ST. LOUIS -- Back in April when the season started, it was easy to expect the Pirates season-ending trip to Busch Stadium meaning something for both Pittsburgh and the St. Louis Cardinals.Instead, all Pittsburgh can do when it closes the season is play the role of spoiler against a Cardinals team trying to make its sixth consecutive National League playoff appearance.St. Louis starts the Friday night series opener fresh off the years most controversial win, a 4-3 decision Thursday night over the Cincinnati Reds that was decided by Yadier Molinas two-out RBI double in the bottom of the ninth inning.Molinas one-hop liner shouldnt have scored Matt Carpenter, though, because the ball hit off signage beyond the left field wall. It should have been a ground-rule double, but third base umpire Scott Barry ruled the ball in play and the Reds didnt challenge fast enough after the fact.Biggest win of the year, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said, and tomorrow nights the biggest game of the year. Cant wait.St. Louis (83-76) is two games behind the New York Mets (85-74) for the NLs top wild-card spot and a game in arrears of the San Francisco Giants (84-75) for the second spot.The Giants close the season with a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, while the Mets finish with three at Philadelphia.The Cardinals will have the matchup advantage in the opener against the Pirates as St. Louis right-hander Carlos Martinez (15-9, 3.15 ERA) will face raw but talented Pittsburgh right-hander Tyler Glasnow (0-1, 4.91).Martinez is coming off a 3-1 loss Sunday night at the Chicago Cubs that saw him work six innings and give up two runs on six hits and four walks while fanning six. Martinez is 3-5 with a 4.01 career ERA against the Pirates, and 1-2 this season in three starts.Glasnow will make his fourth career start. His first occurred July 7 in St. Louis, where he pitched decently for 5 1/3 innings but lost 5-1 as Adam Wainwright stifled Pittsburgh for seven innings. The hard-throwing Glasnow can touch the mid to upper 90s with his fastball but has experienced command issues at times.The Pirates (78-81) reached the playoffs the past three seasons, but they fell victim to injuries and inconsistent pitching this year. They will have to sweep the series to avoid their 21st losing season in 24 years.Pittsburgh will be without left fielder Starling Marte (back) for the weekend and might be without shortstop Jordy Mercer (forearm) as well.Were going to play all the men that are capable of playing, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. Marte has been unplugged. Mercer might not be able to go. You saw a couple of throws he made across the diamond (Thursday). ... Thats basically all hes got.Pittsburgh leads the season series 9-7, having won five of the seven games in St. Louis. The Cardinals are 35-43 at Busch Stadium, clinching their first losing mark at home since 1999.The Saturday game will match Pirates right-hander Chad Kuhl (5-4, 4.25) against a pitcher to be determined. St. Louis will use Wainwright (13-9, 4.67) in Sundays regular-season finale opposite Ryan Vogelsong (3-7, 5.00). Cheap Nike Air Max Tn Australia .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Cheap Nike Tns Online . Thousands of Southern California fans enveloped the Trojans to celebrate an improbable win secured by an interim coach, an inconsistent kicker and a thin defence that wouldnt break. http://www.niketnshoesaustralia.com/nike-shox-shoes-australia/nike-shox-gravity.html . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Nike Air Max Plus TN Ultra Womens Shoes Jade White . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Nike Air Max TN Plus Ultra Mens White Grey Black . Only three players drafted by NHL clubs were included on the Czech selection camp roster on Wednesday. Those players were Dallas Stars 2012 first-rounder Radek Faksa, Winnipeg Jets 2013 fourth-rounder Jan Kostalek and Phoenix Coyotes 2012 seventh-rounder Marek Langhamer. SCOREBOARDMonday, Nov. 21Houston vs. Oakland at Mexico City, 8:30 p.m. ET. Its the second regular-season game in Mexico City and first since 2005. ... Houstons Brock Osweiler is averaging a league-low 5.6 yards per pass. The Texans have been outscored by 27 points despite 6-3 record. Houston is one of four teams not to allow a 300-yard passer. Raiders DE Khalil Mack sacked Osweiler five times last season when Osweiler played in Denver. Mack has six sacks in his past four games. Raiders QB Derek Carr has 155 consecutive passes without an interception. Oakland is going for its first four-game winning streak since 2002.