German_Force » CINCINNATI (AP)Bengals coach Marvin Lewis commiserated

with Colts coach Chuck Pagano on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium before their preseason game in Indianapolis last August. They can do it again on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium. From the get-go Damien Harris NFL Jersey , things have only gotten worse for two teams just down the interstate from one another. The Colts (2-5) still have no idea when Andrew Luck might be back from shoulder surgery – he had to stop throwing last week in his rehab program. They’ve faded fast and hit a new low when they got shut out at home by the Jaguars last Sunday. ”They’ve had some things they’ve really had to overcome,” Lewis said, recalling their on-field chat. After getting blanked in a game for the first time in 15 years, the Colts make the short trip to Cincinnati with an injury-depleted roster and no idea when their most valuable player might be able to throw again. Another loss and things might come totally unraveled. ”There’s nothing like being in that environment and the circumstances we’re in to galvanize you as a group,” Pagano said. They’ve got close company in midseason misery. The Bengals (2-4) are struggling with their offense as well, even though Andy Dalton is generally healthy. They managed only 19 yards and one first down during the second half while losing in Pittsburgh on Sunday. Both teams are running out of time to salvage their seasons. The winner on Sunday can at least keep hope for one more week. ”You try to get hot,” Bengals running back Jeremy Hill said. ”A lot of people in this locker room know what it’s like to get hot and go on a streak. It’s still early. There’s still so many crazy things that can happen in this league. I’ve seen it.” Some things to watch at Paul Brown Stadium: DALTON RECOVERS: Dalton has played the past two games on an aching left ankle. His two turnovers in Pittsburgh helped the Steelers take control – an off-target throw to A.J. Green and a ball forced into coverage. The Bengals need him to shake off the bad half and have a crisp game against the 31st-ranked pass defense in the league. RUNNING ON EMPTY: The Bengals have struggled to get anything out of their running game with a varied approach using Hill, rookie Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard. They abandoned it in the second half in Pittsburgh – five runs for 17 yards, including two scrambles by Dalton – and need to get that part of the offense fixed. Mixon complained afterward about the lack of carries – he didn’t get to run the ball in the second half. ”I feel like that’s been one thing that we’ve been lacking, with the chunk yards in the run game,” Dalton said. ”We had a couple plays where they made big runs. That’s what we expect. That’s what we’re trying to accomplish.” TURNOVERS: The Bengals have yet to recover a fumble this season and have only four interceptions. By contrast, Dalton has thrown eight interceptions – tied for third-most – and Cincinnati has lost five fumbles, tied for fifth-most. The lack of creating turnovers has been one of their biggest shortcomings. They’re tied for second-worst in the NFL in turnover ratio, ahead of the winless Browns. QUICK RELASE: Indianapolis’ continually changing offensive line can’t afford a repeat of last week. After allowing 10 sacks and 20 quarterback hits in a 27-0 loss to Jacksonville, the Colts have given up a league-high 29 sacks this season. Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has avoided forcing throws, but sometimes holds onto the ball too long, setting himself up for a lot of hits. ”It’s football. You’re expected to get hit,” he said. ”Running backs do it. But I’ve got to do a better job of not taking those hits, too. It’s not the line’s fault.” THREE FOR THE SHOW: In Pagano’s first two seasons, the Colts never lost back-to-back games. Now, they’re trying to avoid dropping three straight. After losing to Tennessee and getting shut out for the first time in 376 regular-season games Damien Harris NFL Draft , they hit the road, where they’ve lost three straight and five of their past six. ”It’s another game,” left tackle Anthony Castonzo said. ”Whether it’s on the road or at home, we want to win.” — AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report. — Which slot receiver had the better Patriots career?" Patriots OpinionWho was the better Patriot: Wes Welker or Julian Edelman?New,51commentsWhich slot receiver had the better Patriots career?EDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Who was the better Patriot: Wes Welker or Julian Edelman?TwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Rich Schultz /Getty ImagesWith everyone comparing Julian Edelman and Wes Welker, I figured I would take a look at who was a better Patriot. In December, I compared Welker and Danny Amendola. I thought the comparison was interesting because their Patriots careers were so different. The problem with Edelman, I argued, was that he didn’t have the stats that Welker had, and didn’t have enough of the huge moments to offset that. Well, that has certainly changed. Welker