Johnathan Hankins Jersey , sign up for FanPulse here!Normally you’d consider a near 80% confidence level to be pretty high. Especially for a team that finished last season 4-12 with fan confidence at the end..."Raiders fans, sign up for FanPulse here!Normally you’d consider a near 80% confidence level to be pretty high. Especially for a team that finished last season 4-12 with fan confidence at the end of the season below 50%. But this is fans we’re talking about here. And the offseason is eternal hope time.When you have as many holes to fill as the Raiders did coming into this offseason, and when you go about filling them, fans get more and more excited. And let’s be honest, the fans were given some reason to be optimistic. Antonio Brown is a big part of that.As of the end of last season, 45% of Raiders fans were confident in the direction of the team via our FanPulse survey. Following free agency with the trade for Antonio Brown Womens Bo Jackson Jersey , addition of Trent Brown, Tyrell Williams, and Lamarcus Joyner, the confidence level made its largest leap to 77%. Then it dipped back down again for reasons hard to pinpoint. Perhaps it was not signing any pass rushers; the team’s most glaring need.Following the draft, it jumped back up again to 79%. The draft is the cure-all. Every pick is looked at as the answer to the questions, the high picks are instant starters and the low picks are steals.But as much of a jump as 34% is in a few months time for a team that hasn’t played a game Antonio Brown Raiders Jersey , the resulting 79% confidence rate is still middle-of-the-road in the NFL and the lowest in the AFC West. You want to see utterly unrealistic fan support, check out the Broncos fans, whose confidence level at the end of last season was at 28% and is now at 84%; exactly TRIPLE what it was! No team over 75% had a bigger leap.You can see where the biggest jump occurred. It was free agency, when it jumped up to 69%. And what happened in free agency? Joe Flacco happened. That’s all it takes for Broncos fans to lose their minds. Joe. Flacco.Pre-draft, those Broncos fans had a higher confidence level (75%) than Chargers fans (71%). Did I mention the Chargers made the playoffs with twice as many wins as the Broncos (6-10) who are still without a decent starting QB?Both the Chiefs and Chargers finished 12-4 and were playoff teams last season, so their confidence was high and stayed high throughout the offseason. Chargers fans currently have the division’s highest confidence at 88% Womens Antonio Brown Jersey , up from 76% at the end of last season.Chiefs fans’ confidence actually waned from 94% to 85%. Imagine that. Chiefs fans with their young MVP QB have just a 1% higher confidence level than Broncos fans with.... Joe... Flacco.Ah, the level of bliss that must accompany that much ignorance.Follow @LeviDamien The 49ers’ season was lost the moment Jimmy Garappolo went down with a season ending ACL tear. He was replaced by CJ Beathard and the team has lost all five games since then. And now it’s possible Beathard could give way to third string quarterback Nick Mullens.Beathard has a wrist injury that had him out for 49ers practice today. Other 49ers statuses for Tuesday are not yet known.As for the Raiders, only tackle TJ Clemmings missed practice. He is expected to be headed to injured reserve — a move they probably won’t make until Thursday at which point they would likely call up someone from the practice squad to fill the open roster spot.Kelechi Osemele practiced Tuesday and the Raiders are hopeful he can play Thursday night.Gareon Conley suffered a foot injury that limited his practice Tuesday. His ability to practice Wednesday will be one to watch.RaidersPos.PlayerInjuryMonday*TuesdayWednesdayGame StatusPos.PlayerInjuryMonday*TuesdayWednesdayGame Status

after Week 1 tie Opening weekend of the 2018 regular season wasn’t pretty for the Pittsburgh Steelers. In fact Jack Butler Jersey , it was downright putrid. With that said, it can be expected the team would drop in the weekly Power Rankings major media outlets love to produce.These rankings mean nothing, but are great for conversation and debate. This week, the Steelers saw themselves plummet down the Top 10, and in some cases, out of the Top 10 altogether. With a Week 2 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs looming, the Steelers, who will be back at the friendly confines of Heinz Field Joe Greene Jersey , will need to put up a good performance to help resurrect their status in these rankings.Check out the rankings, and let us know what you think in the comment section below!!ESPN1. Philadelphia Eagles2. New England Patriots3. Minnesota Vikings4. Los Angeles Rams5. Jacksonville Jaguars6. Kansas City Chiefs7. Green Bay Packers8. Pittsburgh Steelers9. New Orleans Saints10. Atlanta FalconsSB Nation1. Minnesota Vikings2. New England Patriots3. Philadelphia Eagles4. Green Bay Packers5. Jacksonville Jaguars6. Los Angeles Rams7. Kansas City Chiefs8. Baltimore Ravens9. Carolina Panthers10. Pittsburgh SteelersYahoo! Sports1. Minnesota Vikings2. Los Angeles Rams3. New England Patriots4. Philadelphia Eagles5. Jacksonville Jaguars6. Green Bay Packers7. Kansas City Chiefs8. Pittsburgh Steelers9. Carolina Panthers10. Los Angeles ChargersUSA Today1. Philadelphia Eagles2. New England Patriots3. Los Angeles Rams4. Minnesota Vikings5. Jacksonville Jaguars6. Atlanta Falcons7. Green Bay Packers8. Washington Redskins9. New Orleans Saints10. Kansas City Chiefs...12. Pittsburgh Steelers ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Trey Flowers‘ 6-year old daughter has already experienced plenty of success during her father’s NFL career.“She’s been fortunate to be at three Super Bowls. She has known that her daddy played for the Patriots,” Flowers said. “I just kind of hinted it to her: ‘What if daddy is a Lion? Do you like lions?’ “Flowers’ daughter Skyler was apparently a bit skeptical, but the 25-year-old defensive end says her favorite color is blue. So that’s a start. The big question is whether there will be any more Super Bowls in Flowers’ future. The Detroit Lions have never been to one, but they can hope that the three free agents they introduced Thursday will bring them a step closer.The Lions introduced Flowers, cornerback Justin Coleman and tight end Jesse James at their practice facility on Thursday. Detroit needed an edge rusher like Flowers because the oft-injured Ziggy Ansah was on the open market after playing with the Lions on the franchise tag last year.Later Thursday, Detroit announced it had signed offensive lineman Oday Aboushi and safety Andrew Adams.Like a lot of Lions Terrell Edmunds Jersey , Flowers and Coleman have ties to the New England Patriots. Flowers had a career-high 7 ½ sacks last season for the Super Bowl champions and 21 over the last three years in New England. The Patriots drafted him in the fourth round out of Arkansas in 2015.Flowers joins a defensive line that got a boost in the middle of last season when Detroit traded for tackle Damon Harrison . Flowers says he hopes he can blend in and be a good teammate.“I think that’s very important — a new guy coming in, to just kind of gain the trust from his teammates and things before he kind of just comes in and acts like he knows it all,” Flowers said.Coleman started his career in New England in 2015, when Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia — the Lions’ current general manager and coach — worked for the Patriots. Coleman became a standout nickel cornerback over the last two seasons in Seattle.Coleman went to Brunswick High School in Georgia, the same school as Detroit cornerback Darius Slay and Lions defensive back Tracy Walker. Slay turned 28 in January. Coleman is 25 and Walker is 24.“I got a couple years with Darius. It was great playing with him,” Coleman said. “We never knew that we were both going to get to this point, but in high school he was one of the best players that was on the field. He kind of just motivated me to get on the field and play a lot more. He kind of helped me along the way, just being the leader that he is. I tried to just compete with him Maurkice Pouncey Jersey , just so I could get better myself.”The Lions were looking to upgrade their options at tight end a year after releasing Eric Ebron. James had 120 receptions for 1,189 yards and nine touchdowns in four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.“Offensively, I wasn’t used the way that I feel like I could be used here. I feel like my ceiling here is going to be much higher than it was in the past,” James said. “I feel like I’m coming here, I’m going to be a key part of this offense. In Pittsburgh, I was a key part, but I think my role here could be greater.”Although James is hopeful this move will be good for his career, he’s leaving his home state. He was born in Pennsylvania and went to Penn State.“It’s a hard place to leave Cameron Heyward Jersey ,” James said. “I grew up in Pittsburgh. My dream was to be a Steeler. I got to do that for four years. Didn’t get the job done — never got to bring a Super Bowl to Pittsburgh — but my time there was a success. I’ve gotten a lot better, grew as a football player.”Aboushi spent the 2018 season with the Arizona Cardinals, playing in eight games and making six starts. He’s entering his sixth NFL season.Adams spent the 2018 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing in 13 games and making four starts. He played in two seasons for the New York Giants prior to that.

