FRISCO Adidas Sidney Crosby Jersey , Texas (AP) Dez Bryant never lived up to the big contract he signed with the Dallas Cowboys when he was among the best receivers in the NFL.

If the franchise leader in touchdown catches is going to find his 2014 All-Pro form again, it will be with another team.

The Cowboys released Bryant on Friday, deciding salary-cap relief and declining production from one of their biggest stars outweighed the risk of him proving them wrong by becoming a Pro Bowl player again somewhere else.
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And Bryant used Twitter to make it clear that he will be trying.

”If I didn’t have my edge, I’ve got it now,” he wrote among a flurry of tweets over two days, starting the day before a meeting where owner and general manager Jerry Jones told him he was being released. ”It’s very personal.”

The 29-year-old Bryant signed a $70 million, five-year deal after leading the NFL with 16 touchdowns in 2014. But he didn’t have a 1 Wholesale Chase Edmonds Jersey ,000-yard season in three years under the big contract, and just played all 16 games without a 100-yard day for the first time in his eight-year career.

Bryant was owed $12.5 million on each of the last two years of his deal, with a $16.5 million salary cap hit both times. The release clears about $8.5 million in cap space.

”This was not an easy decision,” Jones said. ”It was made based upon doing what we believe is in the best interest of the Dallas Cowboys. We arrived at this crossroad collectively with input from several voices within the organization.”

Jones’ statement was more fodder for Bryant, who tweeted, ”Key words in this statement.. Several input.. something I already knew.”

Bryant and Jones had a unique relationship because of the trouble that surrounded the receiver early in his career. Off-field concerns were the reason the Cowboys got him; he slid to near the bottom of the first round of the 2010 draft. Dallas traded up three spots to get him.

Before the three most prolific seasons of his career, when Bryant averaged 1 Authentic Mason Rudolph Jersey ,312 yards and nearly 14 touchdowns per year, he got tangled in lawsuits over unpaid jewelry bills and had a baggy pants incident with police at an upscale Dallas mall.

The most serious problem was a domestic incident involving his mother in 2012, with Bryant pleading guilty and eventually having the charge dismissed when he stayed out of trouble for a year.

Bryant also was a distraction throughout his career with sideline rants, even admitting late last season that he let frustrations affect him during perhaps his most difficult year in the league. He said some of the frustration was rooted in the offensive scheme.

”He will always be a valued member of our family,” Jones said in his statement. ”Dez and I share a personal and professional relationship that is very strong, and he is one of just a handful of players with whom I have become that close to over the past 30 years.”

With 73 touchdown catches, Bryant tops a Dallas list that includes Hall of Fame receivers Bob Hayes (71) and Michael Irvin (65). Tight end Jason Witten Kevin Hogan Jersey Elite , who is getting ready for his 16th season, has 68 career TD catches.

A dramatic dip in production started when Bryant broke his foot in the opener in 2015, a year after he helped the Cowboys win the NFC East and just their second playoff game since the last of the franchise’s five Super Bowls following the 1995 season.

Bryant battled injuries each of the past two years as well, but when healthy he wasn’t the same receiver who had the famous catch that wasn’t against Green Bay in a loss that kept the Cowboys out of the NFC championship game three years ago. He was second in the NFL with 11 drops last season, according to sportradar.

After getting 56 of his touchdowns in his first five seasons, Bryant had 17 his last three with the Cowboys.

Bryant never found the same on-field rapport with Dak Prescott that he had with Tony Romo, who lost his job during Prescott’s remarkable rookie season after Romo injured his back in the preseason in 2016. Romo was released last offseason and retired.

”Cowboy nation I need you to know this wasn’t my decision.. I will always love y’all… forever Dallas in my heart Billy Price Super Bowl LI Jersey ,” Bryant wrote in one post, which came only minutes after he tweeted, ”let’s start the process” in a reference to free agency.

The Cowboys left little doubt they were in the market for receivers in free agency, adding Allen Hurns after the four-year pro was released by Jacksonville. Six-year journeyman Deonte Thompson was another addition.

While Hurns is the most likely candidate to be the No. 1 receiver, the Cowboys could take a wideout in the first round for the first time since getting Bryant.

