Whatever it takes to get the upper hand New Orleans Saints T-Shirt , you do it!Tre’Quan Smith, Cameron Meredith, Ted Ginn Jr., and Alvin Kamara will all be doing something slightly different than they’ve done up to this point in the season when they arrive in Atlanta to face the Falcons in Week 3.For Smith, this appears to translate into an expanded role according to head coachSean Payton.“We have to find ways to get him more touches. He is handling our installation. He knows what we are doing game plan wise, and I think he is ready to prove that.” I get it.This is a chance to see what the rookie can do in an important game where any wrinkle can result in an upper hand.He’s shown a lot in camp and during preseason, so now is as good a time as ever for him to swim or sink.The question is, will he look more like Kenny Stills or Robert Meachem? Meanwhile, following an injury to return specialist Tommylee Lewis that placed him on injured reserve, the Saints have inserted two new candidates into the now vacant punt return duties.One of those candidates Sean Payton said, “I know I’m comfortable with Alvin (Kamara) back there” but the other he was a little more guarded about and used it as a chance to give the player a vote of confidence“Ted Ginn is someone who’s done it and we just got to get that gas can in his locker and get him going. I think he’s someone who can give you some juice in that area.”Notice the highlighted “subtle” differences in the certainty of the two individual players?Over his career as a punt returner, Ginn has fielded 257 punts for 2,600 yards and 4 TDs.The drawback to some of that “juice” Payton alluded to is that he’s also had 16 fumbles in that time span.Two of them last year as a Saint that had Payton suggesting they “needed to find someone they can trust” before relieving him of those duties.When Payton had his issues with Reggie Bush, he used Lance Moore for the fair catch scenarios.I’d imagine something similar with Kamara and Ginn on Sunday.Finally, Cameron Meredith looks set to make his much anticipated regular season debut as a Saint after being inactive for the previous two games.“He’s doing well. He’s healthy. And this will be a week we’ll look to see how he progresses and see if we can get him into this plan.”Now granted, I trust that the staff knows when he’s ready to contribute but practice speed and game speed are two different things.His first preseason game saw him drop a pass (albeit thrown with questionable touch) that resulted in an INT for his quarterback.He would go on to fair much better in his fourth preseason game with 2 catches for 77 yards and a TD.It obviously took him some time to get up to speed, but those games were meaningless and the current scenario now begs the question - Does game rust and lack of action in the offense for Meredith show up at an inopportune time?I brought all of this to you to make a single point.There is some serious boom or bust potential with the timing of these changes.On one hand, the “newness” of these players and roles could give the Saints a slight advantage in what will be an otherwise close game. On the other they provide a breeding ground for potential mishaps because of that very same “newness”.In a rivalry that is usually won by the team that makes the fewest mistakes, we’ll find out which side of the coins these moves land on following Sunday’s game.Matchup to watch vs FalconsThe Falcons offensive line is missing starting left guard Andy Levitre after he was placed on IR earlier this week.If the secondary is going to hold up against Atlanta’s receiving talent, the defensive line will need to be the catalyst that makes it all possible.Yes, it’s important that the defensive backs force Ryan to go through more than his 1st or 2nd read, but it’s up to the front seven to make him pay when he does.Once you begin hitting Ryan (like any other quarterback) that’s when the mistakes and the second guessing start to appear.If they can rattle him Marshon Lattimore, Ken Crawley New Orleans Saints Hats , and Marcus Williams should have a chance to turn some tipped passes or errant throws into turnovers late in the game.Random Thought IEven at a young age, when you walk out on the field with your friends you know the consequences of playing tackle football.While being hurt as a kid was more likely than getting injured, you still recognized it’s a gladiator sport.Interesting that many QBs are coming out and trashing the NFL’s current aims to protect the quarterback position.Random Thought IIAdd the recent news that Saints plan to start P.J. Williams in place of Ken Crawley, as another change that has boom or bust potential.The Saints offense is moving the ball and the Falcons offense is moving the ball.The Saints defense is giving up points and the Falcons defense is giving up points.Per usual in this rivalry, it could all come down to which defense or special teams makes the key play that ultimately ends up being the difference in this game.There will be plenty of opportunities for either side but with the Falcons down at least three of it’s primary play makers and the Saints fairly healthy New Orleans should could steal a victory in Atlanta.Prediction: Saints win 28-27 The New Orleans Saints have a 4-1 record in part due to a defensive performance that has improved with each week after a awful start. They return to action this Sunday after a bye, faced with the task of taking on the AFC North leading Baltimore Ravens (4-2) on the road. Despite more impressive results on the defensive side of the ball in the last two games, Saints opponents have still averaged 28 points and 369 yards per game, hovering around the bottom of the league. Baltimore has averaged nearly 26 points per game, and lines up with a passing attack looking to strike down the field. Let's see how the New Orleans defense, riding a wave of momentum, will match up against a veteran Ravens offense. SAINTS PASS DEFENSE vs. RAVENS PASS OFFENSE Photo by Rob Carr/Getty ImagesThe Saints have had an effective pass defense over their last two games, putting consistent pressure on the passer and preventing big plays, something that plagued them over the first three games. The team still ranks just 30th in passing yards surrendered, giving up 298 yards per game, but have actually allowed only Tampa Bay's Ryan Fitzpatrick (417 yds) and Atlanta's Matt Ryan (374) to eclipse the 300-yd. barrier. The New Orleans defensive line has been able to apply good pressure in recent weeks, and have collected 3 quarterback sacks in each of the last four games. Cameron Jordan is having another All-Pro season, and continues to beat his blockers with either power, speed, or finesse. He leads the team with 5 sacks, and is one of the most underrated defensive players in the league. Marcus Davenport is showing why the team traded up to take him with the 14th overall selection in last spring's draft. He has two sacks thus far, and is second only to Jordan on the team in quarterback pressures. Davenport is becoming an overwhelming force with a rare blend of athleticism and strength, and looks to have just scratched the surface of his vast potential. Defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins has been dominant at times this season as well. He also