played for the Patriots for six seasons, was selected to the Pro Bowl in five of them, and put together perhaps the most impressive six-year span by a receiver in NFL history.In those six seasons, Welker tallied 672 receptions on 926 targets, which is a 73% catch rate. That number is absolutely ridiculous. He was over 100 receptions and 1,000 yards in five of the six seasons — the only exception being 2010, when he came back from a torn ACL he suffered in December of 2009, and missed only one game, the season finale in Miami. In fact, over his Patriots career, Welker only missed 3 games Damien Harris Buffalo Bills Jersey , the other 2 coming in 2009 in weeks 2 and 3, when he sat out with a knee injury.So Welker was the model of consistency for the Patriots. He also redefined how the slot receiver position was played. He was completely dominant, and a matchup nightmare for every team the Patriots played for six seasons. He also had 11 catches in Super Bowl 42, being the only receiver on either team with more than 8 catches, and was the only player with over 100 yards rushing or receiving. He also had 7 catches in Super Bowl 46, and over 100 yards receiving in both playoff games in 2012. Edelman’s career, for comparison, has been much different than Welker’s.He was drafted in the seventh round in 2009, and has played all ten of his seasons on the Patriots. Even though he’s played four more seasons than Welker did, he has 173 less receptions than Welker, with ‘only’ 499. He has a 67% reception rate, which is still very good. He also was a more dangerous punt returner, with four punts returned for touchdowns in his career. Edelman has cracked the 1,000 yard mark only twice, and had only one season with over 100 catches.So, as you can see, the regular season stats aren’t close. But, regular season stats aren’t the only measuring stick used to judge these two players. The playoffs is where the comparison starts to favor Edelman.He’s played in double the games that Welker has, playing in eighteen when Welker only played in nine for the Patriots. However, the first five in which Edelman played, he was really a backup. So Youth Drew Bledsoe Jerseys , as a main target, Edelman has played in thirteen games, with 106 receptions, 1,337 yards, and three touchdowns. Welker played in nine games, with 69 receptions, 686 yards, and four scores. So, Edelman has more catches per game, more yards per game, and has cracked 100 yards six times to Welker’s three.Then, there are the single memorable plays. If you had to give one signature highlight of Welker on the Patriots, most places would choose his drop in Super Bowl 46. Whether or not that’s fair, that’s probably the most memorable play he was ever involved in. For Edelman, on the other hand, the list is extremely long: right away, you would think it would be the catch against Atlanta in Super Bowl 51, but you also have a few from Super Bowl 49 to choose from as well. There was the 3rd and 18 play where he took a big (illegal) hit from Kam Chancellor, and still made the catch to continue the drive. Then, there’s the eventual game winning touchdown when he ran a sick whip route and left Tharold Simon in the dust.Or maybe it would be one of the 3rd and 10’s in Kansas City this year. Maybe you’d skip the highlight of one single catch Drew Bledsoe Jerseys Stitched , and show him accepting the Super Bowl MVP award this year. Whatever you choose, you get the impression that Edelman is perhaps the second most clutch player that has ever played for the Patriots — that, in times where they absolutely needed a big play, Brady was looking Edelman’s way more than anyone else, and Julian hardly ever let him down. So what’s the final verdict?Welker put together possibly the most prolific six-year stretch for a receiver in NFL history, but, even though he had 11 catches in a losing effort in Super Bowl 42, he never was able to match his regular season production in the postseason. Edelman has had the same six years since he became a full time offensive starter (really only five because he lost 2017 to a torn ACL). Although his regular season numbers aren’t quite as impressive, those five seasons resulted in three Super Bowl wins, tons of memorable highlights from all three of them, and one Super Bowl MVP award. He’s also not done yet: it’s totally possible that the Patriots go deep in the playoffs again for the next year or two, and Edelman continues to be as important as he has been in past big games. Because of that, I think it’s clear that Edelman had the better career as a Patriot. Belichick’s Patriots have always been judged more on their postseason performance than their regular season performance, so shouldn’t we do the same with their players? There’s no denying what Welker did in New England, and I think that his career is worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but I still think Edelman had a better Patriots career. Does that mean Edelman is a Hall of Famer too? Let’s leave that for a different debate. This one, however, favors Edelman.Pat is a host of The Patriot Nation PodcastInteract with him on Twitter @plane_pats