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After finishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference last season,Authentic Henrik Zetterberg jersey, the New Jersey Devils have been among the NHL's surprise teams.
The Devils have been atop the Metropolitan Division for most of the opening weeks and are 6-2-0 for their best start since beginning with the same record 15 years ago.
"Our team's played extremely hard," coach John Hynes said. "I thought we'd come out of training camp ready to play."
New Jersey, seeking its first playoff appearance since losing to the Los Angeles Kings in the 2012 Stanley Cup Final, and four others have two apiece. Taylor Hall and rookie Will Butcher lead the way with nine points each,adidas Gordie Howe jersey, has been doing it with a balanced effort. Six players have three goals each,adidas Jimmy Howard jersey, and Kyle Palmieri and Nico Hischier — the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft — both have seven.
"So many positive things over the last couple of weeks," Hynes said.
Following an opening stretch in which they played eight games in 14 nights — capped by a shutout loss at home to San Jose last Friday — the Devils are on a bit of a break and don't play again until hosting Ottawa this Friday. After going into their rest first in the division,adidas Henrik Zetterberg jersey, they've been passed by two-time defending champion Pittsburgh.
Palmieri doesn't want his team to dwell on its strong start and knows there's room for improvement with a long season still ahead.
"It's been a good start for our group,adidas Frans Nielsen jersey," he said. "But time to put it to bed. We have an opportunity ... a week to work on some things and tighten some things up."
One of those things the Devils have been focusing on during their break is cutting down on penalties. New Jersey is fourth in the league in total penalties (47) and penalty minutes per game (15:00).
The time off is helping players get healthier, too. Starting goalie Cory Schneider left after the second period of the Devils' comeback win at Ottawa last Thursday with a lower-body injury but has been skating on his own this week. Palmieri (lower body injury) has been resting and veteran Brian Boyle has begun practicing with the team after his cancer diagnosis last month.
VEGAS ROLLING HIGH
The expansion Golden Knights are also one of the big stories as the first team in NHL history to win seven of the first eight games in its inaugural season.
"It feels really good,Authentic Wayne Gretzky jersey," forward Reilly Smith said. "Obviously it's still really early, but we definitely like that record right now and hopefully we can build on it."
The Golden Knights have also had some scoring balance with 14 players getting goals. James Neal leads with six, and Smith, Oscar Lindberg has three, David Perron, Alex Tuch, William Karlsson, Jonathan Marchessault and Tomas Nosek have two each.
"If we win, it's going to be coming from everybody," coach Gerard Gallant said. "For us to play well and have a chance we have to get balanced scoring from everybody."
To keep its sizzling start going, who led Pittsburgh to two Stanley Cup championships, Vegas will have to do with goalies that were supposed to be spending the season in the AHL — Oscar Dansk and Maxime Lagace. After starter Marc-Andre Fleury, suffered a concussion on Oct. 13, backup Malcolm Subban went down with a lower-body injury in the third period of the Knights' win against St. Louis on Saturday night. Fleury is close to returning to practice, according to Gallant, but Subban is expected to miss four weeks.
Dansk came on and led the Knights to an overtime win over the Blues in his NHL debut,Authentic Gordie Howe jersey, and then beat Chicago in his first start Tuesday night. Lagace has not appeared in a game yet.
"We're definitely being tested right now,Authentic Jimmy Howard jersey, with the goalie situation alone,Authentic Frans Nielsen jersey," Smith said. "Every goalie that's stepped in here so far for us has done a great job. We just have to keep on trying to help them out."
ON THE DOWNSIDE
The New York Rangers reached the Eastern Conference semifinals last April, beating the Atlantic Division champion Montreal Canadiens in the first round of the playoffs. Right now they're at the bottom of the conference standings with two wins each.
New York,adidas Wayne Gretzky jersey, with its fewest points after 10 games since also starting 2-6-2 in the 1962-63 season, has given up 15 goals in the first period and allowed the first goal six times.
