Patriots safety Patrick Chung injured his right arm early in the third quarter Bobby Evans Jersey Mens , but he didn’t let that stop him from celebrating with his teammates or hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.Chung returned to the sideline in the second half and climbed on the podium when the confetti had dropped. He raised the trophy with his left hand. Chung confirmed to Nora Princiotti of the that he broke his right arm.In Super Bowl XXXVIII, played 15 years ago, Patriots safety Rodney Harrison broke his arm in the fourth quarter. He, too, lifted the Lombardi Trophy.Chung, playing in his fifth Super Bowl, finished with three tackles and a pass breakup. Duron Harmon replaced him.“We responded well,” Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore said. “Patrick is one of the warriors on our team. He laid it all out on the line. You watch that play, he came in full speed. When you see a guy like that coming in and putting his body on the line, not caring, you want to fight more for your teammates.”Chung refused the golf cart to take him to the locker room after his injury, choosing instead to walk.“Can’t go on the cart Greg Gaines Los Angeles Rams Jerseys , bro,” Chung said. Sosa shares his thoughts on what the Rams should deploy defensively and how they should plan for the Patriots’ weapons."The Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots Super Bowl is ready as both teams are likely to have gameplans in place already.Both sidelines contain legendary coaches, so this game should be a chess match between two groups that have both shown the ability to adjust and attack relentlessly.Let’s take a look at what Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips and the Rams’ defense should look at doing:TE Rob GronkowskiGronkowski hasn’t actually had a ton of production in the postseason as he only has seven receptions for 104 yards and no touchdowns. Now, it doesn’t really mean much, because Gronk has proven to be a deadly weapon time-and-time again. Luckily for the Rams, they do possess a rising star on the defensive side of the ball that’s generally had success covering tight ends in man coverage all year, and that’s SS John Johnson III. My opinion on what the Rams should initially start with is just that: let Johnson cover Gronk in man coverage and evaluate as the drives go. If he continues to succeed, let Johnson do it all game. If he shows a propensity to struggle, adjust the gameplan. For me, if Johnson’s coverage ability in man proves to falter, the first move I’d try is to move a cornerback on Gronk. The Rams did actually use CB Marcus Peters in coverage on Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce back when they played midseason, so that could be a distinct possibility. The last option to cover Gronk (if both fail) is to simply bracket cover him like they did against New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas last week. I also get that Gronk hasn’t scored a touchdown yet Los Angeles Rams Jerseys 2019 , but I do understand his potent ability down in the redzone which is why I would consider bracketing him down there just like the Rams did against Philadelphia Eagles TE Zach Ertz.WR Julian EdelmanEdelman is a well known issue as he’s one of the most productive receivers in NFL playoff history. This season continues that trend, as in two games he’s accumulated 16 receptions for 247 yards and zero touchdowns. Edelman operates out of the slot most of the time, surely proving to be the biggest threat when it comes to the Rams defensively. The Patriots are a great team with a diverse set of weapons, but none is more of a combo of dangerous and reliable than Edelman. As soon as the sticks read “third down”, it’s time to key in on the chain mover who operates over the middle of the field. Much has been discussed about Rams’ nickel CB Nickell Robey-Coleman over the past 10 or so days, but nobody is talking about the assignment he’s going to draw in the biggest game of the season. I would strongly consider bracket covering Edelman on every third-and-medium (seven or more yards) or longer, because the defense needs to get off the field when given a chance.Run GameThe Patriots have a diverse running game which mainly includes power-running concepts, as opposed to a zone-based scheme like the Rams. The Patriots’ offense is averaging 165.5 rushing yards-per-game, also averaging 4.0 yards-per-carry. Like the Rams, the Patriots like to gash teams on the ground and then swing for the fences through the air. Unlike the Rams, the Patriots do it more traditionally. They will get under center and run out of I-Form, they will deploy a fullback doing it Greg Gaines Jersey nfl draft , and they will run power right at you. The key give away is a ton of pulling lineman, trap-style runs, counter runs, and a whole lot of power. The Rams’ front-seven needs to be disciplined more than ever in this game. Trust your eyes, read your keys properly, and watch the pulling offensive lineman. The one major positive I see here for the Rams is if the Patriots do eventually pull a lineman that’s lined up head-on DT Aaron Donald, it could pose trouble. Donald has proven many times that his explosion, athleticism, and speed allow him to knife into backfields and drag down ball carriers from the backside of plays.The RemainingWell, you know where we’re headed here, right? RB James White is a problem, and everyone should know it at this point. In the postseason thus far Cheap Greg Gaines Jersey , White has 19 receptions for 146 yards and zero touchdowns. Though the Patriots will occasionally run the ball with White out of a shotgun formation (mainly when QB Tom Brady checks into it), he’s a wide receiver coming out of the backfield — it’s really that simple. White is as good as a route runner as you’ll find at the “running back” position, and although he doesn’t possess size or a ton of speed, his sweet feet and crisp routes almost always leave him open. The Rams most likely to cover White are going to be the ILB duo of Cory Littleton and Mark Barron. These guys are going to need to not only cover White in open space, but they’ll need to ensure good tackling in the open field when necessary. I wouldn’t be against bracketing White like the Rams did against New Orleans Saints RB Alvin Kamara at times, though I prefer that extra attention to be spent on Edelman. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rams’ defensive lineman chip White coming out of the backfield (again, like Karama last week), or to see S Lamarcus Joyner draw him a handful of times in man coverage either.The matchups are obviously going to be crucial in deciding who’s going to win the game.It’s a given that ideally you want to stop the run, force the opposing offense into playing behind the chains, and then pinning your ears back and roughing up the QB. Those are going to be universal keys to win every single game you play, but I mainly wanted to look at the weapons the Rams will face and how they can ideally win those matchups.What’s your keys defensively?