has 2 sacks, but has become had an impactful presence in nearly every game New Orleans Saints Hoodie , consistently disrupting the opposing pass pocket. Demario Davis was already known to be an outstanding run defender when acquired as a free agent this offseason. Davis has also proven to be a devastating blitzer, his two sacks tying with Davenport and Rankins for second on the team, and has played very well in pass coverage. Fellow linebackers A.J. Klein, Alex Anzalone, and Craig Robertson have complimented Davis well, and the Saints are no longer as vulnerable to running backs coming out of the backfield in the passing game as a result. The Saints have just 2 interceptions so far this year, after 20 a season ago. Second year cornerback Marshon Lattimore is again playing at a pro bowl level after a slow start, and free safety Marcus Williams is also beginning to play at a high level again. Another standout performer over the last two games is safety Vonn Bell, who has played extremely well after a poor start. All eyes continue to be on cornerbacks Ken Crawley and P.J. Williams, who are considered to be the weakest points of the defense. Both players have played better, but were beaten deep repeatedly over the first three games. Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty ImagesBaltimore will attack the Saints defense with the league's 9th ranked passing attack, averaging 294 yards per game. Quarterback Joe Flacco (1,788 yards, 9 td, 4 int.) is having a good bounce back year after 2017 struggles. The Ravens armed their 11th year signal caller with an entirely new receiving corps over the offseason. Veteran wideout Michael Crabtree is Flacco's favorite target, and has 30 catches for a 343 yards and two scores. Former Saint Willie Snead is enjoying a bounceback year of his own after a lousy '17 campaign with New Orleans. Snead is tied with Crabtree for the reception lead, going for 313 yards and a touchdown. Speedster John Brown is the type of deep threat that has caused the strong-armed Flacco to thrive earlier in his career, and precisely the type of receiver that gave the Saints secondary nightmares early in the season. Brown has caught just 21 of his 47 targets, but they've gone for a team-high 424 yards and 3 touchdowns. Baltimore running back Javorius "Buck" Allen gives the team a solid receiving threat out of the backfield. Allen has 24 catches and 149 yards through the air. The Ravens have a four-headed tight end threat that is as individually talented as almost any in the league. Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst, Maxx Williams, and Nick Boyle have combined for 40 receptions and 410 yards, and all are capable of making big plays down the field as well as moving the chains on intermediate routes. Hurst Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , the first of the team's two 1st round picks this past spring, missed the first part of the year with a foot injury, but fellow rookie Andrews (3rd round) has made an immediate impact. Flacco has been sacked 11 times this year, but is a stationary passer within the pocket. Baltimore's line will be shorthanded, after losing guard Alex Lewis to a neck injury, perhaps creating an interior protection issue for their quarterback. Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images~ Matchup to Watch: Safeties Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell vs. Ravens WR's/TE's ~Given New Orleans' early season struggles against the deep ball, facing a gamebreaking threat like Brown could net terrifying results. The communication on the back end has been far better in recent weeks, but the Saints safeties will be seriously tested during this game. Lattimore's man to man skills are more likely going to be used most often on Crabtree or perhaps even Snead, leaving Flacco's favorite long ball target in the hands of Crawley or P.J. Williams. Bell and Marcus Williams will each need to be at the top of their game to prevent momentum changing strikes down the field, but must also limit the effectiveness of the Ravens talented tight ends. SAINTS RUN DEFENSE vs. RAVENS RUN OFFENSE Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsIt's gone largely unnoticed because of early season struggles against the pass, but New Orleans has had the NFL's best run defense for a number of weeks. The Saints rank 3rd in rushing yards surrendered, giving up only 72 yards per game, and opposing rushers are averaging only 3.1 yards per carry, tops in the NFL. New Orleans defensive tackles Rankins, Tyeler Davison, and undrafted rookie Taylor Stallworth have obliterated opposing interior lines at times, all but eliminating inside rushes. Stallworth will likely miss a few weeks with an ankle injury, but the team re-signed Jay Bromley to team with David Onyemata to provide solid depth inside. Cam Jordan is as good a run defender as any edge player in the league, and Davenport has worked into an every down player due to his solid play against the run. Alex Okafor gives the team outstanding depth along the edge, and the Saints don't miss a beat when he's in the lineup. The performance of the defensive line has allowed the New Orleans linebackers to flow freely and aggressively to the ball. Demario Davis and A.J. Klein in particular are shutting down the run quickly, often making hits in the backfield. The rush defense gets an added boost this week with the expected return from injury of Manti Te'o, who has missed the last three games. The team's secondary has done an exemplary job of run support, able to snuff out runners quickly if they do get into the open. Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesBaltimore averages just 99 yards per game on the ground www.authenticsneworleanssaints.com , and have managed only 3.4 yards per carry. Alex Collins is the team's primary back, and has 76 carries for 271 yards, but has scored 4 times on the ground. Buck Allen has added 3 rushing touchdowns, but has only rushed for 97 yards and 2.8 yards per carry. Baltimore's second of their two 1st round picks last April, quarterback Lamar Jackson, adds athleticism to the running game in short yardage packages and has averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports~ Players to Watch: Demario Davis/A.J. Klein ~Davis and Klein are the leaders of an improved Saints linebacking unit that has made some key plays at crucial moments. The onus will be on this group to shut down what has been a subpar Baltimore rushing attack, making the Ravens one dimensional. The linebackers must also be able to take on coverage responsibilities. Not just on Allen coming out of the backfield, but even more importantly against the dangerous Baltimore tight ends, which would allow the Saints safeties to guard against the deep strike from Flacco to his wideouts.WHAT TO LOOK FOR:Chuck Cook-USA TODAY SportsThe Ravens have the second most pass attempts in the league, and have a deep group of targets that are capable of making big plays. While it's vital that the Saints play well in coverage, most definitely an issue early in the year, it will be the showdowns up front that could be the key to New Orleans success. Cam Jordan and Marcus Davenport have important match ups on the edge against Baltimore tackles Ronnie Stanley and James Hurst, or rookie Orlando Brown if Hurst moves inside to replace the injured Lewis. Rankins and his inside linemates must create disruption against veteran guard Marshall Yanda and the interior of the Ravens line. On paper, the Saints defensive line looks to have the advantage, and certainly possess the ability to take over the game. Flacco doesn't have the athletic ability to escape from the rush, and has a long history of making big mistakes when pressured heavily. Baltimore executes third downs at a 46.9% rate, so New Orleans must stop the run and short passes early to force the Ravens into 3rd and longs, where they will look to heavily pressure the immobile Flacco, perhaps resulting in turnovers. The explosive Saints offense could have their hands full against a strong Baltimore defense, so the key to an important road victory in this one could come down to big plays on defense. Custom Miami Dolphins Jerseys

