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The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly discussing trades involving outfielder Joc Pederson.Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the update Sunday and noted the Chicago White Sox are one of the clubs involved in the talks Martin Maldonado Jersey , but it's unclear whether a deal is close.Pedersonposted a .248/.321/.522 triple-slash line with 25 home runs across 148 appearances for the Dodgers last season. He struggled in the playoffs, however, compiling a lackluster .647 OPS and two homers in 16 games as L.A. advanced to the World Series before losing to the Boston Red Sox.Trading the 26-year-old California native would likely come in coordination with another move.Rosenthalpointed out Saturday there was "increasing chatter" linking the Dodgers to free-agent outfielder A.J. Pollock. The former Arizona Diamondbacks star had an MVP-caliber season in 2015 when he crushed 20 homers and stole 39 bases, but he's struggled with injuries over the last three years.Last month, ESPN.com'sAlden Gonzalezreported outfielder Bryce Harper, who along with MannyMachadoare the winter's top free agents http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-j.-c.-ramirez-jersey , "badly wants to be a Dodger" but Los Angeles wasn't yet prepared to make the lucrative, long-term financial commitment he wanted.It'd be a surprise if the Dodgers movedPedersonwithout having one of those prized free agents, or another notable signing or trade addition, in line to fill the void.Meanwhile, the White Sox have already added first baseman Yonder Alonso, outfielder Jon Jay Darin Erstad Jersey , starting pitcher Ivan Nova, and relievers Kelvin Herrera and AlexColomeas part of an offseason overhaul.Pedersonwould likely take over as Chicago's leadoff hitter, the same role he filled for L.A. in 2018. A look at what’s happening around the majors today:STARTING OFFClayton Kershaw starts for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against Brewers left-hander Gio Gonzalez and — more notably — Milwaukee’s deep bullpen. Josh Hader and the rest of the club’s lights-out relievers have helped the Brewers win 11 straight games. The bullpen’s 3.47 ERA was second in the NL only to the Chicago Cubs, and it began to peak down the stretch. The relievers went 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in the three-game Division Series sweep against Colorado. Gonzalez probably won’t need to go more than four or five innings before Hader and crew take over.Los Angeles‘ pitching approach will be more traditional. The Dodgers have gotten a higher percentage of outs from their starters this postseason than any other team, led by Kershaw’s eight innings of two-hit ball in a 3-0 Game 2 win over Atlanta. Kershaw has thrown 12 consecutive scoreless innings in the postseason dating to last year’s World Series.The ALCS starts Saturday night when Justin Verlander and the World Series champion Houston Astros take on Chris Sale and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.SKIP HUNTINGThe Rangers have done their first interviews in the search to replace fired manager Jeff Banister. According to people familiar with the details, the Rangers on Thursday interviewed Chicago Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde in Arlington http://www.angelsfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-upton-jersey , and did a phone interview with Astros bench coach Joe Espada because Houston is preparing for the start of the ALCS against Boston. The team is making no public comments about candidates being interviewed. Texas did its first interview Tuesday in Arlington with Jayce Tingler, the team’s assistant general manager.BAM BAM IN DEMAND?Giants bench coach Hensley “Bam Bam” Meulens has interviewed with the Reds for their open managerial position and also is set to meet with the Twins this week for the job that opened when Paul Molitor was fired. Meulens was in Minneapolis on Thursday and scheduled to interview with the Twins through Friday after traveling from Cincinnati. He met with the Reds, who fired Bryan Price after a 3-15 start. A former hitting coach with the Giants when they won World Series titles in 2010, ’12 and ’14, Meulens became bench coach this past season and Bruce Bochy’s right-hand man in his ninth season with the club.WAINO REMAINSAdam Wainwright is staying with the Cardinals. St. Louis agreed to a one-year deal with the veteran right-hander Thursday, bringing him back to the only major league team he’s pitched for. The 37-year-old Wainwright has been with the club since making his big league debut in 2005. Wainwright made just eight starts this season because of hamstring and elbow problems Shohei Ohtani Jersey , going 2-4 with a 4.46 ERA.

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linchao — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 02:18:35 +0000

