coordinator with Cincinnati and Dallas. The following afternoon, Zimmer wasn’t in any better of a mood when he was asked to assess the coverage breakdowns that led to five touchdown passes by Jared Goff.“It was guys getting out of position. There was some misdirection plays. It was similar to what we’ve gotten before,” Zimmer said on a conference call with reporters on Friday. “Some of it was corners, some of it was safeties, some of it was linebackers, some of it was nickels https://www.minnesotavikingsshop.com/Paul-Krause-Jersey , some of it was me.”You?“I might be over-coaching them some,” Zimmer said.The good news is the Vikings have three extra days to recover from the Rams game and prepare for their trip to Philadelphia. The bad news is that next game is against the Super Bowl champion Eagles, who were last seen by the Vikings in that 38-7 blowout in the NFC championship game. As dominant as Zimmer’s defenses have been, certain teams with versatile and creative passing attacks have been able to exploit them. The Eagles last season and the Rams this year are two glaring examples.Zimmer stopped short of blaming his system for the problems against the Rams, noting the 24-7 victory by the Vikings in Minnesota last season, but the most devastating plays against them on Thursday night were the result of mismatches that Rams head coach Sean McVay helped create with either pre-snap confusion or clever play-calling.Vikings outside linebacker Anthony Barr wound up in coverage on three of the five touchdown passes, to running back Todd Gurley , wide receiver Cooper Kupp and wide receiver Robert Woods .“They had a good game plan against us,” defensive end Danielle Hunter said. “We made more mistakes than they did, and then they ended up on top.”The Vikings only allowed 300-plus passing yards in six games over Zimmer’s first four seasons Fran Tarkenton Jersey Black Friday , let alone 400-plus, with a previous high of 383 passing yards at Miami in 2014. Even the 2013 team that finished next-to-last in the league in passing defense didn’t yield a 400-yard game.With the arrival of a new quarterback and offensive coordinator, Zimmer said, he figured the Vikings (1-2-1) could start slowly the season. They were 2-2 at the first-quarter mark last year, before finishing 13-3. So all is not lost, but this once-daunting defense has a lot of work to do.“This team has a chance to be really, really good. One week it’s the offense. One week it’s the defense. One week it’s the special teams,” Zimmer said. “If we put it all together, we can beat any team there is.”___

 Brees broke Peyton Manning’s record for career passing yards on Monday night and Brady became the third quarterback to throw 500 touchdown passes last Thursday night. Brady is 40 TD passes away from passing Manning for first on the career list. He also is one win away from becoming https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Rex-Burkhead-Jersey the first quarterback with 200 regular-season wins.Arizona’s Josh Rosen, Buffalo’s Josh Allen, Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield and the New York Jets‘ Sam Darnold did their part to prove the NFL should be in good hands in the future. Each player led his team to victory in Week 5, the first time since the merger that rookie QBs were 4-0 or better in a single week.Here’s a look inside more numbers going into Week 6:NO AUTOMATICS: Extra points haven’t been automatic since the NFL moved the conversion back 13 yards from the 2-yard line to the 15 in 2015. But kickers are missing even more attempts this season. Through five weeks, there have been 20 missed extra points. There were 17 in each of the previous two seasons at this point and 18 in 2015.DESHAUN’S QUEST: Deshaun Watson can become the first quarterback to throw for 375 yards or more in four consecutive games when the Houston Texans host Buffalo. Ryan Fitzpatrick did it in the first three games this season. Brady and Hall of Famer Kurt Warner also had three-game streaks. Jacksonville’s Blake Bortles has done it in the past two games.KIRK’S IMPACT: Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins is the first player in league history to complete at least 30 passes in four consecutive games. Adam Thielen is a recipient of many of those throws. He is the third player with at least 100 yards receiving in each of his team’s first five games to start a season.GO-TO GUY: Zach Ertz has been Carson Wentz’s go-to receiver since the Eagles quarterback