If the Falcons don’t swap away their second rounder Youth Tony Gonzalez Jersey , history suggests quality will be available."Over the weekend, we took a closer look at some of the great players who have been available at #14, where the Falcons are currently poised to pick in the first round. Today, we’ll dive into the second round and #47 overall to see who teams have been able to dig up since 2000. 2018: WR Christian Kirk, Arizona2017: LB Tyus Bowser, Baltimore2016: WR Michael Thomas, New Orleans2015: CB Eric Rowe, Philadelphia2014: DE Trent Murphy, Washington2013: TE Gavin Escobar, Dallas2012: LB Bobby Wagner, Seattle2011: TE Lance Kendricks, St. Louis (Rams)2010: LB Daryl Washington, Arizona2009: S Mike Mitchell, Oakland2008: DT Trevor Laws, Eagles2007: LB David Harris, New York Jets2006: G Daryn Colledge, Green Bay2005: K Mike Nugent, New York Jets2004: DT Tank Johnson, Chicago2003: LB Kawika Mitchell Stitched Deion Sanders Jersey , Kansas City2002: WR Andre Davis, Cleveland2001: LB Jamie Winborn, San Francisco2000: WR Jerry Porter, OaklandGoing back to 2010, this has been a pretty hit or miss grouping that has nonetheless turned up a fair number of quailty players. Michael Thomas is a star (except when his team really needs him to make a play on the ball in the Conference Championship game), Wagner is one of the better linebackers in football, and Washington was a very good player for several years. Murphy, Rowe, Bowser, and Kendricks have had their moments, and I’m quite high on Christian Kirk, so it’s clear you can unearth quality players with the 47th pick in the NFL Draft. Going back to 2000 the pickings are a little slimmer, but Mitchell, Porter, and Colledge turned into quality pros and grabbing a kicker in the second round is always hilarious. If the Falcons don’t swap away their second to move up in pursuit of a player they love, they should be able to snag two starters in the first two rounds. The depth in this class and the team’s ability to snag quality in the second round—minus the character problems they’ve experienced with some of their recent second rounders—give us reason to be hopeful if they’re not on the move. If the opportunity presents itself, the Falcons could bolster their pass rush with their third first round pick at the position since Dan Quinn arrived."If the Falcons sink a third first round pick into defensive end under Dan Quinn, the pressure will be on immediately for that player to perform well. Whether he does or not could make the difference between the rise of a quality Falcons defense or the team’s inability to become one. Today, we’ll take a look at that potential outcome. Who might the Falcons take? The two big names here (besides Nick Bosa and Josh Allen Youth Deion Sanders Jersey , who will go too early) are Brian Burns and Montez Sweat. Burns is knocked for being Vic Beasley 2.0 by fans who are justifiably concerned about a repeat but probably haven’t seen the man play enough, while Sweat isn’t quite as polished a product but is a monster in the making in the mold of John Abraham. If those players are gone, Clelin Ferrell from Clemson has less upside but a high floor, and could be the selection at #14. What does it mean for the roster in 2019?A crowded, potentially terrific rotation of defensive ends. It’s worth noting that Takkarist McKinley has shown stretches of absolutely filthy ability and is heading into his third year with a coach with massive incentive to ensure he succeeds, Vic Beasley was graded by Pro Football Focus as the worst defensive end in the NFL last year and has virtually nowhere to go but up, and Adrian Clayborn is at worst a solid, well-rounded player capable of playing quality snaps. Add a promising rookie pass rusher to that grouping and the best case scenario is havoc, and that’s not even accounting for the promise as a run stopper we saw from Steven Means last year. Even if the group turns out to be closer to middling, it’s not like the Falcons are going to be hurt by the addition of fresh legs and athleticism to the group. I’d be bullish on more than that, though. What does it mean long-term?An awful lot, potentially. The Falcons will be heading into Takkarist McKinley’s fourth season in 2020 and will be considering picking up his fifth year option, which hopefully will be an easy call. Vic Beasley will be a free agent, as will Adrian Clayborn and Steven Means. That means the situation could be dire again next year from a numbers perspective.That changes significantly if the Falcons make a first round investment at defensive end and snag a pass rusher with promise. A step forward from Takk and that player, while a bit of a leap from where we stand today, would set the Falcons up with two promising young starters and allow them to build from there minus Beasley’s $12.8 million salary, which is obvious a stumbling block to major signings in 2019. Nailing this pick sets the Falcons up to have the kind of end tandem they were supposed to have with John Abraham/Jamaal Anderson, John Abraham/Ray Edwards, or even Takk/Vic. The Falcons can’t let the uneven results of their last two first round investments at end scare them away from trying again Stitched Steve Bartkowski Jersey , assuming there are players they love enough to invest in. What are the opportunity costs? At this point, the answer to that should be obvious. There are quality tackle prospects later on, but there’s almost certainly a top one sitting at 14 when the Falcons pick, and they’ll be passing that up. They could be passing up a top defensive tackle if one falls, too.More to the point, there’s the opportunity costs both past and present that come with sinking three first rounders into the same position group. The Falcons were hoping and praying that Beasley and McKinley would be the kind of destructive duo they’ve lacked for a long time now, but Beasley’s fallen from grace over four seasons and figures to be difficult to re-sign if he has a great season, leaving McKinley as the building block here. If he doesn’t reach his potential—and especially if another first rounder at DE doesn’t—it could well cost this regime their jobs and set this defense back even further. That last scenario can’t be dismissed, given this team’s seemingly endless struggles to find a player who even approximates John Abraham’s talent at defensive end, and it represents real costs for a team that could have been building other parts of its defense or offensive line in recent years. Should the Falcons do it? If the right player is available, my answer is still a resounding yes. The definition of insanity is said to be doing the same thing over and over again, but that only applies when the chances of payoff are remote. The chances of the Falcons snagging a useful pass rusher in the first round at some point aren’t all that remote—Beasley has been that guy on occasion, McKinley has shown flashes and still has plenty of time—and this team needs better players up front to realize its potential on defense, potential that may otherwise sadly be wasted. If they like Burns, Sweat, or someone we haven’t linked to them and are confident in their evaluation, a defensive end at 14 would be an easy selection to defend, and one that could help transform the defense at last.

