WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals are approaching July 4 on the verge of becoming what nobody predicted them to be when the season started — a .500 club.

Washington fell to 42-41 Monday night with 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox D.K. Metcalf Jersey , their sixth loss in seven games. Once again, they did almost enough to win, falling behind 3-0 and rallying within one before Craig Kimbrell retired Anthony Rendon with the tying run on base to end it.

Max Scherzer, who has had an impressive year at the plate as well as on the mound, ironically was done in by friend and former pitching teammate Rick Porcello, whose bases-loaded double off Scherzer in the second inning made it 3-0.

“I wish I had a lot to say about that, but I don’t really know what happened,” Porcello, who improved to 10-3 Jamel Dean Jersey , told NESN.com. “Obviously I know he’s got a big fastball and I just got lucky. He got to the top of his windup and I told myself start swinging and I hit it.”

With the loss, Washington dropped seven games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.

“This is where the test is, that even when things aren’t going your way, when things are bleak, when we haven’t been playing great baseball, you have to find a way to take and find certain things you are doing well and just try to build off those,” Scherzer, winless in his last five starts, told MASN.com. “That’s just what the whole team has to do.”

The Red Sox (57-29) survived solo homers by Rendon in the fourth Andy Isabella Jersey , Daniel Murphy in the sixth and Bryce Harper in the eighth.

Reliever Joe Kelly surrendered the Harper homer to cut Boston’s lead to 4-3. Since the start of June, Kelly has pitched 9 1/3 innings and allowed 12 hits and nine earned runs.

“We’ll keep working with him, one thing that he needs to do better is tempo,” Red Sox manager Joey Cora said. “I think his tempo is going the other way instead of being more aggressive, and just grab the ball and throw it. So, we’ll talk to him.”

Boston left-hander Brian Johnson (1-2, 4.28) opposes right-hander Tanner Roark (3-9, 4.10) on Tuesday night.

Johnson allowed a run in four innings for the Red Sox Thursday night against the Angels in place of Steven Wright, who went on the disabled list with a knee injury early last week. Tuesday could be Johnson’s last turn in the rotation with Drew Pomeranz close to returning.

Roark is glad to put June in his rearview mirror. He went 1-4 with a 6.08 ERA in five starts and one relief appearance http://www.cardinalscheapstore.com/zach-allen-jersey-cheap , surrendering 18 earned runs in 26 2/3 innings. He did show improvement last time out, allowing two runs — one earned — on seven hits over six innings of a 4-3 loss to the Phillies while sporting a mustache and mutton chops.

“Tanner pitched good enough to win and that was good to see,” Nationals manager Dave Martinez told the Washington Post. “He started off a little erratic and then all of a sudden he started getting the ball down, which is good. He pitched well.”

Roark, sounding like any respectably superstitious baseball player, told the Post he’s keeping the mutton chops.

“I feel like it’s a pretty decent look,” he said.

The NFL offseason is the most optimistic time of the year. Things move far quicker in football than in any other sport. Players enter the league in their early 20s, hit their prime in a year or two, and then begin to regress half a decade later. This allows for even the worst teams to have a chance to instantly turn everything around and be back on top.It makes the offseason far more competitive. Owners aren't satisfied with a rebuild taking longer than a few years. General Managers and Head Coaches are under immense pressure to come out ahead each and every offseason. That means hitting on first round picks Hakeem Butler Jersey , finding stars late in the draft, winning in contract negotiations, and knowing when to spend money on free agents and when to hold back. It's a lot to ask, but that's what it takes to be the best.With the offseason behind us, we can look back and see which General Managers made all the right moves and which ones will be praying for their players to bail them out.

The Ron Wolf structure is out. What will it mean for the Packers?"There has been much made about the new power structure of the Green Bay Packers’ front office Darnell Savage Jersey 2019 , with both general manager Brian Gutekunst and head coach Matt LaFleur reporting directly to team president Mark Murphy.This is a big change from the past 25 years for the Packers. From the time Ron Wolf arrived in 1991 up until the end of the 2017 season, the general manager reported to the president and the head coach reported to the GM, allowing Wolf full control over the football operation.Murphy decided to change that after the 2017 season when he hired Gutekunst to replace Ted Thompson to improve communication between the new GM and then-head coach Mike McCarthy. Fans, especially those weary of the pre-Wolf days where the team president and board of directors would meddle in football-related affairs, were and still are skeptical. The same can be said about the reporters covering the team judging by the questions Murphy has faced in press conferences since the 2018 season ended.Murphy continues to insist he isn’t a micromanager and will allow Gutekunst and LaFleur to work without interference. Some thought Gutekunst would assume full control of the football operation with the hiring of LaFleur, but Murphy made it clear that wasn’t happening. Instead Murphy says Gutekunst has full control over the roster and won’t pull a Jerry Jones and make LaFleur change his play calls in certain down and distance situations.So the Packers will embark on a new era with a power structure similar to other teams in the league but vastly different than what has worked for them in the past.No one knows what the results will be, but Murphy’s job now likely depends on the outcome.You can read more on Murphy’s expanded role plus how Aaron Rodgers just secured a big payday in 2020 in today’s cheese curds.Packers’ CEO Mark Murphy: Team’s management structure built for football, financial success—PackersNews.comMurphy will be leaving his mark on the franchise, for better or worse, thanks to his restructuring of Green Bay’s football operations. Which way it goes will be decided in the next few seasons.Agent’s Take: The NFL’s crucial 2019 offseason dates and what they mean for your team—CBS SportsRodgers’ $19.5 million dollar roster bonus is now fully guaranteed for 2020.So rest assured he isn’t being released any time soon.Aaron Rodgers set to hit the links at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am—Packers.comSpeaking of Rodgers, he’ll be paired with Wisconsin’s own Jerry Kelly in Pebble Beach this week. Why Iowa TE T.J. Hockenson makes so much sense for Packers—Packers WireEven with Jimmy Graham returning Color Rush Darnell Savage Jersey , the Packers need another tight end to effectively run LaFleur’s offense and they’d prefer a long-term answer versus a veteran free agent. Hockenson would be a perfect fit.Police: Bingo Brawl Breaks Out At Nursing Home—CBS4 DenverLuckily police arrived B4 things got totally out of control and the brawl spilled into the streets. Players like Jeffery Simmons and Jaylon Ferguson not being at the combine will make it tougher for teams like the Packers to evaluate them. Here’s an argument that says that’s not actually a bad thing."The NFL almost always gets these types of things wrong. Even if the recent policy around players not receiving invitations to the Scouting Combine is being done more for appearances and public relations purposes, they’re succeeding in sending the right message. That is the case even if it hurts teams’ (like the Green Bay Packers) ability to scout players. Mississippi State defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons was on his way to being a top-15 pick before he tore his ACL in training. That injury would be just another reason his combine would have been vital. But he won’t be there, a fact that ESPN’s Chris Mortenson reported wasn’t popular among NFL teams. The reasons there are obvious: they want more time with these players, not less. Except there’s a reason Simmons won’t be in Indianapolis, nor will Colorado State’s Preston Williams or Louisiana Tech’s Jaylon Ferguson, all three of whom have violent incidents in their pasts. Simmons was caught on camera assaulting a woman, albeit in defense of his sister. Williams’ arrest was likewise for a violent altercation with a woman, while Ferguson got in a fight outside a McDonalds. Whether these incidents are actually worse than what Baker Mayfield was arrested for, or someone like Dakota Allen who was initially charged with felony burglary in connection to stealing guns, isn’t relevant here, though that may be worth discussing on its own. The NFL is sending a message about players: violence is for on-field play only.Ferguson’s incident is years old Cheap Darnell Savage Jersey , and Simmons ha, by all accounts been a model citizen and teammate for Mississippi State, but that’s not relevant either. Not going to the combine isn’t the same as not getting a second chance. All three of these players will be drafted, earning the chance at an NFL career based on what they can accomplish on the field. But the combine is by invitation only. Not everyone gets to attend and the NFL ought to have standards that extend well beyond the quality of the player on the field. The draft process is all one big job interview, and anyone who has ever filled out a job application knows there is a section on the sheet wondering if you’ve ever been convicted of a crime and if so, what it was. The NFL making violent crimes a deal breaker for the Combine represents an action most companies would take in a similar situation. In fact, it’s not even as strict as most organizations would likely be for a position paying millions of dollars. Have a violent charge for assaulting a woman, and that job is out the window. Teams want the players there so they can do their homework on them. They’ll argue, as some in the media have as well, for players like Ferguson and Simmons—both of whom could interest the Packers—the Combine invite becomes even more critical. Good. That’s exactly why they shouldn’t be there. The NFL shouldn’t be offering additional avenues for these players to make their cases to member teams. Taking them away from the Combine means not incentivizing violence, particularly against women Darnell Savage Jersey Womens , a message the league has struggled to send for decades. It also isn’t a no-tolerance policy, which evidence suggests deters women from reporting abuse. These guys will still play in the league. But a team wanting to draft them will have to use the player’s pro day and potential one of the team’s allotted visits to do the required due diligence. Will some teams simply take the player anyway? Sure, but it’s not up to the NFL to regulate how much or how little work a team does when selecting players. Some teams have scouting staffs smaller than your lunch bunch. That’s not the league’s concern. What the league can’t abide is providing avenues for teams to be lazy about selecting these players. They ought to be working harder, to be going above and beyond to do their homework, just as the players ought to do when proving themselves to teams. It’s not that these players don’t deserve the opportunity. They do. But going to the Combine would be giving them a privilege they haven’t earned. They too should have to work a little bit harder than players who have done the right things off the field. Bringing them to Indy because they have these red flags flies in the face of values the league should want to uphold.Going to the Combine is special treatment. If you don’t believe that, just ask Penny Hart, a Senior Bowl standout who didn’t even get an invite but might still go in the middle rounds. Why should Simmons get to go to the combine but Hart shouldn’t? What does that say about the league if that’s the bar for entry? It would only enforce the notion teams only care about player talent, a knock the league can’t shake on its own unless and until teams stop giving players like Kareem Hunt and Aldon Smith second and third chances. The policy may be craven, cynical PR from the NFL. That doesn’t mean it’s the wrong idea.