returned from knee surgery. Ertz has at least 10 catches for 100 yards in two straight games. Only four players have ever done it three consecutive weeks.FREE FOOTBALL: At least one game has reached overtime in each of the first five weeks. That hadn’t happened before. The Browns have played in three OT games already, going 1-1-1.GREATEST SHOW ON TURF: The Rams are the fifth team to score at least 30 points in each of their first five games to start a season in NFL history. The record is eight held by the 2000 Rams, 2013 Broncos and 2007 Patriots. For the second straight year James Harrison Jersey , the Patriots have tried to show Rob Gronkowski how much he’s valued.The All-Pro tight end says he’s feeling the love and is looking forward to showing them his appreciation on the field.Last week the Patriots added $4.3 million in incentives to Gronkowski’s contract over the next two seasons. The deal includes $1 million in per game bonuses and $3.3 million in incentives for catches, playing time and touchdowns.It is the second consecutive season the team has added sweeteners to the 29-year-old’s contract. Last season the incentives New England gave him pushed his compensation to more than $10 million.With this latest restructured deal he has the potential to make $12.3 million this season and $13.3 million next year. It could again place him among the league’s highest-paid tight ends as he prepares to open his ninth NFL season Sunday against Houston.“It’s definitely a relief to have that all out of the way,” Gronkowski said Tuesday. “That was last week. That’s in the past, which is good. I’m just gonna put my main focus on the Houston Texans.”This new pact comes after Gronk made a silent statement by skipping the voluntary portion of offseason workouts.When he returned for the mandatory minicamp he wasn’t bashful in saying he’d like to see his contract redone again on the heels of other NFL players getting offseason raises.Gronk insisted that there was never any acrimony between himself and the Patriots this summer over his contract.“It didn’t weigh on me at all,” he said. “I mean, everything is always ‘in the works.’ Nothing is just gonna happen in a day when it’s something like that. It’s in the past. … It’s go-time now.”Gronkowski put himself in position to renegotiate after leading the team in receptions (69), receiving yards (1 Cordarrelle Patterson Jersey ,084) and receiving touchdowns (eight) last season.Though he never contemplated holding out, Gronkowski said he isn’t envious of some of the heftier contracts that some of his NFL peers have gotten recently.“I’m super-satisfied with my situation,” he said. “If I wasn’t, then I would try to pull a move like they (did). It just works out. You get rewarded for holding out. But I’m not frustrated at all. … I’m ready to play.”He expected to again be one of 41-year-old quarterback Tom Brady‘s top targets in the passing game. His importance to the offense will only be amplified with receiver Julian Edelman suspended for the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancers.Brady is also adjusting to some new receivers, following the trade of Brandin Cooks to the Los Angeles Rams and Danny Amendola signing a free agent deal with Miami.With Edelman out, Chris Hogan 鈥?entering his third season in New England 鈥?is the most-tenured receiver Brady will have at the start of the season.Special teams captain Matt Slater is listed as a receiver. But he has caught just one pass in 10 seasons with the Patriots.Still, Gronk said he doesn’t feel any extra pressure to produce more than he normally does.“There’s always pressure around this building Jeremy Hill Jersey Black Friday , no matter what the situation is,” he said. “When you lose a guy, or for example when they lose me out there on the field, the goal is just to keep on maintaining what you’re doing.“No matter who is in there, who’s not, I just gotta keep focusing on my job and keep helping the team the best way I can.”NOTES: Jacksonville cornerback Jalen Ramsey made headlines last week when he told “ESPN The Magazine” that “I don’t think Gronk is as great as people think he is.” Asked if he had any reaction, Gronkowski said he’d defer responding for now. “We got the Houston Texans this week https://www.patriotsfanstore.com/Isaiah-Wynn-Jersey ,” he said. “That will just be another time and place to talk about (that). But, as of right now, I’m just focused on the Texans.” New England visits Jacksonville on Sept. 16.

