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They made that move a year after the Rams and both teams are trying to sell tickets to the new stadium that they will both call home in the future. A Rams Super Bowl win would likely give their efforts a boost on that front and Chargers running back Melvin Gordon put any ill feelings about his team’s playoff loss behind him when asked if civic pride dictated his rooting choice.“Yeah Chris Lindstrom Jersey , I don’t want the Rams to win,” Gordon said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I live in L.A. Y’all know. I live in L.A. and I’ve got to hear that all day. You know how many signs, Rams signs, I see? I need them to lose. I don’t care where y’all put me on TV saying this. I need them to lose. I love the guys over there. I’m cool with Todd [Gurley]. I’m cool with all them boys. But man, I need them boys to lose.”Neither outcome is a particular positive for the Chargers as they haven’t shown an ability to snap the Patriots’ stranglehold on the AFC, but it would probably be a bit easier to deal with it from across the country. In the Hall of Fame game and in 15 of the Week One preseason games, none of the replay officials called for a replay review of any pass interference call or non-call. In the Bengals-Chiefs game on Saturday night, the replay official exercised that power. Twice.One of those decisions highlighted a key question regarding replay review of pass interference calls and non-calls: Will the ruling from NFL senior V.P. of officiating Al Riveron be influenced by the outcome of the play?With 53 seconds left in the first half and the Chiefs on the Cincinnati 17 http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-kaleb-mcgary-jersey , quarterback Kyle Shurmur threw a third-down pass in the direction of receiver Byron Pringle on the right side of the end zone. Bengals cornerback Darius Phillips appeared to initiate contact with Pringle while the ball was in the air. But Pringle commited a much more obvious infraction, blatantly shoving Phillips in the head to gain separation.Phillips recovered from the push, batting the ball away for an incompletion, forcing a fourth down and a looming 35-yard field-goal attempt for the Chiefs.Replay official Darryl Lewis initiated a review of potential offensive pass interference. And the review took a long time, slamming the brakes on the game action while Riveron sorted everything out in New York.Riveron ultimately decided to let the ruling on the field stand, with no call of offensive pass interference, defensive pass interference, or offseting fouls — and with no explanation provided by referee Craig Wrolstad regarding the basis for the decision.It’s hard not to wonder whether Riveron considered the fact that Pringle’s blatant shove of Phillips didn’t help Pringle make the catch. If Pringle had caught the ball Kendall Sheffield Jersey , would Riveron has called OPI? Probably. If Phillips had intercepted the pass, would Riveron have determined that Phillips committed interference? Or would Riveron have decided that both players had committed fouls, wiping out the play and giving the Chiefs a do-over?In this specific case, the realistic options seemed to be: (1) call Pringle for OPI, pushing the field goal try from 35 yards to 45; (2) call offsetting fouls, allowing the Chiefs another crack at the end zone on third down; or (3) do nothing, keeping the Chiefs at fourth down and leaving the field-goal try at 35 yards.Riveron’s ultimate choice quite possibly reflects a consideration of what happened on the field, and what the impact of his decision on the game would be. Really http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-john-cominsky-jersey , how can Riveron be expected to ponder the various permutations regarding the consequences of a call or non-call of offensive and/or defensive pass interference?Right or wrong, the power to consider via replay review calls and non-calls of pass inteference gives Riveron a vague sort of Wapnerian power over the proceedings, allowing him to mete out football justice based not only on the visual evidence of a foul or no foul, but also on the impact of his decision on the broader circumstances of the game. On Saturday night, it appears that Riveron may have used this power in overlooking clear and obvious evidence of offensive pass interference, given that there may have been defensive pass interference and given that the offensive pass interference ultimately didn’t work.Like it or not, these are the kinds of issues that naturally flow from the NFL’s decision to address the very specific and narrow problem from the Rams-Saints NFC Championship game with a sledgehammer instead of a scalpel. And these are the kinds of questions that will come into focus as more and more games are played under this new reality.
ALAMEDA Julian Love Jersey , Calif. (AP) — of rookie minicamp for the Oakland Raiders based on what the team did in the draft.Gruden said the coaching staff will don Clemson shirts on the final day of the weekend minicamp in homage to the three draft picks from the national-champion Tigers.“I guess that’s kind of the joke around here,” first-round defensive end Clelin Ferrell said Friday, the first day of rookie minicamp. “We just added a bunch of Clemson guys and (defensive line) Coach (Brentson) Buckner was a Clemson guy. I mean, I wouldn’t doubt it. I wouldn’t be mad if I see some more around here, that’s for sure.”Oakland has plenty right now after taking Ferrell fourth overall, cornerback Trayvon Mullen in the second round and receiver Hunter Renfrow in the fifth round.Gruden was so impressed by what he saw on tape scouting those three that he wouldn’t mind adding some of their teammates in the next couple of drafts.“I got this to say about Clemson; you got to watch all their tape because they are the best team in college football and they got a lot of good players at every position,” Gruden said. “Some of the underclassmen will keep us wearing that orange color next year, I hope, because they are loaded.”The Tigers trio weren’t the only players with winning pedigrees that the Raiders added in the draft. They also took Alabama running back Josh Jacobs 24th overall, giving them four players from last season’s national championship game.Gruden said adding players with championship pedigrees was important as the Raiders try to rebuild after posting just one winning record in the past 16 seasons.The rookies hope to contribute to building a winning culture in Oakland.“It’s a lot more fun to win than lose,” Renfrow said. “We won a lot of games at Clemson. It’s not just one person, it takes a whole team buy in. That’s why I’m excited. I haven’t met a lot of the team yet, but I’m excited to kind of get in and interact with them. It was such a good thing to bring in a guy like Clelin so early because he’s one of those guys that just brings people along. He’ll say http://www.giantsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-darius-slayton-jersey , ‘All right, follow me. We’re going to go and we’re going to go do what it takes to win.’ Same with Trayvon as well and Josh Jacobs at Alabama. They know what it takes to win and it’s been fun to be around them.”In other news, Gruden said the team has decided not to exercise the fifth-year option on 2016 first-round safety Karl Joseph, making him eligible to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. The Raiders drafted Joseph’s potential replacement, Jonathan Abram, in the first round but Gruden said the team still likes Joseph and could still bring him back next season.Gruden also provided some clarity on the offensive line, saying second-year player Kolton Miller will remain at left tackle to start the offseason program with high-priced free-agent Trent Brown starting off on the right side. Miller allowed a league-high 16 sacks and a league-worst 65 pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus, but will get another shot at protecting Derek Carr’s blind side.