ALAMEDA Womens Bo Jackson Jersey , Calif. (AP) — Oakland may always be home for Marshawn Lynch, but Seattle was the city that truly made him a star.There was the “Beast Quake” run that set the tone for the Pete Carroll era with the Seahawks. The Skittles that rained down on the field after his big runs. The ferocious running style that inspired teammates.As much as those Seattle teams were known for the “Legion of Boom” secondary and Russell Wilson’s escape acts, the “Beast Mode” runs helped Seattle establish its dominance. That’s also been the missing ingredient for Seattle these past few years after he retired and then came back with his hometown Oakland Raiders.The Seahawks (2-3) will get an up-close look at Lynch again this week for the first time since he retired following the 2015 season. They travel to London to face the Raiders (1-4).“He looks like he got faster,” linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “When he was here he wasn’t breaking away from people. Now it looks like he can break away from people. He looks quicker. Looks stronger. It’s going to be a dope challenge if they give him the ball a lot. They haven’t really been giving him the ball all that much. I don’t know if it’s because of scores or whatever, but definitely know he’s going to want to run the ball against us, so got to be ready.”Lynch is still going strong at age 32, ranking ninth in the league in rushing with 331 yards and still doling out the punishment on defenders that has him headed on a path that Raiders coach Jon Gruden believes will end at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.“It’s a credit to him that he can play like that week in, week out, year in, year out with that style of play,” Gruden said. “He’s not looking to go out of bounds. He’s looking to make yardage after contact in every situation. I respect it about him. I think the league respects it about him.”The powerful runs and prodigious production come with a price at times. Lynch also has some quirks that can drive some in the organization nuts. There was the time in Seattle when he wore holdout safety Kam Chancellor’s jersey to practice, declared himself out of a playoff game just before the team left for Minnesota, or his refusal to do interviews despite NFL rules requiring them.The Raiders have seen that side of Lynch as well. He got ejected from a game last season when he ran on the field to try to break up a fight between close friend and then-Kansas City cornerback Marcus Peters and his own Raiders teammates. Lynch got suspended for a game for shoving an official.Then last week, in a scene that must have been all too painful for the Seahawks to watch, he tossed his helmet in frustration after teammate Derek Carr threw an interception instead of handing Lynch the ball on the 1-yard line. That brought back memories of the Seahawks’ fateful decision to throw a pass from the 1 at the end of the Super Bowl in 2015, only to have Malcolm Butler intercept Wilson at the goal line to give New England a Super Bowl title that Seattle had been poised to win.Despite those moments, Lynch is adored by his teammates for his honesty.“We loved that,” Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin said. “He was beloved in this locker room because of that. He would speak how he felt. If he was wrong, he would come back and apologize to the people he wronged, for the most part. You respected him for the man he was, not trying to act like something he wasn’t. He didn’t pretend with you guys in the media and come back to the locker room and act different. He was consistent in who he was throughout.”Lynch lasted just one more injury-plagued year with the Seahawks that was marked by his decision not to travel to a playoff game in Minnesota because he didn’t feel healthy enough — even though he had practiced all week and was a major part of the game plan.Lynch announced his retirement a month later by tweeting a picture of his cleats hanging from a utility wire shortly after the end of the Super Bowl, and stayed home for the entire 2016 season.But when the hometown Raiders announced plans to move to Las Vegas in 2020, Lynch was motivated to come out of retirement to play in Oakland.After a sluggish start in his return, Lynch is back to his old form. His 832 yards rushing since Week 12 last year are more than anyone other than Todd Gurley Antonio Brown Raiders Jersey , and he still runs with the same ferocity he did as a much younger back.“It just comes down to him wanting to impose his will,” Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. “He’s not going to quit at any moment on the field. I think that’s just Marshawn. He’s not going to quit on anything or anybody, especially his teammates. I think you see him running the same in the first quarter as the fourth quarter. … Marshawn is going to try and outlast people. That’s what makes him special.”Lynch’s best game of the year came two weeks ago against the Browns when he ran for 130 yards to give the Raiders their only win. It was his most prolific output since rushing for 157 yards in the NFC championship game against Seattle in January 2015.That’s the kind of performance that has both his current and former teammates believing his career should end at the Hall of Fame.“What he means to the game and he kind of reminds me of an Allen Iverson type where he changed a culture, changed the way people viewed the media, through the media, he’s himself,” Wagner said. “He’s a player that like you’ll never see again in a generation, so I think that represents a lot. I think by the end, all said and done, he’ll have the numbers to get in for sure.” With the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft the Oakland Raiders selected Clelin Ferrell out of Clemson, an EDGE rusher who should immediately help the team address the league low thirteen..."With the fourth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft the Oakland Raiders selected Clelin Ferrell out of Clemson, an EDGE rusher who should immediately help the team address the league low thirteen sacks posted by the defense in 2018. Ferrell was expected by many observers to be taken far later in the round, but some had him highly rated, including Danny Kelly of The Ringer. In addition, Samuel R. Gold, who does film reviews on Sam’s Film Room and also covers the Seattle Seahawks for The Athletic Seattle recently did a review of Ferrell strengths and weaknesses in the build up to the draft. Raiders fans looking to learn a bit more about what Ferrell should bring to the team in coming years can enjoy the breakdown from earlier this month.In the video Gold reviews Ferrell both rushing the passer and defending the run, and compares Ferrell to recently traded former-Seahawk, but now Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark.Many will obviously posit that Ferrell was a reach at number four overall, but Gold likes his upside and potential. Further, there is no doubt that between the trading of Khalil Mack and release of Bruce Irvin last season, EDGE was a massive position of need for the Raiders, and they have addressed that here.