---STARSPassing-Tom Brady, Patriots, was 24 of 40 for 280 yards and four touchdown passes in New Englands 30-17 win over San Francisco. Brady has 199 victories, tied with Hall of Famer Brett Favre for the second-most in NFL history. Brady needs one win to tie Peyton Manning (200) for the most all time.-Dak Prescott, Cowboys, finished 27 for 36 for 301 yards and three touchdowns in Dallas 27-17 win over Baltimore. He joined Hall of Famer Dan Marino (1983) as well as Russell Wilson (2012) as the only rookie quarterbacks since 1970 to have multiple touchdown passes in five consecutive games.-Eli Manning, Giants, was 21 of 36 for 227 yards and two touchdowns in New Yorks 22-16 win over Chicago.-Marcus Mariota, Titans, was 25 for 38 for 290 yards and two touchdowns in Tennessees 24-17 loss to Indianapolis.-Jameis Winston, Buccaneers, was 24 for 39 for 331 yards and a touchdown in Tampa Bays 19-17 win over Kansas City.-Andrew Luck, Colts, was 15 of 28 for 262 yards with two touchdowns and an interception in Indianapolis 24-17 win over Tennessee.---Rushing-LeVeon Bell, Steelers, had 28 carries for 146 yards and a touchdown in Pittsburghs 24-9 win over Cleveland.-LeGarrette Blount, Patriots, had 19 carries for 124 yards in New Englands 30-17 win over San Francisco.-David Johnson, Cardinals, had 22 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown in Arizonas 30-24 loss to Minnesota.-Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys, had 25 carries for 97 yards in Dallas 27-17 win over Baltimore. Elliotts 1,102 yards rushing are the third-most in NFL history in a players first 10 games, trailing only Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson (1,223) as well as Adrian Peterson (1,197).---Receiving-Rishard Matthews, Titans, had nine receptions for 122 yards in Tennessees 24-17 loss to Indianapolis.-Travis Kelce, Chiefs, had seven catches for 108 yards in Kansas Citys 19-17 loss to Tampa Bay.-Mike Evans, Buccaneers, had six catches for 105 yards in Tampa Bays 19-17 win over Kansas City.-Doug Baldwin, Seahawks, had four catches for 104 yards in Seattles 26-15 win over Philadelphia.-Steve Smith, Ravens, had eight catches for 99 yards and a touchdown in Baltimores 27-17 loss to Dallas. Smith became the 14th player with 1,000 catches.-Dez Bryant, Cowboys, had six catches for 80 yards and two touchdowns in Dallas 27-17 win over Baltimore.---Special Teams-Cordarrelle Patterson, Vikings, returned a kickoff 104 yards for a touchdown in Minnesotas 30-24 win over Arizona.-Andre Roberts, Lions, returned a punt 55 yards for a touchdown in Detroits 26-19 win over Jacksonville.-Roberto Aguayo, Buccaneers, was 4 for 4 on field goals in Tampa Bays 19-17 win over Kansas City.---Defense-Xavier Rhodes, Vikings, had two interceptions and returned one of them 100 yards for a touchdown in Minnesotas 30-24 win over Arizona.-Rafael Bush, Lions, returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown in Detroits 26-19 win over Jacksonville.-Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants, had 2+ sacks and a forced fumble in New Yorks 22-16 win over Chicago.-Stephon Tuitt and Javon Hargrave, Steelers. Tuitt had 2+ of Pittsburghs eight sacks and Hargrave recovered a fumble in the end zone of a 24-9 win over Cleveland.-Stephon Gilmore, Bills, had two interceptions in Buffalos 16-12 win over Cincinnati.---OFF ON THE WRONG FOOTNFL kickers missed like never before Sunday, setting a record with 12 failed extra point attempts. Kickers missed left, right, had kicks blocked and hit the uprights. Kickers missed in the wind and indoors. Kickers had the most misses in one week since the NFL merger. Cincinnatis Mike Nugent and Robbie Gould of the New York Giants each missed two extra-point attempts. Chicagos Connor Barth, Minnesotas Kai Forbath, Jacksonvilles Jason Myers, Clevelands Cody Parkey and New Englands Stephen Gostkowski each missed one. Seattles Steven Hauschka and Detroits Matt Prater had kicks blocked. At night, Washingtons Dustin Hopkins also hit the upright.