ALAMEDA Bo Jackson Jersey , Calif. (AP) — The last two weeks of Year 2 under Jon Gruden have looked an awfully lot like the first season did for the Oakland Raiders.The Raiders have back-to-back lopsided losses following an encouraging season-opening win, with the struggles on both sides of the ball exposed during a 34-14 loss at Minnesota on Sunday.“This is something you can’t just move on from.” linebacker Tahir Whitehead said. “It’s a long road ahead. If we don’t get this corrected, then it is going to be a long season. We need to hold each other accountable and make sure nobody is comfortable after this loss, because there is a lot of things that need to be fixed. We experienced a long season last year. I am not trying to go through the same thing and many others on this team will say the same.”Gruden’s first season back in Oakland was a rough one, featuring the trade of star pass rusher Khalil Mack before the start of the season and a four-win campaign when the Raiders often looked overmatched.The talent level was supposed to be better this season, although that hasn’t helped the performance the past two weeks, starting with a 28-10 loss to Kansas City. The Raiders have lost back-to-back games by at least 18 points for the first time in seven years.Gruden didn’t directly address Whitehead’s comments but acknowledged his team needs plenty of work, especially from the first and second-year players who are being counted on to carry a big load.“I’m not going to get into all the problems that he’s talking about,” Gruden said. “We had some breakdowns, no question, and when have breakdowns and penalties against good teams on the road, usually you lose the game, and that’s what happened. You don’t fall behind 21-0 to a team like that on the road and expect to win, certainly, but in response to his questions https://www.raiderslockerroom.com/authentic-antonio-brown-jersey , I’ll deal with him individually.”WHAT’S WORKINGAbout the only thing working well for the Raiders right now is the connection between Derek Carr and tight end Darren Waller. Waller had 13 catches for 134 yards, the best marks for any tight end in the league this season. Waller now has 26 catches for 267 yards this season. Waller came into the season with 18 career catches for 178 yards since entering the league in 2015.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe defense fared well in the opener against Joe Flacco and the Broncos and managed to keep Patrick Mahomes and the high-powered Chiefs off the scoreboard in three of four quarters in Week 2. There was little positive at all against Kirk Cousins and the Vikings. Oakland forced no turnovers and just two punts all day; Minnesota had no problem gaining yards on the ground or through the air. The few positive plays were negated by penalties, including five that generated first downs. Oakland also allowed a 92-yard TD drive, the third time this season an opponent has driven at least 90 yards for a touchdown.STOCK UPWR J.J. Nelson. One of the only bright spots in the lopsided loss was Nelson, who made his debut with the Raiders after missing the first two weeks with an ankle injury. He had four catches for 36 yards, including a 29-yarder for a TD off a flea- flicker.STOCK DOWNCarr. After promising signs in the opener, Carr has gone back to a quarterback who is unwilling or unable to stretch the field, and the results have been poor. Oakland has stalled offensively after scoring on six of the first 10 drives this season. The Raiders had a 17-drive stretch the past two weeks that featured 10 punts, three interceptions, one missed field goal, one turnover on downs, one drive that ended at halftime and one touchdown. Oakland managed to add a garbage time TD against the Vikings, but has had little consistent offense since a fast start to the season.INJUREDRT Trent Brown left the game with an ankle injury. … LBs Vontaze Burfict (elbow), Marquel Lee (ankle) and Nicholas Morrow (ankle) also are dealing with injuries and Gruden said the team might need to bring in some new linebackers this week for depth. … RG Gabe Jackson (knee) isn’t expected to practice this week after getting hurt in training camp, but could be an option next week.KEY NUMBER3 — Rookie running back Josh Jacobs was expected to be a key part of the passing game this season Womens Derek Carr Jersey , but that hasn’t developed yet. His only catch through three weeks was a 28-yarder in the opener and he has been targeted just three times during the 46 pass plays when he is on the field.“We’re trying,” Gruden said. “We definitely do want to get Josh to be a big part of the passing game. No doubt. We certainly do.”NEXT STEPSThe Raiders head to Indianapolis for the second contest in a five-game stretch away from Oakland. They will go straight from there to London for a “home” game against Chicago before going to Green Bay and Houston following an off week. Greetings, Raider Nation, and welcome to Episode 3 of Hard Knocks on HBO. Last week’s episode ended with Antonio Brown making an appearance at camp, and boy have there been some developments since..." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesSilver And Black Pride homepageHorizontal - WhiteSilver And Black Pridean Oakland Raiders communityFollow Silver And Black Pride online:Follow Silver And Black Pride on TwitterFollow Silver And Black Pride on FacebookLog in or sign upLog InSign UpSite searchSearchSearchSilver And Black Pride main menuFanpostsFanshotsRaidersOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 321 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Raiders StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Raiders NewsYahoo Raiders Team PageYahoo Raiders ReportYahoo Raiders Depth ChartYahoo Raiders TransactionsYahoo Raiders PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕Raiders Hard Knocks Episode 3 open threadNew,203commentsPDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Raiders Hard Knocks Episode 3 open threadTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesGreetings, Raider Nation, and welcome to Episode 3 of Hard Knocks on HBO. Last week’s episode ended with Antonio Brown making an appearance at camp, and boy have there been some developments since then, which I’m certain the show will get into fairly heavily.We should also get a look at the Raiders’ total beatdown of the Cardinals, and hopefully we’ll see something about Josh Jacobs, as long as he’s not hiding from the HBO cameras and interviewers.The first two Hard Knocks episodes have been fantastic and highly rated, giving us a glimpse into how Jon Gruden coaches and how his young team is responding to him. The Raiders are 2-0 in preseason and look vastly improved, so everything seems to be going well so far. What surprises and insights await us tonight?You can check out Hard Knocks on HBO at 7 PM Pacific.