Cheap Derwin Gray Jersey , without scrolling down, which members of the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently in the Top 50 NFL jerseys purchased, who would you guess?I know for me, my Top 5 would be as follows (in no particular order):Antonio BrownBen RoethlisbergerJuJu Smith-SchusterT.J. WattJames ConnerWhen the NFLPA released their Top 50 jersey sales, you could just paint me stupid when I found out the top Steelers were Antonio Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Le’Veon Bell.Check out the news from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler:What shocked me the most was Bell still being on the list. I mean, are people buying his Steelers jersey thinking there is a chance Bell remains with the Steelers? Are they just his rap entourage? Or are they just fans getting their heads on a collector’s item?Other than that, I thought it was strange not to see Watt and/or Conner on the list, especially with the size of the Steelers’ fan base Benny Snell Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , along with the success both have seen this season. With that said, it always brings up the premise of forking out that much money for a jersey. So many pony up the cash for jerseys every year, and I wonder what your criteria are for getting some new threads? In the past we had our Jersey Rules article, and it might be time to dust those off... The Steelers started off the 2018 season at 1-2-1. It looked to be the beginning of the end until they reeled off six-straight wins and stood at 7-2-1 with six games remaining. Then they faltered down the stretch, as the defense surrendered four second-half leads in those final six contests. The special teams were complicit too.With that, I am tasked to break out the red pen and evaluate the team for what was a most-disappointing 2018.As I’ve stated all along, I’m not a football coach or a teacher, but I play one in blogs and podcasts. Each week of the 2018 exhibition and regular season, I’ve graded the efforts of the Black-and-Gold via “the eye test”. Grading games is an extremely difficult and somewhat thankless task. While the coaches’ grades Benny Snell Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , of course, are what count the most, the media and fans can’t help but evaluate as well. So you, the reader, get to vote as well. You even get to grade the grader in the comments section.So let’s take a look at BTSC’s perceptions of the 2018 Steeler Defense and Special Teams.DefenseThe Defensive Line was, again, the most-complete unit. Cam Heyward was elected to the Pro Bowl based on his eight sacks and solid leadership up front. Early in the season, he was being subbed-out for a so-so Tyson Alualu, but that changed after the first quarter of games. Javon Hargrave emerged as more than just a plug in the middle. His 49 tackles Benny Snell Jersey 2019 , 6.5 sacks and eight QB hits were a pleasant surprise as he solidified the middle of the line. Stephon Tuitt didn’t have the glaring sack numbers (only 5.5), but he was second on the team with 20 QB hits and his presence was sorely missed in his two games absent. Daniel McCullers, Alualu and LT Walton provided average depth.At OLB, T.J Watt led the team with 12 sacks and 21 QB hits. No. 90 is quickly emerging as a mainstay and key cog on the defense. On the other side, Bud Dupree was playing for his job and chipped-in with 5.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. Dupree may have done enough, in some eyes, to stay. But he still failed to look like a juggernaut and overran the quarterback on multiple occasions. Anthony Chickillo provided decent depth.The Inside Linebackers did not come close to filling the void vacated by Ryan Shazier’s devestating injury. Jon Bostic and Vince Williams provided a few big plays here-and-there, but were mostly ineffective. L.J. Fort emerged as the top reserve here and played better than expected.The corner play was dreadful, allowing 30 more ypg than they did in 2017. Joe Haden and Mike Hilton were bright spots Cheap Benny Snell Jersey , but Cam Sutton and Coty Sensabaugh were suspect a majority of the time. Then there was Artie Burns. No. 25 was scorched-earth and regressed to the point of getting benched for the majority of the stretch run. This unit needs a lot of attention.The play at safety was slightly improved, but still gave up a lot of real estate. Sean Davis looks like he’s becoming a leader back there and Morgan Burnett, when healthy provided big plays. Terrell Edmunds had growing pains as a rookie and still has a long way to go, but he played the most snaps of 2018 and started to show some promise. Overall Defense Grade: C-If the defensive performance was based solely on rankings, one would think the Steelers had improved on that side of the ball. The team was sixth in the league in total yards allowed at 327.2 yards-per-game and tied for the league lead with 52 sacks. Ranked tenth and sixth respectively against the pass (231.1 ypg) and run (96.1) makes it seem like the team has a powerful defense. But when you dig down deeper, a mere seven interceptions and a -11 turnover ratio had the team ranked 28th in both of those categories. Butler’s defense was also middle of the pack (tied for 16th) in points-per-game with 22.5 ppg allowed. Most disconcerting was the losses of leads down the stretch in four of their final six games that led to losses. True that the offense let them down with turnovers, but in the fourth quarter down-the-stretch...they bent and broke. The scheming was horrendous with linebackers covering wide receivers early-and-often and going stretches without pressuring whatsoever. This unit was a huge part of the problem in 2018.

