Offensive line coach Frank Pollack has welcomed a veteran left tackle and a rookie center during his four months in Cincinnati 鈥?a turn of events he called a "heck of a deal." The Bengals' emphasis is expected to shift as the NFL draft enters its second day.

The Bengals upgraded their offensive line by taking Ohio State center Billy Price with the 21st overall pick. They have the 14th pick in the second round on Friday Anthony Miller Bears Jersey , and two more in the third round. They're likely looking to upgrade a defense that slipped to the bottom half of the league and was 30th in yards allowed rushing last season.

They customarily stock up on cornerbacks, and could use help at linebacker.

Gil Santos, the New England Patriots' longtime radio voice Dale Murphy Jersey , died Thursday on his 80th birthday and 57th wedding anniversary.

Son Mark Santos confirmed the death to The Boston Globe. He said the cause of death wasn't immediately clear to the family.

Santos started working Patriots' broadcasts games for WBZ in 1966 as a color analyst. He took over play-by-play duties when the team moved to Foxborough in 1971. WBZ lost the team's broadcast rights in the 1980s, and Santos returned with the station in 1991 and remained a fixture through the 2012 season.

Santos called 743 games in 36 seasons, and also did many Boston College football games. He retired from WBZ in 2009 after 38 years as a sports anchor Sam Darnold Jersey Jets , and was inducted into the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame that year. In 2013, he went into the Patriots Hall of Fame.

"It was my privilege to honor Gil with his induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame in 2013," Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft said in a team statement. "His legacy and most memorable calls will live there for future generations of Patriots fans to enjoy."

Santos was born in Acushnet and grew up in Fairhaven. He attended Southeastern Massachusetts University Youth Jacksonville Jaguars Jerseys , served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam and graduated from the New England Broadcast School.

In addition to his son, Santos is survived by wife Roberta, daughter Kathleen and two grandchildren.

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The Boston Celtics say forward Gordon Hayward had surgery to remove a plate and screws in his broken left leg and will be ready to start next season.

Hayward missed almost the entire season after breaking his leg in the first quarter of the season opener. The Celtics went on to reach Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The team says his leg and ankle are sound Cheap Kyzir White Jersey , but the plate and screws that were implanted to help the injury heal were irritating his tendons. He is scheduled to resume basketball activities in six to eight weeks and be ready for training camp.

Also Wednesday: the Celtics said center Aron Baynes had successful surgery to repair a nasal fracture he sustained during Game 6 of the Cleveland series. He is expected to be back on the court in two to four weeks.

A Guatemalan man living illegally in the U.S. pleaded guilty Friday to driving drunk in a crash that killed Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver.

Manuel Orrego-Savala, 37, pleaded guilty to two counts of operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .15 or more, causing death.

Orrego-Savala had a BAC of 0.19 percent 49ers Weston Richburg Jersey , or more than twice Indiana's legal limit of .08 percent, when his truck crashed into Uber driver Jeffrey Monroe, 54, of Avon and Jackson Josh Sitton Jersey Dolphins , 26, as they stood outside Monroe's car on the shoulder of Interstate 70. Investigators have said Monroe was transporting Jackson for the ride-sharing service on Feb. 4 and had pulled over after Jackson became ill.

Orrego-Savala is due to be sentenced Sept. 14 and faces a possible maximum sentence of 16 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $20,000.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to drop two counts of failing to remain at the scene of an accident.

Orrego-Savala was deported from the U.S. in 2007 and 2009 and was back in the country illegally at the time of the crash Dolphins Authentic Jerseys , authorities said.

The case became a flash point in the nation's immigration debate, with President Donald Trump tweeting about it and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Braun featuring it in an Indiana campaign advertisement.

Savala also faces charges of perjury, forgery, identity deception and false informing out of Boone County for allegedly using the alias of Alex Cabrera Gonsales 2017 for driving without a license. Savala initially identified himself as Cabrera Gonsales to police following the February crash.

Additionally Youth Derrius Guice Jersey , federal immigration officials have filed charges of illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien against Savala.

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Kevin Durant stood calmly near midcourt – and a very familiar spot – as teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green screamed at him in celebration.

Another momentous shot for Durant.

And soon Tremaine Edmunds Jersey Elite , probably another NBA championship.

Durant scored a career playoff-high 43 points, draining a long 3-pointer in the final minute to cap his magnificent performance, and the Warriors beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-102 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night to move within a victory of a sweep, their second straight title and third championship in four years.

The Warriors are on dynasty’s doorstep.