The black-and-blue division could get a little more Honolulu blue this week.With Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr due to hit the open market http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-deshawn-shead-jersey , the Lions are considered to be the favorite to sign him, according to Connor Hughes of TheAthletic.com.Barr, a top-10 pick in 2014, has completed his rookie deal and the fifth-year option. The Vikings have not yet re-signed him, and they opted to apply neither the franchise tag nor the transition tag to keep Barr in place. He is one of the only core Vikings players who has not received a long-term financial reward.Per Hughes, the Jets and Vikings also have interest in signing Barr, who should find out when the legal tampering window opens whether the Minnesota offer compares favorably to offers from new teams.Although Barr has been a solid performer for the Vikings, they took him at a time when players like Aaron Donald, Odell Beckham http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-tavon-wilson-jersey , Taylor Lewan, and Zack Martin were still on the board. CHICAGO (AP) — Mitchell Trubisky locked in right from the start, whether he was firing downfield or making the right read underneath the defense.It added up to one of his best performances as a pro, not to mention a rare win for Chicago against Detroit and an NFC North rival.Trubisky threw for a career-high 355 yards and three touchdowns, and the first-place Bears beat the Lions 34-22 to snap a 10-game losing streak against division opponents on Sunday.The Bears (6-3) had dropped nine of 10 against Detroit (3-6) and were seeking their first victory over a division opponent since Oct. 31, 2016, against Minnesota.Chicago jumped out to a 26-7 halftime lead with Trubisky and Allen Robinson leading the way. And the Bears surpassed their win total from last year with their third straight victory .“We were just out there having fun today,” Trubisky said. “Everyone was doing their job. We just went out there and played. And the plays made themselves because we were just going out there not thinking, just translating the work from practice on gameday.”Though he threw for six touchdowns against Tampa Bay earlier this season Jalen Reeves-Maybin Jersey White , Trubisky had one of his best games since the Bears took him with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft.He completed 23 of 30 passes and finished with a 148.6 rating. He also ran for a 4-yard touchdown.“He’s playing his tail off right now,” coach Matt Nagy said. “I love where he’s at.”Allen Robinson caught six passes for 133 yards and two TDs after missing two games with a groin injury.Rookie Anthony Miller added a career-high 122 yards on five receptions, including a 45-yard TD and a 55-yard catch.Khalil Mack had two of Chicago’s six sacks against Matthew Stafford — both in the second half after missing back-to-back games with an injured right ankle.Bryce Callahan had a sack and an interception.About the only downer for the Bears was Cody Parkey hitting uprights while missing two extra points and two field goals.Things were so bad for him that fans cheered sarcastically when he made an extra point late in the first half and let out a loud roar when the Bears went for a 2-point conversion after a touchdown by Robinson in the third.“Of course (coaches are) frustrated with me but who’s more frustrated than myself?” Parkey said. “This is my job, this is what I’m supposed to do and I’m missing out there. So I mean I’ve just got to trust in what I’m doing.”Parkey’s misses didn’t stop the Bears from opening a three-game stretch against division opponents on a winning note.Detroit dropped its third in a row after back-to-back victories.Stafford was consistently under pressure again after getting sacked 10 times against Minnesota the previous week. He was 25 of 42 for 274 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions.“We’re fighting, nobody can say we’re not fighting until the very end,” said running back Kerryon Johnson, who scored from the 1 near the end of the first half.“Problem is we start off slow and then the fight at the end doesn’t matter. We just have to come out, and get better at the beginning. Keep on doing what we’re doing at the end and put it all together.”STRONG STARTTrubisky had a 158.3 rating at halftime after going 14 of 16 for 209 yards and two touchdowns with the Bears predominantly in a no-huddle offense.Coming off a 41-9 romp at Buffalo Womens Quandre Diggs Jersey , Chicago scored on its first four possessions to grab a 26-0 lead. Robinson set up Tarik Cohen’s 3-yard touchdown on the game’s opening drive when he turned a slant into a 35-yard gain, breaking a tackle by DeShawn Shead on a 35-yard slant. Parkey hit the right upright on the extra-point attempt. But the Bears kept rolling from there.KICKED OUTNagy insisted he still trusts Parkey and the Bears won’t look to bring in another kicker.“There’s zero chance of that happening,” he said.Nagy also dismissed the idea of having Parkey practice at Soldier Field during the week, saying “it’s pretty windy up at Halas Hall” in suburban Lake Forest, where the team is headquartered.INJURIESLions: TE Michael Roberts suffered a shoulder injury when he was tackled making a 9-yard catch early in the fourth quarter. … WR Marvin Jones Jr. hurt a knee.UP NEXTLions: Host Carolina on Nov. 18.Bears: Host Minnesota on Nov. 18.

Leon Lett learned in the Super Bowl never to celebrate too soon. His blunder the following Thanksgiving night schooled the entire Dallas Cowboys in that same painful lesson.Eleven months earlier Mike Gesicki Jersey , Lett’s showboating shy of the goal line after recovering a fumble allowed Don Beebe to catch him from behind and denied Dallas a sure touchdown. But that had come in the Cowboys’ 52-17 blowout of Buffalo.This time, his gaffe cost the Cowboys a crucial victory over Miami and allowed the Dolphins to pull off a 16-14 win in one of the most bizarre endings in NFL history.Lett, who now tutors defensive tackles for the Cowboys — who host the Dolphins again Sunday — was a Pro Bowl defensive lineman on the Cowboys’ three Super Bowl teams of the 1990s but he’s known as much for two blunders as his big plays.He said he looks back on that Thanksgiving night in 1993 “pretty much the same way. It was a cold-ass game and we were winning and we were up and I made a bone-head play.”The Dallas sideline went crazy when Jimmie Jones blocked Pete Stoyanovich’s 41-yard field goal try with 15 seconds left and the Cowboys clinging to a 14-13 lead at the old Texas Stadium, where a rare thunder snowstorm had made the field both icy and dicey.Everybody on the Cowboys sideline was hugging or high-fiving as the football spun like a top on the slush as the final seconds ticked away.“I thought we had won the game,” Michael Irvin said afterward. “I grabbed Troy Aikman and we were hugging.”“My first thought was to look around for someone to shove into it,” Miami center Jeff Dellenbach said that night. “But then that guy came charging into the damn thing.”The roar of the crowd drowned out Lett’s teammates who were yelling, “Fire! Fire!” — football code for “Stay away!”Lett came barreling in between three Dolphins surrounding the spinning ball and slid between them, his left foot scooting the ball toward the goal line.Suddenly, the ball was live.Dellenbach recovered the ball at the Dallas 1 with 3 seconds remaining, and Stoyanovich was good on his second chance, nailing the 19-yarder as time expired.Dallas coach Jimmy Johnson called it the most disappointing defeat of his life and Miami coach Don Shula called it the weirdest win he’d ever experienced.Lett hid out in the trainer’s room after the game.“My teammates were great. They were my support group. They were doing interviews for me. Nate Newton was doing interviews for me. All my teammates had my back and Coach Johnson had my back,” Lett recalled. “It was a tough time Jason Sanders Jersey , but it was also great for me to have that support and those people behind me.”Lett said winning the Super Bowl two months later was all the catharsis he needed.“I would like to hope people would look at my career as a guy that contributed to three Super Bowl championship teams and (see) a good player that played on some great teams in some great games,” Lett said.Here’s a look at what happened to the teams in the aftermath of that implausible finish:DALLASOddly, it turned out to be the last loss for Jimmy Johnson in Dallas. Jerry Jones fired him a few months later after Dallas had successfully defended its Super Bowl title.The Cowboys fell to 7-4 with the loss but won their next eight, beating Buffalo again in the Super Bowl and giving Lett peace of mind.“Winning that Super Bowl, holding that Super Bowl trophy … erased all of that and I moved forward,” Lett said.So did the Cowboys, who won another Super Bowl under Barry Switzer two years later.They’re 4-10 in the playoffs since then, including 2-3 under Jason Garrett, who was Aikman’s backup QB in 1993.Behind Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys are 2-0 and believe they’re Super Bowl-capable like those 1990s teams.MIAMIThe Dolphins improved to 9-2 with their bizarre win in Dallas but they wouldn’t win again, losing their last five without an injured Dan Marino and missing the playoffs.Shula retired two years later Raekwon McMillan Jersey , and Jimmy Johnson replaced him and led Miami to the playoffs three times in his four seasons with the Dolphins.Miami has fallen on hard times with only two playoff berths in the past 17 seasons and no playoff wins since the 2000 season.This year, they’ve been outscored 102-10.MEMORABLE GAMES—Jan. 16, 1972. The Cowboys defeat the Dolphins 24-3 in Super Bowl 6 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans after losing to the Baltimore Colts the year before. It was the Dolphins’ only loss until Sept. 23, 1973, at Oakland, after they’d won Super Bowl 7 over Washington to cap the only perfect season in NFL history.—Nov. 22, 1973. The Dolphins beat the Cowboys 14-7 in Dallas on their way to repeating as Super Bowl champs.—Oct. 27, 1996. The Cowboys roll over the Dolphins 29-10 in Miami in a game that was most remarkable for who was on the sidelines: Dallas’ Barry Switzer and Miami’s Jimmy Johnson.—Nov. 24, 2011. The Cowboys beat the Dolphins 20-19 on another Thanksgiving Day but this time the temperature was 59 degrees, not 32 with 100 percent humidity and wind chill of 19 as it had been in 1993. The celebratory mob scene in the corner of the end zone broke out far from Ryan Tannehill. He was in the open field, running and screaming as he waved his arms, and couldn’t find anyone to hug. So flopped to the grass on his back Laremy Tunsil Jersey , the job done and the game won.“I collapsed 鈥?just the emotion of the whole thing,” Tannehill said.Sixteen seconds from defeat, Tannehill threw a short pass and then watched his teammates save the season.Kenyan Drake ran the last 52 yards as the Miami Dolphins scored on a pass and double lateral on the wild final play Sunday to beat the New England Patriots 34-33.Miami lived up to its nickname 鈥?the Magic City.“They just made one more play than we did,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.And what a play.The Patriots were on the verge of clinching their 10th consecutive AFC East title when the Dolphins lined up at their 31 after a kickoff return trailing 33-28.“We had them right where we wanted,” Tannehill said dryly. “Not really surprised with how things turned out.”He threw a 14-yard pass to Kenny Stills, who lateraled to DeVante Parker, who quickly lateraled to Drake along the sideline. He cut toward the middle, found a seam and beat two Patriots to the corner of the end zone 鈥?defensive back J.C. Jackson and tight end Rob Gronkowski, who was on the field as part of New England’s prevent defense.“Drake runs a 4.3, and Gronk probably runs a 4.6 or 4.7, so you feel good about that matchup,” Tannehill said.Then came one last pass 鈥?Drake reared back and threw the ball into the stands as the Dolphins’ bench emptied and teammates mobbed him.The Dolphins call the play “Boise” because it was borrowed from the Boise State playbook Myles Gaskin Miami Dolphins Jerseys , and they had been working on it all year.“Those guys executed it as well as you could,” coach Adam Gase said. “When you practice it, you don’t really know how it’s going to turn out. Kenyan realized he had a lane and took it.”The play brought to mind other NFL last-second stunners, including Roger Staubach’s “Hail Mary”, the “Miracle in the Meadowlands” and the “Immaculate Reception”. It was the longest play from scrimmage to win a game with no time remaining in the fourth quarter since the 1970 merger.Tom Brady threw for 358 yards and three scores, but the stunned Patriots (9-4) lost in Miami for the fifth time in their past six visits. The Dolphins (7-6) came from behind five times to help their slim wild-card chances.“We’re playing one week at a time right now,” Gase said. “Any loss could be the end.”The Patriots’ Stephen Gostkowski missed an extra point for the first time in 38 tries this season early in the game, and he also missed a 42-yard field goal try. But his 32-yarder to cap a 55-yard drive put the Patriots ahead 30-28 with 6:45 left.Belichick opted to have Gostkowski kick a 22-yarder in the closing seconds rather than pin the Dolphins near their goal line. Instead, they returned the ensuing kickoff to the 31 鈥?and on the next play pulled off a miracle.Brady broke the NFL record for career touchdown passes including postseason and now has 582, three more than Peyton Manning. His scores covered 2 yards to Julian Edelman, 37 to Cordarrelle Patterson and 16 to Gronkowski.Brady finished 27 for 43 with no turnovers, and Gronkowski had eight catches for 107 yards. Albert McClellan blocked a punt to set up a touchdown for the Patriots Miami Dolphins Jerseys 2019 , and they also deflected a punt.Tannehill missed two plays at the end of the first half after a teammate stepped on his right foot. He returned to start the second half, and his 23-yard touchdown pass to Brice Butler put the Dolphins ahead 28-27 late in the third quarter.But they managed only three first downs and no points thereafter 鈥?until the final play.FRANTIC SEQUENCEThe teams swapped touchdowns and the lead for five consecutive possessions in the second quarter over an entertaining span covering less than 11 minutes.Miami’s fourth-string running back Brandon Bolden, who spent six years with the Patriots, scored untouched on a career-long 54-yard run up the middle, and added a 6-yard scoring run.MISSED OPPORTUNITYThe Patriots squandered a scoring chance at the end of the first half. With 14 seconds left and no timeouts, Brady took the snap at the Miami 2, and when he was sacked by Robert Quinn the clock ran out, leaving the Patriots with a 27-21 lead.INJURY REPORTX-rays of Tannehill’s right ankle were negative, but he acknowledged it didn’t feel good after the game. “I rolled it pretty good,” he said. “Got X-rays and buttoned it up tight.”UP NEXTNew England plays Sunday at Pittsburgh. The Patriots also traveled there in Week 15 last year, and won 27-24.Miami plays Sunday at Minnesota.

