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OAKLAND Cheap Nyheim Hines Jersey , Calif. — The San Diego Padres will attempt to cool down Jed Lowrie and the Oakland Athletics with a pitcher being promoted from the minor leagues when the clubs complete a two-game interleague series Wednesday afternoon.

Right-hander Luis Perdomo (1-2, 8.36 ERA), who has pitched well at Triple-A El Paso after a disastrous April for the Padres, is expected to be added to the 25-man major-league roster in time to duel A’s left-hander Sean Manaea (8-6, 3.38).

Oakland improved to 3-0 in its head-to-head meetings with San Diego this season with a come-from-behind, 6-2 victory Tuesday night in the series opener.

Lowrie had the big blow of the game Michael Brantley Jersey , a three-run double as part of a five-run sixth inning that allowed the A’s to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead.

The big hit came in Lowrie’s return to his natural position, second base, after he had made 14 starts at third base while Matt Chapman was out with a hand injury.

Chapman was reinstated from the disabled list Tuesday and went 0-for-3.

A’s manager Bob Melvin pushed Lowrie for the American League All-Star team even before Tuesday’s heroics, hoping his time at third base caught the eye of those who will be selecting the club’s reserves.

“In those games, you never know where they go, and versatility could play a part Roger Maris Jersey ,” Melvin said. “So I think the fact he played so well at third base might even increase his chances to make the All-Star team.”

Lowrie is tied for third in the American League in RBIs with 59 and tied for sixth in doubles with 25.

He had three hits, including two home runs, and four RBIs when the A’s swept a pair from the Padres in San Diego last month.

The A’s have been on a roll since, winning 13 of their last 16 games to improve to a season-best-tying eight games over .500 (47-39).

Tuesday’s victory raised their interleague record to 6-2 this season.

Perdomo has faced neither Lowrie nor the A’s in his three-year career.

An eight-game winner in 2017, he began the season in the majors, but couldn’t get into the fifth inning in three of his four April starts before being sent to Triple A.

The 25-year-old seemed to regain his form there Chris Sale Jersey , going 6-2 with a 3.10 ERA in 11 starts, earning another shot at the bigs.

Perdomo has pitched in nine interleague games (eight starts) and compiled a 4-2 record and 5.63 ERA.

Manaea, meanwhile, is coming off a brilliant June at the big-league level, going 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA in five starts.

He won each of his last three starts to finish the month as one of four American Leaguers to go 3-0, joining Toronto’s J.A. Happ Cheap Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , Baltimore’s Dylan Bundy and Cleveland’s Shane Bieber.

Manaea has never faced the Padres, but does have nine starts of interleague experience, having gone 2-5 with a 4.47 ERA.

Tarasenko was hurt in the first period of the regular-season finale on Saturday in Colorado. The Blues needed a point in the game to reach the playoffs, but lost 5-2.

Tarasenko revealed he had a dislocated shoulder while standing with his left arm in a sling Tuesday as teammates cleared out their lockers. The recovery after surgery can take up to six months.

”We’ll see how it goes,” Tarasenko said. ”It was a hard year all the way around.”

The 26-year-old led the team with 33 goals and 66 points. It was his lowest point total in four seasons. The Blues won 44 games this season and finished with 94 points.

Mike Yeo wrapped up his first full season as the Blues coach. St. Louis is 66-40-8 since Yeo replaced Ken Hitchcock as coach on Feb. 1, 2017. That’s the 10th-best regular-season record in the NHL in that period.

But it’s little consolation for a team missing the playoffs for the first time after six straight seasons. Two years ago, the Blues were playing for the conference championship.

”We understand we’ve taken a step back this year Yasiel Puig Jersey ,” General Manager Doug Armstrong said. ”That lies firmly on my shoulders. My job is to deal in reality. The formula we had this year did not breed success and we need to find that formula.”

Armstrong said the play of special teams needs to improve.

The Blues were 30th on power-play success at 15.4 percent. They finished 18th in penalty killing at 79.7 percent. During the previous six seasons making the playoffs, the Blues ranked No. 1 in the NHL in penalty killing with a rate of 84.3 percent.

However, the Blues scored only 38 power-play goals.

”As a coaching staff, I promise you we won’t just sit around and just assume things will get better next year,” Yeo said. ”We have to look at everything from the way we manage it Tucker Barnhart Jersey , operate it and holding guys accountable and the personnel we’re using and the tactics.”

