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CINCINNATI -- Trae Waynes gets a chance to show how far hes come in the year since the Minnesota Vikings made him their top pick.Veteran cornerback Terence Newman didnt make the trip to Ohio this week as the Vikings held two days of joint practices with one of his former clubs, the Cincinnati Bengals. Hell miss the preseason opener on Friday night because of an undisclosed injury, giving Waynes an opportunity.Waynes succumbed to hot and humid conditions on Wednesday, the first day of joint practices, but returned on Thursday and is expected to start the preseason game. He started only one game last season but led the Vikings in special teams tackles in an understudy role to Newman and Xavier Rhodes.We wish (Newman) could be here, but Im just going to try to take advantage of this opportunity, he said. Ill keep learning and progressing.Waynes is one of four former first-round picks playing for the Vikings, along with Newman (Dallas 2003), Rhodes (2013) and safety Harrison Smith (2012). Although he got sick on Wednesday, he returned a day later and covered A.J. Green.It was frustrating that I had to miss practice, but it was the smart thing to do at the time, Waynes said. Its a chance to get better going up a great receiver like (Green). It is only going to make you better because the competition level is so high with that.Waynes made his first career interception last January in the Vikings 10-9 NFC Wild Card playoff game loss to Seattle. The interception and 24-yard return in the third quarter set up a 43-yard field goal by Blair Walsh, a kick that gave Minnesota a 6-0 lead. That game was played in minus-25 wind chill conditions at TCF Bank Stadium.The conditions in Cincinnati the last two days for the joint practices have been the complete opposite. Temperatures have been in the upper 80s with humidity levels that have pushed the heat index toward triple digits.It was nice and hot out here, both days, so that was good, coach Mike Zimmer. I thought it was a very productive two days.Zimmer wasnt willing to divulge much about how much his starters would play, but quarterback Teddy Bridgewater isnt expected to see much time on the field after getting the bulk of the snaps against the Bengals in the practices.As is the case for most preseason games, Friday night will be more about backups than the starters.This game doesnt wait on anybody, said quarterback Shaun Hill, a 15-year veteran who is No. 2 on the depth chart behind Bridgewater. There are a lot of people on every NFL roster that have a lot to prove every single week in order to make a team. Thats the approach that you have to take. I know a lot of people just talk about the starters and how theyre in and out, but for the majority of the roster its a battle for four weeks to get on a team.Game notes Besides Newman, nine other players did not make the trip to Cincinnati. Wide receiver Jarius Wright (injury), cornerback Melvin White, cornerback Marcus Sherels, running back Jhurrell Pressley, linebacker Edmond Robinson (injury), linebacker Eric Kendricks (injury), linebacker Brandon Watts (injury), defensive tackle Sharif Floyd (injury) and defensive tackle Scott Crichton (injury) didnt travel for the practices. White, Sherels and Pressley were dealing with personal issues, Zimmer said, but it is possible they could be back with the team in time for Fridays game. ... Right tackle Andre Smith, who left Cincinnati as a free agent and signed with the Vikings, spent several minutes after practice catching up with Bengals coach Marvin Lewis. Theres no hard feelings, Smith said. I feel like I had a good opportunity in Minnesota.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Sean Elliott Jersey . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Cheap NBA Jerseys .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.cheapspursjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-lonnie-walker-jersey . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Cheap San Antonio Spurs Jerseys . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. Manu Ginobili Jersey . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. One team is hoping to prevent a second-half slide like the one that derailed its season a year ago.The other is just trying to keep its head above water, knowing that one more loss could effectively end any chance it has left of making the playoffs for a third straight year.That and more are on the line Sunday at the Georgia Dome when the Arizona Cardinals (4-5-1) visit the Atlanta Falcons (6-4) in a pivotal NFC battle.This marks the seventh time in the past 11 years that the teams met, with each splitting the previous six meetings.Its a chance for the Falcons to extend their slim lead in the NFC South over the Buccaneers, Saints and Panthers. Its a chance for the Cardinals to possibly salvage their season -- at least for another week.Asked if his team had a sense of urgency, Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians, who had to spend a night in the hospital because of chest pains following his teams