Neues » the coaches meetings

Hey rook, get in there and show your stuff. Clearance Football Jerseys Throwback .Thats the reality of the NFL these days, when rookies, especially those selected high in the draft, not only are given a chance to prove themselves but are expected to contribute immediately. The salary cap forces it, but so do coaches eager to get more athletic skill on the field.This year, wide receivers and the guys who try to cover them are having the most impact.Such as Brandin Cooks of the Saints.He is so sharp in being able to pick things up and we use him in a lot of different ways, Drew Brees says of throwing to the first-round pick. He just continues to amaze me with his ability to compartmentalize those things and go out and execute it. If he makes a mistake it only happens once. He corrects it very quickly. Ive been impressed with that.Perhaps equally as impressive has been the work of another first-rounder, Cleveland cornerback Justin Gilbert. He started slowly but recently has been as effective as veteran Joe Haden at the other corner.I think hes really improving, Browns safety Donte Whitner. I think hes going out there and not thinking. Hes going out there to make plays and not going out there not to get beat.Thats critical in the secondary, where Chicago CB Kyle Fuller, San Diego CB Jason Verrett, Denver CB Bradley Roby, San Francisco safety Jimmie Ward, Arizona S Deone Bucannon, and Green Bay S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix have stood out in positions where the transition from college is exceptionally difficult.Not to mention the challenge of facing high-powered pro offences where receivers such as Cooks, Arizonas John Brown, Buffalos Sammy Watkins, Carolinas Kelvin Benjamin, Jacksonvilles Allen Robinson, and Philadelphias Jordan Matthews have so smoothly fit in.Its huge, Packers safeties coach Darren Perry says of the learning curve, particularly for a safety in his first NFL season.I mean its just a totally different game then the college game. The offences that you face are different. You see a little more zone read nowadays with some of the teams that we play, but for the most part its a different game.And so (Clinton-Dix) is learning, and I think every day for him is a new experience. You can see him growing, still has a ways to go. ... So we just got to keep plugging, were taking nothing for granted, as youve got to be with young guys.The most difficult positions for rookies to make a difference usually are quarterback and anywhere on the offensive line.While Derek Carr has been Oaklands starter from the get-go, and Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles have ascended in Jacksonville, neither is close to producing the way Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck, Russell Wilson and Cam Newton did in recent seasons.But the offensive line has produced quite a few noteworthy debut seasons, ranging from centres Corey Linsley (Green Bay), Bryan Stork (New England) and Russell Bodine (Cincinnati) to tackles JaWuan James (Miami) and Justin Britt (Seattle) to guards Zach Martin (Dallas) and Joel Bitonio (Cleveland).They are old-school offensive linemen, Cowboys coach Jason Garrett says of his young blockers, but that fits for all the rookies up front. They dont say a whole lot. They go out and do their job. They do it the right way.Not all rookies are doing things the right way, nor do they even come close to that.Last springs top overall draft pick, DE-LB Jadeveon Clowney, got hurt in Houstons opener and only just returned. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. injured his hamstring in the first practice of training camp and only recently got into the lineup.Falcons OT Jake Matthews has been ineffective and bothered by a sprained ankle. The Lions Eric Ebron, considered one of the best tight ends to enter the league in years, has been slowed by injuries.And Johnny Manziel sits patiently on Clevelands bench, the most touted rookie backup since, well, Tim Tebow.Still, this has been an exceptionally strong rookie crop, with solid work by Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley, Vikings RB Jerick McKinnon and Chargers RB Branden Oliver.And its punctuated by the performances of three kickers: Washington punter Tress Way, and placekickers Chandler Catanzaro and Cody Parkey.Way is showing the way by leading the NFL with 49.7 gross yards per kick.Arizonas Catanzaro set the rookie mark by making his first 16 field goal tries. Philadelphias Parkey is not far behind, hitting 14 out of 15 kicks.Catanzaro was an undrafted free agent who beat out veteran Jay Feely in the preseason and has been spotless since. Even his kickoffs, something he didnt handle in college, have been strong.We have some good friends at Clemson. Theyve always talked about it, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says, adding that special teams coach Amos Jones had worked him out and knew about him. And we kept our fingers crossed that he did not get drafted because he was a guy we had marked to get right away as soon as college free agency started.Nice move. One of many made by NFL teams in adding impactful rookies.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Football Jerseys Throwback China .Y. -- Florida Panthers captain Ed Jovanovski finally has something to show for all the pain he went through in overcoming a string of injuries that kept him sidelined for much of the past two years. Stitched Football Jerseys Throwback . Pistorius mindset when he stood on his stumps in a bathroom and pulled the trigger on his 9 mm pistol in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013 remains the crux of the South African trial that has captured worldwide attention and is about to start its seventh week of globally televised proceedings. It was initially scheduled to run for three weeks. http://www.cheapfootballthrowback.com/ . Pillar is batting .305 with 17 extra-base hits, 19 RBI and five stolen bases in 34 games for Buffalo this season. The right-handed hitter had an International League high, 18-game hitting streak this season and currently owns an IL high 26-game on base streak.NEW YORK - Earlier in the week, after hitting a big three-point shot to force overtime in a win over Denver, Patrick Patterson expressed his desire to follow in the footsteps of Robert Horry, formally one of the leagues most clutch players. Big Shot Bob made some crucial game-changing, playoff-series winning jumpers throughout his 16-year career - a career that produced seven championship rings - but he wasnt exactly known for making magic on the defensive end. Patterson, a steady positional