guadeloupe
Thema drucken
03.09.2019 04:43
|
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (12-6)OPEN CAMP: July 26 Tony Pollard Jersey , Ochsner Sports Performance Center, Metairie, LouisianaLAST YEAR: Helped by infusion of elite young talent, Saints pulled out of three-year rut of mediocrity and won NFC South. They were seconds away from advancing to NFC title game, only to be thwarted by Minnesota receiver Stefon Diggs‘ winning touchdown as time expired in divisional round. New Orleans received major contributions from running back and Offensive Rookie of Year Alvin Kamara, and cornerback and Defensive Rookie of Year Marshon Lattimore. Several other first-and second-year players filled regular roles as well, and veteran Drew Brees remained one of NFL’s top QBs.IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: LB Demario Davis, S Kurt Coleman, CB Patrick Robinson, WR Cameron Meredith, Rookie DE Marcus Davenport.IMPORTANT LOSSES: S Kenny Vaccaro, TE Coby Fleener, WR Willie Snead, G Senio Kelemete, RT Zach Strief, CB Delvin Breaux.CAMP NEEDS: Lineup is relatively stable from last-season’s playoff run, but New Orleans looking to bolster pass rush by finding someone who can make offenses pay for sending multiple blockers at All-Pro end Cameron Jordan. Saints want Davenport to develop into that player. But he is raw in first season out of UTSA. Saints also want to figure out which running backs can fill in for Mark Ingram during his four-game suspension to open season. Veteran free agents Shane Vereen and Terrence West, along with draft pick Boston Scott and second-year pro Trey Edmunds, are competing for those snaps.EXPECTATIONS: Saints appear to have gotten stronger and deeper than last season, particularly with additions on defense. Keys to improving are how well new players fit and, as usual, avoiding injuries. If Davenport develops quickly, Saints could be elite. If not, teams with good plan to block Jordan could give New Orleans fits.—AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL—CAROLINA PANTHERS (11-6)OPEN CAMP: July 26, Wofford College, Spartanburg, South CarolinaLAST YEAR: Panthers enjoyed bounce-back season after failing to reach playoffs in 2017. Carolina lost three times to New Orleans, including wild-card playoffs. No deep threat Noah Fant Jersey , lengthy injury to TE Greg Olsen and poor pass protection doomed offense. Defense remained one of NFL’s best behind high MLB Luke Kuechly.IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: Rookie WR D.J. Moore, WR Torrey Smith, WR Jarius Wright, RB C.J. Anderson, RB Kenjon Barner, G Jeremiah Sirles, DT Dontari Poe, rookie CB Donte Jackson, CB Ross Cockrell, S Da’Norris Searcy.IMPORTANT LOSSES: G Andrew Norwell, RB Jonathan Stewart, DT Star Lotulelei, DE Charles Johnson, S Kurt Coleman, CB Daryl Worley, QB Derek Anderson.CAMP NEEDS: Panthers need to adjust to three new coordinators: Norv Turner (offense), Eric Washington (defense) and Chase Blackburn (special teams). Turner’s relationship with QB Cam Newton critical to team’s success. Second-year RB Christian McCaffrey is featured back with Jonathan Stewart gone. Team expected to use more two tight end sets, play-action under Turner. Addition of WRs D.J. Moore, Torrey Smith and Jarius Wright should bolster passing game. Washington inherits defense looking to replace four starters (Lotulelei, Johnson, Coleman and Worley). Kuechly, DT Kawann Short, LB Thomas Davis, CB James Bradberry and pass-rushing tandem Julius Peppers and Mario Addison (11 sacks each) all return. GM Marty Hurney thrilled with second-round pick CB Donte Jackson, who’ll start.EXPECTATIONS: Core of team that’s been to postseason four of past five seasons remains intact, but aging quickly. Peppers is 38, S Mike Adams 37, Davis 35 http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dalton-risner-jersey , and C Ryan Kalil and Olsen are 33. Newton is 29. Plenty of pressure to win now under new owner David Tepper before window closes. Carolina should compete for NFC South title with New Orleans and Atlanta if offense improves.