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HOUSTON -- Houstons Jadeveon Clowney, the top overall pick in this years draft, had microfracture surgery on his right knee. General manager Rick Smith said Clowney had the surgery on Monday. The Texans said last week that Clowney would have season-ending knee surgery, but did not specify what that surgery would be. This surgery was the second this season for the outside linebacker. He had arthroscopic surgery on the same knee after being injured in Week 1. He played three games since the first procedure but continued to struggle with pain and swelling in his knee. He saw his most extensive action of the season against the Bengals on Nov. 23, when he was in for about 50 plays and had three tackles, including one for a loss. But he experienced swelling in his knee after that and missed his eighth game of the year a week later. He last spoke to the media on Thanksgiving, when he revealed he was still in a lot of pain and that dealing with this injury has been difficult and frustrating for him. Its very tough knowing my ability and how I can play but that my knee wont let me, he said then. Thats the hard part about it that my knee keeps me from doing a lot of things I was doing before I got hurt. Clowney has had a tough time since Houston took him with the No. 1 overall pick, eager to put him on a defence already featuring rush specialist J.J. Watt. He left a dual practice Aug. 20 after a helmet-to-helmet hit with Denver Broncos tight end Jacob Tamme and missed the Texans final two preseason games, but said he passed the NFL protocols for head injuries in just over a week. He had to sit out the beginning of camp, too, after off-season surgery to repair a sports hernia. The Texans drafted Clowney after a three-year career at South Carolina in which he had 130 tackles, 24 sacks, 47 tackles for losses and 20 quarterback pressures. He also caused a school-record nine fumbles and deflected seven passes. The 6-foot-5, 266-pound Clowney also set a school record with 13 sacks in 2012. Wholesale Nike Air Max From China .com) - No Sidney Crosby, no problem. Discount Nike Air Max Wholesale . Playing in his 19th career final, the second-seeded Tsonga was favourite to win the Open 13 for the third time and to secure an 11th career title, but he struggled with Gulbis attacking approach. https://www.wholesalenikeairmaxshoes.com/.com) - Nicklas Backstrom scored a pair of goals and Alex Ovechkin notched a highlight-reel tally, leading the Washington Capitals to a 4-0 victory over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at the Prudential Center. Cheap Air Max 270 .Those stars, most notably the top line of James van Riemsdyk, Tyler Bozak and Phil Kessel, struggled against the Montreal Canadiens and must be better as the Leafs look ahead to facing the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers this weekend. Fake Nike Air Max Replica .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings take aim at an eighth straight victory on Monday night as they wrap up a road trip versus the Calgary Flames.PHOENIX - When the conversation turns to Super Bowl losers, the Bills and Vikings immediately come up.Both are 0-4, Buffalo managing the feat in consecutive seasons.The Broncos were in that sinking ship until John Elway completed his Hall of Fame career with two championships.The Patriots? They own a share of the short-term success mark in Super Bowls: three in a four-year span. Theyve been back twice since their previous championship victory and failed to add to their collection.Should they lose to Seattle next Sunday, these Patriots will become three-time losers, too. Those with short memories could begin wondering where that winning touch went?Then again, a win at University of Phoenix Stadium will tie Tom Brady with the likes of two more Hall of Famers, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw, for Super victories. It would lift Bill Belichick onto the same level as Chuck Noll, the only coaches with four Super Bowl rings.But the other side of the ledger cant be ignored: Despite their amazing run of success in their division — the admittedly mediocre AFC East — the Patriots have gone a full decade between titles.I would say the excitement is high, but its also more focused, says receiver Julian Edelman, who was on the squad that lost to the Giants three years ago.You have guys that have been to this game, guys that havent been to this game. You have guys that won the game; you have guys that havent won the game when theyve been there. Everyone is kind of just focused and trying to get ready to prepare for this team. Were playing the champs.They used to be the champs, but since beating Philadelphia in Jacksonville for the 2004 NFL crown, the Patriots have seen the Giants grab the Lombardi Trophy twice against them; seen Pittsburgh also win it two times; seen Baltimore, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New Orleans, and Seattle conclude their seasons with a championship. New England also lost twice in the Super Bowl before Belichick and Brady took over.What has happened for New England, other than dozens of wins except for one in the big game?Many factors have contributed to the streak the Patriots can end next weekend:—Slippage on defence.Yes, Belichick earned his stripes as a defensive mastermind, but ever since Brady matured into a dominant passer, New England has been an offensive team. Thats been important to remain a contender as the NFL has evolved into a high-scoring league. But in the biggest matchups, often against other potent attacks, the Patriots defence has been lacking. They havent had a trrue stud pass rusher or a star defensive back (until signing Darrelle Revis this season), and theyve also had some unfortunate injuries, particularly to linebacker Jerod Mayo.dddddddddddd.—Unbalanced offence.Belichick has been willing to make do with inconsistent running backs or retreads, and he also has soured on some of them, especially if they cant hold onto the football. That disorder in the backfield has put more pressure on Brady and the passing game. Fortunately for New England, Brady is an all-time great.But the changing cast behind him can be disruptive.Of course, since that most recent Super Bowl win, hes had the likes of Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Rob Gronkowski and Edelman to throw to. Any QB would like that group.Yet opponents have found in the playoffs that they rarely will be beaten by the Patriots run game, so they have loaded up on the pass rush, on coverage, and on making Brady uncomfortable.—No fear.The opposition, especially when the Patriots were winning their past two titles, often reacted to what New England was doing instead of emphasizing their own strengths. That changed altogether in the 2008 Super Bowl, when the Giants unleashed monstrous pressure on Brady, didnt make mistakes on either side of the ball, and shattered the Patriots chase of perfection.Pretty much the same thing has occurred in every post-season since, including after the 2011 schedule when the Giants beat them again for the prize. Think of how Baltimore and the Jets strutted their stuff in post-season matchups at Gillette Stadium.—Coaching.Say what? Belichick holds the record for postseason victories with 21, surpassing Tom Landry last week. But twice he was outmanoeuvred in Super Bowls by Tom Coughlin and his defensive co-ordinators. And two other times, John Harbaugh made many more correct moves in a playoff matchup.It would be foolish to think that Belichick no longer can handle the sharpest spotlight — which he ignores anyway. So it will be one of the most intriguing story lines of this Super Bowl to see how the chess match goes against Pete Carroll, perhaps the finest coach Belichick will have faced at this juncture.It would also be ill-advised to play up the recent post-season shortcomings and ignore the earlier successes. Still, should they lose, lots of people could wind up judging the Patriots more on what has happened in the past decade than what occurred in those glorious early seasons of Brady/Belichick.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '