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NASHVILLE Eric Wood Jersey , Tenn. (AP) The Tennessee Titans are starting to show they can finish in style. The result is the best start for this franchise since 2008.

Marcus Mariota tossed a 7-yard touchdown pass to DeMarco Murray with 36 seconds left , and the Titans rallied to beat the Cincinnati Bengals 24-20 Sunday for their fourth consecutive victory.

Now the Titans (6-3) have their longest winning streak since winning five straight in 2009, and they haven’t won six games this early since 2008, when the Titans won their first 10 and last reached the playoffs as the AFC’s No. 1 seed.

”I use the word resilient a lot, but I think that’s the makeup of this team,” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. ”It’s amazing that they believe in themselves Colton Schmidt Jersey , they just know we always have a chance to win. That’s important in this business.”

Murray ran for two touchdowns, and Mariota finished with 264 yards passing.

The Bengals (3-6) lost for the third time in four games despite sacking Mariota four times. They started with three defensive starters scratched and lost a fourth when linebacker Vontaze Burfict was ejected in the second quarter after pushing the arm of an official.

Cincinnati took its only lead at 20-17 on a 70-yard TD pass from Andy Dalton to A.J. Green with 5:03 left, but the Bengals couldn’t stop the Titans, who drove 73 yards for the winning TD.

They had one last chance. On their final play, Dalton threw deep only to have Titans safety Kevin Byard knock the ball down.

”Not getting a `W’ really hurts,” Green said.

ANOTHER WEEK Cordy Glenn Jersey , ANOTHER BENGAL TOSSED

Last week, Green was ejected from a loss at Jacksonville for a fight with Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey that cost him $42,541 in fines. Against the Titans, Burfict was ejected with 5:12 left in the second quarter.

Burfict was flagged for a late hit on Murray, then two plays later referee Jeff Triplette announced Burfict had made contact with an official. Replays later showed Burfict shoving the left arm of down judge Jeff Bergman, who immediately threw a flag. Burfict took his time leaving the field Jerry Hughes Jersey , talking with fans, raising both arms and finally jumping to high-five a fan before going into the locker room.

”Sometimes what happens is you push back and you touch an official,” Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. ”You can’t do that. He knows better and we pay a price. We pay a price because it hurts us when it’s on the field that way, and then he’s not on the field.”

TURNOVERS

Dalton had a hard time holding onto the ball with two fumbles in the second quarter. On the first, Titans linebacker Brian Orakpo sacked and stripped him of the ball, which was recovered by Derrick Morgan. Then Dalton had a bad snap that Morgan again recovered. But Mariota gave the ball right back to Cincinnati when Darqueze Dennard intercepted a pass.

RECORD STREAK ENDS

Titans kicker Ryan Succop’s NFL record streak of successful field goals finally ended at 56 after his first attempt. He missed wide right on a 48-yarder midway through the second quarter. Succop came into the game having easily topped the previous NFL mark of 46 consecutive field goals inside the 50 set by Matt Bryant of Atlanta between 2013 and 2015. It was Succop’s first miss from inside 50 yards since Sept. 21 Preston Brown Jersey , 2014, in a loss at Cincinnati. The Titans kicker came into this game 21 of 23 on field goals. Succop connected from 44 yards for a 17-13 halftime lead.

INJURIES.

Cincinnati: Cornerback Adam Jones left the field with 8:57 left in the third quarter, and the Bengals ruled him out with a concussion. … Dennard also hurt a toe.

Tennessee: Mariota hurt his left, non-throwing shoulder on a scramble on the final drive, but he said he was fine. Mularkey said tight end Delanie Walker hurt a hand or wrist.

UP NEXT

Bengals: Visit Denver next Sunday.

Titans: Visit Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

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The New England Patriots are enjoying the road so much that they’ve packed their suitcases for some extended time away.

The defending Super Bowl champions didn’t return home after Sunday night’s victory over the Denver Broncos – their 13th straight win away from Foxborough Frostee Rucker Jersey , Massachusetts – staying in Colorado for the week instead. The team will practice this week at the Air Force Academy near Colorado Springs, then head to Mexico City on Saturday for Sunday’s game against the Raiders.