The team isn’t going to help him any longer. He let them down for the final time.The Browns announced Saturday night that it intends to release the former Pro Bowl wide receiver Larry Warford Color Rush Jersey , whose immense talent has been overshadowed by substance abuse that has derailed a promising career.The stunning news came just hours after the Browns said Gordon would miss Sunday’s game in New Orleans with a mysterious hamstring injury. Gordon has been suspended by the NFL for most of the past four seasons because of multiple drug violations, and the Browns have been supportive of the 27-year-old for years as he tried to get his life together.Not anymore.“This afternoon we informed Josh Gordon and his representatives that we are going to release him on Monday,” general manager John Dorsey said in a statement. “For the past six years, the Browns have fully supported and invested in Josh, both personally and professionally and wanted the best for him, but unfortunately we’ve reached a point where we feel it’s best to part ways and move forward. We wish Josh well.”The team provided no specifics about what prompted their decision to part ways with Gordon. He reported to the team’s headquarters earlier in the day, and spokesman said Gordon was evaluated by doctors and the decision was made to keep him home because of the hamstring.Gordon posted a message on his Instagram account thanking the city of Cleveland.“This place will always feel like home to me,” Gordon said. “”I’m extremely honored and blessed to grow up and start a life amongst such a passionate and motivated group of individuals. It’s been a hell of a journey with you guys. I wish all of you nothing but the best.”Gordon went on to thank the Browns “for having me. I’ll never forget me time here. Same book, next chapter.”He ended the post with, “P.S. Anybody need a deep threat WR??”It’s unclear what his imminent release means for Gordon’s playing future. Gordon was in the league’s substance-abuse program and if he failed another drug test, he could be facing more discipline.It’s possible the Browns will try to trade Gordon before Monday so they can recoup something for a player whose has wasted his massive potential. If Cleveland releases Gordon, he’ll be a free agent and can sign anywhere.Losing Gordon is a major blow to Cleveland’s offense. The Browns have receivers Jarvis Landry, rookie Antonio Callaway and Rashard Higgins https://www.thesaintsfanshop.com/Ted-Ginn-Jr-Jersey , but none of them poses the same deep-field threat as the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Gordon who has breakaway speed.The Browns have had negotiations with former Dallas star Dez Bryant, but the sides have not been able to work out a deal.Gordon missed three weeks of training camp this summer to undergo counseling and treatment, and he recently said he was in a good place mentally and physically.Gordon played in last week’s season opener against Pittsburgh, his first appearance in a Week 1 game since 2012, when he was a rookie.On Wednesday, Gordon, who played 69 snaps last week, said he was glad to have the opener behind him and was looking forward to playing the Saints.“Physically I felt great,” he said. “It was good to get that experience and that feeling underneath me, especially an overtime game, the weather and everything, the amount of snaps and reps Garrett Grayson Jersey , it’s good for my body to feel that. I feel great now. I felt great during the game, it was just good to see that my motor was at a decent point at that late in the game.”Gordon was expected to have an expanded role this week against the Saints after being targeted just three times in a 21-21 tie against the Steelers. He caught a game-tying, 17-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter, but was mostly used as a decoy.Gordon started the opener despite coach Hue Jackson saying he wouldn’t be on the field for the first snap as punishment for missing camp. Jackson blamed Gordon’s appearance on the first play a “mistake” and “miscommunication,” and Gordon said he was shocked to be on the field.Jackson refused to elaborate on the situation this week, saying he and the coaching staff wanted to “move on.”Gordon emerged as one of pro football’s most dynamic players in 2013, when he led the league with 1,646 yards receiving and scored nine touchdowns. However, he’s been in a downward spiral since and Gordon by Commissioner Roger Goodell for the entire 2015 and 2016 seasons.He sat out the first 11 games last year before returning for Cleveland’s final five games, and caught 18 passes for 335 yards and one touchdown.His teammates had been encouraged by Gordon’s commitment to staying clean and turning his life around. Other than his unexpected absence from training camp, Gordon had been a solid teammate and there was hope he had finally turned the corner after so many setbacks.The Browns selected Gordon in the 2012 supplemental draft despite his background of drug use in college. METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Saints cornerback Patrick Robinson sees his ease in front of a swarm of microphones as symbolic of the more secure person and player he has become since his unsatisfying first stint in New Orleans.He left the Saints in 2015 as a five-year veteran who’d never quite lived up to expectations since being selected out of Florida State in the first round of the 2010 draft, just months after the Saints had won their only Super Bowl. Now he’s back one season after winning his first Super Bowl with Philadelphia.