Bewerbungen » back off the ball. He is a pheno

The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go through the Big Easy.Though the Saints’ path to get to Atlanta could be challenging: The top three teams in the latest AP Pro32 poll are all from the NFC.The Saints received all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting Wednesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.New Orleans (13-2) clinched the top seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. The previous time New Orleans had the top seed in the NFC was 2009 when it reached and won the Super Bowl.“The news is all good for the Saints: They clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a thrilling win over the Steelers Cullen Gillaspia Houston Texans Jersey , and (quarterback) Drew Brees has a chance to win his first-ever regular-season MVP award,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.The NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams jumped three places to No. 2 after dominating Arizona without star running back Todd Gurley. The Rams can clinch a first-round bye with a win against San Francisco in the regular-season finale.NFC North champion Chicago Bears inched up a spot to No. 3.“With a swarming defense and a solid ground game, the Bears appear poised to make some waves in January along the frosty shores of Lake Michigan,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa.The next three teams in the poll are all from the AFC.Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers, tied at 11-4 in the AFC West, slipped to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. The Chiefs dropped a spot after their 38-31 loss at Seattle on Sunday night, and the Chargers fell from No. 2 after losing to Baltimore on Saturday night.The New England Patriots, who won the AFC East for the 10th consecutive year, moved up a spot to No. 6.Seattle climbed three spots to No. 7 after clinching a playoff berth with a win over the Chiefs.The Houston Texans slipped two spots to No. 8 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 32-30 on Jake Elliott‘s field goal as time expired Sunday. However Cullen Gillaspia Jersey 2019 , the first-place Texans clinched a playoff spot later in the day when the Steelers lost.Houston will clinch the AFC South with a win over the Jaguars.The surging Baltimore Ravens jumped three spots to No. 9. The Ravens (9-6) lead the AFC North by a half-game over Pittsburgh. The Ravens host Cleveland on Sunday and will take the division with a win.“Who wants to play them?,” asked Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki of the Ravens, who were 4-5 entering their bye week and have won five of six overall.The Steelers need to win at home against the last-place Bengals and have the Ravens stumble for their best chance at reaching the postseason.The Indianapolis Colts fell one spot despite rallying past the New York Giants to round out the top 10. The Colts and Tennessee Titans, who remained No. 14 in the poll, are both 9-6 and end the regular season in a prime-time matchup on NBC. The winner will clinch a playoff spot and could take the division if the Texans stumble earlier in the day. The Texans wanted to keep safety Tyrann Mathieu, but Mathieu’s attention quickly went to the city that has the reigning NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes.“I wanted to come to a team that had great talent, great core players, a lot of their core players are still young Color Rush Cullen Gillaspia Jersey , closer to my age,” Mathieu told reporters on Thursday regarding his decision to join the Chiefs on a three-year, $42 million deal. “I think that had a lot to do with the decision as well. Anytime you can play for an organization that has a great history. Obviously, a great quarterback that’s really going to take this league over, really by storm. Really this was a no-brainer for me and my family.”Mathieu hopes to help a team that almost made it to the Super Bowl get over the top.“My biggest job is to come here, be a leader, try to make plays on and off the football field and put my hand in the pile and help us win some games,” Mathieu said. “I think we all know what the offense can do. I think it’ll be my job to come in here, try to get some direction Cheap Cullen Gillaspia Jersey , try to give guys some motivation, some inspiration, and then be an every-day factor. I want to be the same guy I am in the weight room that I am on the football field. That’s what I’m really looking forward to bringing to this team and, like I said, I’m going to try my best to do that every single day.”Mathieu said he’s not planning to step on any toes, but that he plans to lead by example and to do whatever the coaches ask him to do.“I love doing it all,” Mathieu said. “I’m a football player. My coach gives me a job, I just try my best to do it, but I think anytime I can get around the football Cullen Gillaspia Jersey Womens , close to it, I just feel super powers. Anytime I’m away from the football I just feel like my powers are diminishing.”Coach Andy Reid plans to take advantage of those super powers in every way possible.“He can play anywhere,” Reid said regarding Mathieu. “You can move him out and he can play corner if you need him to play corner. He’s played inside in the nickel. He has played up on the ball. He has played back off the ball. He is a phenomenal blitzer. . . . [H]e isn’t the biggest guy in the world, but he plays that way. He plays such a physical game and he is so good toward the line of scrimmage. But on the same hand, he’s great on the back end making plays on the ball in the back.”And the best may be ahead of Mathieu, who has gotten — and stayed — healthy.“I went through a couple rough seasons, struggling with injuries, playing with knee braces on,” Mathieu said. “To be able to put together two consecutive healthy seasons playing every game Cullen Gillaspia Houston Texans Jersey , I do feel like I’m getting back to who I am. Then playing in this scheme will really allow me to do what I do best and that’s be a hunter.”That’s exactly what the Chiefs need, as they hope to put on the field a defense that best complements one of the best offenses in football. They’re not far away from being where they need to be, and Mathieu gives them a major boost in that direction.