TORONTO (AP) — Francisco Lindor had two solo homers and four RBIs http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-tony-oliva-jersey , rookie Shane Bieber pitched into the seventh inning to remain unbeaten in nine road starts and the Cleveland Indians beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-4 on Thursday night for their third straight win.Cleveland trimmed its magic number to seven for clinching a third consecutive AL Central championship.Lindor connected on Sam Gaviglio’s third pitch for his 10th career leadoff homer and seventh this season. He went deep to right off Gaviglio again in the third for his eighth career multihomer game. Lindor has 33 home runs, matching his total from last year. He added a two-run single in the fifth and singled again in the ninth.Toronto’s Rowdy Tellez doubled in the second and fourth after getting a pinch-hit double in his debut Wednesday, making him the first player in major league history with extra-base hits in each of his first three plate appearances.Jason Kipnis hit a three-run homer off Blue Jays reliever Mark Leiter Jr. in the ninth.Bieber (9-3) allowed four runs, three earned, and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He improved to 5-0 away from home.Gaviglio (3-8) gave up five runs in 4 1/3 innings to lose for the fourth time in five starts.BRAVES 7, DIAMONDBACKS 6, 10 INNINGSPHOENIX (AP) — Dansby Swanson scored the go-ahead run on Yoshihisa Hirano’s wild pitch in the 10th inning, and Atlanta regrouped to beat Arizona after blowing a two-run lead in the ninth.Coming off a three-game sweep by Boston, the NL East-leading Braves jumped on Zack Greinke with homers by Kurt Suzuki and Johan Camargo to lead 6-4 heading into the ninth. But then A.J. Pollock hit a sacrifice fly and Paul Goldschmidt tied it with a homer off winner Jesse Biddle (5-1).The Braves loaded the bases against Brad Boxberger (2-6) in the 10th before Hirano uncorked a wild pitch that scored Swanson.Brad Bach worked around a walk for his first save with Atlanta.Nick Markakis had four hits and a run-scoring single in the ninth for the Braves http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-kent-hrbek-jersey , who increased their division lead to 3½ games over Philadelphia.Arizona has lost five of six to fall 2½ games behind first-place Colorado in the NL West.Nick Ahmed hit a three-run double for the Diamondbacks.CUBS 6, NATIONALS 4, 10 INNINGSWASHINGTON (AP) — Pinch-hitter David Bote had an RBI double and scored in the 10th inning as Chicago came back to beat Washington in the opener of a four-game series.Bote, who hit a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth to give the Cubs a 4-3 win over the Nationals on Aug. 12 in Chicago, knocked a 100 mph fastball from Jimmy Cordero (1-2) into right field to score Albert Almora Jr. Bote came home on a single by pinch-hitter Taylor Davis.Daniel Murphy went 1 for 5 with a strikeout in his first return to Washington since the Nationals traded him to the Cubs on Aug 21.Chicago leads the NL Central by 4½ games over Milwaukee. Washington has lost three straight to fall to 69-72.Pedro Strop (5-1) pitched a scoreless ninth, and Jesse Chavez earned his third save.Mark Reynolds hit a two-run homer for the Nationals. Stephen Strasburg gave up three runs, two earned, in 5 2/3 innings.PADRES 6, REDS 2CINCINNATI (AP) — Francisco Mejia hit a solo homer and a three-run shot during his first start as the Padres‘ up-and-coming catcher Kennys Vargas Jersey , leading San Diego over Cincinnati.Mejia connected on his first two swings against Luis Castillo (8-12) for his first homers in the majors. The 22-year-old was called up Tuesday as the Padres get him ready for a bigger role next season.San Diego got Cleveland’s top catching prospect in a July trade for relievers Brad Hand and Adam Cimber. Mejia hit seven homers at Triple-A after the deal, prompting his September call-up.Hunter Renfroe also hit a solo homer off Castillo , who gave up three for the first time in his career.Jose Castillo (2-2) retired the three batters he faced. Scott Schebler and Mason Williams homered off Trey Wingenter in the seventh. The Oakland Athletics reportedly aren't willing to give up on Kyler Murray's baseball career just yet.Murray appeared to call it quits on a potential Major League Baseball career when he announced "I am firmly and fully committing my life and time to becoming an NFL quarterback," but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Oakland still believes the Oklahoma product could suit up for its team.Rosenthal noted the A's have recently received "conflicting signals" from Murray and "believe Murray's statement was crafted by his football agent, Erik Burkhardt of Select Sports Group, to demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the NFL鈥攖he kind of commitment NFL teams wanted to hear."Oakland selected Murray with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft but signed him to a contract that allowed him to play football for a season with the Sooners.Rosenthal noted the team always planned on allowing him to participate in the NFL Scouting Combine and still holds the "trump card" of being able to offer him a major league contract in addition to his $4.66 million signing bonus.While that, plus the injury risk and lack of consistent guaranteed contracts in the NFL, would seemingly favor a baseball career, Jon Taylor of Sports Illustrated highlighted the financial benefits of playing the quarterback position.He pointed out Baker Mayfield signed a $32.7 million deal with a $21.8 million signing bonus as last year's top overall pick Bert Blyleven Jersey , while even Lamar Jackson received a $9.5 million contract with a $4.7 million signing bonus as the No. 32 pick. Murray could also renegotiate his rookie deal after three years in football but would have to play six seasons prior to free agency in baseball even if he were immediately given a major league contract.According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Murray will return $1.29 million of the $1.5 million in signing bonus Oakland gave him last year and then give up the other $3.16 million by March 1. While the Athletics have the right to put him on the restricted list, they will not receive a compensatory draft pick.Oakland allowed him to play football for the Sooners, and he took full advantage during the 2018 season with 4,361 passing yards, 1,001 rushing yards and 54 total touchdowns on his way to the Heisman Trophy and a College Football Playoff appearance. There are questions about his size, but he is the top dual-threat playmaker in the upcoming draft.Bleacher Report's Matt Miller projected him to go No. 7 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars in his latest mock draft. Ohio State's Dwayne Haskins (No. 6) is the only quarterback projected to go ahead of Murray.

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linchao — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 02:08:27 +0000

MIAMI (AP) — Miami Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill dismissed talk about trading J.T. Realmuto with a joke Friday http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-bo-jackson-jersey , noting the All-Star catcher may well be in a new uniform next year because there are rumors about the team changing its logo.Realmuto’s agent, Jeff Berry, predicted this week that his client will be with a different team by spring training.“Agents can say whatever they want to say,” Hill said. “J.T. knows how we feel about him.”But Hill declined to say whether Realmuto informed the Marlins he won’t sign a long-term contract with them, as Berry said.“Any conversations we have with our players are going to stay in house http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-luis-aparicio-jersey ,” Hill said.And Hill acknowledged the possibility of tempting trade offers, with some likely to come during next week’s general manager meetings in Carlsbad, California.“J.T. is obviously a very talented player,” Hill said. “I would expect there will be interest in a lot of our talented players. It’s our job to go there with an open mind of how we improve.”Realmuto, 27 http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-ozzie-guillen-jersey , was a first-time All-Star team this year and had 21 homers and 74 RBIs, both career highs, while batting .277. He had a $2.9 million salary after losing in arbitration, and is eligible for arbitration this winter and again following the 2019 season.After losing 98 games and finishing last in the majors in runs, the Marlins have made a hitting upgrade their priority Bill Melton Jersey , Hill said.“We like where we’re at from a pitching-depth standpoint,” he said. “But we need to score more runs and improve our offense, and I think that will be a big part of the conversations we have next week.” If Giancarlo Stanton had his way, Major League Baseball wouldn't have a World Series winner in 2018.Speaking to TMZ Sports, the New York Yankees slugger said he's "rooting for a draw" in this year's Fall Classic.Even though a draw in the World Series would leave a bad taste in the mouth of MLB fans http://www.whitesoxfanproshop.com/authentic-robin-ventura-jersey , it's the best approach for Stanton to take.As a member of the Yankees, Stanton is essentially contractually forbidden from rooting for the Boston Red Sox. It would also be odd to root for the team that eliminated the Yankees from the playoffs. The Houston Astros eliminated them from the ALCS last year, though that was before Stanton was on the team.In the National League, Stanton wouldn't seem to have any ill will toward the Milwaukee Brewers or Los Angeles Dodgers. They never did anything to the Miami Marlins when he was playing there.But knowing how unforgiving New York fans can be, Stanton is better off not having any rooting interest in who climbs to the top of the MLB mountain this year.