“My first tenure here I was quite weak-minded P. J. Williams Color Rush Jersey , to be honest,” says Robinson, who signed a four-year free-agent contract worth about $20 million with New Orleans this offseason. “I wasn’t that mentally strong. I left and had some experiences, and that definitely helped me. So now I’m a totally different person.”Early in his career, Robinson routinely struggled to get out entire sentences without seizing up in awkward silence as he tried to make his mouth utter the words in his head. It was known that he preferred to conduct interviews off camera.Not anymore. And the way the 30-year-old Robinson sees it, the same growth in maturity and confidence that helped him overcome his speech impediment also helped him on the field, and he asserts that the Saints are regaining his services at a time when he’s the best he’s ever been.“Going through the trials and tribulations — that really helped me as a person. So I’ve definitely grown since then, a lot,” Robinson said. “I’m more comfortable. I just try not to make it more than what it is.”Robinson said a combination of self-doubt and a tendency to get discouraged by injuries kept him from playing to his potential early in his career. It also didn’t help that he played man-to-man coverage all throughout his college career. He described learning the Saints’ more exotic defense his rookie season as something akin to “a different language for me. And I was kind of lost — very lost.”He didn’t become a fill-time starter until his third season, in 2012, when New Orleans fielded one of the worst defenses in NFL history. Injuries sidelined him nearly all of the 2013 season, when New Orleans defense improved dramatically and the team made the playoffs. He returned as a starter in 2014, when New Orleans again struggled defensively https://www.thesaintsfanshop.com/Kurt-Coleman-Jersey , ranking last in the league, and the Saints missed the playoffs.Robinson then spent one season each in San Diego and Indianapolis before sliding into a role as a slot defender last season with the Eagles. It seemed to suit him. His four interceptions tied his career high, first set with the Saints in 2011. Robinson added an interception for a 50-yard touchdown in the Eagles’ NFC title game triumph over Minnesota.Now Robinson even has the confidence to discuss some of the changes he’s noticed in coach Sean Payton since his previous stint with the club.“I’ve definitely seen a difference. Before he was just like very serious about everything,” Robinson said. “Now he’s kind of lightened up a little bit, has a bit of leeway with certain things.“I’m not sure why, but he’s a little bit more lenient.”Saints quarterback Drew Brees was fresh off his Super Bowl MVP season when he was invited to announced Robinson as the Saints’ top pick in the following draft. He said Robinson’s maturity has been evident in camp.“He just doesn’t look like a young guy who’s still trying to get it and understand it,” Brees said. “He looks like a guy who’s been there, played that position, and has had that experience. He’s seen that route and that concept. … He is much better with his communication with other defensive backs out there on the field.”41View Gallery Gallery:PHOTOS: Saints open preseason with 24-20 loss at JacksonvilleDouglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports | Douglas DeFelice

Roethlisberger and Brown are one of the most prolific quarterback-wide receiver tandems in NFL history https://www.steelerssportshop.com/Mike-Hilton-Jersey , but the duo has struggled to find a rhythm through four games as Pittsburgh has stumbled to a 1-2-1 start.They’ll seek consistency entering the Steelers‘ home game Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons.“It’s like Wi-Fi,” Brown said Friday. “Sometimes the connection is poor. Sometimes the connection is great. But it’s always connected.”Brown eclipsed 1,500 yards receiving three of the last four years and is the only player in NFL history to have five straight seasons with at least 100 receptions. Last season, the four-time All-Pro averaged 15.2 yards per catch on 101 receptions and he led the league with 1,533 yards, but his statistics are down this year.Brown’s 53 targets are second-most in the league, but he has just 29 receptions for 272 yards receiving and a 9.4-yard per catch average, well below his 13.4-yard career mark. Brown maintained Friday that his relationship with Roethlisberger is strong.“Me and Ben laugh about (the media) creating drama, writing about us, trying to create adversity and distractions,” Brown said. “We actually text about it. We communicate a lot on text messages about you guys.”Roethlisberger and Brown have connected on 723 completions https://www.steelerssportshop.com , good for the fourth-most in NFL history between a quarterback and wide receiver. Their 62 touchdowns are the most in franchise history, and one score Sunday will tie Roethlisberger and Brown for No. 10 all-time with Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry.Roethlisberger, who currently ranks second in the league with 1,414 passing yards, blamed himself for Brown’s slow start.