"It's been going on way longer than we wanted it to," forward Rick Nash said of the Rangers' struggles. "It's tough right now. You could say all the clichés you want. We have to stick together and keep it simple."
LEADERS (through Tuesday)
Goals: Nikita Kucherov (Tampa Bay), 17; Points: Stamkos, 11; Assists: Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay), 20; Time on ice: Rasmus Ristolainen (Buffalo), 27:39; Goals-against average: Michal Neuvirth (Philadelphia), 1.36; Save percentage: Neuvirth, .957.
GAME OF THE WEEK
Derek Stepan and the winless Arizona Coyotes visit the struggling Rangers on Thursday night in Stepan's return to Madison Square Garden for the first time since being dealt by New York in the offseason.
Bryant, who has been suspended twice for violations of the NFL's substance-abuse policy, has 1,548 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns in 28 care
Martavis Bryant has been surrounded by controversy this week, and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin found a punishment for his beleaguered star wideout.
The Steelers have won two straight games, but could be short-handed on offense Sunday against the Detroit Lions.
" Bryant told reporters,Womens Harrison Smith Jersey, which is fine,Authentic Stefon Diggs Jersey,"I'm not playing Sunday,Authentic Brandin Cooks Jersey, via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
"I'm not tripping. It is what it is.”
after hauling in just three receptions the last two weeks,Bryant, told ESPN Tuesday that he would be open to a trade if his role does not change.
Tomlin then fired back,Womens Stefon Diggs Jersey, saying Bryant is not available via trade and that he would eventually speak with the 25-year-old about his ongoing issues.
" Bryant said of the trade request. "Right now I'm here,Authentic Sam Bradford Jersey, "I'm going to see what happens,Authentic Harrison Smith Jersey,so I'm going to play hard and finish strong and see what happens. That's all I can focus on right now.
I'm going to work my butt off here and whatever happens,Womens Sam Bradford Jersey,"If I'm not traded,Authentic Drew Brees Jersey, happens. You're not going to hear me complaining or nothing anymore. I'm just going to be quiet and let everything fall into place."
Bryant was also forced to back away from comments on his Instagram account,Womens Drew Brees Jersey, questioning the talent of team-mate JuJu Smith-Schuster. He claimed the two receivers were just competitors.
" Bryant said. "Me and him are brothers. We both think we're one of the best to play the game,Womens Brandin Cooks Jersey, it wasn't like that,"As far as the situation with Juju, and if you don't think that then why play it?"
Christian Hackenberg did his best Matt Ryan impression. Last week,Authentic Leonard Williams Jersey,On Wednesday, it was Jay Cutler. The week before that was Tom Brady.
This is life for the second-year Jets quarterback right now. He and Bryce Petty split duties as the scout-team quarterback in practice,Authentic Joe Namath Jersey, giving the Jets starting defense practice against that week’s opponent’s offense. Hackenberg likes studying the opponent and trying to give the Jets defense an accurate look to practice against. Some quarterbacks are tougher to emulate than others.
who is a bit more mobile than Hackenberg. “We’ve got scramble drills and it’s like,” Hackenberg said,Authentic Howie Long Jersey, referring to Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor,Authentic Khalil Mack Jersey,“Tyrod’s tough,Authentic Derek Carr Jersey, ‘Come on now.’”
“Come on now” to the Jets coaches. Sunday marks the halfway point of his second year in the NFL. Hackenberg has yet to take a snap in the regular season. He has been active for just two games in his career — the final game of last season and the first game of this season. In both instances,You might expect Hackenberg to be saying, Petty was injured.
But Hackenberg remains upbeat. There is no sense of frustration with him.