”No one will understand the love and the passion you have for the game,” DeMarcus Lawrence wrote as one of several now-former teammates to reach out to Bryant on Twitter. ”Wish you nothing but the best! I know you’ll be throwing up the X soon enough!”

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BEREA Anthony Miller Super Bowl LI Jersey , Ohio (AP) Todd Haley’s dad played for the Steelers, so he grew up in a household where enemy lines were clearly defined.

”I hated the Browns,” Haley said.

Not anymore.
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After six successful seasons guiding one of the NFL’s most high-powered offenses in Pittsburgh, Haley is starting anew in Cleveland with the winless Browns, a team he once reviled but always respected.

Haley was hired last month by Browns coach Hue Jackson, who after two seasons of handling coordinator duties, is turning over both his offense and play calling to the former Kansas City head coach. It’s another new challenge for Haley, who was dismissed by the Steelers in the ugly aftermath of their playoff loss to Jacksonville.

Haley opened his introductory news conference on Wednesday by touting a few of his accomplishments during ”six really good years” coaching stars Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell with the Steelers Kevin Hogan Jersey Elite , but then made it clear he has moved on.

”I’m looking forward,” he said, ”not back.”

For Haley, the Browns, coming off a historic 0-16 season, present a new challenge in a coaching career that has had other tests. Following his departure in Pittsburgh, Haley said he was attracted to the Cleveland gig because of his familiarity with Jackson, working with new general manager John Dorsey and bringing back the Browns, who are just 1-31 the past two seasons.

”I had some options Jason McCourty Super Bowl LI Jersey , but this really appealed to me – the challenge aspect of it,” he said. ”I think there are pieces in place to be successful. I went out to Arizona to be a coordinator, and Arizona had not had much success.

”A lot of people thought I was crazy for leaving Dallas when I did, but man, when you are a part of turning it around and having success, playing in big games and having success in big games, there is nothing like it.

”That is what appealed to me – the challenge and the people I was going to be working alongside of.”

Haley felt the same way in Pittsburgh, almost up to the time that the Steelers chose not to renew his contract, cutting him loose three days after the AFC North champions were beaten 45-42 by the Jaguars. Haley had been criticized for several decisions in that loss Ronnie Harrison Super Bowl LI Jersey , most notably two fourth down-and-short plays that the Steelers failed to convert.

There’s no second-guessing in Cleveland. At least not yet.

Haley has spent the past few weeks familiarizing himself with the Browns’ roster, which is expected to undergo some major changes this offseason through free agency and the NFL draft.

The Browns own the Nos. 1 and 4 overall picks and will likely use the first choice to select a quarterback. Haley didn’t bite when asked if he preferred USC’s Sam Darnold, UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield or Wyoming’s Josh Allen, the consensus top QBs available.

However, Haley said it’s exciting to be in position to get one of them.

”When you have a couple of really high picks like we do, it is a great opportunity,” he said. ”As my father always said to me, `When you are picking in the top 10 Authentic Kevin Hogan Jersey , Todd, you better be right most of the time.’ That will be the challenge for everybody involved.”

Dick Haley played cornerback for the Steelers from 1961-64, and stayed in pro football after retiring as a player personnel director for Pittsburgh and the New York Jets.

Todd Haley learned at an early age about the Browns-Steelers rivalry, and for the first time he’s on the other side of it.

The enemy has changed.

”I always want to beat whoever we are playing,” he said. ”Blood is thicker than water. Everybody always asked me, we had Steelers stuff stocked up for six years, and people are amazed that when you go somewhere else, you put it in a box and see who wants it.”

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BEREA Bo Scarbrough Super Bowl LI Jersey , Ohio (AP) Amid the wreckage of another wretched season, the Browns may have finally found their quarterback.

Imagine that.

Rookie DeShone Kizer, who has endured being benched and battered in his first year, rebounded from a four-turnover performance with his best game yet, passing for a season-high 268 yards in a 30-16 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
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While he still hasn’t led the Browns (0-11) to victory, the 21-year-old offered another glimpse of his potential and promise.

Kizer’s getting better.

”He did a good job,” said guard Joel Bitonio. ”He’s growing and he’s trying to improve. There are going to be bumps. I don’t think he played as well as he wanted to against Jacksonville, but I think he bounced back. That is something that you want to see out of a young quarterback Donte Jackson Super Bowl LI Jersey , the bounce-back game.”

One week after throwing two interceptions and losing two fumbles against the Jaguars, Kizer played mistake-free against the Bengals.

He also shook off the effects of some hard hits in the first half – he briefly left to be checked for a concussion – and had the Browns within a touchdown in the fourth quarter before Cleveland’s defense gave up a TD with 2:57 left.

It was significant progress for Kizer, whose rookie season has been nothing short of rocky. He still leads the league with 14 interceptions, and his shaky play earlier this season twice got him pulled during games and he was inactive for one game.

His outing in Cincinnati revived coach Hue Jackson’s confidence in his young QB.

”That is what you look for,” Jackson said Monday. ”Can you go on the road and play better? He went out and protected the ball, put us in situations where we had chances to make some plays and did some good things.”

Kizer, who has admittedly been tough on himself, feels as if he took a major step.

”I think it was heading along the path that we want to be on Wholesale Chad Thomas Jersey ,” he said. ”It’s moving back to the direction that we wanted to head in. I think that Jacksonville obviously was not the direction we had planned for myself, but now I’m back on the path and now it’s about taking that to the next step, adding Josh (Gordon) to this equation now and doing whatever we can to get ourselves some wins.”

One win would be nice.

The Browns are just the second team since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to go 0-11 in consecutive seasons, joining the 1976-77 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who at least had expansion as an excuse for their ineptitude.

Kizer’s development has been one of Jackson’s priorities this season.

And while some of his methods have been questioned, Jackson is beginning to see signs that Kizer is grasping the game better both physically and mentally.

On Sunday, Kizer, who has a powerful arm Cassius Marsh Jersey Elite , showed excellent touch on several throws, including a potential TD pass that was dropped in the end zone by wide receiver Corey Coleman.

Jackson has been urging Kizer to soften his throws, and the results are noticeable.

”I will never forget,” Jackson said. ”I was standing behind him in practice probably about 2+ weeks ago because he has a very strong arm, I told him and I said, `DeShone, let’s just lay the ball. Let’s throw the ball with more touch.’ I see him doing that more.”

Kizer has also done better at displaying the leadership qualities Jackson feels are essential in a quarterback.

Rather than discuss his own improvement, Kizer wanted to focus on his teammates and getting them a win.

”I’m starting to get tired of coming in and listening to the same pump-up speech Wholesale Brandon Parker Jersey ,” he said. ”I’m tired of watching some of these guys who once again put their bodies on the line every week and not rewarding those guys with victories.

”There’s a lot of guys in this league who played in this league for quite some time who haven’t won and it’s on me and the position I’m in as a quarterback here to do whatever I can to reward those guys with victories.”

NOTES: Gordon is eligible to play at Los Angeles this week after being suspended the past two seasons. He was eligible to come off the commissioner’s exempt list Monday, but the Browns will wait until later this week before activating him. … Jackson’s view of the personal foul call against S Jabrill Peppers hasn’t changed. Peppers was flagged for a high hit on Bengals WR Josh Malone, a costly late call that thwarted Cleveland’s comeback. ”I am not going to tell Jabrill Peppers to play that play any differently,” Jackson said. ”If he can lower his strike point a little bit, then great, OK? But I am not jumping him or going to be upset with him because of that play yesterday and how it happened.”

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HOUSTON (AP) Cancer survivor David Quessenberry knew all week that he’d make his NFL debut on Monday for the Houston Texans against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

What he didn’t realize until before just before the game was that he’d not only play Wholesale Phillip Gaines Jersey , but be one of his team’s captains.

”That surprised me,” he said. ”That was really cool. I didn’t expect that. When (coach Bill O’Brien) told the team that, everyone was really excited for me, and I was, too.”
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Quessenberry’s debut came on another tough day for the Texans as a 34-6 win by the Steelers gave them their fifth straight loss.

The guard was drafted by the Texans in the sixth round in 2013, but sustained a season-ending foot injury before appearing in a game. The following June he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and spent three years fighting the disease before being declared cancer free and returning to practice in May. He was cut before the season, but signed to the practice squad the next day Rick Leonard Super Bowl LI Jersey , where he remained until his promotion this week.