Preston Brown grew up rooting for the Bengals http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-andy-dalton-jersey , and now he gets to try and turn their new era into a successful one."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections #BITESIZEFilm RoomRoster Transactions and ContractsOrange & Black InsiderSalary Cap And CBABreaking NewsKeep track of the 2019 Bengals draft脳Bengals News (3/14): Preston Brown gets to stay homeNew,1commentPreston Brown grew up rooting for the Bengals, and now he gets to try and turn their new era into a successful one.EDTShareTweetShareShareBengals News (3/14): Preston Brown gets to stay homeAaron Doster-USA TODAY SportsBrown Comes Home for ComebackNo doubt coordinator Lou Anarumo has more on his plate than that as he re-tools the linebackers corps. With the status of some of the backers up in the air as the staff puts together primarily a 4-3 scheme, it’s a big box that had to be checked. Similar things were at play on the other side of the ball in the re-signing of tight end C.J. Uzomah. They’re two young vets, both 26, well regarded among their mates.Preston Brown Re-Signs With BengalsBrown joined the Bengals last offseason as an unrestricted free agent, after spending his first four seasons (2014-17) with the Buffalo Bills. In his first year in Cincinnati, he served as the team’s No. 1 MLB and recorded 42 tackles and two INTs http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-tyler-kroft-jersey , despite being limited by ankle and knee injuries to just seven games (all starts).Report: Bengals hosting free-agent CB Brian PoolePoole is a former undrafted player out of Florida who spent the last three seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, carving out a reputation for himself as a solid starting slot corner who can dabble at safety.Jim Turner, Jimbo Fisher fingerprints on Bengals’ Bobby Hart decisionThe move, which should go official over the next few days, was ripped far and wide given Hart’s struggles last year and the sheer amount of money being thrown down on the transaction.Zac Taylor at Oklahoma pro day featuring Kyler Murray, Cody FordBut it is something fans will get excited about — which they need given the team’s lackluster start to free agency. And speculation is bound to run rampant due to the Bengals holding a top-11 pick and boasting plenty of assets to move up.Darqueze Dennard hangs in balance as new NFL year begins for Cincinnati BengalsTheir most prominent player on the market, cornerback Darqueze Dennard, remains unsigned. Meanwhile Boomer Esiason Jersey , Cincinnati made the contract with Preston Brown official along with Bobby Hart. C.J. Uzomah arrives on Wednesday night to sign his deal. A portion of the pie has already gone in three different directions. Random NewsSaints restructure Brees' contract to open cap spaceThe Saints were set to have just $4.987 million in cap space before the contract maneuver. New Orleans needs the space as they hope to re-sign backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, pursue tight end Jared Cook, and host pass rusher Ziggy Ansah on a visit.Jaguars release QB Blake Bortles after signing FolesA starting signal-caller since his rookie season, Bortles' struggles matched the franchise's as Jacksonville was 24-49 in games he started. Hence, when the predictable signing of Foles, a free agent who led the Eagles to the franchise's only Super Bowl win, came to fruition, the official departure of Bortles was slated for Wednesday.Antonio Brown: Honor to join 'legendary' RaidersAfter a two-month-long standoff with the Pittsburgh Steelers Jordan Evans Jersey White , the receiver finally landed in a new desired locale as the league year began. Fresh off signing a three-year deal with $30 million in new guaranteed money with Oakland, Brown said he was happy to join the franchise, especially one with so much history.Teddy Bridgewater visits Dolphins as Saints waitA return to New Orleans would have Bridgewater continue in a backup role behind Drew Brees, but a potential signing with the Dolphins opens up an immediate opportunity to start given Miami is expected to part ways with Ryan Tannehill. The Bengals bolster their defensive line depth."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections #BITESIZEFilm RoomRoster Transactions and ContractsOrange & Black InsiderSalary Cap And CBABengals select Renell Wren in Round 4New,31commentsThe Bengals bolster their defensive line depth. EDTShareTweetShareShareBengals select Renell Wren in Round 4Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsWith the 125th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals have selected defensive lineman Renell Wren out of Arizona State. The Bengals needed to find more depth at defensive tackle in this draft with Geno Atkins again and Andrew Billings hitting free agency in 2020, not to mention Ryan Glasgow coming off an ACL tear.At this point, Wren was one of Boomer Esiason Jersey White , if not the best defensive tackle left on the board, so this was a solid pick for Cincinnati. NFL.com had Wren projected as a Round 3-4 prospect. He was one of the big standouts at the Senior Bowl following a productive senior season in which he recorded 43 tackles, 4.5 for loss, one sack and two pass defenses while earning honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors (along with Drew Sample). Wren will likely play behind Billings at nose tackle, so this is likely insurance in case Billings leaves next year. But Wren is fully capable of playing behind Atkins when he needs a breather. Bengals’ remaining top draft needs are:DE, DT, LB, WR Carlos Dunlap Jersey White , RB2019 Bengals Draft PicksRoundPick NumberRoundPick NumberDay 3 NFL Draft schedule: 12 p.m. ET, Saturday, April 27Here’s a link to the full seven-round NFL Draft order and live draft tracker!

