Das Forum » with a healthy Gronkowski being the difference

ST. Cory Snyder Jersey . PETERSBURG, Florida – Its been almost seven years since the Blue Jays last won a series at Tropicana Field. Theyll have to capture both Wednesday and Thursday nights games to break the unbelievable skid, which has reached 19 consecutive series either lost or tied. Manager John Gibbons, who was in his first tenure as Blue Jays manager the last time the club took a series from the Rays in St. Petersburg, from April 6-8, 2007, has taken to calling the barren stadium his teams "House of Horrors." "Weve seen some crazy things happen here," said Gibbons. "They open the door. I dont know what it is. Its something and they expect it over on the other side. Theyve done it so many times, they expect it." The Blue Jays were waxed, 9-2, on Opening Day Monday, a game in which Murphys Law applied. Everything that could go wrong did, from R.A. Dickeys unimpressive outing to Jose Reyes pulling up lame with a recurrence of the hamstring inflammation that plagued him late in spring training. Even Tuesdays 4-2 victory, a game in which Toronto led 4-0 heading to the bottom of the eighth, was a nail-biter at the end. The Rays had the tying run in scoring position with two out in the ninth and the winning run at the plate. "You know its tough to win here and it usually takes nine tough innings," said Gibbons. While it may sound like an obvious, generalized comment, first baseman-designated hitter Adam Lind believes its important to play with the lead against the Rays and the sooner, the better. "Its hard to come from behind against Tampa," said Lind. "When youre in the lead, theyre out of their comfort zone and when youre running out of innings or wherever they want to be with their pitching staff where they can just tack on a run here or a run there. Its paramount to get a lead against these guys because even when its 1-0, theyre definitely in the drivers seat." There are teams that are harder to prepare for than others. There are teams that are harder to play against than others. "Its tough, man," said Lind. "You just tell by how they pitch, (pitching coach) Jim Hickey, its like we play them every game how they pitch us. They get excellent execution from their pitching staff and their whole defensive side of the ball is probably the best in the game." Challenges with the challenge Adam Lind offered the line of the season so far on the topic of managers challenges and the ramifications of the new rule. "Well, I know Bud Seligs worked his whole career to get the pace of play up and now were just back to square one," said Lind. "I enjoy that theyre going to have the calls right but I dont think anyone saw the whole, are we going to do it or not going to do it?" The issue is the stalling. Both John Gibbons and Joe Maddon have emerged from their dugouts to politely dispute a call – thats another problem, the intensity of the manager-umpire argument is all but taken away – while their video coaches review the footage. Theyre waiting for a signal from the dugout on whether to challenge. "I think thats just the way the game is going to go now," said Lind. "I guess the higher ups didnt think about that before the whole walk-out but youre going to do whatever you can to get outs or get people safe. Just like (Tuesday) with Gibby, if you still have a challenge left, you might as well use it." Happ throws a bullpen J.A. Happ, on the disabled list with a back injury, threw a bullpen session on Wednesday at Tropicana Field. "Hes feeling much better, definitely feeling good, played catch (Tuesday), threw a light side today and really feels no ill-effects from the issues with the back right now and hell progress accordingly," said pitching coach Pete Walker. "Well discuss now what the next step is, if its to get him in a game, when that will be, and progress him from there." Santos survives ninth Sergio Santos got the save in Tuesdays 4-2 win but not before the Rays put a scare into the Blue Jays. Tampa Bay brought the winning run to the plate with two out, in the person of Yunel Escobar, and had the tying run on second base after a double steal on the first pitch of the Escobar at-bat. Santos didnt bother with the base runners. Why? It all goes back to a conversation he had with Yankees legendary closer Mariano Rivera in 2011. "My whole thinking is Escobars the only guy that can hurt me," said Santos. "Whether there are runners on first and second or second and third, to me, in that situation is irrelevant because I know if I get my job done, which is getting the hitter out, it doesnt matter what base theyre on. "That was one of the things that Mo had stressed was not to be so preoccupied with whos on the bases and what theyre doing because the second you give some of your attention on the base runner and youre not fully with the hitter, thats when bad things can happen." Christian Arroyo Jersey . Zdeno Chara scored with 13 seconds left in regulation after David Krejci tied it late, lifting the Bruins to a 3-2 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday night in a game that saw Orpik taken from the ice on a stretcher. Tommy John Jersey . - Quarterback Brady Quinn says he has been released by the Miami Dolphins. https://www.cheapindiansonline.com/468u-dean-chance-jersey-indians.html . You can watch the game on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt and listen to the game on TSN Radio 690 in Montreal. After starting the month of November on an 0-3-1 slide, the Canadiens have recorded wins in three of their last five outings (3-1-1).