“Obviously you want to play,Womens Joe Namath Jersey, ” Hackenberg said. “Every guy in this locker room wants to play. Everyone is competitive. You need to be able to take a step back. I’ve said it over and over. There are multiple cases of quarterbacks who have sat and watched and learned and when they get their opportunity they roll. There’s a million different ways to skin this cat. That’s been proven over time.”
though. Of the 10 quarterbacks drafted in the first five rounds last year,Hackenberg is correct. People can point to Aaron Rodgers or Carson Palmer as quarterbacks who benefited from time on the bench before starting. Those days in the NFL seem to be fading, only Hackenberg has not played. Four rookie quarterbacks have already started this season.
just in general, you’ve got to play now,Womens Leonard Williams Jersey,people have that perception that you’ve got to go in,Authentic Bo Jackson Jersey, you’ve got to have success now,Womens Bo Jackson Jersey,“I think,Womens Howie Long Jersey, you’ve got to do this now,Womens Khalil Mack Jersey,” Hackenberg said. “Sometimes it works out that way. Sometimes it doesn’t. Just being as positive as you can throughout that path and then understanding that my path isn’t going to be the same as someone else’s and someone else’s isn’t going to be the same as mine. I just need to do what I’ve got to do with my opportunities when they come. That’s kind of how I look at it.”
though. Petty jumped Hackenberg on the depth chart after training camp,Womens Derek Carr Jersey,Some Jets fans are wondering when that next opportunity will come for Hackenberg. The belief entering this season was that Josh McCown was merely a placeholder before the team went to Hackenberg to see what the young quarterback was capable of. Two things have muddled the picture, pushing Hackenberg to the No. 3 spot. The other development has been the play of McCown. The 38-year-old has played well and has the Jets at an unexpected 3-4. The discussion of when to look ahead to 2018 has been delayed.
“Patience is the name of the game right now,” Hackenberg said. “It’s just not my time yet. I’m just going to continue to keep working and look forward to that next opportunity and be able to go with it. Every day is a learning experience whether in the classroom or even on Sundays. You can learn a lot on Sundays watching.”
McCown said he’s been impressed with how hard Hackenberg works. He said Hackenberg does extra throwing on Mondays when the team does not practice and is constantly trying to improve.
“At some point, he’ll get an opportunity, who knows when it will be,” McCown said. “I always tell young quarterbacks it’s not ‘if’ because you are going to get an opportunity. That’s how this league works. When you do, are you ready? How prepared can you be? He’s doing a good job of keeping himself as ready as possible.”
The New York Rangers needed nine games to find their second win of the season.
the Rangers will attempt to win consecutive games for the first time this season when they host the San Jose Sharks.,authentic Anze Kopitar jersey,On Monday
depending on the perspective) with a 4-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Saturday afternoon.,adidas Anze Kopitar jersey,The Rangers (2-5-2) snapped a five-game losing streak (or extended their points streak to three games
Jesper Fast and Jimmy Vesey -- finally scored their first goals of the season and now the Rangers are looking to build on a win over the final two games of this six-game homestand.,Three players -- Chris Kreider
"We talked about it the last couple of games -- we were one play away from getting a win, but it in the end it comes down to winning games.," Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. "You can do so many good things to try to get confidence and try to get a good feeling in here
"But this was coming. We've had a couple of games now where we've been close and it was just a matter of time. Finally, take a deep breath and then we go after another two points on Monday.",adidas Jaromir Jagr jersey, we get the two points here
The Rangers are hardly in a position to take anyone lightly but the Sharks (3-4-0) have struggled to find consistency this season and will be playing a third road game in four nights when they touch the ice at Madison Square Garden. They are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Islanders in Brooklyn that saw them allow three goals in the third period.
The Sharks also have their share of players off to slow starts. Mikkel Boedker has just one goal in seven games while defenseman Brent Burns has zero goals in seven games after scoring 29 last season on the way to a Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman. He had just two points in six games before picking up two assists against the Islanders.
"I'm not worried about it at all,authentic Drew Doughty jersey," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer told the San Jose Mercury News. "He's getting some really good looks. They're going to go in eventually. We're only seven games in."