It appears left tackle Donovan Smith will be staying in Tampa for the 2019 season one way or another.Rick Stroud of the reports that the Buccaneers are expected to use the franchise tag on Smith before Tuesday afternoon’s deadline to put it in place. The tag comes with a salary of $14.067 million should Smith sign it and play out the year under those terms.Stroud adds that talks about a longer deal have been going well and that an agreement could come at some point after the deadline. The two sides would have until July 15 to work out a multi-year deal if the tag is in place.Smith has started all 64 games the Bucs have played since selecting him in the second round of the 2015 draft. He ranked No. 25 on PFT’s list of the top 100 free agents and taking him off the market would leave Trent Brown 2019 Terry Beckner Jersey , Ja'Wuan James and Daryl Williams as the top impending free agent tackles. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered the NFL in 1976. Since then, the Bucs have drafted 25 quarterbacks. And they’ve never signed any of them to a second contract.Two years ago, when the Bucs were surging and Jameis Winston was generating fringe MVP chatter, it looked like that trend would end. Currently, it’s looking like there won’t be a second contract for Winston, after all.Benched after a disastrous four-interception performance against the Bengals 2019 Devin White Jersey , Winston now has to process failure while still being ready to succeed if needed. As former Bucs coach Tony Dungy explained on Tuesday’s PFT Live, Winston needs to realize that 31 other teams are watching him now, and that he needs to conduct himself accordingly. That means becoming the best backup quarterback he can be, helping starter Ryan Fitzpatrick while being prepared at all times to play after any/every snap.Considering the history of Bucs quarterbacks, Winston would be wise to take Dungy’s advice to heart. After all, three quarterbacks drafted by the Bucs — Doug Williams (first round in 1978) Devin White Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jersey , Steve Young (supplemental first round in 1984), and Trent Dilfer (first round in 1994) — went on to win Super Bowls with other teams.Here’s another piece of advice that someone needs to give to Winston: Quit trying to do more than you’re physically able to do. One of the most important skills for any athlete is to realize the limits of athletic ability. Winston all too often tries to make plays he just isn’t capable of making, creating an ungainly, awkward moment that leaves him more frustrated than Michael Scott while playing basketball.For now, Winston won’t be playing anything. When the chance to play arises again, and it will Devin White Jersey , he needs to display at all times an appreciation of the line that separates the things he can do from the things he can’t do, and to stay on the right side of that line.

The Buccaneers beat the Panthers 24-17 on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium to pick up their second straight win. The victory got them to 5-7 on the year Womens Chris Godwin Jersey , which keeps them on the edge of the playoff conversation for at least another week. A lot would have to go right for Tampa Bay to make its way into the postseason for the first time since 2007, but for now, it’s just nice to see the team playing some pretty good football. Plenty of guys stepped up in Sunday’s win. Let’s take a look at our Buccaneers of the Week.5. Jason Pierre-Paul (One point)Jason Pierre-Paul always seems to make a play or two that impacts the game in a positive way for the Bucs. It’s something that Tampa Bay has probably gotten used to now that the veteran defensive end has been with the team for almost a full season. In Sunday’s game, he came up with a fourth-quarter sack to continue the defense’s big day. He finished the day with that sack, an additional quarterback hit and three tackles overall. His leadership on the defensive line has led to a big step forward for the unit as a whole, especially since the departure of Mike Smith earlier this season.With his crucial sack of Cam Newton in this week’s victory, JPP brought his 2018 sack total to 11 1/2, which ties him for fourth-most in the NFL. The Buccaneer record is 16 1/2, set by Warren Sapp in 2000. It would take a couple of multi-sack games down the stretch for Pierre-Paul to beat that mark, but his season can be considered a success regardless. He picks up another point in this week’s standings to keep his spot near the top of the overall 2018 rankings.4. Chris Godwin (Two points)With his third career 100-yard receiving game, Chris Godwin could have been higher on this list. In terms of the standings, it was just unlucky for the second-year pro that so many other guys stepped up in the win over the Panthers. Tampa Bay’s passing game has been a strength this season, despite the turnovers, and Godwin has been a huge part of that. In Sunday’s game, he caught five of his six targets for 101 yards and a touchdown. His 48-yard catch on a slant route in the second quarter set the Bucs up in prime position to extend their lead, but a Peyton Barber fumble stalled momentum. Either way, Godwin showed once again on Sunday why he was such a steal in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.What Sunday also did was prove even further that Tampa Bay has someone that can easily be a No. 2 wide receiver for the foreseeable future. With DeSean Jackson failing to find much chemistry with either Buccaneer quarterback these days (plus his attitude likely becoming a problem in the locker room), it would make sense for the team to move on from the veteran this offseason. If and when they do so, the front office can rest comfortably in knowing what it has in Godwin. The Penn State product is up to 49 catches for 676 yards and five touchdowns this season. He earns two points in this week’s standings, moving him up in the top 10 overall. 3. Lavonte David (Three points)The Bucs were surely glad to have Lavonte David back from injury this week. The veteran linebacker made an immediate impact in the game, stopping Cam Newton for a short gain on the very first play before tipping a pass that led to an interception two plays later. He then ended the first quarter with a sack of Newton. Overall, David led the team with 12 tackles (10 solo), a sack and a pass defended. He was instrumental in getting the Buccaneer defense off the field throughout the day.Tampa Bay was without Brent Grimes, Vernon Hargreaves III Chris Godwin Jersey White , Carlton Davis and M.J. Stewart in the secondary on Sunday. Those guys are the top four corners on the team. Without them, the Bucs absolutely needed the front seven to step up against a Panther offense that has the ability to be very dangerous. Overall, that front seven came through. Much of the credit belongs to David, who kept Newton and honest throughout the day. A lot of what No. 54 does often seems to go unnoticed, but he is a consistent plus for the Tampa Bay defense. In his first week back in action after an injury, he did enough to take home three points in this week’s standings.2. Jameis Winston (Four points)Tampa Bay’s back-to-back wins have a lot to do with the play of Jameis Winston. Throughout his career and especially a lot of this season, the 24-year-old quarterback has been known for making poor decisions with the ball. He is looked at league-wide as a talented player, but one who has a damaging tendency to be a turnover machine. He was benched for it earlier this season, but since coming back from that, he has been much better with the ball. He threw one interception against the Giants, though it was on a desperation deep ball late in the game. Since that throw, he has played two clean games. Those two mistake-free games produced two victories.In the first half of Sunday’s win over Carolina, Winston was clicking. He threw two touchdown passes to help Tampa Bay get out to a 10-point halftime lead. The offense stalled a bit more in the second half, but he still managed the group well and took care of the ball. He finished the day 20-of-30 for 249 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers. His second touchdown pass gave him the franchise record for passing scores in a career. He was also the Bucs’ leading rusher, adding 48 yards on just five carries. The 2013 Heisman Trophy Winner has been very good in the last two weeks, leading to hope that he has finally turned a corner. For playing another clean game and breaking a franchise record, Winston earns four points in this week’s standings to pull him into a tie for fourth overall.1. Andrew Adams (Five points)Carl Nassib’s two sacks against the Browns earlier this season gave us an odd No. 1 in our Buccaneers of the Week Standings. In a similar way, we get another seemingly-random guy at the top of this week’s list. Sunday belonged to Tampa Bay safety Andrew Adams. The 26-year-old out of UConn might not have been very familiar to many in the fan base before this week, but his THREE interceptions of Cam Newton will earn him plenty of love. He had help from a tip by Lavonte David and two big quarterback pressures by Gerald McCoy, but it was just the fourth time in team history that a player came up with three interceptions in a single game. Ronde Barber did it twice before Aqib Talib did it in 2009. Regardless of what comes next, Adams has his name etched in Buccaneer history forever.Sunday’s breakout day for Adams was just another example of why sports are so great. A guy that is largely unknown can become a hot topic around an entire league within just a few hours. The former New York Giant stepped up in a major way, especially considering the state of Tampa Bay’s secondary. If the Bucs somehow make the playoffs this season, Adams will deserve a lot of credit for making it possible. He debuts in these standings this week at the very top Donovan Smith Jersey , earning five points for an unforgettable performance.Updated Buccaneers of the Week Standings through week 13:Mike Evans— 23 pointsJason Pierre-Paul— 22 pointsRyan Fitzpatrick— 17 points(TIE) Peyton Barber/Jameis Winston— 16 points(TIE) Carl Nassib/Lavonte David— 12 pointsDeSean Jackson— 11 pointsO.J. Howard— 8 pointsChris Godwin— 7 points(TIE) Kwon Alexander/Chandler Catanzaro/Adam Humphries— 6 pointsAndrew Adams— 5 points(TIE) Vita Vea/Cameron Brate— 3 points(TIE) Offensive Line/Jacquizz Rodgers— 2 points(TIE) Vernon Hargreaves/Bryan Anger/Carlton Davis— 1 pointBuccaneers vs Bears Recap: Bucs Get Mauled In Chicago, 48-10 If you took the Bears this week at (-3.5), kudos to you.What was thought to be a very winnable game turned out to be the exact opposite as the Bucs allowed 38 points in the first half on the way to a blowout loss. It was the second straight week that the defense gave up 30 or more points in the first half, but the story of the day was Mitchell Trubisky. He torched the Bucs, going 19/26 for 354 yards and six touchdowns.The Bears came out using a lot of misdirection and play-action in order to take advantage of an aggressive Bucs defense. The game couldn’t have gotten off to a better start for Trubisky and the offense as they drove right down the field and scored after Trubisky found a wide open Trey Burton for a 39-yard touchdown to give the Bears their first lead of the game, 7-0.Tampa Bay took the field and went three-and-out on their first offensive possession. The defense was able to sack Trubisky on the Bears’ next offensive drive, but that was basically the only thing they’d do right for the remainder of the game. An offensive holding penalty on O.J. Howard stalled the Bucs’ next drive and Chicago drove 73 yards in seven plays as Trubisky threw a dime to Allen Robinson II in the back corner of the endzone to increase the Bears’ lead to two touchdowns, 14-0.Ryan Fitzpatrick finally got the offense rolling when he hit DeSean Jackson over the middle of the field. The 48-yard pass brought the Bucs to the Bears’ 17. But Tampa Bay’s red zone woes continued and the Bucs had to settle for a field goal to cut the Bears’ lead to 11, 14-3. Chicago responded right back, except with a left hook rather than a jab. Get ready to hear this a lot - Trubisky found Tarik Cohen six plays later over the middle for a 9-yard touchdown to put the Bears up 21-3 with no intentions of looking back.And they didn’t. Khalil Mack sacked Fitzpatrick on the next play, killing the Bucs’ chance at an answer. This time, it took Trubisky and co. just five plays to score on the next drive thanks to back-to-back blown coverages by the Bucs. Josh Bellamy was wide open for a 20-yard touchdown pass and now the Bears led, 28-3.The explosive plays kept coming for the Bears and there was absolutely nothing the Bucs’ defense could do to stop them. Jason Pierre-Paul and other leaders of the defense were seen on the sidelines visibly upset and frustrated with the lack of effective play. Their frustrations continued after another Bears touchdown pass from Trubisky - this time to Taylor Gabriel - piled it on, 35-3. The rout was on as Dirk Koetter watched helplessly from the sidelines. The 2-0 start to the season was now a distant memory and the Bucs’ issues were starting to show through in the worst way. Just to show that they weren’t done, Cody Parky hit a 50-yard field goal to send the Bears into halftime with a five touchdown lead, 38-3.The Bears recorded eight plays of 20 yards or more of the first half. Trubisky finished the half with a perfect 158.3 passer rating after completing 14 of 18 passes for 289 yards and five touchdowns. The second half saw Jameis Winston replacing Ryan Fitzpatrick, but it was to no avail. The smothering Bears defense aka Mack, hit Winston as he was throwing the ball which led to an interception by linebacker Danny Trevathan. Chicago took advantage of the short field and a defensive pass interference call on Ryan Smith helped take them to the Bucs’ 31. Trubisky had all day to throw on the next play and found Cohen again down the sideline for a 28-yard pass. Gabriel caught his second touchdown pass of the day off of a jet sweep from Trubisky and extended the already insurmountable lead to 45-3. The Bucs were able to finally get in the endzone in the fourth quarter. Winston found Cameron Brate for his second touchdown in as many weeks and the lead was back to only five touchdowns, 45-10.Parkey added more insult to injury, nailing his 46-yard attempt late in the fourth quarter as the Bears were running out the clock to make the score 48-10.The Bucs now head into their bye week at 2-2 on the season. While that would’ve been considered a victory before the season started, it has to be a disappointment considering how the season started out. Stats from the game:The Bucs were bad in the red zone again. It’s becoming one of this team’s staples. They went just 1-3 when inside the 20. Every possession - except the final one - that the Bears scored on lasted no longer than three minutes, 34 seconds. DeSean Jackson finished with 112 yards on five receptions and now has three 100 yard games on the season.Tampa Bay allowed over 450 yards of total offense, exceeding their yearly allowance of 430 yards per game. Khalil Mack recorded yet another strip-sack and he now has one in every game this season.