latest loss -- a 26-20 defeat at Minnesota -- just scowled.Oh yeah, he said. If you dont have one right now you dont belong in the business, and you damn sure dont belong in this locker room.The Cardinals have been searching for answers all season after a 13-3 regular season a year ago in which the offense set multiple franchise records and quarterback Carson Palmer was in the conversation for MVP candidacy upon setting several career firsts.Palmer and the offense, however, went missing in 2016 and other than second-year running back David Johnson, who ranks third in the league in rushing with 863 yards, there hasnt been any of the same consistency Arians and the Cardinals are used to enjoying.Palmer said theres only one thing on the teams mind as it gets ready for the Falcons.To win one game, he said. Cant worry about seeding or standings or division records; nothing matters other than this game. As leaders, as the older guys in the locker room, you just keep everybodys focus on one day at a time, finishing today. Weve got the practice part done. We have a lot of meetings and a lot of tape to watch. You finish day after day after day, and thats the mindset that we have.As for the Falcons, they still have last season on their mind. Atlanta began 6-1, but scuffled their way to a 2-7 finish over their last nine games to finish 8-8 and miss the playoffs for the third straight season.Another second-half collapse wouldnt only be punishing, it could lead to more changes once again for a franchise that hasnt been able to finish what it started. Head coach Dan Quinn acknowledged that still resonates across the organization, but that last seasons second-half fail could propel the Falcons moving forward.Well, we certainly hope so, Quinn said. The scars that you get when you finish poorly, they definitely leave a mark. Were a way different team than our 2015 team -- our mental toughness, our resilience; were just tighter, were better, were more complete in that way.Thats, I think, the biggest difference. Although we didnt finish all of them like wed like to this year, I would say were quite a bit different ooutfit than we were at the end of 2015.ddddddddddddtlanta boasts one of the leagues best offenses. Its ranked first in points per game (32.0), yards per play (6.7), passing yards per play (8.9) and touchdowns scored (36). Overall, the offense is ranked third, averaging 416.6 yards per game.Quarterback Matt Ryan is enjoying one of his finest season to date, ranking second in passing yards (3,247), third in passing touchdowns (24) and fourth in completion percentage (68.2). His favorite target, wide receiver Julio Jones, leads the league in receiving yards (1,105) and has been difficult for everyone to slow down.Jones had 10 receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown in his last game against the Cardinals two years ago, torching Arizonas All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson. That was the season in which Peterson, however, was dealing with diabetes and it had to be diagnosed, which led to his worst season in the pros.Peterson is a completely different player now, however, and Jones can see that on film.He dropped that weight, looks like hes in better shape, Jones said. Hes always a good athlete, a guy who can make plays. He can pretty much do a lot of great things.Peterson will shadow Jones throughout the game, something other teams have tried and failed to do against Jones this season.Teams have been trying to do that, but theyve been playing a lot of two-man while they were doing it, Jones said. Theyll take their OK corner and put him over me and then just have safety help, and try to put the better corner on the other side, try to let him lock that side down. Pat P, its just usually one-on-one. Its always been great matchups between us.The Cardinals get Tyrann Mathieu, their playmaking safety, back this week after the Honey Badger missed the last two games because of a shoulder subluxation. His addition could make the leagues top-ranked defense, which is allowing a league-low 287.4 total yards per game as well as the fewest passing yards per game (190.2), that much more dangerous.As good as Arizonas defense has been, Mathieu said it hasnt been good enough.I think we could play better, he said. Every game, theres like three or four plays where were just giving up touchdowns or giving up big plays. Weve got to continue to create turnovers, weve got to create more turnovers, weve got to find a way to score and shorten the field for our offense.Mathieu said the Cardinals will have their hands full with Ryan, Jones and Atlantas running back tandem of Davonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman, who is finally healthy.Theyre a dominating offense, obviously, he said. Matt Ryan is playing tremendous right now, Julio, it goes without saying, and theyve got two running backs that are definitely going to try and hurt us in the run and the pass game, so our front has to play well, our linebackers have to play well and then on the back end, weve got to do a good of containing Julio. ' ' '