CHARLOTTE Panthers Ian Thomas Jersey , N.C. (AP) The NFL has reduced linebacker Thomas Davis’ suspension from two games to one following his appeal.

The league announced the reduced ban Tuesday. Davis was suspended Monday following his helmet-to-helmet hit on Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams. Hearing officer James Thrash, appointed jointly by the NFL and the players’ union Cheap B.J. Hill Jersey , heard the appeal.

Davis can return to play in Carolina’s regular-season finale on Dec. 31 against Atlanta. Carolina (10-4) can clinch a playoff spot Sunday with a win against Tampa Bay (4-9).

Adams left Sunday’s 31-24 loss to Carolina in the third quarter with a concussion after being blindsided by Davis following a Carolina interception. Davis was penalized 15 yards, but not ejected.

Davis Authentic Bud Norris Jersey , the 2015 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year, was visibly upset on the sideline after the play. He tweeted an apology to Adams on Monday.

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The Ravens’ dominant defense will have to continue the playoff push without standout cornerback Jimmy Smith.

Smith left in the second quarter after hurting his Achilles tendon without being touched.

”Looks like Jimmy has a torn Achilles Authentic James Washington Jersey ,” coach John Harbaugh said after the Ravens’ 44-20 rout of the Lions. ”That’s tough. It looks like he’ll be out the rest of the year.”

Smith has been bothered by a sore Achilles tendon for much of the season. The seven-year veteran has missed several practices, but started all 12 games and is second on the team with three interceptions.

For the Lions, offensive tackle Rick Wagner was carted off the field in the second quarter and did not return, and defensive end Cornelius Washington left in the third quarter with a shoulder injury.

Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor hurt his left knee in his team’s 23-3 loss to New England. Taylor continued playing despite being hurt on the first series.

”He was in pain. You could see it on his face http://www.seattleseahawksteamonline.com/rasheem-green-jersey , the expressions he was making,” running back LeSean McCoy said. ”It shows you a true warrior.”

Tre’Davious White was being evaluated for a concussion after he was struck by Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski while lying on the ground after Buffalo’s rookie first-round pick intercepted Brady’s pass with 4:50 remaining.

”That’s just dirty football. There’s nowhere in our game for that,” Bills safety Micah Hyde said. ”I don’t know if it was a shoulder, elbow Authentic Tyler Seguin Jersey , I’m not sure what it was. That was dirty.”

New England’s tight end apologized following the game.

”I’m not in the business of that. It was a lot of frustration,” he said. ”I just want to apologize to Tre’Davious White. I don’t really believe in those type of shots.”

Another team hit hard by injuries was the Houston Texans.

Tight end C.J. Fiedorowicz went out in the second quarter and didn’t return after being evaluated for a concussion. Receiver Braxton Miller and running back Alfred Blue also suffered concussions. Cornerback Johnathan Joseph was ruled out just after halftime with an injured shoulder. Receiver Bruce Ellington also couldn’t finish against Tennessee with an injured hamstring.

Bears linebacker Pernell McPhee suffered a shoulder injury on the game’s opening drive and defensive end Mitch Unrein (knee) was hurt in the second quarter against San Francisco.

Vikings tight end David Morgan went out in the first quarter against Atlanta with a concussion. Falcons guard Andy Levitre sustained a triceps injury in the first quarter and didn’t return.

Dolphins center Mike Pouncey left against Denver in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury and cornerback Cordrea Tankersley left with an injured shoulder, returned and departed again because of an ankle injury.

Broncos linebacker Joseph Jones was helped off the field in the fourth quarter.

Chiefs center Mitch Morse was carted to the locker room with a foot injury. Zach Fulton replaced him and Bryan Witzmann took over Fulton’s spot at left guard in Kansas City’s 38-31 loss to the Jets.

Packers inside linebacker Jake Ryan left in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay with a neck injury.

Colts center Mike Person, playing in place of starter Ryan Kelly (concussion) Cheap Marquez Valdes-Scantling Jersey , limped off the field in the fourth quarter against Jacksonville. Cornerback Pierre Desir (left shoulder) left in the first half and did not return.

Browns tight end Randall Telfer was evaluated for a possible concussion during the game against the Chargers. Defensive lineman Danny Shelton injured his wrist, apparently during the second half, and rookie defensive back Jabrill Peppers injured his knee in the second half.

Rams linebacker Alec Ogletree left against Arizona in the first half with an elbow injury and did not return.