“I think I just have to play better to help him get his numbers, which would help us get wins,” Roethlisberger said.Last week against Baltimore, Brown caught five passes for 62 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets. He was targeted five times in the second half, but caught one pass for five yards as Pittsburgh managed just 47 yards of offense after halftime during a 26-14 loss.Brown believes a win against the Falcons can cure the Steelers’ woes.“We’re going to make our plays,” said Brown, who needs one touchdown catch to tie John Stallworth for third-most in franchise history. “The plays will be there. We just gotta find a way to win.”Steelers’ coach Mike Tomlin expects Roethlisberger and Brown to rebound.“They’ll smooth it out Pittsburgh Steelers Customized Jerseys ,” Tomlin said. “Oftentimes people spend a lot of time to minimize tandems such as (Roethlisberger and Brown), and usually over the course of the journey the cream rises, and they’ll show what they are capable of. They have done it for a long time. They’ll be the formidable tandem that they always are.”NOTES: S Morgan Burnett (groin), LB Vince Williams (hamstring) and WR Darrius Heyward-Bey (ankle) are all listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game against Atlanta. Burnett would miss his third straight game. Williams’ streak of 83 consecutive regular-season games played 鈥?fourth-longest among active NFL linebackers 鈥?is expected to end. CB Mike Hilton is expected to return after missing the Ravens game with an elbow injury. CINCINNATI (AP) — Fans in the upper deck at Paul Brown Stadium hung a banner that read: “Make Them Respect Us.” Instead, the Steelers broke their hearts in the last minute all over again.The Bengals let yet another one slip away against their AFC North rival, and this one hurt in many familiar ways. Antonio Brown’s 31-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown with 10 seconds left sent Pittsburgh to a 28-21 victory Sunday.It’s seven and a row and counting in a one-sided rivalry that always seems to turn out the Steelers’ way.“I can’t really explain it,” said receiver Tyler Boyd, who had two touchdown catches .Whenever they come to Cincinnati, the Steelers (3-2-1) have confidence they can pull another one out no matter how far down, no matter how little time is left. They’ve done it repeatedly during that seven-game winning streak.When Joe Mixon scored on a four-yard touchdown run with 1:18 to go, the Bengals (4-2) celebrated as though they’d finally gotten that breakthrough win. They should have known better.“We left enough time on there for them to go down and score Pittsburgh Steelers T-Shirts ,” receiver Alex Erickson said.The Steelers knocked the Bengals out of the playoffs in 2015 with the help of Vontaze Burfict’s hit to Brown’s head, which set up Chris Boswell’s field goal for an 18-16 victory with 14 seconds left. During the seven-game streak, the Steelers have rallied from deficits of 17-0 and 17-3 to win at Paul Brown Stadium. Last December, Boswell’s 38-yard field goal on the final play gave Pittsburgh a 23-20 win.Brown’s touchdown was the latest entry to the litany of letdowns.“Imagine how we feel,” cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. “I imagine how the fans feel.”They stood stunned as thousands of Steelers fans among them twirled their yellow towels in celebration. When Andy Dalton’s pass fell incomplete to end it, a scuffle broke out among players on the field as fans headed for the exits.The numbers are staggering. The Bengals are 8-25 against the Steelers during coach Marvin Lewis’ 16 seasons, including 2-16 at Paul Brown Stadium, including two playoff losses. Overall, Cincinnati has lost 10 of 11 and 15 of 18 in the series.The Bengals’ defense was depleted by injuries on the final drive, but the decision to go for an all-out blitz and leave no safeties to protect the end zone wound up costing them. Ben Roethlisberger saw the defense line up and knew it could be a touchdown if he got the ball to Brown quickly. Brown ran untouched to the end zone, cutting behind Justin Hunter’s block.“We are not going to second-guess anything https://www.steelerssportshop.com/hats ,” Lewis said. “They made the play and we didn’t.”The game also added another layer of hard feelings. Burfict traded words with Roethlisberger 3 minutes into the game, and a teammate had to push Burfict away from James Conner to prevent a penalty after the Steelers running back scored a touchdown.Burfict hit Brown in the head as he was being tackled after a reception in the third quarter. The play wasn’t flagged, but Brown got up woozy and had to miss a couple of plays before returning. The NFL is expected to review the play.“A nasty hit,” Brown said.After the game, Burfict yelled at a reporter who asked a Bengals player about the hit. Lewis declined to comment on it.“I don’t know what play you are talking about,” he said. “There were a lot of plays out there.”