Whether they’ll remain this way after they face an expectedly tougher offensive schedule than the one they’ve seen over the first six weeks remains to be seen Womens Ethan Pocic Jersey , but the Seattle Seahawks have set themselves up for higher expectations with a mostly-dominant performance on defense to open the season. Much of that success over the first five games was generated by forcing turnovers that helped stop some bleeding on third downs, but Sunday’s 27-3 win over the Oakland Raiders was the complete performance they’ve been looking for and the Seahawks are now back near the top of some key defensive categories.Six weeks in, Seattle’s defense ranks:Fifth in points allowedThird in passing yards allowedFourth in net yards/pass attemptFourth in interceptions11th in sacksThe Seahawks entered Week 6 ranked ninth in DVOA on defense and based on Sunday’s results, I’d expect them to potentially move ahead of two or three teams that were ahead of them. They ranked eighth against the pass and then held Derek Carr to 4.58 yards per attempt — his lowest of the season — with no touchdowns. In a season so strange that Ryan Fitzpatrick was one of the most efficient passers of all-time before being benched, Seattle has held four of six opponents under 200 yards passing. The Seahawks have allowed 117 points, averaging 19.5 points per game. However, over the first six games of 2017, they allowed 95 points, and ended up finishing 13th in points allowed. In their seventh game of 2017, Seattle gave up 38 to the Houston Texans, and two weeks later they lost Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman ... forever. In the final 10 games of last season, the Seahawks allowed the 11th-most points and had a point differential of -6 on their way to going .500 in those games and 9-7 on the year.To turn their current 3-3 record into the 10-6 variety that could get them into the playoffs, Seattle will need to avoid a collapse (I use that word loosely, because there are a lot worse things than going .500) like the one they had last year.Next up is Matthew Stafford, who has four straight games with a passer rating over 100 and has thrown nine touchdowns to one interception over that period of time. After that is a home date against Philip Rivers, who is having the second-best start to his career (he went off just slightly more in 2014) with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions in six games. Then their rematch against Jared Goff and the LA Rams. And on short rest, Seattle hosts Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers on a Thursday.For more: “22 Days in November”To win three of those four games, the Seahawks defense will need to be as good as they were in London against the Raiders. And then some, because those teams will all have better offensive lines Justin Coleman Jersey Green , better quarterbacks, and better wide receivers than Oakland has. Hopefully, the formula works as well as it has in the last four games.Since Week 3, only three teams who’ve played four games have allowed fewer points than the 66 given up by the Seahawks: The Ravens, Bills, and Titans. Baltimore is also the only team with a better point differential (over four games) in that time. And Seattle is seventh in yards per play allowed since Week 3.Much thanks to the rising play of some of their younger or newer faces.Bradley McDougald is the best value on the team. Jarran Reed has four sacks, putting him on pace to be only the third defensive tackle in franchise history to record double-digit sacks, something even Cortez Kennedy only did once. (John Randle had the other.) Frank Clark has 5.5 sacks in six games, making him a legitimate challenger to set the franchise record (Michael Sinclair, 16.5, 1998) for sacks in a season. These are just a few examples, but it’s not about what Seattle has done, it’s about what they will do ... and we simply don’t know yet how they will do in these next 10 games.As we see year after year, teams grow and shrink not just with offseason moves but with midseason changes, maturation of young players, deterioration of old ones, and so on. I don’t see why the Seahawks will be any exception this season, especially since the Seahawks always seem to be among the teams that change the most in the second half of every year under Pete Carroll. The quarterbacks they face will be tougher, but perhaps so will their own players. Perhaps we’re just seeing the surface of what Tre Flowers can do as a rookie.Perhaps Dion Jordan will be 100-percent and tap into whatever it was that helped him get four sacks in five games in 2017. Perhaps K.J. Wright will be as good as new.Perhaps Tedric Thompson won’t suffer as much as an Earl Thomas replacement as Steven Terrell did. Perhaps he’ll even show that he’s the future at free safety.And perhaps we won’t.Perhaps Seattle doesn’t find a third pass rusher this year.Perhaps Flowers struggles or another injury befalls the secondary.Perhaps Wright’s return is short or he just doesn’t get right this season.Perhaps 2017 happens all over again. Or worse.We can prepare for either outcome http://www.seahawkslockerroom.com/authentic-quinton-jefferson-jersey , but the good news either was is that the Seahawks are in a position for success. They aren’t fighting their way back from 2-4. They aren’t winning games by a hair and losing in a landslide. They aren’t that much different from the previous iteration of the defense despite being very different from the previous iteration of the defense.Things could be better, but considering it all, they Seahawks are actually doing quite well. Last week Kenneth wrote about how Seattle Seahawks right tackle Germain Ifedi has developed from a fundamentally raw prospect just over two years ago into one half of what ESPN's Pass Blocking Win Ranking (PBWR) calls one of the top five tackle duos in the NFL. It's certainly quite an improvement over the complaints thrown his way by fans over the first two years of his career, and should he continue down the path of steadily playing better and better, there's a very good chance he could become an anchor on the line for the next decade, given that he is just 24 years old.However, this article isn't about Ifedi in particular. All I am doing today is looking at the 2016 draft class from a single angle - how much time have they seen on the field. Specifically, how many snaps has each member of the draft class played for the Seahawks.Without beating around the bush any further, here are the snap counts for the 2016 draft class through Week 6. Seahawks 2016 Draft Class by Snap CountRoundPlayer SelectedSnaps PlayedPercentage of Draft Class SnapsRoundPlayer SelectedSnaps PlayedPercentage of Draft Class SnapsObviously, I've only included snaps these players played for the Seahawks, otherwise Alex Collins of the Baltimore Ravens would have far more snaps in the spreadsheet. In addition, I was tempted to not include the snaps Quinton Jefferson has played in his second tour with the Hawks after being cut at the end of camp in 2017 and spending time with the Los Angeles Rams. However, in the and, I decided to include the 2017 snaps for QJeff, as well as the 2018 snaps for center Joey Hunt, who spent most of 2017 on the Seattle practice squad.But, just in case anyone is interested in the numbers if QJeff's post-Rams snaps and Hunt’s post-waivers snaps are removed, the numbers look like this. Snap counts for Seahawks 2016 draft classRoundPlayer SelectedSnaps PlayedPercentage of Draft Class SnapsRoundPlayer SelectedSnaps PlayedPercentage of Draft Class SnapsThus, regardless of which way we want to look at it Cortez Kennedy Jersey Green , Ifedi and defensive tackle Jarran Reed comprise the majority of the snaps played for this draft class. This is obviously to be expected, given their draft position, however, I am somewhat surprised - and I'd guess that many fans are as well - by how little action the trio of third round selections, including Rees Odhiambo, C.J. Prosise and Nick Vannett have contributed on the field during their time with the Hawks. In any case, this is not any sort of in depth analysis, it's simply a quick look at one piece of the puzzle when analyzing the Seahawks 2016 draft class. Each day this week I’ll be doing this for a Seattle draft class, working backwards to the 2012 class, which is when the NFL started publishing official snap counts.For those who recall the article about how inexpensive the 2018 Seahawks starting secondary is that I penned just before the bye, this is part of a new series that I’ll be regularly putting up for readers called Fast Facts. These are not meant to be any kind of in depth analysis or deep, reflective pieces. They are far more likely to be simple trivia answers, and they will, for the most part, be short, quick reads.