(SportsNetwork.com) - It may not be a big divisional matchup, but Saturdays AFC playoff matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and hosting New England Patriots figures to be a good one. After all, it appears you cant go wrong with Joe Flacco and Tom Brady in the postseason. The Patriots and Ravens rank first and second in the NFL in victories since 2008, with New England amassing 88 in that span. Baltimore has 82, a number it increased with last weekends 30-17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC Wild Card round clash. The Ravens went into that game 0-3 in Pittsburgh in the postseason, but sacked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger five times to highlight a solid defensive effort and got a pair of passing touchdowns from Flacco. Flacco threw for 259 yards and he teamed with head coach John Harbaugh for their seventh playoff victory together. Thats playoff football. Thats Joe Flacco, a jubilant Harbaugh beamed. Hes the best quarterback in football. Well take him any day of the week, twice on Sunday...or Saturday night, if that be the case. Baltimore is 10-4 in the playoffs under Harbaugh with a Super Bowl win and the Ravens have handed the Patriots two of their four all-time losses in 19 home playoff games. Baltimore beat New England in a 2009 wild card matchup and again in the 2012 AFC Championship game prior to winning Super Bowl XLVII. The Ravens shut Brady and the Pats out in the second half of that game to rally for a 28-13 and avenge a loss to New England in the previous AFC title game. This is the fourth postseason battle between the clubs, with each taking place in Foxborough, though Brady doesnt factor home-field advantage that much into the matchup. It always goes to execution and how well you play because theres nothing that the crowd can do to help you make the plays that youre supposed to make, he said. I think there are things that -- the communication and the ability to communicate late in the play clock is a strong advantage for the offense. New England is making its sixth straight postseason appearance, but hasnt won the Super Bowl since 2004 or reached the championship matchup since 2007. A victory in this game, though, would make the Patriots only the fifth team to reach four straight conference championship games. The Pats won the AFC East with their third straight 12-4 season, securing the top seed in the conference. They have advanced to the Super Bowl in three of the previous four seasons they have claimed the top seed. New England head coach Bill Belichick comes in having won 19 postseason games, tied with Don Shula for second most all-time and one back of Tom Landrys NFL-leading 20. WHAT TO WATCH FOR Saturday could become a milestone day for Brady after he passed for over 4,000 yards with 33 touchdowns in the regular season. Bradys 43 postseason touchdown passes rank third in NFL history and he comes in just behind second-place Brett Favre (44) and the all-time leader Joe Montana, who had 45. Brady also is one of two quarterbacks with at least 6,000 passing yards in the playoffs and no other quarterback has recorded as many postseason wins as his 18. While the Ravens had success last weekend in getting to Roethlisberger, Brady and his ability to move the ball quick present a different challenge. Its different because Ben scrambles a little more and hes a little stronger shrugging off tackles and things like that, noted Harbaugh. Neither one of them really scramble to run; both of them scramble to throw. Tom does a great job of getting the ball out quick. Theyre both excellent before the snap. New England did get 13 rushing touchdowns this season, but none of its players ran for more than Jonas Grays 412. However, receivers Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell combined along with tight end Rob Gronkowski for 248 receptions and 23 touchdowns. Gronkowski, limited to seven games and none in the playoffs last season due to a knee injury, led the Pats with 12 touchdown catches and should provide an added offensive punch New England did not have when it lost to Denver in the AFC Championship Game. Hes a real key to our offense, Brady said of his tight end. Hes a very talented player and weve got