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MINNEAPOLIS -- Tennessee coach Mike Munchak gambled by playing much of his starting offence in the final preseason game. http://www.nflcoltsteamprostore.com/Youth-Johnny-U...te-Jers ey/ . Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier wanted no part of that, and was reminded just how dangerous the NFL can be when one of his backups was carted off the field in the second quarter. Jake Locker went 3 for 5 for 31 yards and led the Titans to a field goal on the opening drive of a 24-23 loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. For Locker, it was chance to get one last bit of work in and build on a solid preseason before they open the regular season at Pittsburgh on Sept. 8. "I feel really comfortable with this group," Locker said. "I like what were doing offensively and Ive got a lot of confidence in what were doing, so Im excited." Hoping to avoid a spot on the practice squad, Rusty Smith completed 13 of 21 passes for 178 yards with one touchdown and one interception for the Titans (1-3). Backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was 5 for 5 for 61 yards and a touchdown. Marcus Sherels returned a kick 109 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a pass in a last-ditch effort to make the team for the Vikings, who were thankful that a scary collision involving offensive lineman Seth Olsen only resulted in a concussion. Sherels entered the game with a heavy heart, having recently lost his father, and fighting for one of the final cornerback spots. "Its been tough, but with my teammates and the organization and the coaches, theyve all helped me tremendously," Sherels said. "Theyve made it a lot easier." Olsen was taken off the field on a stretcher after linebacker Scott Solomons knee collided with Olsens helmet. He received a standing ovation from the crowd and gave a thumbs-up with his left hand as he was wheeled off the field. A few hours later, Olsen was walking around in the locker room and speaking with teammates. Munchak took the unusual approach of playing his starting quarterback, starting offensive line and several of his most important skill position players in the fourth preseason game. One of the few offensive starters who did not see action was star running back Chris Johnson. But Munchak felt the risk of injury just over a week away from the season opener was outweighed by the desire to get Locker as much work as possible to prepare him for his second full season as the starter. Locker missed five games last season because of a shoulder injury and many consider this year make-or-break for the 2011 first-round pick. So Munchak threw him out there in a game that traditionally calls for coaches to rest starters, especially at the games most important position. Locker led an 18-play drive in the first quarter that ended with a 28-yard field goal by Rob Bironas. The drive did come against the Vikings second-team defence, but it was enough for Munchak, who sent in Fitzpatrick after that. "Were glad it was just one drive and not a few," Munchak said. "We thought wed have that group in for 12 plays with that offensive line group, and they went about (18) plays. "We didnt finish the drive. We got a field goal, but it was all we wanted, to break a sweat and get a workout, have a little success with that group again." Many Vikings fans wanted to see Frazier take the same approach with Christian Ponder, also about to enter his second full season as the starter. Ponder was unimpressive in the first three preseason games, completing 62 per cent of his passes for 184 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Vikings will no doubt ride MVP Adrian Peterson in pursuit of a return to the playoffs, but Ponders development into a consistent playmaker may be the biggest key to their chances. But after watching starting defensive tackle Kevin Williams go down with a knee injury in the third quarter last week at San Francisco, Frazier wasnt about to take any chances with the opener at Detroit so close. "From my standpoint, in todays NFL with the depth issues that you have, its not worth the risk," Frazier said. Titans second-round pick Justin Hunter had four catches for 45 yards and a touchdown. McLeod Bethel-Thompson completed 19 of 26 passes for 187 yards with one touchdown and one interception, and Blair Walsh kicked a 25-yard field goal with 1:38 to play to help the Vikings avoid going 0-4 in the preseason. NOTES: Vikings CB Bobby Felder left the game in the third quarter with a sprained right ankle, but Frazier said it wasnt serious. ... If the Vikings wouldve lost, it wouldve been just the second time in franchise history that they went winless in the preseason. The only time was in 1961, when they went 0-5. ... Titans TE Delanie Walker made his preseason debut. He had had arthroscopic knee surgery in June and missed the first three games. ... TE Jack Doyle led the Titans with five catches for 48 yards, including a 2-yard TD from Smith. http://www.nflcoltsteamprostore.com/Youth-Dan-Herr...te-Jers ey/ . It looked like being another miserable day for Moyes when Ashley Westwood put Villa in front from a 13th-minute free kick. But Rooney headed United level seven minutes later, and the striker netted his 16th of the season for the struggling champions from the penalty spot before halftime. http://www.nflcoltsteamprostore.com/Youth-Andre-Jo...te-Jers ey/ . LOUIS -- Billy Hamilton had three hits and his first two steals, and scored easily after tagging up on a shallow outfield pop fly to support a strong outing from Mike Leake in the Cincinnati Reds 4-0 victory over the St.(SportsNetwork.com) - Midwesterners heading to Florida at this time of year arent unique. Whats a trifle more rare, however, is a Sunshine State football team thatd rather be elsewhere. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers enter their Week 16 matchup with the visiting Green Bay Packers having lost seven consecutive games at Raymond James Stadium, including all six this season. The stretch of home futility is the franchises longest in exactly 37 years, when the expansion version lost its first 13 games on home turf before breaking through to beat the St. Louis Cardinals on Dec. 18, 1977. Weve come close quite a few times at home, Bucs coach Lovie Smith said. Once we get it going, instead of talking about getting that first win we should be talking about, Hey, we havent lost at home. We realize we have a couple of more opportunities, but what better week than (against Green Bay)? Tampa Bays wins this season came at Pittsburgh and Washington in weeks 4 and 11, respectively, but the 27-7 defeat of the Redskins has since been followed by four straight losses in which it has scored 13 points twice and 17 points twice. The Bucs have gotten past 17 points just three times in the other 10 games and are third from last in the NFL in total offense, with an average of 305.9 yards per week. Its the opposite for the Packers, who have posted 31.1 points and 383.6 yards per week, while Tampa Bay has been gashed for weekly averages of 26.2 points and 366.6 yards - both 25th in the league. Smith was zero for his last six against Green Bay while coaching the Chicago Bears, including a 21-14 loss in the NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field in January 2011. The Packers havent faced the Bucs since a 35-26 home win in Week 11 of the 2011 regular season. Hell have a slightly easier day this time around in the absence of Tampa Bay defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, whos lost for the remainder of the season with a sprained right knee. Of course you want to finish the games with your guys, but you have to look at the bigger picture, and thats my overall health, McCoy said. I think we have a lot of great - not good, great - ahead of us for this team, this organization. A big part of that will be my health. Considering the Bucs inability to win at home, something will have to give when it comes to Green Bay, which has gone just 3-4 in seven 2014 road games compared to a pristine 7-0 slate at Lambeau Field. The Packers dropped a surprising 21-13 verdict last week at Buffalo, a defeat that both ended a five-game win streak and dropped them into a tie with Detroit atop the NFC North. The Lions were 19-7 winners when the teams played at Ford Field in September and could clinch the division title this weekend with a win against Chicago coupled with a Green Bay loss to Tampa Bay. If both Detroit and the Packers win this week, the crown will be worn by the winner of their Week 17 game in Green Bay. http://www.nflcoltsteamprostore.com/Youth-Pat-McAf...te-Jers ey/. The Packers can stay in contention for the No. 1 overall seed in the conference if they beat the Bucs and Seattle wins at Arizona. Green Bay at least secures a playoff berth - its sixth straight - with a win. Everything is right in front of us, quarterback Aaron Rodgers said. We win out, we still win the North. Rodgers completed just 17-of-42 passes - the 25 incompletions were a career- high - against the Bills, who picked him off twice while holding him to 185 yards. It was the first game this season in which he hadnt thrown a touchdown pass, and put a dent in what had been a league-best 119.0 passer rating. It wasnt my best day by any stretch of the imagination, he said. Ive got to play better for us to win, and I expect more of myself. All five of Rodgers interceptions have come in road games, and hes failed to exceed 210 yards four times in those seven starts. He has 12 TD passes away from home, compared to 23 at Lambeau. The last four road games have resulted in losses to New Orleans and Buffalo and three-point victories over Miami and Minnesota. This is a road game we have to have, said Packers coach Mike McCarthy, who can pass Vince Lombardi on the all-time Green Bay wins list (including postseason). We clearly understand the importance of winning in December, and we need to take it up a notch as a football team. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Getting Rodgers Right As mentioned, Green Bays MVP candidate heads into the weekend after the worst statistical game of his accomplishment-rich career, the loss to the Bills in which he finished with an anemic 34.3 passer rating. Though the Bucs dont present much of a threat when it comes to wins and losses, its worth noticing that Rodgers has started twice in Tampa Bay (in 2008 and 2009) and lost both games. Remember When Another week, another chance for Tampa Bay fans to look back when they think about running back Doug Martin. The now third-year man took the league by storm as a rookie and scored 12 times while amassing 1,454 yards. But he played just six games in 2013 and has 369 rush yards this year while still battling injuries. A good sign: He comes in this week off of 2014s best game - 96 yards against Carolina. OVERALL ANALYSIS Those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it, and the fact that Rodgers hasnt ever won in Tampa Bay is worth mentioning. But thats about all. Outside of those wins in the Jon Gruden and Raheem Morris eras, the Bucs have precious little to bank on this time around. Regardless of venue, the Packers have more on the line, more to look forward to and are just better by every pertinent measure. Sports Network predicted outcome: Packers 35, Buccaneers 10 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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