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NEW YORK (AP) — Luis Severino gets a wild-card do-over.After getting just one out for the New York Yankees against Minnesota last year Corey Kluber Jersey , Severino starts this year’s winner-take-all matchup against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night .“I just want to win,” Severino said Tuesday. “If I can go four good innings and then the bullpen comes, that would be great.”Severino was chosen over J.A. Happ and Masahiro Tanaka despite a second-half slump. Rookie manager Aaron Boone said he made the decision after a staff meeting Saturday, slept on it and finalized it the next day .“I think he’s equipped in so many ways to handle this, and perhaps most importantly, he’s equipped with amazing stuff and the ability to dominate big league hitters because he’s such a talented pitcher,” Boone said.Severino left last year’s wild-card game trailing 3-0 after allowing four hits and a walk. Chad Green, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Aroldis Chapman combined for five-hit relief as New York rallied for an 8-4 victory.“I was too excited,” Severino said. “It was a good experience. Now I’ll take that tomorrow and try to treat that game like a regular game.”A 24-year-old right-hander, Severino was 19-8 with a 3.39 ERA and 220 strikeouts. He was 14-2 with a 2.31 ERA at the All-Star break but lost six of his next nine decisions before beating Boston and Tampa Bay in his last two outings.He lost 8-2 at Oakland on Sept. 5, allowing six runs — five earned — and six hits in 2 2/3 innings. He threw two wild pitches and Gary Sanchez had two of his major league-high 18 passed balls .“I think it was a miscommunication between us,” Severino said. “I think we didn’t set the right signs.”The wild-card winner advances to a Division Series against Boston starting Friday. Boone is including Happ, Tanaka and Lance Lynn as part of a nine-man bullpen Wednesday.Severino rebounded last year to beat Cleveland in Game 4 of the Division Series, getting a 5-0 lead and allowing three runs and four hits in seven innings. He lasted four innings in Game 2 of the Championship Series against Houston, a game the Yankees lost 2-1, then gave up three runs over 4 2/3 innings in the 7-1 loss in Game 6.Locating his 98 mph fastball is key.“He’s dealt with massive success. He’s dealt with struggles. He’s dealt with going to the bullpen. He’s dealt with things this year as far as having the kind of first half he did and then going through a few-week stretch there where he struggled on the mound,” Boone said. “So I think he’s equipped in so many ways to handle this, and perhaps most importantly, he’s equipped with amazing stuff and the ability to dominate big league hitters.”New York went 100-62, its best record since winning the 2009 World Series, and became the 10th big league team that won 100 games and failed to finish first. The Yankees set big league records with 267 homers and 12 players with double-digit home runs, becoming the first team to get 20 or more homers from all nine slots in the batting order.In his first season after New York acquired him from Miami Ricky Vaughn Jersey , Giancarlo Stanton led the offense with 38 homers and 100 RBIs. This will be the first postseason game of his nine-year big league career .“It’s a quick turnaround from ‘how did your season go’ to now,” he said. “That season is over. That’s already in the past, even though it’s a couple days ago.”EYEBALLSYankees games on their YES Network averaged a 3.60 rating this season, up slightly from 3.57 last year and the highest since 2012, but viewers dropped from 334,000 to 326,000. CLEVELAND (AP) — For the third year in a row, the unmistakable aroma of champagne wafted into the hallway outside the visitor’s clubhouse following the final game at Progressive Field.On the Cleveland side, the smell was sour.The Indians were built for one goal: to win their first World Series since 1948. Yet after cruising to a third straight AL Central title, they couldn’t get past the first round.October rejects again.“We had a good year,” said pitcher Trevor Bauer, whose shift from the starting rotation to the bullpen for the postseason maybe best summed up Cleveland’s unsatisfying, disjointed season. “We definitely could have gone further. We had a lot of talent here and it didn’t go our way.”Nothing went Cleveland’s way. But beyond being swept by the impressive Houston Astros, who were superior at every level, the Indians barely put up a fight.Postseason push-overs.The Indians were so close in 2016, when they took the Chicago Cubs into extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series. Now they’ve lost six straight playoff games since opening a 2-0 lead in last year’s ALDS against the Yankees.“This isn’t the way we drew it up,” said reliever Andrew Miller. “This is 25, 40 guys that have plans of winning the World Series. It obviously didn’t go our way.”Other than All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor, who batted .364 and homered twice, the top of Cleveland’s lineup bordered on embarrassing. Michael Brantley, Jose Ramirez, Edwin Encarnacion and Josh Donaldson hit a combined .095 (4 of 42) with two RBIs, zero extra-base hits and 12 strikeouts.It’s the second straight postseason flop for Ramirez Michael Brantley Jersey , who was an MVP candidate until he faded down the stretch. He’s now 2 for 31 in two playoff appearances, an alarming trend he’ll have to wait a year at least to address.Following Monday’s loss, Ramirez had to be coaxed to speak with reporters by Encarnacion before delivering answers as futile as his swings.“I didn’t perform to how I wanted to,” he said through a translator. “But these are things that happen in baseball.”Cleveland’s pitching wasn’t much better. Ace Corey Kluber had his second straight puzzling postseason as the 20-game winner didn’t look like himself in Game 1. The bullpen, a mess for months, completely collapsed in Game 3 after Bauer’s two throwing errors in the seventh inning opened the flood gates for Houston’s 11-3 rout.There are numerous reasons why the Indians aren’t moving on, but the team’s failure to address the bullpen’s issues, which began when Bryan Shaw and Joe Smith weren’t re-signed last winter, is at the top of the list.Because Miller, Cody Allen and Co. couldn’t be counted on, manager Terry Francona moved Bauer, arguably the team’s best starter who was on his way to a possible Cy Young when a line drive broke his leg in August, into a relief role.The decision backfired, and while it’s easy to second-guess Francona following the Indians’ early exit, Bauer wasn’t comfortable in his role.“Unfortunate that I got hit with the line drive, kind of disrupted the flow for me personally,” Bauer said. “Personally, a lot of bitterness about that. And as a team, I think that we have a good group of core players here, so there’s a lot of hope for the future.”Looking ahead, the Indians should stay atop their division. But that’s no longer enough.Cleveland will return one of baseball’s best starting staffs in Kluber, Bauer, Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger http://www.indiansfanproshop.com/authentic-yan-gomes-jersey , the first foursome in baseball history to reach 200 strikeouts apiece. The bullpen, though, will likely look very different with Miller, Allen and Oliver Perez eligible for free agency.Allen is the team’s career leader in saves, but his ERA bloated to a career-worst 4.70 this season and his struggles — and impending free agency — led to the Indians trading top prospect Francisco Mejia to San Diego for lefty Brad Hand, who may take over as Cleveland’s closer in 2019.With Lindor and Ramirez under contract through 2021 and Encarnacion and under control until 2020, the Indians’ core remains at championship level. Brantley, Donaldson, Melky Cabrera, Lonnie Chisenhall and Rajai Davis are all expected to be on the free-agent market, so Cleveland could have a different look at several positons in ’19.As his teammates shared somber yet heartfelt hugs after Monday’s loss, Brantley stood near his corner locker and spoke quietly with Josh Tomlin, the team’s longest-tenured player. Tomlin didn’t make the postseason roster and surely won’t return.For years, Brantley and Tomlin have represented the Indians’ heart and soul — two selfless, dedicated role models for the team’s younger players.Brantley’s inspirational comeback from an injury-shortened 2017 season may pressure the Indians to re-sign him. He’ll be 32 in May, but there aren’t many better outfielders in the game and fewer mean as much to their team as Brantley does to the Indians.When the Indians’ finally surrendered in Game 3, with orange-clad Houston fans outnumbering Cleveland, Brantley’s mind turned to his future — and the real possibility of leaving.“I’ve got a lot of thinking to do,” he said. “I’ve got my family to talk to. I’ve got these guys in this room to still talk to. Then, we’ll go from there. You never know what’s going to happen in the offseason.”For the Indians, this postseason felt more predictable.

