externer Bereich der Breath of the Dragon » dominant side in Adelaide on F

TEMPE, Ariz. -- They were in many ways the darlings-on-the-rise in the NFL, these Arizona Cardinals.A high-scoring big-play offense led by a blunt 60-something coach with an unusual hat and a colorful vocabulary. Their 13-3 season in 2015 was chronicled in great detail by NFL Films for the All or Nothing series on Amazon.That was added attention that you dont normally have, coach Bruce Arians said, to have a season documented when it was as special as that one was I think added to the expectations. But we dont ever shy away from the expectations.They were a group of likable personalities and nearly all of them were back this season.Every player who gained a yard or scored a point for the No. 1 offense in the NFL last season returned. Players embraced the highest of expectations.Then the whole thing fell flat.The Cardinals enter the bye week, the halfway mark of their season at 3-4-1, facing an uphill climb to even make the playoffs.It is shocking, cornerback Patrick Peterson said, As a team, we have to find a way to get out of this hole.Arizona has gone from one of the favorites to one of the leagues biggest disappointments.Ive been through a hell of a lot worse, Arians said. This is just another challenge. I love it when were the underdog. Thats the easiest coaching in the world.The fans are grumbling and inside linebacker Kevin Minter said its up to the players to band together and turn things around.Regardless of the noise outside of the locker room its really about us, Minter said. Obviously we didnt do what we wanted to do. We feel like we underachieved as well.But at the same time theres a lot of ball left. Theres still a chance for us to get hot. I would say to the people who give up on us that we havent given up on ourselves. If youre a bandwagon fan, good riddance.The offense is ranked 10th in the NFL at 374.4 yards per game, 30 yards fewer than a season ago. The big plays have been few and far between. The Cardinals are 24th in the NFL at 6.4 yards per pass attempt.Carson Palmer set a franchise record with 35 touchdown passes last season. Halfway through this season, he has 10.Defenses are scheming to take away the long throws that were Arizonas trademark. Sometimes Palmer has underthrown receivers. Sometimes the receivers have been to blame.And the personality of the offense has changed around dynamic second-year running back David Johnson. Johnson has topped 100 yards per scrimmage in every game and leads the NFL in that category (1,112). He was the NFC offensive player of the month for November.But the offense has been slow to start. The team has scored in the first quarter only once in eight games. Two trips to the East have been ugly -- one-sided losses at Buffalo and Carolina.Yet, had Chandler Catanzaro not missed two game-ending field goals, one against New England in the opener and the other, most memorably, a 24-yarder in overtime against Seattle, Arizona would be 5-3.Statistically, the Cardinals defense has been outstanding. They lead the NFL in allowing 297 yards per game.But there have been costly breakdowns. Now the team will be without do-everything defensive back Tyrann Mathieu for up to five weeks with a shoulder injury.Left tackle Jared Veldheer, the anchor of the offensive line, is out for the season with a torn triceps, with little-used John Wetzel stepping in. The team already had lost right guard Evan Mathis for the season with an ankle injury.Palmer had his best passing game of the season in the 30-20 loss to Carolina, but was sacked eight times.And the schedule is rough. After a home game against San Francisco next Sunday, the Cardinals play at Minnesota and Atlanta.Five of Arizonas final seven are on the road, including a Dec. 24 game at Seattle in a rematch of teams that played to that bizarre 6-6 tie.At 4-2-1, the Seahawks arent running away with the NFC West. That offers the Cardinals a whiff of hope. There also is a pack of teams just ahead of them in the wild-card race.For us to kind of still be in it with the record we have is a blessing, Minter said. We can still be the top seed out of this division. So dont give up on us. Thats all I have to say.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Jonathan Wynn Jersey . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Logan Thomas Jersey . The 19-year-old Olsen played 34 games with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL this season. In that time, hes recorded 17 goals and 17 assists with 36 penalty minutes. http://www.wholesalelionsjerseys.com/?tag=youth-leo-koloamatangi-jersey .Y. -- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said Wednesday that J. Taylor Decker Jersey . -- About a third of the way through the regular season, the Washington Wizards are at . Sam Martin Jersey . -- If Henry Burris has his way, he will be the starting quarterback to lead the Hamilton Tiger-Cats back to the Grey Cup next year. Sydney FC keep on keeping on but Melbourne Victory are hopeful of taking up the title fight after the A-Leagues big blues scored knockout round six wins.Victory earned a 3-0 win over Western Sydney on Saturday night before Sydney went one better by beating Perth 4-1 on Sunday afternoon for their sixth-straight win of the campaign.Both sides benefited from defensive howlers but their attacking strength couldnt be denied.Milos Ninkovic again starred for FC, picking up his third man-of-the-match award with a two-goal effort as Alex Brosque and Bobo completed the scoring.The Serbian said it might have been his best performance in a sky blue shirt, but better was still to come.The last six games weve played good but I think we can play much better with the ball. We just need to control more ball, he told Fox Sports.This season is going to be much better than last year.Sydney are now six points clear at the top of second-placed Melbourne City, with Brisbane third and Victory moving up to fourth.Victory midfielder Oliver Bozanic, who netted the opening goal of the game, said their result was significant.Were taking it game by game. But we want to be up there. And the only way you can do that is by winning, he told AAP.Were pushing ourselves.Its still very early in the season but tonight was very important.In his second season as a Victory marquee, Bozanic continues to polarise opinion, with many believing the 2014 World Cup Socceroo isnt putting in consistent performances worthy of his boosted wage.But the 27-year-old played a strong hand on Saturday night, and on the basis of his goal celebration, you cant accuse him of not caring.Bozanic repeatedly thumped the Victory badge on his shirt, showing his passion for the cause.The key to Victorys improvement could be sstrength in attacking depth.ddddddddddddMarco Rojas was unavailable but Mitch Austin and Fahid Ben Khalfallah - who was unplayable at times - filled in with aplomb.Second-half substitutes Jai Ingham and Max Beister also both found the net.It means Victory have plenty of routes to goal, but talented players will be missing out.Ben Khalfallah showed his endearing honesty when asked about his lack of game time after the match.To be honest Im not very happy because I want to play. Everyone wants to play and especially me, he told Fox Sports.(Coach Kevin Muscat) is the boss. He makes his calls and I respect that.Cross-town rivals Melbourne City returned to winning ways on Thursday night with a 2-1 win over Newcastle Jets that lifts them to second on the table behind Sydney FC.Captain fantastic Bruno Fornaroli netted twice to become the fastest man to 30 A-League goals while Andrew Nabbout grabbed a first-half consolation for the Jets.Brisbane were the dominant side in Adelaide on Friday night but had to settle for a 1-1 draw with Adelaide after goalkeeper Eugene Galekovics heroics.The veteran gloveman made six saves, while opposite number Michael Theo let in the Reds only shot on target for the match as Sergi Guardiola found a late equaliser.Brett Holman opened the scoring on the hour-mark with his first Australian club goal in more than 14 years.And in Central Coasts new home-away-from-home of Canberra on Saturday, Ernie Merrick became the first A-League manager to notch 100 wins with a 2-0 success.In-form Wellington Phoenix frontman Roy Krishna scored one and assisted Hamish Watson for the other in a wind-affected day in the capital. ' ' '