“We like that as a launching pad for us,” Gruden said. “Trent played very well at right tackle for San Francisco, played left tackle very well for New England and gives us some versatility. That’s how we are going to start the show.”Guard Gabe Jackson will remain on the right side as the team searches for a replacement for Kelechi Osemele at left guard with Denzelle Good likely to get the first shot.“The door is wide open at left guard,” Gruden said. “We are going to continue to look at players that can come in and compete at that position.”The Raiders also placed running back Isaiah Crowell on injured reserve after he tore his Achilles earlier this week. That led to the move to bring back Doug Martin for depth in a position group that includes first-rounder Josh Jacobs and third-down back Jalen Richard. Raiders rookie receiver Hunter Renfrow had a long and productive college career at Clemson, but early on he didn’t look like a player who could make it to the NFL.Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told NBCSportsBayArea.com that when Renfrow showed up as a walk-on Quinnen Williams Jersey , he was nowhere near ready to compete at the college level, let alone the NFL.“The thing with Hunter is, you know, he was 150 pounds. He was athletic, but he was weak,” Swinney said. “He literally, literally benched 125 pounds when he came to Clemson. He’s a three-sport athlete, he was never in the weight room, you know he was always twitchy and fast, but never in a million years would you think he’s a football player if you just walked up. Sometimes we get blinded by how people look, we judge that book by its cover, but the game of football, if it was just about size and strength and running fast http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jachai-polite-jersey , we’d just go over to the track and sign everybody. The game of football, you still have to be a football player. That’s one of the key things in our evaluation is: Is he a football player? You can’t just look the part. You’ve got to be able to play the part. Hunter is one of those guys. We didn’t offer him a scholarship, but we certainly recruited him as a preferred walk-on because we saw some potential.”Eventually Renfrow did enough work in the weight room that he benched 225 pounds for seven reps at the Scouting Combine, and more importantly he made a major impact on the field.“Football players come in all shapes and sizes — they really do — at the end of the day you got to be able to play between the lines, and he is the epitome of that, for sure,” Swinney said. “When he puts that helmet on I don’t know what happens, he becomes Superman. It’s like Clark Kent taking his glasses off or something. He just has a gift to be able to play the game, and he’s still not anywhere close to a finished product.”Whether Renfrow has ability to keep it going in the NFL remains to be seen, but Swinney is confident in Renfrow’s track record of exceeding expectations.
FOXBOROUGH http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cody-ford-jersey , Mass. (AP) — NFL season when he led the Patriots to a last-second victory over the St. Louis Rams for New England’s first Super Bowl title.Four rings later, Brady will arrive in Atlanta for the Patriots’ Super Bowl matchup with the Los Angeles Rams having already established himself as the most-decorated Super Bowl quarterback in league history.But as Brady prepares to play in his ninth Super Bowl, he will have another chance to do something no other NFL player has done.If New England beats Los Angeles, the 41-year-old quarterback will break a tie with Hall of Fame defensive end Charles Haley and become the first player to win six rings.But to his coaches, teammates and admirers across the sporting world, he already stands alone.Known to Brady affectionately as “Jules,” receiver Julian Edelman called it an honor to be a part of the quarterback’s career.“He’s a really good football player,” Edelman said. “The best. And he goes out and he consistently proves it.”Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski has caught more passes from Brady than any other player and will play alongside him in a Super Bowl for the fourth time. He said Brady’s approach has been the same since their first practice together back in 2010.“The guy is just so precise with everything. Just the way he is out on the field, the way he prepares,” Gronkowski said. “You know every single time you’re going to get the best out of him no matter what the situations are.”After New England’s divisional-round win over the Chargers, Brady was openly miffed about what he perceived as pessimism outside of the Patriots’ locker room about their chances of reaching a third straight Super Bowl following a regular season which they started 1-2 and lost five games.“I know everybody thinks we suck and, you know, we can’t win any games,” Brady said. “We’ll see. It’ll be fun.”A week later, Brady led the Patriots on a winning drive in overtime to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game — his 12th such drive in the postseason in the fourth-quarter or overtime.The next day he posted a video on Instagramof himself and Gronkowski walking to the team bus after the game.Both are smiling and Gronkowski flashes his AFC championship T-shirt.It was the kind humble brag that Brady has steered away from in the past.But this postseason he has been more open with his emotions and acknowledged after the AFC title win he was “as excited as I have been in a long time.”“When you have 70,000 people cheering against you, it is pretty sweet when you win on the road Devin Singletary Jersey ,” Brady said.On Twitter, congratulations came from all corners of sports.Among them was one from Paul Pierce , who helped lead the Celtics to the NBA championship in 2008. “There’s aliens there’s Pegasus and there’s Tom Brady,” Pierce wrote.Left tackle Trent Brown is in his first season in New England after being traded to the Patriots last April. He said sharing the huddle with Brady has lived up to his expectations.“There’s one word, G.O.A.T. That’s it,” Brown said. “He’s one of those great leaders and it trickles down to the rest of the team.”Brown is a member of a starting lineup on offense that, excluding Brady, has an average age of 27.Brady’s continued ability to lead and inspire teammates more than a decade his junior is a unique skill, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said.“He communicates well with every player,” McDaniels said. “One of the things that’s always impressed me is how he’s one of the first guys in the building to know a new person’s name, which speaks to how important that is to him, to introduce himself to somebody and also get to know that person, whether it be a practice squad player, a rookie, whatever it is.”Brady’s introductions to new players is always the same. At some point after they arrive Brady seeks them out, walks up and says plainly, “Hi, I’m Tom Brady.”Linebacker Kyle Van Noy said he still remembers his reaction to hearing those words.It was October 2016 and Van Noy http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dawson-knox-jersey , following a trade from Detroit, arrived at the team facility about 5:30 a.m.. Hours later while on a restroom break from a meeting, he turned and saw an outstretched hand.“Tom comes up and kind of shakes my hand like, ‘Hi, I’m Tom Brady.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re an idiot.'” Van Noy said.But he said the moment was emblematic of a player he has no doubt will be at his best on Super Bowl Sunday.“Those little things are why he’s where he’s at,” Van Noy said. “Those little things that people don’t pay attention to, those detailed things, that just separates him. He’s really good at what he does. … That’s what makes him Tom.” Cam Newton can’t keep from grinning when he looks around at the playmakers that surround him in the Panthers‘ locker room.