The Oakland Raiders got the ball to start the game and on a passing play that netted them a 1st down Youth Tyrell Williams Jersey , Denzel Perryman suffered a leg injury that appeared quite bad. The defense then stiffened and forced a 4th & 4. Unfortunately, a fake punt went for 42 yards and kept the drive going. Finally, though, the defense held strong and made a stop on 4th & goal from the 1-yard line.The offense led by Philip Rivers took the field and quickly exited after a three-and-out. With that great field position, the Raiders managed to move into field goal range and Daniel Carlson converted the attempt from 43 yards out.The offense again went three-and-out and punted the ball away. The Raiders offense looked good again with big runs by Doug Martin, but then Melvin Ingram made his presence felt. With a spin move back to the inside of Kelechi Osemele, Ingram blew up Derek Carr and forced a fumble that Corey Liuget recovered.The Chargers took the field again and Tyrell Williams provided their first 1st down of the game. A few plays later, Michael Badgley came on to attempt his first field goal as the team’s full time kicker and was good from 27 yards.The Raiders “responded” by going three-and-out and punted the ball away. An eight-play drive featuring a 31-yard reception by Tyrell Williams eventually ended in a gorgeous 11-yard touchdown reception by Keenan Allen in the front corner of the end zone.After the half, the Chargers received as the kick off and wasted very little time before scoring. Melvin Gordon took a short swing pass to the left side of the field 66 yards for a touchdown. It was a flawless play by Gordon as he made two men miss in the open field as he raced for the end zone.The Raiders’ next drive initially appeared to have some life, but big tackle forloss by Kyle Emmaneul and a sack by Isaac Rochelle put to rest that idea and the Raiders punting unit returned to the field.A Melvin Gordon run and reception put the Chargers offense in 3rd & manageable at which point Rivers threw a logic-defying jump ball deep to Allen. The pass was not even a 50/50 ball as it was underthrown and Marcus Gilchrist of all people came down with the interception. The “arm punt” by Rivers at least netted 42 yards.Martavis Bryant kicked off the next drive with an offensive pass interference penalty that put the Raiders well behind the sticks. Jalen Richard got 9 of it back on the next play, but ultimately the Chargers defense was able to hold and forced another three-and-out.Virgil Green chipped in with a rare reception as he got open up the seam for a big gain. Green wasn’t done as he was the lead blocker on the subsequent run by Gordon that went for 6 yards. An absolutely brutal drop by Tyrell Williams on 3rd & 2 ended the drive and brought on the punting unit.A 9-play, 69-yard drive by the Raiders 23 and 31-yard passes by Carr eventually ended in a Daniel Carlson field goal Womens Austin Ekeler Jersey , but the drive should have ended a play earlier in a pick-six by Casey Hayward who dropped a gift interception.The following drive finally got Austin Ekeler on the field and he responded. His first carry went for 9 yards. His second went 42 yards to the house but was brought back thanks to a hold away from the play by Russell Okung. Johnathan Hankins gave the Chargers a gift with a boneheaded roughing the passer penalty on a sack of Rivers. Keenan Allen kept the drive going with a nice 18-yard reception. Michael Badgley eventually capped off the drive with a 41-yard field goal.With time winding down, the Chargers defense seemed content to let the Raiders complete passes underneath to run clock. As the Raiders got into the red zone, an Uchenna Nwosu sack put them in 3rd & 17. Richard managed to pick up a little over half the needed yards to set up a somewhat more manageable 4th down try. On 4th & 5 with 4:13 left in the game, quick pressure forced Carr to throw the ball into the ground and resulted in a turnover on downs.Taking over needing to run just over 4 minutes off the clock to win, the Chargers nearly proved themselves up to the task as they were able to get it down to 74 seconds left before having to punt the ball away largely thanks to a penalty by Okung.The Raiders offense got the ball back with 67 seconds left needing 14 points to tie. Unsurprisingly, they were unable tocomplete that comeback. Chargers move to 7-2. The Kansas City Chiefs headed into training camp in late July content with a pair of veterans in Daniel Sorensen and Eric Berry as their starting safeties.Now, there's a good chance neither will start in their season opener Sunday.Sorensen broke a bone in his lower leg during training camp and had surgery about a month ago, and is starting the season on injured reserve. Berry has been dealing with a heel injury that not only kept him out most of training camp but sidelined him during practice on Wednesday.The exact nature of his injury hasn't been disclosed, but Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder put a positive spin on it Wednesday by saying the five-time Pro Bowl selection is "getting better every day.""We'll see if he can practice and we'll just go from there," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. "I want to see what he's got, if and when he does that. But then I'll make the decision, what I see there."Berry may be the only player on the entire Chiefs roster who could conceivably play without having practiced in a month. But even for him Youth Brandon Mebane Jersey , Reid conceded, that would be asking a bit much, especially with the season opener coming on the road against Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers."If he doesn't practice today, which he's not, we go with the next man up and they roll. That's how we go," Reid said. "We're used to that here, just philosophically, at all positions."So instead of having a pair of veteran starters in Sorensen and Berry, the Chiefs are poised to start Ron Parker — who was cut by the Falcons last week and re-signed with Kansas City over the weekend — and either Eric Murray or fourth-round draft pick Armani Watts.Parker spent the past four seasons with the Chiefs before signing with Atlanta as a free agent, so he's at least familiar with defensive coordinator Bob Sutton's scheme. But he admitted it's a challenge to get up to speed