The Panthers’ sophomore wide receiver has shown flashes that give fans hope that he’ll put it all together in year three."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomPanthers 2018 season review: Curtis SamuelNew Stitched Julius Peppers Jersey ,14commentsThe Panthers’ sophomore wide receiver has shown flashes that give fans hope that he’ll put it all together in year three. ESTShareTweetShareSharePanthers 2018 season review: Curtis SamuelBob Donnan-USA TODAY SportsCurtis Samuel was a much better wide receiver for the Panthers in year two than he was in year one, but that isn’t saying much. He was a frequent absentee during camp and the preseason of his rookie year due to various ailments. When he played, he wasn’t great. When the regular season started, he didn’t play. The assumption was that he was still getting up to speed with all the things required of a rookie learning the NFL game. As the season went on, the coaching staff carved out some snaps for him, but they rarely amounted to much until the Monday night clash with the Miami Dolphins. Unfortunately for Samuel Youth Da’Norris Searcy Jersey , that night, and his season, were cut short due to a broken ankle he sustained early in the second half.2018 was going to be different. Samuel would come back healthy and be the speedy deep threat the Panthers missed when Ted Ginn Jr. left for New Orleans. The Panthers were finally going to have a dynamic threat in the middle of the field and a guy that could make plays with the ball in his hands. And then there was another medical problem. Samuel’s strong preseason was immediately succeeded by a minor surgery to address a heart murmur. He would again miss key reps early in the season. When he returned and got back up to speed, he was good, but he still has a long way to go. In the 2018 season, Samuel caught 39 of 65 targets for 494 yards and five touchdowns. He also carried the ball eight times for 84 yards and two scores. Samuel showed some surprising ability to high point contested catches deep down the field Blue James Bradberry Jersey , something that wasn’t supposed to be in his repertoire coming out of Ohio State. He was also dynamic in space as a ball carrier, like in this run against the Buccaneers. He had back to back 80+ yard receiving games in early December and showed his home run hitting prowess with a 53 yard touchdown against the Saints. But he still has a ways to go before he can be counted on as a reliable difference maker. He still displays poor catch technique, particularly when the ball is close to his body (He’s great when he’s forced to extend). He’s been downright bad after the catch- he had 102 yards after catch on 39 receptions (2.61 per catch) in 2018. For comparison, known YAC machine Greg Olsen had 91 yards of YAC on 27 receptions (3.37 per catch) coming off a broken foot. He still hasn’t shaken the injury bug- he started showing up on the injury report late in the season with hamstring troubles. There are reasons to like Samuel’s game and be optimistic about his future. He’s a deep threat with speed to burn, he’s still very young, and he had some strong moments in 2018. There are also reasons to be bearish on his ability to make a consistent impact for the Panthers. He has a lot of holes in his game James Bradberry Jersey 2019 , and he needs to prove he can stay healthy long enough to fix those holes.As is the case with many NFL prospects, year three looks like the make or break year for him. The Panthers have added a familiar face to the running back room on a one-year deal."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Keep Sounding PodcastPanthers 2019 NFL DraftCSR Film RoomCarolina Panthers free agency 2019Carolina Panthers re-sign running back Cameron Artis-Payne to one-year contractNew,187commentsThe Panthers have added a familiar face to the running back room on a one-year deal.EDTShareTweetShareShareCarolina Panthers re-sign running back Cameron Artis-Payne to one-year contractThe Carolina Panthers have re-signed free agent running back Cameron Artis-Payne to a one-year contract, the team has announced.Artis-Payne is excited to stay in Carolina for one more year.The Panthers drafted Artis-Payne in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft and he has been used as a backup option to Jonathan Stewart and Christian McCaffrey ever since. He only has 118 carries for 491 yards and five touchdowns since joining the Panthers, but when he does get a chance to play he shows positive traits that would normally encourage the coaches to give him more playing time. For unknown reasons, however Stitched Da’Norris Searcy Jersey , that additional playing time has never materialized.Unless this is a super cheap one-year deal, this is a puzzling move by the Panthers since the coaching staff never uses Artis-Payne on game day unless a minimum of four other running backs have been injured. I guess Ron Rivera wants to take an opportunity to get another look at what CAP can do for the Panthers this season. Whether we actually get that look or not is yet to be determined.What do you think, Panthers fans? Do you like this move? Share your thoughts with us.

Dumervil has a strong opinion on the recent trade"WhitePodcast Film Review 2019 NFL Draft Fanposts Fanshots Ravens StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Ravens ReportYahoo Ravens Depth ChartYahoo Ravens TransactionsYahoo Ravens PhotosAbout Odds Community Guidelines StubHub 鉁旻ormer Ravens LB Elvis Dumervil believes the Joe Flacco trade was a desperate move by John ElwayNew Justin Tucker Womens Jersey ,57commentsDumervil has a strong opinion on the recent tradeESTShareTweetShareShareFormer Ravens LB Elvis Dumervil believes the Joe Flacco trade was a desperate move by John ElwayKyle Terada-USA TODAY SportsFormer Ravens and Broncos LB Elvis Dumervil recently commented on the trade between his two former clubs.“It’s a big gamble—definitely desperate, no doubt,” Dumervil said. “It all depends on that running game and who is coaching them on the offensive side of the ball.”I’m completely in agreement with Dumervil for this part. As many of you know, I live right here in Colorado. I’ve experienced the years of everybody in this wonderful state praising Elway until their face turns blue. But I’m tired of hearing about the general manager who never prepared for a life without a Hall of Fame quarterback.After Manning retired, Elway attempted to sign Osweiler to a $13 million AAV contract in 2016. If not for the Texans inking Osweiler to a four-year/$72 million deal, we’d still be laughing about this. He acquired Paxton Lynch who has completely fizzled out of the league. Then, he signs Case Keenum to a two-year/$36 million deal. Yes, I know he signed Keenum as a stop-gap with upside but many critics knew Keenum wasn’t the reason for the Minnesota Vikings’ success. One year later, Elway trades for Flacco.So yes, the move is blatantly desperate and it’s not shade on Joe, it’s on Elway.Dumervil spent six seasons in Mile High before a bizarre fax machine mistake forced Denver to cut the pass rusher in 2013. After the mishap, Dumervil joined the Ravens on a five-year/$35 million deal (if he hit all incentives).Years later, after retiring in 2018 Youth Justin Tucker Jersey , the linebacker is sharing his opinions with TMZ Sports.