Titans safety Kevin Byard‘s decision to dance on the star at midfield at AT&T Stadium after intercepting Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott on Monday night led to Cowboys defensive back Byron Jones shoving him off the logo and Titans coach Mike Vrabel saying “that’s聽not what we want as an organization.”Vrabel also said that he’d prefer to see Byard celebrate with his teammates and that he’d spoken to Byard about his feelings. On Wednesday Cameron Wake Jersey , Byard said it was something he thought up to get his team “riled up” but that his conversation with Vrabel made it clear to him that he should go about things differently in the future.“Some people loved it, some didn鈥檛, but the main thing is the head coach didn鈥檛 like it, and that鈥檚 the most important thing,” Byard said, via the team’s website. “I am more concerned with the trust and the way my head coach and my teammates view me. Those guys know that I am not a selfish person, and I understand that act looked selfish and that鈥檚 why we had a talk about that. I don鈥檛 want to be in the doghouse Kamalei Correa Jersey , or end up in the doghouse over a celebration. But we鈥檙e good. We鈥檙e good.”The last guy who used the midfield star at a Cowboys stadium for a stage made a habit of elaborate celebrations. Based on what Byard said Wednesday, it does not appear he’ll be using Terrell Owens as a muse in the future. Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper has played catch up since arriving in Dallas last week. Despite the fact that he will have only five practices, Cooper will start Monday night, offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said Friday.Not only will Cooper start, but he will play a significant role.“We’re not trying to ease him in,” Linehan said, via Todd Archer of ESPN.Cooper spent his off week in California David Long Jersey , gathering his belongings. It worked out perfectly with Cowboys receivers coach Sanjay Lal also in Northern California.The two met at a park in Dublin a couple of hours each day. Cooper also spent time on the phone with quarterback Dak Prescott.“I’ve picked up a lot so far,” Cooper said, via Jon Machota of the . “There’s definitely a sense of urgency being that I just got here and we have to play this week. I have to go out there and play on Monday, and it’s a completely new system.“At the end of the day, it’s football. I played in a couple of different systems now, so after a while you’re really doing some of the same things; they just call it something different.”