"He wants to score and I'm sure he feels some pressure from the numbers he put up last year,authentic Jonathan Quick jersey," Sharks center Logan Couture told the Mercury News. "But he made some great looks and the puck's eventually going to start to go in for him."
The Rangers will get a road-weary Sharks team but they will have to avoid a letdown after a hard-fought win.
" Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said after his team beat the Predators. "I mean,adidas Dustin Brown jersey, obviously we felt we deserved a better outcome, especially in the last three games. The process was there,adidas Jonathan Quick jersey,"I don't think relief is the right word, authentic Dustin Brown jersey,the work was there."
and we haven't been doing that a lot,authentic Jaromir Jagr jersey,"You definitely enjoy winning,adidas Drew Doughty jersey," Hayes told the New York Post. "Hopefully this is a springboard to a lot more."
Running back Marshawn Lynch formally appealed his one-game suspension on Monday afternoon.
The Raiders hope to hear a ruling by Tuesday.
"I think we expect to hear something early in the week,Authentic DeShone Kizer Jersey," head coach Jack Del Rio said in a Monday press conference. "(It) would be the fairest thing so that the team can prepare.", hopefully by tomorrow
according to an ESPN report. The Raiders should know by Tuesday whether Lynch's suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct will stand.,That's the expectation
The suspension stems from a Thursday night incident where he left the sidelines to join an on-field fracas involving Raiders offensive linemen and Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters. The third-year pro was penalized for a late hit on Raiders quarterback Derek Carr his linemen didn't take kindly.
and Lynch instinctively went out to protect someone he views as family. He inadvertently grabbed an official by the jersey and let go shortly after. He was flagged and ejected by rule.,Authentic John Ross Jersey,Peters and Lynch are extremely close friends and Oakland natives
He missed most of Thursday's 31-30 victory over the Chiefs,Authentic A.J. Green Jersey, and the NFL suspended him one game without pay on Friday. That could cost Lynch a $79,Womens DeShone Kizer Jersey,411 game check and a $31,250 per-game roster bonus.
ESPN reports that Peters by phone spoke at Lynch's appeal hearing,Authentic Barry Sanders Jersey, where the running back's team also cited precedent of others contacting an official without getting suspended. Leaving the sideline, however, may not help his appeal.
Del Rio said he hadn't spoken with Lynch since the ejection.
" Del Rio said. "It's something we talk about – don't leave the bench area.",Womens A.J. Green Jersey, "I said the other night I was disappointed that we had a player leave the bench
and combined for 67 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The pair with shoulder a rushing load Sunday at Buffalo if Lynch is unavailable.,Womens Barry Sanders Jersey, The Raiders ran with Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington after Lynch's ejection
"They don't have the size and the power but they have a little more quickness,Womens John Ross Jersey,things like so,Authentic Jim Brown Jersey, they catch the ball a little easier,Womens Jim Brown Jersey,better route-runners," Del Rio said. "So, if you're playing a little more wide open, in some respects they give you a little more juice. Marshawn give you the power back when you want to finish people and in tough situations. Those guys give you more than a change of pace."
Running back Marshawn Lynch formally appealed his one-game suspension on Monday afternoon.
The Raiders hope to hear a ruling by Tuesday.
"I think we expect to hear something early in the week, hopefully by tomorrow,Womens Allen Robinson Jersey," head coach Jack Del Rio said in a Monday press conference. "(It) would be the fairest thing so that the team can prepare."
according to an ESPN report. The Raiders should know by Tuesday whether Lynch's suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct will stand.,Authentic Dan Fouts Jersey,That's the expectation
The suspension stems from a Thursday night incident where he left the sidelines to join an on-field fracas involving Raiders offensive linemen and Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters. The third-year pro was penalized for a late hit on Raiders quarterback Derek Carr his linemen didn't take kindly.
and Lynch instinctively went out to protect someone he views as family. He inadvertently grabbed an official by the jersey and let go shortly after. He was flagged and ejected by rule.,Peters and Lynch are extremely close friends and Oakland natives
He missed most of Thursday's 31-30 victory over the Chiefs,Womens Melvin Ingram Jersey, and the NFL suspended him one game without pay on Friday. That could cost Lynch a $79,411 game check and a $31,250 per-game roster bonus.
ESPN reports that Peters by phone spoke at Lynch's appeal hearing, where the running back's team also cited precedent of others contacting an official without getting suspended. Leaving the sideline, however,Authentic Allen Robinson Jersey,may not help his appeal.
Del Rio said he hadn't spoken with Lynch since the ejection.
" Del Rio said. "It's something we talk about – don't leave the bench area.",Womens Joey Bosa Jersey,"I said the other night I was disappointed that we had a player leave the bench
and combined for 67 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The pair with shoulder a rushing load Sunday at Buffalo if Lynch is unavailable.,Authentic Melvin Ingram Jersey,Authentic Dalvin Cook Jersey,The Raiders ran with Jalen Richard and DeAndre Washington after Lynch's ejection
they catch the ball a little easier,Womens Dalvin Cook Jersey, better route-runners," Del Rio said. "So, things like so,Authentic Joey Bosa Jersey, "They don't have the size and the power but they have a little more quickness, if you're playing a little more wide open,Womens Dan Fouts Jersey, in some respects they give you a little more juice. Marshawn give you the power back when you want to finish people and in tough situations. Those guys give you more than a change of pace."
The NFL Referees Association is fighting back against what it says are allegations of bias in officiating.
The NFLRA sent out a statement about "false reports,Authentic Lawrence Taylor Jersey, complaints of officiating bias." The first line refers to "media reports alleging bias in officiating."
000 signatures on the petition to keep referee Pete Morelli from officiating another game involving the Eagles,Womens Lawrence Taylor Jersey, What they could be referring to is a petition on change.org, started by a Philadelphia Eagles fan following last week's game against the Carolina Panthers. Will Philbrick is trying to get 75, and he's closing in on that number.
the Eagles were flagged a total of 40 times for 396 yards,Authentic Odell Beckham Jr Jersey,“NFL Referee Pete Morelli has a clear and statistically obvious bias against the Philadelphia Eagles,Authentic Michael Thomas Jersey,” Philbrick wrote on the page. “Over the last four games that he has officiated that the Eagles were playing in,Authentic Landon Collins Jersey, while the Eagles opponent in those games were flagged a mere 8 times for 74 yards. This is unacceptable and puts the Philadelphia Eagles at a disadvantage. Preventing Morelli from refereeing Eagles games will result in a more trustworthy and honest NFL. This will benefit the entire league and keep all claims of conspiracy to a normal level.”
The NFLRA points out in the statement that officiating crews are made up of different officials each season and that the "attempts to sensationalize statistics and create click-bait headlines lack important context."
“Claims like these demonstrate a fundamental lack of knowledge about NFL officiating,” NFLRA Executive Director Scott Green said in the statement. “NFL officials are graded on every call made in every game. Missing a single one can hurt his or her ranking and may be the difference between working in the postseason or not.”
Philadelphia won the game that seemed to push Philbrick to start the petition,Womens Odell Beckham Jr Jersey, 28-23 against the Carolina Panthers last Thursday. But the Eagles were penalized 10 times for 126 yards and the Panthers once for 1 yard.
“The passion of NFL fans and teams are a big part of what makes the game so great,Womens Landon Collins Jersey,” Green said. “However,Womens Michael Thomas Jersey,it’s no excuse for the irresponsible and baseless claims we’ve seen lately. NFL officials are committed to upholding the integrity of the game and do so every week.”
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) -- Austin Seferian-Jenkins limped out of Gillette Stadium last Christmas Eve and worried about his uncertain future.
The New York Jets tight end was dealing with demons in his personal life, and his body was betraying him. Just three years into his NFL career, Seferian-Jenkins' life was spinning out of control.