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No suspension for Akiem Hicks after pushing an official in the Bears’ win over the Buccaneers After pushing an official near the end of the first half of the Bears’ 48-10 win over the Buccaneers this past Sunday Cheap Anthony Miller Jersey , Akiem Hicks will not be suspended by the NFL for the incident, reports WGN’s Adam Hoge. Hicks had been involved in some heated engagements with Buccaneers players and it ended with down judge Mike Carr unfortunately getting shoved in the moment. Luckily, for Hicks’ sake, the incidental contact wasn’t deemed to be malicious. A prior clean history likely also helped Hicks’ case to avoid a suspension in the inconsistent crucible of the NFL’s discipline policy. Though he avoids a suspension http://www.bearscheapstores.com/danny-trevathan-jersey-cheap , Hicks is still very likely to be fined, which should be announced by the end of this week. Touching officials in any kind of aggressive manner is an obvious no-no. Hicks, 27, is in his third season with the Bears. The star 3-4 defensive end has three sacks in four games and leads all interior defensive linemen in quarterback pressures. When the Bears return from their bye week http://www.bearscheapstores.com/kyle-fuller-jersey-cheap , he has a matchup with a banged-up Dolphins interior offensive line waiting for him. A welcome matchup he can take advantage of with full availability. Robert is the Editor-in-chief of The Blitz Network (subscribe here!), the managing editor of Windy City Gridiron, and writes for a host of other fine publications. You can follow him on Twitter @RobertZeglinski. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Chicago Bears have interviewed defensive backs coach Ed Donatell for their vacant defensive coordinator position. Donatell, 61-years old Cheap Leonard Floyd Jersey , has been with the Bears since 2015 when he came in with head coach John Fox and defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. With Fangio hired as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, Donatell is the one guy on staff that has the chops to take over as defensive play caller and he would ensure that the current terminology remain intact. Donatell has worked for Fangio as his secondary coach since 2011 when the two were on staff with the San Francisco 49ers. His first professional coaching job was in 1990 as the DB coach of the New York Jets, and most of his coaching career was spent in that capacity. He was the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers from 2000 to 2003, and with the Atlanta Falcons from 2004 to 2006. It’s interesting to note that during his eight years running an NFL defense he ran a 4-3 base. In 2007 he was a special assistant with the Jets under head coach Eric Mangini and defensive coordinator Bob Sutton who ran a 3-4 defense. Sutton has been the defensive coordinator with the Kansas City Chiefs since 2013. Donatell spent 2008 as the defensive coordinator for the Washington Huskies http://www.bearscheapstores.com/akiem-hicks-jersey-cheap , but then it was back to the NFL as a secondary coach for the Denver Broncos in 2009 and 2010. Those years in Denver were also spent working in a 3-4 scheme under Mike Nolan (‘09) and then Don Martindale (‘10). Promoting Donatell would provide a seamless transition for the Bears and head coach Matt Nagy as they try to build off their 12 win 2018 season. In the Biggs’ article he also wrote that the Bears have interest in former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano to replace Fangio. Pagano was the defensive coordinator for the Ravens in 2011, and he also has some collegiate experience as a defensive play caller with UNLV (1991) and North Carolina (2007).

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linchao — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 03:11:56 +0000

Isaiah Crowell kept hitting the holes cleared by the New York Jets' offensive line and ran.And Womens Eric Murray Jersey , ran some more.All the way into the franchise record books.Crowell rushed for a whopping 219 yards on just 15 carries in the Jets' 34-16 victory over Denver last Sunday, setting the team mark for yards rushing in a single game."Every time I got the ball, it was like at any given time, it could be a big play," Crowell said Friday. "That really was because of my offensive line. I feel like they did their part, so I've got to credit them."Big rushing performances are usually the product of great O-line play. But Crowell also deserves some kudos for his big day.After all, he became the fourth player in NFL history to run for 200 or more yards on 15 or fewer attempts, and his 14.6-yard average was the highest by any player with at least 15 carries."It hasn't been like that since high school," a smiling Crowell said. "In high school, I think I ran for 300 yards or something like that and five touchdowns in a playoff game, but not since then. Each level, you progress and the talent level progresses, so it hasn't been like that since then."Crowell broke the Jets record of 210 yards rushing previously set by Thomas Jones in 2009. He was selected the AFC offensive player of the week and also won the league's weekly award for FedEx Ground Player of the Week.That's quite a week for Crowell, and one that will be tough to top Sunday against Indianapolis."When you do something like that, you're kind of unsure like, dang, how'd that happen?" Crowell said. "You've just got to move forward and try keep progressing as you go and just know that every game is not going to be like that."Crowell has been nursing an ankle injury this week, and is listed as questionable on the Jets' injury list. He sat out practice Wednesday and Thursday Youth Tyreek Hill Jersey , but returned on a limited basis Friday — a promising sign. Still, coach Todd Bowles said the running back would be a "Sunday decision" as to whether he'll play.After scampering all those yards last weekend, it's no wonder Crowell's ankle is a bit sore."We'll work him out Sunday and see where he's at," Bowles said.It's expected that Crowell will be ready to roll by the time the game kicks off. Whether he'll come anywhere close to the performance he had last Sunday is another story.He had 21 yards on three carries in the first quarter. On his first handoff of the second quarter, Crowell ran for a 77-yard touchdown that was the second-longest scoring run in team history — 1 yard shy of Bruce Harper's record set in 1983.Crowell has scored on runs of 77 and 62 yards in his first five games with the Jets, joining Leon Washington as the only players in team history to have two TD runs of 60 yards or more.He had a 54-yard run in the third quarter, giving him nine plays of 50 yards or more to lead NFL running backs in that category since 2015.As he approached the team mark late in the game, running backs coach Stump Mitchell pulled him aside to let him know he was on the verge of something special."He was like, 'You can get it since you're so close,'" Crowell recalled. "That's what I was chasing. When I did get it, he told me and I was happy about it, but it wasn't like a goal or anything. It just happened."The mark was set on his final carry of the game, a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter.The performance also wiped away some of the controversy surrounding Crowell the previous few weeks .He was fined $13,369 by the NFL and scolded by Bowles after he wiped the football against his backside after scoring a touchdown at Cleveland — where he spent his first four seasons — two weeks ago. Crowell cashed in on that mistake, though, getting an endorsement deal from a company that makes toilet paper alternatives for men.With the type of game he had last Sunday, surely there were some more off-field opportunities to pad the bank account, right?"I prefer to not talk about my endorsements Youth Chris Conley Jersey ," Crowell said after a big chuckle.Despite the gaudy final rushing total, Crowell insists he isn't spoiled to the point where anything less than 200 yards now is just an OK game."Nah, because I know that was like an amazing game," he said. "You can have 50 yards and as long as you win the game, it was a good game. You could have a bad game, but did enough to help your team win so that's really what it's all about." When Bill Belichick was asked Monday what he liked about Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, his answer sounded a lot like everyone else's this season."Pretty much everything," Belichick said of the second-year player as the Patriots began preparations for Sunday night's matchup with Kansas City (5-0)."He gets the ball to all of his receivers quick, quick release, sees things quickly, can extend plays, got a great arm, got a fabulous arm, can throw the ball out of the stadium."It was glowing praise from a coach that has a track record of finding ways to make things difficult for young quarterbacks.Belichick will now turn his attention to the 23-year-old Mahomes, who has been the talk of the NFL, throwing for 1,513 yards, 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions through five games.He appeared in just one game last season Youth Chris Jones Jersey , leading the Chiefs to a three-point victory in their regular-season finale against the Broncos.But it was enough for Kansas City to believe Mahomes could be their quarterback and played into its decision to trade Alex Smith to Washington in the offseason.Mahomes has taken control of Andy Reid's offense, using his legs and arm to lead a group that is averaging a league-best 35 points per game.Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said during his weekly radio appearance on Boston's WEEI that young quarterbacks such as Mahomes and rookies Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen are taking advantage of the early opportunities they've gotten."A lot of those guys are being thrown into the mix," Brady said. "Some of those guys are playing really well. It's pretty awesome. I was a fourth-string quarterback when I was a rookie, so I was sitting in the stands, eating nachos before games. I wasn't playing. ... Some other guys have had those chances. And when you're thrown into the mix it's really impressive."It will be a big challenge for New England's defense, which is giving up 366 yards per game and had trouble defending the pass during a 1-2 start to the season.Patriots cornerbacks coach Josh Boyer said one of the underrated parts of Mahomes' game is his ability to use his legs to set up deep passes."With Mahomes in particular, one, he can make all the throws he needs to make, has a very strong arm. He also has a great ability to extend plays, whether he's going to do that running or extending it and scramble to give his receivers time to get open," Boyer said."So, we've got to do a great job being where we need to be, using our help in coverage if we have any, and making sure that we're tight on receivers in competitive situations."Cornerback Stephon Gilmore said he expects Mahomes to be a handful to defend."He's a great quarterback," Gilmore said. "He's playing really good right now. He's making some big throws and he's got a lot of good weapons around him. They're 5-0 for a reason."