No quarterback in NFL history has started his career like Patrick Mahomes.On Sunday Xavier Williams Jersey , Mahomes set the NFL record for the most passing yards by a player in the first 20 games of his career — and it was only Mahomes’ 18th game.Mahomes now has 5,759 passing yards in 18 career games. The previous record of most passing yards through 20 career games was 5,613, set by Kurt Warner two decades ago.This week Mahomes is likely to top 6,000 career yards in his 19th career game, and at his current pace he’ll likely be around 6,400 yards by the end of his 20th game.Mahomes’ 53 career touchdown passes are also the most of any player in his first 20 games, and he should be up around 60 career touchdowns by his 20th game. It’s a long, long time away from talking about Mahomes breaking the NFL’s career passing records, but he’s starting his career at a pace unrivaled in NFL history. OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs effectively suspended Tyreek Hill from all team-related activities Thursday night while they investigate an audio recording that aired on a local TV station in which the star wide receiver’s fiancee accused him of abusing their 3-year-old son.The recording surfaced one day after prosecutors said they believed abuse had occurred in Hill’s home last month but that they could not press charges because it was unclear who committed the crime.Chiefs general manager Brett Veach read a statement after the conclusion of the first round of the NFL draft that said the team became aware of the recording between Hill and his fiancee, Crystal Espinal, in “real-time” — just like the general public.Afterward Patrick Mahomes Jersey , Veach called Hill’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and informed him that Hill would no longer be allowed to work out with the team. The Chiefs are in the midst of voluntary offseason workouts.“We were deeply disturbed by what we heard. We have deep concern for Crystal, and are concerned for Tyreek, but we have real concern for the child,” Veach said in his statement. “We are going to continue to gather information and we will make the right decision.”Veach declined to take any questions. Chiefs coach Andy Reid and chairman Clark Hunt, who also were in the building for the start of the draft, were not made available.Police were called to Hill’s home twice last month and investigators determined their child had been injured. On Wednesday, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said charges would not be filed but that he was “deeply troubled” by the situation and said “we believe a crime has occurred.”Howe also said the case could be reopened if new information surfaced.Hill released a statement through his attorney earlier Thursday in which he said his “son’s health and happiness is my number one priority.” Hill said his focus is on “working hard to be the best person for my family and our community that I can be, and the best player to help our team win.”Less than eight hours later, KCTV in Kansas City aired part of an 11-minute audio file in which Espinal tells Hill that when asked about an injury to the child’s arm, the boy replied:, “Daddy did it.”Hill denied any role in what happened to the child Mitch Morse Jersey , saying: “He says Daddy does a lot of things.”Espinal also tells Hill their son is “terrified of you.”Hill replies, “You need to be terrified of me, too, bitch.”Later in the conversation, Espinal asks Hill, “What do you do when the child is bad? You make him open up his arms and you punch him in the chest.”KCTV said the audio was sent to the station without disclosing from whom. The station said it had shared the audio with Howe’s office, which did not return a message late Thursday.Hill is a two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver with a history of domestic issues, including a case in which he was accused of punching Espinal while she was pregnant and they were attending Oklahoma State.Hill’s attorney, Trey Pettlon, has said that the wide receiver has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the investigation. Pettlon also said that Hill waived his Fifth Amendment rights, answered questions from law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, and that he would continue to cooperate with authorities as they provide a safe environment for the child.That statement was thrown into question by the audio, during which Espinal indicates she covered for Hill while answering questions from investigators: “Now I really want you to sit and think about it Chris Jones Jersey ,” she tells Hill, “because I rode for you against that detective.”Howe would not say who has custody of the child other than to say he is safe.“We’re talking about a minor, a child, and the system and DCF and in child investigations, we have to be very cognizant about protecting the rights of the child,” Howe said Wednesday. “We have to respect the wishes of the individuals involved in the case.”Hill is cicks Friday night — they traded their first-round pick to Seattle earlier this week as part of a package to acquire pass rusher Frank Clark, who has his own history of domestic violence.Last year, the Chiefs released star running back Kareem Hunt following a video that showed him pushing and kicking a woman in a hotel hallway.Before the audio of Hill was broadcast, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell warned about making any judgments before getting all the facts. But he did make it clear that Hill could be punished under the league’s personal conduct policy, regardless of the legal situation.“You don’t make a decision without having those facts,” Goodell said.

Someone at PFF actually liked the Texans’ offensive line selections." 2019 NFL Draft2019 Houston Texans OffseasonSomething Positive For YouNew Andre Johnson Jersey ,31commentsSomeone at PFF actually liked the Texans’ offensive line selections. CDTThe words strewn regarding the Texans’ draft class were mainly mean, nasty, and vile. Which is just as they should be. The Texans have Deshaun Watson on a rookie contract, a talented roster, a team that should compete for a title now, and went into the draft needing to improve its offensive line and secondary for this season, after they skimped and hoarded cap space in free agency. They came away with projects. Ben Cooper at Pro Football Focus disagrees. He loooooves the Tytus Howard and Max Scharping selections because of the unbearable power of metrics like pass blocking efficiency that isn’t adjusted based on opponent Deshaun Watson Jersey White , conference, and has no context whatsoever. Just someone in front of a computer giving out -2, -1, 0, 1, and 2 on each play. This is what he has to say:Maybe the imaginary numbers against teams like Grambling and Toledo will make you feel better. Maybe not. Regardless it’s all very nice. I hope it’s true. It probably isn’t. Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson took more sacks than any other quarterback in the NFL in 2018, but his health is not a concern this offseason.That wasn’t the case at this time last year. Watson tore his ACL during his rookie season and spent the offseason working his way back to full strength in time for the regular season.With no such worries this year Keke Coutee Jersey White , General Manager Brian Gaine said on Thursday that the team is excited about what the extra time with his receivers will mean for Watson.“There’s a ton of upside with Deshaun Watson, great kid,great skill set,” Gaine said, via the . “We’re optimistic that the ceiling is really high with him. We’re excited about his offseason and now he’s going to have a full offseason with [DeAndre] Hopkins, [Will] Fuller, [Keke] Coutee J.J. Watt Jersey , the full skill set of the offense. The timing of that, the coordination of that, the silent communication of that, I think that will pay great dividends for us.”Better protection for Watson would probably pay some dividends as well. Finding a way to get that figures to be a priority for Gaine while Watson and the wideouts are working things out among themselves.

