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ACCESS
PICKS FOR TODAY SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2019 |
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NFL |
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10/20/2019 |
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FOUND
12
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-161
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-3 (-107)
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Over 54.5 (-106)
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+145
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+3 (-103)
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Under 54.5 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019ATLANTA There is no guarantee that a Super Bowl appearance will generate long-term momentum. Just ask the Los Angeles Rams, who return to Atlanta as a . 500 team with three straight losses only eight months after their Super Bowl appearance. Or check in with the Atlanta Falcons, whose 2016 Super Bowl season seems a distant memory. The Falcons have lost four straight, leaving them on target for a second straight losing record. The Rams (3-3), who play the Falcons (1-5) on Sunday, had a busy week while retooling their secondary. The big addition was cornerback Jalen Ramsey, one of the league's top players at his position, who was acquired from Jacksonville. Also this week, the Rams placed cornerback Aqib Talib and safety John Johnson on injured reserve and traded cornerback Marcus Peters. The Rams gave up three draft picks, including two first-rounders, for Ramsey in a dramatic attempt to generate renewed momentum for another playoff run following their Super Bowl loss to New England. Coach Sean McVay said Ramsey provides ''all the traits that you look for in a corner. '' While Ramsey prepares to play, the Rams may have to rely on a bunch of relatively untested defensive backs against Matt Ryan and Julio Jones, including cornerbacks Troy Hill and Darious Williams and safety Marqui Christian. The Falcons' frustrations may have peaked when usually reliable Matt Bryant missed a potential game-tying extra point in last week's 34-33 loss at Arizona. Only a dramatic turnaround would save the Falcons from their second straight losing season. The losing streak has increased the pressure on fifth-year coach Dan Quinn. Quinn said his players ''want to get it right. '' ''They're hurting, the fans are hurting, everybody is,'' he said. ''If you're around the team, you know how much they care and how much it means to them. More than anything, they want to get it right. When we haven't done that, it stings. '' Here are some more things to know about the Rams-Falcons matchup:THEN THERE WAS ONESafety Eric Weddle is the only starter from last week's loss to San Francisco who will return in the Rams secondary. He has to lead the new mix of starters. ''That's why you have me, quite honestly,'' Weddle said. ''I've been through this many a time. Revolving door, whether it's safeties, corners, it's my job to get everyone on the same page and play at a high level. '' NO DEFENSEQuinn fired all his coordinators after last season and named himself defensive coordinator. That hasn't produced the results he wanted. The Falcons rank last in the league in scoring defense and sacks. ''There's nothing where we can say we're hitting the mark in any way,'' Quinn said. JUST VISITING, Y'ALLThe Rams will remain in Atlanta and will practice at Georgia Tech next week before flying to London for their Oct. 27 game against Cincinnati. Quarterback Jared Goff said he thinks the time away from home will be ''somewhat galvanizing. '' ''When you're off on the road, and all you do have is each other, you have that us against the world type of deal,'' Goff said. ''It does tend to bring a team together and you hope you go out and get this win this weekend and build from there. '' RYAN ON A ROLLRyan, who leads the NFL with 15 touchdown passes, can become the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards in each of the first seven games of a season. Ryan also has cut down on mistakes. After throwing six interceptions in the first three games, he has only one in the last three. LINE CONCERNSDavid Edwards, a rookie fifth-round pick from Wisconsin, is expected to be the Rams' starting left guard after Joe Noteboom was lost for the season with a knee injury. Edwards has yet to take an offensive snap. He has played sparingly on special teams. The Rams must trust Edwards because backup guard Jamil Demby apparently has not impressed the coaches. The line was the offense's strength last year, but it has been a liability this fall with Edwards the third new starter. The line has had less-than-dominant play by tackles Andrew Whitworth and Rob Havenstein. --- Sports Writer Greg Beacham in Los Angeles contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
 Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019ATLANTA Jared Goff threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and the Los Angeles Rams returned to the site of last season's Super Bowl loss to beat the reeling Atlanta Falcons 37-10 on Sunday. The Rams (4-3) snapped a three-game losing streak in the debut of cornerback Jalen Ramsey. ''We're back on track,'' said linebacker Dante Fowler, who had three sacks and a forced fumble. Coach Sean McVay was impressed by Ramsey's ability to prepare for the game following Tuesday's trade from Jacksonville. ''I can't say enough about his ability to digest the game plan,'' McVay said. ''I think it's just a real credit to our defensive coaches and then Jalen's ability . . . to come in on short notice with such short practice time and do what he did. It was a good boost to our team, to be sure. '' The Falcons (1-6) suffered their fifth straight loss and had quarterback Matt Ryan leave the game with an ankle injury. Ryan's right leg bent awkwardly as he was sacked by Aaron Donald and fumbled early in the fourth quarter. Ryan limped off the field and was escorted to the medical tent on the sideline. He walked to the locker room, still favoring the ankle, with 7:36 remaining in the game. Coach Dan Quinn said he did not know the severity of Ryan's injury. Ryan wore a walking boot in the locker room and was not made available for his usual postgame news conference. Donald was credited with a sack, forced fumble and recovery on the play. It was the Rams' fifth sack of Ryan, matching the five sacks by Atlanta's defense this season - none in the last four games. Matt Schaub replaced Ryan and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Austin Hooper with 2:36 remaining. The final insult for Atlanta came with only 11 seconds left, when Kenjon Barner fumbled a punt return when hit by Troy Reeder and Darious Williams recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Ryan's injury was the latest and perhaps most damaging dose of bad news for the woeful Falcons. Quinn's job security appears shaky at best as he quickly runs out of time to avoid a second straight losing season. Quinn, who took on the added role of defensive coordinator following a 7-9 finish in 2018, revealed after the game that he began assigning some defensive play-calling duties to assistants in last week's loss at Arizona and continued to share that role on Sunday. ''I'm always looking to do anything that's best for the team,'' Quinn said. ''My ego is never bigger than the team. '' Quinn said he doesn't believe he has lost the team or the season. ''I never think you're out of the fight,'' Quinn said. ''You shouldn't think that way as a team member and I certainly don't think that way as a coach. '' Atlanta's frustrations showed in a third-quarter fight between running back Devonta Freeman and Donald that led to Freeman's ejection. The two locked up after Ryan's pass off Mohamed Sanu's hands was intercepted by Cory Littleton deep in Atlanta territory with the Rams leading 20-3. Freeman had his hands on Donald's facemask before throwing a punch at the much bigger Donald, which appeared to make little if any contact. Umpire Terry Killens finally pulled Freeman away from Donald, taking Freeman to the ground in an apparent unintentional body slam before quickly helping Freeman to his feet. Each player drew unnecessary roughness penalties, and Freeman was tossed for throwing the punch. The turnover left the Rams at the Atlanta 16 for a short drive capped by Goff's 1-yard scoring run. With running back Ito Smith already out with an injury, Freeman's ejection left Brian Hill and return specialist Kenjon Barner as the options at running back. Goff completed 22 of 37 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. Blake Bortles took over on the Rams' final possession. Atlanta's offense struggled even before Freeman's exit. The Falcons were limited to 224 yards. As expected, Ramsey shadowed Falcons standout Julio Jones much of the game. Jones had six catches for 93 yards in his first matchup with Ramsey. Ramsey moved into a revamped secondary. The Rams placed cornerback Aqib Talib and safety John Johnson on injured reserve this week and traded cornerback Marcus Peters to Baltimore. That left safety Eric Weddle as the only holdover starter. The new mix held up well. Ryan completed 16 of 27 passes for only 159 yards with an interception. Goff threw a perfectly placed 13-yard touchdown pass to Todd Gurley early in the second quarter. He added an 8-yard scoring pass to Gerald Everett in the third quarter. Everett, an Atlanta native, celebrated by doing the ''Dirty Bird'' dance made famous in the Falcons' 1998 Super Bowl season. INJURY REPORTSmith was carted off the field late in the first quarter with head and neck injuries following a helmet-to-helmet hit from Rams linebacker Cory Littleton. There was no flag. Smith did not return. UP NEXTThe Rams will remain in Atlanta to practice at Georgia Tech for a few days before flying to London for next Sunday's game against Cincinnati. The Falcons will play the Seahawks in another home game next Sunday. Seattle leads the series 10-8, including two playoff games won by Atlanta. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+793
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+17 (-103)
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Over 42.5 (-100)
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-1137
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-17 (-108)
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Under 42.5 (-111)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019ORCHARD PARK, N. Y. The Buffalo Bills haven't seen the last of FitzMagic. Ryan Fitzpatrick picked up many of his colorful nicknames for his fearless flair for dramatics during a four-year stint in Buffalo. Seven years and five teams later, the Harvard-educated swashbuckler will be back in town facing his former team Sunday, this time with the winless Miami Dolphins. He reclaimed the starting job this week in rookie coach Brian Flores' bid to spark an offense that's scored just 42 points. ''Decided that we feel like that was the best thing for this team and give us an opportunity - the best opportunity - for this team to go up into a tough environment and try to pull out a win,'' Flores said, in explaining his sudden change of heart in having Fitzpatrick take over for turnover-prone Josh Rosen. Fitzpatrick, 3-2 against the Bills since being released by Buffalo, is more accustomed to playing in what should be a rowdy environment, where the folding table-breaking Bills Mafia has jumped on board a 4-1 team that's off to its best start since 2011. He's proven to be more productive in running a talent-depleted offense after engineering two fourth-quarter touchdown drives before coming a failed two-point conversion short in a 17-16 loss to Washington last week. Perhaps most of all, Fitzpatrick's easygoing approach might be what the frustrated Dolphins need to stay loose amid questions of tanking, and facing a defense that has yet to allow more than 17 points or 250 yards passing - a big reason Buffalo is 4-1. Fitzpatrick was already busy cracking jokes upon being named the starter Wednesday. He noted it'll be easy to pick out friends and former neighbors in the stands because they'll be the only ones wearing his old No. 14 Bills jersey. More seriously, the 36-year-old understands the importance of leading the Dolphins on the field and mentoring Rosen, a former first-round pick now on his second team in two years. ''He knows I'm there and he knows I've been through a lot of different things,'' Fitzpatrick said. ''Every Sunday I have the fate of this whole team on my shoulders and that's what you do as a quarterback. But if you allow it to overpower you and you allow it to cripple you, it will. So just trying to play free. '' Tight end Lee Smith certainly remembers Fitzpatrick's freewheeling style when the two were teammates in Buffalo. ''Josh reminds me a lot of him,'' Smith said, referring to Bills second-year starter Josh Allen. ''Both of them are wild. They're diving headfirst into dudes because they want to get every inch they can for their team. '' Fitzpatrick's ability to throw caution to the wind has both extended his career and limited his chances of being a long-term starter. With a 50-77-1 record, he ranks 53rd on the career list with 192 touchdowns, and 59th with 152 interceptions. One way or the other, he'll have the Bills secondary on its toes. ''With Fitzpatrick, he's a gunslinger,'' Bills safety Micah Hyde said. ''He's going to give us opportunities and he's going to give them opportunities. '' FRANK TALKContaining Bills running back Frank Gore, the NFL's active leading rusher, is nothing new for Flores. He was a linebacker at Boston College when his team lost to Gore and the Miami Hurricanes in 2001. Flores said he didn't actually get a chance to tackle Gore. ''I wasn't very good,'' Flores said. ''I wasn't in there very much. '' MORE GOREGore, who spent last season with Miami, is 79 all-purpose yards from becoming the ninth player to reach 19,000. He's also two touchdowns shy of becoming the 25th player to reach 100. LOSING THE SPREADBills defensive tackle Jordan Phillips might be on to something when he said, ''What's that mean? '' when informed the Bills opened as 15 1/2-point favorites. The Bills have lost the last two times they've been favored by 15 