Monthly Archives: September 2017

3 things the Chiefs did successfully to beat the Patriots

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The Kansas City Chiefs are 1-0 and riding high after pulling off an impressive victory over the defending Super Bowl champions Thursday night. With a strong fourth quarter, the Chiefs came back from a 27-21 deficit to earn a convincing 42-27 win over the New England Patriots.

Tom Brady finished the game without a touchdown pass and completed just 44.4 percent of his attempts. The last time he finished a game with less than half of his passes completed was four years ago.

On the other side, Alex Smith had a career night for the Chiefs. He finished with 368 passing yards and four touchdowns, while rookie third-round pick Kareem Hunt complemented him with 148 rushing yards, 98 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns.

Here are the three main reasons the Chiefs got the big win over the Patriots:

Elliott was suspended for six games by the NFL following his alleged involvement in a domestic violence incident with an ex-girlfriend, and the suspension was upheld upon appeal. Following the suspension, the NFL and the NFL Players Association made the situation more contentious; the league accused the union of victim-shaming in preparing its testimony, and the union hit back.

Elliott’s suspension is set to be the longest domestic violence suspension the league has levied. In 2015, the NFL suspended then-Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy for 10 games Cheap Pirates Jerseys in a domestic violence case, but the suspension was later reduced to four games by an arbitrator.

Arbitrator Harold Henderson as of Tuesday night had not yet formally Cheap Philadelphia Eagles Jerseys announced his decision, and there was still a chance the Cowboys running back Cheap Quality Soccer Jerseys could see the field Week 1 against the Giants pending additional legal action.

Wentz completed 26-of-39 passes for the game, with two touchdowns and a pick in the Eagles’ 30-17 victory.

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Out on the West Coast, the Rams hammered the Colts 46-9, and while the defense keyed the win with two pick-sixes and a safety, Goff was extremely efficient: 21-of-29 passing, for 306 yards and a touchdown.

It’s only one game, sure, but the Rams and Eagles — and their fans — had to like what they saw from their offensive leaders in the opener.

Darnold’s fourth-ranked USC Trojans actually got a hard-fought win over Western Michigan, but Darnold tossed a pair of interceptions without a touchdown while going 23 of 33 for 289 yards. The 6-4, 220-pound redshirt sophomore is expected to have a big year, but he definitely had an off day despite a 49-31 victory.

Unlike Allen and Darnold, Georgia running backs Sony Michel and Nick Chubb were outstanding and led the Bulldogs to a 31-10 win over Appalachian State. Chubb ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries while Michel added 87 yards and a score on 16 carries.

Here are other NFL draft-eligible players who stood out on Saturday.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Penn State: Barkley was over 100 yards after Cheap Online Jerseys just six carries and finished the 52-0 rout of Akron with 172 rushing yards and two touchdowns on just 14 carries. Barkley, who could be the first running back taken in next year’s draft, added three catches for 54 Cheap Nike Eagles Jerseys yards. Even when the hole wasn’t there, Barkley was able to make something happen against the Zips.

He’ll have lots of NFL suitors.

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It’s a loaded cornerback class, and these seven guys really could be organized in any order. Tony Brown is now listed as a nickel cornerback on the Alabama website, but he’s a 4.3 speed cornerback with length.

Derwin James, if he can stay healthy, will be in the same class as Jalen Ramsey as a prospect and will be a top-10 pick. Minkah Fitzpatrick has the same activeness and respect around the SEC as that of of Tyrann Mathieu.

Wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who led the NFL in receiving yards last season even with Luck often limited, has been with Pagano longer and also has seen an increase in the coach’s intensity.

“He’s always been coaching us hard, but he’s really being pushing, like, the leaders and the veterans,” Hilton told SN. “He’s been on top of us, making sure we’re doing the right thing, we continue to practice hard and just give it everything we’ve got on a daily basis.”

This is what Pagano would call “the process.” The process may have no fear, but it also has no audience. People will be watching, though, when the Colts show up in the Los Angeles Coliseum late Saturday afternoon Indy time.