Giants offensive lineman Chad Wheeler left the game at Oakland with a concussion.

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Though it wasn’t as popular as fantasy baseball or football at first http://www.pittsburghsteelersteamstore.com/terrell-edmunds-jersey , fantasy basketball has gotten quite the following, as services such as Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, ESPN, and more offer players a chance to join for free, either with friends in private leagues, or with other people in public leagues.聽 But what we want to focus on are daily fantasy basketball leagues, which is where the fun really can be found. In here, you don’t join actual leagues http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/marquez-valdes-scantling-jersey , but rather choose a team of players from those scheduled to play on a given day, making sure you don’t go above the stipulated salary cap.聽 First, though, let’s tell you a little more about how things are on the other side of the fence, meaning standard and rotisserie leagues.

You can choose to play in standard leagues, which are based on your players’ combined weekly stats in the real-life NBA, or in rotisserie leagues, where you are ranked from best to worst per combined weekly stat, e.g. http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/braden-smith-jersey , in a 16-team league, a perfect 16 in points if your team scored the most points in that week, or the lowest possible score of 1 if your team scored the least.

While a good number of fantasy basketball players favor rotisserie leagues, standard leagues remain the most popular. These leagues require an even number of managers, as all the managers in the league face off in head-to-head competition per week. The matchups rotate in round-robin form so everyone has a chance to go head-to-head with everybody else. Your record is based on how many stat categories you win, and playoffs are typically held in the last three weeks of the actual NBA regular season.

Going back to daily fantasy basketball, signing up to these tournaments is quite easy. Simply go to websites such as FanDuel.com and DraftKings.com, and enter some basic information, such as your name http://www.newyorkjetsteamonline.com/chris-herndon-jersey , email address, desired user name, and password. You can play for free, but you would definitely want to try your luck in joining the money games. For a small fee, you can win big money if you come up with the best-performing lineup. All you have to do is choose two forwards, two guards, and a center, plus three more players. In Yahoo’s daily fantasy tournaments, for instance Authentic Mike Green Jersey , that would be one more forward, one more center, and a utility player of any position. Once you’ve selected your lineup based on good fantasy insider advice, all you have to do is wait for the games to play out and hope your chosen players, who should meet the stated salary cap, perform well on that day.

The development in the field of sports betting has really helped bettors to place a wager from the comfort of their room. Mostly Patriots Danny Shelton Jersey , this process is not complicated. A customer can easily find a trustworthy sportsbook and deposit the cash in order to start. After reading the rules and regulations on the online sportsbook, a bettor places a wager expecting to get paid, in case he wins.

Unfortunately, there is much more to look when placing bets online. Some online sportsbooks are dishonest, scammers or thieves. Though these sites seem professional and look like they are genuine http://www.neworleanssaintsteamonlines.com/rick-leonard-jersey , but, they aren't in actual. No wonder, they will make you false promises and everything else that entices you, the reality behind is that, they might be playing a game with you just to take all your money. So how will you find them? This guide will help you answer.

Professional Image

If an online sportsbook operator is fraudulent http://www.pittsburghsteelersteamstore.com/mason-rudolph-jersey , he has to look like professionals to gain the attention. This means they will be more like showy than being professional, while also offering extra incentives for the players. This might include better odds for teasers and parlays, just to lure you. The potential scam book wants you to consider them as they can meet all your demands as a bettor! These sites will also offer an option of live chat operators that talk to you when you deposit the money, knowing already that you will never get your reward!

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Another scammer book trick is to offer unrealistic bonuses (which aren't truly existing). Beware of any deposit bonuses that seem extremely high. Deposit bonuses of upto 80%, 100% Authentic Ryan McDonagh Jersey , or 125% could be the red flags. These bonuses should not be taken as an opportunity to “take advantage of” the online bookmaker, because in almost all cases these are scammers. Sure, in some cases, your account will be credited with a bonus, but this might be monopoly money.

Are They Licensed?

Scam books often do not follow the legal laws or they might have invalid licenses. It is really important to ensure that the sportsbook is licensed. Many timerogue online betting sites will get a license to operate and then they lose it. Even when they lose their license Cheap Nathan Shepherd Jersey , the scam book will still keep on telling the bettors that they are genuine and operating under the law, when they have lost their legitimization.

The stories and circumstances are different for each sportsbook but all of them works in a pretty similar way. However, there are certain books that need to be avoided by all means. Always read up on an online betting site before making a deposit. Make sure to read the reviews by their previous customers and use multiple sources before making a decision.

