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 Geplaatst: 07-10-2019 04:39:06 Onderwerp: a week to spare, and the last thing they want to hear is th |
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| INDIANAPOLIS - Chuck Pagano could blame New England for one of his most bitter football memories.On the other hand, that loss also opened a new chapter in Paganos life.Now, three years after that stinging 23-20 championship game loss against the Patriots, the former Baltimore Ravens defensive co-ordinator is getting a second chance to earn a Super Bowl ticket at New England — this time as the Indianapolis Colts head coach.We wouldnt be having this discussion right now had things transpired in a different way, Pagano said as Indianapolis prepares for Sundays AFC championship game.He has often contended that if the Ravens won that day — on Lee Evans near-touchdown catch with 27 seconds left or in overtime, if Billy Cundiff had made a 32-yard field goal with 15 seconds to go — that he never would have landed in Indy (13-5).General manager Ryan Grigson didnt go that far this week, though he did recall watching the game and going through some old notes about Pagano almost immediately after Cundiffs kick sailed wide left. Within 24 hours, Grigson had contacted Ravens coach John Harbaugh for permission to interview Pagano, who was still angry.The bitterness was still emanating from him, even when we brought him in, Grigson said. So that game was his loss, but our gain because when he finally came in, it was evident to all of us in that room that this was the right guy.Three days after the game, Pagano accepted his first head coaching job.At first, the outlook looked bleak.The Colts were in the midst of a salary-cap purge and about embarked on one of the most ambitious rebuilding projects. They started by releasing a bevy of fan favourites including the seemingly untouchable Peyton Manning. Pagano now jokes that at one point he looked around his office and asked his wife, Tina, what the heck did we just do?Grigson never asked the same question about a man he viewed as a leader that could pull the best out of his players.Pagano proved to be everything Grigson envisioned and more, on and off the field.He helped convince Reggie Wayne, one of his old college players, to stick around for a hometown discount. He helped recruit defensive tackle Arthur Jones and defensive end Cory Redding, both starters who were in the Ravens locker room that awful day in New England, as free agents. It didnt take much of a push.I know what kind of guy he is, stand-up guy, shoots it straight to you, fun, energetic at practice, expects a lot out of you in the meeting rooms to know your stuff, Redding said, explaining why he left a championship contender to join a team that went 2-14 the year before he came. Knowing the system, knowing him, it was just easy for me to make the decision.It turned out the Colts incredible turnaround was about a lot more than just wins and losses.Three games into Paganos tenure, he was diagnosed with leukemia.Pagano spent 25 days at the IU Health Simon Cancer Center in Indianapolis as longtime friends Wayne, Redding and Bruce Arians and new friends such as Robert Mathis, Andrew Luck, Grigson and team owner Jim Irsay rallied the team. After returning home, the treatments continued for two more months.The team responded to Paganos absence by winning nine times, none more electrifying than the second-half comeback against Green Bay when Wayne caught 13 passes for a career high 212 yards and the winning score with 35 seconds left. Irsay and Grigson hand-delivered the game ball to Pagano at the hospital.I cant imagine being anywhere else and having a city and a community embrace somebody they hardly know, Pagano said when he returned to the team complex on Christmas Eve. I just think thats how we roll in this great state, this great city and this great community.And Pagano just kept winning.Indy completed one its nine-game improvement over the 2011 season by winning in Paganos first game back on the sideline. The Colts have won 11 more regular-season games each of the past two seasons, the last two AFC South titles and here playoff games.But those who were with Pagano in Baltimore know thats not good enough yet.That loss lingered the whole off-season, said Jones, who was part of Baltimores 2013 world championship team. It was a tough way to end your year after making it that far. It bothers you.So this week with a second shot, Pagano is taking none at the Patriots.Hes just focused on trying to get the biggest win — and best memory — of his coaching career.Its about the game, its about the team, its about us doing our job, Pagano said Monday. We know how great a team were going to play. Youve got a Hall of Fame coach, a Hall of Fame quarterback and a bunch of great players on both sides of the ball. Its going to be a tall order. Nike Baseball Jerseys 2020 . Wiggins, who had been seen as a contender for a podium finish in Paris, was one of about 20 riders caught near the back of the peloton with 38 kilometres to go in the 218-km flat stage from Le Mans to Chateauroux. Cheap Nike Baseball Jerseys . - Tom Brady and the Patriots routed the Bengals and quieted the doubters. https://www.fakebaseballjerseys.com/ . -- Sonny Grays fastball wasnt as sharp as it usually is, and the Oakland Athletics young pitcher even had a quirky replay go against him. Fake Nike Baseball Jerseys .ca. Kerry, In the first period of Saturdays Montreal-Ottawa game, Brendan Gallagher is called for goaltender interference. Craig Anderson is outside the blue paint trying to make the save. Nike Baseball Jerseys China . With a win tonight, Buehrle will match Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka for the most wins in the majors with 11. Buehrle is 10-4 with a 2.32 earned run average, but has lost his last three starts, including a 7-3 setback at Yankee Stadium last Wednesday.LANDOVER, Md. - Any given Sunday, one NFL team can tie another.If youre the Dallas Cowboys, thats one of your top motivations for playing Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray, and otherwise giving your all in the season finale against the Washington Redskins.For the Cowboys-Redskins outcome to have any significance in the playoff picture, at least one other game Sunday has to end in a draw. The Cowboys have already clinched the NFC East and will earn a first-round bye with losses by Seattle and Arizona — regardless of what they do against their division rival.But they can also get a bye through multiple other scenarios. For example, a Dallas win and a Detroit-Green Bay tie would do the trick. Add in a loss or tie by Arizona, and the Cowboys would become the No. 1 seed in the conference.So, even though Romo could probably use a week off to rest his nagging back, and even though Murray broke his hand two weeks ago, look for both to be out there.Theres a playoff scenario with us winning the game that will give us an opportunity to get a first-round bye, Dallas coach Jason Garrett said, so were going to take advantage of what we can take advantage of.Its quite the contrast from seasons past, when the Cowboys didnt care what happened elsewhere. Three years running, they needed a win on the final weekend of the regular season to clinch a playoff berth — and failed each time.Now theyre in with a week to spare, and the last thing they want to hear is that their game might be meaningless.I think really you think about momentum, tight end Jason Witten said. This game is a crazy game. You want to play well every opportunity you get. For one, theres still stuff out there for us. And then, two, you want to be playing well going into the playoffs. You never want to back door your way into it. I think this team has been playing well, and we want to continue to do that.Heres more thats in store Sunday as the Cowboys (11-4) and Redskins (4-11) wrap up the regular season:RECORDS TO BREAK: Another reason for playing Murray is his pursuit of Emmitt Smiths franchise rushing record. Murray leads the NFL with 1,745 yards and needs 29 to surpass Smiths mark of 1,773 from 1995.Also, Romo has a chance to finish with one of the five best passer ratings in NFL histoory.dddddddddddd Hes sixth right now at 114.4, and a stellar game would move him past Peyton Mannings 115.1 last year with Denver.Then theres Dez Bryant, who leads the league with 14 touchdown catches and needs one to tie Terrell Owens franchise record from 2007.OH, ITS YOU AGAIN: The Cowboys-Redskins rivalry loses much of its sting when one or both of the teams are struggling, but Washingtons signature victory in an otherwise tough season was a Monday night win at Dallas in October.One of the oldest one-liners in D.C. is that its permissible for Washington to go 2-14 if both wins come against the Cowboys. The Redskins wouldnt be far off the mark with a victory on Sunday.I know we are 4-11, not a whole lot of excitement after this game happening, Washington coach Jay Gruden said. But, still, to beat Dallas, to play Dallas is a great opportunity for a lot of guys to get more work and go against a heck of a football team. Thats always great.COWBOYS GOT D: Sure, everyone knows Romo, Murray and Bryant — and the young offensive line has received its props as well — but the Dallas defence might be the most improved of all.The Cowboys allowed 1 yard rushing last week against the Colts and have held five of their last six opponents to 89 yards rushing or fewer. A defence that was worst in the league last year is ranked 16th with one game to go — not bad considering that all six Dallas players selected to the Pro Bowl came from the other side of the ball.RG3S CASE: The game represents one last chance this season for Washingtons Robert Griffin III to show that hes making progress as a pocket passer.There was improvement last week in a win over Philadelphia that broke a six-game skid, although Griffin sprained his shoulder late in the game and was limited in practice this week. Hes expected to play Sunday.HISTORY LESSON: In 2007, the Cowboys had already clinched a playoff spot when they sleepwalked through a 27-6 loss at Washington in the final weekend of the regular season. That Dallas team was 13-3 and appeared poised for a Super Bowl run, but it lost to the New York Giants in its first playoff game.___AP NFL websites: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Joseph White on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP ' ' ' |
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