1/2 or more points. Buffalo lost 24-17 to the New York Jets on Dec. 6, 1992, and 16-13 at Indianapolis the previous week. TUA TRENDINGBy losing a matchup of winless teams against Washington, the Dolphins are favorites in the race for the No. 1 draft pick. That fits nicely with the organization's rebuilding effort and pursuit of a franchise quarterback. ''Tankfortua'' is a popular Twitter hashtag, as Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is well aware. ''It's flattering,'' Tagovailoa said this week. ''But we have a season to worry about now. Everyone is saying `Tank for Tua' now. But if we end up losing all our games the rest of the season, they won't be there saying it then. '' FITZ-MEMORIESChan Gailey's first win as Bills coach in 2010 came courtesy of Fitzpatrick. Same went for interim coach Perry Fewell, who turned to Fitzpatrick after Dick Jauron was fired nine games into the 2009 season. Fewell had an anxious moment with Buffalo nursing a 17-14 lead over Miami. Taking over with 2:31 remaining, Fitzpatrick ignored his coach's suggestion to play conservatively and instead launched a 51-yard touchdown pass to Terrell Owens in an eventual 31-14 win. --- Sports Writer Steven Wine in Davie, Florida, contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019ORCHARD PARK, N. Y. Tre'Davious White forced two second-half turnovers, Micah Hyde returned an onside kick for a touchdown, and the Buffalo Bills rallied from a five-point deficit for a 31-21 victory over the winless Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The Bills, who began the day favored by 17 points, avoided what would have been a major upset against a patchwork Dolphins opponent in a major rebuilding mode. Josh Allen led fourth-quarter touchdown drives following each of the Dolphins turnovers, and the Bills improved to 5-1 in matching their best start to a season in 11 years. White's diving interception at the 2 of Ryan Fitzpatrick's pass on second-and-goal from the 12 led to Buffalo going ahead 17-14 on John Brown's 20-yard touchdown catch that capped a 12-play, 98-yard drive. Two series later, White punched the ball out of the hands of rookie Preston Williams near the Miami 30, and the fumble was recovered by defensive end Jerry Hughes. Three plays later, Allen hit a wide-open Cole Beasley for a 3-yard touchdown. The outcome wasn't decided until 1:38 remaining, and after Fitzpatrick scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to cut Buffalo's lead to 24-21. Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders' onside kick attempt to the right bounced directly into a leaping Hyde's arms. He stayed on his feet and returned it untouched to seal the victory. Fitzpatrick provided the Dolphins a spark - and their first lead beyond the first quarter of the season - by engineering consecutive 75-yard touchdown drives. Kalen Ballage put Miami up 7-6 by scoring on a 3-yard run on the first snap of the second quarter. And then Fitzpatrick hit DeVante Parker for a 12-yard touchdown catch with 5:51 remaining in the half. The Dolphins entered the game having led only once in a game, and never past the end of the first quarter this season. But the ''FitzMagic'' ran out in the second half against one of his seven former teams. He finished 23 of 35 for 282 yards to end Buffalo's streak of 13 games of not allowing 250 yards passing. Buffalo overcame a sloppy first half in which the team appeared as if it was still knocking off the rust in coming off its bye week. The Allen-led offense settled for three field goals on its first three drives. White's interception came two plays after the Dolphins successfully ran a fake field goal on fourth-and-1 from the Buffalo 4. Holder Matt Haack caught the snap and then scampered for a 2-yard gain. The Bills defense finally responded on the next play with former Dolphins defensive tackle Jordan Phillips crashing over the line and sacking Fitzpatrick for a 10-yard loss. EARLY EXITDolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins was ejected for throwing a punch at Buffalo Bills tackle Cody Ford on the second snap from scrimmage. Wilkins was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing the punch away from the play and after Allen threw an incompletion. KROFT DEBUTTight end Tyler Kroft was not targeted in making his long-awaited Bills debut after being sidelined by several injuries since signing with Buffalo in free agency in March. Kroft missed the entire offseason after breaking his right foot in his first practice. He then missed the past three games after hurting his left ankle in practice. UP NEXTDolphins: Prime-time game at Pittsburgh Oct. 28. Bills: Host Philadelphia Eagles on Oct. 27. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-214
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-4 (-116)
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Over 44.5 (+100)
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+189
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+4 (+105)
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Under 44.5 (-111)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019CINCINNATI A so-so showing against the Saints threw a little cold water on Minshew-mania. The rookie with the distinctive `stache has a chance to re-ignite it against one of the NFL's two winless teams. Quarterbacks tend to have big games against these winless Bengals. Gardner Minshew looked very ordinary during the Jaguars' 13-6 loss to New Orleans. Jacksonville (2-4) was held to a season-low 226 yards and a pair of field goals. Minshew threw for only 163 yards with an interception. The sixth-round pick became an overnight sensation after Nick Foles got hurt in the opener. He leads all rookies with nine touchdown passes in six games and a passer rating of 97. 5. A little of the luster came off in that ragged showing against the Saints. Asked if it'll be easier to play at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday without the mania, Minshew smiled and said, ''I don't listen to it much anyway. It's about the same. '' The past three quarterbacks who faced the Bengals had career days. Cincinnati fell to 0-6 for the first time in 11 years when Lamar Jackson ran for a career-high 152 yards last Sunday in Baltimore's 23-17 win . A week earlier, Kyler Murray ran for a career-high 93 in the Cardinals' first win. Pittsburgh's Mason Rudolph had a good time during a 27-3 win the previous Monday night. And things are only getting worse in Cincinnati. The Bengals are last in the league at stopping the run, and they're expected to be without their top two cornerbacks on Sunday. The previous time the Bengals opened 0-7 was 2008, when they dropped their first eight under coach Marvin Lewis. As October starts to wind down, first-year coach Zac Taylor is still looking for that inaugural win. ''It's one of those things where we didn't expect it to look like this coming into the year, but it's where we are,'' quarterback Andy Dalton said. ''You still go to work, and you still love this game. It has been tough, though. '' Some things to watch Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium:CLEAN BREAKThe Jaguars dealt top cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Rams for three draft picks Tuesday, parting ways with a two-time Pro Bowl player who wanted out. Ramsey had requested a trade and missed the past three games with a back injury. Coach Doug Marrone addressed it with players as he got them focused for Cincinnati. ''We did a good job not letting that distract us,'' cornerback A. J. Bouye said. ''Now we just have to move forward. '' RUN TO DAYLIGHTNobody stands a better chance for a big game than Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, who is second in the AFC with 584 yards rushing and is averaging 5. 1 yards per carry. He'll be facing a defense that has allowed 5. 3 yards per rush - worst in the league - and has already allowed three opponents to rush for more than 250 yards. Cincinnati has by far the worst run defense in the NFL, allowing 184. 5 yards per game. Jackson had his big day in Baltimore's win last Sunday even though the Bengals focused on stopping his runs. ''When you've got a minimum of two guys on the guy and they don't make the plays, it is disconcerting,'' defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo said. BENGALS CORNERBACKSDre Kirkpatrick and William Jackson III are expected to miss the game with injuries, leaving the Bengals in a tough spot at cornerback. Slot cornerback Darqueze Dennard returned to practice this week after being sidelined since knee surgery in March. Even though he hadn't played a snap in practice since last year, he's likely to see a lot of playing time. ''I'm kind of an even-keel guy,'' Dennard said. ''A lot of these games have been like roller coasters - high emotions and lows and all that type stuff. So I'm going to keep everybody calm. '' RUN THE BALLNot only have the Bengals been unable to stop the run, they haven't had much of a running game themselves. They're also last in the league in that category, averaging only 56. 5 yards per game. The lack of a running game has forced Dalton to throw the ball 243 times, third-most in the league. Joe Mixon will be going against a Jaguars run defense that ranks only 25th in the league. HOW MANY WILL WATCHAfter three straight losing seasons, the Bengals have struggled to sell tickets. Only 50,666 were distributed for their home opening loss the 49ers, and 46,012 were distributed for the second home game against the Cardinals. Paul Brown Stadium hasn't been much of a home-field advantage. --- Sports Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019CINCINNATI Gardner Minshew led a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that put Jacksonville ahead to stay Sunday, and Yannick Ngakoue returned an interception 23 yards to clinch a 27-17 victory over the winless Cincinnati Bengals. The Jaguars (3-4) managed only field goals by still-perfect Josh Lambo until their rookie quarterback and their depleted defense made game-turning plays at the end. The win capped a week in which the Jaguars traded disgruntled cornerback Jalen Ramsey to the Rams for three draft picks. Their defense picked off Andy Dalton three times in the fourth quarter to put it away. The wait goes on for first-year Bengals coach Zac Taylor, whose team fell to 0-7 for the first time in 11 years. Minshew was solid a week after his so-so performance in a 13-6 loss to the Saints. The rookie completed 15 of 32 for 255 yards, including a 2-yard touchdown pass to Keelan Cole for a 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Minshew also scrambled for 48 yards. The Bengals were booed repeatedly during another inept performance. Cincinnati managed only 33 yards rushing - all by quarterback Andy Dalton. Myles Jack picked off Dalton at the Jacksonville 10 to preserve the late lead, and Ngakoue's interception return off a floating pass put it away. Ronnie Harrison also picked off Dalton, who was 22 of 43 for 276 yards with a touchdown. Alex Erickson provided the bulk of Cincinnati's offense, having a career day with eight catches for 137 yards. He had receptions of 12, 48 and 27 yards on the Bengals' touchdown drive late in the first half. Lambo was good on all four field goal tries, leaving him 18 for 18 this season. Leonard Fournette piled up 131 yards against the NFL's worst run defense. Cincinnati managed only 110 yards in the first half - including minus-2 rushing - but its only drive resulted in a touchdown on Dalton's 2-yard pass to Joe Mixon for a 7-6 halftime lead. INJURIESJaguars: The defense was depleted by the fourth quarter. In the first half, LB Najee Goode suffered a foot injury and LB Cam Robinson had a toe injury. In the second half, DT Marcell Dareus had an abdominal injury and LB Quincy Williams left with a hamstring injury. Bengals: CB Darqueze Dennard returned after missing all of camp and the first six games while recovering from knee surgery in March. UP NEXTJaguars: host the Jets on Sunday. Bengals: play the Rams - Taylor's former team - in London on Sunday. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+109
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+1.5 (-104)
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Over 46.5 (+100)
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-120
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-1.5 (-106)
