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Feb 2 '19
EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Customized/ . -- The bye week is usually met with eagerness by NFL teams, that rare in-season opportunity to let the body heal and rest and give the mind a brief break from the game-planning and pressure to win.The Minnesota Vikings might as well have passed on theirs this year. They sure didnt put it to good use.After taking the leagues only perfect record into the week off, looking every bit the Super Bowl contender theyve been gearing up to be, the Vikings have been dismantled in consecutive defeats by Philadelphia and Chicago on the road.Both the Eagles and Bears used heavy pressure on quarterback Sam Bradford and clogged rushing lanes when the Vikings handed off the ball, stymieing an offense that was far from dominant in the first five games but confident, crisp and efficient enough to complement the dominant defense.The Eagles have emerged among the NFCs early-season elite, so that one wasnt such a stunner. The Bears, though, took one victory into the game on Monday night and racked up 403 total yards, the most allowed by the Vikings this year. That included 158 yards rushing.You just cant explain the way we havent played well these last two weeks, linebacker Chad Greenway said.As unexpected and, for a playoff-caliber team, inexcusable as this more-lopsided-than-the-score-indicated 20-10 loss was, the context and timing of the contest were not exactly in Minnesotas favor. As bad as the Bears had played before this, they had 10 days to prepare for a division foe. They also benefited from a fresh Jay Cutler, all but on his way out as the franchise quarterback with nothing to lose and a mind to prove his worth on a prime-time stage.Cutler is 9-5 in 14 career starts against the Vikings, his most victories against any team, including a sparkling 7-1 at Soldier Field. Coach Mike Zimmer offered scant insight about his teams performance in a terse postgame news conference, keeping his comments to a mere three minutes, but he credited Cutler for his play.We didnt make any plays. They made them all, Zimmer said.Last season, the Vikings ended a couple of ignominious losing streaks, but theyre still 2-14 on the road against Chicago since 2000 and 1-8 in their last nine Monday night games regardless of site. The coaches and players have changed, of course, but fans dont forget the Vikings are 10-21 in night games over the last decade.Success for NFL teams is as much about minimizing flaws as it is about seizing opportunities presented by the opponents weaknesses, and the Vikings have done an awful job of this for two straight weeks.The offensive line is squarely in the spotlight right now, with struggles at every position, particularly tackles T.J. Clemmings and Jake Long. The Vikings have allowed 11 sacks over the last two games, and Bradford has thusly been largely out of sync.We havent proven it yet. So I dont know if hopefuls the right word, right this second, Zimmer said when asked if he was optimistic about a rebound by the offensive line. Weve got to get it fixed, though.Bradford wasnt about to blame the blockers. He overthrew Stefon Diggs, a pass that wouldve been a 50-yard touchdown late in the first quarter after his best wide receiver badly beat Bears cornerback Tracy Porter on the route.Regardless of whats going on up front, I have to figure out a way to move the football down the field, Bradford said.The Vikings host another division foe, Detroit, this weekend.We just have to figure the way we did it, what the formula was those first five weeks, and do it, Bradford said.---AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL coverage on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ;http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Breshad-Perriman-Jersey/ . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Marshal-Yanda-Jersey/ . Supported by three-run homers from Jayson Werth and Wilson Ramos, the young right-hander went seven strong innings in the Washington Nationals 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Ryan-Jensen-Jersey/ . Canada is now down to its 22-player limit, although but players wont be registered until Christmas Day. Changes could still be made as a result of a suspension or injury.OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Golden State Warriors and Marreese Speights have reached an agreement on a free agent contract, a person with knowledge of the deal said Monday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because teams cant announce moves until the new league year begins Wednesday. Terms of the deal werent immediately known. Speights should help fill the void left by power forward Carl Landry, who agreed to a four-year, $26 million deal with the Sacramento Kings on Saturday. Speights averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in the final 39 games with Cleveland after coming over in a trade from Memphis last season. He will likely come off the bench for the Warriors at both power forward and centre. The 25-year-Speights was drafted 16th overrall out of Florida by Philadelphia in 2008. http://www.ravensrookiestore.com/Ravens-Lardarius-Webb-Jersey/. He has averaged 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in his first five NBA seasons. Speights gives the Warriors another option inside off the bench who can be used in pick-and-pop situations the way Landry was so effective last season. The 6-foot-10, 255-pound Speights also can play sparingly at centre, which is the biggest need remaining for the Warriors in free agency. With Andrew Boguts ankle injuries last season, finding a reliable backup has become a more pressing need in recent weeks. Festus Ezeli will be sidelined a minimum of six to nine months after right knee surgery last month, and Andris Biedrins was traded to Utah as part of a salary-slashing move to make room for Andre Iguodalas acquisition. Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys From China Cheap Nike Basketball Jerseys Wholesale Hockey Jerseys China Nike Baseball Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys China Cheap Football Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys Canada Wholesale Nike MLB Jerseys Canada Cheap NBA Jerseys Authentic Canada Stitched Soccer Jerseys Canada Cheap Jerseys Canada NFL ' ' '
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