Afterward, the defending champs could be heard loudly celebrating inside their locker room, perhaps a warmup for a bigger party to come.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are in a hole that might as well be 6 feet deep. Teams that have fallen behind 3-0 in the playoffs are 0-131.

It might be time for the guys from Northern California to order some champagne from Napa Valley.

With the Cavs down 103-100, Durant stood defiantly and almost motionless after dropping his 33-footer – just a few feet from where he made one in Game 3 last year – and effectively ended the fourth straight finals matchup between two teams who have gotten to know each other well since 2015.

After Durant scored, Curry and Green rushed to his side and the trio walked back toward Golden State’s bench where the other Warriors were hugging and high-fiving.

As always Durant stayed cool.

”I don’t want to downplay anything, but I don’t want to act like this is the end of the road,” Durant said. ”So just get back to work tomorrow and figure out a better game plan.”

Durant said the similarity with last year’s shot – a moment that helped define his first championship – didn’t occur to him.

”No, not at all,” he said. ”I just took the shot.”

There was nothing James or the Cavs could do but think about what might have been after losing two games that were within their reach.

”Tonight will be tough,” said James, who scored 33 and rolled his right ankle in the first half. ”Tomorrow I’ll replay some plays and some moments and things of that nature. When I wake up Friday morning I’ll be locked in on the game plan of what needs to be done to help our team win. That’s just who I am.”

Golden State will now have four chances to wrap up its title starting with Game 4 on Friday night. The Warriors are trying to join a select list of teams to win three championships in four years.

Kevin Love added 20 points for the Cavs New York Giants Jerseys Womens , who have fallen into a hole in which no team has ever emerged. Cleveland came back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Warriors in the 2016 finals, but that was when Durant was in Oklahoma City and James had a different supporting cast.

The Warriors won despite a 3-of-16 shooting performance from Curry, who did come up big down the stretch as the Cavs were trying to salvage their season.

Now Cleveland could be down to one final game with James, who recorded his 10th triple-double in the finals. The three-time champion can opt out of his $35.6 million contract and test free agency this summer, and it may be time for the 33-year-old to find a team capable of beating the Warriors.

These Cavs can’t figure it out.

Durant, who tilted this rivalry toward the West Coast when he signed with the Warriors as a free agent before last season, was brilliant from the start. He helped offset a rough night for Curry, who made a finals-record nine 3-pointers in Game 2, but was just 1 of 10 from behind the arc and didn’t score his second field goal until there were under three minutes left.

Curry’s scoop shot put the Warriors up 98-97 and defensive specialist Andre Iguodala, who didn’t play in Games 1 or 2 because of a knee injury, came up with a steal under the basket. Curry finally buried a 3 and after James matched him with a long shot, Iguodala drove the lane for a thundering dunk.

Moments later, Durant delivered his dagger to silence Cleveland’s crowd.

”No, that wasn’t the same shot,” James said when asked to compare Durant’s 3 to last year’s. ”The one he made tonight was about four or five feet behind the one he made last year. He’s an assassin. That was one of those assassin plays right there.”

Durant scored 24 in the first half, when the Warriors attempted 13 free throws to zero for the Cavs Authentic Clayton Keller Jersey , a disparity that induced further wrath on the officials from Cleveland fans still stinging from the now infamous reversed call in Game 1.

James arrived at 6 p.m. dressed more casually – camouflage pants, purple hoodie, ”Billionaire Boys Club” baseball cap – than on the road where he and the Cavs have been wearing suits during the postseason.

Everything is more relaxed and familiar at home for James and his teammates, who were counting on a return to their own noisy building, where they play better and shoot better, to get them back into the series.

The Warriors had other plans.

TIP-INS

Warriors: Green passed Wilt Chamberlain (922) for the most rebounds in Warriors playoff history. … Klay Thompson played in his NBA-high 390th game over the last four seasons. Green is second with 387, while James is third at 381. … Curry has made a 3-pointer in 89 consecutive playoff games, and a record 43 on the road.

Cavaliers: Kyle Korver continued to struggle. He missed all four shots and is now 8 of 29 dating to Game 1 of last year’s Finals. … James (238) broke a tie with Kareem Abdul-Jab Jackie Bradley Jr. drove in two runs, Eduardo Rodriguez struck out six in six innings and the Boston Red Sox beat the Washington Nationals 3-0 on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.

Rodriguez (10-3) allowed three hits and walked one. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances, finishing a six-hitter.

The Nationals (42-43) have lost five in a row to fall below .500 this late in the season for the first time since being 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015. The preseason NL East favorites held a players-only meeting after the game.