—ATLANTA FALCONS (11-7)OPEN CAMP: July 27, Falcons practice facility, Flowery Branch, GeorgiaLAST YEAR: One year after reaching Super Bowl, Falcons finished third in NFC South and lost to Philadelphia in second round of playoffs. Quarterback Matt Ryan, working under new coordinator Steve Sarkisian, had decline in production from 2016, when team led NFL in scoring. Ryan still signed five-year, $150 million deal in offseason. Good news is young defense, led by speedy linebackers Deion Jones and De’Vondre Campbell and safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, allowed 318.4 yards per game, significant drop from 371.2 in 2016.IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: G Brandon Fusco, rookie WR Calvin Ridley, TE Logan Paulsen, CB Justin Bethel, rookie DT Deadrin Senat, QB coach Greg Knapp, RB coach Bernie Parmalee.IMPORTANT LOSSES: DT Dontari Poe, DE Adrian Clayborn, WR Taylor Gabriel, FB Derrick Coleman, TE Levine Toilolo.CAMP NEEDS: Spotlight will be on WR Julio Jones after team announced it won’t renegotiate his current $71.5 million contract. Jones has three years remaining in five-year deal. Jones did not attend minicamp, and training camp holdout could be major distraction to ”brotherhood” atmosphere promoted by coach Dan Quinn. Defensive front will be concern following losses of Poe and Clayborn. Senat could have opportunity for immediate playing time, if not starting role. Ridley needs to prove he can handle No. 3 receiver spot behind Jones and Mohamed Sanu and be ready for even bigger role.EXPECTATIONS: Ryan is 33, Jones is 29, RB Devonta Freeman had two concussions, including one in preseason, and knee injury last season Drew Lock Jersey , and RB Tevin Coleman could be free agent after this season. These are all alarm signals as window for current offense is narrowing. While young defense is emerging as team’s strength, Atlanta’s offense needs to re-emerge in second season with Sarkasian if team can have real hope for second Super Bowl appearance in three years. Addition of Fusco should add more stability to interior offensive line. Competitive NFC South doesn’t lessen expectations. Anything less than 10 wins and another postseason would be disappointment.—TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-11)OPEN CAMP: July 26, One Buccaneer Place, Tampa, FloridaLAST YEAR:Failed to play up to heightened expectations coming off winning nine games previous season. Lost 10 of 13 following 2-1 start, missing playoffs for 10th straight year. QB Jameis Winston missed three games, plus most of fourth due to injury he tried to play through in three other starts. Lack of consistent running attack was problem. Gerald McCoy-led defense was disappointing, too, ranking last in league with 22 sacks.IMPORTANT ADDITIONS: DE Jason Pierre-Paul, DT Beau Allen, DE Vinny Curry, DT Vita Vea, RB Ronald Jones, C Ryan Jensen, DT Mitch Unrein.IMPORTANT LOSSES: RB Doug Martin, DE Robert Ayers, Jr., G J.R. Sweezy, DT Chris Baker, DT Clinton McDonald, S T.J. Ward.CAMP NEEDS: Reconstructing defensive line and improving anemic pass rush were top priorities this offseason. However, getting newcomers Pierre-Paul, Allen, Curry, Unrein and first-round draft pick Vea acclimated to defensive coordinator Mike Smith’s system isn’t only concern entering camp. Winston will miss first three games of season while serving suspension for violating NFL’s personal conduct policy. So, balancing starter’s workload in practice along with that of backup QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, will be focal point during preseason.EXPECTATIONS: With Winston entering his fourth season, suspended three games for off-field behavior and also due to see his salary increase to $20.9 million in 2019 http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dre_mont-jones-jersey , coach Dirk Koetter and general manager Jason Licht – as well as 24-year-old Winston – are on hot seat to end franchise’s long playoff drought. Winston will miss season opener at New Orleans, as well as home games against Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. An 0-3 start could be difficult to overcome, even if Pierre-Paul, Vea and Curry are answers to club’s pass-rushing woes.