Monthly Archives: November 2016

Derek Carr (pinkie) practices in full, wears glove on right hand

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Elite Carl Landry Jersey Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, three days after dislocating his right (passing) pinkie in two places on a mistimed snap from center Rodney Hudson.

Carr practiced with a black glove on his right hand, and while he threw passes and handed the ball off from the shotgun, he never took snaps from under center during the open media portion of practice.

The Raiders host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

Earlier Wednesday, Carr kept his injured right hand in his hoodie pocket during his media availability and downplayed the severity of the injury, giving virtually the same answer to every question about the pinkie.

KC Joyner — Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks

The primary reason Wilson struggled last week is a Tampa Bay pass rush that ranks seventh in the league since Week 9 in ESPN’s pass-pressure metric, which gauges how often a defense gets a sack, quarterback hit or puts the quarterback under duress (36.4 percent). This is not something Carolina does well, as the Panthers rank 25th for the season in this metric (25.5 percent). Look for Wilson to return to his Weeks 9-11 form that saw him post 25 or more points in each game.

The Cardinals’ toughest opponent in getting to nine wins will be themselves.

After their past two losses, the Cardinals’ locker room boasted about preparing and practicing well. But when they ran out of the tunnels in Minnesota and Atlanta for the opening kickoff, something changed. All that work didn’t pay off.

The question becomes, why? Even Arians doesn’t have the answers.

Elite Charles Barkley Jersey “I would probably make a million if I could answer that because I could sell it to a bunch of coaches,” Arians said. “I don’t know, because preparation is usually the key to success, and we have a month of great practices, preparation, guys pass tests. They do everything that they are asked to do, but it’s not translating on those four or five plays.

“It is throughout the game and right now we’ve got ourselves behind the eight ball in the fourth quarter, having to throw, and our offensive line cannot handle that.”

Matt Hasselbeck re-signs with Colts, ex-Bears RB enjoying acting career and other NFL news

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Veteran quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will return to the Indianapolis Colts as Andrew Luck’s primary backup, the team announced on Thursday. The one-year deal is worth a reported $3 million, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport.

The 39-year-old signal caller has yet to start a game for the Colts. Over his Matt Besler Authentic Womens Jersey two-year tenure in Indianapolis, he’s made seven appearances in which he totaled 431 yards and two touchdowns. As a three-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl starter, he has plenty of experience and leadership to offer a young team working to assert itself among the best in the AFC.

Hasselbeck likely won’t be the only Indy quarterback to get paid this offseason. Luck, who has established himself as one of the game’s top quarterbacks, is expected to get a huge payday. The 2015 season marks the final year of his four-year rookie deal.

Bisciotti, 54, has been an owner of the Ravens since 2000 and took over as the majority owner in 2004, but said 2014 was his career low.

“It was my worst year as an owner,” Bisciotti said. “I had 14 good years, and then I had an absolute crappy year.”

Forced to defend his own integrity as well as the integrity of the franchise and NFL, Bisciotti joked that he considered selling the team to Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. He assured fans, though, that the rough times of 2014 are now behind him.

“I think it’s an A. A-plus is a Super Bowl,” Bisciotti said. “I think that what John [Harbaugh] did, and the way he handled the coaches and the players was masterful.”

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome was less generous, and said the team “came up short” of its Super Bowl Michael Bradley Authentic Womens Jersey goals; however, he, too, praised the job done by Harbaugh. Newsome also noted that re-signing Forsett, who is an impending free agent, is a priority for the Ravens.

Like Magic, another triple-double for Russell Westbrook

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Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook has 44 career triple-doubles. At the rate he’s going, he might record that many this season.

Westbrook had 17 points, 13 rebounds and 15 assists in the Thunder’s win over the Pistons on Saturday. That gave him seven triple-doubles this season (the rest of the NBA entered the day with seven Andrew Franks Authentic Womens Jersey combined after James Harden lost due to a scoring change the one he thought he got Friday). It is Westbrook’s fourth triple-double in his last six games.

Since turning 28 on Nov. 12, Westbrook is averaging 32.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 12.9 assists, numbers comparable to those Oscar Robertson put up for an entire season in 1961-62 (30.8, 12.5 and 11.4). Westbrook is nearly averaging a triple-double for the season. He would be if he had one more rebound.

“He went back to Chicago a couple days ago, we sent him home,” Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg said before Friday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers. “He had a little stall in his progress. He’d been getting progressively better then had stalled, still had some swelling [in] his wrist. So he was sent home to go see a hand specialist. It sounds like the initial diagnosis of four to six weeks is the same. He was put in a cast just really to immobilize that wrist so he doesn’t do anything to aggravate it and give him a setback. Two weeks he’ll get rechecked again and hopefully be on track to Anthony Steen Authentic Womens Jersey get him back soon after that.”

Hoiberg didn’t sound overly concerned that Carter-Williams would have to miss more time because of the latest setback.

“I don’t know if it was one thing that caused the progress to stall,” Hoiberg said. “He’s been doing great, his knee feels really good right now. He’s back doing full activity on the floor as far as running in a straight line and his activity level we’ll continue to ramp up as far as working on his legs. That’s the good thing about being that it’s not his dominant hand. So he’ll still be able to get out and shoot with his right hand, get out and shoot, and continue to increase his workload with his legs. He’ll be able to stay in pretty good shape, so when that thing is completely healed, he’ll be able to get back on the floor for us.”

Carter-Williams was acquired by the Bulls in a preseason deal that sent swingman Tony Snell to the Milwaukee Bucks.

The Yankees will have other choices in the bullpen

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Personally, I wouldn’t give Chapman that type of length and dollars because, as Buster Olney wrote the other day, Chapman’s velocity figures to diminish over the life of his the contract. He will enter his 30s during the contract and, to me, the risk of injury or diminished ability makes the layout too much.

Chapman would bring Jonathan Stewart Authentic Jersey the excitement — for the time being — of his 100-plus mph fastball. It would allow the Yankees to shorten the game with Betances and Chapman as an intimidating combo.

In this scenario, it would not be surprising if the Yankees try to use Betances in more of the fashion that the Indians used Miller during the playoffs. In the regular season, a team probably couldn’t do it to the extent the Indians leveraged Miller, but there is room to make Betances’ presence more based on facing the other teams’ best hitters than assigned to a specific inning.

The Yankees will have other choices in the bullpen. They could sign either Mark Melancon or Kenley Jansen. Melancon, like Chapman, would not cost the Yankees a draft pick because he was traded during last season. Because of the draft-pick compensation, I have my doubts the Yankees would go for Jansen.

On the starting front, the pickings are slim. After Hill, there isn’t much, as the Yankees don’t figure to reunite with Ivan Nova, and the other choices are not even as good.

Cashman likely will turn to the trade market, but he is not going to acquire any aces there, either. The Yankees could go get Chris Sale, but Cashman, in every utterance, has made it clear he doesn’t want to use his new farm system haul for someone like Sale, whom the GM described as a finishing piece.

Right now, the Yankees’ starting pitching is a little in no man’s land. Severino’s development Kawann Short Authentic Jersey continues to be of utmost importance. If he, Cessa, Mitchell or Green can become legit starters, it would give the Yankees a little something to build around.

If not, Tanaka — who will be 29 at this time next season — could have supreme leverage over the Yankees. He probably will, no matter what happens.

Rookie linebacker Josh Forrest injured his knee during Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins

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Coach Bruce Arians’ press conference on Monday was canceled because he was in the hospital after experiencing chest pains Sunday night following the Cardinals’ loss, so there hasn’t been an update on the health of his team. But following Sunday’s game, the only injuries that could affect Sunday’s game in Atlanta are a left ankle injury to left guard Mike Iupati, from which he left the game but later returned, and stingers right guard Earl Watford experienced in the second half.