A throwing error by Adam Eaton on Bradley’s sacrifice fly and a wild pitch by Ryan Madson (2-4) in the seventh inning contributed to Washington’s 17th loss in 22 games.

Nationals starter Erick Fedde left one batter into the second inning with right shoulder stiffness. Manager Davey Martinez said Fedde was scheduled to have an MRI.

YANKEES 6, BRAVES 2

NEW YORK (AP) – Giancarlo Stanton hit a three-run homer and CC Sabathia pitched six effective innings, leading the Yankees to the victory.

Yankees rookie second baseman Gleyber Torres left in the fifth inning because of tightness in his right hip and was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right hip strain.

Aaron Judge and Kyle Higashioka also homered for New York. Higashioka became the ninth player since 1920 whose first three hits were home runs.

Sabathia (6-3) yielded two runs and five hits.

Atlanta starter Julio Teheran (6-6) lasted just five innings, allowing five runs and five hits. He struck out 10 and walked four.

CARDINALS 8, DIAMONDBACKS 4

PHOENIX (AP) – Yadier Molina and Yairo Munoz homered, Miles Mikolas threw six strong innings and St. Louis broke loose late to beat Arizona and take two of three from the first-place Diamondbacks.

Molina’s three-run shot on the first pitch from reliever Fernando Salas highlighted a five-run seventh inning after Arizona had nursed a 2-1 lead through six. Tommy Pham drove in three Cardinals runs with a double and two singles.

The Diamondbacks dropped to 1-5 on their homestand and lead the surging Dodgers by just a half-game in the NL West.

Mikolas (9-3) gave up two runs Arden Key Jersey Elite , seven hits and four walks.

Arizona reliever Yoshihisa Hirano (2-1) had his franchise-record streak of 26 games without allowing a run end when Munoz homered on the first pitch of the seventh. Hirano gave up four runs, one earned, on three hits in two-thirds of an inning for his first loss since coming to the major leagues from Japan this season.

ASTROS 5, RANGERS 4, 10 INNINGS

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Evan Gattis drove in Jose Altuve with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, sending AL West-leading Houston to the road win.

Altuve stopped a 0-for-13 slide with a one-out single in the 10th. Chris Martin (1-2) then hit Yuli Gurriel with a pitch before an errant pickoff throw allowed both runners to move up. Gattis followed with a fly ball to right-center.

Gurriel homered, doubled and scored twice as the Astros overcame an early four-run deficit. Collin McHugh (4-0) pitched three scoreless innings, and Ken Giles got three outs for his 12th save.

Texas’ Shin-Soo Choo homered and singled to extend his on-base streak to 44 games, the longest in his career and in the majors this season.

DODGERS 6, PIRATES 4

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Rich Hill earned his first win in three months, Yasmani Grandal and Chris Taylor drove in three runs apiece, and the Dodgers swept the Pirates for the second straight year.

The Dodgers outscored the Pirates 31-8 in the three-game series while winning their fourth in a row overall.

Hill (2-3) allowed two runs in five innings for his first victory since April 1. Kenley Jansen earned a five-out save, his 23rd of the season.

Gregory Polanco hit a two-run homer for Pittsburgh. Clay Holmes (0-1) was charged with four runs in 2 1/3 innings in his first major league start.

CUBS 5, TIGERS 2

CHICAGO (AP) – Javier Baez stole home, Willson Contreras hit a tiebreaking homer and the Cubs earned their sixth straight victory.

Conditions at Wrigley Field favored the long ball Cheap B.J. Hill Jersey , with a game-time temperature of 92 degrees, a heat index of 102 and the wind blowing out.

David Bote also connected for Chicago. Jose Quintana (7-6) pitched six effective innings in his first win since May 31, and Brandon Morrow got three outs for his 19th save.

Nicholas Castellanos and John Hicks went deep for Detroit, which has dropped 13 of 15. Francisco Liriano (3-5) permitted three runs in six innings.

ATHLETICS 4, PADRES 2

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) – Stephen Piscotty doubled three times and drove in three runs, powering Oakland to the win.

Khris Davis added an RBI single for the A’s, who have won 14 of 17 to move a season-high nine games over .500.

Lou Trivino (7-1) retired two batters for the win. Blake Treinen pitched the ninth for his 22nd save.

Christian Villanueva hit his 17th home run for San Diego. Jose Castillo (1-2) got the loss.

PHILLIES 4, ORIOLES 1

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Aaron Nola stuck out nine in seven innings, Nick Williams hit a two-run homer and the Phillies beat the Orioles to sweep a two-game interleague series.