“The talent level we have on this team is extremely scary,” Newton said.The Panthers proved that again Sunday.Newton completed 19 of 25 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns, running back Christian McCaffrey racked up 157 total yards and scored twice and second-year wide receiver Curtis Samuel scored on a 33-yard double reverse and hauled in a 19-yard TD catch midway through the fourth quarter to seal Carolina’s 42-28 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.The Panthers (6-2) are on a roll midway through the season, scoring 99 points in the last nine quarters.They have wide receivers that can run the ball, running backs that can catch, a big body receiver, a third-down receiving specialist, one of the best pass-catching tight ends in the league and, of course, a one-time league MVP at quarterback who can do it all.Those weapons were all on display in the first half as the Panthers scored touchdowns on five straight possessions to build a 35-7 lead en route to their 10th straight win at home.Even a little “Fitzmagic” wasn’t enough for the Buccaneers (3-5).Ryan Fitzpatrick Brian Burns Jersey , who started in place of the turnover-prone Jameis Winston, finished with 243 yards passing and four touchdowns — two each to Adam Humphries and O.J. Howard — and led the Bucs back to within 35-28 in the fourth quarter before running out of steam.Fitzpatrick threw two costly interceptions — one on the game’s second possession which led to Carolina’s first touchdown, and other late in the fourth quarter that sealed the Bucs’ fate.“We know we have the talent, it’s just we can’t keep digging ourselves in these holes, especially on the road,” Fitzpatrick said.The deficit — and Carolina’s offensive firepower — proved too much.Tight end Greg Olsen called the versatility the Panthers now have on offense with players like McCaffrey, Samuel and D.J. Moore is unlike anything he’s seen since his arrival in Carolina in 2011.“We have guys who are so explosive, so dynamic and so good in the open space,” Olsen said. “We can give them balls on handoffs, throw it to them all — they’re very unique in that regard. I don’t know what we have had this many guys who are that dynamic with the ball in their hands.”That was evident throughout.McCaffrey leaped a defender on a reception in the flat and kept going, racing 32 yards for a first down. Samuel’s 33-yard TD on the reverse included the speedster reversing field and running a combined 103 yards , according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. And Olsen, the cagey veteran, hauled in a one-handed catch in the end zone — his third TD in three weeks.“We were playing with momentum and when you’re playing like that, we have a lot of juice coming our way so it does make it very fun,” McCaffrey said.Said Newton: “When it’s clicking, it’s clicking.”BREAKING THE PATTERNBucs coach Dirk Koetter is eager to find a solution for his team, which seems to be stuck in a repeating pattern.“We go out http://www.panthersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-greg-little-jersey , we get behind, we get killed in the second quarter, then rally like (heck) in the third quarter and then everybody thinks we’re back in it and then we fade off at the end,” Koetter said. “That’s definitely the pattern that we’re in. If I knew one thing to fix it I’d do it right now, but I don’t know what that is.”ADDISON TURNS IN TRIFECTAPanthers defensive end Mario Addison had a big game with three sacks to raise his team-leading total to 7½.“I’m a pretty strong guy,” said the 6-foor-3, 260-pound Addison. “People underestimate me because I look kind of small but I pack a punch. By the time they miss and my hands get on the inside of them, I’m running them back and they’re like ‘Dang, this guy’s stronger than I thought.'”SLAMMING THE DOORThe Panthers have been touting James Bradberry as their shutdown cornerback and he did quite a number on Tampa Bay’s Mike Evans, who finished with one catch for 16 yards despite being targeted 10 times.Panthers coach Ron Rivera called Bradberry’s defense “as solid as it gets.”THIEVES AVENUEThe Panthers secondary is coming up with big turnovers this season. Carolina has 11 interceptions at the midway point of the season after just 10 picks last season. Jackson, a rookie, has four of them.“The secondary is shaping up nicely and the more they play together the more chances they will have,” Rivera said.NATIONAL ANTHEMPanthers safety Eric Reid took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial and social injustice.INJURIESBuccaneers: None reported.Panthers: Reid left in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury, but returned to the game.UP NEXTBuccaneers: Host Washington on Sunday.Panthers: Play four of their next five games on the road, beginning Thursday night at Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Pirates might want to scratch out a scouting report on Brent Suter — as a hitter — before their series finale Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Brewers at PNC Park.
Suter is strong enough on the mound. The left-hander is 7-4 with a 4.30 ERA going into his expected start against the Pirates, and over his past six starts he is 5-1 with a 3.24 ERA.
That includes a 13-2 win over Philadelphia Friday, when Suter allowed one run and six hits while tying a career high with seven innings pitched. But he seemed more excited about what he did at the plate in that game.
Suter drove in a run after being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, reached on an error and singled in a run in his three plate appearances against the Phillies.
“I feel locked in at the plate http://www.jacksonvillejaguarsteamonline.com/quincy-williams-ii-jersey ,” he said. “I’m a little late on fastballs, but I’m seeing the ball well. I’m seeing offspeed down. Any way you can help your team win is a good way to help your team win.”
Suter is 3-for-10 since he hit a 433-foot homer off American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber May 9. He was 4-for-28 before that, including 1-for-8 this season.
“There’s a confidence there,” Suter said. “Hitting is one of my favorite parts. I love hitting. I’ve loved it my whole life. Even when I’m struggling, I still like going up there and trying to whack it.”
As for his “day job,” Suter will be trying to help the Brewers (43-30) take the series and keep hold of first place in the National League Central.
Milwaukee won 3-2 Tuesday to end a three-game losing streak.
Pittsburgh (36-37) had won four of five before Tuesday and will be trying to win its second straight series after losing eight in a row.
Suter will oppose Pittsburgh right-hander Chad Kuhl (5-4, 3.76 ERA).
In his past five starts Ryquell Armstead Jersey , Kuhl has allowed eight earned runs in 30 1/3 innings. Over his past eight starts, he has a 2.89 ERA.
Part of his recent success is tied to mixing in a lot of breaking balls.
“It’s a heater-hunting league, especially when you throw a hard heater. Guys are trying to hit the heater, it’s no secret,” Kuhl said. “Throwing that 1/8slider 3/8 a ton. Feel really comfortable with it. It’s gotten me out of some really big jams, gotten me some strikeouts and some early action. It kind of does both for me. Just being able to throw that in any count has been huge.”
Against Milwaukee, Kuhl is 3-0 with a 1.91 ERA Will Harris Jersey , and the Pirates are 6-0 in his starts. This season, he gave up one hit and tied a career high with eight strikeouts over seven scoreless innings May 6 in a 9-0 win.
“When you know you’ve had success and remember some pitches that may have worked for you, you’re able to use that to your advantage, but every game is different,” Kuhl said.
Suter is 1-0 with 1.80 ERA in eight games — three starts — against the Pirates.
In games where the St. Louis Cardinals hit homers and pitch well Jeffery Simmons Jersey , they generally walk off the field with a win.
But on nights where they can’t connect with the long ball, they don’t consistently make up for it with situational hitting or defense. Friday night’s 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves was another example of that trend rearing its ugly head.
of the first against Braves starter Julio Teheran, St. Louis simply couldn’t crack the code. It eventually caught up with the Cardinals as they were held to one run for their second straight game.