The results the Colts produce in that collision and those to follow will Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping be the only means for Indianapolis fans to judge Pagano’s work as coach. His bosses have the ability to view and Cheap Michael Jordan Jerseys For Kids consider all the factors that go into pro football success. That Pagano will be on the sideline in L.A. suggests they believe he can make the Colts better. Better than what, is the question.

Chiefs rookie Kareem Hunt redeems himself to lead upset of Patriots

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Talk about redemption for Kareem Hunt.

The Chiefs rookie running back had never lost a fumble in 856 college touches, but was stripped by Patriots safety Jordan Richards on his very first NFL carry Thursday at Gillette Stadium.

He recovered from that shaky start to set an NFL record and lead the Chiefs to a 42-27 upset of the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots.

But Hunt was the star Thursday. After former Bills running back Mike Gillislee scored for the third time to give the lead back to the Patriots, Hunt took a Smith pass 78 yards to paydirt that proved to be the difference.

In his decision to uphold the suspension, Henderson said Goodell handled the appeal appropriately.

“Here the process for imposing discipline outlined in the Policy has been followed closely, step by step,” Henderson said in a statement, via Adam Schefter.

The question before the Court is merely whether Elliott received a fundamentally fair hearing before the arbitrator. The answer is he did not. The Court finds, based upon the injunction standard, that Elliott was denied a fundamentally fair hearing by Henderson’s refusal to allow [the accuser] and Goodell to testify at the arbitration hearing.

The beauty in Goff’s Week 1 performance against the Indianapolis Colts for fantasy owners wasn’t his 72 percent completion rate or the fact that he posted the third-highest passer rating Cheap Jerseys China Vip for the Cheap Jerseys Borntrade week, but rather that he threw the ball 10 times in the second half when the Los Angeles Rams had a lead of 27 or more points. This week, Goff’s Rams will face the Washington Redskins, who just allowed Carson Wentz to throw for 307 yards and two scores. Look for new head coach Sean McVay to continue his aggressive playcalling and for Goff to have ample opportunity to post quality numbers.

Browns express message of unity and equality in video prior to national anthem

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The Cleveland Browns voiced a message of unity and equality prior to a Week 1 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the team did things a little differently than Colin Kaepernick.

Prior to kickoff, the Browns aired a 52-second video before the national anthem featuring head coach Hue Jackson and players Joe Thomas, DeShone Kizer, Jamie Collins, Christian Kirksey, and Randall Telfer all expressing their thoughts on racial inequality.

The conversation for the team began in preseason when 12 Browns players kneeled in prayer during the national anthem. It was the largest group in the NFL to opt not to stand during the anthem since Kaepernick started the trend during preseason in 2016.

Cleveland’s group prayer was also noteworthy because it included tight end Seth DeValve, the first white NFL player to kneel during the anthem.

Arians said Monday that Johnson suffered the injury on his 24-yard catch Cheap Goalkeeper Jerseys in the third quarter on Sunday. The coach had said after Sunday’s game that Johnson Cheap Hockey Jerseys Canada suffered the injury on his fumble on the only play of the next drive. Johnson went down after he was hit by three players on the reception. He writhed on the ground in pain, and according to game replays, team trainers examined Johnson’s lower midsection.

Johnson came off the field and said he could play, Arians said, but later couldn’t play and left the game.

The wrist injury, however, contributed to Johnson’s fumbling the ball on his next carry. On the replay, Johnson can be seen rolling his left wrist after the play.

Once Arians finds out the official diagnosis of Johnson’s injury, he’ll address the team’s depth at running back, saying he has “all the confidence” in the running backs on the roster.

“Andre [Ellington] looked very good. Kerwynn [Williams] was good,” Arians said. “Our young guys, we’ll see what we got and what’s available.”

Re-signing Chris Johnson, who was cut on Sept. 1, could be an option, Arians said.

2017 NFL season preview: Steelers clear favorites to win AFC North

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The Steelers have won the AFC North two of the last three seasons, and another division title could be theirs in 2017.