Nola (11-2) gave up one run and seven hits to win his fifth straight decision. Victor Arano tossed two innings for his first career save.

Philadelphia pulled within 1 1/2 games of NL East-leading Atlanta and improved 10 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 2011 season with a franchise-record 102 wins.

Orioles right-hander Yefry Ramirez (0-2) gave up two runs – one earned – and one hit in five innings.

METS 6, B.

No investigation or federal case needed this time. The NFL says a bad football used in a preseason game Thursday night was simply defective.

The league said in a statement Friday that a ball was removed from play during the third quarter of the Steelers-Eagles game in Philadelphia and will be sent back to manufacturer Wilson for review.

Questions about an underinflated football flared among fans online after the preseason opener when a sideline radio reporter tweeted that he saw a ball looking "VERY deflated" after an incompletion thrown by Pittsburgh rookie Mason Rudolph.

That immediately brought back reminders of "Deflategate 49ers Fred Warner Jersey ," the scandal caused when New England Patriots superstar Tom Brady used underinflated footballs during the 2015 AFC championship game. Brady was ultimately suspended four games in 2016 for his role in a case that climbed all the way to a federal appeals court.

The saga prompted the NFL to change how it handles footballs before and during games.

NFL officials say all the proper procedures were followed during the game Thursday night.

Home-court advantage has proven to be a valuable commodity for the Celtics so far this postseason.

Boston is 9-0 at TD Garden during these playoffs and has blistered opponents early in games, shooting 47 percent from the field and 39 percent from the 3-point line. It’s often led to cushions that have helped the Celtics sustain opponents’ runs in the second half.

But after boasting the third-best road record in the NBA during the regular season, the Celtics have looked like a totally different team since the postseason began. They are just 1-4 away from their building and seen their shooting numbers dip to 41 percent overall and 31 percent from beyond the arc.

That can’t persist if Boston is going to have success as the series shifts to Cleveland on Saturday.

Marcus Smart Authentic Kevin Hogan Jersey , who was all over the court in the Celtics’ Game 2 win , didn’t take any offense to Cavs coach Tyronn Lue’s comment that the Celtics have ”shown they haven’t played that well on the road.”

”We haven’t played well. We know that and understand that,” Smart said. ”We understand that other teams see that and try to exploit it. But that’s the beauty about this game. It just takes one game. You never know. Things change. Our confidence is high. Who knows?”

Coach Brad Stevens said he thought the entire team seemed a little ”shell-shocked” at Milwaukee in the first round Sam Darnold Jersey Youth , when after taking a 2-0 series lead, was promptly blown out 116-92 in Game 3. It lost all three road games in that series.

”We took a punch in the mouth right when guys came out and they surprised us a little bit,” Smart said. ”We can’t afford to be surprised this time around. … We’re just trying to make it as hard as we can on those guys for them to win a game and for us to execute whatever plan Brad has for us.”

That will be easier said than done against a Cavaliers team that got 42 points and near triple-double by LeBron James in Tuesday’s loss.

Pressure will certainly be on the Cavs http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jordan-whitehead-jersey , but they have history on their side. James has won at least one playoff road game in 31 of his last 32 playoff series. To have a chance to make it 32 out of 33, Cleveland would need to win one of the next two games at home to force a Game 5.

That’s not out of their reach by any means.

Stevens isn’t sure Cleveland has yet to play up to its full potential.

”I don’t know if that was their best,” he said. ”We’ve all seen them play at an elite level for a long time. … At the end of the day they’ve got a lot of guys that have been there Authentic Jason Sanders Jersey , done that. And we’re expecting that every game we’re going to have to play better to have a chance to win.”

One of the reasons that the Celtics have had success against the Cavs so far is their willingness to challenge James defensively.

Jaylen Brown has been one of several players tasked with guarding James. He also drew that duty at times in last year’s conference finals. He said he is no longer intimidated by the matchup .

”And why should I? Brown said. ”The stage is set for all of us to do something spectacular. LeBron has been to the finals (seven) straight times. He’s a great player. But we want to win and we want to beat a team that does win and get to the finals.

”We got a bunch of young guys trying to make names for themselves in this league. Why not come out and play hard? Everybody says we’re playing with house money anyway. So why not come out with the energy level that we need and try to do something special?”

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Earl Thomas is putting the pressure on the Seattle Seahawks for a new contract Authentic Jason McCourty Jersey , saying he will not participate in any team activities until his contract situation is resolved.

That includes the upcoming mandatory minicamp.

