Dein erstes Forum » Im just excited to be a part of it

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints are rare division rivals to have still not played each other this season.As they face off twice in three weeks, theres much on the line, especially for the streaking Buccaneers, who have won four straight to move into playoff contention.This is a big game for both teams because of the way the scheduling falls, where New Orleans plays us twice and Atlanta once in the last three weeks, Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter said Wednesday. We have three division games in the last four weeks, so that makes this game -- the way our division is so tight right now, these division games are huge.Us and Atlanta sitting there at 7-5, New Orleans at 5-7, just do the math for New Orleans and were not too far ahead. So its going to be huge.The Saints (5-7) lost 28-13 at home to Detroit on Sunday, which put them two games behind the Buccaneers, who are tied with Atlanta for the NFC South lead.Not only does New Orleans play Tampa Bay twice, but it also plays at Atlanta, so theres a sense of controlling its fate, even if the odds are unlikely at this point.Weve just got to play this one, Saints coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. But I think were going to play Tampa twice here in three weeks, were going to play Atlanta and were going to play at Arizona. We are going to have to play well on the road because three of the four are on the road.I think when the schedule comes out, sometimes you get, its unique to be playing a team in your division or not have played them when you hit December and thats the case with our two teams.The Buccaneers have turned their season around since falling to 3-5 with lopsided home losses to the Oakland Raiders and Falcons. In four straight wins since, theyve held opponents to 13 points per game and have led the league in takeaways. On Sunday in a win over San Diego, linebacker Lavonte David returned one interception for a touchdown and safety Keith Tandy picked off another in the end zone to seal a 28-21 road win.The Saints are another challenge entirely, leading the NFL in total offense and passing offense, ranking second in scoring offense and first in third-down conversions.Quarterback Drew Brees leads the league in yards and touchdown passes (30) and is on course for his fifth career 5,000-yard season, incredible considering that every other quarterback in NFL history has combined for four.Tampa Bay is building confidence around second-year quarterback Jameis Winston, who has been able to limit his turnovers and still make plays, like a go-ahead touchdown pass to tight end Cameron Brate in the fourth quarter Sunday in San Diego.The Buccaners are dangerously thin at receiver -- Mike Evans is among the leagues best, second in the NFL with 10 touchdown catches, but veterans Vincent Jackson, Louis Murphy and Cecil Shorts are all out for the remainder of the season.Even second-year receiver Adam Humphries might miss Sundays game with a concussion suffered in Sundays win, leaving younger, less proven players to step up.On Sunday, that will include former Eagles receiver Josh Huff, promoted from the practice squad to replace Shorts, four weeks after the Buccaneers added him to their practice squad following an arrest in New Jersey on gun and marijuana charges and subsequent release by Philadelphia.Huff will add speed to the Buccaneers downfield passing game and could also upgrade their kickoff returns. Tampa Bay ranks last in the league, with a long of 24 yards all season. Running back Charles Sims, a pass-catching threat out of the backfield who has been sidelined since Week 4, was activated off injured reserve Saturday.Many of the Buccaneers biggest wins have come on the road, but theyve won two straight at home, and Koetter recognized a surge in the attendance to match the one in the standings.Its been fantastic, thats what its been, he said. Thats how it should be and thats how we should keep it. Weve got to do our part and the fans are definitely doing theirs. Appreciate it, appreciate it very much. Lets do it this week, too. Jessie Bates III Bengals Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Boomer Esiason Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. http://www.bengalsrookiestore.com/Bengals-Joe-Mixon-Jersey/ . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Andy Dalton Bengals Jersey . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". Michael Jordan Bengals Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. RIO DE JANEIRO -- The quality is so high in the 400 meters right now that Kirani James really isnt comfortable with his defending Olympic champion tag. He doesnt want that target on his back in a hot-shot field like this.The way James sees it, Wayde van Niekerk is the current world champion and LaShawn Merritt won the 2013 world title. So go pick from one of those two for the favorite in Rio de Janeiro. Theres hardly anything to choose between any of them for Sunday nights final.Its gonna be competitive. Really looking forward to it, James said.The one-lap race has turned into an epic three-man rivalry. It could be one of the races of the Olympics and could push one of those guys to the brink of Michael Johnsons 17-year-old world record of 43.18 seconds. Johnsons Olympic record of 43.49 from Atlanta 96 is definitely in the firing line in Brazil.I think that if there was a record to be broken, it would be in a scenario that we have right now, James coach, Harvey Glance, said. Those three guys pushing each other to greatness.Record or no, what you are going to get at the Olympic Stadium is three runners that will take each other, and the rest of the field, to the edge.At the world championships last year, the South African Van Niekerk put a wedge in the rivalry between Grenadas James and American Merritt, who shared the previous five major titles. To do it, Van Niekerk had to run himself into the ground, collapsing on the Beijing track in exhaustion after winning in 43.48 seconds to make him the fourth-fastest 400-meter runner ever.Van Niekerks first act as world champion was to get carted off to hospital on a stretcher, flat out. Thats what it takes in the 400 these days.If I ran any harder I would have probably left on a stretcher, said James, who took bronze.Not wanting to show any weakness in this pack, Van Niekerk shrugged off the stretcher incident as something that was dramatized way more than what actually happened..dddddddddddd.I mean, Im always exhausted after my races. I just need a moment to sit down and recover, he said.If youre looking for a way to separate the three, Merritt, the oldest at 30 and the 2008 Olympic champion, had the world lead of 43.97 seconds coming in to Rio. He was the only one of them to break 44 seconds in the buildup. But 43.97 seconds doesnt guarantee you anything in this era of the 400.Its definitely one of the tough events right now, Merritt said. Im just excited to be a part of it, to be a part of a great event during a great era. Well probably run fast come this final.This rivalry hasnt erupted with trash talk or anything like that, but its simmering nicely.When we do see each other we do acknowledge each other, James said. We dont hang out and have dinner and breakfast together.Trying to figure out the race tactics doesnt get you any closer to picking a winner, either.Merritt, with the fastest time in the 200 meters this season and chasing a 200-400 Olympic double, has out-and-out sprinting power. Van Niekerk is a more flighty runner but quick, too. The 24-year-old South African is the only man to go under 10 seconds over 100 meters, under 20 over 200 and under 44 for the 400.With James, who is 23, his staying power and easy stride makes him the best finisher, according to coach Glance, whos finding this situation a real challenge for his own skills.Its tough to coach against because youve got three different scenarios that have got to kick in, Glance said. But, one way or another, for 400 meters he (James) gets the job done. And thats the only thing I worry about. I dont worry about 100 meters. I dont worry about 200 meters. I worry about 400 meters.---Follow Gerald Imray on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeraldImrayAP---Follow the Rio Games: http://www.summergames.ap.org/ ' ' '