The Ravens are Pittsburgh’s biggest challengers in the division with the Browns improved, yet not ready to compete for a playoff spot, and the Bengals are trending in the wrong direction.

The Steelers have the most talented offense in the division, but a shaky defense. The Ravens have perhaps the best defense in the division, but an offense that has struggled in the preseason without injured quarterback Joe Flacco.

Injuries are a big reason why, and the Chiefs offense had its Cheap Jerseys Basketball way without New England’s defensive leader on the field. The Chiefs racked up 537 yards of total offense, including 246 yards Cheap European Soccer Jerseys from scrimmage by Hunt. The third-round pick from Toledo ran for 148 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 98 yards and two scores to set an NFL record for most yards from scrimmage by a rookie in his first NFL game.

But it wasn’t just the Patriots defense that struggled. New England’s offense was stopped twice on fourth-and-1, including a stop by the Chiefs defense in the first quarter after a Brady Cheap High Quality Jerseys touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski was overturned when a replay review showed the ball hitting the ground.

“It was a poor effort and were going to have to do a lot better,” Brady told reporters following the game. “We’ve got to get back to work.”

Amendola caught six passes for 100 yards, but was injured on a punt return. He was returning kicks because of preseason injuries to primary returners Julian Edelman and Cyrus Jones.

Pete Carroll has been optimistic but noncommittal about wide receiver Tyler Lockett playing Sunday at Green Bay.

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Lockett suffered a compound leg fracture in December and didn’t play in any of Seattle’s preseason games. Carroll has said that if Lockett plays Sunday, he’ll also handle return duties like usual.

The Redskins are healthy entering the season; the lone injury concern is center Spencer Long, who was limited in practice Wednesday as he continues to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery. He’s expected to play against the Eagles, however. Receiver Josh Doctson, who missed time in camp because of a hamstring injury, has looked good in practice so there’s no concern with him.

The Raiders have a bunch of fun players to watch, like Derek Carr, Marshawn Lynch, and Khalil Mack. Just don’t set your heart on the Oakland area, because the team’s moving to Las Vegas in a couple of years.

The first — and maybe only — thing you need to know about the Baltimore Ravens before joining the fan base is that there is an eternal debate about whether quarterback Joe Flacco is elite.

The Bengals haven’t won a playoff game since Jan. 6, 1991. George H.W. Bush was the President of the United States. Madonna’s “Justify My Love” was on top of the charts, and Home Alone, Kindergarten Cop, and Godfather III were all tearing it up at the box office.Cheap High Quality Jerseys

The biggest surprise of the Cowboys’ win against the Giants was their defense, not Ezekiel Elliott running for 104 yards on 24 carries. They dominated Eli Manning, who looked lost without Odell Beckham Jr. They sacked Manning three times and picked him off once. The Giants had 13 first downs Cheap Ireland Jerseys and just 233 yards. Beckham or no, that was the way an unknown defense wanted to start.

Shaun Livingston, Warriors agree to a 3-year, $24 million deal, per report

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The Golden State Warriors and Shaun Livingston have agreed to a three-year, $24 million deal, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes. The deal quickly ends any speculation about the point guard’s future and whether he would consider leaving Golden State even after winning two rings in three years.

Livingston has spent his last three years in Golden State and now he’ll spend three more. He’s a perfect backup point guard for the team — while he doesn’t shoot threes, he has a reliable mid-range game, rarely makes mistakes with the ball, and is highly versatile on defense with his 6’7 frame. While Livingston will turn 32 in September, he has a game that should continue to age well.

To qualify for a supermax extension, a player must make an All-NBA team in the year they’re eligible for the extension, among other qualifiers (such as two All-NBA team appearances in the past three years, an MVP, or a Defensive Player of the Year). Wall made the All-NBA third team this season, setting him up for the enormous extension.