When Yeo coached the Minnesota Wild, the power play also was stagnant.

”I’ll take responsibility for it,” Yeo said. ”I don’t dodge that. That’s on me.”

Armstrong backs his coach.

”Mike and I are tethered together and we’re going to figure this thing out,” Armstrong said.

St. Louis was just 24-17 on home ice this season.

”You can’t have the home record we had and be satisfied,” Armstrong said. ”The people that come here work for a living and we need to send them home happy. If we’re in the top 10 in home records Cheslor Cuthbert Jersey , we’re in the playoffs.”

The salary cap should increase about $4 million for next season. Armstrong said the Blues ownership will continue to spend to the cap.

”We spend to the cap,” Armstrong said. ”We’ve had a good run here. We’ve got to get back to that.”

Goalie Jake Allen was signed to a four-year, $17.4 million contract on July 1, 2016. He finished with a 27-25-3 record, a 2.75 goals-against average Cheap Sam Darnold Jersey , a .906 save percentage and one shutout.

”I definitely need to be more consistent,” Allen said. ”I know I’m capable of it. I don’t think I need to change much. I’m a pretty good goalie.”

Backup goaltender Carter Hutton is an unrestricted free agent. Hutton was 17-7-3 with a 2.09 goals-against average and a .931 save percentage. He had three shutouts.

Armstrong said he wants to bring Hutton back.

The postgame was weird.

At least Game 1 of what was supposed to be a lopsided NBA Finals was anything but boring. It had a little of everything: A player stumbled and buckled Klay Thompson’s knee to send the Warriors’ sharp-shooter limping to the locker room in the opening minutes; let Stephen Curry get loose for a 30-footer at the halftime buzzer; grabbed a rebound in the final seconds of regulation with the score tied and inexplicably ran toward midcourt as if he thought the game was over.

And all that was just J.R. Smith.

The opener of this Cleveland-Golden State series should have been memorable for other reasons – LeBron James scoring a playoff career-high 51 points Authentic Nathan Shepherd Jersey , the Warriors having three players score at least 24 and Draymond Green nearly getting a triple-double. Instead, this game’s legacy is an overturned charge call late in regulation, Smith’s gaffes, contradictory explanations from Cleveland and hot tempers in the final seconds.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s assessment? ”Lucky.”

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue’s assessment? ”Robbed.”

Warriors 124, Cavaliers 114, overtime. That’s what the box score says and will forever say, and the defending champions are now one step closer to winning their third title in four years. Golden State left Oracle Arena relieved. Cleveland left angered. Those emotions will likely remain in place all the way until Game 2 tips off on Sunday night.

James wants the Cavs to put it behind them.

”We’ve got to move on,” James said. ”This game is over and done with.”

Easier said than done Anthony Santander Jersey , particularly with two full off days to now deal with, two full off days to replay everything over and over and over and over and over again.

Let’s be clear: The Warriors aren’t here because of luck. They have a coach who has won 80 percent of his career games. They have four All-Stars in the same lineup. They have two NBA MVPs.

But they got every break in Game 1. Every break.

Start in the beginning, when Smith slipped and stumbled into Thompson’s knee. It had all the makings of some sort of knee structural disaster – the hit came from the side, Thompson twisted awkwardly, went down in a heap and was obviously in immediate, intense pain. Thompson limped away to the Warriors’ locker room for evaluation.

He was back in a few minutes. Big break No. 1.

”I’m happy it’s just a muscle that got strained,” Thompson said.

Then came the final seconds of the first half, when Smith went for a steal and wound up leaving Curry wide open. Curry turned Nicky Delmonico Jersey , coolly buried a 35-footer as Smith slumped over with his hands on his knees and the teams went into intermission tied. Big break No. 2.

”The Finals, man, anything is liable to happen,” Curry said.

From his perspective, good things.

From Cleveland’s perspective, bad things.

Cleveland led by two in the final minute, poised to steal Game 1, when James stepped up and tried to take a charge against Kevin Durant. Referee Ken Mauer called an offensive foul Carlos Asuaje Jersey , but it was overturned after replay review.

”We had doubt as to whether or not James was in the restricted area,” Mauer said.

James was well outside the area, and the Cavs didn’t buy the explanation.

”I read that play just as well as I’ve read any play in my career, maybe in my life,” James said.

Durant tied the game with a couple of free throws awarded on the call reversal. Big break No. 3.