ATLANTA (AP) The Atlanta Falcons enter the offseason forced to address this startling new reality: Defense is the team’s new strength.

That means there are new concerns on offense.

Only one year after Atlanta led the league in scoring in its 2016 Super Bowl season Authentic Jason Pominville Jersey , the offense was no better than middling in the league.

It was appropriate that a season of regression on offense – and improvement on defense – ended with a scoreless second half in a 15-10 divisional round playoff loss at Philadelphia on Saturday.

First-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkasian was the easy target to blame for Atlanta’s sharp decline in scoring , but there were other problems.

Running backs Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman each missed time with concussions. Left guard Andy Levitre was placed on injured reserve before a wild-card win over the Rams with a triceps injury.

Quarterback Matt Ryan couldn’t repeat his 2016 MVP production. Julio Jones was held to only three touchdown catches – his low total since having two in 2013, when he played only five games. He couldn’t catch a last-chance, fourth down pass in the end zone from the Eagles 2.

The Falcons tumbled from first to 15th in scoring.

”I think that’s certainly something that we have to look at and evaluate this offseason,” Ryan said. ”There were too many times that we were a little bit inconsistent.”

While the core of the defense is young Authentic Josh Jackson Jersey , the window is closing for the leaders of the offense. Ryan will be 33 next season – the last year on his six-year, $103.75 million contract. Jones will be 29.

Recent history provides a reason to give Sarkasian another season with the offense.

There was much talk that Ryan and Kyle Shanahan were not on the same page in Shanahan’s first year leading the offense in 2015, and Shanahan then won praise when the Falcons led the league with 33.8 points per game in 2016. The turnaround helped Shanahan land a job as San Francisco’s head coach.

Jones noted the Falcons had ”new pieces” this season, including Sarkasian.

”Everybody has to be on the same page and it takes time,” Jones said. ”It takes more than one year. … We are a much better offense than we showed for sure. That is just on us Authentic Korey Toomer Jersey , on all of us.”

Here are some things to know about the Falcons following their 11-7 season:

FREE AGENCY: Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff are expected to talk on Wednesday about their offseason plans. Decisions must be made on attempts to re-sign such key free agents as defensive tackle Dontari Poe, defensive end Adrian Clayborn and kicker Matt Bryant. Ben Garland, who took over for Levitre at left guard, and wide receiver Taylor Gabriel also are set to enter free agency, as is return specialist Andre Roberts and defensive tackle Courtney Upshaw.

YOUNG D: Linebackers Deion Jones and DeVondre Campbell and safety Keanu Neal were the leaders of a defense which finished in the top 10 in scoring and total yards for the first time since Atlanta’s 1998 Super Bowl season. Those three players Authentic Jeff Locke Jersey , as well as 2016 NFL sacks leader Vic Beasley Jr. and rookie Takkarist McKinley, who had sacks in both playoff games, were drafted following Quinn’s arrival in 2015.

WIN-WIN FOR QUINN: Sure, Atlanta again fell short of its first Super Bowl championship, but there was one postseason first for the franchise. Quinn is the first Atlanta coach to win at least one playoff game in back-to-back seasons. He is 32-21 in three seasons Authentic Vita Vea Jersey , including the playoffs.

FREEMAN MAY FACE SURGERY: Freeman told ESPN.com he finished the season with a sprained knee. He had 10 carries for only 7 yards against the Eagles despite sprained posterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his right knee. He was on the injury report with a knee injury before each playoff game but the details of the injury were not known. He said he didn’t know if surgery would be needed.

STILL KICKING: The 42-year-old Bryant was good on each of his five field goals in the postseason after making 34 of 39 in the regular season. He is 12 for 12 in the postseason since joining the Falcons in 2009.

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HOUSTON (AP) The Houston Texans have placed rookie RB D’Onta Foreman on injured reserve and claimed veteran RB Andre Ellington off waivers from Arizona.

Foreman ruptured his left Achilles tendon Sunday during a touchdown run against the Cardinals. Texans coach Bill O’Brien confirmed the extent of the injury on Wednesday. Foreman rushed for 327 yards and two touchdowns on 78 carries as backup to Lamar Miller.

Ellington Cheap Kyle Lauletta Jersey , whose cousin Bruce Ellington is a wide receiver for the Texans, has caught 33 passes for 297 yards out of the backfield this season, and rushed for 53 yards on 15 carries.