“I think Joe Flacco needs an offensive guru,” Dumervil said. “I don’t think he really had that in Baltimore, to his credit. But I do feel that, if he doesn’t have a coach who can coach him—the Sean Payton’s, the Josh McDaniel’s, these kind of guys, he’s going to fail miserably in Denver.”I think a lot of what Dumervil said is true, though a bit more harsh than I’d state. Fans of Flacco and his time with the Ravens heralded the addition of Gary Kubiak; he brought the offense to new heights. The team leaned on the running game and Kubiak schemed to Flacco’s strong suits. The running game was heavily utilized (Justin Forsett had 1266 yds. and eight rushing touchdowns) and Flacco finished with 3986 passing yards, 27 passing touchdowns and only 12 interceptions. At the time, those were all career highs or tied for career highs for the quarterback.I believe Dumervil wasn’t trying to call out Flacco’s game. He was pointing towards Elway’s lack of plan after winning a championship with a top quarterback in NFL history. Now, he doesn’t have the advantages from years past and it’s showing. PITTSBURGH (4-2-1) at BALTIMORE (4-4)Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBSOPENING LINE — Ravens by 3RECORD VS. SPREAD — Steelers 4-3 Justin Tucker Men Jersey , Baltimore 4-4SERIES RECORD — Steelers lead 27-22LAST MEETING — Ravens beat Steelers 26-14, Sept. 30, 2018LAST WEEK — Steelers beat Browns 33-18, Ravens lost to Panthers 36-21AP PRO32 RANKING — Steelers No. 7, Ravens No. 16STEELERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (4), RUSH (22), PASS (2).STEELERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (15), RUSH (6), PASS (24).RAVENS OFFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (24), PASS (8).RAVENS DEFENSE — OVERALL (1), RUSH (15), PASS (3).STREAKS Color Rush Justin Tucker Jersey , STATS AND NOTES — Ravens seek first sweep in series since 2015. ... Thirteen games in rivalry decided by three points or fewer since 2008. ... Ravens K Justin 34 for 36 in FGs vs Pittsburgh. ... Baltimore QB Joe Flacco 11-12 as starter vs. Steelers including playoffs, with 28 TD passes and 16 INTs. ... Ravens 6-3 at home vs. Steelers under John Harbaugh, who started in 2008. ... Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger 12-9 vs Baltimore with 35 TDs and 23 INTs. ... Steelers WR Antonio Brown has 94 catches for 1,149 yards vs Ravens, but only four TDs. ... Steelers coach Mike Tomlin 12-12 in regular season vs Baltimore. ... Ravens have minus-4 turnover differential, Steelers minus-3. ... Pittsburgh seeks fourth straight victory. Last loss was to Baltimore. ... Steelers RB James Conner has 599 yards rushing with nine TDs, including 146 yards, 2 TDs last week vs Cleveland. ... Brown and Juju Smith-Shuster tied for team lead with 46 receptions. ... Ravens NFL-best 30-12 in November under Harbaugh, 18-3 at home ... Baltimore WR John Brown averaging 18.8 yards per catch. ... Ravens allowing NFL-low 17.1 points and 293.8 yards per game. ... Baltimore scored at least 21 in 16 of last 17 games. ... Ravens 61-22 at home under Harbaugh, 16-6 in last 22 vs AFC North. ... Baltimore LB Terrell Suggs ranks first on team career list with 131 sacks and 37 forced fumbles, second with 927 tackles. ... Tucker ranks first in NFL history with 90 percent FG success rate. Has made 225 of 226 XPs. ... Fantasy Tip: Roethlisberger has 8 TD throws and 1,539 yards passing in last five games vs Ravens.

Twitter reacts to the Arizona Cardinals 27-3 preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys on SNF The Arizona Cardinals saw How did Twitter react to the game?It started off with a moment of silence for the great Arizona Senator John McCain:RIP Youth Gabe Holmes Jersey , Senator and notable Arizona Cardinals fan.To begin, David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald were held out of playing, in addition to Josh Rosen, which was a surprise to some.Fellow starters DT Corey Peters, DT Robert Nkemdiche and DT Olsen Pierre had already been ruled out due to injury ahead of the game.The game re-debuted a much maligned...(or praised?) feature on 3rd down called “the green zone” that showed the entire distance to gain on 3rd down rather than not just a yellow line.It was met with a mixed response.It was met with a mixed response on social media:What are your thoughts on the new NBC graphic?Anyway, on to football:The game began with the Cardinals forcing a 3 and out of the Cowboys before taking over.With another J.J. Nelson drop on 2nd down:The Cardinals ended up forcing their 9TH turnover of the preseason on the ensuing punt, and took over on offense.That’s where the struggles began...Sam Bradford was under duress early and often, taking big hits fromboth D.J. Humphries and Andre Smith blowing the pass blocks.And then of course...To the chagrin of many Cardinals fans, Rosen was not bound to play after his injury (and considering the first team offensive line woes, perhaps it was for the best).Rosen ended up not playing in the game, but clearly he still managed to still find a way to enjoy himself:But with Rosen out of the picture, what narrative would rule the day?(Turnovers, of course).The sheer amount of turnovers was the story of the night, with a second fumbled punt by Dallas being housed by the Cardinals for 6.Listen below from former Colts punter Pat McAfee as he went viral praising Cardinals punter Andy Lee with one of the funniest color commentary bits you will have heard in a long time:And some more praise for the play of special teams as well:That would be #30 and special teams ace Rudy Ford, thank you.Not to be outdone by the transition team Stitched Justin Pugh Jersey , Patrick Peterson decided to welcome himself back to the discussion for “Best Corner in the NFL.” with a telegraphed interception for 6 points.It was all special teams and Cards D in Big D.The Cowboys offense got a few first downs and missed a few deep shots, but all in all it was a defensive game.Chase Edmonds, wonder rookie extraordinaire, showed what he can do when he gets some space up the middle in the running game.Edmonds ended with a solid day overall in relief of David Johnson Alright, it’s nearly halftime so stop me if you’ve heard this before but the Cardinals defense forced ANOTHER turnover...this time from Budda.That makes 5.Overall, it was a solid night with 6 defensive turnovers and two on special teams, with 14 points directly from those plays.Players with a takeaway in this game?Get ready for it....One player who did NOT have a takeaway (because they didn’t suit up) was a former 2016 3rd round cornerback:Ruh-roh.Most likely he was injured and not playing but in a make-or-break year for the guyAt halftime, it was tough not to throw a bit of shade at the Dallas Cowboys and their more recent quarterback history:So where was the offense in the game?Well, it finally came in the 3rd quarter from T.J. Logan in substituting for the injured D.J. Foster with a 59-yard dart right up the middle.Logan had a few times he looked electric on the night.And then, it was on to the 4th quarter.Which meant only one thing...Cap Capi, preseason sack master, was back-backey, forcing a strip-sack and fumble recovery and then celebrated in true “Dallas” fashion with the photo of the night:You rock that moment, Cap.Unfortunately, Capi ended up taking on an injury and came out of the game late Youth Justin Pugh Jersey , no new update on his status right now.Fans were dismayed.Fortunately, Cap seems like he’ll be alright as he tries to fight for a spot on the final 53:To sum up...You see this tweet below?The Cardinals just forced another turnover in the time it took to read that.8 in all for the game.Now, it’s just preseason.So there’s no room to truly overreact.But....!We’ll leave it on this note from the Cardinals’ play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch and former NFL star Reggie Bush:What are your thoughts?Are you buying into the defensive hype?Do you have concerns about the offense?Sound off in the comments below!She and Mr. Jones They’ve