”That’s the critical thing for this team is to get as much recovery in as possible before we head down to Mexico,” running back Rex Burkhead said on Monday, about 13 hours after the Patriots beat the Broncos 41-16. ”It’s different being out here all week preparing, but I think definitely beneficial for the team and something that will help us out for the week in preparation for Oakland.”

The Patriots went 8-0 on the road in the regular season last year Jared Veldheer Jersey , then won the Super Bowl on a neutral field in Houston. They have won their first four road games this year, including Sunday night in Denver, a stadium that has been one of the rare weak spots on Tom Brady’s resume.

”We just want to be road warriors,” linebacker Kyle Van Noy said. ”And it shows we’re ready to play and we’re focused, and it’s always fun to win in someone else’s home.”

Of course Tyvon Branch Jersey , the five-time Super Bowl champions have been pretty good at home, too: They were 8-2 last year at Gillette Stadium (including postseason), and in the previous three seasons their only losses at home were in a couple of season finales after their playoff berth was locked up.

But the extra week on the road will get them at least one more decent night’s sleep.

Safety Duron Harmon did the math and figured that after a Sunday night game that ended around 11:30 p.m. EST the players would have needed to bus to the airport, board a four-hour flight back to Boston and then get themselves home from the airport by 5 or 6 a.m.

Instead, they took an hour-long bus ride to Colorado Springs.

”Nobody would have gotten any good sleep J. J. Nelson Jersey ,” Harmon said. ”It would have made the week a little bit harder because you would’ve just been trying to catch up on sleep since you weren’t able to sleep after the game.”

The trip also helps them remain acclimated to the altitude – a smooth transition from the 6,000 feet in Colorado Springs to the 7,300 feet in Mexico City, without coming back to virtual sea level in the Boston area.

The trip also gives the players a chance to bond that they don’t usually get on the NFL’s up-and-back, one-night road trips.

”It draws the team closer A.Q. Shipley Jersey ,” Van Noy said. ”You’re spending all day with them, you’re eating every meal with them and so you get to know teammates better and have a better time.”

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Some of the sports stories The Associated Press is covering Friday. A full Sports Digest will be sent by about 3 p.m. All times EDT:

– BOSTON – The Red Sox can win their second straight AL East title with a victory over Houston or a Yankees loss. The Astros are one victory from 100 wins. Game starts 7:10 p.m.

– NEW YORK – Major League Baseball is set to smash a barrier – 40 Matt Bryant Jersey ,000 strikeouts for a season. The record has been broken for 10 straight years.

– AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl is to discuss the arrest of top assistant Chuck Person as part of a federal fraud and bribery sting. News conference 3:15 p.m.

– Two Friday night college football games involving Top 25 teams: No. 5 Southern California at No. 16 Washington State (10:30 p.m.); No. 14 Miami at Duke (7 p.m.).

– Previews of two key college football games Saturday: No. 2 Clemson at No. 12 Virginia Tech; No. 24 Mississippi State at No. 13 Auburn.

– JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Americans take a two-point lead into the second day of matches at the Presidents Cup.

– DOVER Matt Bosher Jersey , Del. – Danica Patrick gets ready for perhaps the final races of her NASCAR career. With no sponsorship and no ride, Patrick is about out of options.

– NHL teams once spent heavily on free agency. Now they are signing their young stars – such as Edmonton’s Connor McDavid – to lucrative, long-term contracts.

– INDEPENDENCE Ricardo Allen Jersey , Ohio – Dwyane Wade, reunited with LeBron James and in pursuit of another title, is introduced by the Cavaliers.

– LOS ANGELES – The Minnesota Lynx and Los Angeles Sparks resume the WBNA Finals Ryan Schraeder Jersey , with the best-of-five series tied entering Game 3. Game starts 9 p.m.

– LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears quarterback Mike Glennon turned the ball over four times against Green Bay and his job could be in jeopardy after a 35-14 loss Thursday night.

– FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Devonta Freeman isn’t just quick with his feet for the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons. The NFL’s highest-paid running back has exceptional vision.

– SAN FRANCISCO – Two days of thundering falling rock at Yosemite National Park have left one man dead Andy Levitre Jersey , two people injured and experienced climbers stunned by the spectacle.

What a difference a year has made for the Los Angeles Rams and the New York Giants.

In 2016 Graham Gano Jersey , the Giants and Rams, both 3-3 at the time they met on the field of Twickenham Stadium in London, battled to a 17-10 Giants win.

That win was part of a run that saw the Giants cruise to an 11-5 record and their first playoff berth since 2011 under first-year head coach Ben McAdoo while the Rams limped to a 4-12 record.

Since then, a lot has happened.

The Rams have a new coaching staff that is led by Sean McVay, the grandson of John McVay, the one-time Giants head coach from 1976-78, and the one-time assistant coach for Washington, where he worked with the tight ends from 2010-2013 before being promoted to offensive coordinator for the 2014-2016 seasons.

The Rams revamped their offensive line, adding three new starters that includes left tackle Andrew Whitworth; they upgraded their perimeter players by adding receiver Sammy Watkins and tight end Gerald Everett; and they converted their defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 under new defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

The result so far?

A Rams team that is a half game out of first place in the NFC West, behind the Seattle Seahawks.

The Giants, meanwhile have gone in the opposite direction from 2016. They have won just one game out of their first seven. Their offense, which was supposed to be vastly improved from a year ago Charles Johnson Jersey , is averaging 16 points per game (30th in the NFL) and has been forced to continue the rest of the season without receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall.

And their top-10 defense, which returned most of the starters from last year, has lost its bite thanks in part to injuries to key starters like defensive end Olivier Vernon, and linebackers Jonathan Casillas and B.J. Goodson.

On Sunday, the Rams, who like the Giants are coming off their bye week, will visit the Giants at MetLife Stadium in search of their first win against New York since 2001, a 15-14 triumph in a game played in St. Louis.

Despite the Giants’ recent struggles, McVay isn’t exactly licking his chops over what many perceive as a wounded Giants team.

“This is a very tough football team,” he said of the Giants. “I know, just from being in that division the last couple years, what a great leader Coach McAdoo is and how competitive they are on all three phases and what a great challenge it’s going to be. There’s excellent players all over the place and it’s a tough place to go and play Andrew Norwell Jersey , at MetLife (Stadium).”

One “excellent” player the Giants aren’t going to have Sunday is Janoris Jenkins, their top cover cornerback. Jenkins, who signed with the Giants after starting his career with the Rams, has been suspended by McAdoo for violating team rules.

McVay said it’s important that his offense, led by second-year quarterback Jared Goff and featuring receivers Tavon Austin, Robert Woods and Watkins, not become complacent given Jenkins’ absence.

“While you do look at what a great player Janoris Jenkins is, they’ve got a lot of good players stepping up. You look at (Dominique) Rodgers-Cromartie, (Ross) Cockrell’s done some good things, I think Eli Apple’s a very good football player and there’s a lot of depth on that defensive backfield.”

That approach is part of the large-scale message McVay has for his players: don’t become complacent because the Giants are in a state of turmoil.

“I think the one thing that you appreciate about this league is that every single team on any given week can win and if you’re not ready to go, you get exposed and you get humbled very quickly,” he said.

The Giants Daryl Williams Jersey , meanwhile are hoping to put behind them the ugliness of their first half of the season and turn things around.

“I think it’s just a time to understand the circumstances we’re going through, understand what we have, be excited about our opportunities to go out there and compete every week,” said Giants quarterback Eli Manning.

If the Giants are to have a chance to stay toe-to-toe with the Rams, it starts on offense. Since losing Beckham and Marshall to season-ending injuries, Manning has targeted his receivers 21 times over two games, with just seven completions for 67 yards and 1 touchdown.

He’s hoping that now he’s been able to spend more time working with Roger Lewis, Tavarres King and Travis Rudolph, and with Sterling Shepard on track to return from a sprained ankle that kept him sidelined for two games, the opportunities will be there for the passing offense which has failed to crack 200 yards total in each of its last three games.