Donald Penn not so ‘smooth’ at right tackle Pre-season Week 3 saw Raiders host the Green Bay Packers at the Oakland Coliseum. This game was Donald Penn’s first action back after rehabbing a lisfranc foot injury this off-season.Donald Penn not only has to get back in shape but also learn a new position Womens Derek Carr Jersey , starting at Right Tackle for the first time in his career. Penn has earned compliments for being a great teammate and giving Kolton Miller a chance to develop into a starting Left Tackle; Offensive Coordinator Greg Olsen even going so far as to call Penn “smooth” in his transition from left to right.The game against the Packers was Penn’s true test and while some might say he “passed” it certainly wasn’t with flying colors. Here is a film breakdown of Penn’s day.FootworkThis pass set by Penn happened on the Carr bomb downfield to Amari Cooper.Notice how Donald Penn (playing right tackle) has his left foot back as if he’s still playing on the left side.Penn’s foot positioning gives up the outside and he loses balance trying to flip his hips in recovery.Shout out to Doug Martin showing veteran pass protection savvy by chipping the defensive end and helping Penn get back in position.The exact same thing happened 2 seasons ago during Donald Penn’s first time at right tackle. Penn had to step in after the starter went down against the Saints in Week 1 of 2016.Penn’s foot placement is wrong even before the snap, which is understandable considering he is switching positions mid-game.See how an almost identical rep happens here with Penn losing balance and relying on a tight-end for help.Until Penn gets his feet figured out, he will get himself in trouble like this.So for the time being, Gruden will likely have to continue to give Penn help with running-backs and tight ends staying in to block.Pass ProtectionThis was the worst rep from Penn on the day. Penn takes a vertical set and works his shoulders to the sideline.This opens up Penn’s chest for the defender to bull rush. Penn simply fails to anchor and flat out loses to the pass rusher. This time Penn fails to identify Matthews screaming off the edge—credit to the Packer’s defensive coordinator for showing disguised looks.Penn once again is out of position and extending his arms outside his base. Penn gives just enough of a knudge for Cook to step up in the pocket but this is still counted as a hurry.Run Blocking Penn improved as he got more time and played with much better technique by the 4th series of the game.Penn showcased his athleticism and strength in the run game a few times. One such play happened with Penn matched up against All-Pro Clay Matthews.Penn puts the clamps on Matthews who is no match once the block is secured.Penn had other reps where he showcased his strength and athleticism like this play against Matthews.Most were in the run however and it remains to be seen how long the transition will affect Penn and how much Gruden will have to scheme around Penn’s current pass protection flaws.Takeaways+ Donald Penn still can push people around and showed off good power and upper body strength during a few blocks in the run game.+ The savvy left tackle shows he has a few tricks up his sleeve, even when in bad position, that will help him survive this transition.+ Penn played better as the game went on, really only struggled in his first series of the game.— He is still struggling with transferring weight to his back foot. This is a tough transition after playing on the Left Side for more than a decade in the NFL. However making the same mistakes as 2 years ago is not the best sign.— Penn played the worst of the starting 5 offensive linemen. His shortcomings right now must be schemed around and defensive coordinators will try to take advantage. The Raiders currently have 8 picks to work with in the draft this year. Can you predict them? Here’s your chance to prove your prediction prowess."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Raiders StoriesScheduleRosterStatsYahoo Raiders NewsYahoo Raiders Team PageYahoo Raiders ReportYahoo Raiders Depth ChartYahoo Raiders TransactionsYahoo Raiders PhotosOdds About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕NFL DraftRaiders Draft 2019Silver & Black Pride community 7-round Raiders 2019 draft prediction contestNew,64commentsThe Raiders currently have 8 picks to work with in the draft this year. Can you predict them? Here’s your chance to prove your prediction prowess.PDTShareTweetShareShareSilver & Black Pride community 7-round Raiders 2019 draft prediction contestTim Heitman-USA TODAY SportsFor the fifth year Gareon Conley Jersey , we’re hosting our Silver & Black Pride 7-round Raiders mock draft competition. The format is simple: fill out our form with who you think the Raiders will select with each of their 8 picks of the 2019 NFL Draft. You get two points for guessing the correct player in the correct round, and one point for guessing the correct player in the incorrect round.If you finish with the most points while correctly predicting at least two of the Raiders’ picks you’ll win a free Silver & Black Pride T-shirt. Not to mention some massive bragging-rights when we announce you as the winner.Be sure to spell each player’s name correctly, because the scoring will be automated. Also, if you feel brave, post your picks in the comments below for the conversation.Only entries submitted through the form linked above will be counted — and only one entry per person. This form will no longer accept submissions as of an hour prior to the start of the draft on Thursday, April 25.Good luck!Click here to submit your picks

from the Steelers by taking a stand and sitting out a full season. Now that he’s a member of the Jets Ben Roethlisberger Jersey , Bell reflected on the mindset of the team that made him a second-round pick in the 2013 draft.“Pittsburgh is a great organization,” Bell told Jenny Vrentas of SI.com. “They鈥檝e got a great owner, head coach. They kind of treat you like — they don鈥檛 treat you like you鈥檙e human. What I mean by that is like, yeah, I鈥檓 an NFL athlete, but still I鈥檓 a human being. You know what I鈥檓 saying? I still play video games, I still make music. They don鈥檛 want to allow you to be yourself. They want you to be, if you鈥檙e a Steelers, you鈥檙e literally playing football 24/7. You鈥檙e not supposed to be playing video games and like making music, playing basketball. You鈥檙e not supposed to be doing that. You鈥檙e supposed to be working out.”You’re also supposed to be doing what the Steelers want as it relates to the structure of contracts. Which is what created the problem in the first place. If the Steelers had simply offered Bell the full amount of the franchise tag for 2017 ($12.1 million) and the full amount of the franchise tag for 2018 ($14.54 million), fully guaranteed, Bell quite possibly would have (and arguably should have) accepted a four- or five-year deal starting with $26.64 million over the first two years.Instead, Bell made the $12.1 million, sat out a year, and got the $26.64 (plus .36) million fully guaranteed from the Jets. While the process was rocky and some remain determined to declare Bell a loser (presumably so that they can say they were right about their position that he shouldn’t sit out the year) Derwin Gray Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , the Steelers flicked the first domino by virtue of their stubborn refusal to deviate from the way they structure contracts, even when the player carries the franchise tag.For more on this and other subjects, check out Wednesday’s PFTOT, appearing in the video attached to this blurb. When it was reported earlier this month by Jeremy Fowler, a Steelers beat writer for ESPN, that running back Le’Veon Bell, who actually spoke with Fowler for a story that was published on ESPN.com, would likely be reporting to the team during the bye week, that made perfect sense. I realize that not much has made sense with Bell and his contract saga with the Steelers that has seemingly gone on longer than any of No. 26’s runs from scrimmage in recent years, but when you thought about it, it did. If you’re Bell, and you miss football as much as you claimed in Fowler’s piece, why wouldn’t you want to come back the week of the bye? If your relationship with most of your teammates was as great as you claimed, why wouldn’t you want to come back the week of the bye—if not for yourself, at least for them? If you seriously wanted to get ready for the Week 8 match-up with the Browns at Heinz Field Derwin Gray Pittsburgh Steelers Jersey , really, why wouldn’t you want to come back the week of the bye? If you were sincerely still holding out hope on ultimately reaching an agreement on a long-term deal with the team that picked you in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, why wouldn’t you want to come back the week of the bye? It just made sense from every possible angle that Bell would report to the Steelers last week.We’ve all been in awkward situations, where the air had to be cleared by just facing the music with people—friends, family, co-workers, etc.—who you had a bit of a falling out with. And, make no mistake about it, some of Bell’s teammates, especially his very vocal offensive linemen, weren’t too happy about his decision to not report in time for the Week 1 match-up with the Browns. And for every player who was vocally critical of Bell, it’s safe to assume there were at least a few who seethed in silence. Why wouldn’t Bell want to make nice with those guys, and do so as early as possible? Think about it, you come in on Monday, mend some fences Derwin Gray Jersey 2019 , set some records straight, attend a few meetings, and take Tuesday, the team’s day off, to decompress from what figured to be an emotionally trying first day back to work. When you come back to work on Wednesday, everything is a little closer to normal—you feel more comfortable with the guys, they feel more comfortable with you.Then there’s the matter of your head coach, who you haven’t really spoken with in ages, and your general manager, who, like your teammates, publicly expressed disappointment with your decision. Why wouldn’t you want an extra week to get back into their good graces? Speaking of coaches, what about the new offensive coordinator? After missing OTAs, mini-camp and training camp, it just seemed obvious that Bell would want to take an extra week to learn whatever new wrinkles Coach Randy had installed into the playbook. Then there’s the matter of the $855 Cheap Derwin Gray Jersey ,000 check Bell would have been eligible to collect the second he signed the franchise tag—all for spending Monday and Wednesday making nice, mending fences, learning Coach Randy’s wrinkles and preparing for the Browns. Then, thanks to that bye week, it’s a long weekend, where you’re not only free to do whatever you like, you’re now likely past any hard feelings you may have had for your employer and co-workers—and vice versa. Yes, everything described in this article makes perfect sense, which is why it didn’t happen. So, when will Bell report to the Steelers? This week, with only a few days to get ready for the Browns, make nice with his teammates and coaches, and learn Coach Randy’s wrinkles? That makes no sense, which is why you can expect Bell to report this week.