in such a compressed timeframe for a division rival."I'm just preparing myself like I do any other time. Whatever the coaches ask, whatever they need," he said. "I feel like especially being in Bob's system and knowing what's going on Womens Michael Schofield Jersey , that's going to maximize my abilities. That's the good thing coming back to Kansas City."Parker played well his first three seasons with the Chiefs but appeared to take a step back last year, and that's part of why he was released. He said a high ankle injury sustained in training camp played a part in that, and that he's glad to begin a season healthy again.He just hopes it will be with Berry by his side."I've been playing with Eric," Parker said, "so I can just look over there and I don't have to say a thing. We know what each other is doing. With the other guys, we have to communicate with each other, of course. But everything is coming together."Murray has appeared in 30 games over his first two seasons, starting twice, so he at least lends a bit of experience to the defensive backfield. Watts showed flashes in the preseason — he picked off two passes in the finale against Green Bay — but hasn't been in the regular-season fire.It speaks volumes that Parker, who just rejoined the team, already has been peppered with questions by the rest of the young guys in the defensive backs room."It's difficult," he said Authentic Keenan Allen Jersey , "but the trust those guys have in me, and the trust I have in those guys, everything will take care of itself. We'll handle our business."NOTES: WR Byron Pringle, who hurt his hamstring in the Chiefs' preseason finale and was put on IR, had an MRI exam that also revealed a hernia. Burkholder said the rookie underwent surgery Tuesday. "He has an extended recovery ahead of him, and in the meantime the hamstring will heal," Burkholder said. ... Burkholder said Sorensen continues to do rehab work in the pool, but it will be a couple more weeks before the Chiefs have a timetable for his return. "He's where he's supposed to be right now," Burkholder said. Custom Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseys

Cap Corner: The Patriots’ contract steals of 2018 As I outlined in my previous article on the Patriots roster situation Dont'a Hightower Jersey , Bill Belichick has not had a tremendous run of success drafting premium rookie talent. Still, he remains one of the most fiscally responsible GM’s, with numerous team friendly contracts on the roster. Let’s examine the best of those, the steals, today. I will not be including rookie contracts simply because, by design, all rookie contracts tend to be steals. Julian EdelmanCap hit: $3,696,078Julian Edelman’s cap hit places him at 40th overall among wide receivers. At first glance this is an unbelievable steal. But my investigation revealed very specific reasons that could help explain how Belichick managed to make this deal happen and why it’s not quite as great as you may think at first. The first reason is the inaccurate perspective that Julian Edelman represents a poor man’s WR1, or at least, my perception of Julian as a poor mans WR1. That perception is wrong. Julian is really a rich mans WR2. What am I basing that on? Production. Nothing else. I am not saying that because he works out of the slot. Wes Welker may not have done a lot of work outside but his production easily matched or exceeded most team’s outside wide receivers. Julian has never produced a single WR1 caliber season. He has only two 1,000+ yard seasons and only two 5+ TD seasons on his r茅sum茅. His 5+ TD seasons have never coincided with a 1,000+ plus yard season. Welker’s 2011 career high of 1569 yards and 9 TDs would have surpassed Julio Jones production for the last two years. Edelman has never even sniffed that level of production. And from what I can tell it’s that lack of a career high that really dampened Edelman market. Alshon Jeffrey might be disgustingly overpaid based on his production the last few years but he also produced two 1200+ yards, 10+ TD seasons with terrible quarterbacks. Allen Robinson is another example of this. He posted a career high 1400 yards and 14 TDs season. Despite only producing sub-1,000 yards season the other 3 years, the Bears signed him to a 14 million a year contract. Randall Cobb is another great example having produced a superior 2014 season before declining every year since. You need a big year of production like that to get paid in this league. When you combine that lack of a career high with the fact that he does most of his work in the slot and he catches balls from Tom Brady it’s easier to see how other GM’s could have been hesitant to give him money and how the Patriots were able to lock him up. But let me make this clear. Even if you don’t think Edelman is a top 20 receiver, he is most definitely a top 30 talent which places his contract well below his skill level. He’s a dependable chain mover who shows up in big moments. Just look at Brandin Cooks’ $16.2 million AVPY contract: Cooks has posted 1,000-yard seasons more consistently than Edelman but they are not that far off in yardage production. The big difference is Cooks has been consistently getting high TD totals in addition to his yardage. He can also take the top of defenses and is a home run threat on every play. If I had a choice between Edelman and Cooks on rookie contracts would I choose Cooks? Probably. But if I had to pick between Edelman at $3.6 million and Cooks at $16.2 million, I am picking Edelman every damn day. He may not be an All Pro talent but he absolutely signed a team friendly deal and unlike say, Marcus Cannon Authentic Joe Thuney Jersey Salute to Service , there was not necessarily a lot of external factors driving him to that decision. It’s hard to believe he did not leave at least some money on the table. So regardless of how this season turns out with coming back from injury and being busted for performance enhancing drugs, I think he deserves a tip of the hat from Pats fans. Marcus CannonCap hit: $5,768,750I personally think this has the potential to be the best contract on the roster from an economic standpoint. Marcus Cannon has the highest proven ceiling to cap hit ratio. To be fair, he doesn’t have the same consistency of Julian Edelman, with really only one year of good production. But that one year of production earned him a 2nd team All Pro nod at one of the most important positions in the NFL. Cannon’s current AVPY contract stands at 30th overall but the best part of the contract is that it locks him up through 2021. In that time period, his cap will never rise higher than $7.75 million which means if no other tackle is signed for a new contract in four years (HA!) the highest he would go is 23rd overall. To make matters even better, his guaranteed money dries up after this season. He would have a $2.8 million hit in 2019, $1.4 in million 2020, and $0 in 2021. I think there were a few forces that allowed the Patriots to sign this deal. For one, Marcus Cannon was absolutely a one hit wonder at the time he signed this contract. He was not good in 2015. It’s very clear Dante Scarnecchia played a huge role in making him the player he could be instead of the player he was. That had to be a worrying consideration