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#1 | Hughes found datum

19.09.2018 03:09

ALLEN PARK Jeremy Hill Jersey , Mich. (AP) Matthew Stafford has a lot of numbers on his side, supporting the case the Detroit Lions drafted the right guy No. 1 overall in 2009 and were wise to give him a $135 million, five-year extension last summer.

The strong-armed quarterback has completed 62 percent of his passes over his career for nearly 35,000 yards with 216 touchdowns. After injuries stunted the start of his career, he has started every game for seven straight seasons.

But he hasn�t been able to change Detroit�s number of postseason victories since the franchise won the 1957 NFL title.

Stafford has helped the Lions reach the playoffs three times, losing a wild-card game each time to leave them stuck on one postseason victory in six-plus decades.

He knows that fact as well as anyone in the Motor City and yet he insisted that doesn�t get him down.

�There�s that mindset to go out there and work to prove people wrong and all that kind of stuff,� Stafford said Thursday after reporting for training camp. �I just want to prove myself right.�

Stafford will begin his 10th training camp on Friday morning, aiming to help Detroit avoid having just another mediocre season in Matt Patricia�s debut as an NFL head coach.

The Lions won nine games the previous two years and coach Jim Caldwell lost his job after the team didn�t return to the playoffs last season.

Stafford seems set up for success on offense, working with a familiar offensive coordinator, Jim Bob Cooter, and throwing to returning veteran receivers Golden Tate and Marvin Jones.

More importantly, the team has invested in improving the running game through free agency and the draft by bolstering the offensive line and backfield.

The Lions have been among the NFL�s worst rushing teams in recent years, allowing opponents to sack Stafford an average of 43 times over the past four seasons.

Despite the slew of sacks and even more hits Tim Williams Jersey , some of which have led to injuries, Stafford has been able to stay on the field.

�When I came into this league, I was 21 years old and I felt pretty good most days,� Stafford said. �I�m 30 now. I don�t feel bad, but it�s different. A little bit of a new normal.

�I feel as good as I�ve felt coming into a camp in a long time. I feel really healthy and ready to go.�

Stafford could potentially be entering the prime of his career.

�Quarterbacks in this league really develop pretty well at this sort of age range,� Cooter said. �He�s getting better at different things. Every year we have different sort of points of emphasis. It could be throwing a certain pass, it could be pocket movement or it could be something with his feet.

�It�s a big camp for him too, right? There are a lot of different things around here. This is not the exact same system or exact same camp as last year�s camp.�

Stafford has become savvy with the media over the years, answering questions without saying anything controversial.

He doesn�t make bold predictions and rarely goes out on a limb on any topic.

The husband and father of two young girls seems to strike a life-work balance, but his competitive streak can be heard at times when he hears doubters.

�Nobody�s got higher expectations than we do in our locker room,� Stafford said. �We hold each other accountable to being a really good football team and doing things the right way all the time. All that outside stuff doesn�t get to us. We really don�t talk about it. Don�t hear it.�

NOTES: The Lions signed DT Ricky Jean Francois and LB Darnell Sankey. They released LB Al-Rasheed Benton and OL Beau Nunn. � Detroit put LB Devon Kennard and DE Cornelius Washington on active-non football injury list.

�

Le'Veon Bell's teammates spent the offseason and all of training camp brushing off his absence, confident in their belief that the Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro running back would eventually let the business side of things play out, sign his franchise tender and be at work when things start to get real.

He's one of the best in the league and earned the right to take his time Lane Taylor Jersey , they said. He'll show up when it starts to matter, they said. We're not worried, they said.

Time to worry. And vent.

Bell's chair remained tucked neatly into his locker on Wednesday, meaning he will almost certainly not be available when the Steelers open the season in Cleveland this weekend.

And while Bell's agent took to the airwaves to vaguely explain Bell's reasoning for staying away, the men Bell has played alongside for the past five years are starting to run out of patience.

"Honestly it's a little selfish," said center Maurkice Pouncey, a captain who had predicted Bell would arrive by Wednesday. "I'm kind of (ticked) right now. It sucks that he's not here. We'll move on as a team. It doesn't look like he'll be in the game plan at this point."

Veteran offensive guard Ramon Foster poked a little fun at Bell on social media, tweeting out a picture of Bell's head attached to the body of the character from the "Where's Waldo" line of children's books .

"What do you do?" Foster said. "Here's a guy who doesn't give a damn, so I guess we'll treat it as such. I just hate it came to this."

Bell and the Steelers spent each of the past two springs failing to come to terms on a new contract. Pittsburgh placed the franchise tag on Bell each time. The 26-year-old made over $12 million last season and is due $14.5 million this season if he signs his one-year tender by the weekend and the Steelers opt not to ask for a two-week roster exemption. He will lose about $850,000 for each game he misses.

The biggest issue for Bell's teammates appears to be the lack of communication. There's a sense of anger that he has intentionally left them in the dark, forcing them to answer for him. Bell's agent Adisa Bakari was interviewed on SiriusXM NFL Radio on Wednesday and hinted at a concern Bell would be overworked this season by the Steelers, which could affect his earning potential when Bell reaches the open market in 2019. Bell's 406 touches led the NFL in 2017.

Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert, who expressed disappointment on Monday when Bell's locker remained empty Jerry Rice Jersey , declined comment. Team spokesman Burt Lauten said the club would not conduct talks with Bakari through the media, adding "if Adisa would like to talk further, he has the phone number to our offices."

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger understands the constant questions about Bell but added "one person doesn't make or break you."

"I'd like to say that the linemen are far more important than any skill position, including myself, on this team so this offense is more than just one back," Roethlisberger said.

Maybe, but now the Steelers find themselves turning from a three-time Pro Bowler to a second-year player in James Conner. The former Pitt star is in line to make his first NFL start on Sunday and he's not too concerned about the circumstances that made it happen.

"I've got the opportunity to play the game again," said Conner, who endured a highly public battle with cancer during his college career. "Any time I can play football, I don't take it for granted. I've got an opportunity for Sunday and I can't wait for it."

What the Steelers can wait for at this point is Bell to join them. He can still technically accrue a full year of service time if he reports by Week 10.

"At some point and you're like, 'All right, if you don't want to be here, it is what it is patrick mahomes stitched jersey , hold out for 10 weeks," Pouncey said.

Whatever Bell's plan is, he isn't telling. And the "train" that defensive end Cam Heyward uses as a symbol for the season is getting ready to roll. If Bell arrives in time to hop on is anyone's guess.

"Like I said, we have a lot of weapons," Roethlisberger said. "We'd like to have him out there, but we have guys that can make plays for us."

NOTES: The Steelers signed RB Trey Edmunds, the older brother of rookie safety Terrell Edmunds, to the practice squad and released RB Jarvion Franklin. ... TE Vance McDonald (foot) was limited in practice on Wednesday. All other players were full go.

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#2 | RE: Hughes found datum

19.09.2018 05:06

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