— LANDOVER, Md. (AP)Before each practice, D.J. Swearinger huddles Washington Redskins players together and delivers his daily message. Sure, Swearinger is a six-year veteran, but this is his first season with Washington. Becoming a vocal leader just came naturally. ”It’s just my personality,” Swearinger said. ”That’s just my personality to get guys to buy in to do the right things so we can make winning a habit here. ”That’s what I try to do with calling the defensive meetings or calling (a huddle) up before practice. Just trying to get everybody’s minds on one focus and that’s to go 1-0 every day.” The Redskins are 5-8 and out of the playoff race but will try to follow that lead and go 1-0 Sunday when they face Swearinger’s previous team, the Arizona Cardinals, that’s holding on to only faint postseason hopes. In a short period of time, the 26-year-old safety has become the Redskins’ emotional center, bellwether and conscious in a season that has gone awry. It was Swearinger who questioned the team’s preparation after consecutive blowout losses without any trepidation about the blowback. His comments about bad practice habits Sunday in Los Angeles weren’t frustration, he said, they were facts. ”If you don’t play well in the game, it’s obviously from practice,” Swearinger said Wednesday. ”A lot of stuff’s been said about what I’ve been saying. It’s not going to change what I’m saying. It’s the facts of it. Guys on this team have to practice better, and if we don’t practice better, we’re going to get the same results. Period.” Swearinger earned the right to speak his mind through hard-nosed play this season. He crushed Marshawn Lynch with a big hit when the Oakland Raiders came to town and has never shied away from contact. No wonder players are eager to follow Swearinger. ”He plays the game so hard,” Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. ”He’s very passionate about the game, and I think the players respect that a ton.” After playing parts of two seasons with Arizona, Swearinger figures he’ll have ”extra juice” Sunday. He said the Cardinals made a contract offer and retracted it, so he circled this game on his calendar. ”It’s not that I want to show out in front of my own team,” Swearinger said. ”It’s more I want to make a lot of plays in front of my old team.” Some things to watch when the Cardinals visit the Redskins: O-LINE SHUFFLE: Once again, the Cardinals are being forced to make personnel changes along the offensive line. Left tackle Jared Veldheer fractured an ankle against Tennessee and became the third starter on the O-line to go down with a season-ending injury, joining tackle D.J. Humphries and guard Mike Iupati. Rookie Will Holden is the fourth player to start at left tackle. In addition, right guard Earl Watford is out with a high ankle sprain. Holden’s only other start was at left guard in Week 4. Evan Boehm, who started the first five games before losing the job to Watford T.J. Hockenson Jersey , will be the right guard. The only lineman to start every game is center A.Q. Shipley. ”I’m the glue that sort of holds everything together,” Shipley said. REDSKINS’ RUN GAME: With three running backs on injured reserve, Washington’s ground game is firmly in the hands of rookie Samaje Perine. That’s because second- and third-string running backs LeShun Daniels and Kapri Bibbs have combined for 31 career carries. With a banged-up offensive line, the Redskins have rushed for a combined 121 yards the past two weeks. Staying committed to the run has proved difficult. ”You just want to try to stay a little bit balanced,” coach Jay Gruden said. ”You can’t be throwing it 100 times a game, although sometimes you want to. But I think try to get Samaje some looks, try to get our offensive line to come out of their stance and try to get some movement on the defensive line. It’s necessary for us to be successful.” AGELESS FITZ: At 34, Larry Fitzgerald is fourth in the NFL in receptions with 87, behind only Antonio Brown, DeAndre Hopkins and Jarvis Landry. He has 922 yards receiving, so he’s a good bet to be the first player age 34 or older to top 100 receptions and 1,000 yards receiving for a season. Last week he moved past Randy Moss into third on career receiving yards, behind only Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens. In three games at Washington, Fitzgerald has 20 catches for 339 yards and two TDs. Of his five touchdowns of at least 60 yards, two have come in his past two road games against the Redskins – 62 yards in 2008, 73 yards in 2011. KICKER BY ANY OTHER NAME: Redskins kicker Nick Rose is already auditioning for a job next season now that Dustin Hopkins has a possibility of returning from a hip injury. Rose has made 10 of 11 field goals since replacing Hopkins. ”Injuries happen, you have somebody come replace you, then when you come back off the injury, there’s going to be some competition there,” Gruden said. ”That’s what it’s going to be like.” — AP Sports Writer Bob Baum in Tempe, Arizona, and freelance reporter Brian McNally in Ashburn, Virginia, contributed. — |
|
Antworten