And with about 4 seconds left in the fourth, George Hill went to the line with Cleveland down by one for two shots. Made the first. Missed the second. Smith got the rebound, and ran away from the basket. Overtime. Big break No. 4.

”He thought we were up one,” Lue said.

”I knew it was tied J. D. Martinez Jersey ,” Smith insisted.

The extra session was all Golden State. The home team left happy. The fans that packed Oracle Arena went home happy. James went back to his hotel to deal with blurred vision (courtesy of what appeared to be an unintentional first-half eye poke by Green), and the Cavaliers were further angered by Shaun Livingston following Golden State policy by taking a shot in the final seconds of a decided game instead of just getting charged with a shot-clock turnover.

”Tonight we played as well as we’ve played all postseason, and we gave ourselves a chance possession after possession after possession,” James said. ”There were just some plays that were kind of taken away from us. Simple as that.”

Many onlookers thought this series would be a rout, a Golden State coronation.

If the Warriors keep getting every break, they’ll certainly be right.

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Tim Reynolds is a national basketball writer for The Associated Press. Write to him at treynolds(at)ap.org

The Green Bay Packers released veteran Jordy Nelson Authentic Daniel Kilgore Jersey , the third-leading receiver in franchise history and one of Rodgers’ top targets.

The Packers announced the move Tuesday, a day before teams can begin to sign free agents.

Nelson had 550 receptions and 69 touchdown catches in 10 seasons in Green Bay. But his production declined last season with Rodgers sidelined much of the year by a collarbone injury.

First-year general manager Brian Gutekunst called Nelson ”one of the great Packers who played here. He’s everything you want a pro to be – and he’ll be missed.

”I think Jordy is a really good player, and you certainly don’t want to let him walk out the door. But this is a big puzzle, and there’s kind of limitations. You can’t keep everybody. As we went through this, we thought this was in our best interest. The best interest for our team moving forward.”

Asked if the Packers offered Nelson the opportunity to come back in 2018 at a reduced salary, Gutekunst said Roger Maris Jersey , ”There were a lot of discussions that went on. In fairness to him, we won’t get into those kind of discussions.”

Nelson, who turns 33 in May, was scheduled to earn $10.25 million this season and carry a salary-cap number of $12.52 million.

In a post on his Instagram account, Rodgers wrote that it was ”hard to find the right words today to express what `87′ means to me. No teammate exemplified what it means to be a Packer quite like him. From living in (Green Bay) full time, his incredible contributions to the city Scott Kingery Jersey , state, and region, to his consistent, reliable play on the field. Definitely a sad day and the toughest part of this business.”

Asked if he talked to Rodgers about the decision, Gutekunst replied, ”Talked to Aaron afterward. Had a conversation with him afterward Authentic Tracy Walker Jersey , but not before.”

Nelson had 53 catches for 482 yards and six scores in 2017, a year after winning Comeback Player of the Year honors. He had 97 catches on 1,257 yards and a league-best 14 touchdowns in 2016, rebounding from a knee injury that sidelined him the previous season.

Rodgers and Nelson had a chemistry built over their time as two of the longest-tenured Packers.

Nelson’s release figures to foreshadow more moves for the Packers, who could use an upgrade at tight end. Jimmy Graham is one of the top free agents available on the market.

The Packers have Lance Kendricks at tight end, but Richard Rodgers is due to become a free agent.

Davante Adams Danny Santana Jersey , who has emerged as the No. 1 receiver, signed a contract extension last year. Randall Cobb remains on the roster, while Ty Montgomery might be used in more of a hybrid role after playing running back exclusively in an injury-plagued 2017 season.

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The Knoxville News Sentinel reports attorney Rusty Hardin told jurors Tuesday that the case is a civil matter and shouldn’t be in criminal court. Hardin’s client Authentic Will Hernandez Jersey , Mark Hazelwood, has been on trial with the three others since November in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga. Hardin also said former sales executive Brian Mosher, who previously made a plea deal and testified for prosecutors Cheap Daryl Worley Jersey , falsely accused Hazelwood.

Pilot Flying J is controlled by the family of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam and Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam. The Haslams haven’t been charged with any wrongdoing. The governor has not been involved in the company in recent years.

Federal prosecutor Trey Hamilton presented his closing argument Monday, and former sales staffer Heather Jones’ attorney, Ben Vernia Lou Gehrig Jersey , argued her case Monday. Hamilton is to give a rebuttal argument Wednesday.