For St. Louis (42-38) to even the series Saturday night at Busch Stadium, the Cardinals will have to do a better job of converting runners in scoring position into runs while not giving up extra outs defensively. The Cardinals’ three errors Friday night marked their 17th multi-error game in 80 games.
St. Louis is on a pace to commit more than 130 miscues this year, continuing a three-season trend of below-average defense. Permitting good teams like Atlanta (46-34) four or five outs in an inning is a recipe for disaster.
The Braves started a 10-game road trip with a positive result. Third baseman Johan Camargo was the offensive star, going 3-for-5 with two runs and a two-run double off Jordan Hicks in the eighth that broke open a 1-0 game.
“Baseball is all about its ups and downs,” Camargo said. “For me, it’s all about maintaining the focus and just staying the path.”
Atlanta essentially heeded Camargo’s credo, bouncing back from consecutive series losses against last-place teams Baltimore and Cincinnati. It will turn to left-hander Max Fried (0-2 Nate Davis Jersey , 4.09 ERA) on Saturday to secure a series win.
Fried is replacing veteran right-hander Brandon McCarthy, who was put on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with a knee injury. A former first-round pick of San Diego, Fried will make his first start since going five innings and giving up one earned run on May 28 in a no-decision against the New York Mets.
It will be the second career appearance against the Cardinals for Fried, who last year tossed a scoreless inning in relief against them.
Right-hander Luke Weaver (4-6, 4.59) will look for his second straight win for St. Louis. Weaver shrugged off a rough first inning Sunday in Milwaukee to grab an 8-2 win, fanning a season-high nine over 5 2/3 innings while yielding two runs off five hits and two walks.
Weaver needed 32 pitches to make it through a two-run first inning, but started finding the range with his off-speed pitches. That made his fastball play bigger, and he rolled through the middle innings while the Cardinals bombed Jhoulys Chacin out of the box with five runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
“The first inning, it was like Tytus Howard Jersey , ‘Here we go again.’ It means a lot for him to right the ship,” St. Louis manager Mike Matheny told mlb.com.
Weaver, who snapped a seven-start winless streak in Milwaukee, will make his first career appearance against the Braves.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Mike Pettine is staying as defensive coordinator of the Packers.New coach Matt LaFleur announced the decision Friday, answering one of his biggest questions just three days after being hired.In his first year, Pettine installed a 3-4 scheme and had mixed results. First-round draft pick Jaire Alexander showed signs he will become the top cornerback the Packers desperately need, and Green Bay was ranked No. 12 in pass defense (234.5 yards per game), a big improvement over 2017.Green Bay finished 6-9-1 and out of the playoffs for the second straight year. As the Packers wrapped up for the offseason last week Gary Jennings Jr. Jersey , Pettine said he was hoping to return to keep building.“Of course, the foundation is the hardest thing to get right, and I feel that a lot of it has been built — and we’ve made a lot of mistakes,” he said. “I think we learned, especially me personally, too, I’ve learned a lot of cases of what not to do versus what to do.”The Packers did pile up 44 sacks, tied for eighth in the league, though injuries struck the defensive line. Green Bay lacked a consistent rush at outside linebacker except for surprise sacks leader Kyler Fackrell (10½).“I like his scheme Ugo Amadi Jersey ,” Fackrell said last week. “There were a lot of things that went against us this year with a ton of injuries, a ton of new guys. I think the way that he was able to still keep us playing pretty well, I think he did a great job.”Defensive lineman Kenny Clark also liked the new scheme, which saw 17 different players get at least a half-sack.“I had my best season under coach Pettine, and just the blitzes and the different disguises and the different he can do to free people up — it’s been great for me,” he said. “He’s been using a lot of our strengths on the field.”Longtime defensive star Clay Matthews is a free agent after finishing with a career-low 3½ sacks in his 10th season with the Packers.BEREA Brian Burns Jersey , Ohio (AP) —The rookie quarterback isn’t dismissing the possibility his former coach joins him in Cleveland either.Mayfield said Wednesday that he believes Riley is prepared to move from Oklahoma into the NFL, but he would also understand if the 35-year-old wants to remain at one of college football’s most successful programs.“Lincoln’s been ready, it’s just who he is and how he coaches and the respect level he’s had from all of his players, how detailed he is,” Mayfield said. “Yeah, he’s ready but that’s his decision and you know what, he’s got something special there, so I don’t think anybody is going to blame him if he stays there for the next 20 years.”Riley has been linked as a possible candidate to be Cleveland’s next coach because of his obvious connection with Mayfield, who won the Heisman Trophy last season in Riley’s first year at the Big 12 power.Mayfield was asked directly if he wants Riley to come to Cleveland.“I have a relationship with Lincoln,” Mayfield. “He’s been great and we had success, but whatever decision is made here I’m going to make the most of it. Obviously, there’s been a level of comfort with him in the past that I’ve had. But whatever happens, happens. And you know what, you can’t control that so I’m not going to worry about it.”Mayfield also doesn’t know if Riley is itching to go pro.“I think down the road probably,” he said. “Right now I’m not going to speak for him Greg Little Jersey , but he’s ready whenever that time comes.”The Browns fired Hue Jackson in October, and general manager John Dorsey is in the early stages of a coaching search that will accelerate once the season ends. Interim coach Gregg Williams will interview for the job, and it’s likely that Dorsey will meet with former Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who was dismissed after Sunday’s loss to Arizona.Dorsey and McCarthy worked together in Green Bay.Riley’s appeal to the Browns could stretch beyond his strong ties to Mayfield. He’s regarded as one of the game’s best offensive minds, and Mayfield has little doubt Riley has the right attributes to lead professional players.“After being here, it’s about respect,” Mayfield said. “You get a locker room full of guys that are making a lot of money, obviously the egos are going to be there. You have to have the respect in guys. You have to be able to get the best out of them even when they’re going to get paid regardless. So you’ve got to be able to get the most out of them and demand it, just by respect and so when it comes down to it, that’s why I would say he’s a great coach.”Mayfield said his admiration for Riley extends way outside his ability to diagram a play or devise a game plan.“Some of those coaches that are so successful, they have the standard and they live by — that standard every day,” Mayfield said. “He does it with football, family and he’s just a great human being. He wants the best for everybody and he’s always encouraging. He will wrap his arm around somebody, talk to them and help them out no matter what it is.”Riley, who is 24-3 in two seasons with the Sooners Will Grier Jersey , has downplayed any interest in leaving Oklahoma, which signed him to a five-year, $25 million contract last summer. After Jackson was fired, Riley anticipated questions about going to Cleveland.“The truth for me is, I love Oklahoma,” he said. “I love coaching here. I love college football. I certainly don’t have that itch right now. I don’t know if I ever will.”That won’t stop the speculation about Riley, which has been fueled by Dorsey’s appearance at Oklahoma’s past two games.Mayfield said Dorsey is close with Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione, and joked that he’s not putting any more into the visits.