The three-time All-Pro safety posted a lengthy statement on social media Sunday, saying he wants ”certainty in regards to the upcoming years of my career,” before he takes part in any Seahawks related activities. Thomas is entering the final year of his current deal signed before the 2014 season. He is scheduled to make $8.5 million in base salary in 2018.

Seattle opens its minicamp on Tuesday, and Thomas could face fines of about $84,000 if he skips all three days. Last week, coach Pete Carroll said he expected all players that had been skipping the optional team workouts – most notably Thomas, defensive end Frank Clark and cornerback Byron Maxwell – would be in attendance for the minicamp.

Clearly Thomas has a different idea of where things stand with the team that selected him No. 14 overall in the 2010 draft.

Thomas said after eight seasons he, ”earned the right to have this taken care of as soon as possible.” Thomas has spoken openly of wanting a new deal since the end of last season, when some of his antics gave hints he wanted out of Seattle. In his statement, Thomas said he wants to remain with the Seahawks for the rest of his career.

Toward the end of last season there was some visible dissention. There was a brief rift with linebacker Bobby Wagner, who has become the vocal leader of Seattle’s defense with the departures of Michael Bennett, Cliff Avril and Richard Sherman this offseason. And Thomas caught everyone’s attention when he chased down Dallas coach Jason Garrett following Seattle’s win in Dallas and told the Cowboys coach, ”If they kick me to the curb, come get me.”

Seattle made the decision before April’s draft it would move forward with Thomas in 2018. Thomas was the one player under contract that could have landed Seattle a bounty of draft picks, but Carroll and general manager John Schneider held on to the star safety despite the contract uncertainty.

Thomas just turned 29 and was an All-Pro between 2012-14. Thomas had his 2016 season cut short by a broken leg Reuben Foster Jersey Limited , but he returned last year to play in 14 games with 88 total tackles and two interceptions.

”I’m going to continue to work my craft and put in work so that I can add to the team and give us the best chance to win,” Thomas wrote. ”I hope my teammates understand where I’m coming from. I believe this is the right thing to do.”

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Tired of pompous, entitled athletes who don't seem to realize how good they have it?

Fed up with all the scandals and cheats and scoundrels mucking things up for the rest of us?

Meet Ricardo Allen.

He'll give you a reason to cheer.

Allen plays for the Atlanta Falcons, a 26-year-old free safety who will readily admit he's not the fastest, not the strongest, not the biggest guy in the room.

"I won't be anybody's first pick," said Allen, who at 5-foot-9 comes up 3 inches shy of this aging sports scribe.

That's OK.

He's so much more than that.

This is a guy who hasn't forgotten what it's like to be told you're not good enough 鈥?on HBO's "Hard Knocks" no less, for the whole world to see.

This is a guy who remembers what it's like to spend a year on the practice squad, putting in as much work as the next guy but knowing he won't get a chance to shine on Sundays.

So, when word came that Allen had agreed to a contract extension with the Falcons, one that should set him up nicely for the rest of his life if he manages his money right, he didn't exactly celebrate.

That's not his style.

Instead, he watched that "Hard Knocks" episode all over again, the one where then-Atlanta coach Mike Smith doles out the pink slip .

"You can kind of see I smiled a little bit Mike McGlinchey Jersey Limited ," Allen recalled. "I knew that wasn't going to be my last straw. I've been turned down plenty of times in life, man. That wasn't the first time I've been told I wasn't good enough."

Allen's new contract 鈥?$19.5 million for three more seasons 鈥?pales in comparison to, say, teammate Matt Ryan, who agreed to a massive deal that averages $30 million a year and guarantees the star quarterback at least $100 million.

But Allen is grateful for his $5.5 million signing bonus. He knows that's a massive amount of money to just about anyone else. He hopes it sends just the right message to anyone scuffling on the fringes of a roster.

"This wasn't just a deal for myself," Allen said. "This was a deal for everybody who has to struggle, who has to fight from the bottom. It's possible to make it to the top."

Even now, he has a soft spot for all those guys going through the same struggles.

"When I was in college, I used to work out with the walk-ons," Allen said. "I was always attracted to hard workers. I was always attracted to the bottom feeders."

After Dan Quinn took over as Atlanta's coach in 2015, he was impressed by Allen's tackling skills but felt he was out of place at cornerback, his position at Purdue and what he started out playing with the Falcons.

Allen was moved to safety. Suddenly, he blossomed. One training camp after being waived, he surged to the top row of the depth chart, going on start 14 games as a de facto rookie in 2015.

But he never got comfortable.