Rookie linebacker Josh Forrest injured his knee during Sunday’s loss to the Dolphins and is expected to be placed on injured reserve. Forrest played when the Rams went to three-linebacker sets, though normally they use only two in Alec Ogletree and Mark Barron. Still, it’s a pretty major hit for a Rams linebacking corps that was thin to begin with. On the bright side: There’s a legitimate chance that all 22 of their Derek Newton Authentic Womens Jersey original starters will play for a fourth consecutive week on Sunday. Few teams can match that level of health.

Who are the Packers going to line up at inside linebacker on Monday night against the Eagles? With Blake Martinez (knee) expected to miss multiple games and Jake Ryan’s status uncertain because of the ankle injury that kept him out last week, they may have no choice but to move Clay Matthews in from outside linebacker. Matthews, of course, played at inside linebacker all of last season before returning to his natural position.

Of the many players who sat out Tuesday’s practice or were limited participants before Thursday’s game with the Lions, wide receiver Stefon Diggs might be the biggest concern. Diggs was listed as limited on Monday’s injury report — which was mainly conjecture, since the Vikings didn’t practice that day — and didn’t do anything on Tuesday because of a knee injury. He caught 13 passes in the Vikings’ first game against the Lions, and they’re hoping they can count on him again in the rematch.

The status of punter Matt Bosher seems in doubt now, as the Falcons signed Matt Wile to the 53-man roster Tuesday after tight end Jacob Tamme was placed on injured reserve. Falcons coach Dan Quinn initially expressed optimism about Bosher, who also suffered a Duane Brown Authentic Womens Jersey hamstring injury leading into the Denver game but still ended up punting against the Broncos. Wile was a kicker at the University of Michigan who eventually was forced into handling the punting duties. Special teams can always be a major factor in determining the outcome of a game, so we’ll see how this all plays out.

History on the line for Cowboys against division-leading Ravens

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Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley and Cowboys reporter Todd Archer take an in-depth look at Sunday’s matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, who meet for just the fifth time.

John Harbaugh has led the Ravens to the top of the AFC North with a 5-4 record. Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The Baltimore Ravens believe that beating the Dallas Cowboys would be a “statement win” for a team that isn’t getting much respect.

The Ravens (5-4) are on top of the Harrison Barnes Authentic Womens Jersey worst division in the NFL. All of Baltimore’s victories this season have come against teams with losing records.

That perception can change if the Ravens upset the Cowboys (8-1), who own the best record in the league and the longest current win streak.

“For three years we fought without any promoter. I fought with the support of [manager] Egis [Klimas]. Throughout everything he was my father, my brother, my guide. For me he was everything.”

Avery said the players usually leave the designs up to him. “They might specify what color they want, but otherwise they leave it pretty wide open for me to do whatever I think looks good, so there’s a surprise factor,” he said. “I don’t do any mock-ups or preliminary versions for their approval because the designs usually evolve as I’m working on them, so the final version would look different anyway.”

But a few players have taken a more active role in the design concepts for their cleats. Cardinals cornerback Marcus Cooper, for example, requested a pair that celebrated the upcoming birth of his daughter, so he provided Avery with photos to use, including a sonogram image.

Players aren’t the only ones who’ve taken notice of Fabes Sole High’s work. With the NFL allowing players Jason Thompson Authentic Womens Jersey to wear custom cleats to support charitable endeavors during the games played on Dec. 4, Kerber and Avery have temporarily relocated to Oregon, where they’ve been working with Nike to create footwear designs for many of the players affiliated with the sportswear giant. ESPN.com will provide previews of those designs soon — stay tuned.

How Louisville’s loss affects the College Football Playoff

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After a wild Saturday filled with big upsets, the ripple effect in the College Football Playoff continued Thursday night, when No. 5 Louisville was thoroughly outplayed by Houston in a 36-10 loss, sending reverberations throughout the selection committee’s entire Top 25.

The ACC took a direct hit, as No. 4 Clemson now stands as its lone CFP contender, but that was just the start.

It impacted the Big Ten, which LaAdrian Waddle Authentic Womens Jersey solidified its position as the conference with the best chance to get two teams into the top four.