---STREAKS & STATSTThe Lions scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of the teams 26-19 comeback victory over Jacksonville.dddddddddddd The Lions, who are the first team in NFL history to have each of its first 10 games decided by seven points or fewer, have trailed in the fourth quarter in all 10 games. Detroit is the first team in NFL history to have six wins when trailing in the fourth quarter in the teams first 10 games of a season. ... The Cowboys set a franchise record with their ninth straight win after beating the Ravens 27-17. ... The Giants have won five straight games after Sundays 22-16 win over the Bears. The winning streak is New Yorks longest in the regular season since 2010. ... The Dolphins rallied past the Rams 14-10 for their fifth straight victory. The winning streak is Miamis longest since 2008. The Dolphins also became the second team this season to win a game after it was scoreless entering fourth quarter. The Jaguars did it against Chicago in Week 6. ... The Colts held off the Titans 24-17 and have won 11 straight against Tennessee and still have not lost to the Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium, which opened in 2008. ... The Steelers came in with a league-low 13 sacks before racking up eight in a 24-9 win over the Browns. Ben Roethlisberger improved to 20-2 in starts against Cleveland. The Browns fell to 0-11 on the season. Three NFL teams previously went 0-11 before winning a game -- the 1975 Chargers, 1984 Bills and 2000 Chargers -- while seven had even worse starts. ... After a season-opening shutout against the Rams, the 49ers have lost nine in a row. ... Jacksonville has dropped five straight after a 26-19 loss to Detroit.---MILESTONESPittsburgh linebacker James Harrison is the clubs career sack leader. Harrison dropped Clevelands Cody Kessler in the third quarter to pass Jason Gildon (77) for the most sacks in the Steelers storied defensive history. ... The Vikings became the first team since the 1962 Dallas Cowboys to have a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 100-plus-yard kickoff return for a TD in the same game. The Cowboys Amos Marsh had a 101-yard kickoff return touchdown and Mike Gaechter had a 100-yard interception return touchdown in Dallas 41-19 win over Philadelphia. ... Steve Smith became the first player in NFL history to have at least 1,000 catches, at least 1,000 punt return yards and at least 2,000 kickoff return yards. ... With a 33-yard field goal in the first quarter, San Franciscos 41-year-old kicker, Phil Dawson, became the 10th player in NFL history to reach 400 field goals. ... Dallas Dak Prescott is the first rookie in NFL history with at least 300 yards passing, multiple passing TDs and no interceptions in back-to-back games.---SIDELINEDCincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green significantly hurt his hamstring in the opening minutes of a loss to the Buffalo Bills. Green got his right foot caught awkwardly while trying for a contested catch on Cincinnatis first pass of the game. Green grabbed his right hamstring as he hit the ground and stayed down for several minutes. ... The Bills lost two of their top offensive players in the first half: receiver Robert Woods injured his knee while being tackled after a catch, and LeSean McCoy hurt his left thumb late in the second quarter. Its unclear how long each will be sidelined. ... Chicago Bears rookie linebacker Leonard Floyd had the days scariest injury. The first-round draft pick from Georgia left on a stretcher with less than six minutes remaining in a loss to the New York Giants. Bears coach John Fox said Floyd injured his neck and the team said Sunday night that Floyd was released from the hospital and returned to Chicago. Chicago also lost tight end Zach Miller to a foot injury after he caught three passes for 61 yards and a touchdown. ... The Philadelphia Eagles lost two of their top running backs as Ryan Mathews (knee) and Darren Sproles (ribs) were both knocked out against Seattle.---SPEAKINGThey have a great organization, they always have. They inspired a lot of kids here in the Bay Area in my time growing up, and I was one of them. -- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who was back home in the Bay Area playing on San Franciscos home field for the first time. Facing the team he cheered as a boy, Brady threw four touchdown passes in the Patriots 30-17 victory.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys China ' ' '