en

per game, which is last in the league. The injury-riddled defensive unit, which remains without k from corse178's blog

DURHAM, N. Cheap Tony Oliva Jersey .C. -- If Duke cant keep its grip on the ball, the Blue Devils might lose control of their season, too.A suddenly turnover-prone Duke team plays host to an improved Army on Saturday. The Blue Devils (2-3) rank last in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 123rd nationally in turnover margin, with 17 giveaways to 10 takeaways. The Black Knights (3-1) are fifth in the Bowl Subdivision in that stat category and had no turnovers in their first three games. Only two teams have turned it over less often.Army is a complete football team, Duke coach David Cutcliffe said.And with Hurricane Matthew churning up the East Coast, and threatening to dump rain on Wallace Wade Stadium, ball security will be at even more of a premium.If its windy and rainy, weve both got to kick the ball and throw the ball, Army coach Jeff Monken said. The ball will exchange hands and weve got to take care of it. Im sure theyre going to emphasize the same thing.Thats a certainty -- especially after how the Blue Devils last game went.Duke had six turnovers in a 34-20 loss to Virginia , including a fumble that was recovered for the game-sealing touchdown and five interceptions -- with four of them coming in a 20-minute stretch of the first half. The Blue Devils havent had fewer than three turnovers in any home game.Theyll have to overcome those self-inflicted wounds if theyre going to turn the season around and reach their fifth straight bowl game.Yet Cutcliffe insists the team has not -- and will not -- fracture.They know who the program is. They know what the programs about. That will never falter, Cutcliffe said. Thats not going to change. Weve said it for years that you dont ever run from it, you run to it -- meaning challenges, problems, issues. ... Wherever you stumble, thats where your hidden treasure is buried. You just look for it.---Some things to know about the Army-Duke game:ARMYS GROUND GAME: The Black Knights once again lead the nation in rushing -- as they did in 2011 and 12 -- averaging nearly 375 yards with their trademark triple-option offensive system. Their three starters in the backfield are sophomores and RB Andy Davidson leads the way with a 103-yard average and six touchdowns. Running the ball is one thing, Monken said, but the bottom line is you have to score points.GOOD KNIGHT ON D: Not to be outdone, Armys defense ranks 10th nationally, allowing 264 yards, and is ninth against the run, giving up 87.5 yards per game. Everybody wants to talk about their offense, but their defense causes you a lot of problems with their configuration, Cutcliffe said.DUKES PRESSURE: The Blue Devils join a pair of top 10 teams -- No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Houston -- with at least three sacks in every game this season. That streak might be in jeopardy this week because the run-first Black Knights have only thrown 29 passes all year.FINISH STRONG: Army was unscored upon in the fourth quarters of its first three games, before blowing a 20-6 lead in the fourth quarter against Buffalo two weeks ago. The Blue Devils have been outscored 27-23 in their fourth quarters.---AP Sports Writer John Kekis in West Point, New York, contributed to this report. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . Now, with Game 6 set for Fenway Park and an 8:07 p.m. ET first pitch, the Detroit Tigers face the unenviable task of having to beat the Boston Red Sox twice, on the road, to advance to the World Series. Cheap Twins Jerseys China . -- Jonathan Drouin gave Halifax the boost it needed to edge host Sherbrooke Phoenix 3-2 in a shootout in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. http://www.cheaptwinsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-justin-morneau-jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. CHICAGO -- Somebody has to win.In a battle between two last-place teams, the San Francisco 49ers (1-10) will visit the Chicago Bears (2-9) on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. The clubs have combined for one win -- yes, one -- in the past eight weeks.Yet as strange as it sounds, the game carries significance heading into 2017. Both teams are on track to receive top-five picks in the NFL draft, and this weekends matchup could help determine the order of selection.Naturally, players on both sides do not want to hear about how a loss might improve their teams draft position. They are starved for a victory, and many second- and third-stringers who are now in the lineup know that the final five weeks of the regular season will serve as an audition tape as they look for jobs next year.One player who could benefit the most from a strong performance this week is Bears quarterback Matt Barkley. The 26 year old faced an uncertain future when the Arizona Cardinals released him at the end of training camp, but he has found opportunity in Chicago after injuries to Jay Cutler, Brian Hoyer and Connor Shaw.Barkley made his first NFL start last week against the Tennessee Titans and likely will be under center once again this week. He completed 28 of 54 passes for 316 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions and nearly engineered a fourth-quarter comeback before the Bears final drive stalled inside the Titans 10-yard line.Moving on from here, (we know) that we can win, that we have guys on this team that can win games, said Barkley, a former college standout at USC. Just making sure that we dont shoot ourselves in the foot, I think thats the goal from here on out.The same could be said for the 49ers.On offense, San Francisco has played much better in recent weeks thanks to the re-emergence of quarterback Colin Kaepernick. The outspoken 29 year old continues to make headlines for his non-football actions, and now he is creating a buzz with his performance on the field. In four starts in November, he passed for 1,110 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions for a 96.0 rating. He scrambled 29 times for 223 yards and a touchdown.I feel like Im getting more and more comfortable in this offense, Kapernick told the San Francisco Chronicle this week. Ultimately, I think thats what it comees down to for a quarterback. Cheap Twins Jerseys Authentic. Getting comfortable in an offense, really getting your feet settled in, getting that foundation, where you can go out and just play freely. This offense has been great for me in that way.Against a short-handed Bears defense, Kaepernick could thrive. Chicago will be without starting linebackers Jerrell Freeman (suspension) and Danny Trevathan (knee injury), which means that rookie fourth-round draft pick Nick Kwiatkoski and 2015 undrafted free agent John Timu are likely to start in the middle of the 3-4 scheme.The 49ers have averaged 20.7 points per game, which ranks 22nd in the league. The Bears rank similarly on the opposite side of the ball as they have allowed 24.0 points per game, which ranks 18th.The numbers are much more difficult to predict this week when the Bears have the ball. Chicago has averaged 16.2 points per game, which is second-to-last in the league. The Bears have scored 17 points or fewer in all but three games this season, and their highest output for the season is 23 points against the Colts.However, as poorly as the Bears offense has performed, the 49ers defense has been just as bad. San Francisco has allowed 31.3 points per game, which is last in the league. The injury-riddled defensive unit, which remains without key players such as linebacker NaVorro Bowman (Achilles) and safety Eric Reid (biceps/injured reserve), has allowed 40-plus points three times this season and has given up 30-plus points a whopping eight times in 11 games.This seasons ugliness combined with the dismissal of Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich led some to speculate that 49ers head coach Chip Kelly might be interested in returning to his previous position in the college ranks. But Kelly told reporters this week that he had no interest in going back to Eugene.I havent talked to a college since Ive been in the NFL, and thats not my goal, Kelly said to the San Francisco Chronicle. My goal is to be the head coach of the 49ers. Thats what Im going to do. It surprises me that it continues to be a new story. Its been the same story since I left four years ago. Im not looking to go back, and thats what Ive always said.Wholeslae Jerseys NFL Jerseys Cheap Wholesale NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Cheap MLB Jerseys Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Cheap College Jerseys Cheap Football Jerseys Cheap Basketball Jerseys Cheap Baseball Jerseys ' ' '

The Wall

No comments
You need to sign in to comment