The rules are the rules, obviously, so . Jersey

linchao — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 02:58:08 +0000

Sunday was a great day of football. Not coincidentally www.kansascitychiefsteamonline.com , it led to a great day of football consumption on TV.Via Austin Karp of , Sunday’s games delivered the best overnight rating for the four viewing windows of the year, and the highest since the 2016 season.Overall, the three networks carrying Sunday games saw an eight-percent increase in overnight ratings.The FOX rating for Eagles-Cowboys was flat in comparison to last year’s Eagles-Rams game in the same spot. The NBC rating for Rams-Bears beat last year’s Week 14 Ravens-Steelers game by 12 percent, peaking at 14.2.For CBS, an early window led by Ravens-Chiefs became the network’s best singleheader rating since Week 14 of 2016.So, again, more people watch good games. Fewer people watch bad games. That trend bodes well for the next couple of weeks in prime time, which features Vikings-Seahawks tonight, Chargers-Chiefs on Thursday, Eagles-Rams on Sunday, Saints-Panthers next Monday, and Chiefs-Seahawks the following Sunday. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce made the rounds at Super Bowl media week in Atlanta Kansas City Chiefs T-Shirt , Georgia, on Thursday, beginning his day with The Dan Patrick Show. Kelce is using his platform this week in partnership with Emergent BioSolutions and BeAwareBePrepared.com to spread awareness about the opioid overdose crisis. Kelce’s home state of Ohio has previously led the nation in opioid overdose deaths.To no one’s surprise, Dan Patrick led off the interview by recounting the Chiefs tight end’s time on Catching Kelce, before asking him how he met his current girlfriend. Kelce admitted it was via Instagram direct messaging.“Shoutout to Instagram,” Kelce said as the studio audience laughed. “You can use it for business, pleasure, all the above.”Then Patrick got down to business.The first half against the PatriotsThe first thing Patrick wanted from Kelce was his take on exactly what happened in the first half of the AFC championship game against the New England Patriots. The Patriots went into the halftime locker room up 14-0.“Man, I’ve tried to really put it all together and I think it’s just, uh—it was shocking, the way they were kind of playing man coverage.”Patrick asked if the Patriots showed them something they didn’t expect.“We knew what we were going to see,” Kelce said. “We practiced all week, it was just—they were a little bit more aggressive than we expected. Physically aggressive at the line of scrimmage Kansas City Chiefs Hats , grabbing, holding. Getting off of that man coverage, it took us a little while, and at times when we were finally getting off man coverage, Pat (Mahomes) was kind of under duress back there. “All and all, I hate to say it, but we weren’t ready for it. In the second half, we came out, and we came out firing because we were.”The Chiefs tied the game at 31, but the Patriots won in overtime when Tom Brady drove down the field and New England scored a touchdown in 13 plays.“It’s frustrating, seeing the outcome—it took us a whole half just to catch up and try and take it into overtime. Being that much better next year, being that more aware next year, that’s all I can really focus on right now. I’m trying not to hang my hat really on what happened in the game.”Patrick then suggested that all of America was rooting for the Chiefs in the game.Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports“I felt it Kansas City Chiefs Hoodie , yeah,” Kelce said. “Going into it, you can feel that everyone’s kind of sick of the Patriots at this point.”Patrick asked Kelce if he hates the Patriots.“I don’t know if it’s hate,” Kelce said. “I respect a lot of the guys over there, so I can’t call it hate because there is a lot of respect for what they have been able to do and the careers they’ve been able to have. I would say that it’s more so just a very very strong and competitive [dislike].”The season as a wholePatrick then looked back at the Chiefs season and painted a picture. He asked Kelce if back in training camp, whether he would have taken an AFC title loss knowing he’d be playing with a first-year starting quarterback (Mahomes) and the team would lose its starting running back (Kareem Hunt). “No,” Kelce said pointedly. “And that’s just because we really believed we had a chance to win it all. Ever since training camp last year, when Alex (Smith) was with us and we went out the way we did last year—it was sick to our stomachs. We knew we had the foundation and the players to do it. Just fell short of the goal. Lost on a coin-flip.”Kelce seemed a bit melancholy as he discussed how the Chiefs’ season panned out.Overtime rulesKelce’s coin-flip comment led to Patrick bringing up the topic of overtime rules.“The rules are the rules, obviously, so I’m not going to sit here and say that we should have had a chance to do this or that,” Kelce said. “But being in that situation and losing like that, it kind of felt—there’s an empty feeling in my stomach, just knowing that we didn’t even get a chance to get out there Customized Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys , and I think the only reason why it’s really becoming an issue now is everyone really wanted to see Patrick go out there and try and be a Hall of Famer.”Patrick played devil’s advocate, saying that most NFL fans wouldn’t have been as upset if the Chiefs had won on their first possession in overtime.Mark Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports“I think that’s the truth,” Kelce said in agreement.Patrick proposed the league could potentially switch overtime rules to something more like they do in college.“I think the college overtime is extremely exciting,” Kelce said. “I’ve always loved it. It doesn’t matter who’s playing—it could be teams that I’ve never even heard of that are colleges out there—I’m locked into college games just because the OTs are so high-energy.”Super Bowl LIII - Rams vs. PatriotsKelce told Patrick he would watch the Super Bowl Sunday as a fan, just like everybody else. When asked what he would tell the Rams in beating the Patriots, his answer was “pressure.”“What [the Patriots] do up front, they do it very well,” he said. “They run games, they play man coverage in the back end and then they throw a few different coverages at you in between to make you second-guess what they’re doing.”Kelce will also be watching for the commercials.“Eli Manning dancing might be the funniest thing I have ever seen.”Kelce also talked to Patrick about the last time he fought with his brother, (Eagles OL) Jason Kelce and more. Watch on the player above or by clicking here.Other Kelce appearances at Super Bowl week