got a thing going on....Working in Foxboro, MA and living close to Gillette Stadium, I hear people talking all the time about the Patriots’ players. And one player in particular remains in a number of Patriots’ fans’ minds...Chandler Jones.Yes, there was the bizarre incident where on the eve of the playoffs in January of 2014 where early one morning Jones was found in sweat pants and no shirt kneeling in the parking lot of the police station. It appeared as if Jones was praying.When the police accosted him, Jones quickly identified himself and told them he was having a bad reaction to synthetic marijuana. The police quickly summoned the paramedics and declared the situation a “medical emergency.”Jones was brought by ambulance to Norwood Hospital, where he was treated and released a few hours later. He was never arrested and was not disciplined by the NFL for the incident.The main reason why Jones was able to quickly atone for his actions is that he was completely honest with the police and the Patriots. He immediately confessed, “I made a stupid mistake.” He never missed a practice. He started in that Saturday’s playoff game and impacted the outcome of the game with a forced fumble and a sack.Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft publicly came to Jones’ defense. “As Bill [Belichick] said, our players’ health and safety is by far and away the most paramount thing,” Kraft said. “Hopefully, anybody, whether in our organization or anywhere, when you feel at risk, you go to the police. So I think that’s a good thing.”When the Cardinals traded for Chandler Jones Stitched Pharoh Cooper Jersey , there was rampant speculations that Jones had grown out of favor with Belichick and Kraft. That actually was never the case. The first reason why they traded Jones is that they did not think they could afford to re-sign him, Dont’a Hightower and Jamie Collins to lucrative, market-value contract extensions. The second reason was that the Patriots needed the high draft pick, because they had just lost their first round pick in the wake of the Deflategate scandal. I can tell you that Patriots’ fans still regret that the Patriots let Jones go. Just as we have seen in Arizona, Jones was a popular, outgoing and gregarious player—-and fans still are piqued that the Patriots have still not acquired an edge rusher anywhere near his caliber.At Foxborough High School, I still see a number of students wearing Chandler Jones jerseys. He was—-and in some cases still is—-their favorite pass rusher.One day while shopping at the Foxborough Stop and Shop, while I was loading my groceries on the ckeck-out line, a slender, elderly woman with white, long, gossamer-like hair and an angelic face pulled her cart up next to mine. When I looked over at her, she smiled. Sometimes you just know when you are in the presence of someone special.We quickly struck up a conversation. When I told her that I am a teacher at the high school, she asked me if I knew of any way to contact Robert Kraft and Tom Brady. When I asked her why she wanted to contact Robert Kraft and Tom Brady, she said Youth Pharoh Cooper Jersey , “I lost my favoraite Patriots’ player, Chandler Jones, and he was my link to Kraft and Brady.”The lovely woman proceeded to tell me that she was a three time cancer survivor and that her main hobby is to knit sweaters for cancer patients. She said, “When I heard that Tom Brady’s mother was being treated for cancer, I knitted her a special sweater. Thus, I have been wanting to hand it over to Robert and Tom.”When I asked her how she knew Chandler Jones, she said she had met him one day right there at Stop and Shop. She had a feeling that he was a Patriot, so she approached him and asked. At that time the woman was fighting through her latest cancer scare and was wearing a bandana because she had lost all of her beautiful white hair as a result of the kemotherapy.“He was so sweet to me,” she recalled. “He asked me about my cancer and how I was doing with the treatments. And after our long conversation, he asked me for my phone number so that he could keep up to date with how I was doing.”“He called me every week for several months until my cancer was in full remission. A few times when I was at my worst, he brought me groceries. I was very sad when he told me they traded him. I miss him.”“I will never forget my good friend Mr. Chandler Jones,” she beamed. “He promised he will still call every now and then.”Sometimes a friendship is “much too strong—-to let it go.”

News Donovan Smith Jersey , notes, and tweets from Buccaneers training camp 7/29/18 It was another hot day for the Buccaneers during Sunday’s practice. The team immediately went to work for some 11-on-11 drills, but bad things seemed to happen right off the bat.Started off with a Ronald Jones II fumble......then an injury for rookie defensive tackle Vita Vea.Defensive line coach Brentson Buckner was in midseason form. He tore into defensive lineman William Gholston after being driven to the ground.Since it was the first open practice, fans were able to get a taste for the team’s indoor practice facility.Ryan Fitzpatrick was on and off today. Here he had a botched exchange during 11-on-11s.After some punt drills inside, the team went to work in some 7-on-7 drills. Quarterback Jameis Winston was on target, even hitting DeSean Jackson deep for what would have been a touchdown.What a throw it was...After only working with the first team during 7-on-7s for the majority of camp, Winston was back in with the first team for 11-on-11s. James Winston is determined to make the most of his latest opportunity to prove he’s Tampa Bay‘s long-term solution at quarterback.The fourth-year pro sparkled in his first start in a month, throwing for 312 yards and two touchdowns in the Buccaneers‘ 27-9 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.“Jameis played quarterback the way you need to play it in the NFL until you get into desperation time, which we never did today,” coach Dirk Koetter said after the Bucs (4-7) snapped a four-game losing streak.“Jameis wasn’t perfect, but he played a good game. I’m proud of him. It’s been a difficult road,” Koetter added. “He sees what that looks like. He needs to consistently play like that and he can be one of the best.”Winston, benched last month after turning the ball over 11 times in 14 quarters Ali Marpet Jersey , completed 29 of 38 passes without an interception.The No. 1 overall pick from the 2015 draft has shared the starting job with Ryan Fitzpatrick this season. Each has played well enough at times that Tampa Bay leads the NFL in passing yards and total offense,, however a porous defense and the league’s worst giveaway/takeaway ratio has undermined the team’s chances for success.Winston led TD drives of 73, 75 and 85 yards. His 6-yard scoring pass to Cameron Brate put the Bucs up early, and later teamed with Adam Humphries on a 28-yard TD on a play the quarterback extended by scrambling to his right before throwing back toward the center of the field.It was the same type of play that often comes back to haunt Winston, who’s been criticized throughout his career for poor decision-making.“He was wide open. It was a decisive decision,” Winston said. “When you’re decisive with the ball, it’s no thinking about it. You trust your instincts and make the throw.”Tampa Bay (4-7), meanwhile, had four sacks and forced turnovers on defense for the first time in eight games, with Ryan Smith and Isaiah Johnson coming up with the team’s first interceptions since a loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 24. Midseason acquisition Cairo Santos also made two field goals and three extra points.