for both Cannon and another GM looking to sign him. Furthermore, Cannon has had cancer concerns and that probably led him to be more risk averse than a lot of professional players tend to be. Finally, I think the Patriots can thank John Dorsey for his 2016 Mitchell Schwartz contract. Like Marcus Cannon, he was coming off a second team All Pro stint. Schwartz, who has family in Kansas City, may have taken a bit of a discount to play for an up and coming team near his loved ones. I find it impossible to believe that Bill did not use the Schwartz contract as leverage in the Cannon negotiations. It should also be noted that Cannon’s contract is slightly more team friendly and includes an additional year of control. If Cannon is healthy and continues to play well, Bill will probably have signed the single best offensive tackle contract in the NFL. Rob GronkowskiCap hit: $10,906,250You might think its crazy to include the league’s fourth highest paid tight end as a steal. You might think that goes double considering a single million is what separates Gronk for being the highest paid TE in the NFL. But you would be wrong. I understand why Gronk’s agent keeps wanting to see Gronk paid like a wide receiver. Because there are no tight ends you can compare to Gronk. The only tight end worth comparing him to in terms of consistent year to year production is Travis Kelce and it’s not a terribly close comparison. In his four years in the league, Kelce has produced comparably to Gronk only once Limited Brandon Bolden Jersey , which was this last year. The only real comparisons are wide receivers in terms of production. Since leading the league in TDs in 2011, Gronk has been in the top 10 in TDs every year he has been healthy. His yardage has been less impressive, only posting in the top 5 once in 2011 and generally outside of the top 20 every year therein. He definitely does not produce at the level of top tier wide receivers but when healthy he has been one of the most consistent receiving threats in the NFL, especially in the end zone. The league has yet to really produce a player that can restrain Gronk in man coverage. Perennial All Pro Eric Berry is the only player I can really think of who managed to not only contain Gronk but arguably defeat him. But with that bare exception, Gronk has proven to be unstoppable, regularly devouring even All Pro level talent. He’s faced off against two of the best secondaries of the modern era in the Legion of Boom and the No Fly Zone. He came out not only good but dominant in both exchanges. You might have heard the term “take over a game” when talking about football. You don’t hear the word used for non-quarterbacks very often but every so occasionally you will hear it associated with pass catchers, running backs, and pass rushers. It’s used to describe players that are so dominant they cannot be stopped and power a team to victory. Gronk is the only player on this team, besides Tom Brady, who can “take over a game”. He did it against the Steelers in a must-win match up and he did it again against the Eagles in the Super Bowl, albeit in a losing effort. Gronk is good in the playoffs which is why he is currently tied for 2nd of all time (!) in playoff TD receptions. With a $12.9 million AVP contract, he would only rank 14th among receivers. Would I take Antonio Brown over Gronk? Yeah, I would. Would I take 14 other receivers? Hell, I’d be hard pressed to take one or two. I think his cap hit would be especially provocative next year where receivers with higher cap hits will include Amari Cooper, Jarvis Landry, Allen Robinson and Alshon Jeffrey. Players with significantly higher cap hits will include Brandin Cooks and Damarius Thomas. Sammy Watkins will have a 19.2 million dollar cap hit. Now none of those guys are bad but none of those guys are Gronk. Honorable Mention: Adrian ClaybornCap hit: $4,000,000I think there is a chance the Clayborn contract could be a steal but we will have to wait and see. If he can replicate the success he had last year, not necessarily the sack totals but the strong run defense and pressures, I think this year’s $4 million would be a bargain. He’s going to be a rotational player so I am hesitant to put him here but it is possible. Closing ThoughtsI think my biggest takeaway from researching this column has been the value of locking up good talent on long term deals. Gronk may have signed a record breaking deal James White Jersey , and he may have lost a couple seasons to injury, but there really is no way to cut that contract and not be happy about the result. If you have confidence a player can continue to play well, then pay the big bucks now. Even record setting contracts can look like steals after a few years of cap inflation and reckless spending from cap heavy teams.2018 Patriots roster cuts: New England has one of the oldest 53-man rosters in the NFL With the New England Patriots having cut down their roster to 52 players yesterday, we now know the core of what the team’s 2018 version will look like. And while it will continue to evolve over the course of the next few months, one thing becomes clear when looking at it: despite some questions about the depth at the wide receiver and offensive tackle positions, the Patriots have a generally deep squad – and a comparatively old one.In fact, only two teams are older than New England. The Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski compared initial 53-man roster across the NFL in terms of age and found out that the Patriots’ average player is 26.8 years old, which ties the the team with the Carolina Panthers for the 29th oldest squad in all of football. For comparison, the league’s youngest roster – the Cincinnati Bengals’ – is only 25.2 years on average.The reasons for the difference and New England’s ranking near the bottom can quickly be spotted. Look no further than the quarterback position: despite being the NFL’s best passer, 41-year old Tom Brady is also the oldest non-specialist in the league. His backup Brian Hoyer is noticeably younger at 32, but still of ripe age when compared to other players and quarterbacks across the NFL.Brady and Hoyer are just two examples of older players having been able to secure a spot on the team. In fact, nine more men on the current roster are over 30. With the exception of projected depth defensive back Jason McCourty, all of them are expected to play pivotal roles on the 2018 Patriots either as starters – like wide receiver Chris Hogan, offensive tackle Marcus Cannon, and safeties Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung – or key rotational pieces.That being said and despite being voted the worst team in terms of talent under the age of 25 earlier this offseason, the Patriots certainly also have plenty of young players to potentially build upon for the future. Training camp standouts cornerback J.C. Jackson, defensive edge Deatrich Wise Jr. and offensive tackle Trent Brown are just three examples of younger players rising to the occasion and displaying possible long-term upside.Nevertheless, New England does need to find suitable replacements for the older players that drive up their average age over the next few seasons. And none of them is more important than the quarterback spot.