We don't want y'all no more."The Jaguars . Jersey

linchao — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 02:44:55 +0000

In most seasons Clayton Geathers Jersey , a team sitting at 2-5 going into Week 8 of the NFL season knows their season is over. The team knows it. The fans know it. Everyone knows it. For the Colts, this is not like most seasons. As fellow Stampede Blue writer Chris Blystone pointed out in the AFC South Roundup, this division is kind of terrible. Like really, really bad. The Jaguars are a shell of the team that almost went to the Super Bowl last season. They face a tough upcoming 4-game stretch where they could realistically go 1-3, which leaves them at 4-7 on the season.The Titans are in a free fall having lost their last three games. Their losing streak could continue into a crushing seven game losing streak, putting them at 3-8.The Texans cannot protect their QB to save themselves. They have given up 26 sacks on the season, tied for 29th in the NFL. Deshaun Watson is a special player when he’s got time but time is the one thing they aren’t giving him. Their next four games are not as difficult as the other two teams but they could still end up 2-2 in it, which leaves them at 6-5.So why should Colts fans, with a 2-5 team, be hopeful that somehow they can turn things around and win the AFC South? Well... to be blunt, the team has already started turning things around.First, let’s look at the offensive side of the ball. This past game against Buffalo was the second straight week the offensive line played with the same group of players including LT Anthony Castanzo. In the past two games, Luck was sacked zero times and only hit six times. When was the last time Colts QB had consecutive games without getting sacked? For the curious ones, it happened only once since Andrew Luck was drafted, in Weeks 15-16 of 2016. To this point in the season, the Colts have given up only 10 sacks through 7 games or 1.43 sacks per game. That is good for 5th best in the NFL. If they continue at this pace, Luck will take a total of 23 sacks on the season, which would be the least amount of sacks he’s ever taken in a full season.Chris Ballard has been about as honest and open as a GM can be. He’s said from the start that his focus was to build the interior of the lines first and work out from there. While some did not appreciate the selection of Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith early in the draft, they certainly can’t complain about the results. Yes, we know they will still complain but still.Not only is Luck being protected, the Colts actually have a running game. You can see that Marlon Mack is making the right decisions and is a better than average starting RB. He’s playing well and defenses must respect the running game. This Cheap Ryan Kelly Jersey , of course, allows for a more effective play-action game, which gives Luck more time to throw. The Colts offense is scoring an average of 27.0 point per game. The next closest team in the AFC South? The Texans with 22.1 points per game. The Jaguars and Titans score 16.6 and 15.1 points per game, respectively. Over the past four games, the Colts are averaging 32.3 point per game while the Texans, Jags and Titans are averaging 24.0, 14.8 and 14.3, respectively. The Colts offense is trending up and should only improve. Second, this defense is much better than anyone anticipated. Darius Leonard looks more and more like a slam dunk pick by Ballard. He’s leading the NFL in tackles despite missing a game. The Colts are currently 4th in the NFL in sacks despite rarely blitzing. They are 6th in interceptions, 8th in forced fumbles and 5th in fumbles recovered. Did anyone expect them to be in the top 10 in each of those categories?They are certainly young and have mental lapses. The touchdown given up in the New York Jets game is a perfect example of this. However, as they continue to gain experience, they will continue to get better. They are fast and entertaining. They force turnovers and give Andrew Luck extra opportunities. The Colts have an 11th ranked turnover differential with a +2. This differential should actually be higher, at least a +5, since four of Luck’s eight interceptions were the result of deflected passes. On three of those four deflected interceptions, the ball was actually in the hands of a Colts receiver but they batted it into the air allowing the opposing defenders an opportunity to capitalize.When you look at the NFL as a whole, the Colts are far and away the best 2-5 team. That’s not saying much but, realistically, this team could be 5-2. They were driving for a game winning TD in Week 1 against Cincinnati before a fumble. In Week 3, Nelson Agholor should’ve been called out of bounds to give the Eagles 4 and 2 in FG range. The Colts should have been trying to kick a game winning FG instead of trying to score a TD on fourth down with less than two minutes remaining. Against Houston in Week 4, Jadeveon Clowney should have never had the opportunity for their initial TD and the Colts should have converted on third down prior to the Adam Vinatieri FG where the pass hit Marcus Johnson in the numbers or Chester Rogers dropped the ball on 4th down, both in overtime. The Colts were within one score in the fourth quarter against New England on the road on a Thursday night after an emotional overtime divisional loss. That’s a tough situation to win in regardless but the team was competitive. That’s certainly better than Colts fans have seen in the past. The Colts deserved to lose against the Jets Cheap Quenton Nelson Jersey , plain and simple. They didn’t play well. However, the Colts are a 2-5 because they had a string of bad breaks. It is what it is.At this point in the season, most teams are dealing with injuries. However, it appears the Colts are beginning to get healthier. Anthony Castanzo, who missed the first 6 weeks of the season, makes such a huge difference on the offensive line. TY Hilton, who missed the two losses to New England and the Jets is now back, and he forces defenses to be aware of him at all times. Hilton opens up opportunities for other WRs to excel. Jack Doyle was a limited participant in practice this week after missing significant