”It’s definitely a dream come true,” Andre Ellington said of playing with his cousin. ”You always want to be teammates with someone you grew up with Authentic Patrik Laine Jersey , but it doesn’t usually happen that way.”

The two last played on the same team in high school; Andre was a senior, Bruce a sophomore. Andre, who played at Clemson while Bruce played at South Carolina, said he’s looking forward to Saturday when the two college teams play each other.

”There will be a lot of smack talk around here Authentic Luke Falk Jersey , for sure,” Andre Ellington said.

He also played with Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins at Clemson.

”I always said before he even got here that he would be what he is today,” Andre Ellington said. ”A lot of people doubted it, but he believed it Authentic Armani Watts Jersey , and that’s why he’s where he is now.”

Hopkins, who was not seen during the part of Wednesday’s practice open to the media, will play Monday night at Baltimore, O’Brien said.

”He’s all right Authentic Cordy Glenn Jersey ,” O’Brien said. ”He rode the bike a little bit today. He’ll be there Monday night.”

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ATLANTA (9-5) at NEW ORLANS SAINTS (10-4)

Sunday Giants Kyle Lauletta Jersey , 1 p.m. ET, Fox

OPENING LINE – New Orleans by 5.

RECORD VS. SPREAD – Atlanta 6-8, Saints 7-7

SERIES RECORD – Falcons lead 52-45

LAST MEETING – Falcons beat Saints 20-17, Dec. 7

LAST WEEK – Falcons beat Buccaneers 24-21; Saints beat Jets 31-19

AP PRO32 RANKING – Falcon No. 9, Saints No. 6

FALCONS OFFENSE – OVERALL (9), RUSH (8), PASS (10)

FALCONS DEFENSE – OVERALL (9), RUSH (9), PASS (12)

SAINTS OFFENSE – OVERALL (1) Seahawks Michael Dickson Jersey , RUSH (5), PASS (4)

SAINTS DEFENSE – OVERALL (11), RUSH (18), PASS (7)

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Falcons can move into second place in NFC South with victory or first place with victory plus Carolina loss. … Atlanta has won five of last six. … Falcons have won three straight vs. Saints. … Falcons 9-0 when scoring 20 or more this season. … RB Devonta Freeman had 194 scrimmage yards – 126 rushing, 68 receiving – and TD last week. … WR Julio Jones ranks third in NFL with 1,215 yards receiving, has averaged 96.4 yards in his past seven vs. Saints. … WR Mohamed Sanu has TD catch in each of last two games vs. Saints. … DE Adrian Clayborn has 7 1-2 sacks, two forced fumbles Authentic Patrik Laine Jersey , two fumble recoveries in his past six games. He had sack in last game vs. Saints. … LB Deion Jones is from New Orleans, played for LSU and leads Falcons with 118 tackles, which ranks fourth in NFC. Jones has INT in two of three career games against hometown team, including last meeting. … DE Takkarist McKinley leads NFC rookies with six sacks and is tied for first among NFL rookies with two forced fumbles. He had sack and forced fumble last week. He has four sacks in past five games. … Saints can clinch playoff spot with victory, win division with victory plus Carolina loss. … Saints are only NFL team with three players who’ve each surpassed 1,000 scrimmage yards: RB Mark Ingram has 1,420, rookie RB Alvin Kamara has 1,336 Authentic Chase Edmonds Jersey , and WR Michael Thomas has 1,085. … QB Drew Brees ranks fourth in NFL with 3,850 yards passing. … Ingram ranks third in NFC with 1,045 yards rushing, his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. He had 151 scrimmage yards and two TDs rushing last week. … Kamara leads NFL rookies with 12 TDs, ranks second among rookies with 1,336 scrimmage yards. Kamara is one of four rookies in NFL history with five or more TDs rushing and five or more TDs receiving. Other three are Hall of Famers Doak Walker, Charley Taylor and Gale Sayers. … Thomas leads NFC with 94 catches Authentic Dustin McGowan Jersey , one of two WRs in NFL history, along with Odell Beckham Jr., with 90-plus receptions in each of first two NFL seasons. … DE Cameron Jordan leads Saints with 10 sacks, his third career season with at least 10. He also has 14 tackles for loss and 11 passes defended. … Rookie CB Marshon Lattimore has INT in past two games, tied for first among rookies with four INTs. … Fantasy Tip: Freeman has been in top form lately and faces defense that yielded 132 yards rushing to Falcons in Week 14, and 124 yards rushing to Jets last week.