”What else can you say about that guy? That guy was in tough shape not too long ago, and for him to come back and play in an NFL game is an incredible thing if you ask me,” O’Brien said. ”So, I thought it was appropriate to make him a captain.”

Quessenberry struggled to put into words how special Monday was for him.

”I don’t know if I could. It was everything I dreamed of when I was going through my treatments,” he said. ”Getting out there and playing a full-speed game today was exactly how I had hoped it to be.”

His teammates raved about how far he’s come since being diagnosed with the disease, and were thrilled to see him realize his dream of playing in an NFL game.

”What he went through to come out and still be able to come and be a part of this team every day like nothing happened to him, everybody feeds off his energy Richard Rodgers Super Bowl LI Jersey , honestly,” DeAndre Hopkins said. ”I don’t know if he knows it, but everybody in this locker room looks up to him.”

Some things to know about Pittsburgh’s win over the Texans:

STEPPING UP

The Steelers were encouraged that the offense performed so well in its first game without NFL leading receiver Antonio Brown, who sat out with a calf injury. Pittsburgh scored more than 30 points for the fourth time this season despite missing one of the league’s top players.

”I think when A.B. comes back he’s going to be that extra, added dimension that guys have to prepare for,” running back Le’Veon Bell said. ”And I think having A.B. out of the lineup will give guys like Martavis (Bryant) and JuJu (Smith-Schuster) and Eli (Rogers) a little opportunity to go out there and get more experience learning different positions.”

ONE MORE QUARTERBACK?

Hopkins, who was drafted in 2013 Adidas Joe Thornton Jersey , has caught at least one touchdown pass from 10 quarterbacks. When Taylor Heinicke entered the game briefly on Monday when T.J. Yates was being evaluated for a concussion, he thought he might add a name to the list.

”I was hoping No. 8 stayed in so I could get a touchdown from him just to add up the amount of quarterbacks I’ve had (TD passes from),” Hopkins joked.

Despite Houston’s quarterback problems, Hopkins leads the NFL with a franchise-record 13 touchdown catches, and his 1,378 yards receiving are second in the NFL behind Brown.

GETTING A BREAK

Pittsburgh clinched a first-round bye with Monday’s win, and for many players it will be a much-needed break before the playoffs begin. Bell is among those really looking forward to a breather after leading the NFL with 321 carries this season.

”I think the greatest part of the season for real is that we had a bye early like Week 9 Authentic Braden Smith Jersey ,” he said. ”So we played eight games and we had a bye and we’re going to play another eight games to get another bye. So it kind of worked out perfectly.”

SO MANY TARGETS

When Ben Roethlisberger connected with Justin Turner on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter he became the 10th player that he’d thrown a TD pass to this season. With Brown out on Monday, Roethlisberger completed passes to six players.

”It was fun spreading the ball around to everybody today,” he said. ”I’m really proud of the way they stepped up.”

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FOXBOROUGH Wholesale Chukwuma Okorafor Jersey , Mass. (AP) The New England Patriots signed wide receiver Jordan Matthews as they continue jumbling their corps of targets for Tom Brady.

Matthews, 25 Cassius Marsh Jersey Elite , has played four NFL seasons, three with the Eagles and last season with the Bills (2017). In 56 NFL games with 42 starts Authentic Tremaine Edmunds Jersey , he has 250 receptions for 2,955 yards and 20 touchdowns.

He was a second-round draft pick (42nd overall) by Philadelphia in 2014 out of Vanderbilt. He was traded from Philadelphia to Buffalo along with a third-round draft pick last summer for cornerback Ronald Darby.
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New England previously saw Danny Amendola leave for Miami as a free agent Trent Murphy Super Bowl LI Jersey , and traded Brandin Cooks to the Rams for a first-round draft pick. The Patriots expect top receiver Julian Edelman to return from a knee injury that cost him the 2017 season.

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ST. LOUIS (AP) As a backup goalie Shaquem Griffin Jersey Elite , Carter Hutton knows he has to make the most of his rare chances to play.

Hutton did just that, making a career-high 48 saves to earn his ninth career shutout as the St. Louis Blues beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-0 Saturday night.

