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

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

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

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

Week 5 Patriots vs Colts: 8 winners and 3 losers from New England’s 38-24 win against Indianapolis Just four days after their blowout win over the Miami Dolphins Josh Gordon Jersey , the New England Patriots blew out the Indianapolis Colts. While yesterday’s the game was at times a sloppier one than Sunday’s it again saw a high-powered Patriots team that displayed its enormous potential. With that in mind let’s take a look at some of the standouts from Sunday.Winner: WR Julian EdelmanComing off a four-game suspension on top of a year missed due to a torn ACL, Julian Edelman looked as fluid and dangerous a players as ever. The veteran was quickly thrown into the fire, and registered two catches on the contest’s opening possession. Overall, he finished with seven catches for 57 yards and two punt returns for 20 yards. It was a vintage Edelman performance.Winner: RB James WhiteIn his Fan Notes from the Patriots’ win over Miami, Alec Shane wrote that James White “may be the most important player on this offense not named Tom Brady”. Yesterday, he again showed why this does not sound like an exaggeration – especially in the passing game. Serving as a safety net receiver, the first-year team captain finished with a team-high 10 catches for 77 yards and one touchdown.Winner: RB Sony MichelFollowing an impressive performance against the Dolphins, Sony Michel had another very good game and became the first Patriots rookie running back to have back-to-back 95-yard rushing performances since Robert Edwards in 1998. Michel played a big role in the Patriots’ offense and finished with 110 yards from scrimmage: he had 98 rushing yards on 18 carries and also caught a 12-yard pass. The standout play of his night was a 34-yard touchdown run that essentially iced the game in New England’s favor.Losers: WR Chris Hogan & TE Rob GronkowskiWhile Chris Hogan and Rob Gronkowski did not have bad games per se, the two pass catchers made two of the Patriots’ worst plays of the night. In the third quarter, Hogan let a short pass go through his hands for an interception. On the very next drive, Gronkowski was hit after catching a 20-yard pass that would have set up goal-to-go and lost the ball.Both times, New England was in scoring range but came away empty due to the receivers not being able to hold onto the football.Winner: QB Tom BradyWith Julian Edelman – a wide receiver with whom he shares a well-documented connection – back in the lineup, Tom Brady looked more calm than he did at times through the first four weeks of the season. All in all, the 41-year old played a great game: Brady was accurate and made great decisions, and the two turnovers on his stat sheet were also not his fault. Overall, he finished the night with 34 pass completions on 44 attempts for 341 yards, three touchdowns and two picks. He also scored on a quarterback sneak at set a new record for different touchdown recipients.Winner: The Pass protectionJulian Edelman and James White and their outstanding abilities to get open quickly played a part in it, but the Patriots’ pass protection in general was again outstanding yesterday. Going against a team that entered the game with 17.0 sacks on its r茅sum茅 Authentic Phillip Dorsett Jersey Salute to Service , New England’s blockers up front were able to keep Tom Brady clean. The unit did not give up a single sack and allowed just three quarterback hits.Winner: SS Patrick ChungDuring the Patriots’s back-to-back losses in Jacksonville and Detroit, the absence of Patrick Chung undoubtably hurt the team’s defense. Yesterday, he again showed why he is such an important player for the unit against both the pass and the run: The veteran finished the day with 11 tackles, a split-sack, and an interception late in the first half. Furthermore, he was his usual physical and emotional self and also had one of the best celebrations in recent memory.Loser: FS Devin McCourtyPatrick Chung and Duron Harmon had solid overall outings against the Colts, but fellow safety Devin McCourty was far more inconsistent. While the veteran forced and recovered a fumble in the third quarter, he also was in coverage on two touchdown passes – and nearly gave up a third that was ruled short of the goal line upon review. Even though his open field tackling and vision appeared to be as good as always, his positioning was at times suspect.Winner: CB Jason McCourtyThe other McCourty brother, Jason, had a better game yesterday. Serving as the starting perimeter cornerback opposite Stephon Gilmore yet again, the first-year Patriot provided good downfield coverage, was physical as a bump-and-run defender, and made one of the game’s biggest plays when he broke up a pass that popped up into the air and the arms of fellow cornerback Jonathan Jones.Winner: WR Josh GordonJosh Gordon had a quiet first half and saw his lone target fall incomplete. In the second half, however, he showed why he has the potential to be a difference maker for the Patriots: while his numbers did not stand out, Gordon made two tough catches – one of which a momentum-swinging 34-yard reception during which he out-jumped two defenders to come down with the football.Putting Sony Michel’s performance into context following the Patriots’ loss in Detroit It may be sagging a bit, but the sky isn’t falling in Foxborough.Collecting back-to-back double digit losses for the first time since a forgettable 2002 season certainly stings a bit — and it should. Tallying just 209 yards and 10 points on 47 plays against a Detroit defense — a unit that Limited Danny Shelton Jersey , in the previous two weeks, allowed a combined 78 points to the Jets and 49ers, and was without its best pass rusher on Sunday — fails to inspire even a modicum of confidence. There is no shortage of deserved criticism that could (and will) be doled out following a debacle like Sunday night’s performance at Ford Field. The Patriots were thoroughly lambasted in the trenches on both sides of the football, the oft-chastised wide receiver group lived up to its lackluster billing, and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels — clearly hampered by a combination of the first two — resorted to a conservative, timid plan of attack.One place where blame should not be placed, however, is with first round pick Sony Michel. When discarding Tom Brady’s quick two-yard first down plunge on New England's first drive of the third quarter, Michel was handed the football on each of the team’s 14 scheduled run plays until their final drive, where James White received four carries while the clock was being extinguished. The former Georgia Bulldog accumulated just 50 yards on the ground, and he corralled just one of his two catchable targets for a loss of a yard while dropping the other to set up a third-and-long situation on a critical third quarter drive.Training wheelsGiven that Sunday night’s contest was essentially Michel’s second “preseason” game after the rookie went under the knife in the first week of August to relieve some swelling in a knee, it should come as no surprise that McDaniels has been intent on keeping things extremely simple for him. But that simplicity is coming at the behest of making any attempt to disguise what the offense is running.Of Michel’s 33 snaps (36 before penalties) over the first two weeks, he was handed the football on the ground 23 times and targeted in the passing game five times. That’s an 85% touch rate. What’s even more peculiar is the fact that, of those 33 plays, just one was run out of 11-personnel (one RB, one TE, three WRs), meaning the rookie is having to learn and adapt to NFL game speed with limited space to operate as the Patriots’ 12 Jason McCourty Jersey , 21, and 22-personnel packages and formations continue drawing stacked-box after stacked-box. Here’s the breakdown of the packages the Patriots have used with Sony Michel on the field, and their corresponding yardage per play:21-personnel (w/ James Develin): 13 plays (39.39% of Michel’s snaps) — 4.0 yards per play12-personnel: 11 plays — 33% of Michel’s snaps — 3.64 yards per play22-personnel (w/ James Develin): 5 plays — 15.15% of Michel’s snaps — 1.6 yards per play13-personnel: 2 plays — 6.06% of Michel’s snaps — 3.5 yards per play11-personnel: 1 play — 3.03% of Michel’s snaps — 3 yards21-personnel (w/ two RBs): 1 play — 3.03% of Michel’s snaps — -1 yardWhy McDaniels would be telegraphing the offense’s intentions with such regularity? It very well could be that, given the lack of dynamic outside personnel, and coupled with a continually nicked-up Rex Burkhead, the Patriots see no reason to take the “training wheels” off their rookie ball carrier until the offense has a chance to develop further — a process that is now seemingly reliant on the performances of new addition Josh Gordon a veteran Julian Edelman.Drive killersWhere Michel garnered the most unwarranted criticism on Sunday evening was in the short yardage department. Down by two scores in the second quarter, the offense had two drives stall on third-and-one carries that yielded a total loss of three yards, forcing a punt and a field goal try from just inside the red zone.The first run stuff, courtesy of former Patriot Ricky Jean Francois:The second run stuff on third and one came after a three-yard run by Michel that could’ve developed further, but Dwayne Allen failed to lay a finger on his assignment, Tavon Wilson, and the offense was forced into a third down. The Patriots immediately hurried to the line and snapped it again, this time running off tackle right: Tough to fault the running back, or the play call, when all that needs to happen for a first down to be gained is for Dwayne Allen to not get completely worked over by a safety he outweighs by roughly 50 pounds. Credit also needs to be given to Matt Patricia’s defense, as they were completely prepared for a hurry up maneuver than the Patriots have been catching teams flat-footed with for years.TraitsAlthough Sony Michel is being tasked with (and should continue to be) filling much of the void left behind by Dion Lewis, there should not be any confusion about how different his style and skill set is. It’s also important to take into account just how much information Michel is having to process and react to at the moment. There are few places where the term “life comes at you fast” is more applicable than in the NFL, and when considering the aforementioned context Troy Niklas Jersey , Michel is appears to be right on track in the progress department.The key aspect to monitor with rookies early on who are assimilating to the chaos of the NFL game is whether or not they are carrying over the positive traits from college that got them drafted. For Sony Michel, according to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, a few of those traits include:Flashing acceleration to climb past linebackers and onto safeties quicklyHas good burst after cutsUnderstands the art of setting up lead blockers and pulling guardsDecisive runner who rarely takes unnecessary losses by trying to be the heroExcellent in blitz pickupFrom the small sample size we’ve seen from Michel so far, he has flashed signs of most of these traits.Of course, there are certainly areas where a learning curve has presented itself — particularly in the passing game. According to Zierlein, the rookie was “serviceable as pass catcher, but (had) issues catching it cleanly” at Georgia. With so much happening early on in Michel’s transition to the NFL, and him having missed out on so much critical time in camp that could’ve led to an increased chemistry with Tom Brady and other offensive personnel, it’s understandable that his performance out of the backfield in the passing attack has been the slowest component to develop. But given the fact that he caught 64 passes for 621 yards and six touchdowns during his four years in Athens,GA, there’s no doubt that skill set is there. The Patriots will (if they haven’t already) swiftly move past Sunday night’s objectionable display. As their process of continual roster development and schematic refinement rolls onward through the final days of September and into the season’s defining stretch, it’s clear that when it comes to rookie Sony Michel and his future role as a dynamic play maker in their attack, they’ve really just scratched the surface.Follow Brian Phillips on Twitter @BPhillips_SB