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Under 46.5 (-111)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019INDIANOLIS Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich prefers taking the aggressive approach. His coaching staff understands it. His players respect it. And opponents know they must be prepared to confront it. Sometimes, the fourth-down gambles pay off - as they did earlier this season at Tennessee and Kansas City. Sometimes, they backfire. Either way, though, Reich acknowledges he's willing to take the same risky call against Houston on Sunday as he did in last year's home overtime loss to the Texans. ''Those decisions always come down to what's best for the team in the moment,'' Reich said. ''A lot of things go into those decisions, but primarily like you said, it's a belief in the players. Yes, we think situationally it calls for it, but it really stems from a belief that we'll get it done. '' Nobody has been better playing the odds this season than Reich. Indy has converted all seven fourth-down attempts, the gutsiest call coming from its 35-yard line with less than 2 1/2 minutes to go in a two-point game at Tennessee. And when things don't go right, such as the incompletion on fourth-and-4 from the Indy 43 with 24 seconds left in overtime against Houston, Reich still seems to hit the jackpot. While the Colts lost that game, he won over the locker room with a season-changing moment. Indy has won 13 of its 19 games since then including twice at Houston late last season. ''Frank made the call he felt was best for his team and that's in my opinion what Frank does well,'' coach Bill O'Brien said after the Texans converted a key fourth down at Kansas City last week. ''He's an aggressive coach. You know sometimes you have to do in your mind what's best for your team from your preparation and where you are in the game. Those are things that Frank does very well. '' It keeps everyone on their toes - and the bye week may only give Reich more time to contemplate how to play it Sunday. ''I think that mentality is what carries beyond that one play,'' he said. ''I think that's an example of what happened last year. Yeah, that was one play, but it was the belief and conviction in our players I think that carries longer than the one play. '' CATCHING ONFour-time Pro Bowler T. Y. Hilton has thrived against the Texans over the years. In 15 games, the Colts receiver has 78 receptions, 1,506 yards and nine touchdowns. Late last season, with an ankle injury, he still managed to haul in 11 catches for 260 yards in the games at Houston. The Texans know just tough Hilton can be. ''He's fast, great route runner, can come in and out of his breaks, understands how to attack leverage, has great experience,'' O'Brien said. ''He's seen all of the coverages there are, so he knows how to get open. He's got good chemistry with Jacoby and I think he's targeted quite a bit. It's a challenge. '' HOLDING THE LINEThe Colts went from worst in sacks allowed in 2017 to first last season. Now Houston is trying to follow a similar blueprint. While Jacoby Brissett has gone down just six times, tied for the second fewest in the league, the Texans have made a dramatic turnaround after giving up 18 sacks during the first four weeks. Neither Brissett nor Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson have been sacked in their past two games. ''They're doing a heck of a job of playing as a unit,'' Watson said. ''Everyone is up there with the right mindset, positive attitude and always playing the next play. So, those guys up there have been doing a heck of a job. '' The Colts, meanwhile, have only allowed one sack in their past five October games. SEEKING HYDERunning back Carlos Hyde fit exactly what the Texans wanted when they acquired him from Kansas City on Aug. 31 - after losing Lamar Miller to a season-ending knee injury. Hyde has been the key to the league's No. 5 rushing attack (139. 8 yards) and ran for a season-high 116 yards and one touchdown last weekend. He's 10th in the NFL with 426 yards rushing and has three touchdowns this season. HOME, SWEET, HOMEAfter Indy won 13 straight home games to open the series, Houston has taken three of past four at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Colts' lone victory during this current run came in the 2017 season finale, with Brissett closing out the season as the starter. Indy also had a seven-game home winning streak snapped by Oakland on Sept. 29. --- Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston also contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019INDIANOLIS Jacoby Brissett threw a career-high four touchdown passes Sunday and the Indianapolis Colts sealed a 30-23 victory over the Houston Texans with Darius Leonard's late interception. Indy (4-2) has won three straight in the series and took over the early season lead in the AFC South. The loss snapped Houston's two-game winning streak. Brissett was masterful most of the day. He was 26 of 39 with 326 yards, and in a game the Colts only produced 62 yards rushing, they needed Brissett to be at his best - and he was. ''It just says he's legit, he's the man,'' coach Frank Reich said of Brissett. ''We believed that from Day One and we've never wavered in our conviction in our faith in Jacoby. But he knows he's still got to prove it. He's still got to make plays to win this game and he did that today. '' Brissett opened the scoring with an 11-yard TD pass to Zach Pascal on Indy's first series. The Texans (4-3) answered with two field goals, the second coming after Deshaun Watson appeared to find DeAndre Hopkins for a touchdown pass with Justin Houston draped around Watson's legs. But the officials ruled Watson was in the grasp, nullifying the subsequent throw. ''I'm not going to answer any officiating questions,'' Texans coach Bill O'Brien said twice after the Texans were called for 10 penalties. Brissett, who set up the Texans' second score with a fumble deep in Colts territory, then threw a nifty 2-yard TD pass to T. Y. Hilton with 1:49 left in the half. That gave Houston just enough time to drive for another short field goal to make it 14-9. But, Indy re-established the two-score lead when a replay review reversed the call on the field of an incomplete pass to give Brissett a 4-yard TD toss to Eric Ebron. Houston finally got in the end zone when Keke Coutee scored on a 4-yard run that caught the Colts off guard. But Brissett took advantage of three defensive penalties on the series before capitalizing with a 3-yard TD pass to Pascal that made it 28-16 with 1:14 left in the third quarter. Watson gave the Texans one more chance with an 8-yard TD pass to Hopkins with 6:38 left. Texans punter Brian Anger stepped out of the end zone for a safety with less than three minutes remaining before the Colts closed it out with Leonard's interception in the final seconds. Watson was 23 of 34 with 308 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Hopkins had nine receptions for 106 yards and Kenny Stills caught four passes for 105 yards. Pascal had six catches for 106 yards, while Hilton had six catches for 74 yards. STAT SHEETTexans: Houston's streak of consecutive games without allowing a sack ended at two. . . . The defending division champs have lost only two of their last seven regular-season games against AFC South foes - both to Indy. Colts: Marlon Mack rushed 18 times for 44 yards. . . . Indy has scored at least 23 points in 11 consecutive home games. . . . The Colts defense has not allowed a 100-yard runner in 24 straight games. . . . The Colts failed on their only fourth-down attempt of the game, ending their perfect streak at seven. INJURY REPORTTexans: CB Phillip Gaines was carted off the field with what appeared to be a lower leg injury with 1:49 to go. . . . WR Will Fuller left during Houston's first series with a hamstring injury and did not return. . . . S Tashaun Gipson injured his back late in the first quarter. Colts: DT Carl Davis did not return after injuring his hamstring in the second half. UP NEXTTexans: Return home next Sunday to host Oakland on the final leg of the Raiders extended road trip. Colts: Will host Denver next Sunday. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+168
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+3.5 (-106)
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Over 49.5 (-101)
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-188
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-3.5 (-104)
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Under 49.5 (-110)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. There were some who questioned the Arizona Cardinals and New York Giants for taking quarterbacks Kyler Murray and Daniel Jones, respectively, in the first six picks of the NFL draft. Murray too short. Jones had a losing record at Duke. A lot of critics and fans had their opinions. Six games into the season, the Cardinals (2-3-1) and Giants (2-4) are very happy with the picks and the rookies will be on display Sunday when Arizona comes to MetLife Stadium to face New York. Murray, the No. 1 overall, has started every game and has the Cardinals on a two-game winning streak. He is an exceptional athlete who can beat teams with feet or his arm. Jones, the sixth pick, replaced Eli Manning after New York lost its first two games. While not as much of a runner as Murray, he energized the offense with his ability to extend plays and throw accurate strikes. The Giants won their first two games with him starting and lost the next two to Minnesota (4-2) and New England (6-0). But the vibes are positive and both teams are looking to the future and getting back into the playoffs at some point. The previous matchup featuring two rookie starting quarterbacks selected in the top 10 in the common era of the draft was last year when Sam Darnold of the Jets (No. 3) faced Josh Allen of the Bills (No. 7). Giants offensive coordinator Mike Shula said coaching staffs are simply trying to get quarterbacks to avoid mistakes. ''You watch around the league, even some of the best quarterbacks are trying to do things maybe they shouldn't be trying to do,'' he said. ''That's the beauty of the position. It's one of the most unique positions in all of sports because you have to make split-second decisions with guys trying to take your head off. '' That's what Jones and Murray will have to deal with on Sunday. Five things to watch in the game:SAQUON BARKLEYThe biggest question mark in the game. Last season's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has missed the past three games with a high sprain to his right ankle. The running back is expected to play after practicing all week. He adds an ability to score on any play to an offense hit by injuries recently. Tight end Evan Engram (33 catches with two TDs) also is expected back. JOHNSON/EDMONDS COMBOThe Cardinals have developed a versatile and productive two-man backfield with David Johnson and Chase Edmonds. Johnson's success was expected. The 2016 All-Pro has had at least 100 total yards in each of his past three games and has developed into an excellent run/pass threat. His 30 catches for 315 yards both rank second on the team. His three receiving touchdowns rank first. Edmonds, a second-year player, is a surprise. He's run for 161 yards this season - a 6. 7-yard average - and caught eight passes, including one for a touchdown against the Falcons last week. Coach Kliff Kingsbury is playing them at the same time more often to pressure defenses. OLD FRIENDSFormer Cardinal Markus Golden is having a comeback season with the Giants. The linebacker has a team-high five sacks, with a least a half in five consecutive games. He scored his first career touchdown on a 42-yard fumble return against the Patriots. Golden is looking forward to facing Arizona left tackle D. J. Humphries. The two were drafted by the Cards in 2015: Humphries in the first round, Golden in the second. Golden had 2 1/2 sacks last season after missing the 2017 season with a knee injury. PETERSON'S BACKThe Cardinals welcome back star cornerback Patrick Peterson, who missed the first six games after violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancers. He should help a secondary that's leaned on several rookies, including cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. and safeties Deionte Thompson and Jalen Thompson. The Cardinals are giving up more than 281 yards passing, No. 30 in the league. The Cardinals hope Peterson's presence allows them to move around other players to better cover opposing tight ends. Falcons TE Austin Hooper was the latest to dominate Arizona's defense, catching eight passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. SPECIAL TEAMSThe Cardinals are excellent on special teams. Kicker Zane Gonzalez leads the league in scoring with 58 points while Andy Lee is third overall in punting with a 44. 8-yard net average. The Giants gave up a touchdown on a blocked punt against the Patriots. Kicker Aldrick Rosas has not had much work, hitting on four of five field-goal attempts. --- Sports Writer David Brandt in Tempe, Arizona, contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
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GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019EAST RUTHERFORD, N. J. Chase Edmonds rushed for career highs of 126 yards and three touchdowns, overshadowing the return of Giants star running back Saquon Barkley in the Arizona Cardinals' 27-21 victory over New York on a soggy Sunday. The game was billed as a matchup of rookie quarterbacks Kyler Murray of the Cardinals (3-3-1) and Daniel Jones of the Giants (2-5), and both gave glimpses why they were the first and sixth overall choices in the draft, respectively. But, Edmonds stole the show, scoring on runs of 20, 20 and 22 yards. The Cardinals defense also got four sacks and a forced fumble from Chandler Jones, Jordan Hicks had an interception and Patrick Peterson had a sack and forced fumble to seal the Cardinals' third straight win. It's the first time Arizona has won three consecutive games since 2015. Murray finished 14 of 21 for 104 yards with no interceptions. Zane Gonzalez kicked field goal of 47 and 35, the last coming after the forced fumble by Peterson, who was playing in his first game after a six-game suspension for using performance enhancers. The loss was the third straight for the Giants, who allowed Jones to be sacked a season-high eight times. Jones finished 22 of 35 for 223 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown pass to Rhett Ellison. Eli Penny scored on a punted punt. Barkley, who rushed for 72 yards on 18 carries, scored on a 7-yard run to get the Giants within 24-21 with 8:13 to go. The Cardinals scored the first three times they had the ball with Edmonds scampering in almost untouched on his 20-yard runs. The second was set up by Hicks' interception. Gonzalez ended the third scoring drive with a 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter. New York needed only 96 seconds to get back into the game. Jones capped a four-play, 79-yard drive with his TD toss to Ellison to get the Giants on the scoreboard. Michael Thomas, a Pro Bowl pick on special teams last season, blocked a punt by Andy Lee in the end zone on the ensuing series. Penny recovered for the touchdown to make it 17-14. Chandler Jones' sack and recovery led to the third touchdown by Edmonds, who played at Fordham - the New York City university which late Giants owner Wellington Mara attended. NOTES: Arizona's Dennis Gardeck partially blocked a punt by Riley Dixon punt early in third quarter and it still went 38 yards. . . . Arizona players and coaches high-fived 10-year-year-old Matthew Gierer after a good job on national anthem. UP NEXTCardinals: at New Orleans on Sunday. Giants: at Detroit on Sunday. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-418
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-10 (-102)
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Over 39 (-100)
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+346
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+10 (-108)
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Under 39 (-111)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019LANDOVER, Md. Kyle Shanahan is in a better place now. After serving as the Washington Redskins' offensive coordinator under his dad, Mike Shanahan, from 2010-2013, he returns Sunday to face them as coach of the undefeated San Francisco 49ers. Six years after the Shanahans were fired, the Dan Snyder-owned and Bruce Allen-run Redskins are about to embark on another coaching search. The position might be harder to fill if candidates go to Kyle for advice. He said the best part of Washington was being able to work with his dad and be around some other good coaches. The worst part? ''Everything else. '' The 49ers coach paused. ''I liked a lot of the players - some good people,'' he said. ''We've accepted what we had to deal with there, and we've moved on,'' Shanahan said. ''We'll watch other people deal with it. '' Shanahan was one of three future NFL head coaches on the Redskins' staff in 2012 and 2013, along with Sean McVay and Matt LaFleur. McVay took the Rams to the Super Bowl last season, LaFleur is in his first season in charge of the Green Bay Packers, and the three coaches' teams have combined to go 13-4 this year. Snyder and Allen fired Jay Gruden after the Redskins lost their first five games, and Washington eked out a 17-16 win at the hapless Miami Dolphins last week in interim coach Bill Callahan's debut. The 5-0 49ers look like justifiable double-digit favorites and are rolling under Shanahan, who has transformed the culture in San Francisco, in part because his time with the Redskins taught him what not to do. ''I just learned it's very important to work with people that have the same intentions and you want to go in the same direction,'' Shanahan said. ''Football is a very tough game and no matter how close you are with people, there's adversity that faces everyone and when you lose one game, two games in a row, you know what's going to be written and everything and (if) people live off that type of stuff, it's very hard to survive and get through any tough times. ''So, you've got to make sure people are made of the same stuff you are, that have the same intention, same goals and they're ready to fight and work through things and see it to the end. '' Shanahan, who coached a game with the Niners at FedEx Field two seasons ago, said his well-timed visit this time on Redskins alumni ''Homecoming Weekend'' is not personal. The only offensive players left from his time with Washington are injured running back Chris Thompson and holdout left tackle Trent Williams. ''I've moved on with my life in many other ways, and I think my family has also,'' Shanahan said. ''It's not an issue. We've got our team coming to play their team and we're looking forward to that. '' Shanahan has grown significantly from the introverted, closed-off offensive coordinator he was in Washington to now. Players then appreciated his football acumen, but more goes into being a head coach. ''As an OC in Washington, you saw kind of how smart he was, the way he saw the game,'' said Houston Texans tight end Logan Paulsen, who played for Shanahan in Washington and San Francisco. ''The thing that I thought that was really cool going from Washington to San Francisco was seeing his maturity in terms of talking and dealing with players and different personalities. He was always a very bright football guy and to see his leadership skills really come into his own was really cool to see. '' Paulsen said Shanahan exercised patience waiting for the right opportunity to take a head job and ''did it on his own time. '' With quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo running his offense and one of the best defenses in the league, Shanahan is an early front-runner for coach of the year. ''He is a football junkie, and I think guys really respect that,'' Paulsen said. ''They see kind of the standard that's set by him in terms of what they need to know and how they need to respond in certain situations, and I think that's really special. '' Washington's current offensive coordinator, Kevin O'Connell, could be the coach next season, and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin's name has been tossed around. Whoever interviews and gets offered the job, Shanahan doesn't expect to be asked for his thoughts on the organization. ''Just look into it, see what the situation is and who you want to work for,'' Shanahan said. ''Any time you get opportunities you've got to look into it, but I'm not there and I don't know how it is right now. That would be up to that person. I'm probably not the person they want to call on that advice. '' Some things to watch when Shanahan's 49ers visit the Redskins:ROAD WARRIORSAfter going winless on the road last year, the Niners have been outstanding away from home so far this year. They opened the season with back-to-back wins at Tampa Bay and Cincinnati and then won 20-7 last week at Los Angeles against McVay and the defending NFC champion Rams. San Francisco hasn't had a winning record on the road since going 6-2 in 2013 on the way to the NFC title game. ''I know we didn't win a road game last season, preseason or regular season, so those plane rides weren't very fun,'' tight end George Kittle said. ''Being able to get on those planes and come back with a victory makes it so much more fun. '' The Redskins haven't won at home since Week 7 in 2018. RUN, RUN, RUN? Callahan promised to commit to the ground game after taking over for Gruden, and boy, did he. Adrian Peterson rushed 23 times for 118 yards at Miami. San Francisco's run defense might force more throws from still starting QB Case Keenum. ''We'll do whatever we need to do,'' Callahan said. ''Of course we want to establish the run and we want to keep that identity just like everybody else around the league, but they're good. '' FILL-IN TACKLESThe Niners managed to win last week despite playing two backups at tackle. Rookie Justin Skule made his third straight start at left tackle in place of Joe Staley, while Daniel Brunskill got his first career start at right tackle in place of Mike McGlinchey. San Francisco was still able to move the ball fairly consistently without altering the offense too much. ''I thought the two rookies did a great job stepping in and filling their roles,'' Garoppolo said. ''Those guys are just battling up front. What they do in the run game and pass game is so impressive. '' McLAURIN MADNESSWashington's Terry McLaurin is the first rookie with 50-plus yards receiving in each of his first five NFL games since Terry Glenn in 1996. McLaurin leads all rookies with 23 catches, 408 yards and five touchdowns and is already the Redskins' best offensive player. ''He's done a really good job for them stepping in as a rookie, which is rare for receivers,'' Shanahan said. ''But you've got a very good football player and he's tough and the game's not too big. '' DOMINANT DSan Francisco's defense has played at a high level all season but might have been at its best last week. The Niners are allowing a league-low 150. 2 yards per game passing, and rank second in points allowed (12. 8 per game) and total defense (237. 4 yards per game) thanks to a dominant defensive line that has put heavy pressure on opposing passers. San Francisco allowed just 48 net yards passing last week against the Rams and held Los Angeles to no conversions on third or fourth down. --- Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow in Santa Clara, California, contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019LANDOVER, Md. Robbie Gould made field goals from 28, 22 and 29 yards to provide the only points in an ugly 9-0 win by the San Francisco 49ers over the Washington Redskins in steady rain and driving wind Sunday to remain undefeated. It wasn't pretty, but San Francisco is 6-0 for the third time in franchise history, and first since 1990. That 49ers team finished 14-2. Coach Kyle Shanahan's bunch didn't look like an unbeaten powerhouse in horrific conditions that made life difficult on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and the entire offense. Garoppolo bounced back from a dreadful first half to finish a passable 12 of 21 for 151 yards passing. San Francisco's defense continued its dominant run after holding the Los Angeles Rams to seven points last week and the Cleveland Browns to three before that. It's the Niners' first shutout since Week 1 of the 2016 season. The weather seemed a perfect fit for interim Redskins coach Bill Callahan's run-first, run-second and run-third mentality. Washington (1-6) started the game with 10 rushing plays and Adrian Peterson ran for 81 yards on 20 carries, but they were shut out for the first time this season. HOME-FIELD DISADVANTAGEAmong those who braved the rain, more than half were 49ers fans - a trend that has haunted the Redskins this season. A ''Let's go Niners! '' chant broke out in the fourth quarter among those in Jerry Rice, Ronnie Lott and other jerseys from the organization's storied past. The Redskins had alumni in town for their annual ''Homecoming Weekend,'' but lost their eighth in a row at FedEx Field. POINTLESS HALFBoth offenses struggled mightily in a sloppy first half. Washington took the opening drive and chewed up more than eight minutes on nine rushes and just one pass, but came up empty when Dustin Hopkins missed wide right from 39 yards. Peterson gained 57 yards on the ground for Washington but just 8 after the first drive. Gould missed from 45 yards in the second quarter. For the half, the 49ers totaled 68 yards as Garoppolo finished 3 of 10 with 10 yards passing and were shut out in the game's first 30 minutes for the first time this year. It was the first 0-0 first half in the NFL since Week 17 in 2017 between the Cowboys and Eagles. INJURIES49ers: RB Matt Breida cleared concussion protocol and returned after being evaluated for an eye injury. . . . WR Marquise Goodwin was evaluated for a concussion in the first half and returned. . . . Starting offensive tackles Joe Staley (leg) and Mike McGlinchey (knee) remained out. Redskins: S Montae Nicholson was lost to a right ankle injury in the second quarter. Nicholson was carted off the sideline. . . . Played without injured CB Josh Norman (hand/thigh), RB Chris Thompson (toe) and TE Vernon Davis (concussion). UP NEXT49ers: Look for the second 7-0 start in franchise history when they host the Carolina Panthers next Sunday. Redskins: Visit former starting quarterback Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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-137
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-2.5 (-110)
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Over 43.5 (+102)
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+124
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+2.5 (-100)
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Under 43.5 (-114)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019DETROIT The Detroit Lions are thankful they have a short week to prepare to play Minnesota in a possibly pivotal NFC North matchup. A quick turnaround gave the Lions less time to lament critical calls that didn't go their way on Monday night in a loss at Green Bay. ''It's kind of a blessing in disguise because we don't have time to think about anything but Minnesota,'' Lions center Frank Ragnow said. ''And, the Vikings are really good - especially on defense. '' The Vikings (4-2) have won two in a row, leaning on one of the NFL's best defenses and an offense that is starting to perform up to its potential. Minnesota has averaged 33 points the past two weeks with a grinding running game led by Dalvin Cook that helps Kirk Cousins make big plays through the air. After a slow start, Cousins had six touchdown passes and one interception in wins over Philadelphia and the New York Giants. ''That team is on fire right now,'' Lions coach Matt Patricia said. Detroit (2-2-1) has dropped two straight after an unbeaten, three-game start because it failed to keep double-digit leads against the Packers and Kansas City Chiefs. ''You can't let it stick around in your head because there's a long season left,'' Flowers said. If the Lions don't win Sunday at home, though, their chances to contend in the competitive division will take a hit. Minnesota, meanwhile, wants to avoid starting 0-3 in the NFC North after playing its first three division games as visitors. ''We get them all at home at the end, so it all evens out,'' Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. Here are some things to watch when the Lions face the Vikings:STACKS OF SACKSVikings defensive end Danielle Hunter leads the league with eight tackles for losses. He set an NFL record with a sack against the Eagles that gave him 46 for his career, the most in history by a player younger than 25. Hunter has two more games before his birthday, and the Lions have provided him plenty of pass-rushing opportunities in the past. Hunter has seven sacks in six games against them, plus three fumble recoveries and one he returned for a 32-yard touchdown. STALLING OUTThe Lions lost to the Packers at least in part because they scored only one touchdown and had to settle for Matt Prater's five field goals. That followed a trend. In goal-to-go situations, Detroit ranks 30th in the NFL with four touchdowns in nine chances. ''That's not good enough,'' quarterback Matthew Stafford acknowledged. Inside the 20, Detroit has gotten into the end zone on half of its 16 opportunities to rank among the bottom third of the league. The problem may be ominous for the Lions because they were relegated to scoring only on field goals in two losses to Minnesota last year. MILESTONE MARKERStafford is 87 yards passing from setting a record for the fewest games to reach the 40,000-yard mark. Matt Ryan reached that number in 151 games, five more than Stafford has played. ''When you step back and look at stuff like that, I think it's just pretty amazing,'' Patricia said. Stafford has bounced back from a lackluster year with a solid season so far as the league's ninth-ranked passer. He has thrown nine touchdown passes and two interceptions, both coming in a Week 2 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. ''Stafford is playing outstanding, maybe the best I've ever seen him,'' Zimmer said. ''He's throwing the ball into a lot of tight windows. He's pulling the trigger. He's still scrambling. '' FLYING FLAGSThough Minnesota hasn't been stung by questionable late-game calls quite like Detroit was at Green Bay, penalties have been an uncharacteristic problem for the team. The Vikings had four penalties for 30 yards against them in their win over the Eagles last week, both season lows for a team that has been charged with the third-most penalty yardage in the league (456) and irritated its discipline-driven coach in the process. --- Pro Football Writer Dave Campbell contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