time. Doyle gives Reich another wrinkle in his game plan as the tight end is an incredibly versatile player.Malik Hooker looks fully recovered from his ACL injury, although missed practice today with an unrelated hip injury. Denico Autry and Clayton Geathers practiced for the first time in weeks. Tyquan Lewis, which everyone within the Colts organization appears very high on, practiced for the first time since being placed on IR. The Colts have three weeks to place him to the active roster or else he reverts back to IR. If Lewis is as good as advertised, Chris Ballard may have made one of the better groups of second round picks in NFL draft history.Another reason why there’s a chance the Colts could win the AFC South? Their schedule. The Colts toughest games are behind them. Road games at the Super Bowl Champion Eagles and Super Bowl Runner-Up Patriots are in the rear-view mirror. Five of their first eight games were on the road. After this weekend, their remaining road games are all division games, and while those are never easy, they aren’t the Patriots or Eagles either. According to TeamRankings.com, the Colts remaining strength of schedule is the easiest in the NFL. They play this weekend in Oakland (1-5), which should be a win as it appears Jon Gruden is submarining the Raiders at an unprecedented rate. Thank goodness Gruden didn’t get hired in Indianapolis. The Colts have the bye week to get healthy and recuperate after a cross-country trip. Then they have three home games against teams that are struggling, Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4), Tennessee Titans (3-4) and Miami Dolphins (4-4). If the Colts continue to improve, they could legitimately win all of their next four games, putting them at 6-5. That would leave them tied with the Texans at the top of the division with a game against the Texans remaining. Looking at the final five games Nate Hairston Jersey , the Colts have two divisional road games against the Jaguars (3-4) and Houston Texans (5-3), followed by two home games against a struggling Dallas Cowboys (3-4) and what’s left of the flash sale New York Giants (1-6). The Colts end the season on the road against the Titans (3-4). The Colts only have two games against teams with winning records remaining on their schedule, Miami and Houston. That’s not particularly intimidating.In all of their remaining games the Colts should either be favored or only a slight underdog.They could legitimately win each of their final nine games. They will likely have a hiccup here or there but even winning seven of the final nine would put the team at 9-7 on the season. That should put them squarely in the mix to win the AFC South. Given the accelerated growth of this team and the consistency of the coaching staff, the Colts are in a very good position to go on a legitimate run. So yes, we’re saying there’s a chance for the Colts to win the division. Regardless of his rant on social media, Jalen Ramsey would love to spend his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars.And the chatty cornerback has a video game to prove it."I play Madden all the time. I play with the Jags," Ramsey said Thursday. "I don't trade myself. I don't make any trades on the team. I play with the Jags. I lose a couple times, but I bounce back. I always bounce back. But I play with the Jags."Frustration is starting to surface for the Jaguars (3-6), who bolstered big hopes from reaching the AFC title game last year by starting 3-1. They haven't won since then, and their fifth straight loss last week to the Indianapolis Colts was marked by missed assignments and blown coverages.At least one of them belonged to Ramsey, the Pro Bowl cornerback who was supposed to drop in coverage and instead played man defense as tight end Eric Ebron ran free for a 53-yard touchdown catch.The following morning, Ramsey took to Twitter to vent about the negative blowback in Jacksonville."When I'm gone from here, y'all gone miss me. I ain't even trippin," it said.Ramsey, a first-round pick in 2016, still has another year on his contract with an option that would take him through 2020. And he hopes it would go longer than that."I've said multiple times ... that I want to play with one team my whole career," Ramsey said.He also hasn't removed the tweet or backed away from it.Pressed to explain what he meant, Ramsey said it was directed to the "fake fans.""We bring some good things," he said. "And yeah, we slipped up here recently, not executed and played like we know we can. But like Cheap Joe Haeg Jersey , whoever 鈥?the fake fans, y'all, whoever 鈥?if y'all want to jump ship, then it is what it is. But y'all going to miss us when we either gone or when stuff (is) back popping. We don't want y'all no more."The Jaguars are on the verge of popping themselves out of any shot at the postseason, trailing Houston by three games in the AFC South, winless since Sept. 30. Next up are the Pittsburgh Steelers, whose fifth straight victory was a 55-21 dismantling of the Carolina Panthers a week ago Thursday night.Ramsey, in an interview with GQ last year, said he was more impressed with receiver Antonio Brown than quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who he referred to as "decent at best" and that Roethlisberger "really disappointed me" the two times the Jaguars beat the Steelers, including the AFC divisional playoff.With a chance to return the favor, Roethlisberger didn't nibble when asked about Ramsey."He's a guy that you have to understand where he is and who he's covering and be smart," Roethlisberger said. "I am not going to fear anybody 鈥?I don't care who they are. But you respect it, for sure."The trick for Ramsey and the rest of the Jaguars' secondary is to look smart by knowing who they're supposed to be covering. Ramsey attributed the blown assignment against the Colts to not hearing the call from the other side of the field.Whether it's communication or formation, Ramsey is more interested in a solution."Not saying we don't care about the fans being frustrated, but we're frustrated in here," he said. "Y'all think we just walking around and we happy about what's been happening lately? We're not. We're still trying to figure out a way that we can fix it."