defender throughout his time in Toronto, may have even surprised himself with what he was able to do as a stopper on Sunday, facing off against an elite scorer down the stretch of the Raptors 95-90 OT victory at Madison Square Garden. I aint going to lie, it was a big challenge tonight as far as guarding one of the best players in the NBA, said Patterson, who spent most of the games final 11 minutes, including the five-minute OT period, chasing around Knicks star forward Carmelo Anthony. My whole mindset when I was on him was to just deny him the ball as much as possible. Other than that, yea, Im not really known for my down-the-stretch perimeter clutch defence like that. But it felt good. My teammates had total confidence in me, the coaching staff had total confidence in me as far as keeping me on Melo in those crunch-time minutes. Thankfully it worked. Landry Fields, starting his third straight game in place of the injured DeMar DeRozan, and James Johnson drew the Anthony assignment for most of the evening. Although Fields - a former teammate of Anthonys in New York - had some success early in the game, the seven-time All-Star and former scoring champ would go on to have his way with both of them. Midway through the fourth quarter, with the score evened and Anthony carrying a decimated Knicks team - that had won just one of their last 11 games - Dwane Casey turned to the six-foot-nine Patterson, hoping that his length may cause some frustration. At the time, Anthony had 27 points on an efficient 8-of-15 shooting, having hit three of his five attempts from three-point range and eight of 10 from the line. Immediately, Anthony looked to attack Patterson off the dribble. He drove past him for layup and it looked as though the experiment may be short-lived. From that point on, Anthony made just two of his final eight shots, including one of four from long distance. He scored just five points over roughly 11 minutes and did not attempt a single free throw. His length and energy, his quickness and speed and his tenacity to deny it and forcing him way out to catch the ball and his overall defensive focus and understanding of where he is on the floor, Casey said of Pattersons work. He did a magnificent job. Its not a role Patterson is accustomed to, settling in as Torontos stretch four off the bench, but its one he could find himself in more often after Sundays performance. I told him he told on himself by guarding perimeter guys like that, Casey joked after the game. Yeah, this isnt my [role], Patterson said humbly. Normally its [Johnson], DeMar, Terrence [Ross] or Landry and tonight it was my turn. Its enjoyable now. During that time, no, it wasnt enjoyable. It was a little nerve-racking. But now its enjoyable. Im smiling, Im laughing, Im enjoying my teammates encouraging me saying: Next time we play somebody like that were going to put you on him. Just joking like that. Right now its enjoyable, its a lot of fun. I think hes just shy, Kyle Lowry said of Pattersons modesty. Hes just shy. He [doesnt] want to play it [up] too much but its impressive. Sale Football Jerseys Throwback. We dont expect it from him every single night but on a night like this when he needed it and he gave it to us, its just respect for what he did. Patterson, finishing with 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting Sunday, has come on of late. Hes scored in double figures in eight of the teams last nine games off the bench, shooting 56 per cent from beyond the arc during the month of the December. In addition to his surprisingly effective defence on Anthony, the fifth-year forward has been making big late-game plays on the offensive end, including a go-ahead three-pointer early in OT against the Knicks. It wasnt pretty. The Raptors scored just 18 points in the second quarter, 14 in the fourth. They committed a season-high 24 turnovers, including Lowrys uncharacteristic nine miscues, and allowed the Knicks - shooting just 37 per cent - to hang around until the bitter end. But thanks to Patterson, as well as Ross and Lowry scoring 22 and 21 respectively, they were able to pull it out. It was one of those nights where everyone was struggling, Casey noted. Nothing would go. The ball would hit your hands and fall out of bounds, fumble it out. It was one of those nights you just find a way to grind it out. We had so many mistakes on both sides, even defensively but if you are serious about winning, you find a way to get it done and our guys did it. COACH DEROZAN For the first week of his forced time off, DeRozan reluctantly spent most of his day sitting on the couch, playing video games and watching the sport that hes used to playing at the highest level. Although theres still no timetable for his return to game action - hes missed eight straight contests with a groin tear - the Raptors All-Star guard has had enough sitting around, looking for and taking advantage of every opportunity to stay involved with the team while hes sidelined. DeRozan accompanied his teammates to New York, where he continued his rehab on the court at Madison Square Garden prior to the game. He has been doing core exercises with the trainers and shooting free throws after practice and before games for the latter half of this past week. The 25-year-old has also been making his presence felt behind the scenes, sitting in on the coaches meetings, something Casey had suggested shortly after DeRozan sustained his injury back on Nov. 28. DeRozan, in his sixth year with the Raptors, has been more than an observer, Casey said, calling him an active participant during these closed door sessions. We ask him questions and he participates, Casey said. Hes a sharp guy and he understands. The good thing about DeMar, he was here from day one when we put in the system so he understands what were trying to do defensively, he understands what were trying to do defensively. Probably more so than some of the coaches. DeRozan, speaking to the media last weekend, had said he was looking forward to studying the game in a new way for as long as hes a spectator. Hes confident that by spending this time - his first extended absence from basketball - watching through the eyes of a coach, hell be better for it when he does return. Casey has seen it pay off before. I think its very helpful for players to come into the coaches meetings, Casey said. Theyre always welcome. I remember in Seattle, Nate McMillan came into our coaches meeting with George Karl and it was huge to hear his thought process of what we were doing as a team from a players standpoint. And then lo and behold he turns around and becomes a coach. So its very helpful. ' ' '