Dein erstes Forum » past 2 games Toronto

(SportsNetwork.com) - The two afterthoughts in the NFC North, Minnesota and Chicago, will finish their seasons in a battle to avoid the cellar of the division. The Vikings can at least hang their hat on the development of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has had an impressive 105.7 passer rating over his past four starts. The embattled Jay Cutler, meanwhile, will be back under center for the Bears after a concussion ended Jimmy Clausens one-game tenure at the helm. Cutlers future in Chicago remains murky as does the fates of general manager Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman as the Bears missed the postseason for the seventh time in eight years. Jay gives us the best chance this week, Trestman said. Thats why hell be out there. I believe that Jay can work his way out of this. And Ive enjoyed coaching him and working with him. And we had dialogue last week. And we worked together last week. It was a tough week on him. I empathize with him on that. But were moving forward. Both teams are coming off losses in Week 16 with Minnesota inventing a new way to come up empty in South Florida when Terrence Fede blocked Jeff Lockes punt out of the end zone for a safety with 41 seconds left, lifting the Dolphins to a 37-35 win. The blocked punt, a direct result of Vikings long snapper Cullen Loeffler decision to deliver a ground ball back to Locke, came after Damien Williams 3-yard TD catch tied the game for the Dolphins. The fourth quarter featured a combined 41 points between the two non-playoff participants. Bridgewater connected on 19-of-26 passes for 259 yards, two touchdowns and an interception for the Vikings, who have lost two in a row and will finish under .500 in Mike Zimmers first year as the teams head coach. Matt Asiata carried the ball 16 times for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Greg Jennings caught three passes for 56 yards and a score but Minnesotas defense allowed a season-worst 493 yards of total offense. One of the worst defensive performances Ive seen in a long time, said Zimmer. All of the things Ive been trying to preach for 11 months, we didnt do. The Bears, meanwhile, fell to Detroit, 20-14, when Joique Bells touchdown run in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference. Clausen played admirably in the start in favor of the benched Cutler. The former Notre Dame star finished the game 23-for-39 for 181 yards and a pair of touchdown passes along with an interception for the Bears, who have lost their past four games. Matt Forte rushed for 55 yards on 19 carries, and added six catches for 40 yards. I just went out there and competed, thats the biggest thing that I think I did, said Clausen. I showed that I could compete in this league. But its not about me or what I do, its about winning football games and thats what we wanted to do. We just came up a little short. Clausen, however, was diagnosed with a concussion after experiencing delayed symptoms on Sunday night and has been ruled out of the season finale. He suffered the concussion on Chicagos final offensive possession when Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah made helmet-to-helmet contact with him as the quarterback slid at the end of a short scramble. The Bears said Clausen didnt exhibit symptoms after the hit or following the game. He contacted trainers after experiencing delayed symptoms later Sunday night and was taken to a hospital, where he was diagnosed with a concussion. The Vikings lead their all-time series with the Bears by a 54-51-2 margin but have dropped two of three, including a 21-13 setback in Chicago on Nov. 16 when Cutler passed for 330 yards and three TDs. The Vikes have won nine of the last 12 played in Minneapolis, however. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Confidence is a funny thing. Despite all his troubles and there have been plenty, Cutler almost always plays well against Minnesota, winning seven of his past eight starts against the Vikings with 20 TD passes in those games. The problem is he cant play the Vikings for all 16 games and Cutler leads the NFL with 18 interceptions and 24 turnovers overall, yet he is owed over $15 million next season after signing a big-money extension in January. That contract and his hiring of Trestman has put Emery in the cross hairs with Black Monday looming. Some think the talented Cutler has been treated unfairly, though, and there is clearly a divide in the locker room, which also could contribute to Trestmans ultimate fate. I feel really bad for Jay, injured kicker Robbie Gould told a Chicago-area radio station this week. When youre having a tough season like this, hes not the guy to be the scapegoat. Theres a lot of guys you can put that blame on. One of those is the offensive-minded Trestman, who is 13-18 as the head coach since replacing Lovie Smith in 2013. Trestman did indeed improve Chicagos offense last season when Chicago averaged 27.8 points per game, second in the NFL, but that has dipped to 20.7 points this time around. The defense, meanwhile, has been a disaster in both seasons under Trestman and defensive coordinator Mel Tucker is all but out the door. The Bears have been outscored by almost two touchdowns (13.0 ppg) during their current four-game losing streak, the franchises longest since a five-game hiccup in 2011. Zimmers first season in Minnesota has been hampered by injuries and off- the-field issues with what turned out to be an almost year-long suspension to star running back Adrian Peterson for child abuse, a development that essentially doomed the campaign. Bridgewater, the 32nd overall pick in the 2014 draft, has been a bright spot, really amping up his game over the past month or so. The University of Louisville product has found the end zone at least twice in four of his last five games and the Vikings offense has averaged over 26 points a game over that stretch. Its pretty incredible to me what hes done, Minnesota offensive coordinator Norv Turner said. How he has handled (the adversity), the things hes gotten done and what hes really done is made everyone around him better and thats a quality that youre looking for (in a quarterback). Hes very calm all the time, Zimmer added. Hes very even-tempered. Im trying to think if Ive