Not then.

Not even now Authentic Austin Corbett Jersey , when he's so clearly a part of Atlanta's long-term plans.

"That ain't in my blood," Allen said, chuckling at the mere suggestion.

Zealously guarding against those thoughts ever creeping into his head, Allen is always looking for ways to make things harder on himself.

Right down to the smallest details.

If his eggs are too runny, he's not sending them back. If it gets cold in his room, he'll turn down the thermostat even more.

"This world is so used to being comfortable all the time," Allen said. "It's weird, man, I know. But it's just something I do so I don't get complacent, so I never feel like what I've done is enough."

Allen has always worn his emotions on his sleeve, which was never more evident that when I talked with him less than an hour after the Falcons squandered a 25-point lead in the Super Bowl.

While most everyone else did their best to cover up the overwhelming pain, Allen made it clear exactly how he was feeling.

"I'm broken inside," he said that night in the bowels of Houston's NRG Stadium . "I'm not a guy that forgets very easy. I'll probably never forget this. It will always be haunting."

But, like every setback in Allen's life, pain served a purpose.

He put together another strong season in 2017 Cheap Billy Price Jersey , though the Falcons were knocked out of the playoffs in the divisional round. He's one of the leaders on a young, speedy defense, doling out and advice and mentoring anyone who wants to know how to do things the right way.

When the Falcons announced Allen's new contract, there wasn't a hint of jealousy from his teammates.

Quite the opposite.

That day, during a meeting with the entire team, Quinn asked, "If you've ever been supported or encouraged by Ricardo Allen, please stand up."

Everyone rose from their seats, from the biggest stars on the team to those who will likely be cut in a week or two.

"You see the impact that a guy like him has on a team," Quinn marveled.

It doesn't matter if you're a Falcons fan.

No. 37 is a guy we can all root for.

Paul Newberry is a sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at pnewberry@ap.org or at pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at s://apnews/search/paul%20newberry

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Jakub Vrana came to the rink expecting to play on the Capitals‘ third line again. He left as a top-liner on top of the world.

Vrana made the most of his promotion to the top line alongside Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov Da'Ron Payne Jersey , setting up the tying goal and scoring the Game 5 winner as Washington beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-3 Saturday night to take a 3-2 lead in the second-round series and put the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions on the brink of elimination.

After replacing an ineffective Devante Smith-Pelly on the top line, the 22-year-old rookie sprung Kuznetsov on the breakaway that tied the score early in the third period and took a pass from Ovechkin and scored the go-ahead goal with 4:38 left to send a fired-up crowd into a frenzy. Vrana made Barry Trotz look like a genius for bumping him up the lineup but wasn’t expecting to be his coach’s plan B.

”That’s just how the game rolls,” said Vrana, who also assisted on Brett Connolly’s first-period goal to give him three points. ”Sometimes you’re gonna make changes. Today we did. We were all ready. I felt comfortable out there. Ready for next game.”

That next game, Monday night in Pittsburgh, is the Capitals’ chance to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in the Ovechkin era and for the first time overall since 1998 when they lost in the Cup Final. They may have to do it without star center Nicklas Backstrom, who left in the third period with an upper-body injury that Trotz said the team will have more information on Sunday.

With Backstrom unable to play the final 13 minutes, Lars Eller double-shifted and Vrana looked like a perfect fit with Ovechkin and Kuznetsov. The Capitals are on the verge of beating Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins for the first time in four playoff series dating to 2009 on the strength of top-end scoring and goaltending from Braden Holtby Youth Rashaad Penny Jersey , who stopped 36 of the 39 shots he faced.

”Obviously Holts right now playing unbelievable,” Ovechkin said. ”He’s a big wall over there. When he play like that, it give us confidence.”

Confidence isn’t lacking on either side. The Capitals hope they can build off an emotional victory, and the Penguins will try to win their fourth consecutive Game 6 after falling behind 3-2 in a series.

”Your desperation level is a little higher,” said Crosby, who scored his ninth goal of the playoffs. ”You’re aware of the situation, and that brings out the best in everybody. We knew it was going to be a tight series. We need to make sure we leave it all out there, give ourselves a chance to get back here.”

The Capitals ensured at least one more home game this postseason with goals by John Carlson and Connolly 33 seconds apart in the first period and a rebound effort in the third after being outshot 18-5 in the second. Pittsburgh got goals from Jamie Oleksiak at even strength and Crosby and Patric Hornqvist on the power play, often hanging goalie Matt Murray out to dry as he allowed four on 30 shots.