On Tuesday, attorney David Rivera said former Pilot Flying J Vice President Scott ”Scooter” Wombold was an honest supervisor. Rivera said Wombold didn’t realize Mosher wasn’t telling his customers that he was reducing their fuel discounts.

Former sales staffer Karen Mann’s lawyer, Jonathan Cooper Ben Gamel Jersey , told jurors that Mann didn’t know her boss and his salesmen were lying to trucking companies about the cuts she made at former executive Arnie Ralenkotter’s command. Cooper said Mann never lied to anyone.

”She wanted to be part of a team,” Cooper said. ”She was not trying to cheat anyone.”

Ralenkotter, a former sales director Jake Smolinski Jersey , pleaded guilty and testified on the government’s behalf.

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If there is a glaring hole on Golden State’s championship resume Cheap Jordan Akins Jersey , it’s that the Warriors have never gone back-to-back.

That will change.

The Warriors are about to win their second straight NBA championship and their third in the last four seasons – all of them coming at the expense of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who won’t have enough even if LeBron James plays to the absolute utmost of his capabilities. The Warriors have home-court advantage, and have three of the best four players who will appear in the series.

They’re just too good to lose.

If they were going to lose, it would have been in the Western Conference finals against the Houston Rockets. Houston was a team that was built for one purpose – beating the Warriors. And the Rockets might have done it, too Jimmy Wynn Jersey , had Chris Paul’s hamstring not popped in the final seconds of Game 5 and forced him to the sideline for the rest of the series.

Golden State rallied in both Game 6 and Game 7, as Paul looked on helplessly. Yes, the Warriors caught a huge break. They won’t waste this chance.

The teams have changed mightily over the last four seasons. There were 20 players who appeared in first Cavaliers-Warriors game of the 2014-15 season – only eight of them will be in uniform during this series. Kevin Durant is in Golden State now, Kyrie Irving isn’t with the Cavaliers anymore, the benches are very different particularly in Cleveland’s case.

But the principals are still there: James Cheap Mike Hughes Jersey , Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green.

And over these four years since James returned to northeast Ohio, the Warriors are 17-9 against the Cavaliers. Golden State needed six games to beat Cleveland for the title in 2015, five games last season and if Andrew Bogut didn’t get hurt in Game 5 of the 2016 Finals the Warriors – who ended up blowing a 3-1 lead that year – probably would have won that series as well.

James might be playing the best basketball of his life. That’s why Cleveland is still in these playoffs.

Even he won’t be able to save the Cavs this time.

Cleveland looked like a team that couldn’t guard anyone in the regular season JT Riddle Jersey , and to its credit has greatly improved on that end of the court during this postseason. But facing Golden State will be such a bigger challenge than Indiana, Toronto and Boston could provide. And if the Warriors get Andre Iguodala back, their spacing will be even better and put further demands on the Cavs.

The Cavs won’t have any pressure on their shoulders. The Warriors will have it all, but after Curry, Durant and Thompson found a way to rally from 15 points down in Houston to win a Game 7 on the road and capture the Western Conference Clayton Kershaw Jersey , Golden State will come into this series brimming with confidence.

That confidence will keep growing until they get handed another Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The pick: Warriors in five.

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The Minnesota Twins were in no position to disagree.

Minnesota’s Eddie Rosario Steve Cishek Jersey , Bobby Wilson and Max Kepler all left early because of heat illness on a scorching afternoon, and the Cubs beat the Twins 14-9.

Rosario homered in the top of the fifth inning, then was pulled from left field shortly after fielding a hit by Anthony Rizzo in the bottom half. The Cubs said it was 96 degrees at the time with a heat index of 107 – that’s a calculation of how hot it actually feels, with the humidity factored in.

”That was a pretty brutal day,” Maddon said. ”If you put that on AstroTurf Hank Aaron Jersey , that would have been like the worst ever.”

There was a short break in the sixth after Wilson drew a walk. A couple of cups of water were brought out for him to sip and douse himself to cool off. Wilson eventually scored and was replaced at catcher after the inning ended with the score tied at 9.

”I just couldn’t catch my breath,” he said. ”My heart was fluttering. I felt dizzy. Started getting a headache. Just couldn’t even hold a conversation in the dugout.”

All three Twins players were treated with IVs.

Jason Heyward had four of the Cubs’ 20 hits, Ben Zobrist had three RBIs and Chicago had a pair of five-run innings. The Cubs rallied from 3-0 and 7-4 deficits and have scored at least 10 runs in three straight games for the first time since April 2003.