How could things go if John Elway grabs a new heir to the orange throne?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Broncos NewsBroncos 2019 Draft ClassBroncos PodcastsBroncos 2019 ScheduleKey Offseason DatesCommunity RulesFull ArchiveBroncos StoriesScheduleRosterStatsOdds Shop About Masthead Community Guidelines StubHub ✕NFL DraftNFL Mock DraftBroncos Draft 2019Broncos Mock Draft Tuesday - The FranchiseNew Justin Hollins Denver Broncos Jersey ,147commentsHow could things go if John Elway grabs a new heir to the orange throne? Broncos Mock Draft Tuesday - The FranchiseThe Broncos have a QB. Now what? Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY SportsOne of the best parts of running Mock scenarios for me is dealing with the crippling decisions opportunity cost your faced with. There is no situation where that becomes more painfully apparent than when you grab a quarterback in the first and spend the rest of the draft trying to fill needs while finding good value. So I decided I’d try to do just that. If you hate the quarterback I went with, fill in your favorite signal caller. I’m not here to argue the merits of one QB over another (go here if you want that) but to show you how pulling the trigger will have a snowball effect on the entire draft.Let’s get after it.10. Dwayne Haskins - QUARTERBACKI thought I’d have to take Haskins over Oliver, but he went to the Bills. I kept this poll in mind as I made the pick, but if you want to believe I took Drew Lock here he was definitely on the board. (As an FYI- He’s always on the board at 10.) There is still some lingering doubt for me as to Haskins fit in the Scangarello offense because of his lack of mobility, but he’s certainly accurate. Every interview I’ve listened to has hammered home how smart he is, the Buckeye is a student of the game. Generally I’m leery of 1-year starters, but there are some who would argue it means he’s still ascending. I made a vow to let y’all believe. At least until Thursday.Now let’s build him a playoff team to step into down the road.41. Erik McCoy - CENTER/GUARDThis was tough. I looked at Jeffery Simmons and strongly considered it. While Simmons is injured, he’s also #6 on my Day 1 Big Board after all. His ceiling is enormous and the value is really good in the second, but if Haskins is pressed into duty year 1 (and let’s be honest, the vast majority of round 1 QBs see the field year 1) he’ll need strong protection up the middle. Playing in the SEC, McCoy has spent his entire career battling against future pros. He can step into a starting spot in camp and solve that position for the long term. He started every game the last 3 years at Texas A&M and should be ready to go from the opening day of training camp. 71. Jace Sternberger - TIGHT ENDIt came down to Sternberger or Dru Samia. The latter would serve as the heir to Ronald Leary, who looks like a longshot to stick in Denver after 2019. I love the Oklahoma guard’s fit in the Scangarello offense and he’s one of the best pulling linemen in this class. In the end, I just grabbed McCoy at 41 and know the 3rd to 4th swing will probably come with a run on tight ends. Haskins relied on throwing to the middle of the field at Ohio State so I want to give him a real option there.Admittedly, Sternberger is a bit of a work in progress, but is probably the second best seam stretching tight end in this class. He didn’t test as well as Dawson Knox or Kahale Warring but looks so darn fluid in pads that I’m still really high on him. He may need time to adjust to the pro game as he’ll need to improve his route running, hand placement, and footwork to reach his ceiling. That said, the Aggie gives Haskins a weapon in the middle of the field and the Broncos a promising tight end when they currently have more questions than answers at the position.125. Miles Boykin - RECEIVERI did not plan on going offense again here, but it’s hard to pass on value. I’ve got a round 3 grade on Boykin but his ceiling is as high as any receiver in this class. The 6’3 and 220 lb receiver blew up the combine, and while his production at Notre Dame wasn’t eye popping, it was plenty good enough. Especially against press man coverage. There is a bit of a positional overlap between he and Courtland Sutton, but if both can grow into their skillsets the Broncos will have two receivers who can run the top off the D and bully DBs at the catch point.Sternberger Justin Hollins Denver Broncos Jersey , Boykin with Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton give both Flacco and eventually Haskins a talented corps to distribute to. Giving the new franchise QB a chance to light up the scoreboard. 148. Germaine Pratt - LINEBACKERThis was one of those picks where I knew it’d probably be a linebacker. The number of starting caliber guys is shrinking quickly here. I’m not as high on him out of his rookie camp as others, but given time I think Pratt has 3-down upside.Pratt started just one year for Boston College and still managed to lead the conference in tackles per game. A former safety, he has the kind of range that can’t be taught and brings experience in space. If he can get better at taking on blocks and working angles in both coverage and against opposing ground games, he could be special. 156. Jimmy Moreland - CORNERBACKIt came down to Hjalte Froholdt, Foster Moreau, and Moreland. I’m really high on Burr-Kirven but thought it could be good to grab a ball hawk corner. Moreland will need time to make the jump from James Madison and it could take a little time. The payoff could be worth the wait though, as his ball skills and hands are elite. 182. Ben Burr-Kirven - LINEBACKERThis was an either or between BBK, Evan Worthington, and Drew Sample, but I went with my favorite Day 3 sleeper in this class. I’ve covered him at length here, but think a coaching staff that can look past his size will find an early contributor to nickel sets and a potential starter down the road. He doesn’t come without weakness, of course. He could find some trouble outside of a Washington defense that had a mammoth defensive line to protect him, but the Husky is slippery off blocks and he seemingly knows where the ball’s headed before the offense does. He simply pops off the tape. 237. Greg Gaines - DEFENSIVE LINESo this came down to Donald Parham, Gaines, and Malik Gant. It was a tough choice as all three intrigue. Parham is a 6’8 athletic phenom from tiny Stetson who projects as an chess piece and mismatch receiver at the next level. Gant is a thumping safety from Marshall who looks like a stud special teamer. Between the two is Gaines, who probably has a lower ceiling than Parham but will do more on defense than Gant. The 6’1 and 312 lb Gaines is every bit the plug you’d expect him to be. He’s not quick, but wins with effort and understands what he’s required to do his job. At his best he’s probably a 2-down Nose Tackle who eats the interior gaps in the base 3-4. In an NFL where the Patriots and others are moving to more I-Form and run focused attacks, that’s enough for a 7th round pick. Final ThoughtsAs I mentioned at the top, I wanted to do one last mock where I tried to build around a QBOTF. In order to help Haskins’ (or Lock’s) success I would prioritize building the offense so he could find early success. I think I did quite well with that in mind, but it’s impossible to wonder about some of the defensive players I passed on. Be sure to let me know what you think Broncos Country. Kareem Hunt spent the first few weeks of the season doing what he called "dirty work," which mostly amounted to carrying the ball late in games as the Kansas City Chiefs tried to run out the clock.The Chiefs didn't really need the NFL's reigning rushing champ the way Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the offense was sizzling. So there he was, one of the breakout stars of last season Justin Hollins Jersey 2019 , getting brutally tough yards when the entire opposing defense was stacking the box.He never complained. Never seemed down.In fact, the second-year pro insisted all along that he would have his opportunities, once the rest of the league decided they'd better pay attention to the Chiefs' passing game.And lo and behold, that's exactly what has happened the past few weeks, when the Chiefs