Ryan Fitzpatrick backpedaled giddily for about 20 yards as he watched DeSean Jackson come down with a 36-yard touchdown pass over the middle. The journeyman quarterback then turned toward the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sideline and triumphantly thrust his arm in an upward arc.Time will tell if the Bucs are on a similar trajectory this season http://www.buccaneerslockerroom.com/authentic-lee-roy-selmon-jersey , but there’s no denying they’re off to an encouraging start.Fitzpatrick highlighted a 417-yard, four-touchdown performance with two scoring strikes of more than 50 yards, and the Buccaneers stunned the Saints 48-40 on Sunday.“I’m happy to announce: FitzMagic is alive and well,” Tampa Bay coach Dirk Koetter said of his 35-year-old reserve quarterback, who was starting for suspended 2015 first-overall draft choice Jameis Winston. “Quite a start, huh?”Fitzpatrick completed 21 of 28 passes without an interception and also ran for a short touchdown, bowling over free safety Marcus Williams on his way into the end zone.“I hope somebody had him in fantasy because he went crazy today,” Bucs receiver Mike Evans said of Fitzpatrick. “And he was running the ball 鈥?phenomenal game. One of the most complete games I’ve seen.”Coming off a playoff appearance and hosting a team that won only five games last season, the Saints were among the more heavily favored teams in Week 1. But some of the Saints’ defensive players who were instrumental in New Orleans’ success a season earlier had a miserable start to 2018.Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore, the 2017 defensive rookie of the year, had trouble covering Evans, who caught seven passes for 147 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown that put the Bucs up 41-24 late in the third quarter.“It isn’t going to get me down. Everybody gets beat,” Lattimore said. “We needed to get slapped in our face one good time to see we’re not on a level we think we’re on.”A season ago, Evans was so frustrated with coverage by Lattimore that he hit him after the whistle and wound up being suspended a game for it. After this latest meeting, Evans said, “I like my odds against anybody, not just him.”Jackson caught scoring passes of 58 and 36 yards to highlight his five-catch, 146-yard day before leaving with a concussion.Fitzpatrick also threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin.“The talent level in that huddle, with guys that can go up and make plays, it’s a pretty special group,” Fitzpatrick said. “I’m glad we showed it today, but now it’s about consistency.”COMEBACK BIDThe Saints put together a frantic offensive flurry in the fourth quarter, scoring twice on touchdowns by Alvin Kamara 鈥?the first a 1-yard run and the second a 7-yard catch, both followed by 2-point conversions. That cut the Saints’ deficit to eight points with 3:31 to go.On third-and-11, Fitzpatrick needed to make one more play 鈥?and did. He scrambled to his left for 12 yards at the two-minute warning. With New Orleans out of timeouts, Fitzpatrick was able to run out the clock.“That’s the type of game we’ve played in year’s past as a .500 team,” Saints coach Sean Payton said, alluding to three straight 7-9 seasons from 2014-16 before the Saints returned to the playoffs with 11 wins in 2017. “Nothing carries over from last year. I’ve said it a millions times.”STATS AND TRENDSThe combined 88 points set an NFL record for a regular-season opener, narrowly eclipsing Philadelphia’s 45-42 victory over Washington in September of 1947.New Orleans’ Drew Brees was 37 of 45 for 439 yards and three TDs. Kamara, the 2017 offensive rookie of the year, caught nine passes for 112 yards and one touchdown to go with two touchdown runs. Receiver Michael Thomas set a single-game franchise record by catching 16 passes for 180 yards and a TD, but turned the ball over on a fumble across midfield in the third quarter.Tampa Bay scored on six of its first seven possessions. The only Bucs drive of the first half that did not produce points was when they ran out the final 55 seconds before halftime. Tampa Bay did not punt until their eighth drive about halfway through the third quarter. The Bucs finished with eight passing plays of 20 or more yards.The Saints punted only once in the first half and trailed 31-24 at halftime after Thomas’ 6-yard touchdown catch.FUMBLED OPPORTUNITYWith Mark Ingram serving a four-game suspension for use of a banned substance, the Saints brought in running back Mike Gillislee after he was cut by New England. In his Saints debut, Gillislee fumbled in the second quarter on a hit by Vernon Hargreaves. Cornerback Justin Evans scooped up the loose ball and ran it back for a 34-yard TD.INJURIESBuccaneers: Hargreaves was helped to the locker room with a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter.Saints: New Orleans did not announce any injuries.UP NEXTBuccaneers: Host Philadelphia on Sunday.Saints: Host Cleveland on Sunday. Fantasy football is a delicate dance blending the wonders of football statistical analysis and predictive intuition. If you get it right, then glory and prizes and money can all be yours for the taking.Get it wrong, and it tends to lead to embarrassment, ridicule and the occasional bad haircut or funny tattoo.For those looking for some help Mike Alstott Jersey , I’ve compiled my own list of players who you should consider starting, sitting and sleepers who just might help you get more of the first and less of the second.Good luck!QUARTERBACKSSTART: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs Kansas City Chiefs)Coming off a tie with the Cleveland Browns should give everyone a more inspired performance from the Steelers crew.Better weather (forecasted 77 degrees and cloudy), means players like Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster will have a better track to run on.Mike Tomlin looked angry following Week 1 and his anger should translate to better play accross the board. The Chiefs surrendered 424-yards and three touchdowns to Philip Rivers last week, and should be open for business again in this match-up.SIT: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (vs New York Giants)If you ask me, the 2018 Dallas Cowboys have disaster written all over them, and Dez Bryant is going to love every minute of it.Dak Prescott looked like a quarterback who could’ve certainly benefited from the presence of a true number one receiver, and the Panthers defense looked great because of it.The Giants are going to lean on Saquon Barkley some more, and considering Dallas gave up five-yard averages to both Christian McCaffrey and C.J. Anderson, I think he’ll find room to run.Bleeding the clock will leave Prescott less time to rely on Elliott, and if the Giants can get a few three-and-outs strung together with drives led by Barkley’s ball carrying, the Cowboys are going to get one-dimensional real quick.Something in the air just feels like it’s about time for Cowboys drama and controversy to start up.Going 0-2 with a divisional loss at home seems to be just the right amount of coal to get this train moving.SLEEPER: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs Philadelphia Eagles)I can already hear the chants of ‘you’re just a homer’ echoing in the background.Listen, there’s are several reasons Fitzpatrick should be on your radar as a sleeper option this weekend.For one, he’s facing Philly’s defense. Before you get all pitch-forky about me dogging on the Eagles defense, go back and watch their Week 1 game against the Falcons. Ok, welcome back. Did you see the inaccurate noodle-armed Matt Ryan playing in that game? Do you realize despite all of that nonsense he still threw for 251-yards and only had one interception? Granted, he threw zero touchdowns, but despite everything he still scored ten fantasy points. Tell me you watched that game and thought Ryan hit double-digits in fantasy scoring. You can’t.On the other hand, Fitzpatrick in Week 1 looked sharp, calm, and accurate as all get-out. I’m not predicting he’ll finish atop the leader board, but halfway between his 42 point outburst and Ryan’s ten point flop is 26 points, which would still land Fitzpatrick somewhere around QB5.Photo by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesRUNNING BACKSSTART: Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears (vs Seattle Seahawks)The Legion of Boom they aint, and while the Seahawks defense was always known more for their secondary, their defensive front seven was always a pretty big beast to deal with themselves.Not so much anymore. In Week 1, two rookies - Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay combined for 142-yards rushing on 30 combined carries. In fact, they had the exact same amount of carries for the same yards. Freeman’s long of the day was for seventeen while Lindsay’s came in at fourteen.Consistency against defenses is a good thing, and the Broncos got plenty of it. Jordan Howard is splitting carries with nobody, unless you count a 3:1 ration with Tarik Cohen a split, so he’ll get plenty of opportunities to exploit a defense geared up to surrender a lot of fantasy points this weekend.SIT: LeSean McCoy, Buffalo Bills (vs Los Angeles Chargers)Let’s be honest, you should have already cut McCoy. Ok, let’s be really honest, you shouldn’t have drafted anyone or thing related to the Buffalo Bills this year anyway.McCoy touched the ball ten times in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens. He totaled just 21-yards with those touches and was one of six Bills players to rush the ball, including two quarterbacks!This week Mike Evans Jersey White , they draw the Los Angeles Chargers who - even without Joey Bosa - have a better defense than the Ravens do.Good luck.SLEEPER: Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers (at Buffalo Bills)The Baltimore Ravens ran the ball 34 times last week against the Bills. Know why? Because they were winning. By a lot. Against the Bills.I fully expect the Chargers to do the same, and you know this benefits the most? The back-ups!Austin Ekeler was active on two of my own fantasy rosters last weekend and had I not been on the road for work I’d have written something like this to tell you to do the same. You’d have listened, and you’d have been happy.Ekeler gained 126-yards of offense and a touchdown in his pro debut against the Kansas City Chiefs.Expect more of the same against Buffalo. Only problem here is going to be if the Chargers coaching staff starts looking at Ekeler and Gordon as two starters, in which case Ekeler may see his afternoon cut short. Especially since NFL teams have the advantage of wins and losses meaning more than the fanciness of their victories when it comes to making the playoffs.Raj Mehta-USA TODAY SportsRECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDSSTART: Jarvis Landry, Cleveland Browns (at New Orleans Saints)If you’re in a PPR league, add a little extra cheese to this start. Landry more than doubled-up the Browns’ second leading catch getter in Week 1 in receptions and targets.It’s clear Tyrod Taylor is looking to lean heavily on Landry and for good reason. He’s got really good hands.Landry got 15 targets in Week 1, and against the Saints he should get just as many. Playing inside favors Landry and Taylor, and even thought the Browns will lose, Landry will bless the Saints secondary and your fantasy roster.SIT: O.J. Howard, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs Philadelphia Eagles)Shout-out to James Yarcho of Bucs Nation for turning me onto this one. Howard is the more athletically gifted of the two Bucs tight ends, and got on the field almost 20 more snaps than Cameron Brate did in Week 1.Despite these facts, Howard was targeted just twice. Granted he caught both of them for 54-yards, but unless you’re going to be happy with seven points in one-point PPR, you need to look elsewhere.In fact, Fitzpatrick targeted Bucs tight ends just four times on forty drop backs. Even with a banged up DeSean Jackson, Tampa Bay’s quarterback simply prefers throwing to his wide receivers.SLEEPER: Ryan Grant, Indianapolis Colts (at Washington Redskins)With one week under the Colts’ collective belts with Andrew Luck back in the driver’s seat, Ryan Grant looks like a guy he’ll be looking at early and often in 2018.In Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Grant brought in eight catches on nine targets. Problem is he didn’t find the end zone and only averaged 7.4 yards per catch with his longest being thirteen.Four times in 2017 Grant had at least four catches. He had at least one of those catches in each game go for at least 24-yards and averaged single-digit yards per catch just once.As this pair gets more comfortable with each other their averages will go up, as will their explosive plays.The Redskins on the other hand held the Arizona Cardinals to just 153-yards passing in Week 1, but each receiver targeted by Sam Bradford brought in at least half of their targets during the contest. The problem wasn’t so much Arizona receivers finding space in the defense, it was more on Bradford getting the ball to them consistently.The Colts won’t have that problem, and Grant should benefit because of it and the fact he plays opposite T.Y. Hilton.Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY SportsDEFENSESSTART: Jacksonville Jaguars (vs New England Patriots)Jeremy Hill was the most effective Patriots running back averaging 6.4 yards per carry when he left with an injury in Week 1. Julian Edelman is still out serving his suspension.Tom Brady is still Tom Brady, but against this defense he’s going to need more than just Rob Gronkowski to make things happen here, and I’m just not fully sold on Phillip Dorsett as a consistent producer just yet.Jacksonville had the Patriots right where they wanted them, and the let them off the hook. It won’t make up for the post-season loss earlier this year, but it’ll be a start when this defensive unit helps to send New England to their first loss of the season.SIT: Pittsburgh Steelers (vs Kansas City Chiefs)It’s going to be feast or famine for this defensive unit when they host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.My bet is on famine. Mahomes fared pretty well against a superior Chargers defense in Week 1, and he did it despite Kareem Hunt netting less than 50-yards rushing on sixteen tries.Tyreek Hill is a menace to any defense and it wouldn’t shock anyone to see him return another punt for a score in this one. SLEEPER: Chicago Bears (vs Seattle Seahawks)Russell Wilson is a pretty solid quarterback, but beyond that the Seahawks are lacking in consistent offensive weapons. The Bears did pretty well against the Green Bay Packers until Aaron Rodgers unleashed an - well - Aaron Rodgers like fourth quarter.Chicago’s defense should fare a bit better against the Seattle offense than they did post-Rodgers’ return with Green Bay, and the offense should be able to lean on the running game more, further depleting Seattle’s ability to get creative.Wilson threw two interceptions last week against the Broncos, and he should throw a couple more against the Bears.Oh, and then there’s the always dangerous Tarik Cohen returning punts for the special teams unit. Seattle punted six times last week, so Cohen should get some chances to make something happen in Week 2.