“I’ve definitely known about it,” Mayfield said. “He’s given me a hard time, but he’s gone and there’s been two wins. That’s all I know. Who knows what he’s doing down there.”NOTES: Browns practice squad DL Daniel Ekuale was suspended without pay for four games for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancers. His suspension begins immediately. … Mayfield said his Heisman Trophy sits on his parent’s dining room table at home and his dad “uses it as a paper holder and he tips his coffee to it every morning.” EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Dalvin Cook took the first-down handoff for Minnesota, sized up the blocking at the line and veered hard to his left.Miami cornerback Bobby McCain had the angle on him, but Cook won the race to the edge and accelerated up the sideline to reach the end zone untouched for the Vikings on their merry way to a 41-17 victory over the Dolphins .That 13-yard touchdown run during a 21-point first quarter was a fitting snapshot of a performance by the offense that was as smooth as it’s been all season. That play was called to the same side of the field six days earlier in a 21-7 loss at Seattle, when the Vikings were as flat as they’ve been all year in trying to move the ball.Against the Seahawks, naturally Christian Miller Jersey , the unblocked cornerback tackled Cook for a short gain. Quarterback Kirk Cousins promised Cook on the sideline that night the next time he had the opportunity he’d beat the defender to the perimeter and turn it into a big play.Sure enough, that’s what transpired against the Dolphins, when Cousins looked at Cook in the huddle and said simply, “Make him miss.”The margin between winning and losing in the NFL can be so slim that sometimes for no significant reason a play can be thwarted one week and thrive the next. Cousins has been vocal since the change about his insistence that the struggles were not a product of bad play calls but rather the fault of the players.“We’ve got to make the coaches right,” Cousins said.Still, there was a clear boost the Vikings gained from a fresh start under interim offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski after the firing of John DeFilippo . The shift in venue to another capacity crowd at U.S. Bank Stadium was the biggest help, and facing a Dolphins defense with many deficiencies instead of the Seahawks was a welcomed alternative.With Stefanski calling the plays on Sunday for the first time, there was a concerted effort to follow a streamlined, simplified game plan after the Vikings were held under 285 total yards in Seattle for the fourth time in a five-game stretch. They called 40 runs to 23 passes, by far their biggest favor of the ground game of the season.Coach Mike Zimmer, who’d been critical of DeFilippo last month for what he termed “too much volume” in the playbook from week to week, saw some negative effect that had on Cousins. He told his quarterback last week to remember what playing in the backyard in seventh grade felt like.“You don’t run plays. You just play the game,” Zimmer said. “I think that’s what he needs to do, just play the game and let it unfold.”Stefanski simply used more players, too. Fullback C.J. Ham had 18 snaps Jordan Scarlett Jersey , and backup tight ends David Morgan and Tyler Conklin had 23 snaps apiece. Ham and Morgan, who returned from a four-game absence because of a knee injury, had the key blocks to give Cook his chance to beat the cornerback one-on-one on his first touchdown.The offensive linemen, too, were at their best in a season that has been a struggle at times for the Vikings up front. Zimmer made the players report for meetings on Monday instead of the typical day off after a late-in-the-year victory, citing a desire to give the offensive linemen an opportunity to enjoy reviewing their performance.“What we are able of accomplishing when we do the right things,” Zimmer said.The bigger-picture reason, of course, to stay at work is the NFC wild-card race. Philadelphia and Washington both won to stay on the heels of the Vikings (7-6-1), who could clinch their spot as soon as next weekend, but could also find themselves eliminated if they don’t win their final two games. Keeping that rushing attack going will go a long way toward avoiding that fate.“These guys believe in me 100 percent, and I believe in them 100 percent,” Cook said of his blockers. “So when you’ve got a group like that, it’s a number of positive outcomes. We know what we can do.”
Martin was being questioned by investigators after the post showed a shotgun and referred by name to the private Harvard-Westlake prep school in Los Angeles that he once attended, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
The post also included mentions of the Instagram usernames of former Miami Dolphins players Richie Incognito and Mike Pouncey and said suicide and revenge were the only options for a victim of bullying, the official said.
The Harvard-Westlake prep school was evacuated earlier Friday after officials were made aware of the post. It was not immediately clear whether Martin posted the photo himself and he was not under arrest Friday afternoon.
Martin left the Miami Dolphins midseason in 2013 after accusing teammates of bullying. An NFL investigation found that Incognito, Pouncey and teammate John Jerry engaged in persistent harassment directed at Martin.
RALEIGH http://www.packerscheapshoponline.com/cheap-authentic-darnell-savage-jr.-jersey , N.C. (AP) – The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired center Derick Brassard from Ottawa on Friday night in a three-team deal that sent defenseman Ian Cole to Ottawa and forward Ryan Reaves to the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Penguins announced the deal Friday night during their 6-1 victory at Carolina, with Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford calling it ”the most complex trade I’ve made” because of salary cap issues and the involvement of a third team.
The Senators also received goalie Filip Gustavsson and the Penguins’ first-round draft pick this year as well as their third-round selection next year. Pittsburgh also acquired a pair of prospects – forward Vincent Dunn from Ottawa and forward Tobias Lindberg from Vegas – plus Ottawa’s third-round pick this year.
Vegas also received a fourth-round pick this year, and is retaining 40 percent of Brassard’s salary. According to the Penguins, Brassard is signed through next season with an average annual salary of $5 million.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – Memphis point guard Jeremiah Martin has a broken left foot that will force the Tigers to play the rest of the season without the American Athletic Conference’s leading scorer.
The 6-foot-3 sophomore will undergo surgery Tuesday and is expected to be out six to eight months. Martin was averaging 18.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and a league-best 2.3 steals per game.
He was injured hurt Thursday during Memphis’ 91-85 victory over No. 23 Houston . Memphis coach Tubby Smith announced the severity of Martin’s injury Friday.
Memphis (17-11 http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-justice-hill-jersey , 8-7 American) has three regular-season games remaining. The Tigers next play Sunday at Connecticut (13-15, 6-9).
BASEBALL
NEW YORK (AP) – Baltimore third baseman Jaime Estrada and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Andrew Vinson have been suspended without pay for the first 50 games of the season under baseball’s minor league drug program.
Estrada was suspended for a positive test for Strychnine, the commissioner’s office said Friday. The 22-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Orioles’ Gulf Coast League team and hit .240 with one homer and three RBIs in 50 at-bats over 23 games last year.