It impacted the Big 12, which takes another Laken Tomlinson Authentic Womens Jersey breath of hope each time there is an upset in the top 10.

“As a special teams coach, I had an eye for special teams players,” said Levy, who at 91 is long retired and now an aspiring poet living in Florida. “I knew he was a good one. He had leadership and heart. I’m not the only one who could see it. Opposing coaches used to tell me that the player they had to prepare for most was Steve. Not Jim Kelly. Not Bruce Smith. Not Andre Reed. But Steve.”

Tasker primarily played special teams for the club from 1986 to 1997. Yet, he was an integral part of the team’s dominant run in the early 90s, when the Bills made it to four straight Super Bowls (and lost all four—an unfortunate yet also incredible NFL record). Over the course of his twelve-year career, he was elected to the Pro Bowl seven times, won the Pro Bowl MVP in 1993—the only special teams player ever to win that honor—and was voted Special Teams Player of the Year in 1995.

“Looking back, I wish I could have also used him more at wide receiver,” former Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, who was elected into the Hall in 2002, said during a phone call from his Buffalo office. “But [special teams coach] Bruce DeHaven said to me, ‘You’re messing with my job security now. Leave Steve Tasker where he’s at.’ Because he knew how important Steve was to the special teams unit. And I did, too, but I always thought I could also use him as a wide receiver because there were not that many people that could cover him one-on-one.”

“Steve wasn’t only a great teammate, he was an emotional guy who got us all pumped up. He was a gutsy player and he made those plays that we needed at certain times of the game that got the crowd in it, the offense in it and the defense in it. He was that guy,” former receiver Andre Reed added, his voice rising on the last sentence. Even while playing golf on a breezy sunny day in San Diego, he said, thoughts of Tasker still got him “pumped” and ready to go. “He played so low to the ground that it was hard to block him, and when he reached the returner he’d hit him with everything he had. He made me a better player. He made a lot of us better players. We saw how hard he worked and it made us want to work harder.”

Kevin Durant went for 30 as the Warriors kicked off their four-game road trip in winning fashion

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On Tuesday, Horford suggested he isn’t at liberty to discuss some of the symptoms he has endured or his progress through the league’s return-to-activity protocol. “I’m just not where I want to be right now, but trying to work through it,” he said.

Horford’s sister, Anna, a vocal Authentic Eric Decker Jersey presence on social media, wrote Monday, “Better for Al to be out now [and] come back when he’s 100 percent than come back too early [and] make things worse. Head injuries shouldn’t be taken lightly.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by Horford’s teammates, even if they are eager to get him back, particularly after Boston lost three in a row early in his absence. The Celtics have responded by winning three of their past four, but little has come easily for Authentic Erin Henderson Jersey them (besides a romp over the Knicks). As Boston prepares to host the Golden State Warriors on Friday, you get the sense that the Celtics would love to have Horford on the court for a big national TV game against a Western Conference juggernaut. Even so, if Horford simply doesn’t feel ready to play, he’ll likely wait. To be fair, none of Boston’s season goals can be accomplished in November.

Stephen Curry produced a game-high 35 points, and Kevin Durant went for 30 as the Warriors kicked off their four-game road trip in winning fashion by way of a 127-121 victory. Coming in, Curry’s career scoring average against the Raptors was 30 points per game, the highest by any player against Toronto. Next-best are Allen Iverson (29.7) and LeBron James (27.4), according to Elias.

Sanchez is undeniably the Yankees’ present and future. His 1.032 OPS in 53 games is one of the great hot streaks in baseball history, especially for a catcher. For perspective, Barry Bonds’ career OPS is 1.051.

Kyle isn’t the only brother from whom Corey seeks advice. Middle brother Justin just completed his fourth season at the Single-A level, and although he is not as accomplished as Kyle and Corey, his knowledge of the game is respected.

“You have to embrace the suck,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told me earlier this year. “Look at Theo and the Cubs. They had money, but they built the farm system, lost and lost, and told their fan base the payoff was coming. George Steinbrenner’s way is gone. You can’t do it that way anymore. That’s why we made the Aroldis Chapman deal with them. Embrace the suck. Build the contender.”