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Preview from The Associated
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GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019DETROIT Kirk Cousins matched a career high with four touchdown passes, leading the surging Minnesota Vikings to a 42-30 win over the slumping Detroit Lions on Sunday. The Vikings (5-2) have won three consecutive games in part because their quarterback is making plays to complement one of the NFL's top defenses. Matthew Stafford also threw four touchdown passes, all to Marvin Jones, and became the fastest to reach 40,000 yards passing in NFL history. And Jones became the first Lions player in the Super Bowl era with four receiving TDs in a game. The Lions (2-3-1) dropped their third straight game after a 2-0-1 start and they probably can't complain too much about officiating in their latest setback. The Lions had some critical penalty calls go against them in a 23-22 loss to Green Bay on Monday night. Detroit's defense simply couldn't get Cousins off the field on Sunday. Cousins was 24 of 34 for a season-high 337 yards and four TDs without an interception. He led the Vikings on four straight TD drives starting in the first quarter and ending in the third, going ahead for the first time on a 5-yard pass to C. J. Ham to make it 28-21. Cousins threw a fourth TD pass for the second straight game, and sixth time in his career, on a 15-yard pass to Kyle Rudolph to put Minnesota ahead by 11 points with 5:46 to go. After Stafford threw a season-high fourth TD with 3:10 remaining, the Vikings sealed the victory. Cousins lofted a long pass to Stefon Diggs on a second-and-5 from his 30 and the speedy receiver took a 66-yard reception to the Lions 4 to set up Dalvin Cook's TD run. Cook had 142 yards rushing and two TDs on 25 carries. Diggs had seven receptions for 142 yards. Adam Thielen caught the first of four TD passes from Cousins in the first quarter and the receiver didn't return because of a hamstring injury. Stafford was 30 of 45 for 364 yards with four TD passes and an interception on his last possession. Jones had 10 receptions for four TDs, matching his best total from 2013 when he played for Cincinnati. Danny Amendola had eight receptions for 105 yards. INJURIESVikings: Thielen had a game-ending hamstring injury in the first quarter after he was hurt while scoring his seventh touchdown of the season. DE Everson Griffen limped off the field in the third quarter. Lions: RB Kerryon Johnson (knee) and CB Darius Slay (hamstring) were injured during the game and did not return. UP NEXTVikings: Host Washington on Thursday night. Lions: Host the New York Giants on Sunday. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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FINAL |
|
10/20/2019 1:00 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+211
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+5.5 (-103)
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Over 48 (+101)
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-241
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-5.5 (-107)
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Under 48 (-113)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019GREEN BAY, Wis. Next man up: Allen Lazard. Lazard caught his first pass from Aaron Rodgers on Monday night. He ended up catching three more, including one for a 35-yard touchdown in the Packers' win over Detroit. It was the biggest moment of the undrafted second-year receiver's career. Now what? ''Anybody can do it one time, and that's what we say, but now you gotta do it each and every time,'' coach Matt LaFleur said. ''That's the expectation and that's the standard. But, again, he puts in the work and he does a great job in practice. So I'm excited to see him put together back-to-back-to-back (productive games) and see where it goes. '' Lazard will try for an encore on Sunday when Green Bay (5-1) hosts the Oakland Raiders (3-2), a team the Packers have defeated seven straight times, going back to 1990. ''Monday was great and all, but our focus is on Miami in February (site of the Super Bowl). So we still gotta get to there,'' Lazard said. Despite being an All-Big 12 performer in three seasons at Iowa State, the 6-foot-5 Lazard went undrafted last year and wound up on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad. He used that time to learn from one of the game's best. ''I was going against Jalen Ramsey every single day,'' Lazard said. ''And so just to be able to sit there and go against him, and really, I was studying, watching him, how he reacted against me and how he played me. I sat there and talked to him, asked him questions. What was he doing here? What was he thinking? ''That preparation made Lazard an attractive option for the Packers, who snatched him from the Jaguars toward the end of last season. Injuries to receivers Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison and a vote of confidence from Rodgers created an opportunity for Lazard to showcase his skills. Now, Lazard is another weapon for Rodgers in an offense that Raiders coach Jon Gruden and his staff have to figure out how to stop. ''They are doing a lot of different things with the structure of their plays, but Rodgers is still working the snap count,'' Gruden said. ''You see him beat Denver with the hard count. His magnificent scrambling, creating offense is uncommon, it's just unbearable to watch. I hate watching this guy, he's fun to watch but he's really not fun to watch when you got to play against him. He still has a very quick trigger, deadly accurate, a lot of overall athleticism and a great competitor. You saw it again the other night. '' NEWEST PACKERThe Packers announced the signing of receiver Ryan Grant on Wednesday. The 6-foot, 194-pound six-year veteran was with the Raiders from the offseason through the first two games this year. Grant, who worked out with Adams during the offseason, will wear No. 11 for Green Bay. ''I just want to come in and help as much as possible,'' Grant said. ''Whether it's on offense or special teams. Anyway, anywhere I can help. '' FRIEND OR FOE? No. 11 previously belonged to Trevor Davis, whom the Packers traded to Oakland following their Week 2 win over the Vikings. Davis had four catches for 42 yards and a 52-yard kickoff return in the Raiders' Week 5 win over Chicago in London. Oakland also has Rodgers' former backup, DeShone Kizer. Kizer played in three games for the Packers last season and threw for 273 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Green Bay during the preseason before not making the team's 53-man roster. UNDER PRESSUREThe Raiders have been searching for a consistent pass rush ever since trading away Khalil Mack before last season. The rush is showing signs of progress. Oakland had four sacks in its last game against Chicago for its most since 2017. Benson Mayowa leads the team with 4 1/2 sacks, second-year defensive tackle Maurice Hurst had two against the Bears, and rookie Maxx Crosby got his first and has been disruptive the past two weeks. GROUND AND POUNDRookie Josh Jacobs is showing why the Raiders drafted him in the first round. His 430 yards rushing is the second most for a Raiders rookie through five games to Bo Jackson's 475 yards in 1987. He had 26 carries for 123 yards and two TDs against the Bears and has been a bigger factor in the passing game of late with five catches his past two games. The running game should get a boost this week with the expected return of right guard Gabe Jackson, who has been out since training camp with a knee injury. WHERE ARE THE WIDEOUTS? Oakland will be without its projected top four wide receivers heading into the season this week. Antonio Brown was expected to be the focal point of the offense before getting released two days before the opener. Tyrell Williams got off to a strong start this year but is expected to miss his second straight game with a foot injury. Grant and J. J. Nelson have both been released in recent weeks. That leaves Davis, fifth-round rookie Hunter Renfrow and recently acquired Zay Jones as the top options for quarterback Derek Carr. ''We've had a lot of things happen to our wide receiver corps, so we've been on the lookout to acquire some good, young players,'' Gruden said. ''To get Zay for what we feel like we gave up is a risk worth taking and we'll see if it pays any dividends, but he's a good young player. He's got some size and speed and was a very, very productive receiver, so we're happy to have him. '' ---Follow Keith Jenkins on Twitter: https://twitter. com/MrKeithJenkins---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
Oct 20, 2019GREEN BAY, Wis. Aaron Rodgers had his best game by far under new Packers coach Matt LaFleur, throwing for 429 yards and five touchdowns and running for another as Green Bay beat the Oakland Raiders 42-24 on Sunday. Rodgers completed 25 of 31 passes to eight different targets and finished with the first perfect passer rating of his career, leading LaFleur's offense to a season high in points. Even with top target Davante Adams sidelined for the third straight game with turf toe, Rodgers threw for his most touchdowns in a game since Sept. 28, 2015, against the Chiefs. Derek Carr finished 22-for-28 for 293 yards, two touchdowns and two costly turnovers for the Raiders (3-3), who lost their eighth straight against Green Bay, dating back to 1990. The Packers (6-1) have scored 30-plus points in each of their last five games against the Raiders. Green Bay took the lead for good on a 2-yard touchdown from Rodgers to Jamal Williams with 3:27 to go in the first half. The score capped an 11-play, 82-yard drive that took up 8:06 - the Packers' longest drive of the season - and made it 14-10. Carr put the Raiders in position to retake the lead with a 48-yard completion down the middle to Waller, giving Oakland first and goal at the 3. On second down, as Carr scrambled for the pylon, Blake Martinez forced a fumble and the ball went through the end zone for a touchback. Rodgers made Oakland pay, finding Jake Kumerow for a 37-yard touchdown to make it 21-10 at halftime. The Raiders had seven penalties for 87 yards in the first half. They finished with eight penalties for 97 yards. Rodgers opened the second half with a 59-yard completion to Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Four plays later, Rodgers crossed the goal line on a 3-yard run. Carr and Waller connected on a 7-yard score to cut the Green Bay lead to 28-17. Jimmy Graham got into the action, scoring his third touchdown of the season on a 3-yard pass from Rodgers before the end of the third. Kevin King picked off Carr in the end zone with 8:09 to play. That led to Rodgers' sixth score of the day, a 74-yard pass to Marquez Valdes-Santling, who finished with the two catches for 133 yards. Valdes-Santling was a game-time decision after suffering knee and ankle injuries on Monday night against the Lions. Mike Glennon relieved Carr late in the fourth and found Waller for a 17-yard score for the Raiders, whose winning streak ended at two games. Oakland fell to 3-14 following a bye since 2003. INJURIESPackers: DL Kenny Clark left the game in the second quarter with a shin injury but returned shortly after. UP NEXTRaiders: At Houston next Sunday. Packers: At Kansas City next Sunday. ---Follow Keith Jenkins on Twitter: https://twitter. com/MrKeithJenkins---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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IN PROGRESS |
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10/20/2019 4:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+142
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+3 (-106)
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Over 42.5 (-104)
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-158
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-3 (-104)