The 2018 season is now firmly in the rear-view mirror for the 49ers as the NFL post-season nears the Conference Championships. The major areas of focus moving forward for coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch are the Senior Bowl next week Mike McGlinchey Jersey White , the Combine in February, the start of free agency on March 13th, and the NFL Draft on April 25th. The latter two are also the primary focus for this week’s offseason mailbag. You’re welcome to drop questions in here for our next mailbag or tweet me @Rob_Lowder.“Percent chance the 49ers actually trade for Antonio Brown?” Jeffrey Walizer Jr.Our last mailbag hit all the details behind the possibility of the 49ers trading for Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Antonio Brown. The first thing I mentioned then, and still maintain, is the odds are thin that the trade actually happens with any team. Players of Brown’s caliber rarely hit the open market. They’re just too good to let go. If he is made available, there’s 30 other teams that will be interested in Brown. His flirting with the 49ers won’t matter if another team makes a better offer for the polarizing playmaker. Right now, I’d say the 49ers’ chances of landing Brown reside at about 15%.“Besides Antonio Brown, who should the 49ers trade for?” Tony’s UsernameThe other common name along with Brown is Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The fifth-overall pick in 2016 hasn’t hid his frustrations amid the Jaguars’ steep falloff from a deep playoff run in 2017 to finishing 5-11 in ‘18. There’s no questioning the 49ers’ need for another perimeter playmaker opposite veteran Richard Sherman. With the No. 2 pick, the 49ers could make a strong offer for Ramsey, perhaps including a swap with the Jaguars at seventh-overall. With another year on his rookie contract and the fifth-year option, Ramsey is an ideal trade target for San Francisco.“What do you think the single biggest difference is between the 49ers’ current roster and the four teams that are still alive?” 49ers ModeThe most significant contrast between the 49ers and the four teams competing for NFL Conference Championships? A quarterback. San Francisco lost franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a torn ACL in Week 3 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The team was forced to deploy backup C.J. Beathard and third-stringer Nick Mullens for the remainder of the season. In addition to Garoppolo, the team also lost lead running back Jerick McKinnon to a torn ACL before the season. Those two losses alone drastically altered Shanahan’s offensive capability for the season.“Who are the free agents that the 49ers will target most (assuming availability)?” Gabbard 2020The vast majority of the marquee free agents headed for free agency seem destined to remain with their current team. Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence, Houston Texans linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Dee Ford, all exactly what the 49ers need on defense, will likely receive a new contract or the franchise tag from their current team. Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas will be routinely paired with San Francisco throughout the offseason, especially with Sherman lobbying his former teammate. Among the other names to watch are Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, Philadelphia Eagles Brandon Graham, and Denver Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby.“Do the 49ers look for a linebacker in free agency or at the front end of the draft?” JoseThere’s some intriguing linebackers slated for free agency. Seahawks’ K.J. Wright, Baltimore Ravens’ C.J. Moseley, New Yorks Jets’ Avery Williamson and Eagles’ Jordan Hicks would all be significant upgrades for the 49ers’ defense. With only five picks in the draft and nearly $70 million in salary cap space Dwight Clark Jersey White , San Francisco will likely look toward the free agent market to fill most of the roster voids. If they look toward to the draft, the first name that will be on any big board is LSU linebacker Devin White — a likely Top 10 pick in April. He’d be an option worth exploring if the 49ers trade back from pick No. 2.“Do you think Colbert gets another shot, or will the 49ers look for another starter at single high safety?” Danny GColbert looked like a diamond in the rough at the close of 2017 and earned a started role heading into this past season. Unfortunately, the former seventh-round pick regressed significantly in 2018 before a Week 7 high ankle sprain landed him on injured reserve. Colbert’s 31.7 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked him 91st among safeties this season. He’ll likely be given another shot as the starter, but a backup role seems likely as the 49ers look to upgrade at free safety this offseason.“If Solomon Thomas doesn’t perform to expectations next year, do we cut our losses and move him to a 3-4 defense or ride out the contract and ghost him?” Jason ArbuthnotThere’s no denying that Thomas has performed well below expectations over his first two seasons. The 49ers’ third-overall pick in 2017 only managed 24 tackles, three tackles for loss, six quarterback hits and one sack in 2018. His rookie contract, most of which is guaranteed, lasts through the 2020 season. It’s doubtful the 49ers move on from Thomas before then. I also don’t see the 49ers altering their defensive scheme in any way to mask Thomas’ deficiencies. The hope is for Thomas to earn more snaps along the interior of the defensive line to better showcase the skills he put on display at Stanford.“With the overhaul of the strength and conditioning staff, will this cause any issues with the multiple players undergoing rehab?” J. PatelThis is definitely one of those questions that falls outside of my realm of anything resembling expertise, so until I can ask those in the know, I’ll give you my thoughts nonetheless. Head athletic trainer Jeff “Ferg” Ferguson and strength and conditioning coach Ray Wright were both fired after 41 players spent time on injured reserve over the last two seasons. It’s my understanding that most (if not all) of the strength and conditioning staff is being turned over with these departures. I am less certain about the training staff, but it’s safe to say the 49ers are not going to put a player’s successful recovery at risk. We can all rest easy knowing Garoppolo should remain on track for a return in 2019.“Who goes or both stay between C.J. Beathard & Nick Mullens?” CJ NinersThe 49ers will likely hold on to both C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens through the offseason while Garoppolo recovers from his torn ACL. There’s a strong chance Shanahan elects to enter into the season with all three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. While Mullens has the clear edge in the competition to backup Garoppolo, I could see Shanahan giving Beathard a third season after making him a third-round pick just two seasons ago.“Why did the 49ers only get one compensatory pick and not more?” Patricia AlegriaCompensatory picks are based on an NFL formula that accounts for the number of players signed in free agency versus those that hit the open market and are signed by another team. It also takes into account the players’ contract and their impact on their new team. It’s all sort of mysterious, but the NFL only hands out 32 compensatory picks. The 49ers only received one sixth-rounder for linebacker Aaron Lynch, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract with the Chicago Bears before the season. Leon Hall and Logan Paulsen were the two departures that did not get cancelled out, but they fall outside that 32-pick limit — based on projections. The 49ers will see Khalil Mack up close on Sunday when they take on the Bears, but they thought four months ago that they were in a position to put Mack in a 49ers uniform — and the Raiders probably wish that was the trade they had made.As 49ers General Manager John Lynch explained last month http://www.49erslockerroom.com/authentic-adrian-colbert-jersey , he tried hard to acquire Mack in a trade with the Raiders. Lynch actually said the offer he made was better than the offer the Bears made, but the Raiders went with the Bears’ offer. Lynch wondered if the Raiders didn’t want to trade Mack to the Bay Area’s other NFL team.That might have been a consideration, but a bigger issue was probably that the Raiders didn’t really see the 49ers’ offer as better than the Bears’ offer. Lynch didn’t say exactly what the 49ers offered for Mack, but assuming it was approximately the same package of draft picks that the Bears ended up giving the Raiders, it’s possible that the Raiders turned the 49ers down simply because the Raiders expected the Bears to be picking higher in the draft order.And, at the time, that would have been a reasonable assumption. In August, before the Mack trade, the Las Vegas odds pegged the Bears as a 6-10 or 7-9 team this season, and the 49ers as an 8-8 or 9-7 team this season. It was reasonable for the Raiders to think that if both the Bears and the 49ers were offering their first-round draft picks, the Bears’ offer was better.That turned out to be very wrong: The 49ers are 4-10 and still in contention for the first overall pick in the draft, while the Bears are 10-4 and will send the Raiders a pick no higher than No. 21, and probably more likely in the high 20s or even the 30s. Of course, we can never say for sure what would have happened if the Raiders had traded Mack to the 49ers (the 49ers may have won more games, and the Bears may have won fewer games), but it’s unlikely that Mack would have made such a big difference as to turn the 49ers into a playoff team and the Bears into a team vying for the first overall pick.So when Mack lines up against the 49ers on Sunday, Lynch won’t be the only one wondering what might have been. Jon Gruden may also see that game and wonder if his team would be in better shape going forward if he’d traded Mack to San Francisco instead of Chicago.

Players take note: Referees aren’t swallowing their whistles so far in the 2018 NHL playoffs.Penalties are up more than 17 percent over the same time a year ago and are playing a substantial role in several series. Through 19 games in the first round Antoine Roussel Jersey Womens , there have been nearly 10 penalties per game. Last year, there was an average of eight penalties called through 20 games.”The penalties that have been called in the series so far is an indication of how the referees are calling the game,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said Monday. ”They’re calling it as they see it. I think discipline is of the utmost importance.”While the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions haven’t been perfect in that regard against Philadelphia, they haven’t been derailed by a lack of discipline. Around the rest of the NHL, penalties and the ensuing power-play goals are making a big difference: There have been 38 power-play goals through Sunday’s games compared with just 21 in 2017.The NHL wants officials to call playoffs at the same standard as the regular season, which is happening with penalties actually going up from the first period through the third. Each of the 10 pairings of referees working the playoffs has at least one who has worked the Cup Final, so the hope is having that experience helps maintain consistency.The Washington Capitals blew two-goal leads in back-to-back overtime losses on home ice to Columbus because of ill-advised penalties and go into Game 3 on the road (7:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, NBCSN) knowing it’s a problem that needs immediate fixing.”We need to be a little smarter,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. ”We need to play with better discipline – especially when we have the lead twice. … It’s obviously going to hurt you in the playoffs. That’s the way it is. It’s just fact.”Nine of the 14 regulation goals in the Washington-Columbus series have come on the power play. The Blue Jackets, who surged into the playoffs by not taking a lot of penalties to tax one of the worst special teams units in the league, lead the playoffs in penalty minutes per game.Coach John Tortorella said the Blue Jackets ”have to cure that” because it’s too dangerous to keep taking so many penalties. His players know it even if they’re unsure of the standard.”We need to stay out of the box, but you never know what’s a call and what’s not anymore,” forward Cam Atkinson said. ”But that’s the game right now.”In the West Tim Schaller Jersey Womens , where Winnipeg leads Minnesota 2-1, the teams realize how tight things are being called.The Wild took five penalties in the first 31 minutes Sunday night and stymied the Jets’ power play in a 6-2 comeback win. The teams combined for 19 penalties – including some fights and misconducts – in the second game of their series.”We’ve just got to watch taking penalties,” Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau said. ”Both teams were really emotional at the beginning and you’ve got to worry about taking penalties and getting behind the eight ball.”It’s chippy between the Golden Knights and Kings, too, with Vegas up 3-0 going into Game 4 (10:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, NBCSN) in Los Angeles. All three games so far have been decided by a goal, L.A. defenseman Drew Doughty was suspended for an illegal check to the head of William Carrier and Kings coach John Stevens is none too happy about a missed call on Vegas forward Erik Haula for hitting Anze Kopitar in the face with the butt end of his stick Sunday night .”We get a guy suspended for making a hockey play, and he butt-ends one of the best players in the world in the face,” Stevens said. ”That’s an intent-to-injure play.”COMEBACK KINGS?Los Angeles is the most recent team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, doing so in 2014 against the San Jose Sharks on the way to winning the Stanley Cup. Stevens, who was an assistant four years ago, said his team has ”had some resilience all year,” and the tightness of the games against Vegas combined with the excellence of goaltender Jonathan Quick certainly makes an turnaround possible.INJURIESThe Jets lost Tyler Myers to a lower-body injury that coach Paul Maurice thought was avoidable Jay Beagle Jersey Womens , and the big defenseman’s status is uncertain going into Game 4 (8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, CNBC). Young Tucker Poolman could draw into the lineup in place of Myers if necessary.The Capitals won’t have forward Andre Burakovsky for at least Games 3 and 4 in Columbus because of an upper-body injury. Coach Barry Trotz said Burakovsky is going to ”miss some time” after being crunched into the boards by Boone Jenner in Game 2. Speedy winger Jakub Vrana, a surprise scratch for Washington on Sunday, goes back in for Burakovsky.WHO STARTS?Trotz said he has decided who will start in goal for the Capitals in Game 3 but hadn’t yet told Braden Holtby and Philipp Grubauer. After Grubauer allowed eight goals on 49 shots before being yanked at the second intermission of Game 2, the smart money is on Holtby, the 2016 Vezina Trophy winner.BARTON OUTLinesman Steve Barton, who was injured when he inadvertently clipped skates with Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson and had to be helped off the ice by trainers, dislocated his kneecap and tore a quadriceps muscle in his left leg. Barton will require surgery but didn’t tear ligaments in his knee, which doctors said is good news because they expect him to make a full recovery.— LAS VEGAS (AP) — The NHL and NHL Players’ Association held a lengthy meeting to discuss keeping the current collective bargaining agreement past 2020 and agreed to meet again next week to continue the talks.The sides met for more than two hours Thursday to talk about a CBA extension that could pave the way for a World Cup of Hockey in 2020.“I think we had a constructive dialogue,” Commissioner Gary Bettman told The Associated Press on Thursday night. “But beyond that, we have nothing to announce and I have nothing to add.”The current CBA runs until 2022, but the league and players each have the option this September to terminate it effective Sept. 15, 2020. Because a World Cup would happen in the fall of 2020 Curtis McKenzie Jersey Womens , the league has linked labor peace to the ability to put on another version of the tournament, which returned in 2016.Bettman and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly have said previously a CBA agreement would need to be in place by around the end of January to begin planning a World Cup. It’s not clear if enough progress has been made to make that a realistic objective, though NHLPA special assistant to the executive director Mathieu Schneider voiced some positives about the situation.“We went longer than we thought (we would),” Schneider said. “We’re having another meeting. So I think that speaks for itself.”Daly said the discussions were “substantive” enough to keep talking next week in Toronto.Among the issues players have expressed concerns with in the current CBA are escrow payments to confirm to a 50/50 split of revenue that decrease their paychecks and no agreement to participate in the Olympics.The World Cup of Hockey, where revenues were split evenly in 2016 between owners and players, would seem to be a subject of agreement. But because of escrow, the Olympics and other issues, there’s no simple path to a solution.“It’s too early to really predict success or failure,” Daly said. “But I think there’s a commitment by both sides to try to meet again and see if we can move forward on something that might work for a CBA extension.”