Vinson was suspended for a second positive test for a drug of abuse. The 24-year-old right-hander, a 10th-round draft pick from Texas A&M two years ago, was 9-11 with a 4.58 ERA in 25 starts last season for Burlington of the Class A Midwest League.
There have been 21 players suspended this year under the minor league program and three under the major league program: Houston pitcher Dean Deetz, Washington catcher Raudy Read and Pittsburgh pitcher Nik Turley
NEW YORK (AP) – The United States Tennis Association and popular Canadian player Eugenie Bouchard reached a settlement in her liability lawsuit on Friday, ending a trial at which she testified about slipping and falling on a wet locker room floor at the 2015 U.S. Open and suffering a head injury.
Asked how she felt as she left the courthouse Ben Powers Jersey , Bouchard responded, ”Just relief and happiness right now,” adding she was ready to get back to playing tennis.
She said she felt ”vindicated” by a jury’s verdict in an initial phase of the trial finding the USTA mostly liable for the accident.
A second phase, at which Bouchard was expected testify about how the accident had harmed her career and the jury was to decide what damages the USTA should pay, was interrupted on Friday by several hours of closed-door talks between the parties. They emerged with the deal but declined to disclose the terms.
USTA lawyer Alan Kaminsky said that he was satisfied with the outcome and that the sport’s national governing body ”certainly wishes Ms. Bouchard the best in her career.”
"What's that Cullen Gillaspia Jersey , ah - playoffs? Don't talk about - playoffs. You kidding me? Playoffs?!" created one of the most memorable press conferences in NFL history and to his credit, Mora had a point about not worrying about the playoffs until they actually arrived. The 2016-17 NFL Playoffs are now upon us. So sorry Mr. Mora, this article is going to talk about playoffs and no I'm not kidding you.Reaching the NFL playoffs is tough and is quite an accomplishment in its own right, but succeeding in the playoffs is even tougher. The game plans get more detailed, the intensity rises with each play, and the spotlight from the press grows brighter. Some players love the added pressure that postseason play brings and are able to channel their extra adrenaline into game-changing focus, allowing them to timely hit their ultimate peak in performance ability. But for others Rock Ya-Sin Jersey , the pressure of the playoffs can be too much for them to handle. Nobody knows how an individual player will react until they are put into that type of situation.The pressure and the limelight of the playoffs is felt more by NFL quarterbacks than any other position because they are often the deciding factor of whether their team advances or whether their team squanders a season of hard work. Quarterbacks are often the captain of their teams and are looked to for guidance by the other players in times of doubt. It's vital that a quarterback step-up when needed most in the playoffs where there is no room for error. This list takes a look at 8 quarterbacks that have thrived in the playoffs and 7 others that failed miserably. ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Joe Flacco says his job description doesn’t include grooming his successor, so he suggests rookie Drew Lock sit back and watch him work and ask plenty of questions — of offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello.“Listen, I have so many things to worry about. I’m trying to go out there and play good football. I’m trying to go out there and play the best football of my life,” Flacco said after the Broncos’ first day of organized team activities Monday, when he faced Denver’s defense for the first time since his acquisition from Baltimore.“As far as a time constraint and all of that stuff, I’m not worried about developing guys or any of that http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/ben-banogu-jersey ,” Flacco said. “That is what it is. I hope he does it well. I don’t look at that as my job. My job is to go win football games for this football team.”Coach Vic Fangio concurred, saying the onus is on the rookie.“That’s on Drew to soak in and learn. Joe’s learning a new system himself,” Fangio said.Flacco said before the draft that he didn’t want the Broncos to select a quarterback unless he was the unquestioned starter, and general manager John Elway made it clear that was the case when he took Lock with the 42nd overall pick in the second round.Asked Monday what he thought of that selection, Flacco said, “Listen, I’ve told you guys how I felt about it. There really isn’t much more that needs to be said. I told you that it’s not really in my control.”Pressed if Lock’s presence served as any sort of motivator Parris Campbell Jersey , Flacco said, “I think I’ve talked about that before, too. That is probably along the lines of him being drafted, it’s one of those things. There is definitely little things that motivate you every year. At the same time, I have plenty of other things that have kept me motivated throughout my career and will continue to keep me motivated this year. That won’t be the single or the biggest thing.”Flacco, who lost his starting job in Baltimore to first-round pick Lamar Jackson after getting hurt last season, said Lock needs to watch him do his thing and pepper Scangarello with any questions.“I’m not a selfish person Will Harris Jersey , I don’t think,” Flacco said. “There are times where you have to be selfish. But listen, Rich does such a good job in those meeting rooms. Drew is going to learn from listening to him talk and then us getting the reps on the field and seeing how we all do it as a collective group of quarterbacks. … I hope he does learn from me because that means we’re out there lighting it up.”Elway did grant Flacco his wish by selecting Iowa tight end Noah Fant in the first round and Kansas State offensive lineman Dalton Risner in the second round before moving up to draft Lock.Flacco’s success in Denver will largely depend on his O-line keeping him upright so that he can hit his tight ends and receivers downfield like he used to do in Baltimore.On Monday, his linemen — minus right tackle Ja’Wuan James (excused) — were tested by Denver’s dominant pass rushers.“We’re going to get tested every single day out there,” Flacco said. “We have a couple of guys on the edge that obviously can play football.”The defense was once again missing star cornerback Chris Harris Jr. , who’s been working out in Dallas while awaiting a new contract, a situation that grew dicey with Xavien Howard’s resetting the market with a five-year http://www.detroitlionsteamonline.com/austin-bryant-jersey , $76.5 million deal last week.“When you first get here they tell you … if you do all of the right things in the community and you do all of the right things on the football field, they’ll take care of you,” Von Miller said. “Chris has definitely done everything and then some. Whether it’s in the community with his foundation or on the football field. He’s always on the No. 1 receiver, he’s a top DB in the league. You want to take care of guys like that.“But it’s not all simple. It’s not all as simple as it seems. I understand that. I’ve been through that before. Guys like Chris Harris who have done it all, really hit all of the check marks and all of the boxes, you want to take care of guys like. He deserves it 100 percent.”
Cash just hopes this 23-year-old prospect doesn’t develop the same nasty stuff closer Mariano Rivera once featured.
Loaisiga pitched three-hit ball over five impressive innings to win his major league debut Noah Fant Jersey , and New York beat the Rays 5-0 on Friday night.
”There were some similarities,” Cash said while mentioning the cutter perfected by baseball’s career saves leader. ”Don’t give him any ideas, though. He doesn’t need to be pitching in the ninth inning anytime soon. Talented young kid. Very poised.”