”Anytime we gave up something Hutton was there,” Blues coach Mike Yeo said. ”He was sharp right from the start. He was excited to get back in the net.”
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Vladimir Tarasenko and Vince Dunn scored for St. Louis, which snapped a two-game skid.

Hutton improved to 5-2-0 a day after being activated from injured reserve after sustaining a lower body injury. He was tested early and often as Winnipeg peppered him with 15 shots in the first period and 21 more in the second.

”Coming to the game I was a little more nervous, excited, kind of mixed emotions Kyzir White Super Bowl LI Jersey ,” Hutton said. ”I thought I settled in right away, first couple of shots seeing it well. They put a lot of shots on the net and for me it kind of gets me into the game.”

The 48 saves for Hutton set a franchise record for the most in a shutout, topping Chris Mason’s mark f 47 on Nov. 25, 2008, at Nashville.

”It’s amazing what (Hutton) did tonight, coming in after not playing for a little bit Wholesale Natrell Jamerson Jersey ,” Dunn said. ”It’s amazing that he can come in and control the game like that, so all kudos to him.”

Steve Mason, making his first appearance since Nov. 25, stopped 28 shots as Winnipeg lost for the fifth time in six games.

”I felt comfortable the entire game and that is what I was hoping for going into it,” Mason said. ”When you look at it, we had a chance to win that hockey game. Unfortunately we weren’t able to put one past Carter (Hutton) Wholesale Marquis Haynes Jersey , but if we play like that we are going to win more hockey games than we lose.”

Tarasenko opened the scoring on a power play 9:16 into the first period when he buried a pass from Alexander Steen. The goal was Tarasenko’s 15th of the season and third in his last 12 games. It snapped a streak of four games for St. Louis without a power-play goal.

Dunn made it 2-0 when he got his third of the season with 2:26 remaining in the third period. Tarasenko assisted on Dunn’s goal giving him 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in his last 13 games.

The Blues improved to 16-2-1 when scoring first while Winnipeg fell to 4-9-1 when surrendering the opening tally.

”When you lose games you’re always looking for things you don’t like, but there were an awful lot of things offensively that we were good, sharp and fast at,” Winnipeg coach Paul Maurice said. ”We just couldn’t find a handle on a lot of stuff laying in front of the net. They made some real good saves as well.”

NOTES: St. Louis RW Chris Thorburn faced the Jets for the first time since playing 709 games in 10 seasons with the franchise. … Blues RW Sammy Blais left the game in the second period with a lower body injury. … The Jets are 0-4-2 in their last six road games. … Winnipeg lost to St. Louis for the first time since Dec. 15, 2015 Ryan Switzer Super Bowl LI Jersey , after winning six straight meetings.

UP NEXT

Jets: Host St. Louis on Sunday in the second of back-to-back games between the teams.

Blues: At Winnipeg on Sunday to start a four game road trip.
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GLENDALE Wholesale Josey Jewell Jersey , Ariz. — The Arizona Coyotes’ concern is all those days off. The Edmonton Oilers’ concern is all those games off at least offensively, that is.

The Oilers, unable to generate much momentum with their season now more than halfway over, play back-to-back road games this weekend against teams coming off their bye weeks — the Coyotes on Friday and the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.

What they don’t know is if it’s an advantage they’re going against teams that might be a bit rusty, or a disadvantage because the Coyotes will be well-rested, having not played since a 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
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“Five days off might not seem like a lot, but the rhythm of your game goes away and you have to find it quickly,” Oilers center Mark Letestu said following practice Thursday at Gila River Arena. “In our situation, we’ve got two here now before our break and there’s a tendency to want to empty the tank. You have nothing to save it for Nate Solder Super Bowl LI Jersey , so you want to give your best effort.”

The Coyotes had three days off last week, but they practiced all three days and came out to beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 in overtime on Jan. 4.

This time, though, they weren’t permitted to practice during the NHL’s newly instated bye week until 6 p.m. EST on Thursday.

“I can’t speak for what Arizona and Las Vegas will go through or how they’ll feel,” Oilers coach Todd McLellan said. “It doesn’t matter to us. We have to prepare our game.”

Arizona will have a bit of a different look since the Oilers (18-23-3) last saw them on Nov. 28. A 3-2 Edmonton win was decided by Ryan Hopkins-Nugent’s goal with 40 seconds remaining in overtime.