Albert Almora Jr. had three hits and drove in two runs as the Cubs won their third in a row. He exited in the fifth after experiencing leg cramps related to dehydration.

Joe Mauer had two hits and three RBIs for the Twins.

Plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt worked with a towel draped around his neck and frequently left the field between innings.

”It was just tough,” Minnesota manager Paul Molitor said. ”We couldn’t keep them off base. There were a lot of singles. They kept hitting them in the right spot.”

Chicago broke open a tie game with a five-run seventh.

David Bote led off with a walk and Ian Happ doubled off reliever Trevor Hildenberger (1-2). It was Chicago’s 15th hit to that point – and first extra-base hit despite the wind blowing out.

”Home runs are pretty cool,” Almora said Authentic Nate Solder Jersey , ”but the way we produced runs today was special.”

After pinch-hitter Kyle Schwarber was intentionally walked to load the bases, Heyward hit a soft liner that just scooted over the head of shortstop Ehire Adrianza – with the infield playing in – for an RBI single and a 10-9 lead Baez hit a grounder up the middle, just out of Adrianza’s reach with the infield playing in, for two more runs.

Justin Wilson (2-2) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.

STRONG DEBUT

Willians Astudillo, primarily a catcher in the minors Cheap Mike White Jersey , made his major league debut – replacing Rosario – and wound up playing center field for the Twins, his first time at that spot as a pro. He hit an RBI single in his first at-bat.

”I just went out and had fun,” Astudillo said through a translator. ”It’s just great to be here.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Twins: CF Byron Buxton (fractured left big toe) has been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester since June 19 and there’s no timetable for when he’ll be activated from the DL. Buxton was hitting .206 with a homer and four RBIs in nine games with Rochester before Saturday. If he continues to struggle, there’s a chance he could be optioned to Rochester when his rehab assignment ends on July 8.

Cubs: RHP Carl Edwards Jr. (right shoulder inflammation) threw 19 pitches and got two outs during a rehab outing with Triple-A Iowa on Friday. Maddon said the reports were positive and that his ”velocity was normal.” Edwards is expected to pitch again either Sunday or Monday.

UP NEXT

LHP Jon Lester (10-2, 2.18 ERA) opens the July schedule after winning all five of his June starts Jordy Mercer Jersey , compiling a 1.13 ERA during that stretch. RHP Lance Lynn (5-6, 4.81) starts the finale of the three-game series for the Twins.

That doesn’t mean the workers in charge of preparing a surface that’s championship-sufficient were free from challenges.

The host Minnesota Vikings came close to reaching the big game, for one.

When they beat the New Orleans Saints with that last-play touchdown pass in the divisional round on Jan. 14, the NFL would have normally already been in takeover mode of the stadium by then. The victory by the Philadelphia Eagles over the Atlanta Falcons that weekend was a big help for the league’s exhaustive operations; it sent the Vikings on the road to face the Eagles for the NFC title rather than hosting another postseason game at their not-yet-2-year-old home.

”That would’ve really pushed us back and crunched the time,” said Ed Mangan, the NFL’s field director. ”We’ve had a few other teams in the past that got close, so you always start out with a `what if.’ You have a Plan A, a Plan B and a Plan C, and you have a backup plan for each one of those. So you’re always prepared for it.”

Then there’s the winter weather, which has its own share of the spotlight this week next to the Patriots and Eagles. Just because the game itself will be played in climate-controlled conditions doesn’t mean the crews are always comfortable Jim Rice Jersey , with some outdoor work to be done in the single-digit temperatures. The downtown setting, with a major hospital, several churches and plenty of apartment buildings within a few blocks of the front doors, added some urban-specific security hurdles.

Commuting to the site last week, too, could have been made trickier by a storm that dumped more than a foot of snow on the region. But the City of Minneapolis and Minnesota Department of Transportation snowplows produced a championship-caliber performance.

”We’ve never been held up getting anywhere,” said Mangan, whose team is also responsible for the practice facilities at suburban Vikings headquarters in Eden Prairie (for the Patriots) and at the University of Minnesota a short ride from downtown (for the Eagles).

So are all the preparations finally caught up?

The answer is yes, according to Eric Finkelstein Authentic JK Scott Jersey , the NFL’s senior director of events.