Kuznetsov’s goal brought out his bird-flapping celebration and awakened a crowd that booed the Capitals at the end of the second period. Vrana’s goal was followed by deafening chants of ”Lets’ Go Caps!” at the next timeout Giants Elite Jerseys , among the loudest in the building over Washington’s decade-long run of contention.

”Tonight was one of those games where we needed to earn it from our fans,” Holtby said. ”They probably think `Here we go again’ and we’re not thinking that. We’re thinking we’re pushing forward, we’re focusing on the moment and hopefully we gave them belief with that third period because this group in here believes in ourselves.”

NOTES: T.J. Oshie and Eller each scored an empty-netter in the final minutes to ice it. … Trotz said Carlson was being evaluated after taking a high hit from Jake Guentzel late in the third period. … The goals 33 seconds apart by Carlson and Connolly were the second-fastest in Capitals playoff history behind Craig Laughlin and Dave Christian (32 seconds) in 1984. … Crosby took sole possession of second place on the Penguins’ all-time playoff goals list with his 66th, breaking a tie with Jaromir Jagr. Crosby is 10 shy of Mario Lemieux for the most in franchise history. … Carlson is 36th defenseman in history and third active with 10-plus power-play points in the playoffs. No defenseman has reached 11 power-play points in the postseason since Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Gonchar in 2009.

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The Miami Dolphins appear ready to move on without their defensive anchor.

Miami is discussing releasing five-time Pro Bowl tackle Ndamukong Suh when the NFL's new year begins Wednesday, a person familiar with the situation said Monday. The person said nothing has been finalized, and confirmed the conversations to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Dolphins have not commented.

The Dolphins are also expected to release veteran linebacker Lawrence Timmons, the person said.

Suh's release is anticipated unless he agrees to a significant contract restructuring, which is unlikely. He signed a $114 million, six-year deal with the Dolphins when he joined them in 2015 Authentic Lorenzo Carter Jersey , and his base salary this year would be $17 million.

"Stay tuned," Suh said in a video posted on Twitter. "There will be some exciting news going on."

The 305-pound Suh clogs the middle and usually draws double teams, but he's not a playmaker and has had only 15陆 sacks in three years with Miami. He has a reputation for needless penalties and dirty play, while his aloof personality raised questions about his leadership.

His anticipated departure would be the latest move in an attempt to change the locker room culture under Adam Gase, who heads into his third season as coach.

Running back Jay Ajayi was traded last season, and receiver Jarvis Landry was traded last week. Gase clashed at times with both.

And then there's Timmons. He joined the Dolphins a year ago, went AWOL on the eve of the opener, was briefly suspended and returned to have a poor season.

Suh, 31 Troy Niklas Jersey Elite , has never won a playoff game, and with him last year, Miami finished 14th in run defense and 26th in sacks last year. He had 4 1/2 sacks and 48 tackles for the Dolphins, who went 6-10.

Suh was the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2010 by the Detroit Lions. He has been a model of durability, missing only two games in his eight-year career.

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The Washington Capitals have re-signed John Carlson to a $64 million Chris Herndon Color Rush Jersey , eight-year contract that allows the Stanley Cup champions to keep the do-it-all defenseman.

Carlson will count $8 million against the salary cap through the 2026-27 season. General manager Brian MacLellan announced the deal Sunday.

”John has been an exceptional and consistent player for our franchise and has blossomed into being one of the top defensemen in the NHL,” MacLellan said. ”Defenseman like John are a rare commodity in our League and, at 28 years of age, we feel he is just entering his prime. As a right-handed defenseman, John plays in all key situations and has contributed greatly to our team’s success on the special teams. We are pleased for both parties to have come to an agreement.”

That’s not necessary for the 28-year-old who has made the Washington area his home and wanted to stay if there was a fit. The Capitals got the cap space necessary to re-sign Carlson by trading veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer on Friday night at the NHL draft.

Carlson outperformed his last deal that paid him just under $4 million a season and was at his best in a contract year. He led all defensemen with 68 points in the regular season and 20 in the playoffs to help Washington win the Metropolitan Division and then the Stanley Cup.

The contract makes Carlson the second-highest-paid player on the Capitals behind Alex Ovechkin.

Carlson averaged about 25 minutes a game all season, stepping up early when top-pairing defenseman Matt Niskanen missed time with injury and playing an important role on the power play and penalty kill on the Cup run.

”His value is immense,” goaltender Braden Holtby said. ”You can see that, how much he meant to our team in this run. As far as growth Chase Edmonds Color Rush Jersey , I think he’s grown steadily but I think he’s been pretty good for a long time. He’s been really good for a long time. I think this year it just showed through a bit more because we just forced him to play more.”

Carlson has been a mainstay on the Capitals’ blue line since 2010-11. The 2008 first-round pick has 333 points in 608 regular-season games and 55 points in 100 playoff games.

”I’ve always thought he was one of the better defensemen that I’ve ever played with,” winger T.J. Oshie said. ”This year, he elevated that quite a bit. In my eyes, he’s got to be a top-three or top-five defenseman in the league. You see what he does- he doesn’t do a lot of things that are really flashy, so maybe he doesn’t get the highlight-reel things that other guys do, but defensively, he rarely ever gets beat.”

Re-signing Carlson was just the first move on MacLellan’s summer checklist. He’s attempting to re-sign trade-deadline pickup Michal Kempny before Carlson’s defense partner can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, and he needs to negotiate new contracts for restricted free agent forwards Tom Wilson and Devante Smith-Pelly.

”We’re trying to sign Kempny http://www.49ersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-mike-mcglinchey-jersey ,” MacLellan said Friday. ”We’re trying to sign Wilson as an RFA and then make some decisions after that.”

There’s also the matter of replacing Barry Trotz as coach after he resigned and joined the New York Islanders. Associate coach Todd Reirden, who was a finalist for the Flames’ head job two years ago, is the heavy front-runner, though MacLellan wanted to sit down and formally interview him this week first.

”I think you still need to go through an interview process and ask the right questions,” MacLellan said. ”I just want to clarify on what he’s thinking system-wise and how he’s going to handle certain players.”

It helps his case that Reirden coached the defenseman and had a hand in the development of Carlson, Niskanen, Kempny and Dmitry Orlov.

”The players all know him, they’re comfortable with him Johnny Townsend Color Rush Jersey ,” MacLellan said. ”He’ll have a good feel for personalities, how to motivate people and so forth.”

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LAS VEGAS — After suffering the worst playoff loss in team history on Thursday night, a 7-0 shellacking by the Vegas Golden Knights in the first game of the Western Conference semifinals, the San Jose Sharks awoke to find that the sun did indeed come up in the morning.

Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said he was anxious to see how his team, which swept Anaheim in the first round, will bounce back in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena.

“It’s the first adversity we’ve faced in the playoffs, real adversity,” DeBoer said. “It’s on us to respond now. … We’ve got a lot of character http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-anthony-miller-jersey , a lot of pride in there. This series is a long way from over.”

Pretty optimistic words for a coach facing a Vegas team that is 5-0 in the playoffs, 32-10-2 at home this season, and has the hottest goalie on the planet. Marc-Andre Fleury goes into Saturday night’s game with back-to-back shutouts and an eye-popping .982 save percentage in the playoffs.

The Golden Knights scored four goals in the first 12 minutes Thursday night, matching the total number of goals that San Jose and goalie Martin Jones allowed in the entire series against Anaheim.

Vegas had seven different goal scorers and 11 players who ended up on the scoresheet, led by center Jonathan Marchessault (one goal, two assists). William Karlsson and Reilly Smith each chipped in with three assists.

“We had a laundry list of issues,” DeBoer, who guided the Sharks to the Stanley Cup finals in 2016 Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta Braves Jersey , said. “We weren’t good. They beat us. … (But) you don’t get extra points for winning by a touchdown like they did.”

A win on Saturday and San Jose still goes home with a split and home-ice advantage. However, that possibility became a whole lot tougher for the Sharks on late Friday afternoon.

The NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended left winger Evander Kane for one game for a cross-check to the face of Pierre-Edouard Bellemare during a third-period scrum that resulted in Kane receiving a five-minute major and a game misconduct.

Kane had 14 points in 17 regular-season games after being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 26. He had three goals and an assist in San Jose’s four-game sweep of Anaheim in the first round.

“It’s difficult, but it’s not,” DeBoer told the San Jose Mercury News on Friday before the suspension was announced. “It’s like an injury. If he’s out, it’s next man up and we’ll stick somebody else in there. It doesn’t change our preparation.”

Vegas coach Gerard Gallant said his team must guard against overconfidence after the lopsided win in the opener and continue its one-game-at-a-time approach that has proved to be so successful during their storybook first season.

“We just have to be ready to play the next game,” Gallant said. “We know San Jose is a good hockey club and that (7-0) is not going to happen again.

“They’re a great hockey team and we got some early goals on them and took advantage of that. They’ll be a lot better and hopefully we’ll be better, too.”

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