have been able to pry open massive holes for him in the running game and Mahomes has been able to find him in the passing game."We don't count touches," Chiefs offensive lineman Cam Erving said. "We have a lot of weapons and when a team schemes for one thing, we have another one to pop it back with. Kareem has just done a great job of being patient and waiting for those moments to come."He grabs those moments," Erving added, "and he finishes."He certainly lets the woebegone defender that gets in his way know, too. Rarely does the bruising, Walter Payton-esque running back go down on first contact. Often not second or third.Take his most impressive run last week against Cincinnati, when he appeared to be bottled up near the sideline. Hunt made a nifty spin move to shake one defender, darted to his left to avoid a few more and then hurdled — without getting any head of steam — yet another before finally going down.It was the biggest highlight on a night Hunt scored three touchdowns."I probably made the wrong read," Mahomes said of the run-pass option, "and then I handed it to him. It should've been a tackle for a loss and then he broke a tackle and jumped over a dude. This is a very talented (Bengals) defense who have a lot of guys who are built to stop the run, and it just speaks to the strength and the power he has when he runs the football."Those raw physical skills have been on display the past four weeks, beginning with a win in Denver when Hunt ran for 121 yards and a touchdown and caught three more passes for 54 yards.He followed up with a touchdown against Jacksonville, had 185 yards from scrimmage and another score against New England, and had 86 yards rushing and three touchdowns total against Cincinnati."(Hunt) makes it all go because you can't simply ignore the guy," said Broncos coach Vance Joseph, whose team gets another shot Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. "Our first game, he made most of the big plays Cheap Justin Hollins Jersey , honestly. He's a guy that runs downhill and he catches the ball in the pass game."In other words, he's the perfect running back for a system that is predicated on misdirection."He did well last year, too," Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, "but he's playing as well as any running back in the National Football League. He's not only running the ball like crazy, he's also catching the football. I actually took him out before he broke the 100-yard mark last week."He's punishing people right now," Reid added with a grin, "and it's something to watch."Yet just like Hunt took his relative lack of production the first few weeks in stride, he's done just the same with his sudden surge of success. He heaped praise on his offense line, showered Mahomes and the rest of the offense with accolades and complemented his coaches on getting him the ball."I'm just a guy who is going to come in and try my best to make every effort possible to score a touchdown," he said. "It's not even about me. It's about the team winning. Whatever I can do to help the team win, I'm a team guy. I'm down to do whatever."Hunt did finally let his bravado show a little when Chiefs tight end Demetrius Harris, who was dressing nearby, described him as "a bull." Hunt thought for a moment and decided that was a pretty good label, then he realized that bulls don't really carry much workload."I like to be an ox, too," he said.Notes: Free safety Daniel Sorensen (broken leg) returned to practice Wednesday. He'd been on the IR since early in training camp and is eligible to play in games beginning Week 8. ... Strong safety Eric Berry (heel), Linebacker Justin Houston (hamstring) and center Mitch Morse (concussion) did not practice. ... Linebacker Terrance Smith tore his ACL on a kick return against Cincinnati, Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder said. He went on IR earlier this week.

Click through to the article in the tweet above to see a complete list of veteran players currently reaching the end of their contracts and expected to become 2019 veteran free agents.Some of these players will be re-signed by their current team before March Wes Martin Washington Redskins Jersey , and will never reach free agency.Some of these players have reached the end of their careers, and will never play in the NFL again.Some of them will play, but are not premium or priority free agents.Some, like Adrian Peterson in 2018, will have to wait until injury or suspension forces a team to call them.Still other players, like Nick Foles, actually have contracts for 2019, and at this point do not show up on free agent lists, but have unique situations that may see them entering the free agent market this off-season.Trying to make sense of the full list of free agents based solely on contract expirations, therefore, is really difficult right now.13 March 2019 - the end of the league year and the start of free agent frenzyStill, NFLcontracts expire on 13 March Wes Martin Washington Redskins Jersey , so free agency frenzy is just over 60 days away.Front offices are busy evaluating rosters with an eye toward both veteran free agency and the draft.Redskins draft picksThe Redskins currently are projected to have 8 draft picks (after the allocation of compensatory draft picks following the annual Spring League Meeting).While the Redskins qualify for the maximum of four compensatory picks, only 32 picks are allocated by the league annually, and OverTheCap projects the Redskins to lose their “fourth” pick (the expected 7th rounder associated with Niles Paul) to the 32-pick limit.Redskins salary cap surplusWhen it comes to free agency, the Redskins are projected to have about $22.9m in cap space (per OverTheCap).Of course, a lot can be done to change that number.Some players may be cut to create cap space.Players like Vernon Davis, Zach Brown and Stacy McGee seem to be prime candidates.Releasing those three players alone could add about $11m to the team’s cap space.In addition, the team could seek to re-negotiate or re-structure contracts.Some key player deals that the team may want to look at this off-season could include Jordan Reed, Josh Norman, and, possibly, Alex Smith.Depending on how aggressively the team wanted to attack those contracts, Washington could free up an estimated $15-20m in cap space while still keeping these three key players on the roster.With only the currently projected $22.9 million in available cap space Wes Martin Jersey 2019 , the Redskins would need to be relatively quiet in free agency this off season.Cutting players like Davis, Brown and McGee would push the available space to around $34m, allowing the team to be fairly active in free agency.By re-structuring two or three key contracts on top of selected roster cuts, the Redskins could enter free agency with $45 or $50m in available 2019 cap space, which would allow the Redskins to go shopping for some veteran free agent talent. Fat Rob and Mo on the go"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Looks Like Someone Has A Sixpack Of The MondaysDaily SlopRedskins RecapsEDTShareTweetShareShareNFL Free Agency: RFAs Maurice Harris and Rob Kelley are now free agentsKim Klement-USA TODAY SportsThe Redskins didn't tender either of their Restricted Free Agents before the start of the new NFL year at 4 pm today. That means WR Maurice Harris and RB Rob Kelley are now free agents. Maurice Harris got a big opportunity to shine last year due to injuries to starters Jamison Crowder and Paul Richardson. He started 7 games, but finished the season with 28 catches for 304 yards and 0 TDs. He has also had issues staying healthy every season. Harris is reportedly getting interest from a few teams.Rob Kelley is an average RB who got thrust into a starting role. The undrafted free agent missed the majority of the season last year with a toe injury that landed him on injured reserve. The Redskins have been looking to upgrade Fat Rob, drafting Samaje Perine and Derrius Guice in back to back drafts, then signing Adrian Peterson after Guice tore his ACL. Peterson just re-signed today, Guice will be back this season, and the team still has Perine and Chris Thompson. Rob Kelley is the odd man out.WR Maurice Harris/RB Rob KelleyThe Redskins did tender Exclusive Rights Free Agent RB Byron Marshall and he is back with the team for now. Marshall went to IR last season, but was chosen as one of the team's two players that could return. He was kept instead of fan favorite Kapri Bibbs. Marshall is a long-shot to make the team unless they move on from Samaje Perine.RB Byron Marshall