Didi Gregorius homered off ex-Yankee Nathan Eovaldi, and Gary Sanchez broke out of a long slump with a three-run double in the eighth. Giancarlo Stanton had a sacrifice fly for New York, which improved the best record in the majors to 45-20.
Jonathan Holder, David Robertson, Dellin Betances and Adam Warren each worked an inning to finish the four-hitter.
The Rays have lost 17 of their last 21 at Yankee Stadium.
Loaisiga (1-0) was called up from Double-A Trenton to fill in for injured starter Masahiro Tanaka and arrived early in the clubhouse for the World Cup match between Spain and Portugal. At times, Loaisiga demonstrated the same moxie Cristiano Ronaldo showed when lining up a free kick that tied that game 3-all in the late stages.
The right-hander, who walked only four batters in 45 minor league innings this year, struggled a little with his command, issuing four walks while striking out six.
He walked the first batter in the first but escaped with an inning-ending double play. After a one-out walk, he fanned the next two batters.
In the third inning, he once again benefited from a double play.
With two outs in the fourth, the Rays loaded the bases but Loaisiga – the 15th major leaguer from Nicaragua – regrouped and calmed down after a visit from pitching coach Larry Rothschild and struck out Christian Arroyo behind the support of 45,112 roaring fans at Yankee Stadium.
”I think that’s the part of the game you have to learn how to manage,” Loaisiga said.
After returning last year from Tommy John surgery, Loaisiga became the first Yankees starter to win his first career game since Tanaka on April 4, 2014.
New York manager Aaron Boone considered extending Loaisiga past the fifth inning even though he eclipsed 90 pitches for the first time in his professional career – he threw more than 80 in four minor league starts this season. Only once has Loaisiga pitched seven innings http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dalton-risner-jersey , during a Dominican Summer League start in 2013.
But Boone felt fine with the 91-pitch effort he got from the rookie, lauding his confidence.
”I think everyone got a look at the stuff that this kid has and the arm he has and the easy delivery he has,” Boone said. ”I felt like mentally, emotionally, he’s equipped to handle this.”
Pitching against his former team, Eovaldi (1-2) allowed only two runs over the first seven innings until the Yankees chased him in the eighth. He was charged with five runs and eight hits in 7 1/3 innings during his first career outing against New York. He struck out five and walked one.
It was Eovaldi’s fourth outing since coming back from a second Tommy John surgery. The right-hander pitched for the Yankees from 2015-16, going 14-3 in 2015.
With one out in the eighth, Eovaldi gave up consecutive singles to Aaron Judge and Gregorius before issuing an intentional walk to Stanton. Johnny Venters struck out Greg Bird before Sanchez’s bases-loaded line drive to right field skipped past a diving Johnny Field to make it 5-0.
Sanchez, who began the night with just six hits in his past 60 at-bats, hopes that will spark him going forward.
”I did feel good being that I had a long time that I wasn’t contributing to the team batting like that, bringing in runs and getting on base with hits,” he said.
LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE
The Yankees traded RHP Chad Whitmer to Milwaukee for $59,000 in international signing bonus pool money. That raises New York’s available total to $5,061,000 for the signing period that starts July 2. The 23-year-old Whitmer, a 10th-round pick in the 2017 draft, went 3-0 with a 3.79 ERA for the Gulf Coast Yankees last season in rookie ball.
SKIPPING LEVELS
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Loaisiga became the first Yankees player to make his major league debut without appearing in a Triple-A game since INF Ramiro Pena on April 6 Drew Lock Jersey , 2009, at Boston. The last Yankees pitcher to accomplish the feat was Chase Wright on April 17, 2007, against Cleveland
UP NEXT
Yankees ace Luis Severino (9-2, 2.27 ERA) tries Saturday to improve to 6-0 at home this season. Tampa Bay is expected to open with right-handed reliever Ryne Stanek on another ”bullpen day.”
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Chris Sale pitched his latest Bronx gem, Rafael Devers went 5 for 5 with a first-inning grand slam and the Boston Red Sox held the New York Yankees to two hits during an 11-0 rout Saturday night to take back baseball’s best record.
Sale (8-4) allowed only Giancarlo Stanton’s clean single over seven innings, striking out 11. He has a 1.73 career ERA against the Yankees, best among pitchers with at least 10 starts against them since 1920. His ERA at Yankee Stadium is 1.86, second only to Seattle’s Felix Hernandez among pitchers with five starts.
Boston is a major league-leading 56-28, just ahead of the Yankees at 53-27. New York held the majors’ best mark by percentage points after winning Friday’s series opener 8-1.
Yankee Stadium hosted a season-high sellout of 47,125, and the crowd gave starter Sonny Gray (5-6) an earful after he gave up six runs in 2 1/3 innings. The right-hander dropped to 0-4 with a 9.35 ERA against Boston since being acquired by New York from Oakland last season.
RANGERS 13, WHITE SOX 4
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Bartolo Colon overcame a sluggish start to earn his 245th major league win and match Dennis Martinez for the most by a pitcher from Latin America when Texas beat Chicago.
Joey Gallo and Ryan Rua homered for the Rangers, who won for the 11th time in 13 games and clinched their fifth consecutive series. Robinson Chirinos hit a three-run double in the fourth inning that put Texas ahead to stay.
The 45-year-old Colon (5-5) was done after Matt Davidson led off the sixth with a homer to center field that pulled the White Sox to 5-3.
Colon already had the most wins by a pitcher born in the Dominican Republic, having surpassed Hall of Famer Juan Marichal for that distinction with his 244th victory at Kansas City on June 18, six days before a loss at Minnesota. Colon won in his first start at home since June 6 to match Martinez, who is from Nicaragua.
White Sox lefty Carlos Rodon (1-3) allowed five runs in 5 1/3 innings.
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PHOENIX (AP) – Dereck Rodriguez blanked the Diamondbacks into the seventh inning and San Francisco made it two wins in a row at Arizona.
Brandon Crawford, Andrew McCutchen and Joe Panik homered on another rough night for Shelby Miller (0-2), who struggled in his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.
Panik’s homer, off reliever Jimmie Sherfy in the eighth, was his first since April 3, a span of 162 at-bats.
Ty Blach and Cory Gearrin completed San Francisco’s 10th shutout of the season.
The Giants have won nine of 11 to pull into a tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers for second in the NL West, 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Diamondbacks. San Francisco can complete a three-game road sweep on Sunday.
Rodriguez (3-1), the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan ”Pudge” Rodriguez, dominated in his sixth major league start. He allowed six hits in 6 1/3 innings, struck out five and walked two.
MARINERS 6, ROYALS 4
SEATTLE (AP) – Ryon Healy had four hits, including a homer, and drove in three runs to lead Seattle over Kansas City.