The beauty in it all is that at age 22, Seager already has baseball by the tail. Yet he acts as if every day is a mighty challenge that will bring him to his knees if he lets it. And he never lets it.

Clemson’s remaining games are against Wake Forest

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When it comes to the current playoff deliberation, there seems to be only three assurances. The ACC and Big Ten are all but locks to place at least one team in the playoff. And Alabama, well, the Crimson Tide are getting in pretty much regardless.

If the Tigers bounce back to win the ACC — Clemson’s remaining games are against Wake Forest, South Carolina and whoever comes out of the mediocre Courtney Upshaw Authentic Womens Jersey Coastal Division in the ACC title game — the Tigers will be in. The winner of the Big Ten championship game, even if it’s two-loss Wisconsin or Penn State, will most likely sneak in.

That leaves one spot for the taking.

And after this past weekend, the Big 12, all of a sudden, is in the running for that final spot. But this is what needs to happen for the Big 12 to grab it:

Harbaugh did say he expects backup Dashon Goldson Authentic Womens Jersey quarterbacks John O’Korn and Shane Morris to take the majority of the team’s snaps during the first couple days of practice this week.

Later Monday, in his weekly radio show appearance, Harbaugh denied reports that Speight’s injury would end his season. He reiterated that he expects the quarterback to miss at least some practice time this week.

“The doctors will give the input on that,” Harbaugh said. “The report you’re referring to — that he’s out for the season — I have not heard that from the doctors. So that’s incorrect.”

O’Korn has played in more than half Michigan’s games in a backup role so far this season. He has completed 13 of his 18 passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns in relief of Speight. The redshirt junior transferred to Michigan after two years at Houston. He started for the Cougars as a freshman and part of his sophomore season.

Teammates said Monday that O’Korn might use his legs a bit more frequently than the 6-foot-6 Speight, but other than that, there aren’t many differences between the two quarterbacks and how they like to operate an offense.

Cowboys sources say there’s no doubt Romo would like his job back, but that he’s being the good soldier. They say his relationships with Jones and Garrett are strong enough that he’s “all-in” on the decision and won’t rock the boat. And just in case, Jones’ postgame comments Sunday night put Romo in a position where to complain, either publicly or behind the scenes, would instantly label him the bad guy.

Argentina have serious problems at the back

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Could Edgardo Bauza’s side defend against the five-time world champions? It was one of the key questions going into the game, and it received an emphatic answer.

Argentina’s defensive unit has been Greg Luzinski Youth Jersey creaking badly in recent games, and here it was in danger of falling apart. There is a lack of pace in the back line, and a lack of genuine talent as well — how they would love to call on the likes of Brazil’s Marquinhos, quick and imperious.

Tim Vickery covers South American football for ESPN FC.

After the disappointment of last year’s CONCACAF Cup loss to Mexico, they’ll enjoy adding to that legacy in Columbus capital even more.

“This is the job of coaches between two World Cups, to build a new cycle, to build a new group that is full of energy, and I think we’re on the right path,” Klinsmann said. “But now starts the Hex with such a big game, and we’re going to be put on our toes for the first second on.”

It will be up to the players, and only them, to come out on top yet again.

Those summer tests, preemptively designed to ward off trouble later in the season, can’t always account for the frustrations that can accrue in the cold winter Big 12 play — or the pressures associated with KU’s attempt to tie the longest conference-title streak of all time, currently held by UCLA.

In the meantime, though, Jackson has, to use Self’s phrase, “unpacked his bags.” He has integrated himself fully in the team, on the court and off. He has done everything he can to earn the respect of the veteran teammates whose goals he will play such a large role in achieving and who hate to lose every bit as much as he does. The goal: Fit in and stand out.

Rest assured of one thing: Even if you don’t see Jackson, you’ll hear him.

“Oh, definitely, [I talk back],” Jackson said. “That’s Jeremy Hellickson Youth Jersey part of passing the test.”