“We made all our kicks. We got two takeaways. We didn’t turn it over. Life is good,” Koetter said.Matt Breida rushed for 106 yards for the 49ers (2-9). Nick Mullens threw a 13-yard TD pass to Dante Pettis in the second quarter, but couldn’t get the ball in the end zone after halftime and finished 18 of 32 for 221 yards and two interceptions.Looking to cut into a 13-6 deficit Deone Bucannon Jersey , the 49ers settled for a field goal after driving inside the Bucs 1 early in the third quarter.It was all Tampa Bay after that.“It’s frustrating. We definitely had our chances and didn’t take advantage of them,” Mullens said. “That starts with me.”San Francisco played without linebacker Reuben Foster, whom the 49ers plan to release after the second-year pro was arrested at the team hotel in Tampa and charged with one count of domestic violence.Foster was jailed late Saturday night and released on $2,000 bond Sunday. The 2017 first-round draft pick out of Alabama will be placed on waivers officially on Monday.“We just tried to make sure it wasn’t a distraction,” Mullens said. “That’s how we approached it. I don’t think it was.”Coach Kyle Shanahan said the decision to cut Foster was immediate.“Too many things have happened. We tried to help,” Shanahan said, adding that Foster likely wouldn’t have played anyway because of a hamstring injury.“I care about Reuben, but nobody is bigger than the team. … Our No. 1 rule is you got to protect the team, and he has put us in a bad light too much. Hopefully this will fix him and he can be successful somewhere else,” Shanahan added.Winston, who sat out the first three games of the season while serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy, made his first start in a month. He was benched after throwing four interceptions in a loss at Cincinnati on Oct. 28, however Fitzpatrick was not much better protecting the ball in subsequent losses to Carolina Shaquil Barrett Jersey , Washington and the New York Giants.“I don’t have anything to prove to anyone. What we have to do is win,” Winston said. “The easiest way to win is to keep everything simple and not beat yourself.”MOVING FORWARDMullens has not played well since his dazzling debut 鈥?16 of 22 passing, 262 yards, three TDs, no interceptions 鈥?in a 34-3 victory over the Raiders. He threw two picks in a 27-23 loss to the Giants the following week. Sunday was his first road start.“I didn’t think he played very well … but no one played very well in the passing game,” Shanahan said, adding he wasn’t sure if Mullens or C.J. Beathard will start next week against Seattle.INJURIES49ers: Played without injured WRs Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin and RB Alfred Morris. … S Jimmie Ward left the game in the first quarter with a broken forearm. … S D.J. Reed (heel) left the game in the second half.Buccaneers: LB Lavonte David (knee) and S Justin Evans (toe) remained sidelined for the second straight week. … T Demar Dotson limped off with a knee/hamstring problem late in the first half and did not return. … CB Carlton Davis II (knee) was shaken up in the third quarter and sat out the remainder of the game. … DE Jason Pierre-Paul (knee) left briefly before returning in the fourth quarter.UP NEXT49ers: at Seattle, next SundayBuccaneers: Home vs. Carolina, next Sunday

Any 2019 free agents you think the 49ers should pursue? The San Francisco 49ers 2018 season isn’t over Womens Kentavius Street Jersey , and they still have a theoretical chance at making the playoffs, but it’s just not going to happen. At this point, everyone should be hoping they can simply get another win. With knee injuries to Jerick McKinnon and Jimmy Garoppolo, along with a bevy of other afflictions to sideline a majority of the roster, it’s hard to think of anyone who could turn this season around. So let’s look to who they can acquire next year in 2019. Kevin Jones made a list of players pertaining to the 49ers’ free agency needs next year: Of all those names, the pass rush seems most intriguing. DeMarcus Lawrence and Jadeveon Clowney would top my list as potential targets to come to the 49ers. I doubt either the Dallas Cowboys or Houston Texans let go of Lawrence and Clowney respectively, but stranger things have happened. Given how the 49ers played against the Arizona Cardinals, they may have a shot at Nick Bosa—a man that could solve all their pass rushing problems. If the 49ers managed to have a shot at Bosa and have one of those two free agents (or any of the pass rushers for that matter) that could transform their line into an absolute powerhouse. Lawrence and Clowney won’t come cheap, however. And remember, the 49ers have to get the money ready to extend DeForest Buckner.As far as wide receiver Jimmy Garoppolo Jersey , the 49ers have plenty of Randall Cobbs on the team right now. I know a lot of fans want a legit No. 1 wide receiver, and while I disagree on the necessity, if it were true, Cobb still isn’t it. Golden Tate on the other hand could be a nice addition to Shanahan’s offense. He’s a YAC receiver that I think could thrive with Jimmy Garoppolo. Enough to pay him some cash? Not sure. Is he a No. 1? Not sure on that one either. But I see him being a better fit in this offense than Cobb. And then there’s Earl Thomas. Well, the 49ers took Richard Sherman this year, may as well get Thomas next year. All joking aside, the 49ers have several safeties they are trying to figure out and they come much cheaper than what Thomas may ask for. The flip-side is Thomas knows the defense that Robert Saleh is trying to use, and he’s also a step-up among anyone else the 49ers have on the roster. Any of these guys someone you think the 49ers should go after? The San Francisco 49ers are on bye this week, and unfortunately the Miami Dolphins will be on bye as well. I say “unfortunately” because it means we won’t get to watch Frank Gore continue his climb up the record books.Last week, Gore rushed for 90 yards Roger Craig Jersey White , and added another 12 receiving. His 90 rushing yards gives him 528 for the season, and that set an NFL record. Gore has had at least 500 rushing yards each of the 14 seasons of his career. Entering this season, Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith held the record for most consecutive seasons with at least 500 rushing yards. Gore now holds that record.On Monday, his former head coach, Jim Harbaugh, offered some praise for Gore. Harbaugh called him his “favorite player of all-time that I’ve ever coached.” While Harbaugh is prone to hyperbole, I have no doubt this is a 100 percent factual statement.Gore heads into the bye with 528 rushing yards on the season, averaging 4.5 yards per carry. His season ranks seventh in NFL history for a running back 35 years or older, per Pro Football Reference (h/t Miami Herald). The ranking for single season performances at 35 or older rank as follows:1. John Riggins (35) — 1,2392. John Henry Johnson (35) — 1 Earl Mitchell Jersey ,0483. Emmitt Smith (35) — 9374. Marcus Allen (35) — 8905. Marcus Allen (36) — 8306. John Riggins (36) — 6777. Frank Gore (35) — 528Gore is currently on pace to rush for 844 yards, which would put him fifth all time for single season performance after the age of 35. He currently has 14,554 rushing yards for his career, which puts him 715 back of Barry Sanders for third on the all-time rushing leaderboard. He has 18,306 total yards from scrimmage for his career. He is 150 yards back of LaDainian Tomlinson for fifth all time, and 848 yards back of Marshall Faulk for fourth. If he decides to come back for the 2019 season, he would be likely to retire third in rushing yards and fourth in total yards from scrimmage.Not too shabby.