DETROIT (AP) — Jeff Petry finally scored a goal against the Red Wings in Detroit Florida Panthers T-Shirts Authentic , and it turned out to be decisive.Petry scored 19 seconds into the third period, and the Montreal Canadiens held on for a 3-2 victory over the Red Wings on Tuesday night. Petry, a Michigan native, is the son of former Tigers pitcher Dan Petry, who was a member of the Detroit team that won the World Series in 1984. Jeff Petry’s goal Tuesday was the 54th of his NHL career, but the first in Detroit.“It’s exciting to get that in this building, in front of a lot of friends and family,” Petry said.Brendan Gallagher and Joel Armia scored 66 seconds apart early in the second for Montreal, and Petry’s goal made it 3-1. Andreas Athanasiou scored both goals for the Red Wings.Detroit wrapped up a five-game homestand that included only one victory. The Red Wings are 1-6-2 in their last nine games.“We gave away three easy goals,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “We got to work like dogs to get our goals and then you give away three easy ones. It’s hard to score every night. I thought we worked, I thought we were on the forecheck, I thought we did enough good things to win. We just can’t give away goals.”Gallagher opened the scoring 30 seconds into the second period, capitalizing during a goalmouth scramble after goalie Jimmy Howard failed to secure a rebound.Just over a minute later Florida Panthers Hoodies Authentic , the Red Wings gave Armia too much room in the slot, and he beat Howard with a wrist shot.Athanasiou made it 2-1, beating goalie Antti Niemi from the right circle after a failed zone exit by the Canadiens.“I tried to look over like I was going to pass,” Athanasiou said. “I don’t know if it worked, but I was hoping Niemi would read pass and give me somewhere to shoot.”Montreal began the third period much like the second. Former Red Wing Tomas Tatar found Petry trailing a rush, and the Montreal defenseman scored with a wrist shot from between the circles.“When I got the puck I thought I had to get it off pretty quick and I picked my head up and saw there was a little more room,” Petry said. “So I got myself a few more steps in and got myself in a better position.”Athanasiou brought Detroit back within one with 15:02 remaining. The Red Wings’ struggling power play created good pressure, and Athanasiou scored from a tough angle to the right of the net, his 17th goal of the season.With their goalie pulled at the end, the Red Wings had the puck in the offensive zone in the final 10 seconds, but they exasperated their own home crowd by passing it around and letting the clock expire without a shot.Montreal improved to 12-7-3 on the road. The Canadiens are 11-9-2 at home.“I think we can play better at home,” Montreal coach Claude Julien said. “Whether it’s bringing that road mentality to your home rink, somehow that’s what we need to do here.”NOTES: Canadiens D Shea Weber Florida Panthers Hats Authentic , who was hit in the face while blocking a shot Monday night against Minnesota, played 24:08 on Tuesday. … Howard played his 491st game, tying Guy Hebert for eighth on the career list among American-born goalies.UP NEXTCanadiens: Visit St. Louis on Thursday night.Red Wings: Visit Winnipeg on Friday night. CHICAGO (AP) — Alex DeBrincat had the best game of his career, and the Chicago Blackhawks needed all of his production.DeBrincat had three goals and two assists, and the Blackhawks held on to beat the Ottawa Senators 8-7 on Monday night for their ninth win in 11 games.The five points for the 21-year-old set a career high, and his fourth NHL hat trick gave him 32 goals in his second season.“High-scoring affair, obviously,” DeBrincat said. “It’s a pretty crazy game, more like a summer hockey game. But we got the win so we’ll move on from here.”DeBrincat continues to thrive on a line with Dylan Strome, his former juniors teammate. He has six goals and six assists in his last six games and points in 11 of his last 12.“They’re giving me the puck a lot in each game, so all I have to do is bear down and put it in the net,” DeBrincat said.Patrick Kane scored his 36th goal and added two assists to extend his point streak to 18 games — with 14 goals and 26 assists during the stretch— the longest by a player in the NHL this season. Strome also had a goal and two assists in his fourth three-point game since joining the Blackhawks on Nov. 25, and Brandon Saad Custom Florida Panthers Jerseys , Gustav Forsling and Jonathan Toews also scored to help Chicago move a point behind Minnesota for the second wild card in the Western Conference.The wide-open game might have been entertaining, but Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton disliked the sloppiness.“I didn’t particularly enjoy it back there (behind the bench),” Colliton said. “It wasn’t pretty defensively. … The good news is we won when we maybe didn’t have our best effort. We found a way.”Colin White had two goals and an assist, Thomas Chabot scored twice, and Mark Stone, Bobby Ryan and Rudolfs Balcers also had goals for NHL-worst Ottawa, which lost for the eighth time in its last 11.“I’ve seen a lot of weird games, and that’s one of them,” Ottawa coach Guy Boucher said. “It’s definitely not one of those games you spend a long time watching video on.”The Blackhawks led 5-4 after a wild first period loaded with defensive breakdowns and few soft goals. Both starting goalies — Chicago’s Collin Delia and Ottawa’s Anders Nilsson — were pulled before the end of the period.“Nine goals in one period, I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen that,” Chabot said.Cam Ward got the win as he finished with 24 saves on 28 shots.White’s second goal, on a wrister from the left circle, tied the score 1:32 into the second.DeBrincat completed his hat trick on a screened one-timer at 8:19 to put Chicago back ahead. Forsling ripped in a screened slap shot from inside the blue line 1:12 later to increase the Blackhawks’ lead to 7-5.Set up by DeBrincat www.officialkings.com , Toews whipped in a power-play goal at 3:51 of the third to give Chicago a three-goal lead.Chabot scored from the left wing at 9:01 to make it 8-6, then buried a rebound with 5:17 left to pull Ottawa within a goal. Chicago then killed an Ottawa power play over the last 1:40 with the Senators’ Craig Anderson pulled for an extra attacker.Ryan had a power-play goal and Balcers scored even-strength 34 seconds apart to put Ottawa up 2-0 just 2:40 in.DeBrincat tied it at 2-all just 2 1/2 minutes later with a power-play goal and an even-strength tally of his own in a 1:13 span.White’s first goal put the Senators back ahead 3-2 at 7:55 and chased Delia, who faced 10 shots.Kane and Strome connected 46 seconds apart to put Chicago ahead 4-3 with 6:38 left, prompting Boucher send in Anderson.Nilsson gave up the four goals on 12 shots. Anderson, who had missed the previous three games with an eye injury, allowed four goals on 30 shots.Saad was wide open at the edge of the crease for a tap-in with 5:07 left in the first to made it 5-3, then Stone scored countered from the slot with 2:14 left to pull Ottawa within one.NOTES: Kane has assists in 17 straight games, matching Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey for the third longest assist streak in league history. Only Gretzky (23 games in 1990-91) and Adam Oates (18 games in 1992-93.) have had longer such streaks. … The nine goals by both teams in the first period set a Senators team record for combined goal in a period. … Chicago made a minor-league deal before the game, acquiring F Peter Holland from the New York Rangers for D Darren Raddysh. … The Senators are rumored to be shopping pending unrestricted free agents F Matt Duchene, D Stone and F Ryan Dzingel as next Monday’s trade deadline approaches. Scouts from no fewer than nine other NHL teams were in the press box, including two from Winnipeg.UP NEXTSenators: At New Jersey on Thursday night.Blackhawks: At Detroit on Wednesday night.

