Projekte » The Lions wore their gun-metal grey third jerseys

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - There are few, if any, reasons to watch Tennessee and Jacksonville on Thursday night.Not even fantasy owners could have much interest in this prime-time matchup.Its two 2-12 teams from the AFC South that are playing out the string. The Titans have lost eight consecutive games and are down to third-string quarterback Charlie Whitehurst, who is making his eighth career start.The Jaguars have dropped six of seven, have scored two offensive touchdowns in the past four games and are without their top rusher, top receiver and top tackler.So expectations should be low.Theres not a lot to hang our hat on from this season, but its a Thursday night game, said Titans coach Ken Whisenhunt, whose team is looking to sweep Jacksonville for the just second time in 11 years.National games always seem to add a little more zest to it. I dont know if its really sweeping a division opponent that makes that much as it is an opportunity to get a win.The Jaguars, meanwhile, are favourites for the first time since Sept. 30, 2012. Since losing 27-10 to Cincinnati as a 1 1/2-point favourite, Jacksonville had been underdogs for 42 consecutive games.Weve had plenty of opportunities to win a lot of games, Jaguars defensive tackle SenDerrick Marks said. Its like we have to learn how to finish. ... Once we build that mindset and grow the guys, I really feel like it will be that much better. Weve had plenty of opportunities to pull out a victory in all of these games and we just fell short. I think we have that ability to change that within no time.Getting the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft should help either team, and the Thursday nights loser would move closer to securing the top pick.For Tennessee, it could mean having its pick between Oregon quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and Florida States Jameis Winston.Former first-round draft pick Jake Locker is a free agent, and Whisenhunt bristled earlier this week when asked whether he was committed to Zach Mettenberger.I dont know where you heard that, Whisenhunt said. Thats something that we said wed discuss. Thats not a question that we want to discuss in-season. Thats something wed go through after the season is over and go back and look at all of the snaps and go from there.For Jacksonville, landing the top draft spot would leave the rebuilding franchise in position to possibly trade down and get more picks.Neither team is thinking about that right now — at least not publicly. They focused on winning, regardless of how less-than-ideal the matchup might appear.A lot of people will turn the TV on Thursday night football and theres nothing else to watch, Titans receiver Kendall Wright said. Were going to try to give them a show either way.Here are some things to know about the Titans and Jaguars:___BORTLES READY? The Jaguars are leaning toward playing injured quarterback Blake Bortles. The rookie sprained his right foot Sunday at Baltimore and has been limited during light practices this week. He will go through pregame mobility tests before his status is determined.MARKS MARK: Jaguars defensive tackle SenDerrick Marks has extra incentive against his former team. Marks needs half a sack to trigger a $600,000 bonus in his contract. Marks has 7 1/2 sacks, an impressive number for an interior lineman playing on a team that rarely has a lead. I wont abandon the scheme just to be selfish and get something for me, said Marks, who spent four seasons with the Titans.STILL LOOKING FOR 100: The Titans have yet to have a 100-yard rusher this season, and only one receiver had topped the century mark in 2014. Kendall Wright had 132 yards receiving in a Nov. 30 loss at Houston, then he broke a bone in his right hand in practice. That has kept him out of the past two games. The Titans are hoping Wright can return against the Jaguars, with Whisenhunt saying its a matter of pain tolerance.AT LEAST THERES WALKER: Titans tight end Delanie Walker has been the bright spot on offence, and he already has set the franchise record for yards receiving in a season (793). He also is the only player on the roster to top 100 yards receiving in two separate games, and he had 93 in last weeks loss to the Jets. That has made him a big target for defences.MULARKEYS RETURN: Former Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey will return to EverBank Field for the first time since getting fired after the 2012 season. Mularkey sat out last year before joining the Titans as tight ends coach.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Wilmer Difo Jersey . Goldeyes third baseman Ryan Pineda drove in three runs and the pitching staff didnt allow an earned run, as Winnipeg downed Kansas City 6-3 in American Association exhibition action at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas. Brian Dozier Nationals Jersey .J. -- Rampage Jackson scowled, howled, then bellowed to the crowd: "Im back! Im back!" With rebuilt knees and a new promotion, Jackson might have one more act left in MMA. https://www.cheapnationals.com/1327r-tan...-nationals.html. A groundswell for raising the number of playoff qualifiers to seven in each conference figures to get plenty of support from the 32 owners. Most notably, Arizonas Bill Bidwill, who saw his Cardinals go 10-6 and not get in, while Green Bay (8-7-1) qualified by winning the NFC North. Ryan Zimmerman Nationals Jersey . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. Matt Adams Jersey . Three pitches later, he was hugging Mike Napoli at home plate after his teammates winning home run. Napoli and Ortiz hit consecutive homers with one out in the 10th inning and the Boston Red Sox rallied past Minnesota 2-1 Wednesday, sending the Twins to their fifth straight loss.VANCOUVER -- Kory Sheets ran for two touchdowns as the Saskatchewan Roughriders beat the B.C. Lions 31-17 before a disappointed crowd of 37,312 -- the highest of the season at B.C. Place -- on Friday night. The Riders ended their losing streak at four games as they moved into a second-place tie with B.C. for second place in the West Division. Both clubs have 9-5 records. The Lions suffered their first regular-season loss at home since July 20, 2012 against Edmonton. Lions quarterback Thomas DeMarco suffered his first loss in three games filling in for injured starter Travis Lulay (shoulder.) DeMarco threw the first three interceptions of his CFL career and ended the game with 286 passing yards and a touchdown. Sheets excelled upon his return from a knee injury that had kept him out of two-plus games. He was injured Sept. 14 against Toronto. The running back rushed for 80 yards on 14 carries. Weston Dressler caught a touchdown pass for Saskatchewan while Chris Milo furnished two field goals and a single off a miss. B.C. also conceded a safety. Shawn Gore and Nick Moore scored touchdowns for B.C., while Paul McCallum kicked one field goal. B.C. led 3-0 after the first quarter, but the Riders never trailed after Dresslers second-quarter touchdown. Many fans came to see Riders slotback Geroy Simon, who played his first game in B.C. since being traded to Saskatchewan in January. The crowd gave him a standing ovation when he was introduced before the game. But Simon had a quiet night, recording just one catch on the second-last play of the game. He extended his receptions streak to 184 games just seconds before it was in danger of coming to an end. McCallum put B.C. on scoreboard first as he booted a 35-yard field goal about nine-and-a-half minutes into the game after both teams struggled to get going offensively. The Lions were forced to settle for a field goal after DeMarco plunged for a first down on a third-and-one situation but then threw two incomplete passes. Saskatchewan put up its first points early in the second quarter as Durant connected with Dressler on a seven-yard touchdown pass, staking the Riders to a 7-3 lead. The Lions threatened to score, but Dwight Anderson intercepted a DeMarco pass in the end zone and returned the ball 38 yards. Dresslers 49-yard reception put the Riders in scoring position again. It looked like the Lions had limited the Riders to a 32-yard field goal, but a facemasking penalty to B.C. defensive back Lin-J Shell kept the drive alive and Sheets ran for a one-yardd touchdown.dddddddddddd Officials were slow to signal a touchdown, and Lions coach Mike Benevides challenged the call, but lost. The Riders then decided to go for a two-point convert and Durant was successful as he threw to Dressler. Sheets was hurt in the closing seconds of the first half as he tried to turn across the field while running with the ball after making a catch. His right ankle appeared to give out and he fell without being tackled. He set up a 39-yard field goal attempt on the last play of the second quarter, but Milo was wide and the ball went through the end zone for a single point to give Saskatchewan a 16-3 advantage at half-time. Sheets returned in the second half, but not before the Lions used their first series to reduce Saskatchewans lead to 16-10. Receiver Shawn Gore ran in for a one-yard touchdown on a reverse. The score was set up by a Tyron Brackenridge pass interference penalty in the end zone and a 41-yard rush by another B.C. receiver-turned-rusher, Korey Williams. But Sheets soon enabled the Riders to go up 23-10 as he ran in for his second touchdown for the game, from six yards out. The Riders went ahead by two more points at the end of the third quarter as McCallum conceded a safety. Another Williams 41-yard gain, this time on a pass, put the Lions in scoring range in the fourth quarter, but McCallums field-goal attempt was wide and Dressler ran the ball out of the end zone. Lions offensive guard Patrick Kabongos unnecessary roughness penalty for contact out of bounds helped set up a Milo 45-yard field goal that put the Riders up 28-10. B.C. made things slightly interesting as Moore caught a 15-yard touchdown with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter while the Lions were on third down with 15 yards to go. But on B.C.s next drive, Gore dropped a pass while open, the Lions were called for illegal procedure and Carlos Thomas knocked down a long bomb intended for Emmanuel Arceneaux on another third-down situation. Milo closed out the scoring with a 33-yard field goal with 30 seconds left. Notes: Simon was feted with a video montage showing highlights from his 12 seasons as a Lion. a The Lions wore their gun-metal grey third jerseys for the second time this season. a B.C. offensive lineman Steve Myddelton started at right guard in place of Dean Valli as coach Mike Benevides elected to make a change. Valli dressed as a backup. Korey Williams filled in at wide receiver for Marco Iannuzzi, who missed his second straight game with a leg injury. ' ' '