“(The Rams) play a good bit of man (coverage) and it still give you some opportunities to make some plays,” Manning said. “We’re excited about just figuring out what guys do well, how can we put them in a position to do the things they do well so we can be successful as a team and as an offense.”

The Giants’ success is also predicated on their offensive line Mario Addison Jersey , which could be without Justin Pugh, their current starting right tackle and best offensive lineman, who has been nursing a back injury. The Rams defense has recorded at least one sack in every game played this season, with all but one game being a multi-sack affair.

“(The Rams) are a talented team. They got a good front seven, got a lot of speed. Their corners play well. They do a good job of getting to the quarterback, good job stopping the run. So, we got to be sound up front, know our assignments,” Manning said.

Defensively, among the Giants objectives will be to clamp down on Rams running back Todd .

ALAMEDA Frostee Rucker Jersey , Calif. (AP) Oakland Raiders first-round pick Gareon Conley had a disappointing end to his rookie year when he was placed on injured reserve Monday after playing only two games all season.

Oakland drafted Conley 24th overall in hopes that the cornerback could boost a secondary that struggled a year ago. He showed flashes of good play during the offseason program but hasn’t been able to stay healthy since first injuring his shin during minicamp in June.

Conley missed all of training camp and played just two games in September before being sidelined again.

”It’s just people’s bodies are different, when you have those type injuries Jared Veldheer Jersey , you wait and see if it can heal and feel better and good enough to play early in the season,” general manager Reggie McKenzie said last week. ”He was feeling better Tyvon Branch Jersey , then he had a setback.”

Conley broke up a pass the first time he was tested against the New York Jets in Week 2. He played 93 snaps over two games and recorded seven tackles.

With Conley sidelined, the Raiders have struggled again in the secondary with starter David Amerson missing time with injuries and Sean Smith having his playing time reduced because of ineffectiveness.

The Raiders are the first team in NFL history to fail to record a single interception in the first nine games of the season. Oakland’s opponents have a 110.5 passer rating and have completed 71.2 percent of their passes J. J. Nelson Jersey , which both rank as the third highest in NFL history.

”There’s no question we miss him,” McKenzie said. ”He came in hitting the ground running. We felt really good about him during the offseason until he got kicked and that’s the way it is. But he is a good football player and he will have a great career.”

The Raiders (4-5) return from the bye this week in need of a strong finish to get back to the playoffs. A four-game losing streak early in the year set Oakland back and now the Raiders have little margin for error. They start their home stretch this week when they travel to Mexico City to play a ”home” game against the New England Patriots.

Oakland also must make trips to first-place Kansas City and Philadelphia A.Q. Shipley Jersey , as well as Los Angeles for the season finale against the Chargers as part of a difficult closing schedule.

The Raiders reinstated defensive tackle Darius Latham to the active roster to take Conley’s spot. Latham had been suspended four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

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BALTIMORE (AP) When the Chicago Bears weigh the good and bad facets of their performance against the Baltimore Ravens Nick Boyle Jersey , it’s likely they will come up with this conclusion:

Who cares? We won.

After blowing a 14-point lead, allowing two long kick returns and committing two turnovers, the Bears used a 40-yard field goal by Connor Barth in overtime to secure a 27-24 victory Sunday.

”You got to be able to take whatever situation you get and make something out of it,” defensive end Akiem Hicks said. ”I wanted to get a good W, go home and relax. The coming down to the wire thing is not my favorite style, but . however you get it, you just got to appreciate it.”

Jordan Howard ran for 167 yards, including a 53-yarder that set up the game-winning score for the Bears (2-4) Terrance West Jersey , whose two wins this season have come in overtime.

Howard’s long run in OT put Chicago at the Baltimore 40. After rookie Mitchell Trubisky completed an 18-yard pass to Kendall Wright, Barth delivered the decisive kick.

”It wasn’t always perfect – it seldom is – but we’re just happy to get out of here with a win,” Bears coach John Fox said.