SUNRISE http://www.redwingsshoponline.com/authentic-mike-green-jersey , Fla. (AP) The surging Florida Panthers are edging closer to a playoff spot.Aleksander Barkov scored his 24th goal of the season, James Reimer made 24 saves in his first start in six games and Florida beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-1 on Friday night.The Panthers have won five straight and are 12-3-0 in their past 15. They moved within one point of Columbus and Carolina for the second Eastern Conference wild card.Colton Sceviour, Aaron Ekblad and Mike Matheson also scored for the Panthers. Evgenii Dadanov and Nick Bjugstad each had two assists.”We’re having a heck of a run here,” Bjugstad said. ”Anything can happen at the end of the year. A spark has been lit here.”Reimer filled in admirably for Roberto Luongo, who has won four straight but was given the night off in the second of back-to-back games.”He was sharp,” Panthers coach Bob Boughner said about Reimer. ”It was nice to get four goals for him, but I think he looked real comfortable in the net.”Sam Reinhart scored for the Sabres, and Robin Lehner made 26 saves.”I think we had effort today Womens Nick Jensen Jersey , but they got some breaks and we didn’t,” Lehner said. ”It was a solid game but things were just clicking for them.”Barkov stretched the Panthers’ lead to 3-1 when he flipped the puck over Lehner’s shoulder at 6:49 of the second period. Barkov has six goals and nine assists in his past 10 games and is tied with Vincent Trocheck for the team lead in goals.Sceviour made it 4-1 when he poked in a rebound with 8:44 left in the second.”They capitalized on their opportunities and we didn’t,” Sabres coach Phil Housley said.Florida’s previous four games were decided by one goal, but the Panthers took a 4-1 lead into the third period.”We don’t get a lot of those games,” Boughner said.Ekblad put the Panthers ahead 2-1 after he took a cross-ice pass from Keith Yandle in the right circle and wristed it past Lehner with 3:19 left in the first.Matheson gave Florida a 1-0 lead 1:25 in when he corralled the puck in the high slot and fired a shot that beat Lehner on the stick side. The goal was Matheson’s ninth but first on home ice.Reinhart tied the score at 1 when he swept the puck in from the right side at 5:34 of the first.NOTES: The Panthers have scored first in 11 of their past 13 games. … Reinhart has 21 points in his past 21 games. … Sabres forward Kyle Okposo returned after missing Wednesday’s game at Tampa Bay due to the birth of his third child.UP NEXTSabres: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Monday.Panthers: Host the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday.— WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal got right to the point.”It couldn’t have gone any worse at the start for us, and it couldn’t have gone any better for them,” Staal said. ”They got the momentum and ran with it Thomas Vanek Jersey , especially early.”Jacob Trouba, Bryan Little, Brandon Tanev and Joel Armia scored in the first 11:59 to chase Minnesota goalie Devan Dubynk and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Wild 5-0 on Friday night to win a playoff series for the first time in franchise history.Winnipeg will face the winner of the Nashville-Colorado series in the second round. Colorado beat Nashville 2-1 later Friday night to force Game 6.Connor Hellebuyck made 30 saves for his second shutout of the series, and Mark Scheifele added a goal in the third to help the Jets finish off the Wild in five games.”I guess I did my job, right?” Hellebucyk said with a chuckle. ”I didn’t let any in. … I thought the team was great in front of me. The guys’ details are fantastic. Any time you can get that many (goals) in the first period, that kind of sinks the other team, especially deep in a series like this. They definitely got this one early.”The 30-year-old Little joined the Jets franchise in 2007-08 when it was based in Atlanta.”Playing in Atlanta, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get to experience playing on a team like this and playing in a city like this Nick Foligno Jersey , where hockey is loved this much,” said Little, who tipped in a goal. ”I just feel lucky to be a part of it.”The white-clad crowd of 15,321 at Bell MTS Place stood and began cheering and waving white towels with just over two minutes remaining. A similar-size crowd was outside watching on giant screens at a ”whiteout” street party.”It’s a tough building. They’re a dangerous team. They get a quick one, and the building gets into it,” Dubnyk said. ”A couple deflections, and you can see that’s how a game can kind of run away from you.”Winnipeg’s previous post-season appearance was a sweep by Anaheim in 2015. The franchise moved from Atlanta in 2011. The Thrashers started in 1999-2000, with their only playoff series ending in four straight losses to the New York Rangers in 2007. The series came 31 years after the original Jets last won a series before the team moved to Arizona.The Jets attacked the Wild quickly Authentic Oliver Bjorkstrand Jersey , scoring four goals on their first 10 shots.Trouba scored 31 seconds in, and Little, Tanev and Armia followed quickly.”Ultimately, the game was lost in the first period,” Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. ”You have two periods of hockey left and stranger things have happened. For us it was more about trying to right the ship and get to our game. I think for stretches there we did a bit. We just couldn’t get the one to go in to get things sparked.”Alex Stalock stopped 15 of the 16 shots in relief of Dubynk.Scheifele scored his fourth goal of the series 32 seconds into the third with a one-timer on the power play.NOTES: Humboldt Broncos player Matthieu Gomercic was in attendance for the game. He was given a standing ovation when introduced and shown on the scoreboard. … The Wild were making their sixth straight appearance in the postseason. They only got as far as the second round in 2014 and `15, when Chicago knocked them out both years.