The Coyotes picked up forward Freddie Hamilton on waivers from Calgary last weekend, then added right winger Richard Panik — a 22-goal scorer last season — in a trade Wednesday that sent left winger Anthony Duclair to the Chicago Blackhawks. During practice Thursday, Panik skated on a line with left winger Brendan Perlini and center Derek Stepan.

General manager John Chayka wanted to pick up an experienced, proven goal scorer to complement his young cast of forwards that includes rookies Clayton Keller and Christian Fischer. Panik, 26 Authentic Robert Golden Jersey , has 53 goals in his career while playing for Tampa Bay, Toronto and Chicago, but only six goals in 37 games this season.

“He’s a big, strong player, plays with speed, plays with pace, (is a) good goal scorer,” Chayka said on a conference call. “We still think he’s playing a well-rounded game, still think he’s doing a lot of good things that he was doing in the past.”

The Coyotes Marquez Valdes-Scantling Super Bowl LI Jersey , saddled with an NHL-worst 10-27-6 record, have only one player with more than 30 points — the 19-year-old Keller (14 goals, 32 points). The Oilers, by contrast, have gotten 15 goals and 48 points from wunderkind Connor McDavid, who is only 20 but was the Hart Trophy winner last season.

However, the Oilers are looking for goals, too they’ve scored only four in six games, and they squandered an excellent defensive effort during a 2-1 loss in Nashville on Tuesday.

McLellan’s suggestions to his team: go to the net more Mason Rudolph Super Bowl LI Jersey , work harder for the puck and review past goals to see where they were scored from.

“In practice, we moved some people around and got guys in different spots,” McLellan said Thursday. “Some of the drills started with the same mentality of getting it to the (goaltender’s) pad area then finding a retrieval and scoring off the rebound. We’re approaching it that way, preaching it that way.”

Oilers goaltender Cam Talbot is 15-16-2 with a 3.09 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage during what has been a busy season for him. He is 7-3-1 with a 2.24 goals-against average against Arizona. Coyotes goalie Antti Raanta (6-11-3) is 2-2 with a 2.45 goals-against average in his career against Edmonton.

With both teams playing on successive nights — Arizona plays at San Jose on Saturday — it’s likely backups Al Montoya of Edmonton and Scott Wedgewood of Arizona will get a game each.
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DETROIT (AP) JuJu Smith-Schuster made an inside move like a veteran and used his young legs to do the rest.

The rookie receiver scored on a 97-yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger late in the third quarter Wholesale Breeland Speaks Jersey , and the Pittsburgh Steelers forced the Detroit Lions to turn the ball over on downs twice in a 20-15 win Sunday night.

Smith-Schuster, selected No. 62 overall out of Southern California, had season highs with seven receptions for 193 yards.
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”A lot of people said, `He’s young, he’s immature,”’ Smith-Schuster said. ”I’m 20 years old, but when I’m on the field, playing with my boys, I’m going to get the job done.”

Smith-Schuster also knows how to have a little fun. When he got to the sideline after his touchdown, he put a chain that he purchased Sunday on a stationary bike Johnny Townsend Super Bowl LI Jersey , making light of his bike being stolen and recovered recently.

”He’s a little kid, excited for the moment,” veteran defensive end Cameron Heyward said. ”You appreciate the energy he brings. Us old farts don’t know how to deal with it sometimes, but I’m glad we got him.”

Roethlisberger is, too, because he has a reliable receiver to go to when Antonio Brown is covered and Martavis Bryant is pouting.

His last catch converted a third-and-1 from the Steelers 32, allowing them to run out the clock.

”He’s not playing like a rookie,” Roethlisberger said. ”He’s playing like a seasoned veteran.”

The AFC North-leading Steelers (6-2) go into their bye week with a three-game winning streak.

”We weren’t perfect, obviously, but boy we showed fight Wholesale Tarvarius Moore Jersey ,” coach Mike Tomlin said.

Pittsburgh’s defense put up a curtain in front of it end zone, forcing the Lions to settle for field goals. When they went for touchdowns, the Steelers stopped them.