to find ways to get him the ball. Hes got to be a big factor. Were all excited to be out there this week. The Pats are likely to have Edelman back in action to. He led the team with 92 receptions to go along with 972 yards and four TDs, but missed the final two regular season games due to a concussion. Anytime you dont get to go out and play with your teammates its very tough, especially at the end of the year where you are preparing for postseason, but all of that is in the past. George Hendrick Indians Jersey. Im looking forward to today and preparing for the Ravens and getting ready for this game, Edelman said. Brady will be going up against a Ravens team that ranked 24th against the pass, but was dominant in allowing only 88.3 rushing yards per game. And though they give up yardage, the Ravens can also wreck havoc on a quarterback thanks to linebackers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil set a single-season franchise record with 17 sacks and then picked up another two versus the Steelers. He was part of a pass rush that forced Roethlisberger into throwing a pair of interceptions. Then there is Suggs, who has had many battles with Brady and the Pats offense. He made six tackles and had a pick versus the Steelers and comes in with 12 career playoff sacks, tied with Reggie White for third all-time. Hes phenomenal. Hes (in his) 12th year; it looks like its his third year out there, said Brady of Suggs. Hes the leader of that defense, he makes great plays. I think theres the play thats called, and then what he actually does. So even though he has a certain responsibility, if he sniffs it out he takes a shot and goes for it. New England also may have some respect for Flacco, who has faced the Pats five times in Foxborough and has averaged 225.8 yards per game while throwing nine touchdown passes. His 92.8 passer rating is the beat by an opposing quarterback at Gillette Stadium since 2008 with a minimum of three games and he completed a trio of TD passes with no interceptions in the 2012 AFC Championship game. Flacco has thrown for 1,399 yards and 13 touchdowns with no picks over Baltimores current five-game playoff winning streak. Hes a good quarterback in all situations. Hes a good quarterback, period. I have a lot of respect for him, noted Belichick of Flacco. While Torrey Smith represents a deep, reliable threat for Flacco to look for -- with Smith leading the Ravens with 11 touchdown catches -- Steve Smith topped the team with 79 catches in his first season with the club and added another five receptions for 101 yards against the Steelers. Known for excellent hands, Steve Smith may see himself facing Pats cornerback Darrell Revis a lot in this game. Revis was credited with 14 passes defensed this season and picked off a pair of passes. Quarterbacks sometimes tend to avoid throwing to his side of the field, but Flacco said that limits an offense too much. I think as a play-caller, you have to just go out there, rely on your guys that you have that are out there, rely on the fact that they have ability. And as a quarterback, you have to go out there and just go through your reads. And if hes open, throw it to him; if hes not, dont, Flacco said. Linebacker Jamie Collins led New England with a career-high 115 tackles and was one of only three players this season with at least four sacks and a pair of interceptions. OVERALL ANALYSIS Its never easy, but the Ravens are one team that has been able to run with the Patriots in the playoffs, and obviously playing on the road does not bother the team. Baltimore is 10-5 all-time on the road in the postseason, but Harbaugh doesnt think that gives his club any added advantage. I dont think it really matters. Its a new game. Really, the past, the future -- Its just whoever plays best Saturday afternoon is going to be the team that wins the game. Its always that way. So, I dont think it makes any difference at all one way or the other, said Harbaugh. The Ravens combined a good defense with an offense that managed to put up points last weekend, but now they face a motivated Patriots team that has begun to see its window of success under Brady enter the latter stages. Were always trying to win the last game of the year. We set pretty high expectations and I think we all have high expectations but youve got to go out there and earn it, declared Brady. Its not easy and this is a first step for us. A lot of teams played last week, we didnt get a chance to do that. This is a week where we can really try to make an impact on this season. Weve worked pretty hard to get to this point. New England is going to have to work hard again this weekend and though Brady may take some shots, hell probably also have an opportunity to make some plays against a suspect secondary, with a healthy Gronkowski being the difference maker. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Patriots 27, Ravens 24 ' ' '