Making his first career start on the road, Trubisky directed a conservative game plan that leaned heavily on the run. The first-round draft pick completed 8 of 16 passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.

”We took what the defense gave us,” the rookie said. ”The run game was working, so let’s keep pounding the rock.”

Howard had 36 carries and the Bears gained 231 yards on 54 attempts.

”Whatever it takes to win,” Fox stressed. ”This week, we had to run the ball – and we did.”

Baltimore (3-3) trailed 17-3 in the third quarter and 24-16 late in regulation before capitalizing on special teams play to get back in the game.

Bobby Rainey took a kickoff 96 yards for a score to begin the comeback and Michael Campanaro brought back a punt 77 yards for a touchdown with 1:37 remaining. The 2-point conversion was successful Mike Wallace Jersey , setting up overtime.

”Those two special teams touchdowns were huge,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.

The Ravens weren’t the only ones to capitalize on big plays. Chicago used a halfback pass from Tarik Cohen to Zach Miller for a first-half score, and Adrian Amos returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown for a 24-13 lead with 5:08 left.

Baltimore was in position for the go-ahead score when Amos got his first career interception on a pass that bounced off the chest of receiver Chris Moore, who was covered tightly by Kyle Fuller.

Chicago forced three turnovers and frustrated quarterback Joe Flacco throughout the afternoon. Operating without injured receivers Jeremy Maclin (inactive) and Breshad Perriman (second-quarter concussion), Flacco went 24 for 41 for 180 yards with two interceptions.

Trubisky put Chicago ahead 17-3 in the third quarter with an on-the-run, 27-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dion Sims, who outfought Tony Jefferson for the ball in the end zone.

That put the Ravens in a precarious position, especially with a struggling offense.

Rainey alleviated the pressure by taking the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown. After being tripped by a teammate Eric Weddle Jersey , Rainey popped to his feet, broke right and went the distance.

Campanaro did his part later, but it wasn’t enough.

”Sometimes your special teams kick in and score two touchdowns, which is great,” tight end Benjamin Watson said. ”But Chicago did a better job of closing than we did.”

The Ravens were coming off a 30-17 win in Oakland in which they did not commit a turnover, didn’t allow a sack and were penalized only once.

In this one, Baltimore gave the ball away twice, permitted two sacks and was flagged five times – in the first half.

RUNNING WILD

The Ravens pretty much knew the Bears were going to run Matt Judon Jersey , and still Chicago did so – quite effectively.

”Too many yards rushing,” Harbaugh lamented. ”They blocked well, they had good backs that broke some tackles.”

Especially Howard.

”He’s been that guy the whole year,” Fox said.

INJURIES

Bears: DB Sherrick McManis left with a hamstring injury. … RB Benny Cunningham left with a hamstring injury.

Ravens: TE Maxx Williams hurt his ankle while losing a fumble and did not return. … Perriman received a concussion on a play that Bryce Callahan had Chicago’s first INT of the season.

UP NEXT

Bears: Host Panthers, who will have a few extra days of rest after playing on Thursday night.

Ravens: Face the Vikings on the road for the first time since 2009.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars are revitalized and the Los Angeles Chargers are refreshed Graham Gano Jersey , which should make for an interesting matchup at EverBank Field on Sunday.

Jacksonville (5-3) is tied for the AFC South lead after winning three of its last four games. That includes prevailing against the Cincinnati Bengals last week, as the Jaguars won at home in consecutive weeks for the first time since October 2016.

The Chargers (3-5) enjoyed their bye last week after a surge of winning three of four games which has them back in the playoff conversation. L.A. gained two of those victories on the road against the Giants and the Broncos.

“Hopefully with a week off the players didn’t too much damage,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “But in our situation, being 3-5 and playing from behind, there is no way we can come out and be flat or not play well. Everything is still in front of us and now we have to go get it. I expect us to play well.”

The Jaguars are expecting the same from quarterback Blake Bortles. He’s been playing well of late, settling in to make the Jaguars one of the NFL’s surprise teams of the first half.