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Under 42.5 (-107)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019NASHVILLE, Tenn. The Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Chargers are near mirror images of each other. Both started this season with high expectations only to find themselves having lost two straight and four of their past five. And they're both desperate to stop their respective skids. ''Our record is what we are, and now we have to fight to get our way out of this hole,'' Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. The biggest difference between the Chargers and Titans comes at quarterback. The Chargers have Philip Rivers in his 16th season climbing the NFL's career passing charts, while the Titans have made a change from Marcus Mariota to Ryan Tannehill trying to jump-start an offense that has scored one touchdown over the past 10 quarters. Coach Mike Vrabel said the Titans (2-4) felt this move was the right thing for now. ''We're trying to get a little spark,'' Vrabel said. The Chargers (2-4) also have had their offensive struggles, starting slowly too often. That includes a 14-0 deficit before losing 24-17 to Pittsburgh in their most recent loss. The Titans were shut out 16-0 losing in Denver last week. They hope being home four of the next five games will help despite losing their first two in Nashville. Left guard Rodger Saffold said the Titans know they have time with 10 games left to turn this season around. ''I want to say that we're urgent but not frantic,'' Saffold said. Some things to know about the Chargers and Titans:OUT OF SYNCHThe Chargers' offense has lacked consistency since an overtime win against Indianapolis in the opener. A major reason has been turnovers. Los Angeles is tied for the league lead with Cleveland in red zone turnovers (four) while Rivers already has eight turnovers after committing 13 all of last season. The Chargers also have failed to score in the first half in consecutive games for the first time since the first two weeks of 2007. Running back Melvin Gordon is still trying to get back up to speed after missing more than two months because of a contract dispute. ''It's really just a handful of plays in each of these games that we haven't been able to overcome,'' Rivers said. ''It's not 60 minutes of bad football. It's just enough bad football that we haven't been able to overcome it. We have to eliminate that and then continue to do the good that we're doing, and speaking offensively, as I've said, it seems simple, but score more points. '' HEY TANNEHILLA starter for seven seasons in Miami, Tannehill now has a chance to prove he can start for more than just this week. He played 30 snaps against Denver and was 13 of 16 for 144 yards with an interception. He's 3-1 as a starter against the Chargers, and now his challenge is helping an offense that is averaging just 16. 3 points a game. ''I'm not trying to prove anything other than that I can lead this team to wins,'' Tannehill said. HELP WANTEDThe Chargers' tackling has been poor the past two weeks. They have allowed long touchdowns the past two weeks after failing to wrap up the receiver in the open field. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley has discussed continuing to stress where to tackle each player while Lynn wants fewer one-on-one situations in the open field with the Chargers swarming to the ball. DEFENSIVE SHOWDOWNThe Chargers are the NFL's No. 10 scoring defense allowing 19. 7 points a game, while the Titans (No. 5) are giving up just 15. 3 points. Titans four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey says he loves playing Rivers, a native of Decatur, Alabama, because of how much trash the quarterback talks and wants to get Rivers fussing at his offensive line. ''Keep on hitting and talking mess back to him, he's going to respond,'' Casey said. ''Most quarterbacks they go back to the huddle. They're going to complain to the refs. He's a guy who's going to respond and hold his own ground. '' HELP IN OFFINGThe Chargers have gotten Russell Okung back in practice this week after the left tackle dealt with blood clot issues. Defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, the Titans' first-round pick at No. 19 overall, practiced for the first time Wednesday in his recovery from a torn ACL and could be activated from the non-football injury list in time to make his NFL debut Sunday. --- Sports Writer Joe Reedy in Los Angeles contributed to this report. ---Follow Teresa M. Walker at https://twitter. com/TeresaMWalker---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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IN PROGRESS |
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10/20/2019 4:25 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+188
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+4 (+100)
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Over 37 (-103)
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-213
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-4 (-110)
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Under 37 (-108)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019LAKE FOREST, Ill. The New Orleans Saints kept their sights set on a Super Bowl even after Drew Brees went down with an injury. While their superstar quarterback continues to recover following thumb surgery, the NFC South leaders will try to remain unbeaten without him. The Saints look to improve to 5-0 with Teddy Bridgewater as their starter in Brees' place when they visit Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears on Sunday. ''It just shows this is a team that's determined to win and do whatever it takes,'' Bridgewater said. The Saints (5-1) are getting big contributions from their defense and special teams and enough from their offense even if they're not moving the ball the way they did a year ago. They're averaging 344. 7 yards - down 34. 5 yards per game from last season, when Brees made 15 starts. He's been sidelined since he tore a ligament in his right thumb during a loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 2. Bridgewater has completed about 69 percent of his passes for 1,089 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. He wasn't as effective last week at Jacksonville, after throwing for 314 yards and four touchdowns against Tampa Bay, but he hit Jared Cook for a tiebreaking 4-yard TD early in the fourth quarter against the Jaguars. He will try to keep the Saints rolling against a team looking to bounce back. The Bears (3-2) are coming off a loss to Oakland in London two weeks ago in which their defense got pushed around a bit after dominating the first four games and their offense continued to struggle. Here are some things to know:TRUBISKY'S RETURNThe Bears hope to get quarterback Mitchell Trubisky back after missing a game because of a left shoulder injury. If he returns, he'll try to build on a promising showing against Washington in Week 3. Trubisky threw three touchdowns in an easy win over the struggling Redskins after mediocre outings in a season-opening loss to Green Bay and a narrow victory at Denver. He was then injured on the opening drive against Minnesota on Sept. 29. ''I felt that each game leading up to that Vikings game, until he got hurt, that there was (improvement),'' Bears coach Matt Nagy said. ''Progression-wise where he's going, playing faster, seeing at the line of scrimmage that he's getting into checks or seeing progressions, adjustments at the line of scrimmage - way quicker than what he was. '' Veteran Chase Daniel figures to make his second straight start if Trubisky is unavailable. GETTING PRESSUREWith 18 sacks, New Orleans is tied with Green Bay and Tennessee for sixth in the NFL. Coach Sean Payton has been pleased by how depth along the front has helped keep linemen fresh and pressure high. While Cameron Jordan leads the club with five sacks, he's one of eight defensive linemen who've had at least half a sack. Payton said the Saints put an emphasis on improving depth on the defensive line after defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who was second on the club in sacks last season with eight, tore his Achilles tendon last January. That helped the Saints remain stout up front until Rankins returned in Week 4. The Saints have not allowed a 100-yard rusher this season - or in 32 games, for that matter. They've also held their previous three opponents - Dallas, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville - to season lows in total yards. INJURED PLAYERSWhile the Saints could be thin at running back if Alvin Kamara is unavailable or limited because of knee and ankle injuries, the Bears placed right guard Kyle Long and defensive tackle Akiem Hicks on injured reserve this week. Long will miss the remainder of the season with a hip injury. Hicks could return after eight weeks from an elbow injury he suffered against Oakland. Both players have made the Pro Bowl - Long from 2013-15 and Hicks last year. RISING ROOKIESaints rookie defensive back C. J. Gardner-Johnson has had a promising start to his career. And he is expected to be tested more this week because primary nickel back P. J. Williams was suspended two games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Johnson's biggest moment was a hit on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott on a delayed blitz that forced an interception on the final play of the Saints' 12-10 triumph over Dallas in Week 4. DEFERENCE TO DANIELWhile the Saints weren't sure which quarterback they'd be facing, several spoke highly of former teammate Daniel. Rankins said Daniel - who played for New Orleans from 2009-12 and in 2017 - was always respected by the Saints' offensive brain trust: Payton and Brees. ''Coaches respected his opinion if he had an opinion on certain plays, or Drew would go to him about certain things, or they would converse back and forth about things they were seeing on the field,'' recalled Rankins, who was Daniel's teammate in 2017. --- Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report. ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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IN PROGRESS |
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10/20/2019 4:25 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+142
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+3 (-104)
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Over 49 (+104)
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-158
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-3 (-106)
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Under 49 (-116)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019SEATTLE There is an understandable mutual admiration between Baltimore's Lamar Jackson and Seattle's Russell Wilson. In Jackson, Wilson sees a combination of speed and shiftiness working in concert with an underrated passing ability that has the young QB causing headaches for anyone tasked with slowing him down. In Wilson, Jackson sees a veteran who has reached the pinnacle of the NFL, who has figured out a way to balance his athleticism and running ability with a dynamic right arm that makes him one of the premier passers in the league. ''I love everything about his game,'' Jackson said. ''He's a great quarterback. He makes guys miss. He breaks the pocket, and there will be guys chasing him everywhere. He knows what to do with the ball - dish it out, go to a checkdown. He makes plays. He's a playmaker, and that's what you need in a guy and at the quarterback position. That's what he is. '' Jackson and Wilson will meet on the field or the first time on Sunday when the Seahawks host the Ravens in a showdown between two of the better teams in each conference and two of the early MVP candidates. Jackson has wowed with his combination of running and passing. He's on pace to rush for 1,200 yards and throw for 4,000. Last week, he became the first player in league history to throw for more than 200 yards and rush for more than 150 in the same regular season game. Jackson is completing 65% of his passes, has 13 touchdowns passing and rushing and causing nightmares for opposing defenses. ''People always mention his speed. That's obvious. But I think the mixture of all the different things he can do - he can throw it down the field, he's tough, he hangs in there, he's a smart player too,'' Wilson said. ''You put all those things together with his elusiveness, which is as good as it gets, probably best you've ever seen kind of speed, he's really special. '' Where Wilson has impressed is his overall command of Seattle's offense. He's just the fourth QB in league history to start the season with six straight games with a passer rating of 100 or higher. He hasn't thrown an interception since Week 17 of last season. Wilson is playing with a confidence and savvy that's flashed at times throughout his career, but perhaps never for such a prolonged period. ''I know he's deep in the conversation for the MVP already,'' Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. ''We hope, and we're going to do everything we can, to make sure that we don't make that argument any stronger, or help make that argument any stronger. '' Here's what else to watch as the Seahawks and Ravens meet for the first time since 2015:MY NAME IS EARLAside from the quarterbacks, the biggest story line is the return of safety Earl Thomas, who spent his first nine seasons with Seattle before signing with Baltimore in free agency. Thomas was a star with the Seahawks, a founding member of the ''Legion of Boom'' secondary and a three-time first-team All-Pro selection. The final image of Thomas with Seattle was being carted off the field last season after breaking his leg in Arizona and flashing the middle finger at Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, angry about not getting a contract extension with the Seahawks. ''I don't know what this game is going to bring, but I definitely respect and love the organization. They gave me my first shot,'' Thomas said. BACKFIELD IN MOTIONThe Ravens have been forced to shuffle their defensive backfield this season to cope with injuries to Tavon Young, Tony Jefferson, DeShon Elliott and Jimmy Smith. First-year general manager Eric DeCosta refurbished the secondary this week by trading for two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters and signing safety Bennett Jackson from the Jets practice squad. Both newcomers are expected to play Sunday, so it's imperative that they work in unison with cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Carr, as well as Thomas. ''Communication is going to be really critical, especially there,'' Harbaugh said. ''It won't be quite as loud, because their offense will be on the field, maybe as it would be here. But it's a loud place, and you're on the road. It's terminology. '' WELCOME BACKSeattle should get a boost on its defensive line with the return of Jarran Reed after he was suspended for the first six games. Reed had 10 1/2 sacks last season, but more important will be his ability to draw attention and potentially open up more on the outside for Jadeveon Clowney and Ziggy Ansah. Seattle has just 10 sacks through six games and didn't have a quarterback hit recorded last week against Cleveland. The task this week isn't so much getting pressure on Jackson as it is keeping the elusive QB contained. ''That's why we come out here to practice, to get a feel of each other,'' Reed said. ''We talked a long time. We're going to get out here. We're going to work together. We're going to build that chemistry together. '' HIGH VOLUMEThe Ravens cranked up the music at practice this week to simulate the crowd noise at CenturyLink Field. Jackson played in packed stadiums while at Louisville, and he's twice started in Kansas City against the Chiefs. But playing in Seattle is taking it to another (sound) level. ''The coaches have been telling us it's very loud,'' Jackson said. ''I just have to do a good job of executing, calling out the plays and letting everyone hear me. '' ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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IN PROGRESS |
