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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Isaac Sopoaga celebrated his 32nd birthday nearly two months ago. The massive defensive tackle feels like he received a belated gift this week when the New England Patriots acquired him from Philadelphia at the trade deadline. "Today is my daughters fourth birthday, but I feel like yesterday and today is my birthday," he said Wednesday, a day after the deal. "The Patriots, you know, its like a dream come true, to be honest. Respect these guys the last 10 years. They won (the Super Bowl) three times. Its just an awesome feeling." The proven run stopper, who started seven of the Eagles first eight games this season, was brought on to bolster the Patriots depleted defence thats struggled recently against the run. Sopoaga spent the first eight years of his career with the San Francisco 49ers and played in the Super Bowl earlier this year before being signed by Philadelphia as an unrestricted free agent in March. The 6-foot-2, 330-pounder recorded 10 tackles for the Eagles. He has started in 87 of 133 career games with 465 tackles, 7 1/2 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. "Hes basically played defensive tackle and nose tackle throughout his career," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. "Strong guy, physical guy." Sopoaga sure has some big shoes to fill — as well as some developing gaps. New England (6-2) has been without starting defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Tommy Kelly for the past three weeks. Wilfork, the heart of the defence the last 10 years, was placed on season-ending injured reserve Oct. 3 with a torn right Achilles tendon, and Kelly has been sidelined for the last three games with a knee injury. Middle linebacker and leading tackler Jerod Mayo also was lost for the season, place on injured reserve two weeks ago with a torn pectoral muscle. The Patriots are now preparing for the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5) with a vastly different defensive cast than they started with in training camp. "Its great to have all your players and be at full strength. The reality of it is thats usually not the case. Every team in the league goes through the same thing somewhere along the line," Belichick said. "All the players that are on the team have a role and they have to be ready when theyre called on to perform that role. "We have to be able to adjust during the game when those situations occur or during the week or during the year if its a long-term thing." The Patriots have acclimated to life without their stalwart linemen by leaning heavily on rookies Chris Jones and Joe Vellano. They also signed 34-year-old defensive end Andre Carter last week in the hope the 12-year veteran can rekindle some of the success he experienced in his lone season with the team in 2011, when he registered 10 sacks. In addition to their veteran leadership, Carter and Sopoaga both will be counted on to shore up a rushing defence that ranks 31st in the league at 130.8 yards per game, ahead of only winless Jacksonville. Prior to the losses of Wilfork and Kelly, the Patriots were allowing 105 yards rushing per game and had permitted just one touchdown rushing through the first four games. Over their last four, including both losses, they are yielding 156.5 yards rushing — much of it up the middle — and three touchdowns. The second half of the season appears to be getting brighter, though. Kelly returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since getting hurt Oct. 6 against Cincinnati, and Sopoaga is eager to get started with the team he was shocked to be traded to. "When I found out yesterday, I was with the Eagles and then after I had to drive to South Jersey so I could pack my stuff and then get ready," Sopoaga said. "On the highway, even though it was like a 50 (miles per hour) speed limit, us Samoan people, we go double the speed limit. "I was surprised, and something Ive got to live with, Ive got to do, Ive got to face, and you know, got to win." Shane Doan Coyotes Jersey . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Mikkel Boedker Coyotes Jersey . But Bourque, who has missed three games with a lower-body injury, wont be in the lineup when the Habs travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres on Wednesday. http://www.officialcoyoteshockey.com/Nicklas-Gross...nn-Jers ey/ . -- Whether Jeremy Hill deserves a prominent role in LSUs offence this early in the season is a matter for debate. Joe Vitale Jersey . Patrice Bergeron and Daniel Paille scored 20 seconds apart a few minutes after Stamkos was taken off the ice on a stretcher with a broken right leg, and the Bruins beat the Lightning 3-0 on Monday afternoon. Christian Fischer Jersey . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants free safety Stevie Brown will miss the regular season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee that he hurt in Saturdays preseason overtime loss to the Jets. The 27-year-old Brown, who led the Giants with eight interceptions last season, was placed on injured reserve on Sunday. "I feel badly for him," coach Tom Coughlin said in a conference call. "He played well for us last year and prepared himself well for this season. Were definitely going to miss him. Well continue, because thats what we do." For now, it leaves the Giants without the starting safeties from a year ago, with strong safety Antrel Rolle still out with a sprained ankle. "But we expect Antrel to practice this week and get him back on the field," Coughlin said. Browns injury, which came on a non-contact play soon after he intercepted Geno Smiths pass and returned it 22 yards, will move fifth-year veteran Ryan Mundy into a starting role. Mundy signed with the Giants in the off-season after spending his entire career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started only five games in four years, with one interception. "He has played well," Coughlin said of Mundy. "He can play both safety positions. Hes proven to be physical. Well see about that." Tyler Sash, a third-year veteran, has a chance to move up the depth chart with Brown out for the season. "Hes certainly going to get a lot of playing time," Coughlin said of Sash. "Its up to his production, but the opportunity is going to be there. He knows whats in front of him and has the opportunity." Another safety who might have been in the mix to start is second-year pro Will Hill, who made the team as a free agent out of training camp last year. However, Hill was suspended once last year for four games for violating the leagues drug policy. If he makes the Giants roster next week, he will miss the first four games of the 2013 season for another drug offence. "Hes been playingg and playing well," Coughlin said of Hill.dddddddddddd "Hes outstanding in the special teams. But were not going to have him for four games. We acknowledge what he can brings to the table, but we cant be lured into thinking were OK because hes not going to be here. Thats a shame." Former standout cornerback Terrell Thomas, who is making a comeback after two ACL surgeries, is probably not a candidate for playing time at safety. "He played real well last night and I feel real good about him," Coughlin said. "He had a couple of serious injuries. We want him to get close to 100 per cent physically as possible. "We know hes a player. Hes certainly a talented guy, an outstanding player. Were trying to get him on the field where his confidence is up. We havent thought about another spot. We just want to get him confident and playing." Cornerback Corey Webster should also return to practice this week before the Giants close out the preseason Thursday night against the Patriots in Foxborough. Jayron Hosley, who suffered an apparent sprained ankle during the loss to the Jets, is also expected to return to practice this week. Coughlin said that the secondary "was not any more of a concern than any other areas." "We just have to get the guys back on the field and see where we are," Coughlin said. "We have to get the people out there and get the right combination." NOTES: The Giants got their roster down to 75 by placing Brown on IR and cutting 14 players, the most notable being LB Aaron Curry, the former first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks. Curry was beaten out of playing time recently by Kyle Bosworth. ... Others released included FB Ben Guidugli; wide receivers Brandon Collins and Terrence Sinkfield; tight ends Jamie Childers and Chase Clement; offensive linemen Michael Jasper and Austin Holtz; linebackers Jake Muasau and Etienne Sabino; defensive tackle Frank Okam; and defensive backs Laron Scott, Junior Mertile and Alonzo Tweedy. Cheap China Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China ' ' '
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