”We’ve been talking to the team and were for multiple months, and we were able to delay the things that we knew we could afford to delay and get a jump on the stuff that we knew we had to get done, even during the playoff game run,” Finkelstein said.

Vikings fans are still decompressing from the loss to the Eagles that dashed their dream of an unprecedented Super Bowl on home turf. So having the home stadium as the backdrop for the big game could be a painful sight either on television or in person. The good news for them and their healing process is that almost all of the team’s logos will be invisible, covered by NFL and Super Bowl signage. The six-panel purple end zones have been pulled off, replaced with Patriots and Eagles paint.

”We want this to look like the Super Bowl and know that you’re here,” Finkelstein said.

The field itself remains the domain of the indefatigable George Toma, the NFL’s grounds crew master who is working his 52nd Super Bowl. Yes, that’s all of them. He’ll turn 89 on Friday Chris Iannetta Jersey , and his pride in the job is just as high as it was five decades ago.

”The cheapest insurance for an athlete from preschool all the way up to professional is a good, safe playing field,” Toma said, ”and that’s what we try to do. For the people in the stands and the people on TV, we try to give them a field of beauty and then some.”

There’s less pressure, per se, this week than four years ago in New Jersey during the NFL’s first outdoor Super Bowl in a northern site. There’s still plenty to do.

More than 1,000 performers have been on the field at a time rehearsing for the halftime show. So Toma and his crew use a magnetic rake of sorts to comb the field for any stray nuts, bolts or random wardrobe pieces that might have popped off. They use a stamping tool to gauge the stiffness of the turf every 8 feet or so Authentic Uchenna Nwosu Jersey , to make sure there are no dangerous soft spots. The sand-rubber mixture that serves as the artificial sod underneath the fake grass is supposed to be 1+ inches thick.

Having worked two years for the Vikings at their practice facility and served as the spring training groundskeeper for the Minnesota Twins at their baseball facility in Fort Myers, Florida, Toma has a special affinity for this Super Bowl being held in Minnesota.

”I’ve been through a lot of stadiums worldwide, but in my book I love this stadium,” Toma said. ”This is the best stadium I’ve been in. Why? Everything’s right here for you. We come out that tunnel, and we’re only 100 feet to the playing field for our equipment and for our paint and everything. Not only that, but the people who run this stadium are outstanding, and then some.”

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Four of the five teams that gave up the fewest points during the regular season are the last four left with a shot at the Super Bowl Authentic Trenton Cannon Jersey , something that had never happened since the NFL-AFL merger nearly a half-century ago.

And three of the four toughest to gain yards against are still around, too.

Still think that all a team needs to succeed in the modern game is an elite QB? Go ahead and take a close look at Sunday’s matchups for the conference championship games.

Sure, Tom Brady (assuming his injured right hand is good to go) and the New England Patriots will be playing for the AFC title, just like they always do, but they’ll be going up against Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Over in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles will send Nick Foles out to face the Minnesota Vikings and Case Keenum, hardly a marquee matchup between quarterbacks, and one set up by injuries to other signal-callers.

What this quartet of teams does have in common is solid defense, showing once again that while everyone is paying so much attention to one side of the ball, it’s the other that might truly matter the most. The more league rules and officiating tend to favor offenses Authentic Chad Thomas Jersey , the more figuring out ways to slow that down is imperative.

”When you have a defense that can shut that type of firepower down,” said Brian Robison, a linebacker on the Vikings defense that ranked No. 1 in yards and points allowed, ”it allows you to win ballgames.”

Minnesota gave up 15.8 points per game. Jacksonville was No. 2 at 16.8, followed by No. 4 Philadelphia’s 18.4 and No. 5 New England’s 18.5.

”There’s teams that have really good defenses that aren’t talked about,” Patriots linebacker Kyle Van Noy said. ”We’re one of them.”

It’s the first time since the 1970 merger there has been that sort of defensive dominance among the NFL’s final four. The closest was at the end of the 2010 season, when teams that ranked No. 1 (Steelers), No. 2 (Packers), No. 4 (Bears) and No. 6 (Jets) in points allowed reached the conference title games.

”The most heralded guys on the field are the quarterbacks. So I would say, nine times out of 10 Lou Gehrig Jersey , your detail goes into your offensive planning and things like that,” said Jacksonville’s leading tackler, Telvin Smith, who returned a fumble 50 yards for a touchdown last weekend. ”Offense sells tickets, and defense wins championships. I’m happy I’m on the defensive side.”