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10/20/2019 8:20 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+147
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+3 (+100)
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Over 50 (-106)
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-164
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-3 (-110)
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Under 50 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Oct 17, 2019ARLINGTON, Texas Doug Pederson had to downplay some trash talk from one of his linebackers the previous time Philadelphia visited Dallas for a crucial NFC East meeting. Now the coach of the Eagles is having to explain how he ended up on the bulletin board while the Cowboys respond the way they always have under stoic coach Jason Garrett. That is, by not responding. Pederson said on his radio show that his Eagles were going to win Sunday night with the division lead on the line in a matchup of 3-3 teams coming off losses. He had to clarify to reporters that he never used the word ''guarantee. '' ''For me it was about standing up, kind of taking ownership of where we are as a football team,'' Pederson said Wednesday. ''And just showing confidence in my guys and kind of instilling that into the players, that everything's going to be OK. ''Just like the Cowboys. Just like what Jason Garrett's going through right now. I'm assuming he's doing the same thing. '' Perhaps, but certainly not for public consumption with Dallas on a three-game losing streak after a 3-0 start. ''My response is we're excited about the challenge,'' Garrett said Monday. ''Obviously they're a great football team and we're going to focus on ourselves and what we need to do to prepare to play our best football on Sunday night. '' Before the Eagles' visit to the Cowboys last December, linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill told a television reporter the Cowboys ''always choke. So we'll go down there and make them choke. '' Dallas won 29-23 in overtime and went on to take the division title, beat Seattle in the wild-card round and lose to the Los Angeles Rams in a divisional game. The responses then from Cowboys echoed those now. ''I wouldn't want him to be coaching me if he wouldn't say that,'' Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott said. ''Just because he voiced it doesn't mean that's not what he's thinking and just because we're not voicing it doesn't mean we don't have our own thoughts and opinions on how this game is going to go. That's words. '' QB COMPARISONCarson Wentz and Prescott are probably going to measure themselves against each other for years after coming into the league together in 2016. Wentz was the No. 2 overall pick expected to be the future of the Philadelphia franchise. Prescott was the overlooked fourth-round choice who ended up starting all season and won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors after Tony Romo injured his back. So here are the latest numbers: Prescott has the head-to-head edge 3-2 and the only playoff victory for either player. Wentz has the second contract after signing a four-year extension worth $128 million during the summer. Prescott is still waiting for a megadeal that should come eventually. ''Something that's always fun,'' Prescott said of the comparison. ''Something we'll be able to always, every matchup, look back and say what's our record against each other or this versus that. Something that will always be cool to track. Credit him for what he's doing, what he's done. '' SLOW STARTSThe Eagles have scored 24 points in the first quarter, but they've been shut out four times. The Cowboys are even worse with 20 points, including just three during the three-game skid. Pederson is considering taking the ball if the teams wins the coin toss instead of deferring to the second half and giving the ball first to their opponent. The Eagles have won the toss 32 times since Pederson took over in 2016 and taken the ball just once. ''Put our offense out there and try to generate points early in the game and not fall behind,'' Pederson said. ''I think that's all part of trying to start fast. '' WHO'S IN, WHO'S OUTThe Cowboys figure to have several key players whose availability will be unknown until close to game time. Offensive tackles Tyron Smith (ankle) and La'el Collins (knee) returned to practice Thursday. Smith has been out two games and Collins one. Receivers Randall Cobb (back) and Amari Cooper (thigh) appear further behind. Cobb was out against the Jets, and Cooper didn't play after the first series. Like Cobb and Cooper, cornerbacks Byron Jones and Anthony Brown missed the first two practices of the week. Both have hamstring injuries. HELP COMINGThe Eagles have struggled against the pass but have been without starting cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills, nickel corner Avonte Maddox and key backup Cre'Von LeBlanc. They are 13-5 when Darby and Mills start. Darby and Mills could return to the field against the Cowboys. Both began the week practicing. Darby has missed a few games with a hamstring injury after returning from ACL surgery. Mills hasn't played since last October because of a foot injury. Subbing for Darby and Mills, Rasul Douglas and Sidney Jones had a tough time last week at Minnesota. ''Jalen's an experienced player,'' defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. ''He's tough. He's very competitive. Good tackler. It will be nice to get all those things back. '' ---More NFL: https://apnews. com/NFL and https://twitter. com/-NFL
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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NHL |
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10/20/2019 |
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FOUND
5
GAMES |
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FINAL |
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10/20/2019 1:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+102
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+1.5 (-231)
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Over 6 (-114)
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-113
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-1.5 (+203)
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Under 6 (+101)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 1:00 PM EDT Venue: Madison Square Garden, New York, N. Y., 10001 / The New York Rangers raced out of the gate with 10 goals in two wins to start the season. Since then the goals are coming less frequently, and the result is a three-game losing streak. After three straight losses by three-goal margins, the Rangers hope to end the skid Sunday afternoon when they host the Vancouver Canucks. The Rangers are starting a five-game homestand and a stretch of nine out of 11 games at home. In their last home game on Oct. 12, the Rangers were dominated in the third period of a 4-1 loss to Edmonton. They followed it with consecutive 5-2 losses on a back-to-back at New Jersey and Washington. Unlike the first two games of the slide, the Rangers never held a lead and coach David Quinn did not mince words in his assessment of Friday's outcome against the Capitals." We just weren't mentally sharp at all," Quinn said. "We lost our way. There was a lot of purposeless hockey tonight." The lack of sharpness led to the Rangers allowing two power-play goals, making it four allowed during the slump that followed a 6-4 win over Winnipeg on Oct. 3 and a 4-1 victory in Ottawa on Oct. 5. Artemi Panarin scored Friday while playing with a new linemate in Chris Kreider alongside Mika Zibanejad, who has four goals and 10 points. Pavel Buchnevich was moved down to the second line after scoring a power-play goal, and it is possible the Rangers could start Sunday's game with those line combinations." We have a lot of very capable players and those two are incredible," said Kreider, who has yet to score and has three assists. "I just try to skate and win pucks for them and get to the front of the net." Vancouver will be playing its second straight afternoon game. The Canucks were blanked for the second time this season and held to 25 shots in a 1-0 loss at New Jersey on Saturday. They had 23 shots blocked." Had some looks; gotta get a goal," Vancouver coach Travis Green said. Before Saturday, the Canucks had scored 20 goals in winning four straight games. Against the Devils, Vancouver went 0-for-7 on the power play after going 4-for-14 on the man advantage in the previous four games." Five on five we didn't (do) a whole lot, pretty good road game," Green said. "We got to find a way to score a couple of goals." Green tried different things with a struggling power play, including putting Quinn Hughes on the man advantage at various points. Hughes played against his younger brother Jack, who scored for New Jersey and had his family in the stands." We need some finish on our power play, we're getting good looks and need to score," Vancouver center Bo Horvat said. Besides getting the power play going, the Canucks are hoping to see more aggressiveness from Elias Pettersson. Pettersson has two goals and four assists but only 11 shots on goal and missed a chance at scoring during a 4-on-4 in the third period Saturday. Starting goaltender Jacob Markstrom rejoined the Canucks after being away from the team due to a family matter. Thatcher Demko started Saturday but Markstrom is expected to play Sunday. The Rangers are 10-3-1 in their last 14 games against the Canucks.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
GAME RECAP
/ NEW YORK Brock Boeser and Jay Beagle scored late in Vancouver's three-goal first period and the Canucks held on to beat the New York Rangers 3-2 on Sunday. Bo Horvat also scored and Elias Pettersson had two assists for Vancouver, which bounced back from a 1-0 loss at New Jersey on Saturday to win for the fifth time in six games. Jacob Markstrom stopped 38 shots to win his third straight start after losing his first two. Jesper Fast had a goal and an assist, and Artemi Panarin also scored for New York, which has lost four straight - including three in four days after playing just three times in the previous 14 days. Henrik Lundqvist finished with 40 saves. Rangers coach David Quinn shook up his lineup during Friday's 5-2 loss at Washington, moving Chris Kreider to the top line with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. Pavel Buchnevich was dropped to the second line, and rookie Kaapo Kakko down to the third. Buchnevich ended up on the fourth line during the second period but was back on the second later in the game. Down 3-1 after 40 minutes, the Rangers came out aggressive in the third and controlled much of the play while outshooting the Canucks 17-6 in the final period. Panarin got the Rangers to 3-2 as he got a pass from Fast from behind the net, and quickly put it past Markstrom for his fourth at 5:31. New York had several flurries of chances at the tying goal, pulling Lundqvist for an extra skater with 1:51 to go, but couldn't get another one past Markstrom. The Rangers finished 0 for 3 on the power play to fall to 1 for 17 with the man-advantage over the last four games. With the Rangers trailing 3-0 after a lackluster first period, Fast got them on the scoreboard late in the second. Standing in front of Markstrom, Fast deflected Jacob Trouba's hard point shot past the goalie for his second. After making 17 saves in the first, Lundqvist stopped all 17 shots he faced in the middle period to keep the Canucks at bay. The Canucks got off to a fast start with three goals in the first period while outshooting the Rangers 20-13. Vancouver scored on the power play, at even strength and short-handed. Horvat got things started as he took a pass from Pettersson and beat Lundqvist on a power play from the inside edge of the left circle for his second of the season and 100th of his career at 6:01. The Canucks came in with the league's worst man-advantage and were 0 for 12 the previous two games. Boeser made it 2-0 with 6:26 left in the opening period as he got a pass from Pettersson between the circles and fired a shot that went off Lundqvist's glove and in for his second. Then, with Tyler Myers off for hooking, Beagle brought the puck up the right side and beat Lundqvist on the glove side for his first of the season and fourth career short-handed goal. NOTES: Horvat joined Calgary's Sean Monahan, Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon and Florida's Aleksander Barkov as the only players from the 2013 draft to reach the 100-goal mark. ... Canucks forward J. T. Miller faced the Rangers for first time since his offseason trade from Tampa Bay to Vancouver. Miller spent parts of six seasons with the Rangers before he was dealt with former captain Ryan McDonagh to the Lightning at the trade deadline in 2018. ... The teams will conclude their season series Jan. 4 at Vancouver. ... Lundqvist appeared in his 861st game, moving past Hall of Famer Gump Worsley for sole possession of 11th place on the NHL's all-time list. He is seven away from tying former goalie Grant Fuhr for 10th place. Lundqvist also tied Jean Ratelle for sixth place on the Rangers' franchise list. ... Fast has two goals and eight points in 10 career games against Vancouver. ... New York has given up at least one power-play goal in five of its six games. UP NEXTCanucks: At Detroit on Tuesday night to finish a four-game trip. Rangers: Host Arizona on Tuesday night to continue a five-game homestand.---Follow Vin Cherwoo at https://twitter.com/VinCherwoo---More NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/-Sports
Game
Recap from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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10/20/2019 5:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+110
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+1.5 (-247)
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Over 6 (-100)
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-122
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-1.5 (+216)
