Dein erstes Forum » spoon.Local product Chad Townsend has b

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Welcome back to the big stage, Jerick McKinnon and Fozzy Whittaker.Oh, and Matt Asiata and Cameron Artis-Payne, get ready to carry the football, too.The Vikings and Panthers will be counting on their backup running backs to have a next man up mentality when they meet Sunday in Charlotte, a city that was placed under a state of emergency due to the violent protests stemming from a police shooting last week.Both teams lost their featured backs last week to injury -- Minnesotas Adrian Peterson underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus, while Jonathan Stewart is dealing with a pulled hamstring. Both players are out indefinitely.While Peterson was the leagues MVP in 2012, a case can be made that Stewart might be just as valuable to the Panthers at this point. Carolina comes in with the leagues top-ranked rushing offense, while the Vikings are last.Whittaker has started three games since coming into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2012, but ran for 100 yards on 16 carries last week in a 47-26 win over the San Francisco 49ers after Stewart went down in the first quarter. Whittaker has primarily been used as a third-down back and could wind up splitting carries with Artis-Payne, a bigger, stronger runner who has more of a straight-ahead style.A lot of it is you prepare for the scheme and then youre aware of the back thats in there, whichever back it ends up being, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.McKinnon hopes to give the Vikings (2-0) a boost in the running game.The 5-foot-9, 205-pound back has started six games during his three seasons in the league, all of those in 2014 when he ran for 538 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Asiata is a power back who could see goal-line and short-yardage carries.Things to watch on Sunday:BUMMED BROTHER: Panthers center Ryan Kalil said he is bummed that he wont be facing his brother Matt, the starting left tackle for the Vikings who was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury this week. They have faced each other twice in their careers.We definitely get very competitive during these weeks and we have a 1-1 tally going on, Ryan Kalil said. Im really, really disappointed for my brother and I knew hes really upset.T.J. Clemmings, who started all 16 games at right tackle last season for the Vikings, will be back in a starting role.WAYNES WORLD: The knee injury that kept Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes out of the first two games thrust Trae Waynes, the teams first-round draft pick last year, into an elevated role.Hes still on his NFL learning curve, as evidenced by the pass interference and defensive holding penalties he picked up on the same drive in the third quarter against Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers targeted him often. But Waynes darted in front of a fourth-quarter pass by Rodgers for a game-sealing interception in the victory, a clear sign of progress for the Michigan State product.Id much rather have him be aggressive and get a couple of those once in a while than play real soft and scared, Zimmer said of the flags thrown on Waynes.Rhodes has returned to practice this week, which could affect Waynes playing time.RECEIVERS ON A MISSION: Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin has been huge since his return from a torn ACL with 13 receptions for 199 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games back.Meanwhile, Stefon Diggs has been tearing it up for Minnesota with 180 yards receiving and a TD in last weeks 17-14 win over the Packers.CLEANING IT UP: The Panthers won last week despite turning over the ball four times. Its something Cam Newton said the team needs to clean up against the Vikings.We just cant keep allowing ourselves to go on those lulls and having those brain farts, the quarterback saidCAPTAIN RETURNS: Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn spent the first five seasons of his career with the Panthers and still keeps a home in Charlotte in the offseason. So it will be a homecoming when he returns as a vital member of one of the leagues top defenses.Its definitely going back home, Munnerlyn said. My emotions are very high. Its going to be a crazy game for me, back in Charlotte where I stay, and playing against my former teammates and my former coach.---AP Sports Writers Jon Krawczynski and Dave Campbell contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLChauncey Gardner-Johnson Saints Jersey . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Sheldon Rankins Saints Jersey . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Drew-Brees-Jersey/ . It was Kerbers third final of the year after losing to Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova of Russia in Monterrey in April and to Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic in Tokyo two weeks ago. The 10th-ranked German improved her record in finals to 3-5. Ted Ginn Jr Womens Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Morten Andersen Youth Jersey . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL.Turn your porch lights off because were coming home with the trophy.They are words Cronulla fans have waited 50 years to hear, words that Sharks captain Paul Gallen never thought he would get the chance to say.The ghost of Harold Holt has haunted the Sharks since the late Jack Gibsons famous quote of the late 80s, but now Gallen and his men can finally lay the former Australian Prime Minister to rest.?For a bloke like Gal, whos done everything in the game - to help him get this, its awesome, James Maloney said.The word fairytale is often thrown about, probably even worn out, but there can be no other way to describe the Sharks maiden premiership.The Sharks have been the punchline in many rugby league discussions for five long decades, but they are now one of the NRL heavyweights.Just five years ago, the Sharks were on the verge of bankruptcy; more recently, they endured extremely dark days that included diabolical financial mismanagement, poor recruitment, questionable leadership and the supplements saga.?In 2014, when the player suspensions were served after the supplements scandal described initially as the darkest day in Australian sport: the SSharks hit rock bottom.dddddddddddd Sponsorship had dried up and they would ultimately finish the season with the humiliation of collecting the wooden spoon.Local product Chad Townsend has been through all the tough times, but all that is forgotten now after the halfback played a leading role in wiping away years of misery.Fifty years this clubs been waiting for it and to be a part of the first team to bring one home is something Ill never forget for the rest of my life, Townsend said.Others, like Ben Barba, have only been at the club a few years; but as Cronulla celebrate their ability to finally rise above many years of torment and pain, the Sharks fullback has done likewise on a more personal level.I thought I was gone. I even contemplated walking away, Barba said.The family and the club was sticking beside me, believing in me and giving me the chance. Im so happy I can pay them back with this.Its an unbelievable feeling. Some of these people have waited so long for this to happen and Im so glad it could deliver it. ' ' '