Vikings at Titans Preseason 2018: Second Half Open Thread We’ve got ourselves a barnburner at Nissan Stadium in Nashville between the Tennessee Titans and your Minnesota Vikings. And http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-adam-thielen-jersey , by that, I mean that we’re tied 3-3 going into the locker room.(Hey, we’ve got to try to sell this somehow.)Here’s a list of things of interest for Vikings fans:Stephen Weatherly had an up-and-down first drive. He was called for roughing the passer early on, but collected a sack of Titans quarterback Luke Falk to force a Tennessee punt.The Vikings, after stopping the Titans on their first possession, started Trevor Siemian at quarterback, with Danny Isidora starting at center (!?), and the newly-acquired Brett Jones starting at left guard. They went three-and-out.The full Vikings starting offensive line for this one was Aviante Collins at left tackle, Jones at left guard Linval Joseph Jersey , Isidora at center, Colby Gossett at right guard, and Brian O’Neill at right tackle.Minnesota’s second drive, following a 16-play effort from Tennessee that resulted in a Ryan Succop field goal, didn’t go any better than the first. They went three-and-out again, and also had a false start on Collins.The Vikings’ defense forced a three-and-out of their own on the Titans’ next drive. The Vikings finally got a first down on a Trevor Siemian completion to Roc Thomas. Thomas then got tackled from behind on a run and suffered what appeared to be a left ankle injury. He walked off the field under his own power, but did so gingerly from the reports I’ve seen on social media.Couple of injury updates:With Thomas possibly out for the remainder of the night, it appears that the RB3 spot is going to end up with Mike Boone. He picked up 30 yards on seven carries in the first half, while Thomas had four carries for 12 yards and a pair of receptions for 15 yards. The Vikings finally got a drive into Tennessee territory Authentic Laquon Treadwell Jersey , and went for it on fourth down from near midfield. Siemian found Brandon Zylstra, the pride of Concordia College (Moorhead version) for a 20-yard gain to extend the drive.That drive stalled, and the Vikings brought in Daniel Carlson to attempt a 39-yard field goal after the two-minute warning. Carlson, following his adventures against the Seattle Seahawks in the previous preseason game, split the uprights to tie the score at 3-3. That’s how we went into the locker room at the half.I’ll take Ms. Cronin’s word for it. After all, she’s actually watching what’s happening.The Vikings’ offense went just 1-for-6 on third down in the first half, which is less than ideal.That’s what happened in the first half in Nashville, ladies and gentlemen. Here’s where you can talk about the second half of action. Enjoy, everyone!Three things to watch: Vikings vs Jags It won’t be long until the season is over. I know Youth Andrew Sendejo Jersey , y’all are like, “but, Lucas it’s only the second preseason game.” You’re not wrong, but the season will come and go in a blink of an eye, so enjoy every bit of it. Minnesota kicks-off against Jacksonville on Saturday at noon. One of the biggest things to watch for that I’m not including on my three things, because it’s just obvious. That’s to watch these two defenses and see where one stacks up against the other. Here are the three things to keep your eye on throughout the game:3. Tight end competition Wednesday in practice, tight end Josiah Price suffered a season-ending knee injury. Now, the tight end depth lost one player. It’s debatable if Price would have even made the roster, but that solidifies a position battle between Blake Bell and rookie Tyler Conklin for the third tight end spot and ixnayed a spot for Price on the active roster. Conklin only caught one pass last week for two yards http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ben-gedeon-jersey , but Bell caught zero passes. I got a thing for rookies beating out players who’ve been in the league for a few years. Conklin only appeared in eight games last season with Central Michigan after missing the first five because of an injury. He still managed to scrape up 28 catches for 406 yards and five touchdowns, averaging about 50 yards a game. Bell didn’t see much action last season with the Vikings. He only managed three catches for 19 yards in 13 games. He was placed on injured reserve after a shoulder injury he sustained on December 15. The year before that he was in San Francisco where he played in 13 games and only recorded four catches for 85 yards before going on the injured reserve, again. 2. Look for Forbath to strike backYes, Daniel Carlson had a fantastic first preseason game. Now, this week it will probably be Kai Forbath hitting field goals and extra points, while Carlson handles kick-offs. Forbath isn’t going to let Carlson just take his job. Last week Carlson hit what seemed to be a perfect 57-yard field goal and a 39-yard field goal earlier in the game. He managed to make all four of his extra attempts. He had a solid debut, but can Forbath match his performance? Why do I make a big deal about kickers? Well just look back on track records of former kickers who played for the Vikings and blew big games (cough, cough Gary Anderson and Blair Walsh, cough Sheldon Richardson Jersey , cough). 1. Return of Dalvin CookFinally we get to see number 33 hit the field and take some live-game reps. Well, hopefully since it’s not a for sure thing. I feel like he might get a decent amount of touches, but this is also where we will get a hint of if he’ll be the same player that he was on pace to be last year before he got hurt. Before getting hurt last season Cook was on pace to exceed 1,000 yards rushing and some fantasy experts expect him to rush for over 1,100 this season. I’d say pump the breaks a little bit, considering how well Latavius Murray played last season. I wouldn’t mind if offensive coordinator John DeFlippo decided to split the workload between the two or just run with whoever is feeling it that day. There is no way Murray will take a backseat to Cook.