''I'm lucky to be here,'' he said after practice earlier this week. ''The last time I played the Patriots, I pulled my hamstring and I thought that was the last time I was ever going to play football. I'm thankful for the opportunity that I was able to play them and I'm thankful for everything that's happened.''
Just 10 months after that game in New England, Seferian-Jenkins is in the middle of a massive comeback story.
On the field - and, more importantly, off it.
He's second on the team with 23 catches, already a career high despite him being suspended the first two games of the season for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy last year.
''He worked on himself all offseason, especially when you have things go bad for you, and that's tough to do,'' coach Todd Bowles said. ''But I'm happy for him. He's the kind of guy you root for.''
That hasn't always been the case for the 25-year-old Seferian-Jenkins, who a year ago was dealing with having been arrested for a DUI - resulting in the two-game suspension - and subsequently getting cut by Tampa Bay after being a second-round pick out of the University of Washington in the 2014 draft.
The Jets took a chance on him, claiming him off waivers and giving him an opportunity to clean up his life and rejuvenate what was once a promising career.
He made little impact on the offense last season, though, finishing with just 10 catches for 110 yards while dealing with a few injuries. But the hamstring issue that ended his season in Week 16 became a defining moment for him.
''I just felt like I was done playing, I was like,'' Seferian-Jenkins recalled. ''Life was like a really hard thing for me to grasp and deal with, personally. I know a lot of people can relate to that, how their life sometimes is hard. You have difficult patches in life and sometimes you don't feel like you can get through those. I just felt like that at that point in my life,Womens Cam Newton Jersey, I wanted to get my life together more than anything.
''If that meant not playing football anymore,Womens Mitchell Trubiskyn Jersey, that meant not playing football anymore.''
Instead, football became part of the rehabilitation process for Seferian-Jenkins.
and that included making himself healthier,Authentic Walter Payton Jersey,He followed a strict plan to beat his alcohol addiction, both physically and mentally. The big tight end went out to the Las Vegas area during the offseason and worked out several times a week, reshaping his body and dropping 30-plus pounds from his 6-foot-5 frame.
he looked like a different guy. At 262 pounds,By the time he showed up for offseason workouts with his teammates this spring, he was lighter, faster and stronger.
I'm happy,''As a person,'' he said. ''I've done all those things and football's never really been a hard thing for me. It's like the off-the-field stuff like life that's kind of been the tough thing for me. Once I got that handled, I got the life part of it figured out, the football stuff's easy.''
Seferian-Jenkins opened up during the spring about his battles with alcohol addiction and the struggles he had in the past. He focuses now only on the present.
Seferian-Jenkins declared that he would have the best season of his NFL career. It took just four games for him to achieve that goal.,During the spring
but right now,Womens Jordan Howard Jersey, ''I know that I wasn't fulfilling what I was capable of in the past,Womens Walter Payton Jersey, I'm here and I don't want to say I'm content,'' he said. ''I've done some good things. I've definitely missed some opportunities since I've been back. There's a bunch of room to improve and so many things I can improve on, which is really cool.''
Those things include run blocking, running routes and route discipline - tools of the trade., pass blocking
he leads all NFL tight ends in receptions during that span.,He has 152 yards receiving and two touchdowns this season while becoming an integral part of John Morton's offense. Seferian-Jenkins' 23 catches are just three fewer than Jets tight ends had in the past two seasons combined. In the past four weeks
'' said quarterback Josh McCown,''It's a complete 180 from where he was,Womens Luke Kuechly Jersey, who played with him in Tampa Bay in 2014. ''The biggest thing is just his attitude, his overall approach when it comes to work and his consistency.''
Seferian-Jenkins nearly had his third TD catch of the season - and second of the game - in the Jets' 24-17 loss to the Patriots last Sunday. But his 4-yard score was overturned and called a fumble and a touchback as officials ruled that he briefly lost control of the ball and didn't regain control until he was out of bounds in the end zone.