Detroit coach Jim Caldwell chose to go for it on fourth down from the Steelers 1 trailing by one in the third quarter. Matthew Stafford was sacked as he stepped up out of a collapsing pocket and tried to run up the middle.

”Just as I thought I could do something, I got hit,” Stafford said.

A snap after missing wide-open tight end Jesse James on the ensuing drive, Roethlisberger dropped back into his end zone and perfectly lofted a pass to Smith-Schuster. The rookie receiver ran for about 70 yards after the catch, running past cornerback Quandre Diggs and pulling away from safety Glover Quin on his way to the end zone.

”I told him I didn’t know he had that much speed,” Roethlisberger recalled. ”He said he didn’t, either.”

Matt Prater kicked his fifth field goal on the next possession after Caldwell didn’t want to go for it on another fourth down from the Pittsburgh 1, drawing boos from a crowd that included a lot of black-and-yellow clad Wholesale John Franklin-Myers Jersey , towel-twirling fans cheering for the visitors.

”We tried to be aggressive the first time,” Caldwell said. ”And then it was later in the game, so we kicked it. We gave ourselves a chance to win the game.”

Then, receiver Golden Tate gave it away.

Detroit got the ball back with a chance to drive for a go-ahead TD, but Tate blew it with an unforced fumble at the Steelers 24.

”It just slipped,” Tate said. ”It was just a bad play by me.”

The Lions’ defense forced Pittsburgh to punt again and they failed to take advantage. After the 2-minute warning, Stafford threw an incomplete pass from the Pittsburgh 8.

”Our red zone defense was amazing,” Heyward said.

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Detroit had the third-highest yardage total without a TD, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com data dating back to 1940. The Lions had 482 yards, trailing only Cincinnati’s 496 yards against Seattle in 1994 and San Francisco’s 501 against Washington in 1986.

The Lions (3-4) were coming off their bye and lost for the fourth time in five games.

TAKE A SEAT

Bryant was inactive after his social media outburst following a victory over Cincinnati last weekend. Tomlin was asked if he was confident whether Bryant will help the team later this season.

”I’m not Authentic Su'a Cravens Jersey ,” Tomlin said.

THROUGH THE AIR

Brown, blanketed for much of the night by cornerback Darius Slay, had five catches for 70 yards.

TJ Jones, drafted by Detroit in 2014, had career highs with four receptions and 88 yards. Marvin Jones had six receptions for 128 yards for the Lions, who moved the ball well until they got deep into Pittsburgh territory.

INJURIES

Steelers: S Mike Mitchell hurt his right ankle, and was replaced by Robert Golden. … OL Chris Hubbard was evaluated for a concussion.

Lions: RB Dwayne Washington left the game with a concussion. … OT Rick Wagner went out with an ankle injury, and was able to return.

UP NEXT

Steelers: Idle until playing Nov. 12 at Indianapolis.

Lions: Play at Green Bay on Monday, Nov. 6.

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FLOWERY BRANCH Authentic Trent Murphy Jersey , Ga. (AP) Falcons receiver Julio Jones has returned to practice after missing the first two sessions this week with a sore ankle.

Kicker Matt Bryant was back at practice despite an injured right calf.

Atlanta (4-4) hosts the Dallas Cowboys (5-3) on Sunday. Jones and Bryant are expected to play despite getting hurt in last week’s loss at Carolina.
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Left guard Andy Levitre (knee) and defensive tackle Grady Jarrett (ribs) were limited Friday and, like Jones and Bryant, will listed as questionable. Running back Devonta Freeman (knee) Joel Iyiegbuniwe Super Bowl LI Jersey , defensive end Takk McKinley (shoulder) and cornerback Desmond Trufant (ankle) were full participants and will play. Linebacker Duke Riley (knee) is out.

Jones, a two-time All-Pro, is the feature weapon in the Falcons’ offense Patrick Omameh Super Bowl LI Jersey , but he has just one touchdown catch. He ranks fifth in yards receiving and 12th in receptions.

Jones’ decrease in productivity this season has coincided with the arrival of first-year offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian. The Falcons led the league in scoring last year as Jones was the only NFL receiver to average 100 yards per game. Atlanta ranks 19th in scoring this season.

Jones has not missed a game this year despite back, hip flexor and ankle injuries this year. He ranks fifth in yards receiving and 12th in catches.