Wall is 26 and he’s coming off his best season yet. He averaged several career highs: 23.1 points, 10.7 assists, 2.0 steals, and 45.1-percent field goal shooting. He can also be a stellar defender, though that motivation sometimes comes and goes. Still, the Wizards like their core of Wall, Porter and Bradley Beal, locking in their future as an Eastern Conference powerhouse for the next few years. Recycle the right mix of talent around them, and the Wizards could threaten teams and even make a Finals run.

Wall’s extension is also a fun juxtaposition on a day that another star point guard decided he didn’t want to stay with his team. While Kyrie Irving requested a trade, Wall committed to Cheap Official NHL Jerseys his through 2023. That’s not to say either is right or wrong, but Cheap Personalized Jerseys the two guards just committed to very different paths.

Ainge did everything he could reasonably do to outbid the Thunder for Paul George.

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In a vacuum, it’s not a horrid return. It’s not Buddy Hield and a protected first. It’s not Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, and a mid-lottery pick swap. In a vacuum, it’s defensible. Once we know what the Pacers turned down, however, it gets real ugly.

This is why faulting the Celtics isn’t fair. Ainge did everything he could reasonably do to outbid the Thunder for Paul George. He offered the 2017 Brooklyn pick in a swap at the deadline. He offered three firsts and two solid players on good, unobtrusive contracts more recently. The Celtics offered the better deals in both instances.

Ainge didn’t offer one of the premium picks the Celtics control, like Brooklyn’s 2018 pick, or the protected Lakers 2018/Kings 2019 pick. (We should start calling it the Sauce Castillo Special for simplicity’s sake.) Why was Ainge reluctant? Look at what Indiana ended Cheap NCAA Jerseys up taking for George! Boston would have been bidding against itself to offer either of those high-quality picks.

Ask yourself whether it would be responsible to offer Brooklyn’s 2018 pick and Crowder for Oladipo and Sabonis. That would be highway robbery worthy of league intervention. And that tells you that Ainge was right to not include one of those premium picks.

That’s “couldn’t hit your way out of a wet paper bag” territory. He had Cheap NFL Jerseys Nike 21 extra-base hits in almost 500 at-bats, which is brutally hard to do if you’re not a pitcher.

Both of these guys are bad hitters by the standards of the professional game. Tebow’s extra oomph probably makes him better on the whole, though.

The same physical traits that make Tebow a more powerful hitter also make him slower, and Jordan’s explosiveness was legendary. Jordan played the outfield, and he probably did it a lot better than Tebow plays the outfield corners. But there was no advanced fielding data in the minors in 1994, and the pickings are still slim today.

that’s what Wall could be giving up should he sign the extension now.

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There’s a certain poetry in this: A team that found itself between front office leaders decided to offer a fourth option, almost a fifth of the salary cap for no compelling reason, and then lost the top candidate for its front office vacancy over decision-making power. “Nah, we’re clearly suited to make decisions on behalf of the team. Check out our new player!” No word on whether Hardaway’s locker will be situated next to that of Joakim Noah.

In the Griffin aftermath, there has been some pondering about whether Phil Jackson was really the problem. Of course not! The Knicks’ doom predates Jackson. The problem was that many saw the Zen Master as the solution when there was never any evidence he was suited for the role he took. Concerns to that effect were proved painfully accurate. Phil exacerbated problems and fixed nothing.

Sure, $170 million is a lot of money to pass up. But it isn’t more than $220 million — and that’s what Wall could be giving up should he sign the extension now.

Wall could gamble on himself by passing on the deal this offseason and playing himself back on the All-NBA team next year. If he does that, he’ll be able to sign that same four-year extension, but will tack on an extra $50 million on the back end of the deal.

Yes, there is a risk — he could miss out on making the All-NBA team next year. But his top competition is Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Chris Paul. Those are all great guards that could beat Wall out for a third team slot, at least, but if Wall is able to improve upon his last Cheap Lions Jerseys season, he’ll be in great shape.

And if he isn’t? That’s fine. Then, he’ll have a reason to hit the open market as a free agent. If Washington isn’t as competitive as he’d like, he could find himself an Cheap MLB Baseball Jerseys offer somewhere else with more help. If they are, he can remain in D.C. through the prime of his career.