 when asked if he’s contemplating lineup changes or taking over the play-calling from defensive coordinator Joe Woods.“It’s all being considered. We’re still watching the tape to figure out what’s the best course of action Royce Freeman Color Rush Jersey , but it’s all being considered,” Joseph said a day after the Broncos‘ 34-16 loss to the New York Jets in which they allowed 512 yards, 343 on the ground.Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said he has no inkling of the changes in store, except that “we’ve got to play better, we’ve got to execute better as a defense, play with more awareness. They gave us a whole bunch of new looks in the run game that we’ve got to be prepared for in the future and try to clean up all of the mistakes.”Harris said he’s still confident in Woods.“Oh yeah, we just watched the game and I can honestly say he had probably one or two bad calls,” Harris said. “The rest is just poor execution.”The Broncos (2-3) are mired in a three-game skid with the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams (5-0) coming in next week. This marks the return of Wade Phillips, whose contract wasn’t renewed last year after he molded a championship defense in Denver.Phillips left because the Broncos wanted to promote Woods from secondary coach, but Woods hasn’t had similar success.After cornerback Bradley Roby surrendered two long TD passes Sunday, NBC analyst Tony Dungy declared, “The ‘No Fly Zone’ is dead.”Denver’s defensive dominance is history, too.Despite the efforts of Harris and end Derek Wolfe Brandon Marshall Jersey , who had his first career interception Sunday, the Broncos have one of the worst defenses in the league 鈥?they’re ranked 26th overall and 30th against the run.Star linebacker Von Miller has been quiet since a three-sack opener and hasn’t come close to a sack in three weeks, but it’s Roby’s struggles that have been the most notable.The Broncos traded Aqib Talib to the Rams last offseason to clear both salary cap space and room for Roby, who got a pay raise this season from about $1 million to $8.526 million in the final season of his rookie contract.Roby’s adjustment from nickel cornerback to starter has been an arduous one.After being criticized all season for giving too much cushion to the receivers, Roby allowed a 76-yard touchdown catch by Robby Anderson and was one of two unblocked defenders on Isaiah Crowell‘s 77-yard touchdown run Sunday.Afterward, Roby said ups and downs come with the position.“I have confidence because I know my job is hard, I know that I’m always in man coverage without a lot of help,” Roby said.Asked if he’d prefer more zone coverage to help him out, Roby said, “I don’t want to comment on that.”Joseph said Roby has to play more confidently: “That’s part of being an NFL starter. They go at you, they make a play or two and you have to go back out there and battle. And if you don’t it looks like that.”Roby hasn’t developed the short memory necessary for a starting NFL cornerback.“As a starting corner every play can be a big play,” Joseph said. “That makes it a difficult position in this league because it’s a passing league, obviously https://www.broncosfanstore.com/Devontae-Booker-Jersey , and if you’re not making plays on the ball, every play can be a big play.”The Broncos’ defensive troubles are exacerbated by an offense that’s turning the ball over too often and not finishing drives in the red zone.Quarterback Case Keenum ranks 30th in the league with a passer rating of 78.1. He has just five touchdown throws and his seven interceptions match the total he had all of last year with Minnesota.The Broncos also got off to a good start last year only to tumble into a two-month funk, and linebacker Todd Davis said he’s confident this team can turn things around to prevent another losing season.“Absolutely, we definitely have the guys in this locker room that care about our team being great. So, I think we definitely have the willpower to turn this whole ship around,” Davis said. “And that’s what we’re going to do this week is turn this whole thing around.”Instead of reviewing the game film by position groups as they usually do, Denver’s entire defense watched it together Monday with Woods leading the session.“We’re making everything open and honest about what happened and why it happened, so it keeps us all on the same wavelength,” Davis said. “We’re just trying to get back to playing our brand of football.”Notes: Ace Kyle Freeland isn’t the only one who didn’t get a chance to take the mound in the Colorado Rockies’ best-of-five NL Division Series sweep at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. Davis said he was slated to throw out the ceremonial first pitch Monday night in Game 4.___ SYDNEY (AP) Kodi Nikorima scored a try in the second minute and Kotoni Staggs added another in the 19th to help give the Brisbane Broncos an early 14-0 lead on their way to a 34-0 win over the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League on Sunday.Jamayne Isaako kicked four conversions and three penalty goals for 14 points.The win left the Broncos in seventh place on a weekend when only four matches were played due to next Wednesday’s final State of Origin game. New South Wales has already clinched the series over Queensland with wins in the first two matches.Canberra kept its top-eight playoff hopes alive with a 32-28 win over Canterbury, while defending champions Melbourne, in third place, beat second-place St. George Illawarra 52-30.Rookie five-eighth Jarome Luai scored two tries and set up another to lead fourth-place Penrith to a 36-4 win over the New Zealand Warriors.First-place South Sydney was one of eight teams with the weekend off.