”We worked a good bit on our red zone and our third down, so we featured him in those roles today Authentic Royce Freeman Jersey ,” coach Dan Quinn said Friday. ”He looked explosive coming out, trying to go through the stuff.”

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LAKE FOREST Thomas Rawls Jersey Elite , Ill. (AP) Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky never expected to line up under center only five games into his rookie season with the Chicago Bears.

With one game left, Trubisky would now like nothing better than to provide tangible evidence of how far he has come since first stepping into the starting lineup.

Against a backdrop of uncertainty over the coaching staff for next year, Trubisky on Sunday closes his first season against the Minnesota Vikings, the same team he lost to 20-17 at Soldier Field on Oct. 9 in his NFL debut.
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”I think every situation’s different,” Trubisky said. ”For me personally, I wanted to be thrown in as quickly as possible, but I respected and appreciated the plan they had for me, and I think it worked out.

”You can’t go back and change things but knowing what I know now, it worked for what we were trying to do here. For me the best experience is to actually go through it. But you can also gain a lot of experience from sitting and watching. It all depends on the person and how much you can benefit from each situation.”

Trubisky was supposed to play behind Mike Glennon, but eight turnovers in a three-game stretch led to a quarterback change for the first Vikings game.

Although Trubisky has won just four of his 11 starts and has a passer rating of 78.5 Authentic Dorance Armstrong Jr. Jersey , he calls his forced playing time a success.

”I feel good about it,” Trubisky said. ”Just go back to two words: growth and development. Try to get better every day. I had a lot of fun.”

In the first game with the Vikings, Trubisky went 12 for 25 for 128 yards and gave the Vikings the chance for the winning field goal by throwing a late fourth-quarter interception to Harrison Smith at the Bears 22-yard line.

”I think they’ll be impressed (with Trubisky),” Fox said. ”I think they’ll see some of the things they saw in that first game. I think he’s probably seen a little bit more defense now since that time.

”We’re doing a little bit more with him. So they’re a very, very good defense, they’re No. 1 in probably four of the five main categories of defense. At their place on a fast track, that’ll be a stiff challenge no doubt, no different than it was here months ago in his first start.”

The Bears ran a scaled-down version of the playbook in Trubisky’s early starts.

”We’ve expanded it, we definitely have,” offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said. ”And he’s doing more at the line of scrimmage now with protection checks and audibles.

”We’re able to do some more check-with-me stuff. We’re not where we’d like to be Daniel Kilgore Jersey Elite , still, yet. But he’s done a really good job of handling all that stuff.”

As the Bears have removed restraints on Trubisky, he’s put up bigger and better numbers. In the last four games, Trubisky is 82 for 116 (71 percent) for 880 yards. He had completed 53 percent for an average of 162 yards over his first seven games.

After being taken 1-2 in the 2016 NFL draft, Rams quarterback Jared Goff and Eagles QB Carson Wentz made drastic improvement in Year 2. Trubisky, chosen second this year, anticipates something similar in 2018.

”I expect to make a big jump from Year 1 to Year 2,” Trubisky said. ”The experience I’ve got this year, I’m definitely going to carry that with me into the offseason, going into next year D.J. Fluker Jersey Elite , and expect to have a lot of momentum and just a full head of steam going into next year.”

Fox sees the same, although it’s uncertain he’ll even be the one coaching Trubisky.

”I think anytime it’s a second go-around, regardless of what profession you’re in, I think it’s helpful,” Fox said. ”To do it the first time, you’ll come back, you’ll look at tape and think, `Wow, I didn’t really get that,’ or `Are you kidding me?’ It’s just a second go-around Authentic Richard Rodgers Jersey , regardless of what position you play. That’s typical of any rookie at the completion of his first NFL season.”

While the Vikings are playing for a first-round playoff bye, the Bears could be playing their final game under Fox. Trubisky isn’t thinking about that now.

”Block it out, I don’t really listen to anything,” he said about the talk Fox will be fired. ”It’s not up to me.”

NOTES: Bears guard Josh Sitton (ankle) and tackle Bobby Massie (knee) missed Wednesday’s practice with injuries. Sitton’s replacement, Tom Compton, returned to practice after missing last week’s game due to a concussion.

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