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FOXBOROUGH Cheap Logan Cooke Jersey , Mass. (AP) Miami quarterback Matt Moore dropped back from the New England 15-yard line and lofted a jump ball toward the corner of the end zone.

Except Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker didn’t jump. And Patriots cornerback Stephon Gilmore did.

The interception kept Miami from cutting into an 11-point deficit just before halftime, and it was just one of the key mistakes made by the Dolphins in a 35-17 loss to the AFC East-leading Patriots on Sunday. There were seven sacks, six penalties, two interceptions and a fumble, and they also got caught napping when New England faked a punt on fourth-and-8 from its own 27.

”There’s self-inflicted wounds that kind of reared their ugly heads,” defensive lineman Cameron Wake said after Miami lost its fifth in a row – and ninth straight at New England. ”They cost you plays, which in turn cost you position on the field Cheap Michael Dickson Jersey , which in turn costs you points on the board. And, obviously, that sways the course of the game.”

Miami seemed on its way to forcing a three-and-out on the opening drive, but upback Nate Ebner took the snap instead of the punter and ran 14 yards for a first down that sent the Patriots on their way to their first touchdown. It was 14-7 when the Dolphins committed two defensive holding penalties in three snaps, clearing the way for another touchdown drive.

But Miami had a chance to cut into the deficit just before the half, driving to the Patriots 10 before settling for a field goal and then quickly getting the ball back when Bobby McCain – more on him later – intercepted Tom Brady just before the 2-minute warning.

With the ball on the New England 15 and 16 seconds left in the half, Moore threw the ball toward Parker Authentic DJ Moore Jersey , who didn’t react until it was too late.

”I thought Matt made the right read,” coach Adam Gase said. ”(I) don’t know if he was early or DeVante didn’t think it was coming to him that quickly. It looked like the ball was in the air, when he got his head around, he was trying to stop then fell.”

More mistakes followed in the second half.

On New England’s first possession, defensive back Xavlen Howard grabbed a face mask away from the play to move the Patriots across midfield. Three plays later, McCain was ejected for throwing a punch at receiver Danny Amendola, with a penalty that advanced the ball to the 12.

On second down Lions Da'Shawn Hand Jersey , Brady hit Rob Gronkowski from 15 yards out for his second TD catch of the game and a 28-10 New England lead.

”That was a terrible series for us,” Gase said. ”I mean, that was one we really couldn’t have at that moment in the game. We really put ourselves in bad position, especially losing Bobby like that. That puts a lot of guys in a bad position.”

Despite fumbling on their next possession, the Dolphins still trailed only 28-17 when they forced a three-and-out with 10:28 left in the game. But Miami gained negative yardage on each of its next three possessions, thanks to four sacks for 42 yards.

Moore’s last pass – another lob targeting Parker – came down with two Patriots fighting over the ball. Duron Harmon was credited with the interception.

”Obviously they’re going to make plays; they’re professional athletes. But then if you do damage to your own self on top of the things that they’re doing, you’re fighting a losing battle Authentic Blake Wheeler Jersey ,” Wake said. ”This game, that was the most frustrating thing.”

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DETROIT (AP) Matthew Stafford’s latest attempt at a fourth-quarter comeback fizzled – and now his health is a concern too.

Stafford played on after appearing to injure his right ankle Thursday Authentic Anze Kopitar Jersey , but the Lions didn’t have a first down on either of their final two drives in a 30-23 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

It was an uneven performance all around for Stafford, who threw for two touchdowns but wasn’t able to orchestrate another come-from-behind victory.

”We didn’t win the game. We didn’t play well enough to win it,” Stafford said. ”Would love to start early, or start fast early, and we didn’t, but we fought tooth and nail to get back in.”

Down 27-16 early in the fourth quarter Cheap Jonathan Cooper Jersey , Stafford threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Marvin Jones, who made a tremendous catch in double coverage.

But Stafford remained down on the ground for a while after that play. Defensive tackle Tom Johnson had fallen into the back of his legs, and it looked as if Stafford had hurt his ankle.

The Lions kicked the extra point instead of going for a 2-point conversion, and coach Jim Caldwell later said Stafford’s injury was part of the reason why. But the Detroit quarterback had some time to walk around on the sideline and didn’t miss an offensive snap.

Stafford and the Lions went three-and-out on their next possession. When they got the ball back again, it was 30-23. Stafford missed Golden Tate on a deep pass over the middle, and then his fourth down pass toward Jones was intercepted.