Plus, Bortles has the luxury of the NFL’s top rushing attack Charles Johnson Jersey , led by Leonard Fournette. The rookie with 596 rushing yards and six touchdowns returns after missing last week’s game for breaking a team rule.

“I feel like he is on track and ready to go,” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. “That is in the past.”

If Bortles is effective, he adds an element to an offense which likes to stay low.

“I feel good but we are a running team first, that is no secret and everyone knows that,” said Bortles, whose thrown for nearly 600 yards and two touchdowns in his last two games.

“But that doesn’t mean we can’t throw the ball because when we need to do that, we are good at that Andrew Norwell Jersey , too. We got guys on the outside that can win and we can make plays in the passing game down field as well.”

Bortles is right — the Jaguars prefer to stay close to the ground. They gobble up yards and time of possession. In Sunday’s win, the Bengals were held under 40 snaps.

“That is who we are,” Bortles said. “We control the game, we control the clock and that is what we’re are good at. That way we can keep the other offenses off the field.”

Said Lynn: “The way the offense is playing it is keeping their defense fresh.”

Keeping the Chargers’ Philip Rivers on the sidelines makes sense. When he’s been off the bench, he’s usually kept the Jaguars out of the winner’s circle. Rivers is 6-1 lifetime against the Jaguars with a spiffy 19-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In his last three outings, he’s 11 touchdowns to zero picks.

“He has played as well against us as any player ever has against this team,” Marrone said.

Rivers though will have to do it against the NFL’s No. 3-rated defense and the top-ranked one against the pass.

Jacksonville Daryl Williams Jersey , which allows a league-low 14.6 points per game, is good on the back end but it really shines pestering quarterbacks.

The Jaguars’ three-headed monster of Calais Campbell (10 sacks), Yannick Ngakoue (6.5) and Dante Fowler (5.5) will present a huge test for a Chargers offensive line which is battling some injuries.

“They have three guys that can create pressure outside and inside,” Lynn said.

The Chargers counter with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram, both with 8.5 sacks.

“We are going to have our hands full with those two,” Marrone said. “Bosa has great technique and Ingram can get off the ball. Both have them have a high motor and they can work their way to the quarterback.

The Chargers are 7-2 against the Jaguars and have won six straight. In five of those games, the Chargers scored at least 30 points.

But Lynn notes the Jaguars are playing their best ball of the season.

“They are hitting on all cylinders Mario Addison Jersey ,” he said. “This is going to be one of the biggest challenges of the season in my opinion.”

The Chargers defense is being directed by Gus Bradley, the former Jaguars head coach. He’s facing his former team for the first time.

“Obviously he knows the personnel very well and he wants to win this game,” Lynn said. “But he wants to win every game.”

That many speculate the Jaguars could be playoff bound is hard to ignore. But Marrone taps the breaks on those scenarios.

“There is a lot of football left,” he said, “and we have a long way to go.”

ENGLEWOOD Matt Bryant Jersey , Colo. (AP) The slumping Denver Broncos have a new punt returner and a new backup outside linebacker. They might be getting a fresh face at quarterback soon, too.

Vance Joseph, whose team is mired in a five-game slump in which the Broncos (3-6) have been outscored by a whopping 97 points, promoted wide receiver Jordan Taylor ahead of rookie Isaiah McKenzie, whose fifth fumble Sunday night ignited the New England Patriots’ 41-16 rout of their rival.

Joseph also said Brock Osweiler remains on track to start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) despite a sore throwing shoulder that limited him in practice Wednesday, when Paxton Lynch got his heaviest workload of the season.

Osweiler, who has started the last two weeks, said his injury was ”no big deal. It’s something that I was able to play the entire game with and didn’t miss a single snap. I’m going to be ready to go Sunday and it’s not going to cause any problems.”

Lynch has been sidelined since spraining his throwing shoulder in the Broncos’ third preseason game.

While insisting ”Brock is still the starter. He will be fine Matt Bosher Jersey ,” Joseph wouldn’t commit to either Lynch or former starter Trevor Siemian being the backup against the Bengals.