He is part of a young, talented and speedy D that rose to prominence quickly via a combination of shrewd drafting (linebackers Smith and Myles Jack, defensive ends Yannick Ngakoue and Dante Fowler Jr., cornerback Jalen Ramsey) and free-agent signings that panned out (defensive lineman Calais Campbell, cornerback A.J. Bouye, safeties Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson).

Take a look at the regular-season rankings in various defensive categories Sandy Koufax Jersey , and you can’t miss the Jaguars. That helps explain how they made it this far with Bortles, whose 84.7 rating ranked 22nd among QBs with at least 100 pass attempts and whose 13 interceptions were exceeded by only six players.

Campbell tied for second in NFL with 14.5 sacks, while Ngakoue added 12 and led the league by forcing six fumbles. Bouye tied for third with six interceptions, while Ramsey, Gipson and Church each had four. As a unit, the Jaguars were No. 2 in yards allowed at 286.1, trailing the No. 1 Vikings (275.9), with the Eagles (306.5) at No. 4. The Jaguars were also second in sacks and total takeaways, while they topped the NFL with seven defensive TDs.

Exceptional defense can carry a team far: In nine of the last 10 seasons, the No. 1 or No. 2 team in points allowed participated in a conference championship game. The exception was 2015 Bryan Holaday Jersey , when the Seahawks led the league in that category but lost in the divisional round, and the Bengals ranked second but lost in the wild-card round.

”Now it’s down to, `May the best defense win,”’ Eagles linebacker Nigel Bradham said. ”We each get to showcase what we can do.”

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AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell in Eden Prairie, Minnesota; Kyle Hightower in Foxborough, Massachusetts; Mark Long in Jacksonville, Florida; and Rob Maaddi in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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The Detroit Tigers will look for their third consecutive victory as they open an eight-game road trip Friday night against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

Detroit (33-37) is coming off back-to-back wins against the Minnesota Twins as it remains within striking distance of the Cleveland Indians for first place in the American League Central division. The Tigers have scored four-plus runs in four of their last seven contests.

The team’s success at the plate has come despite the loss of star slugger Miguel Cabrera Authentic Ed Dickson Jersey , who will miss the rest of the season after rupturing his biceps tendon. The 35-year-old performed well against Chicago with a .297 lifetime average to go along with 34 home runs and 108 RBIs in 175 games.

Minus Cabrera, the Tigers are forced to rely upon less proven players such as JaCoby Jones, who belted a two-run home run on Thursday afternoon that helped his team secure a series victory. Jones is hitting only .222 this season with five home runs and 18 RBIs.

“He’s a really good baseball player,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said to the Detroit Free Press. “He brings a lot to the table. Yeah, he could get sent down sometime if he went 0-for-the-next-150 Jim Rice Jersey , but I don’t think that’s going to happen.

“I love the kid. … But ultimately, he’s going to have to dig his way out of it, and (Thursday) was a start. He hit a home run, that’s confidence — and now, hopefully Andrew Miller Jersey , he’ll build from there.”

Chicago (24-43) also has gained confidence recently despite a difficult start to the season. The White Sox have won or split each of their past four series, including a 2-2 series tie against the Indians this week.

The White Sox will turn to right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (2-4, 3.26 ERA), who will make his 14th start of the season. The 24-year-old has posted back-to-back quality starts and earned a victory in his most recent appearance Sunday as he limited the Boston Red Sox to two runs (one earned) in 6 1/3 innings.

In three career starts against the Tigers, Lopez is 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA. He has not allowed a home run in 21 innings Cheap Sylvester Williams Jersey , but control has proved to be an issue as he has walked 10 and struck out nine during those three starts.

Lopez is enthused by the recent success of him and his teammates.

“When you as a team can do the little things and can work as a team with all the parts integrated, you will have good results,” Lopez said to the Chicago Tribune. “And that’s what we’ve been doing the last couple of weeks.”

The Tigers are determined to disrupt the recent comfort level of the White Sox.

Detroit right-hander Mike Fiers (5-3, 4.01 ERA) will make his 13th start. He has not lost since May 19 against the Seattle Mariners, and he is coming off an impressive outing in which he limited Cleveland to one run on five hits in seven innings.

Fiers Authentic Jerome Baker Jersey , 32, is 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA in five career starts against the White Sox. He has walked eight and struck out 28 in 31 1/3 innings.

Chicago is 12-21 at home this season. Detroit is 10-20 on the road.