The New York Jets' secondary will be short-handed against Kirk Cousins and the Minnesota Vikings.Cornerback Buster Skrine and safety Marcus Maye are out for the game Sunday www.vikingscheapshops.com , and cornerback Trumaine Johnson is doubtful to play.Skrine has a concussion that has caused him to miss most of the last two games. Maye is dealing with a broken right thumb. Meanwhile, Johnson — the Jets' top free-agent signing — will likely miss his third straight game with a quadriceps injury.The Jets will have to face a Vikings offense that includes wide receiver Adam Thielen, who leads the NFL with 58 receptions and 712 yards receiving. Stefon Diggs has 40 catches for 435 yards, so coach Todd Bowles will have to get creative with his defensive backs."Well, we've got a bunch of guys to play with," Bowles said.Darryl Roberts, who has started the past two games, will see plenty of time again. So will rookie Parry Nickerson, who has filled in at Skrine's slot spot Minnesota Vikings T-Shirt , and Rashard Robinson and Juston Burris.New York could also be short-handed at wide receiver, with Quincy Enunwa having been previously ruled out with a sprained ankle and Terrelle Pryor doubtful with a groin injury.Bowles said "it's possible" the Jets could sign a receiver Friday or Saturday, or promote Deontay Burnett — a former teammate of quarterback Sam Darnold at USC — from the practice squad.Linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis (foot) is doubtful, and running back Isaiah Crowell (foot) is questionable.Minnesota Vikings FanPulse Week 4: Is the sky falling? For the first few weeks that we’ve looked at what fans of the Minnesota Vikings think of this team, courtesy of SB Nation’s FanPulse, confidence in the team has been incredibly high. . .among the highest in the National Football League, as a matter of fact. The Vikings were one of the few teams to find themselves in the 90% range from the beginning of the season right up until last week’s game against the Buffalo Bills.Sufficient to say, that shook things up a little bit.With the sort of level-headed, non-emotional response that you might expect Minnesota Vikings Hats , this week’s FanPulse shows that the level of confidence the fans have in this team has gone from 92% all the way down to. . .35%, an incredible 57% drop. That’s the biggest drop among all of the SB Nation NFL blogs for this week.So, is the sky really falling in Minnesota? Well, Vikings fans might think so. . .but the other NFC North fans apparently don’t agree.SB Nation asked fans of the NFC North teams which team in the division that they thought was the best. While most of the division was skewed towards their own team, and understandably so, there’s still a lot of respect for the purple out there.As you can see, fans of three of the four NFC North teams. . .the Vikings, the Chicago Bears, and the Green Bay Packers. . .all think that their team is the best in the NFC North Minnesota Vikings Hoodie , and a pretty solid case can be made for any of them at this early juncture in the season.But, if you look at the graphics, you’ll see that fans of the Detroit Lions still think that the Vikings are the best team in the NFC North, and that Bears and Packers fans think that the Vikings are the best team in the division that isn’t their team.So, while fans of the Minnesota Vikings are down on their team a bit (and it’s not a surprise that they are), it still appears that the rest of the division has a healthy level of respect for the purple and gold. Hopefully, starting with tonight’s contest against the Los Angeles Rams, the Vikings can start to restore the natural order of things a little bit.