”Right now, that’s being determined,” Joseph said. ”We gave Paxton No. 2 reps today to kind of see where he’s at with his shoulder. He did fine. He threw the ball fine today.”

Joseph said Lynch took the snaps on throwing plays and Osweiler on hand-offs.

”He threw the ball fine,” Joseph said of Lynch, whom the Broncos moved up to draft in the first round in 2016 only to see him get handily beaten out by Siemian two consecutive training camps. ”He had command of the huddle. It’s practice. It should look good in practice.”

That’s become a running joke on the airwaves in Denver. Joseph, in his first year as a head coach in the NFL after a single season as a defensive coordinator in Miami, has said repeatedly over the last month that the Broncos have had great weeks of practice before getting blown out.

They’ve been outscored 165-68 during their recent rut, including 55-9 in the first quarter.

For weeks Ricardo Allen Jersey , it was Lynch who was limited to throwing short passes but on Wednesday Osweiler could only throw short passes while Lynch ”threw a deep ball today,” Joseph said. ”It looked good.”

For the first time all year, Joseph indicated Lynch could see his first action of the season this weekend, if needed.

”I would say yes,” Joseph said.

Lynch said he feels fine and is ready if called upon.

”I would have said that right when I got hurt,” too, Lynch said. ”But I talked to the trainers and the coaches, and they’ve done a good job so far and I feel great. I’m just going to continue to leave it up to them.”

As for benching McKenzie Ryan Schraeder Jersey , Joseph said, ”I want to get the ball caught. That’s the first job description for a punt returner, is to possess the ball. … We can’t have any more issues as far as muffing the punts.”

McKenzie won’t return kickoffs, either.

”That’s (Devontae) Booker’s job,” Joseph said.

Also Wednesday, the Broncos replaced outside linebacker Kasim Edebali on the roster by promoting Deiontrez Mount from their practice squad.

”It was more about Mount,” Joseph said. ”Mount has had a month and a-half of practice rushing the passer and playing on teams. It was more about Mount earning the opportunity to be on the roster.”

Mount is a third-year pro who’s appeared in five career games with the Titans (2015) and Colts (2016) after a standout career at Louisville.

Joseph said there was never any thought of promoting Jonathan Williams from Denver’s practice squad this week when the New Orleans Saints signed away the former Arkansas running back to bolster their already stout backfield. The Broncos had been paying Williams $30,000 a week Andy Levitre Jersey , almost as much as Siemian is making.

”We’ve got four healthy backs right now, including a fullback, so we have five in the room,” Joseph said. ”So we had no room.”

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No one has to tell the Oakland Raiders what they’re up against south of the border.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are on a roll entering Sunday’s game in Mexico City.

“When you’ve got a guy like Tom Brady Nick Boyle Jersey , it’s crucial you can’t let him sit back there and bake a cake,” defensive tackle Eddie Vanderdoes said, via the Raiders’ website. “Obviously he is who he is, been in the NFL (18) years, so when you’ve got a guy like that you can’t let him bake a pizza Terrance West Jersey , so you’ve got to disrupt him a little bit.”

Leave it to a bulky defensive lineman to make not one but two food analogies. But the message is clear.

“They’re loaded,” Oakland safety Reggie Nelson said. “They just picked up (tight end Martellus) Bennett, got ‘Gronk’ (tight end Rob Gronkowski), (wide receiver Chris) Hogan … there’s a lot of them. Like I said, we’ve got our work cut out.

“They’ve got Brady who’s going to get them in the right position Mike Wallace Jersey , and the right play call, so we’ve got to do a good job on our end of just taking care of the little things.”

Hogan missed Sunday night’s victory at Denver with a shoulder injury and neither he nor right tackle Marcus Cannon, out against Denver with an ankle injury, were with the team in Colorado. Neither is likely to play this week. Special teams captain Matthew Slater (hamstring) was also out.

The Raiders started the season with two straight wins but are 2-5 since. However, they have won two of their last three heading into this game — against a very hot New England team.