He thought he scored,Authentic Cam Newton Jersey,saying he needed to work on controlling the ball better., Authentic Mitchell Trubiskyn Jersey,but never criticized the officials
By Wednesday,Authentic Luke Kuechly Jersey,preferring instead to focus on the Jets' matchup with the Dolphins in Miami on Sunday., Seferian-Jenkins was done answering questions about the play
And being better tomorrow than he was today.
''I just want to be the best tight end I can be and be the most complete tight end,Authentic Jordan Howard Jersey, ''and be the best tight end the Jets have ever had.'','' Seferian-Jenkins said
When the NBA season tips off on Tuesday night,Womens Julio Jones Jersey, nobody else even has a tiny bit of a chance), we’ll have a good idea who will win the championship in June. Sorry to Oklahoma City,Authentic Jim Kelly Jersey, Houston,Authentic LeSean McCoy Jersey, San Antonio,Authentic Christian McCaffrey Jersey, Boston or Cleveland (and clearly, but the Golden State Warriors are going to win unless something weird happens.
That’s practically the opposite of the NFL right now.
Some fans like it when a league has a few great teams,Womens Christian McCaffrey Jersey, if you prefer parity, or even one great team heading for a coronation. It will be entertaining to watch a fun Warriors club win it all. However, the NFL in 2017 is your league. Everything changes from week to week.
a few teams usually stand out. Who those teams are might change from year to year,The term “parity” has been used ad nauseam to describe the NFL for decades now. It was commissioner Pete Rozelle’s dream and it has become a foundation of the league. The draft, free agency, revenue sharing and the salary cap have made sure teams from Green Bay can compete on an even playing field with teams from New York. Despite that, but a few always rise to the top. That might not happen this season.
Of the 14 games in Week 6, and the Texans over the Browns (the Browns have never gotten the invitation to the parity party). There’s no sure thing in the NFL this season. Whatever conclusions you came to about various teams Sunday probably won’t carry over. That’s not bad, nine of them were won straight up by the underdog. That included shocking upsets by the Bears, Dolphins and Giants. Even big underdogs like the Jets and 49ers came close to winning. The favorite covered three point spreads: the Saints over the Lions, the Titans over the Colts in a game that was close throughout,Authentic Julio Jones Jersey,necessarily.
Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com pointed out, 25 teams either lead their division or are within one loss of the division leader. And we’re more than a third of the way through the season. The beauty of the NFL is that most teams’ fans are still engaged. Almost every team has some hope. Far more teams have at least a small shot of winning a Super Bowl than ever before at this point in a season. There are many good teams,Womens Devonta Freeman Jersey, and absolutely no favorite.
The NFL’s extreme parity this season leaves us without even one great team,Womens Jim Kelly Jersey, at least to this point. That’s not a knock on the league. It’s great for the NFL’s product that so many teams are competitive. Every game has intrigue. But if you’re looking for your Golden State Warriors of this NFL season,Womens LeSean McCoy Jersey, you’ll be looking for a while.
Many thought the Patriots would be that dominant team (I definitely did; the Patriots’ ongoing mediocrity is baffling) but they haven’t been great yet. Neither have the Steelers, Seahawks or any other team that was considered a contender before the season. The Packers looked like they could reach that level, Falcons, Cowboys, Raiders, but then Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone. So much for that.
Every team in the NFL is competent, but they have wins over the Steelers and Ravens, except the Browns. The 49ers are 0-6, but they have lost their past five games by 13 combined points. The Giants were getting slammed all last week after an 0-5 start, and they beat a tough Broncos team in Denver. The Chargers were 0-4, but they’ve won two straight road games. Everyone says the Bears are awful,Authentic Devonta Freeman Jersey, and should have beat the Falcons if not for some dropped passes in the end. Nobody is that bad.
There are no pseudo bye weeks against Rutgers or Kansas in the NFL. Don’t bemoan the lack of a great team without acknowledging that the “bad” teams in the league are still good – except, the Browns. And even the Browns lost by only three points to a Steelers team that just won a road game at the Chiefs, of course, who were the last undefeated team in the NFL.