Stafford hasn’t missed a start since the 2010 season Authentic Wayne Simmonds Jersey , and he’ll have some time to recover before Detroit’s next game, at Baltimore on Dec. 3. He was asked afterward how he felt.

”Not 100 percent, but ticker’s still ticking,” he said.

The Lions paid a price for another slow start. Detroit fell behind 10-0 against Cleveland and Chicago the past two weekends, but the Lions were able to rally and win those games. On Thursday, Detroit trailed 13-0 after one quarter.

The Vikings drove 80 yards on 14 plays for the game’s first touchdown Authentic Daniel Sedin Jersey , although the extra point was blocked. The Lions then gave the ball back on a fumbled exchange between Stafford and Ameer Abdullah. Less than a minute later, it was 13-0.

There were other mistakes later on. Stafford finished 20 of 35 for 250 yards, his lowest completion percentage in more than a month.

The Lions (6-5) trail the first-place Vikings (9-2) by three games in the NFC North.

Stafford has long since proven his durability, but the Lions don’t want him limited in any way. Detroit stumbled toward the end of last season after Stafford hurt a finger, losing its final three regular-season games and its postseason opener. The schedule down the stretch is easier this time, but the margin for error is diminished.

”That team is a dang good team and so are we Authentic Brandon McCarthy Jersey , but we’ve just got to fix the little problems,” Tate said.

”Thankfully we get some extra days off to get healthy because that was a very physical game, as you can see. So, we’re going to keep our heads up and keep chugging.”

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ALAMEDA Authentic Jeremy Kerley Jersey , Calif. (AP) As tight end Jared Cook has gotten more comfortable in the Raiders offense he’s become an increasingly reliable downfield threat for quarterback Derek Carr.

That’s been big for Carr, who has struggled trying to get the ball deep to wide receivers Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree this season.

”There’s a lot of tight ends that can run the intermediate and short routes, but not a lot of them on third down can run a go route and catch a 35-yard gain,” Carr said. ”Those are few and far between. Having a guy like Jared to have that speed that he doesn’t just run the short stuff or intermediate stuff, he can take the top off and I’m liable to throw it.

”Even if corners are guarding him. I’ve thrown the ball to him when corners are guarding him. I’ve thrown it when safeties http://www.detroitlionsteamonline.com/da_shawn-hand-jersey , linebackers are guarding him. Just having that at our disposal is really nice.”

Cook’s production over the last month has stood out in particular.

The nine-year veteran caught six passes for 107 yards and fueled Oakland’s fourth-quarter comeback against Kansas City in Week 7 then followed that up with eight receptions for 126 yards in the Week 9 win over Miami.

It’s only the second time in Cook’s career that he has had a pair of 100-yard games in the same season.

Offensive coordinator Todd Downing chalks it up to timing.

”I think he’s getting a little bit more comfortable building that chemistry with Derek, understanding route stems and things of that nature,” Downing said Thursday. ”He’s such a long stride guy so he can cover a lot of ground without a lot of steps. He’s got that length to be able to adjust to the ball, wherever that may be. He has a skill set that’s good in the intermediate and the deep and certainly that’s something that lends itself to being productive in the passing game.”

Cook was Oakland’s top free agent acquisition in the offseason after spending 2016 in Green Bay. He has had at least four catches in six of the Raiders’ nine games and leads the team with 39 receptions. By comparison, Cooper has 38 and Crabtree has 36.

At his current pace Cook will finish with 69 catches Authentic Nyheim Hines Jersey , which would be a career high and match his total from the last two seasons combined. He also leads the Raiders with a 12.8-yard per-catch average.

”It’s fun,” Cook said. ”That’s how football is supposed to be when you can open up the offense, and make plays and stay on the field. Staying on the field helps the whole team out. When you’re able to do that, keeping the chains moving, that just helps everybody out Authentic Nathan Shepherd Jersey , helps everybody get more plays.”

That’s what Cooper is hoping.

A Pro Bowl selection in each of his first two seasons, Cooper had become the focal point of opposing defensive secondaries. With teams now having to pay more attention to Cook, Cooper could find himself in more favorable matchups.

”I would think so,” Cooper said ”He’s been killing it out there. Usually when a guy does that, teams tend to focus on him. That should free us up some.”

Notes: Left tackle Donald Penn returned to practice after missing Wednesday for non-injury reasons. . Cornerback David Amerson (foot) continues to work out on the side away from practice.

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