ATLANTA (4-6) at NEW ORLEANS (9-1)Thursday Youth Cameron Jordan Jersey , 8:20 p.m. ET, NBCOPENING LINE 鈥?Saints by 11RECORD VS. SPREAD 鈥?Atlanta 3-7, New Orleans 8-2SERIES RECORD 鈥?Falcons lead 52-47LAST MEETING 鈥?Saints beat Falcons 43-37, OT, Sept. 23LAST WEEK 鈥?Falcons lost to Cowboys 22-19; Saints beat Eagles 48-7.AP PRO32 RANKING - Falcons No. 21, Saints No. 1.FALCONS OFFENSE - OVERALL (6), RUSH (29), PASS (3).FALCONS DEFENSE - OVERALL (29), RUSH (23), PASS (29).SAINTS OFFENSE - OVERALL (4), RUSH (6), PASS (6).SAINTS DEFENSE - OVERALL (16), RUSH (2), PASS (27).STREAKS Color Rush Vonn Bell Jersey , STATS AND NOTES 鈥?Falcons have lost last two against Saints, split last two at Superdome. ... Falcons QB Matt Ryan completed 26 of 35 (74.3 percent) for 374 yards, five TDs, no INTs in last meeting. ... RB Tevin Coleman has six TDs (three rushing, three receiving) in past five games against Saints. ... WR Julio Jones had six catches for 118 yards, TD in Week 11. Jones seeks fourth straight outing with TD catch. He leads NFL with 1,158 yards receiving this season. ... Rookie WR Calvin Ridley had seven catches for 146 yards, three TDs in last meeting. ... LB Vic Beasley Jr. had two sacks last week, his fifth-career multi-sack game. He had sack in last meeting. ... S Damontae Kazee tied career high with nine tackles in last meeting. He seeks fourth straight game on road with INT. Kazee leads NFL with five INTs. ... DL Jack Crawford had forced fumble last week. ... Saints have won nine straight, longest win streak in NFL this season. ... Saints have scored 45 or more in past three games, first time in franchise history New Orleans has scored at least that many points in three straight. ... QB Drew Brees passed for 363 yards, four TDs without INT last week. It marked Brees' 23rd career game with at least four TD passes and no INTs, surpassing Patriots' Tom Brady for most such games in NFL history. ... Brees leads NFL with 76.9 completion percentage. ... Brees has 25 TDs passing, one INT this season. In five home games Marshon Lattimore Jersey , Brees has completed 78.9 percent for 350.8 yards per game, 16 TDs, no INTs. ... Saints P Thomas Morstead has punted no more than twice in each of last seven and did not punt in two of those games. ... RB Mark Ingram has rushed for 100-plus yards in two straight outings. ... Saints averaging 208.5 yards rushing during past two games. ... WR Michael Thomas is first Saints receiver with 1,000 yards in each of first three seasons. He had four catches for 92 yards, TD last week. ... Saints' defense had three INTs and three sacks last week. ... Fantasy tip: Saints RB Alvin Kamara had 108 scrimmage yards, TD catch last week. He has TD in five straight games and 100 or more scrimmage yards in three straight, and had career-high 15 receptions, 190 scrimmage yards in last meeting with Falcons. Lamar Jackson ran 27 times and threw only 19 passes to win his first NFL start.That's not a typo.Filling in for injured quarterback Joe Flacco, Jackson ran for 117 yards in Baltimore's 24-21 victory over Cincinnati on Sunday. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner had more rushing attempts than any quarterback since 1970 and became the first to gain over 100 yards since Colin Kaepernick had 113 on Nov. 27, 2016.Calling his own number worked so Ravens coach John Harbaugh let Jackson tuck it and take off all day. But old-school football won't cut it in a pass-crazy league where quarterbacks are posting ridiculous numbers every week. Even Harbaugh realizes Jackson can't run the ball at that pace in the future."Yeah, you don't want your quarterback getting hit that much," Harbaugh said Monday. "It's not going to last that way. So, that's pretty self-evident."Plenty of running quarterbacks have been successful, though taking hits exposes them to more injuries. Michael Vick is the all-time leading rusher among quarterbacks but he missed a bunch of games during his career. Carson Wentz isn't considered a "running QB" but he tore two knee ligaments on a scramble last season and missed the playoffs and Super Bowl."Quarterbacks don't run forever in the NFL Authentic Wil Lutz Jersey ," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said after Jackson juked and sprinted his way past his team. "Sooner or later, they get hurt, and they don't run the same."NOT INTERESTED: After losing quarterback Alex Smith for the rest of the season, the NFC East-leading Redskins signed Mark Sanchez to be Colt McCoy's backup. They also worked out Kellen Clemens, Josh Johnson, T.J. Yates and EJ Manuel.Sanchez hasn't started a game since 2015. He has thrown 86 touchdown passes and has 86 interceptions with a 73.9 career passer rating. Clemens (16 TDs, 21 INTs, 68.9), Johnson (5 TDs, 10 INTs, 57.7), Yates (10 TDs, 11 INTs, 70.7) and Manuel (20 TDs Youth Patrick Robinson Jersey , 16 INTs, 77.1) are much less impressive. But there's an unsigned quarterback 鈥?Kaepernick 鈥?with 72 TDs, 30 INTs and 88.9 rating. He's also 4-2 in the playoffs. Like the rest of the NFL, the Redskins weren't interested.RUNNING IT UP: Saints coach Sean Payton defended his decision to go for a fourth-and-7 leading by 31 points early in the fourth quarter. Drew Brees threw a 37-yard TD pass to Alvin Kamara with 13:15 left in a 45-7 win over Philadelphia. Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who began his career with the Saints and was beat on the play, wasn't pleased. He raised both of his middle fingers at Payton. But Jenkins spoke to Payton after the game and told a reporter: "I'm a competitor. I love Sean to death. I know what type of guy and coach he is. That was more so personal between me and him."UNAGGRESSIVE DOUG: Eagles coach Doug Pederson's unconventional style was lauded during the team's run to a Super Bowl victory last season, but he's played it safe more often this year. On the opening possession in Philadelphia's lopsided loss at New Orleans, the Eagles faced a fourth down and less than a yard at the Saints 24. Pederson elected to punt even though his offense needed to try and score and keep Brees and Co. off the field as long as possible."That's one I look at that maybe you do something different right," Pederson said in hindsight.NO CHALLENGE: Broncos coach Vance Joseph decided not to challenge a 2-point conversion to save a timeout and it nearly cost him until Brandon McManus kicked a 34-yard field goal as time expired to beat the Chargers. Joseph chose not to toss the red flag after Case Keenum came up short on a 2-point draw following Phillip Lindsay's touchdown run that put Denver ahead 20-19 with 12 minutes left. He said one of the officials told the quarterback his team should challenge the call because it was so close. But Joseph said his assistants in the booth didn't see it clearly enough to risk losing a timeout.AP Pro Football writer Arnie Stapleton and AP Sports Writer David Ginsburg contributed to this report. www.nflshopoutlet.com/detroit-lions