Yes http://www.seahawkslockerroom.com/authentic-richard-sherman-jersey , the Super Bowl is here. We’ve played 266 games and now game 267 will either be a sixth Super Bowl title for the New England Patriots, or the second in franchise history for the Los Angeles Rams, and their first ever Super Bowl in Los Angeles.Is this the ideal matchup for us as Seattle Seahawks fans? Nope. In fact, here’s info on when the Puppy Bowl airs on Animal Planet. But in all seriousness, the Patriots dynasty started with their famous upset of the St. Louis Rams on February 3rd, 2002. Tom Brady has been in a Super Bowl nine of his eighteen seasons in the NFL, which is insane. They had to go to Arrowhead Stadium and win a 37-31 overtime thriller over the Kansas City Chiefs to clinch another AFC Championship Game. This is the first time that the Patriots have ever made three straight Super Bowls.The Rams were preseason favorites to make it to Super Bowl 53. Look at the offseason moves they made! Trade for Brandin Cooks (a former Patriot), trade for Marcus Peters, trade for Aqib Talib, they were supposed to win the NFC. And yet... they probably shouldn’t be here if not for the legendarily bad no-call against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC Championship Game. That ridiculous refereeing incompetence notwithstanding, they were still down 13-0 in hostile territory and rallied to win in overtime, with Greg Zeuerlein clinching victory with a 57-yard field goal that would’ve been good from 67. Jared Goff went from being ruined by Jeff Fisher to a Super Bowl starter in his third season. C.J. Anderson was a street free agent when the Rams picked him up in December, and he’s been terrific. Aaron Donald is now a two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Sean McVay has a lot of talent at his disposal Kam Chancellor Jersey , but he’s helped transform a losing franchise into a Super Bowl contender, and it’ll be fascinating to see the chess match between him and Bill Belichick, a man twice his age.Okay, now that I’ve got in my two paragraphs to explain why this game is interesting, here are the details on how to watch Sunday’s big game. How to WatchWhen: 6:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. PT on Sunday, February 3rdWhere: Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GeorgiaTV: CBSAnnouncers: Jim Nantz and Tony Romo (sideline reporters: Tracy Wolfson and Evan Washburn)Online: CBS Sports, CBS All-Access, | Sling TV | PlayStation Vue | FuboTVRadio: WestwoodOneRadio Announcers: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner, Mike Holmgren (sideline reporters: Ed Werder, Tony Boselli)Betting odds and over/underThe Patriots are favored by 2.5 points and the over/under is anywhere from 56 to 57 points depending on which bookie you use. Who’s performing the national anthem?Gladys Knight Who’s performing at the Super Bowl halftime show?Maroon 5 (feat. Big Boi and Travis Scott) It was the Nick Mullens show J.R. Sweezy Jersey Green , and this time the San Francisco 49ers young backup QB got the win over the Seattle Seahawks. Or at least, that’s one potential narrative.To discuss that and more, I was joined again by John Morgan on the Instant Reaction podcast to discuss Seattle’s 26-23 loss to the 49ers in OT. We talk about remaining playoff scenarios, what to be worried about and what to look forward to in the weeks (and years) ahead, and why you shouldn’t feel too bad. The Seahawks are likely headed to the playoffs and in most eras of the franchise, that was not a strong possibility. Things may not feel great, but trust me, there is optimism in this show!EPISODE LINKThis episode is brought to you by our sponsors at Injury Legal Center.If you’d like to support the show, and get future episodes, they are available to supporters at the $2 per month level. We have Mina Kimes of ESPN on last week and will be previewing the Kansas City Chiefs ahead.

The Cowboys got a touchdown with 39 seconds remaining in the first half to tie the Titans 14-14 at halftime.Dallas dominated the first quarter http://www.thetitanslockerroom.com/authentic-steve-mcnair-jersey , with two takeaways, nearly another and drives to the Tennessee 20, 4 and 6 yard lines. They got seven points out of it, with Brett Maher missing a 38-yard field goal and Dak Prescott throwing an interception to Kevin Byard by trying to force the ball into Amari Cooper.Byard ran to the midfield star, borrowing one of Terrell Owens’ old celebrations.Marcus Mariota had two fumbles in the first quarter, and Luke Stocker had another overturned to an incompletion on replay. The Cowboys managed to turn the Titans’ miscues into only a 4-yard touchdown pass from Prescott to Cooper.The Titans had second-quarter drives of 80 and 69 yards, taking a 14-7 lead on an 18-yard pass from Mariota to Dion Lewis with 4:11 remaining in the first half.The Cowboys tied it on Allen Hurns‘ 23-yard catch from Prescott at the end of the half.Prescott is 10-of-15 for 139 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Cooper, who played most of the first-half snaps Taylor Lewan Jersey White , has three catches for 30 yards and a touchdown. Ezekiel Elliott has 45 yards on 12 carries and three catches for 51 yards.Mariota has completed 12 of 15 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Lewis has eight carries for 21 yards. Corey Davis has four catches for 42 yards. Free agency is just a few short weeks away. With that being the case, national outlets are starting to write about free agency fits for each team. Keep in mind when reading these articles that..."Free agency is just a few short weeks away. With that being the case, national outlets are starting to write about free agency fits for each team. Keep in mind when reading these articles that quite a few of these guys will end up being re-signed by the team they played for last year.You have to start any of these conversations with team needs. I think we can all agree that the Titans have a pretty big need at EDGE, WR, iOL and DL. The tough part is putting those in order. It is tough to distinguish between those top 3 needs.In the last week I have seen 2 articles connecting EDGE guys to the Titans:The first was from Pro Football Focus where they had this to say about Trey Flowers being a potential fit for the Titans:The second was from NFL.com where they connected Za’Darius Smith to the Titans:Honestly, I’ll take either, but I would prefer Smith. What about you?*eye roll emoji

Sam Shields has spent a lot of time trying to thwart Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ passes Womens Mike Daniels Jersey , but the result of those efforts never factored into the score of games.That will change this Sunday. Shields joined the Rams this season after missing all but one game of the last two seasons while recovering from concussions and the cornerback will face his former team for the first time.“I miss those guys,” Shields said, via the Orange County Register. “I can’t wait. It’s going to be great to see them, and I love them and all that, but when game time comes, it’s definitely going to be that. I’m going to be excited.”Given what Shields went through, it’s little surprise that his friends and former teammates in Green Bay feel the same way. Head coach Mike McCarthy, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, linebacker Clay Matthews and others said this week, via The Athletic, that they are happy to see Shields back even if he’s now trying to beat them on the field. The start of the Green Bay Packers’ 2018 season has been...underwhelming. Sure, if a couple plays (or, ahem, calls) broke differently, the Packers might have a much better record than 2-2-1, but for now, they’re more or less what their record says they are: a middling team off to a slow start.But that doesn’t mean it’s all been bad! Our writers have found plenty to be positive about. Here’s what they had to say.Wendi Hansen: Giving our rookies the chance to shineThe season so far has been...interesting? As any Packers fan will know, slumps happen. Injuries and bad calls and missed field goal attempts (sorry, Mason, we still love you) happen. It’s part of the ebb and flow of the game. There still is a lot of time to bounce back and get our footing, but in the meantime, one of the silver linings to this crazy start is that our rookies have been given the chance to prove themselves. With both Cobb and Allison out, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown were ushered into a ready-or-not scenario Womens Jake Ryan Jersey , one that they executed in a big way. I’m excited to see how their chemistry with Aaron Rodgers continues to evolve and grow, hopefully cementing a stronger offensive line. Shawn Wagner: Aaron Rodgers is still on the fieldA 2-2-1 record is far from what I expected when the Packers played the grand majority of their starters and looked fabulous in preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers. There was a lot of promise from the new offensive weapons, while the defense looked rejuvenated and the team as a hole avoided the major injury bug. In week one, the injury situation immediately took