After starting 2-2 Eric Weddle Jersey , the Patriots have reeled off five straight wins, with Brady winning yet another AFC Offensive Player of the Week award after throwing three touchdown passes at Oakland on Sunday night. Oh, and Dion Lewis became the second player since the merger to produce a kick return and a rush for a touchdown in a game.

The goal, at least that of the fans, was for New England to go 19-0 and win its sixth Super Bowl. Julian Edelman called that talk “stupid” and then went down for the season with a knee injury.

But the Patriots have surged Matt Judon Jersey , as the defense has held everyone to 17 points or fewer during the winning streak. A strong running game and a healthy Gronkowski have also taken some pressure off the 40-year-old Brady.

The Patriots are 4-0 on the road, and stayed out in high altitude after the Broncos’ game, getting ready for Mexico City. The game will be played at 7,280 feet — 2,000 higher than Denver.

“We feel like it’s the best thing we can do Michael Pierce Jersey ,” said New England coach Bill Belichick, whose team is working out at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. “I think everybody understands that. We’re ready to go to work and make the most of it.”

Asked if he and the staff have to talk to players about working in the high altitude, Belichick said, “Yeah, we talk about some things we feel are important Austin Howard Jersey , but I mean, we do that every week. Every week’s got its own challenges.”

Oakland coach Jack Del Rio has an extensive resume against Brady and just sees more of the same in the 2017 version.

“It’s pretty much vintage Tom Brady,” he said.

“I think he’s been as good as anybody doing it for quite a number of years. Obviously, adding a guy like Brandin Cooks helps with some of the deep shots they want to take and (Phillip) Dorsett. I mean, a couple of the skill people they’ve added Ryan Jensen Jersey , it makes sense to take deep shots with them.”

In 2014, when Del Rio defeated the Brady/Belichick combination for the first time in eight games, Del Rio, then the defensive coordinator for the Broncos said, “Clearly James Hurst Jersey , the combination of Tom and Bill (Belichick) has been a very productive combination and one that I hadn’t seen a lot of success against. I took a lot of pride in the fact that we were able to put together a good plan, go out there and execute, play well and advance (to the Super Bowl).”

The Patriots hold a 16-15 regular-season record against their old rivals but have won the past four meetings since the Raiders won Nov. 11, 2002.

ALAMEDA Nick Boyle Jersey , Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders may be without leading receiver Michael Crabtree against Denver after he missed practice Friday because of the lingering effects of a chest injury he suffered during the team’s loss to Washington.

Crabtree had been limited earlier in the week but was held out of the Raiders’ final workout before the team flies to Colorado and is listed as questionable. Coach Jack Del Rio declined to say whether Crabtree had suffered a setback and said a decision may not be made until Sunday.

”(We) have a couple of guys on the injury report that are questionable,” Del Rio said. ”We’ll see how it goes. Whether they’ll be able to go or not Terrance West Jersey , we’ll make that determination as we get closer to the game.”

Crabtree has 13 catches for 170 yards and a team-high three touchdowns through three games but is coming off his worst performance of the season when he and Amari Cooper were each held to one catch in the Raiders’ 27-10 loss to the Redskins last week.

Crabtree, who has played in all 35 regular-season games since signing with Oakland in 2015 Mike Wallace Jersey , was knocked out of the game following a hard hit early in the fourth quarter.

The 30-year-old receiver was also the primary target of a postgame tirade by Redskins cornerback Josh Norman, who accused Crabtree and Cooper of talking trash before the game.

Denver cornerback Aqib Talib Eric Weddle Jersey , who snapped a chain from around Crabtree’s neck in the final regular-season game of 2016, also had some choice words for Crabtree this week but the Raiders receiver has stayed quiet. He declined interview requests Wednesday and did not appear in the team’s locker room Thursday or Friday during the media’s 45-minute access period.

If Crabtree is unable to play – he last missed a game in 2013 – the Raiders will likely lean more on Seth Roberts and Cordarrelle Patterson to pick up the slack.

Notes: Cornerback Gareon Conley (shin) was limited for a second straight day and is questionable. Safety Keith McGill (foot) is also questionable. Cooper was limited earlier in the week with a knee injury but has been full each of the last two practices.

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