If the Bengals and Dolphins followed the NFL’s rules regarding the hiring of head coaches Womens Michael Johnson Jersey , they most likely wouldn’t have hired head coaches on Monday. Because they wouldn’t have had time to negotiate contracts and finalize arrangements.“No contract shall be executed, and no agreement to execute a contract . . . shall be permitted until after the conclusion of the employer club’s playing season,” the league’s anti-tampering policy states. This means that there can be no offer nor acceptance of terms before an assistant coach’s season has ended. Which means that, for guys like Zac Taylor and Brian Flores, a whole lot of things would have had to happen after Sunday night to put the wheels in motion for what happened Monday.The reality is that teams routinely ignore the rules, winking and nodding and otherwise doing a deal without officially doing a deal, allowing for the coach or the team (in theory or, as happened a year ago Jonah Williams Cincinnati Bengals Jersey , in practice) to pull the plug before pen is put to paper.The NFL decided not to change the rule in the aftermath of last year’s Josh McDaniels debacle. The fact that two more teams wandered to the wrong side of it this year make an official change to the rule even more necessary.There’s no good reason to keep the current procedure in place, if teams aren’t going to follow it — and if the league isn’t going to do anything about it. One of the biggest names in NFL history has passed on." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteCincy Junglea Cincinnati Bengals communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpFanpostsFanshotsSectionsLibraryBengalsOddsAboutMastheadCommunity GuidelinesStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections #BITESIZEFilm RoomRoster Transactions and ContractsOrange & Black InsiderSalary Cap And CBABengals News (5/27): Losing a legendNew,2commentsOne of the biggest names in NFL history has passed on.EDTShareTweetShareShareBengals News (5/27): Losing a legendPhoto by Brian Bahr/Getty ImagesTwo Biggest Questions Still Facing the BengalsNFL rosters are bloated every year at this time. Even so, most of the key pieces for teams are in place. There may still be a free agent signing or two, but Cincinnati’s roster and situation as a whole is no exception.No Longer A Nomad, Webb Sticks With BengalsThe life of any given NFL player can be fleeting. The mobile lifestyle is bestowed on some players more than others, but typically all players are affected by it at some point. For new Bengals cornerback B.W. Webb, a career has come at the price of a nomadic life that few experience in the National Football League.3 main X-Factors for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019The Cincinnati Bengals have hopes of becoming a playoff team in the near future under new head coach Jonah Williams Jersey 2019 , Zac Taylor. This comes after Marvin Lewis was fired after being with the organization for 16 seasons.Bengals news: A.J. Green praises Zac Taylor for being 'so smart, he's so detailed'The Cincinnati Bengals have ushered in some significant changes this offseason with the arrival of new head coach Zac Taylor. It appears he has already made quite the impression on wide receiver A.J. Green.Around the NFLPackers legend Bart Starr passes away at age 85That's precisely where one of the greatest players to ever lace 'em up loses a lot of arm-chair historians -- the idea that he doesn't have the numbers. And it's true that the quarterback for Vince Lombardi's powerful Green Bay Packer teams never threw for 4,000 yards or 40 touchdowns in a season, or for 400 yards in a game. But there is one number that puts more holes in that line of thinking than there are in a cheesehead hat: .900.NFL players honor fallen soldiers on Memorial DayMemorial Day isn't about having the day off from work and going to BBQs -- it's about paying homage to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.Patriots TE Ben Watson discloses failed drug test"As a professional athlete for the last 15 years I know very well the limitations on what can be prescribed for my overall health," Watson explained on his Facebook page. "After my contract expired last March I told my doctors I was finished playing, went through a series of medical tests and was prescribed Bio Identical Testosterone Cypionate to assist in healing my body and mind.Chargers' Joey Bosa: 'I'm as fast and strong' as everBosa wore 97 in both high school and at Ohio State, his father, John Color Rush Jonah Williams Jersey , wore it while in the NFL and his brother, Nick, wore it for the Buckeyes and will do so with the San Francisco 49ers. Joey Bosa said he wanted to change numbers last year but held off because it would have cost him $500,000. There's no price tag on the swap this year because the Chargers are switching to powder blue jerseys as their primary home uniform.

Los Angeles Rams vs. Arizona Cardinals: Five Rams to watch Week 2 sees the Arizona Cardinals coming to town to battle our beloved Los Angeles Rams. The two teams walked divergent paths last week http://www.theramslockerroom.com/authentic-jamon-brown-jersey , with the Cardinals getting torched by the Washington NFL Team, while the Rams handled the Oakland Raiders handily in a baseball stadium in Oakland. Here are five guys who Rams fans should have their eyes on this week. They’re either here because they’ve got something to prove or can have a big impact in this week’s contest.LB Cory LittletonSure, he led the Rams with 13 tackles on Monday night and drew praise from DC Wade Phillips, but he’s still on the hot seat with Rams fans and TST staffers. Corey Littleton’s week one performance was uneven, to say the least. If Cards TE Ricky Seals-Jones pulls a Jared Cook, all eyes on will be on #58. Is he Ogletree 2.0, or will he settle into his role and play with a little more consistency? David Johnson and check-down legend Sam Bradford ought to help shed some light.TE Tyler HigbeeDespite playing on 95% of the Rams’ offensive snaps, TE Tyler Higbee received 0 targets against the Raiders. Given that QB Jared Goff was barely touched all night, Higbee’s blocking was likely beneficial to the Rams’ offense, but we’d certainly like to see him make a few plays. Will McVay ever establish a Jordan Reed / Vernon Davis attack with Higbee and second-year man Gerald Everett? If week one is any indication, Rams TEs will continue to gather dust on the waiver wire in your fantasy league. Look for signs of life this week.WR Robert WoodsWoods was targeted 9 times on Monday night Womens Greg Zuerlein Jersey , but was only able to haul in 3 for 37 yards. He seemed to be getting separation downfield, but Goff missed him twice on deep balls. With Patrick Peterson likely following Brandin Cooks around on Sunday, look for Woods to re-establish himself as Goff’s top option and move the chains early and often this week.WR JoJo NatsonJust signed this week, the diminutive return man out of Akron will get his chance to take over Pharoh Cooper’s role for the foreseeable future. During the preseason, Natson looked fast and decisive on his returns, and though he’s replacing a Pro Bowler, we’re not expecting much drop-off. At just 5’7” and 153 lbs., his value in other areas of special teams remains to be seen, but hopefully JoJo can make a play or two this weekend.OLB/EDGE Dominique EasleyTransitioning into his new role at OLB/EDGE, Easley flashed a little bit last week during his 32 snaps (10 more than presumptive starter Matt Longacre). For a guy with so many knee injuries, he’s showing some resilience and versatility – lest we forget his first round pedigree. His emergence may simply be due to Longacre’s nagging injuries Gerald Everett Jersey , but he looked comfortable out there on Monday. Historically a DT, if Easley’s able to give the Rams a boost and stay healthy, he could be the veteran LB help we’ve all been clamoring for. Between major trades and key draft picks, the Rams are now facing the beginning of the transition out of the last roster build. Here’s what it’s going to cost."WhiteSections 2019 offseason2019 free agency2019 NFL DraftFull ArchiveLibrary 2019 NFL calendar2019 Rams regular season sched2019 Rams preseason schedMasthead Community Guidelines NFL Odds StubHub ✕2019 NFL Free AgencyThe Los Angeles Rams went in on building a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Now, the bill’s due.New,48commentsBetween major trades and key draft picks, the Rams are now facing the beginning of the transition out of the last roster build. Here’s what it’s going to cost.CSTShareTweetShareShareThe Los Angeles Rams went in on building a Super Bowl-caliber roster. Now, the bill’s due.Los Angeles Rams HC Sean McVay congratulates QB Jared Goff and RB Todd Gurley after a touchdown against Washington, Sep. 17, 2017.Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY SportsOver the last two offseasons, the Los Angeles Rams have been unusually aggressive in taking advantage of some of their most important players being on inexpensive rookie deals by trading for talented but unwanted pieces and exploiting the available cap space those rookie deals created.That aggression allowed the Rams to go all-in on an effort to build a Super Bowl-caliber roster. That roster got them to the Super Bowl. Hard to be upset.But now Eric Weddle Jersey , the cost of that deal is coming due, and it’s coming due in two forms.One of those is in terms of draft picks and the deficit the Rams have built up over the last four years both in moving up in the draft but also in packaging draft picks in moves that brought in talented, though temporary, roster upgrades. That, coupled with the wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide group of role players on expiring deals, means the Rams are in the precarious situation of losing much of the middle third of their roster. While that doesn’t grab the attention (or money) of the top end of the roster, it’s nearly as important on the field.But the other cost of that aggression is much more quantifiable. And it’s in the form of a couple of players that will cost the Rams much, much (, much, much) more in 2019 than it did a year ago.It comes down, largely http://www.theramslockerroom.com/authentic-cooper-kupp-jersey , to five players: WR Brandin Cooks, DL Aaron Donald, LT Andrew Whitworth, CB Marcus Peters and RT Rob Havenstein. I’ll throw in RB Todd Gurley for the purposes of rounding-friendly figures, but it’s mostly about that quintet.As a six-man group, those six players will cost the Rams more than $40m in 2019 than they did in 2018. To be specific using numbers from Over The Cap, they’ll cost $41,095,577. If you’re wondering why the Rams are so cavalier about letting LG Rodger Saffold III, DL Ndamukong Suh, S Lamarcus Joyner and EDGE Dante Fowler Womens Tyler Higbee Jersey , Jr., hit the market, that’s your easy answer.They picked the former over the latter.2018-19 LA Rams key contract increasesPOSPlayer20182019DifferencePOSPlayer20182019DifferenceThat’s not a decision deserving criticism by any means. A plurality of teams, if not a majority, would love to have that six-man group the Rams are bringing back in 2019. And Whitworth’s return from the precipice of retirement was met with celebration for a reason.It just comes at a cost.So while Rams fans can lament that the team has little wiggle room to address burgeoning needs across the defense and offensive line, the simple reason why is that the Rams have locked in a functioning core that has helped them win the NFC West the last two seasons and led them to a Super Bowl appearance just a month ago.If you’re gonna spend money, you might as well spend it wisely.

Ben Watson chased down Champ Bailey Stephen Gostkowski Jerseys 2019 , but was ultimately screwed by the refs." />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhitePats Pulpita New England Patriots communityLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpPatriots NewsOpinion and AnalysisContribute!About the SiteTopicsPatriotsOddsShopStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhitePatriots News Opinion and Analysis Contribute! FanPostsFanShotsAbout the Site List of Patriots Twitter AccountsWrite For Pats Pulpit!New User Welcome and Commenting GuideCommunity GuidelinesMastheadTopics Patriots Off-Season CoveragePatriots Opinion/AnalysisPatriots NewsPatriots Draft CoverageSportfolio ManagementFiled under:Patriots AnalysisPatriots First ReadWhat if the Ben Watson play was called correctly?New,65commentsBen Watson chased down Champ Bailey, but was ultimately screwed by the refs. EDTShareTweetShareShareWhat if the Ben Watson play was called correctly?Since Ben Watson has recently rejoined the New England Patriots, I thought the second “What If” article should be about his play against Denver in the AFC Divisional Game in the 2005 season. It is, in my opinion, one of the worst calls in NFL history (there might be an article coming about another one some time soon). The ramifications from that play could have changed the outcome of not only the game, but the entire playoffs that season. With 1:03 left in the third quarter of a 10-6 game, Tom Brady took the snap from the Broncos’ 5-yard line. Pressure from safety Nick Ferguson forced him right, and he threw a pass off his back foot, into the end zone, towards Troy Brown. Champ Bailey stepped in front of the pass, intercepted it, and raced up the Broncos sideline. After stepping out of a tackle by Kevin Faulk at the 45, it looked as though there was only grass between Bailey and the end zone. Then, just as he was about to score, Watson sent him, and the ball, flying into the end zone. Well, at least we know the ball went into the end zone. The refs, one of whom Watson passed on his way to tackle Bailey, said the ball went out at the 1, and, instead of it being and touchback and Patriots ball at the 20, Mike Anderson got his second 1-yard rushing touchdown of the day. The review looked to clearly show the ball out of bounds in the end zone, but it was a tough call to overturn. Although Bailey never went out of bounds until he was in the end zone, and the ball was in his inside hand when it was knocked away, there just isn’t a conclusive picture.Here is a frame by frame shot of the play (h/t to SlotMachinePlayer):The ball clearly didn’t break the laws of physics and take a sharp left turn out of bounds at the 1. The problem is, there isn’t a perfect camera angle that shows that. You can use Bailey’s body to judge that the ball was just passing out of bounds in the end zone White Matthew Slater Jerseys , but you can’t exactly tell, and so the call stood. Again, I consider it to be one of the worst calls in NFL history, but when you’re using the instant replay, I don’t know if you can cite Isaac Newton as to why it got overturned. Without a conclusive picture, they were forced to stick with the terrible call on the field. The question I’m trying to answer is: would the Patriots have won the game if the Watson play was called correctly? They ultimately lost by 14 points, and were a complete mess the entire game. The Patriots ended the game with five turnovers, two of them happening in the last two minutes of the first half, with the Patriots up 3-0. First, Kevin Faulk fumbled at the Patriots 40, then Asante Samuel was called for a terrible pass inference penalty in the end zone on the next play.Mike Anderson punched it in from 1-yard on the very next snap. On the ensuing kickoff, Ellis Hobbs was tackled by the kicker, Todd Sauerbrun (who ended up playing for the Patriots the following year) and fumbled, leading to a Broncos field goal. Then, with ten minutes left and the Patriots trailing by eleven points, Troy Brown muffed a punt inside the Patriots 20. Three plays later, the Broncos went up by 18, and the comeback was