a turn for the worse when Rodgers appeared to suffer a significant injury. Fortunately, he was able to return by the end of halftime.Don’t get me wrong, I am the first person to say Rodgers has not played as expected despite the injury. He’s been far too hesitant, leading to sacks and fumbles as a result. His accuracy has been extremely inconsistent and I’m not sure it’s entirely because of his knee. The system looks faulty and there have been injuries to the receivers Rodgers is most accustomed to playing with. Most concerning is he is missing open receivers.But the silver lining is that Rodgers is still able to give it a go and his performance even in a loss is still more valuable than anything DeShone Kizer or Tim Boyle can bring to this team. If anyone can sort through the offensive mess that has been the first five weeks of the season and rebound, it’s Rodgers. If he can correct some of his own glaring miscues and get some help from the line and young receivers, Green Bay is still a playoff-caliber squad and a serious contender in the NFC North. The fact that the Packers have played as miserably as they have and are still in the hunt for the division must actually be rather scary for the rest of those teams. If the Packers were going to tie any team on the schedule, the Vikings would probably be the one you’d choose. Evan “Tex” Western: A couple of the rookie wideouts are looking goodThe Packers tripled up on the wide receiver position on the third day of the 2018 NFL Draft, and so far the second and third of those players are flashing signs that they will become productive players for this team later this season and in the future. Although J’Mon Moore has yet to really break into the lineup at all, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Equanimeous St. Brown have impressed, particularly in recent weeks.MVS has taken a firm hold of the WR4 job, and his special teams ability (particularly as a gunner on the punt team) has been one of his best qualities. He seemed to be the most raw of the three coming in, but he has clearly established himself as the most trustworthy of the three and got starter-level snaps on offense over the past few games with some of the veteran options injured. He caught his first long ball in Washington, Then, EQ got on the field against the Lions in week five and impressed in his 60 snaps, capping off his day with this ridiculous catch-and-run for 54 yards. Given that performance and workload, I’m certain that the reason Moore had been active over EQ in past weeks was special teams-related; St. Brown didn’t really play special teams at all at Notre Dame and he didn’t really get any snaps there in the preseason either. But the rotation clearly goes MVS, EQ, and J’Mon on offense, and the flashes of ability that we’ve seen from those top two are getting me excited.Mike Vieth: The defense keeps getting betterAfter an okay start to the season, the Packers defense really has played well the last two weeks. Every defense Kenny Clark Jersey , with a new coordinator, will go through some growing pains when the season starts. That was definitely true for Mike Pettine’s squad the first three weeks as we saw them struggle from time to time but also flashed some of the potential to be really good. These past two weeks, I think we’ve seen the defense get more comfortable with Pettine’s calls and schemes. They shut out Buffalo and only gave up 145 total yards and caused three turnovers. Some might scoff and say that it was because of Buffalo, anytime you can hold an offense to that few of yards, it’s a major step in the right direction. Now, getting to the improvement even with the loss to Detroit. I can hear some of you groaning, “how can you improve with giving up 31 points and a loss?” Well, while they did give up 31 points, I consider it only 14 points. They gave up two long drives that were completely on them but the other points, they had the odds stacked against them. The other three scores happened after turnovers and gave the Lions the ball inside the Packers 30 yard line. Those quick changes have been a nightmare for defenses throughout the NFL in 2018. There have been 69 quick changes so far this year (not counting when teams taking a knee at the end of the game) and offenses have a 88.4% score rate when they happen. Of those scores, 55.7% have been touchdowns. Asking any defense to stop a team from that distance after a big momentum shift is near impossible.The game also saw the Packers go against a much better offense than they saw in Buffalo. Matthew Stafford has the ability and the receivers to throw the ball all over the field and they held him to only 183 passing yards. Stafford has averaged 278 yards passing a game over his career and keeping him under 200 yards is a solid game. The Packers also held the Lions to only 94 yards on the ground.This is a big step in the right direction as the season goes on and playing against a struggling 49ers offense on Monday night should give them even more confidence going into the bye week. They’re going to need it as they face the two offenses that can be explosive in the Rams and Patriots after the week off.Bob Fitch: NFC North is still up for grabsI didn’t think we’d be where we are after five weeks, but that’s the way the cookie - and the relationship between your star quarterback and the head coach - crumbles.I kid, of course, because nobody outside of Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers truly knows how their relationship is, but needless to say the 2018 season has been a strange one.The Packers have managed to come away with 2.5 wins in 3 weeks are only one game back in the win column in the NFC north, which is isn’t ideal but due to the up and down play of every other deam in the division, they are still in the hunt for a division title.Minnesota’s defense has taken a leap back, and Chicago has beaten a softer schedule than my pillow with wins against the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Buccaneers, so it remains to be seen how truly good they are yet.Regardless, Green Bay will have to play better than they have so far in order to come away with a Division title, but at least they haven’t played themselves out of one yet.Matub: Seeing a burner with the number 83Anyone who has spent a modicum of time on this site knows my love for one Jeffery Ronald Janis. My tombstone will say “Big Reggie White Jersey White , Tall, and Fast will always translate to special teams”. So when the Packers drafted Marquez Valdes-Scantling and gave him the number 83, I was elated. I never expected MVS to come out as a guns-blazing rookie and do much with his first year. I wanted him to be a punt gunner and maybe a kick returner.However, seeing him already showing more promise in the regular season than we saw out of the last 83 has been great. MVS could really become the vertical threat that’s been missing. Top flight corners are already learning to respect his speed.Peter Bukowski: Cornerstone pieces stepping forward We knew Davante Adams was good, but he’d never had to actually carry a passing offense. It turns out,not only can he put the team on his back, he could be shouldering even more of a burden than he does. We knew David Bakhtiari was good. It turns out he’s the best pass-blocking left tackle in football. We knew Kenny Clark was good. It turns out (and if PFF is to be believed) he’s quietly become one of the most disruptive and impactful defensive linemen in the league. Aaron Rodgers needs more than just his right arm and two legs. For all the wailing and gnashing of teeth about this team’s lack of talent, the blue chip players are stepping up this season around Rodgers. By the end of the season we could be adding Jaire Alexander into that mix. Josh Jackson isn’t far behind, and if Kevin King can stay on the field, he has serious upside. Geronimo Allison isn’t just the “next man up,” he’s a legitimately dangerous passing target. And the Packers appeared to have something with their rookie receivers as has been noted above.Despite the inconsistencies and execution problems, it’s clear there’s building blocks both for the present and the future. And unfortunately for the Packers (and Rodgers in particular) the cupboard had been too bare the last few years. That change should give Green Bay fans hope. Paul Noonan: New StarsTo remain competitive you need to churn out a new star every now and then, and I think that both Jaire Alexander and Josh Jackson have star potential. Along with the still-very-young Kenny Clark, the defense actually has some nice looking cornerstones to build around. Alexander in particular strikes me as a difference maker already, and as he gains more experience he should be able to handle the Revis role. Pettine needs guys like this to function, and the front office did a nice scouting job. The defense has been better than their numbers indicate, and I suspect in the second half of the season, if health permits it, they will round into a top-10 unit. Once they finally get around to replacing the outside linebackers, they should be officially dangerous. Now if the offense can just catch up...

CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-9)New faces: LT Cordy Glenn Womens Kevin Huber Jersey , RT Bobby Hart, C Billy Price, LB Preston Brown, S Jessie Bates, DE Sam Hubbard.Key losses: QB AJ McCarron, C Russell Bodine, CB Adam “Pacman” Jones, RB Jeremy Hill, LB Kevin Minter.Strengths: Playmakers at every spot on offense Kevin Huber Jersey White , especially receiver with A.J. Green, John Ross, Tyler Boyd and Josh Malone. Second-year RB Joe Mixon is dual threat to run or catch, as is veteran Giovani Bernard. QB Andy Dalton coming off subpar year after getting little time to throw. Coordinator Bill Lazor overhauled offense, aiming for more big plays. Deep group of pass rushers led by veteran linemen Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins along with second-year LB Carl Lawson anchors reconfigured defense under new coordinator Teryl Austin. Dunlap and Atkins got multiyear extensions before the final preseason game.Weaknesses: Offensive line was unable to open holes for run game or protect Dalton last season, when Bengals finished last in yards on offense for first time in their history. Overhauled line will be key, and it struggled at times during preseason, especially right side. Bengals counting on Ross and Boyd to have breakout years after disappointing seasons. Also need TE Tyler Eifert to stay healthy coming off back surgery.Fantasy Player To Watch: Mixon. With Hill gone, second-year back moves into primary role. Bengals plan to use him as receiver more http://www.thebengalslockerroom.com/authentic-preston-brown-jersey , and he’s shown ability to turn short catches into big plays in preseason.Vegas Says: Super Bowl 105-1. Over/under wins 7.Expectations: Decision to bring back coach Marvin Lewis after second straight losing season and 0-7 playoff record sent message of more-of-same in Cincinnati, which operates under change-averse owner Mike Brown and hasn’t won playoff game since 1990 season, sixth-longest stretch of futility in NFL history. Offense failed to use its big-play threats effectively last two seasons, hampered by awful performance on line. Their fate rests largely upon how overhauled line performs. CINCINNATI (AP) — Head coach Marvin Lewis fired the defensive coordinator and installed himself in a dual role. Bengals players talked about their trip to Baltimore as a pivotal moment in the season, almost a last-stand opportunity. They wound up getting run over.Now what?A 24-21 loss in Baltimore on Sunday dropped the Bengals (5-5) three games behind Pittsburgh in the loss column for the AFC North lead with only six weeks left in the season. Their fourth loss in five games put them in danger of missing out on the playoffs for the third straight season.A shakeup of the coaching staff didn’t make enough of a difference. Cincinnati is relegated to hoping that some of its injured players return and salvage a season that’s gone from promising to unsettling.“Everyone is frustrated,” offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said Monday. “Everyone’s nerves are a little frayed right now. Everyone is searching.”Lewis decided to fire defensive coordinator Teryl Austin after the Bengals gave up 500 yards for the third straight game, a first in the Super Bowl era. He took over the coordinator’s duties and hired fired Browns head coach Hue Jackson to help on the sidelines during games.It didn’t go well in Baltimore.The Bengals ended that streak of 500-yard games, holding the Ravens to 403, but they were on the wrong end of more defensive history.Cincinnati allowed 265 yards rushing Womens Vontaze Burfict Jersey , the most during Lewis’ 16 seasons as head coach. They’ve given up more than 200 yards rushing in back-to-back games — the Saints ran for 244 — and three times overall this season, also the most under Lewis.Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson ran for 117 yards in his first start, and rookie Gus Edwards ran for 115 and a touchdown. They’re the first set of rookie quarterback and running back teammates to run for at least 100 yards in the same game in NFL history.“You give up 200 yards rushing, I’m not going to be happy with that,” Lewis said.Lewis was satisfied with how his first game on the sideline unfolded, although he felt “somewhat a little handicapped” by having so many responsibilities.“Hopefully it will become more and more comfortable,” Lewis said.Part of the reason for Austin’s firing was the confusion on defense, which repeatedly had coverage breakdowns. The Bengals had a different type of challenge on Sunday with a rookie quarterback who ran a lot.Lewis simplified the game plan, but the defense still struggled against the run.“He made us play fast Jordan Willis Jersey ,” cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. “He put us in situations where we didn’t have to do a whole lot of thinking.”The Bengals were in control of the division after a 4-1 start. Now they’re trying to make up a lot of ground on the Steelers, who won at Paul Brown Stadium to start Cincinnati’s free fall.They’re one of five teams at 5-5 in contention for the second wild card spot. The Chargers have the edge for the first wild card at 7-3. The Bengals host the Browns (3-6-1) on Sunday.“It’s a race now, and that’s what we’re here for,” Lewis said after the game. “That’s the thing: Now it’s a race to the finish.”A race they once led, but that’s now getting away from them.BURFICT BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHTLinebacker Vontaze Burfict played with a sore hip that sidelined him the previous week. He was on the field for 36 of 79 plays, showing the effects of the injury — he had only four tackles. He also was involved in an altercation with guard Marshal Yanda after a play, part of a scrum on the ground involving several players. The officials didn’t penalize anyone. Lewis said on Monday that the coaches’ film doesn’t show what happened in the altercation.