What If Marlon McCree Never Fumbles The SB Nation NFL team sites are continuing to do Theme Weeks after starting the trend during the 2017 season. This week’s theme is: “What if?”The San Diego/Los Angeles football franchise is one of twelve other NFL franchises to never win a Super Bowl. The team has played twenty-four seasons since the last time they reached the super bowl Color Rush Joey Bosa Jersey , a blowout loss at the hands of the 49ers in 1994, and have reached a total of four AFC Championships in team history. While the Chargers have been closer to winning super bowls than what they achieved in the 2006 season, most fans of the team will tell you that 2006 team had the best chance of them all.The 2006 San Diego Chargers were a juggernaut in every sense of the word, rostering a league-best eleven Pro Bowl players, an NFL record thirty-one touchdown season by hall of fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson, and an accomplished former coach of the year in Marty Schottenheimer. A ten-game winning streak to finish the season placed the Chargers firmly as the number one seed in the AFC at 14-2. The 2006 AFC Divisional round matchup between the San Diego Chargers and New England Patriots was a competitive back and forth affair that found the Chargers up eight points with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Attempting to convert on fourth down, Tom Brady’s pass was intercepted by safety Marlon McCree. While returning the interception Color Rush Keenan Allen Jersey , Marlon was stripped by Patriots receiver Troy Brown resulting in a fumble recovery by the Patriots. The Chargers challenged the call and failed, resulting in an additional loss of timeout. The controversial play could have been wholly avoided had Marlon fell to the ground on his own, securing possession as well as a likely Chargers win. The Patriots would eventually march down the field and score a touchdown and two-point conversion, tying the game. After another Patriots field goal with a little over one minute left, the timeout-less Chargers would attempt a 54-yard field goal as time expired that ultimately fell short, resulting in a loss.A roster as talented as the 2006 Chargers does not come along very often, leaving fans in a state of disbelief and constantly asking themselves the same question:“What if Marlon McCree Never Fumbles?”Assuming the Chargers offense drives down the field after the interception Youth Russell Okung Jersey , adding additional points to the team’s total and putting the game out of reach, the Chargers would play at home (where they were previously undefeated) against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. While it is tough to assume the Chargers would top the Colts in the AFC Championship game, the team did top a similar Colts team in the 2007 AFC Divisional round and were by far a more talented team. After beating the Colts, the Chargers would play the Rex Grossman-led Bears in Super Bowl XLI. Again, it is tough to assume the Chargers beat the Chicago Bears, but I didn’t write this article just to have them lose in heartbreaking fashion again. After demolishing the Chicago Bears, the Chargers bring the Lombardi trophy home to the city of San Diego for the first time in team history. Even though team GM A.J. Smith and coach Marty Schottenheimer didn’t have the best relationship Youth Dan Feeney Jersey , the massive success forces A.J. to retain Marty for another season rather than replace him with Norv Turner. The 2007 Chargers reap the benefits on their way to another 14-2 season, although still falling short in the postseason after injuries to both Philip Rivers and LaDainian Tomlinson. Marty Schottenheimer continues to coach the Chargers until he retires in 2011 and LaDainian Tomlinson never leaves, retiring a Charger. The success of winning a Super Bowl in the city of San Diego allows for massive renovations to Qualcomm Stadium, never forcing the team to relocate to Los Angeles. Philip Rivers retires in 2016 after battling injuries, knowing he’s destined for the Hall of Fame, and the San Diego Chargers select Clemson Football star Deshaun Watson in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. The Chargers are never infamous for losing in heartbreaking fashion and are widely known as one of the league’s most successful franchises.What do you think? Is that how it would have played out? The Chiefs traded Alex Smith and made Patrick Mahomes their starting quarterback this offseason and it’s hard to ask for a better first outing in his new job than the one Mahomes put together against the Chargers on Sunday.Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for a 58-yard touchdown on his third pass of the game, threw for three more scores over the course of the afternoon and the Chiefs opened the year with a 38-28 road win over a divisional rival. Hill said Mahomes was “very comfortable” and “very confident” in the huddle while head coach Andy Reid’s assessment focused on other positives.“He made plays http://www.authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-brandon-mebane-jersey , and he did it with his legs, he did it with throwing, he did it with checks,” Reid said, via ESPN.com. “I have a lot of respect for [Chargers defensive coordinator] Gus Bradley and his defense. He threw a few things at Mahomes. He got him a few times. But I thought Pat did a nice job of handling it against an experienced and very good defensive coordinator. He’s a unique kid. He’s got to keep working here. He’s just at the beginning of this thing. We’ve got to keep moving forward, taking steps forward.”Travis Kelce only had one catch and the Chiefs never got Kareem Hunt on track, so there are things to work on in the weeks to come. Given how much the Chiefs were able to do without big contributions from those players Color Rush Derwin James Jersey , there will likely be some sleepless nights for opposing defensive coordinators in the weeks to come. Custom Carolina Panthers Jerseys