hopeless. Would all of those things be different if the Watson play had been called correctly? Probably not, but, instead of an easy touchdown and an eleven-point Broncos lead, the Patriots would have had the ball, and the momentum of a great play. I think that they could’ve ended up pulling that game out. If they had, they would’ve gotten the Steelers in Foxboro the next week after Pittsburgh beat the Colts in perhaps the craziest finish to a football game ever.Indianapolis was trailing by three with under two minutes left and had just turned the ball over on downs. The Steelers had the ball at the Colts’ 2-yard line, and they handed it off to Jerome Bettis. He fumbled, and the ball was picked up by Nick Harper. Harper had been stabbed in the leg by his wife in the week leading up to the game, and so he may have been slowed down just a bit, and he was tackled by Ben Roethlisberger, the only man standing between him and the end zone. I swear real life is crazier than fiction. If you made up the Nick Harper story everyone would call it dumb storytelling Matthew Slater Jerseys 2019 , but it was just dumb luck. Mike Vanderjagt went out and shanked the potential game-tying field goal, and the Steelers were on their way to the AFC Championship Game. The Steelers beat the Broncos, and went on to beat the Seahawks in the Super Bowl as well. Would they have been able to go into Foxboro and beat the team that destroyed them in the playoffs the year before? They had already lost to the Patriots in New England once that year. If the Patriots were able to win that game, they would’ve been headed to their third straight Super Bowl and a very beatable Seahawks team. Tom Brady could have seven rings if one simple call had been made correctly. So, there’s no real way to know what would’ve happened. It’s at least plausible, though, and I think it likely that the Patriots would’ve at least been heading to their third straight Super Bowl. Honestly, one of the things I hate most is that it was such an amazing play, but one that many just can’t appreciate fully because it happened during a playoff loss. Pat is a host of The Patriot Nation PodcastInteract with him on Twitter @plane_pats FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Seventeen years ago, Tom Brady was 24 years old and in his second 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,” Brady said.On Twitter White Devin McCourty Jerseys , 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, 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.”

The Lions have a pair of defensive stars missing OTAs.In what can only be a coincidence Trey Flowers Jersey , both players could make a strong case for being underpaid.Via Dave Birkett of the , Lions cornerback Darius Slay and defensive tackle Damon Harrison were missing from the voluntary OTAs.Slay signed a four-year, $48 million extension in July 2016, and is scheduled to make $12 million this year, with another $250,000 in per-game bonuses. That’s good money, but not on par with the latest contracts.Harrison has two years left on the deal the Lions inherited from the Giants. He’s scheduled to make $6.75 million this year.“Right now we are — it’s voluntary as that part of the season is concerned,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said. “Those two guys are not here. You will not see them at the practice today, but we fully expect that this time of the year, guys that are here, guys that are not. That’s totally fine. We’re working with the guys that are out there.”That’s kind of what Patricia has to say Levine Toilolo Jersey White , but it seems apparent that two of his most important players are something less than gruntled at the moment. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP)Chastened by one of the worst collective performances in their Super Rugby history, Australia’s teams will try to recover pride and standing on the championship table when they again face foreign opponents in this weekend’s 11th round.All Australian sides were beaten in last weekend’s 10th round in a setback to hopes the painful decision taken at the end of last season to expel the Western Force would lead to an improvement in the form of the four remaining teams.The New South Wales Waratahs were beaten 29-0 by the Johannesburg-based Lions, the Queensland Reds lost 36-12 to the Hamilton-based Chiefs, the Melbourne Rebels went down 28-10 to the Bulls in Pretoria and the ACT Brumbers were beaten 25-20 in Canberra by Argentina’s Jaguares.This weekend the Rebels face the Cape Town-based Stormers in the second match of their South African tour, the Reds take on the resurgent Lions and the Brumbies meet defending champions the Crusaders while the Waratahs, still atop the Australian conference, have a bye.The Waratahs lead the confrence by three points from the Rebels after last week’s losses, with the Brumbies a further six points behind and the Reds two points further adrift in fourth place, ahead only of the winless Japan-based Sunwolves. Ignoring the boost the Waratahs receive as conference leader, the best Australian team would only place sixth on a joint table. The Rebels would be seventh http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-devon-kennard-jersey , the Brumbies 11th and the Reds 13th.The most humiliating of last weekend’s losses – though all were comprehensive – was the Waratahs’ loss to the Lions. Though the Lions have been finalists in each of the last two years, they have not been completely on top of their game this season and came into the Sydney match with a 5-3 record, while the Waratahs were 5-1 with one draw.After a tight first half in which only one try was scored, the Lions took control and ran in three more tries in the second half to achieve their first win in Sydney in the 20-year history of Super Rugby and to hold the Waratahs scoreless for the first time.The loss came at a particularly bad time for the Waratahs. With a bye this weekend, they don’t have the chance to immediately address the deficiencies glaringly exposed last weekend. After the bye they have four consecutive games against New Zealand teams, aware that the New Zealanders have won their last 35 matches against Australian rivals.Waratahs captain Michael Hooper remains hopeful his team’s shortcomings can be easily remedied.”Once we got a few points behind we were chasing the game and tried to play those high pressure plays and unfortunately showed a bit of immaturity in our team,” Hooper said. ”It’s something we’ve got to improve at.”What probably the leaders within that Waratahs group didn’t do well was play to where the Lions weren’t strong. Where they are really strong is they get in your 22. They score points and for whatever reason, because maybe we started to feel like we couldn’t score points, we were getting frustrated. We started playing out of that area. Sure enough they turned it over and were just able to wear us down with their maul, (and) scrum.”While prospects for Australian teams in this year’s tournament are again looking bleak, Hooper – the current Australia captain – is trying to remain optimistic for the Waratahs http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-calvin-johnson-jersey , all Australian Super Rugby teams and the Wallabies, who will host Ireland this winter.”We’ve got to build resilience,” Hooper said. ”One loss doesn’t define your season. One loss doesn’t mean you’re a bad team.”The Rebels went 4-0 with bonus points in each one of those games so they’ve got a lot to be confident about, likewise with the other Australian teams.”There’s still so much left in the season. Five (games) for us before the Irish series. Everyone’s in with a shout and competitive.”In other matches this weekend, the Wellington-based Hurricanes face the Sunwolves, who gave the Crusaders a fright in Christchurch last week, and the Bulls take on the Highlanders who will miss injured All Blacks backrower Liam Squire.