This is the NFL in 2017. It’s no more predictable than a spin of the roulette wheel.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Wesley Woodyard squatted and folded his arms as his Tennessee teammates bowed in front of the veteran linebacker near midfield in celebration,Authentic Bo Jackson Jersey, deserving every bit of the attention.
Woodyard had just forced Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett out of bounds shy of the first down marker on fourth-and-inches, sealing the Titans' 36-22 win Monday night over Indianapolis.
It ended the Titans' 11-game skid to their AFC South rivals — the one tied for the longest active drought against one team in the NFL. Cleveland now has lone possession of that mark against Denver.
but this was definitely a must-win,"We feel like every game's a must-win," said Woodyard, especially with the 11-game streak on the line, who also had a team-high eight tackles and recovered a fumble. "We came in and answered the call."
The Titans (3-3) next head to winless Cleveland for a chance to move above .500 before their bye.
Still waiting for Andrew Luck, the Colts (2-4) have yet to beat a team with a win this season. Indianapolis has been outscored 85-22 in fourth quarters, and coach Chuck Pagano had to answer for another head-scratching finish this week. His Colts led 19-15 going into the fourth only to be outscored 21-3.
"We have to figure it out," Pagano said.
Here are some things to know about the Colts and Titans:
MARCUS MARIOTA
Mariota played with a strained left hamstring that kept him out of last week's loss in Miami, and the Titans quarterback was careful about it. The Colts sacked him once and hit him six times, but Mariota shuffled around the pocket to throw for a season-high 306 yards. His 53-yard touchdown with 5:29 left to a wide-open Taywan Taylor put the Titans ahead to stay.
"He's a tough guy, to come out here and play and lead us to a win against a good division opponent. All credit goes to him. That shows what type of leader he is,Authentic Joe Namath Jersey," Titans running back Derrick Henry said. "To come out there at not even 100 percent, what type of guy he is and how great he is.
SMASH MOUTH
The Titans ran for 168 yards with Henry turning in his best game yet in the NFL. He ran 19 times for 131 yards and provided the final margin by running 72 yards for a TD inside the final minute.
"My goal was to get a first down,Authentic Leonard Williams Jersey, 'I've got to go for it.'",Authentic Howie Long Jersey," Henry said. "We knew they were out of timeouts, so if we get the first down,Authentic Khalil Mack Jersey, and I'm like, that ends the game. But when I got past the safety,Authentic Derek Carr Jersey, I saw grass
CONTAINING HILTON
limiting the Colts' star receiver to a single catch for 19 yards. The three-time Pro Bowl selection had 12 catches for 230 yards and two touchdowns in the Colts' two victories over the Titans last season.,Womens Khalil Mack Jersey,The Titans finally figured out how to slow down T.Y. Hilton
we were going to do that.",Womens Howie Long Jersey,"He's a game-wrecker, he can change the game, we're going to do. If it was taking two of our guys to cover him," Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. "Whatever we can do to take him out of the game
SUCCOP'S RECORD STREAK
Titans kicker Ryan Succop set an NFL record by making his 47th straight field-goal attempt from inside 50 yards. He then made four more field goals from that distance to extend his streak to 51. Succop had been tied coming into the game for the NFL record with Atlanta's Matt Bryant, Womens Joe Namath Jersey,40 and 23 yards out., Womens Derek Carr Jersey, who made 46 straight kicks from inside 50 yards from 2013-15. Succop made two 48-yarders and also connected from 32
"I'm so humbled," Succop said., Womens Bo Jackson Jersey,and I feel so blessed
AFC SOUTH
The Colts find themselves looking up at the rest of the division," Mularkey said. "No other ultimatum. That was it. Get the win.",Womens Leonard Williams Jersey,and the Titans now are tied with Jacksonville and Houston at 3-3 with a 2-1 mark in the division that matches their win total for all of last season. "That was the whole objective to get a division win