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| ppy with how Im playing. Im striking the bal http://runetrack.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=5723 |
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| Author: | lw789 [ Tue Aug 29, 2017 3:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | ppy with how Im playing. Im striking the bal |
(SportsNetwork.com) - The playoffs start early in The Big Easy on Sunday when the New Orleans Saints play host to the Atlanta Falcons in a game that will go a long way in determining who represents the downtrodden NFC South in the postseason. The Saints lead the NFLs worst division at 6-8 with two games to play but both Carolina (5-8-1) and Atlanta (5-9) remain in the mix with NOLA and the Falcons controlling their own destinies. If either the Saints or the Falcons can win out, they will win the division and host a first-round playoff game. After this contest New Orleans will close the regular season at Tampa Bay in Week 17, while Atlanta will host the Panthers. Carolina, meanwhile, entertains Johnny Manziel and Cleveland this week and needs to win their final two games and have the Saints lose once to repeat as division champions. New Orleans can clinch the South for the first time since 2011 with a victory over the Falcons and a Carolina loss to the Browns. It sets us up for no bigger game than whats coming up against Atlanta, Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. We all understand where were at, Atlanta coach Mike Smith countered. We know we control our own destiny. It doesnt matter what anyone else does. The first thing we have to do is go down and play very well and win the game in New Orleans. The Saints took over first place for now thanks to an impressive 31-15 win over the stumbling Bears in Chicago on Monday night. Brees threw three touchdown passes in what was his 200th career game, completing 29-of-36 passes for 375 yards and setting an NFL record with his ninth straight season with at least 4,000 yards passing. I think theres a sense of urgency that we need to create each week, and we need to be mindful of how important that edge is to play well, Saints coach Sean Payton said. Josh Hill caught two scores, Marques Colston finished with five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown and Mark Ingram ran for a late score. We were pretty balanced and able to make some plays in the passing game, said Brees. It was a great team effort. The Falcons, meanwhile, suffered their second straight tough loss against a prolific offense, losing to Pittsburgh 27-20 as LeVeon Bell scored twice and set the Steelers franchise record for yards from scrimmage. Bell did not find much running room against an uncharacteristically stingy Atlanta front, but he did reach the end zone twice among 20 carries for 47 yards. He also made five catches for 72 yards and broke Barry Fosters single- season Steelers record for yards from scrimmage with 2,042. Matt Ryan threw for 310 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Falcons, who were coming off a 43-37 shootout loss in Green Bay. Harry Douglas filled in admirably for an injured Julio Jones, making 10 catches for 131 yards. Jones, who was coming off a career-high 259 yards against the Packers, was unable to play through a hip pointer injury he suffered late in a loss to the Packers. We felt we had lots of chances to have a different outcome, said Smith. Atlanta leads the all-time series by a 47-43 margin, including a 37-34 overtime win back in September at the Georgia Dome when Ryan threw for a franchise-record 448 yards and three TDs, and Matt Bryant booted a game- winning 52-yard field goal in the extra frame. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Brees has been the Falcons biggest nemesis ever since he came to New Orleans from San Diego back in 2006. The veteran signal caller has amassed a 7-1 mark over Atlanta in the Superdome, compiling a stellar 103.8 passer rating in those contests. Of course Atlanta is hardly the only team that has had a difficult time containing Brees, who leads NFL with 43,091 passing yards and 314 TD passes since he took over the Saints. The veteran destroyed the Bears, who rank 31st in the NFL in passing defense, on Monday night and the Falcons have the only secondary giving up more yardage than Chicago, a league-worst 292.5 yards per game. I think weve shown a couple times we can handle adversity, lets make sure we can handle success, too, Brees said. The tendency after success is to relax, and its not time to relax. Brees threw for 333 yards in the loss in Atlanta earlier this season but was outdone by Ryans Herculean performance, which may have to happen again here. Ryan has been putting up big numbers recently, tossing for 1,046 yards and eight TDs over the last three weeks but has also been throwing the game- changing pick at inopportune times. We know whats in front of us, Ryan said. We know what weve got to do. Its a playoff-type mentality. Weve got to win next week. Weve got to have the best week of practice