where he doesn’t have to deal with speed . Jersey

linchao — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 02:25:13 +0000

Packers’ defense dominates Josh Allen Womens Kenny Clark Jersey , Bills in 22-0 shutout win After a disastrous stretch of defense, blowing a huge lead to the Vikings and allowing Washington to build one in the first half, Josh Allen was exactly who Mike Pettine and Co. needed to see. While Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense couldn’t quite get rolling, a dominating defense shutout the Bills, forcing three turnovers, and notching seven sacksto give Green Bay a much needed 22-0 win in Week 4. The rookie Bills quarterback finished the first half 5/19 for 58 yards en route to a Bills record for incompletions in a first half, to go with a heinous arm punt picked off by Jaire Alexander to wipe points off the board. In six possessions, the Packers forced four three-and-outs and the Alexander pick to shut out a Buffalo team that had jumped all over the Vikings in Week 3. Green Bay jumped out to a 16-0 first-half lead a week after the Bills took a 27-0 margin into halftime in Minnesota. The Packers’ defense had only forced three turnovers in the first three weeks, one of the worst figures in the league. Allen was generous in changing that, throwing two picksand sailing passes over the heads or at the feet of his receivers. Rodgers, looking much healthier but not significantly sharper than a week ago, bought time and made plays in ways we are used to seeing. He also missed some easy throws, threw his first interception of the season and nearly threw a pick-six on fourth down in the second half. Not having Randall Cobb clearly changed the gameplan for the Packers as they rotated running backs, tried to feed Jimmy Graham, and couldn’t quite generate the spark they were looking for. An opening-drive touchdown ended in a doinked extra point by Mason Crosby, a harbinger of things to come for the offense. They were consistently able to move the ball and get in position, only to come up just a little short. Costly drops and some bad throws stymied the Green Bay passing attack, with Rodgers making a number of key plays with his legs and just enough big-time throws to put points on the board. It was enough Sunday against a young Bills squad, but will have to be better for the Packers to achieve their goal of contending for a Super Bowl. Missing a hurt Cobb, the Packers lost Geronimo Allison to a concussion in the second half, forcing a pair of rookies into key roles for Green Bay’s offense. A lack continuity, experience, and rhythm held Rodgers and his group back. So did not playing Aaron Jones more often. He finished with 65 yards on 11 carries, a 5.9 average, and at this point the only person who doesn’t see he’s the best running back in town is McCarthy. Playing Lance Kendricks for any reason remains a head-scratching decision. For all the scheme improvements, some befuddling personnel decisions linger.Two promising third-quarter drives stalled out Womens Muhammad Wilkerson Jersey , resulting in a field goal and a turnover on downs thanks to the same problems that plagued the Packers in Week 3: drops, off-target throws, and some blown protections. In a game that should have been something like 30-0, the Packers held just a 19-0 advantage through three quarters. But the defense came through over and over. Once the lead was double-digits, Mike Pettine began to dial up pressure to confuse and befuddle Allen, ending in seven sacks and 11 quarterback hits for this Packers defense in its first game with Muhammad Wilkerson. Even Kyler Fackrell got into the act with a trio of sacks, disrupting in the Buffalo backfield and flummoxing Allen into missed throws and turnovers. Relying on the defense to pick up a streaky offense wasn’t a luxury the Packers have recently been afforded. Buffalo hardly represents a telling test, but Week 4’s performance serves as a step in the right direction for this young group. Blasting Josh Allen doesn’t prove their worth, but not doing so would have been solid evidence of their failures. And speaking of Super Bowl quality, the last shutout for the Packers was 2010, the year they last hoisted the Lombardi trophy. Rookies Josh Jackson and Jaire Alexander shined in coverage against a pedestrian group of receivers. In fact, a receiver didn’t post a reception until late in the first half for the Bills. The much-maligned Ha Ha Clinton-Dix snagged a pick early in the second half, his third straight game with an interception. Even without Kevin King, this Green Bay secondary proved it has some playmakers, a welcome change from recent vintages of this defense. Through four weeks, the Packers offense has faced four potential top-10 defenses, but the offense simply isn’t where we expect it to be a month from now. This isn’t a Super Bowl offense right now. But if the defense can build on this performance against a quarterback like Matthew Stafford — not just Josh Allen — those offense struggles are not only mitigated, but provide a boost for when Rodgers and his band of merry men finally emerge from Sherwood Forest to once again pillage and plunder. This defense, for its part, isn’t out of the woods itself, but showed the potential to dominate a matchup, even against a rookie. They needed a get-right game and they got one. Whether or not they can get right on their own could very well decide the fate of the Packers this season.Packers’ backup offensive tackles must improve their pass blocking The preseason has given Green Bay Packers fans a lot to talk about. There’s the wide receiver depth chart, the backup quarterback spot, the pecking order of the cornerbacks, the badly needed emergence of Oren Burks and Reggie Gilbert, Mike Pettine’s scheme on defense Authentic Aaron Rodgers Jersey , the addition of Mo Wilkerson to an already stacked defensive line, and even the performance of rookie punter JK Scott. But one group that doesn’t get mentioned much is the offensive line.Typically, that’s a sign that everything’s OK with the big hogs up front.So far in this preseason, however, the poor play of backup tackles needs to be added to the discussion list as its becoming increasingly apparent that the current substitutes do not appear up to the task.Let’s get the obvious out of the way; the backup offensive linemen are backups for a reason.The expectation is that they are inferior to their starting counterparts, and as such need to work on their craft in order to progress as a player.Additionally, continuity along the offensive line allows everyone to be on the same page with blocking schemes on any given play, and with the rotational style of preseason, that isn’t going to happen. With those caveats in mind, the backup offensive tackles have not been playing up to expectation at even a replacement so far this preseason, especially while protecting the quarterback.Let’s take a look at some pass protection issues.Byron BellBell has started 74 games in his career but hasn’t had much success with any team.With Green Bay, he looks lost more often than he should.Brought in as a veteran swing tackle who also has experience at guard, Bell seemed like a savvy pickup to possibly spot-start for the questionable Brian Bulaga.For the sake of the Green Bay offense, let’s hope he doesn’t have to see the field much this year.Bell, seemingly an imposing physical specimen standing at 6’5” and weighing 320 lbs, doesn’t play with much strength.At his pro day, he managed only 20 reps on the bench press, and it shows in his punch.In pass protection, rather than forcefully striking his defender, Bell often seems to simply lay a hand on them and absorb the contact.That’s not necessarily a bad strategy; if you’re able to move your feet fast enough to handle the edge rush or have enough strength to absorb a bull rush, there’s hope.If you don’t use the traditional punch (any variation of inside, outside, or both hands), you use your patience and go with the outside hands once the defense has made their move.Bell also hasn’t been able to do that, at all.He forgets to keep moving his feet when he goes in for the punch, and when he doesn’t punch Authentic Josh Jackson Jersey , he jumps the gun on the outside hands block. For the uninitiated: the ‘punch’ technique is just as it sounds — a pass blocking technique that everyone is taught when they first learn the game, where the objective is for the offensive lineman to get his hands on the defender first and dictate their path of travel with an open handed punch.It works well to throw the defender of their planned route of attack giving the blocker more time to get their feet in good position, and you can do it out of any type of pass set.It’s prone to upper body over extension and counter attack by smarter defenders, but its a good basic setup.The ‘outside hands’ technique is a fairly new coaching technique where offensive linemen hold their hands back and out of the way of the defender until the defender puts his hands into the blocker, who then gets his hands on the outside of the defender’s hands and grabs on.Here Bell is failing at a punch, and without the necessary foot speed to make up the difference.For comparison’s sake, go back and watch the opposite tackle on each clip and spot the differences.Here, Bell is using the outside hands move.His hands are placed well but he hesitated with his drop steps and can’t keep up with the speed rush.Having good upper body strength can help mitigate this lack of foot speed as with the outside hands technique you’re essentially holding your defender in place, but Bell hasn’t showcased the strength to do that either.You probably noticed that these clips are from the Tennessee game; I will admit that Bell did play marginally better against Pittsburgh, but he was also quickly shuffled inside after one series as Justin McCray went out with an ankle injury.Bell seems better suited to take up space in the middle, where he doesn’t have to deal with speed rushers on the edge. At the very least, he will need a tight end or running back to chip/double team any competent pass rusher.Kyle Murphy Bell hasn’t been the only tackle playing poorly.Murphy has looked better than Bell at times, but still doesn’t have the foot speed to make up for any mistakes in hand placement, or for that matter, the foot speed to simply stay in front of his guy no matter his hand work.Time and time again, Murphy simply gets beat around the edge.He held up OK against power moves, as he was able to sink his base and reset his feet, but he just didn’t move well horizontally.While the next clip is a pretty good move by Harold Landry (<3 you Harold), Murphy doesn’t get deep enough in his pass set as his upper body stays horizontal to the line of scrimmage.In order to keep your shoulders square while dropping deep enough in your pass set, the kick steps have to be exaggerated a bit, and Murphy doesn’t do it.Thank goodness both backup quarterbacks can run, because so far this preseason they’ve been running for their lives with Bell and Murphy are in.Notice a certain backup tackle who wasn’t mentioned above, someone who has drawn the ire of Packers fans?You guessed it: Jason Spriggs.Despite not starting in game one of the preseason as expected, Spriggs has played better than he’s shown in the past and — this is pure speculation here — he seems to be bigger and stronger.I’m looking forward to continued progress from Spriggs, as one of the backups will need to step up this season and Byron Bell and Kyle Murphy have some work to do.