Felix Hernandez (8-6) gave up four consecutive hits, including a three-run homer by Mike Moustakas, to start the game. But the right-hander settled down to pitch four scoreless innings after that, helping the Mariners to a season-best sixth consecutive win.
Edwin Diaz worked a perfect ninth for his 31st save. The Mariners (53-31) are 22 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2003 season.
Jason Hammels (2-10) lost his fifth straight, allowing six runs and 13 hits in six innings.
PADRES 4, PIRATES 3
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Wil Myers homered T.J. Hockenson Jersey , doubled and drove in three runs, and rookie Joey Lucchesi threw five scoreless innings to send San Diego past Pittsburgh.
The Padres had to hold on after closer Brad Hand allowed two runs in the ninth before earning his 23rd save. Hand gave up doubles by Elias Diaz and Austin Meadows, and a triple by Gregory Polanco. The reliever then got Jordy Mercer to fly out to shallow right field, pinch-hitter Jose Osuna to foul out to right and struck out Starling Marte.
Myers, limited to 19 games this season due to injuries, homered off Trevor Williams (6-6) in the third, his second. Myers then chased the San Diegan with a two-run double to give the Padres a 4-0 lead in the fifth.
San Diego won for just the third time in 13 games.
Lucchesi (4-3) won for the first time since April 28. He was making his third start since missing five weeks with a strained right hip. The left-hander allowed one hit while striking out five and walking four.
BLUE JAYS 4, TIGERS 3
TORONTO (AP) – Justin Smoak led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run and Toronto handed Detroit its 11th straight loss.
Smoak connected against reliever Joe Jimenez (3-1) for his 11th homer of the season.
Seyunghwan Oh (4-2) worked one inning for the win. Randal Grichuk also homered for the Blue Jays, who have won 10 of 11 at home.
John Hicks hit a solo homer in the Detroit second off Sam Gaviglio and Nick Castellanos made it 3-0 with a two-run shot in the third, his 12th.
Randal Grichuk hit a two-run homer to cap Toronto’s three-run fifth that tied the score.
RAYS 5, ASTROS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Wilson Ramos drove in four runs in the first two innings against Justin Verlander, and Tampa Bay won for the seventh time in eight games.
Matt Duffy finished with three hits, including two in the first two innings, to help the Rays move to .500 (41-41) for the first time since June 1. Tampa Bay has held opponents to two runs or fewer in five straight games for only
As the 2016 NFL season draws closer Greedy Williams Jersey , so does analysis and speculation about this year's crop of fantasy prospects. outcomes for many players throughout the league. Schemes, coaches, and personnel groups all inevitably change for various teams every year, and this one is no exception. As per usual, it will affect many players of interest to fantasy owners.It could be argued that keying in on players primed for a breakout season is what makes any given fantasy team sink or swim. It's much easier to predict which established stars will continue their dominance than it is to see a new one in the making. These sleeper picks can serve as a great value to any fantasy team, making the difference in success or failure in your league. As the season progresses, and injuries increasingly come into play when managing your team, it is of paramount importance to have the depth necessary to maintain a similar point total from any position. The players listed here may not be getting the most press at the moment Sione Takitaki Jersey , but they are all candidates for a productive season. Target them after the marquee stat monsters are off your draft board.Ranked below are the top 15 fantasy sleepers for the 2016 NFL season. CARSON, Calif. (AP) — The tables were turned on Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers‘ offense.Instead of controlling the clock, avoiding mistakes and putting the pressure on the Baltimore Ravens‘ run-heavy offense and rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson, it was Rivers who was left flustered and frustrated by a lack of opportunities and a series of self-inflicted errors when the Chargers seemed ready to turn things around.Penalties at critical moments, turnovers and an inability to sustain drives all popped up in the Chargers’ 22-10 loss to the Ravens on Saturday night. For all those reasons, Rivers was left to praise Baltimore’s dominant pass rush and lament his own team’s gaffes.“I thought we could have a lot more success than we did, but I thought it could be this kind of back-and-forth December, January type game against a physical, tough opponent. And it was Sheldrick Redwine Jersey ,” Rivers said. “And we had opportunities there, a handful there at 16-10 and we didn’t get it done.”The Chargers finished with 198 yards of offense, the fourth-lowest output in Rivers’ 13 seasons as the team’s starting quarterback. Rivers was sacked four times, and Los Angeles turned the ball over three times as its hopes of winning the AFC West were effectively ended.Kansas City can wrap up the division title and a first-round playoff bye with a win at Seattle on Sunday night, but Rivers said that was not as important as getting the offense back on track going into the playoffs.“One more game is added to the slate to win the whole thing and it won’t be here,” Rivers said. “That’s all that we know. Today is disappointing, but we can’t wallow in that disappointment very long.”What caught Rivers and the Chargers by surprise were unexpected struggles in pass protection. Coach Anthony Lynn said the Ravens “got after us pretty good up front.”That pressure resulted in Rivers completing 23 of 37 passes for 181 yards and two interceptions.It was the first time this season that Rivers did not throw a touchdown pass.Compounding matters were frequent penalties that kept the Chargers from extending drives, even when Rivers was given plenty of time. On the Chargers’ third possession, Keenan Allen had a 27-yard catch to the Ravens’ 24 on third down wiped out because of offensive pass interference. A 28-yard grab by Mike Williams on the next play was negated by an illegal shift Austin Seibert Jersey , and the Ravens pressured Rivers into throwing the ball at the feet of running back Justin Jackson with a third chance to get off the field.Rivers admitted to frustration at seeing so many yellow flags, but said those penalties reflected the offense’s overall struggles in facing so many third downs.“You don’t want to just point to that, but that was part of us not executing as well as we can and need to,” Rivers said.The Chargers were 4 for 13 on third down, with three conversions coming on a fourth-quarter drive that ended in a punt while trailing 16-10.When their defense held to give the Chargers another possession and chance to take the lead with 3 minutes remaining, tight end Antonio Gates was stripped by linebacker Patrick Onwuasor and cornerback Tavon Young returned the fumble 62 yards for a touchdown.“We just couldn’t sustain anything for the most part,” Rivers said. “Our only touchdown was on a short field, off a great play by our defense. Shoot, we just couldn’t get going Trysten Hill Jersey , so that’s why I say credit to them.”Rivers understood the defeat likely sets up a playoff matchup against the winner of the AFC North in the Wild Card round, putting a possible rematch with Baltimore in play.But, ever the optimist, Rivers felt it was better to play poorly against the Ravens now and not with their season at stake.“If we were going to have one like this, better now than later,” Rivers said. It’s a good defense and they outplayed us today. Depending on what happens, we may get another crack at them in two weeks.”