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Under 6 (-112)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 5:00 PM EDT Venue: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN, 55102 / It's been a controversial two-day break for the Minnesota Wild, who head into Sunday afternoon's game with the Montreal Canadiens at Saint Paul, Minn., with just one victory and two points, fewest in the NHL. Frustration boiled over after the Wild's latest loss, a 4-0 blanking by the Canadiens in Montreal on Thursday night that saw Minnesota allow three first-period goals in less than six minutes. The team held a 10-minute players-only meeting afterward, and forward Jason Zucker didn't hold back." I think more than [a meeting is] going to have to jumpstart us to be honest with you," Zucker told reporters. "It's going to be each individual from Bruce on down. Bruce has got to be better. We've got to be better. Everybody's got to be better. That's it." Bruce would be fourth-year Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau, who some pegged as already being on the hot seat before a dreadful start to the season. Minnesota, which has played six of its seven games on the road, has a minus-15 goal differential, worst in the league. Calling it "a poor use of words," Zucker made a point to apologize for his comments about Boudreau at practice Saturday." I'll start by first apologizing to Bruce," Zucker said. "There was no reason for me to use his name in that quote any way, so that's completely on me. My intention with the quote was to state that everybody needs to be better and needs to do more and pull more weight." I mean, 99.9 percent of that is on the players, so there is no reason I should have used Bruce's name. It's completely my fault, and I apologized to Bruce after the game about it when I first saw it." Boudreau low-keyed Zucker's comments to reporters." As you know, his whole thing is that everybody has to be better," Boudreau said. "He didn't intend or want to center me out." "We all have to take a look in the mirror and kind of take some onus on our game and helping each other," Wild defenseman Matt Dumba said. "We aren't going to get far if we don't come together here, and it's going to be miserable like it is right now." A win over the Canadiens to start a brief two-game homestand that also includes a Tuesday night game with the Pacific Division-leading Edmonton Oilers would be a start in the right direction for Minnesota. Montreal, which has won three of its last four games, will be playing the back end of a back-to-back that started with an impressive 5-2 victory at defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis on Saturday afternoon, completing a two-game season sweep of the Blues during which they finished with a 11-5 advantage in goals. Brendan Gallagher started off a three-goal second period with his fourth goal of the season just six seconds in, two seconds shy of the fastest score to begin any period in NHL history. Goaltender Carey Price had 32 saves while picking up his 325th career victory, breaking a tie with Sean Burke for 27th place in NHL history." It seems the older I get, the more it happens," Price said of moving up the all-time wins list. "Just thankful to have played with a lot of good teams that helped me win those games." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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IN PROGRESS |
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10/20/2019 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
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-135
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-1.5 (+184)
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Over 6.5 (+102)
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+122
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+1.5 (-207)
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Under 6.5 (-114)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: United Center, Chicago, Ill., 60612 / The Chicago Blackhawks likely will introduce a new face when they host the Washington Capitals on Sunday night. That would be 18-year-old Kirby Dach, whom the Blackhawks selected No. 3 overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Chicago promoted Dach from a conditioning assignment in the AHL following their most recent contest. Expectations are high for the young prospect, a physical two-way forward who spent the past three seasons in Canada's Western Hockey League. The Blackhawks' last draft pick taken at No. 3 overall was Jonathan Toews, who went on to win three Stanley Cup championships with the franchise in 2010, 2013 and 2015." As a kid, you always grow up dreaming of playing in the NHL, so there'll be nerves," Dach told reporters. "But there will also be a lot of excitement. I've just got to do my best to focus on my game and be ready to play whenever my name's called upon by the coaching staff." The game features two hot teams that are both coming off back-to-back victories. Chicago (2-2-1) is coming off wins over the Edmonton Oilers and Columbus Blue Jackets. This will be the fifth game of a seven-game homestand for Chicago after it opened the season in Prague. Meanwhile, Washington (5-2-2) will look to stay hot after beating the Toronto Maple Leafs and New York Rangers by a combined margin of 9-5. T. J. Oshie scored twice against the Rangers in the last game, which gave him six goals on the season. The Capitals' scoring leader is defenseman John Carlson, who has a whopping 17 points (three goals, 14 assists) in his first nine games this season. Carlson also leads the team with 19 blocked shots and has taken on a more prominent role as an alternate captain." His leadership back there (has been important)," Capitals coach Todd Reirden recently told reporters. "He's a guy that does say things during the game. He does say things on the bench. He does say things in the locker room." The Blackhawks will start either Corey Crawford (1-2-0, 3.40 goals-against average) or Robin Lehner (1-0-1, 2.47 GAA) in net. Crawford is 3-5-2 with a 3.61 GAA in 10 career games against the Capitals, and Lehner has a career mark of 2-3-1 with a 2.17 GAA against the club. Washington will start either Braden Holtby (2-1-2, 3.83 GAA) or Ilya Samsonov (3-1-0, 1.84) between the pipes. Holtby is 8-3-0 with a 2.88 GAA in 12 games against the Blackhawks, and Samsonov has not faced the team. A concussion during the preseason delayed Dach's arrival to the Blackhawks. He instead reported to Rockford, where he appeared in three games. Chicago can play him in up to nine games at the NHL level before determining whether to keep him on the roster or send him back to the WHL for more development." I enjoyed the experience (in Rockford)," Dach said. "I had a lot of fun. Got to see a couple buddies. It was good for me to get down there and get some pro games under my belt and just feel what the pace is going to be like. It'll be another step up here, but I feel good and I feel like I'm ready to go." --Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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IN PROGRESS |
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10/20/2019 7:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+119
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+1.5 (-208)
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Over 6.5 (-107)
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-131
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-1.5 (+185)
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Under 6.5 (-105)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 7:00 PM EDT Venue: Bell MTS Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3C 5S5 / The Winnipeg Jets are a mirror image of their opposition Sunday, the visiting Edmonton Oilers. While the Oilers are flying high and piling up the wins, the Jets are in a free fall. Edmonton arrives for an old-time Smythe Division meeting as one of the league's top surprises, having won seven of eight games. The latest was a 2-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Friday, which coach Dave Tippett said he was happier about than his team's previous victory, a 6-3 defeat of the Philadelphia Flyers in which the Oilers were outshot by a staggering 52-22 count." The goal is a lot bigger than winning on a Wednesday night, seventh game of the year," Tippett told Postmedia." To win a game that your goaltender steals or your star player has five points, it all looks fancy on the scoreboard, but those two points don't earn you the right to be a playoff team. It's how you play over 82 games and how you build your team that earns you that right." Improving at winning close, tight-checking games is a big step forward for the Oilers. Their high-end talent can rack up goals, but one reason the franchise has made the playoffs only once in the past 13 seasons is a lack of willingness to consistently tighten up defensively." There were some things we needed to clean up in our game and I thought we did for the most part," defenseman Darnell Nurse told Postmedia. "That's a good thing. If you're winning and you're still looking for ways to get better, that's a good sign for our group." We all know how we played. You always leave the rink with a pretty good realization of how your game went, whether it was good or bad. We had the realization that we needed to be better, the coaches reinforced it, and we found a way to have a way better performance." Winnipeg, which lost 3-1 to the visiting New York Islanders on Thursday, has dropped three straight -- all on home ice -- by a combined score of 14-5. The Jets are struggling in part due to a decimated defense corps. The Jets scored first in each of those losses, but they are among the worst teams in the league in goals against and shots allowed and by far have the NHL's worst penalty kill, with just a 56.3 percent kill rate -- which doesn't bode well for this game as Edmonton boasts a power play that is clicking at 41.7 percent." It just seems when it rains, it pours," captain Blake Wheeler said. "Sometimes you try a little bit too hard and it's almost worse. The confidence is a little bit low on that right now. We have to start from the bottom and rebuild ourselves on the penalty kill, be committed to eating some pucks and doing whatever it takes to keep the thing out of our net." It appears the Jets will receive a roster boost. Second-line center Bryan Little is poised to make his season debut after missing the first nine games due to a concussion suffered in the final preseason game.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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COMING
UP
9:05 PM EST |
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10/20/2019 9:05 PM EST (TODAY) |
MONEYLINE |
SPREAD |
TOTAL |
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+120
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+1.5 (-231)
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Over 5.5 (-113)
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-133
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-1.5 (+203)
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Under 5.5 (+100)
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GAME PREVIEW
Time: 9:00 PM EDT Venue: Honda Center, Anaheim, CA, 92806 / The Anaheim Ducks' revival has taken place primarily at home, which is where the team will be for a Sunday night matchup against the Calgary Flames. After a disappointing 2018-19 season that was marked by a coaching change, the Ducks are in the midst of one of their best starts in franchise history. Their 6-2-0 start is the best since the 2014-15 team opened 7-1-0. And their 4-0-0 record in their own building matches the best four-game start in franchise history. It remains far too early to anoint the Ducks a Stanley Cup contender, but an aggressive style on offense, an ability to protect leads and a tendency to win puck battles has served the Ducks well." We know we have a strong team, and we know we can play this kind of hockey with a lot speed and a lot of puck management," said Jakob Silfverberg, who scored a goal in Friday's victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, the 500th career NHL game for the right wing." Obviously, it gives us confidence, but at the same time, we need to stay humble. We can't get too comfortable here. We're always looking to improve." While the Flames have played well at home in the early going, games on the road have been a different story. The latest road defeat came Saturday night at Los Angeles, when the Kings scored 75 seconds into the game and rolled to a 4-1 victory. The Flames are 3-0-1 at home, but are just 1-4-0 on the road and saw a two-game winning streak come to an end against a Kings team that won for just the third time in eight games. The Flames did manage to restore some order in the third period Saturday when they switched goalies from David Rittich to Cam Talbot, but it was far too late. The back-to-back games in Southern California are the entire road trip, which leads into home games against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday and the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Calgary already has road defeats at Colorado, Vegas and San Jose, in addition to the one against the Kings, and will have to find the energy Sunday to give the Ducks a stern test in their own building. The Flames are struggling to get a group effort, but a solid showing against a revived Ducks team will have them feeling optimistic heading back home." You look at the teams that finish at the top of the standings every single year, it's (because) of contributions throughout," new Flames left wing Milan Lucic said, according to nhl.com. "You look at the Stanley Cup winner at the end of the year, it's not just one guy or two or three lines carrying the load -- it's different guys stepping up at different times. You need that contribution throughout the lineup if you want to have success." Lucic, who was traded to the Flames this summer after back-to-back disappointing seasons in Edmonton, played well while earning his first point with his new team Thursday with an assist in a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at home. The Ducks and Flames split the head-to-head matchups last season, with each team winning their two home games. The Flames scored 11 goals, and the Ducks scored eight.--Field Level Media
Game
Preview from The Associated
Press (AP).
Copyright
© 2019 The Associated
Press, All Rights Reserved.
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