that weve had this year and prepare as best we can. Getting Jones, perhaps the best receiver in all of football, back should help. The All-Pro is second in the NFL with 1,428 receiving yards despite missing last weeks game. Its tough when (Jones is) not in, Ryan said. Hes such a special player. New Orleans defense hasnt been much better than the Falcons this season but did show a little life in Chicago, stopping a four-game string in which they had allowed at least 400 yards. The Saints stop unit limited Jay Cutler and Co. to 278 total yards while amassing seven sacks and three interceptions. OVERALL ANALYSIS Facing a Payton-coached team in the Superdome used to foreshadow certain demise but the Saints 19-game run with the veteran coach on the sideline in NOLA ended against San Francisco on Nov. 8. Since then the Saints have lost three more in what used to be their cozy confines. Conversely they have won their only two on the road over that span. Translation: you never know what to expect with this New Orleans team. If anything, though, the Falcons are even less consistent and just dont have the horses on defense to contend with Brees. You want to be playing for a lot at the end of the season and we are right now, Brees said. No bigger game than the one coming up. Sports Network predicted outcome: Saints 27, Falcons 20 Nike Shox Mens Clearance . -- The Chicago Bears agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract with defensive lineman Israel Idonije and are bringing him back for a second stint. Nike Shox Shoes Outlet . Millsap will miss Wednesday nights game against the Chicago Bulls. The Hawks say Millsap also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. http://www.shoxoutletshoesstore.com/.Y. - The Philadelphia Eagles game at Green Bay against the Packers on Nov. Nike Shox Cheap . With Washington teammate Nene drawing double-teams coming off his big game against the Lakers, Gortat scored 25 points on 11-of-12 shooting and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Wizards to a 100-92 win in overtime over Milwaukee on Wednesday night. Nike Shox Outlet . -- Chad Labelle scored the winner 17:36 into the third period to give Medicine Hat a 2-1 victory over the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday and lift the Tigers into the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- Rory McIlroy birdied his last two holes to post a 5-under 67 and lie two shots off the lead two rounds into the Abu Dhabi Championship on Friday. At 7 under overall in the European Tour event, McIlroy was rapt to be in contention for a second win in three tournaments. Playing partner Phil Mickelson was also happy, though in relief to make the cut by two shots at 1 under with a 70 after a first-round 73. "Im really glad I made the cut and I now have a chance over these next two days, because I kind of keyed in on something with my swing starting to feel much better," Mickelson said. "I really need these two days to get my game in shape." Mickelson was impressed with McIlroys form. "His game looks really sharp and his driving was impeccable," Mickelson said of McIlroy. Tied for the lead were Scotlands Craig Lee (67) and Spains Rafa Cabrera-Bello (68) at 9 under, a stroke ahead of Englands Danny Willett (63), who eagled the par-5 8th hole at National Course beside seven birdies. McIlroy was sharing fourth with Argentinas Ricardo Gonzalez (66) and Denmarks Thomas Bjorn (70). He was holding the end-of-2013 form that saw him come from behind and defeat Masters champion Adam Scott in the Australian Open in Sydney last month. "Its a great position to be in, as Im only a ffew off the lead, so Im excited," McIlroy said.dddddddddddd He was happy to compare with how he missed the cut a year ago, when he debuted new equipment and left himself and sponsor Nike red-faced. In that humbling display of consecutive 75s were two double bogeys and seven bogeys. "Coming off the last green last year, after 36 holes, I was deflated to say the least," he said. "The week didnt go as how I imagined it or how I planned. But its so much better this year. Im happy with how Im playing. Im striking the ball really well. I got a few putts to drop on the back nine, which was nice. And yeah, I mean, I feel like if I can keep hitting it the way I have been, Ive got a great chance to win in this tournament." While McIlroy won two tournaments ago in Sydney it has been 13 months since his last success on the European Tour when he birdied his closing five holes in winning the season-ending World Tour Championship in nearby Dubai. Cabrera-Bello is also no stranger to winning in the Emirates, having captured the 2012 Dubai Desert Classic. The overnight leader dropped a shot at his last hole, the ninth, to fall into a tie with Lee, who seeks his first win on tour. "I have been practicing hard the last two weeks and trying also to get back into shape, so Im glad that is all paying off," Cabrera-Bello said. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' ' |
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