ever seen him upset that you can visually see, and I have not seen it. The Vikings defense has a very difficult time handling the flats in general without standout rookie linebacker Anthony Barr, who is done of the season with a knee injury. The group then imploded against Miami last weekend when veteran linebacker Chad Greenway went down with a knee injury. Greenway hasnt been able to practice this week so keep an eye on Forte, who is fourth in the NFL with 118.1 yards from scrimmage per game. The game also marks the return of veteran defensive end Jared Allen to Minnesota, where he spent the previous six years before signing with Chicago as a free agent. OVERALL ANALYSIS Expect the Vikings to close out the first of their two years at TCF Bank Stadium with a field-goal win in what could be the swan song for the trio of Emery, Trestman and Cutler in Chicago. Its important for this football team that we go out and we play good, we play smart, we win because I appreciate all of the effort and focus and everything that this team has done since Ive walked in here, Zimmer said. Its good. To me, its more about reaping the benefits of the things that weve tried to do throughout the course of the year. Sports Network predicted outcome: Vikings 20, Bears 17 Chris Herndon Jersey . Pistorius mindset when he stood on his stumps in a bathroom and pulled the trigger on his 9 mm pistol in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013 remains the crux of the South African trial that has captured worldwide attention and is about to start its seventh week of globally televised proceedings. It was initially scheduled to run for three weeks. Nathan Shepherd Jets Jersey .Michael Briscoe is serving a life sentence for sexual assault, kidnapping and first-degree murder in the death of 13-year-old Nina Courtepatte in 2005. http://www.jetsrookiestore.com/Jets-Isaiah-Crowell-Jersey/. This was one of them. Omar Infante homered and tied a career high with six RBIs to carry the Kansas City Royals over the Baltimore Orioles 9-3 on Sunday. Isaiah Crowell Jets Jersey . Its not intended to be some magical formula and doesnt apply any context, like, for example, taking injuries into account. This remedial statistical method has gone 9-5 in picks through the first three rounds. Sam Darnold Jersey . Both moves were announced Tuesday. The Titans had waived Matthews on Saturday when they promoted wide receiver Michael Preston from the practice squad.The Toronto Maple Leafs have produced their torrid stretch while getting the benefit of a bevy of home games. Thats about to change, but tonights visit to the woeful Carolina Hurricanes could make the transition to a road-heavy slate a little easier. It may also lead to the Maple Leafs securing their longest win streak in 10 seasons. Viewers in the Maple Leafs region can watch the game live on TSN4 at 7pm et, or listen to the game on TSN Radio 1050 Toronto with coverage starting at 6:30pm et. Toronto (19-9-3) has played just twice on the road while going 10-1-1 since Nov. 20 and had one game away from home while winning eight of nine. The Maple Leafs are set to play eight of nine and 17 of their next 22 on the road. Toronto is 2-2-2 in its last six games there compared with a 9-1-0 home record since Nov. 20. In their next road contest, the Maple Leafs will try for their first seven-game win streak since taking eight in a row Nov. 22-Dec. 9, 2003. Our schedule is tough for the next month and a half here, forward Phil Kessel said. Weve just got to play good team hockey, keep doing the little things and well be all right. Toronto halted Anaheims seven-game win streak with a 6-2 victory Tuesday. Jonathan Bernier made 40 saves and Kessel had two goals in the final five minutes, giving him six in the past eight games and 11 points in the last nine. James van Riemsdyk had a pair of assists and also has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the past nine contests. The Maple Leafs will go from facing the team with the most points in the league to the team with the fewest. The Hurricanes (8-19-3) have been outscored 18-6 in losing six straight, all in regulation, and have dropped 13 of 16. Its a tough league to win in when youre scoring one goal a game, forward Jeff Skinner said. We havent been executing in the offensive end to earn a win. Carolina has also struggled at the other end of the ice lately, allowing nine goals in the past two gaames.dddddddddddd The latest was a 4-1 defeat in Montreal on Tuesday, and the four goals allowed were the most for Cam Ward in seven games. The Hurricanes have lost six of seven at home and will be trying to avoid their first four-game skid there since an 0-3-2 one Oct. 11-Nov. 1, 2013. Carolina had an 0-6-2 overall start to this season. The Hurricanes won two of three meetings with Toronto last season, and a 6-1 rout Jan. 9 was their fourth consecutive home victory in the series. Carolina wont have Jordan Staal, who has five goals and five assists in his last seven games against Toronto, because hes still recovering from a broken right leg. Skinner has two goals and nine assists in his past eight matchups, but hes managed just two goals and two assists in his last 10 games. Kessel scored twice in a 5-2 victory over Carolina on Dec. 29 but has been held without a point in five of his last seven matchups. Projected Maple Leafs Lines: Forwards: van Riemsdyk – Bozak – Kessel Winnik – Kadri – Santorelli Lupul – Holland – Clarkson Booth – Smith - Panik Defence: Phaneuf – Franson Gardiner – Holzer Rielly – Robidas Goalie: Bernier Projected Hurricanes Lines: Forwards: Gerbe – E. Staal - Terry Skinner - Rask - Lindholm Boychuk – Nash - Dwyer Maline - McClement - Shugg Defence: Sekera - Faulk Harrison - Hainsey Gleason - Jordan Goalie: Ward Game Notes: CAR was 2-1-0 vs TOR last season CAR has won 4 straight at home vs TOR Carolina: lost 6 straight games, 1GF in each game 1-6-0 past 7 at home, 2GF or less in each of the games, 3/21 on PP E Staal (1G, 0A) past 7 games Skinner (2A) past 2 games Toronto: Won 6 straight, last won 7 straight Nov 22-Dec 6/03 (8 in a row) 10-1-1 past 12 games, 4.1GF/G highest in NHL in that span 2-1-1 past 4 road games, 0/14 on PP Won 12 games by 3 or more goals (most in NHL) 14-0-0 when scoring first Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '