Dein erstes Forum » Cousins has gotten better at extending plays

DAVIE, Fla. -- It has been nearly a year since Chris Culliver played in a game, and the countdown to his 2016 debut is almost over.So hes a little anxious, right?I like that one, Culliver said Wednesday, approving the choice of words. That was good. Im definitely anxious, you know what Im saying? Ready to pop out of my skin.Activated this week by the Miami Dolphins, Culliver said he was told hell play Sunday at San Diego. The veteran cornerback has been sidelined since tearing ACL and MCL ligaments in his right knee last Thanksgiving Day while with the Redskins.Its going to be a lot of emotion and a lot of good vibes out there Sunday, Culliver said.Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph was noncommittal regarding Cullivers timetable, but said the Dolphins will welcome his help.Xavien Howard started as a rookie until he suffered a knee injury that required minor surgery. Hes expected to be out at least one more week. Converted receiver Tony Lippett replaced Howard with mixed results, and the other starter is veteran Byron Maxwell, who has played better since a brief benching.Obviously we need more capable corners, Joseph said. If Chris is ready, hes going to play. Weve only got really four healthy guys; you need probably five or six to play a season. Having a corner like Culliver come up who has played at a high level helps you. It allows us to have more flexibility.Culliver said he knows he wont play every snap, but hes gratified to provide a reinforcement.Youve got guys playing about 70 plays or whatever; you cut that to 50, 40 plays, Culliver said. Those guys get fresh legs. Youve got guys rotating in. It brings a good dynamic.Dolphins special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said Culliver can also help on punt and kickoff coverage.He did a lot of stuff in college and is a very talented guy, Rizzi said. So weve got him trained to help in those roles.Culliver had been on the physically unable to perform list since August, shortly after he signed a $2.5 million, one-year contract. The Dolphins were required to activate him this week if he was to play at all this season.He has 26 career starts and seven interceptions. One of his picks came two years ago against the Chargers Philip Rivers, who faces Miami on Sunday.I accomplished a lot; still want to accomplish more, Culliver said.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Steven Wine on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Steve-Wine. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/steven-wine NHL Jerseys Outlet . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Wholesale NHL Jerseys . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. https://www.chinanhljerseys.us/ . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. NHL Jerseys Sale . But the quarterback hopes to stay involved in football after officially calling it quits Tuesday. "Id love to look at those opportunities as they arise," Pierce said in an interview from his Winnipeg eatery. Fake NHL Jerseys . How great will be revealed in the next couple of days at the board of governors meeting in Pebble Beach, Calif. ASHBURN, Va. -- Running off the field after throwing for 375 yards and three touchdowns in the Washington Redskins victory over the Green Bay Packers, quarterback Kirk Cousins stopped and yelled right into the ear of general manager Scot McCloughan.How you like me now? Cousins said, rubbing McCloughans head. How you like me now?Its a loaded question.In leading the Redskins to six games in eight games, Cousins has 2,398 yards and 16 touchdowns with just four interceptions. He has 3,091 yards this season while playing on the franchise tag and wants a lucrative, long-term contract whether its from the Redskins or someone else.Hes made progression in every area of his game, and hes continuing to do so, coach Jay Gruden said ahead of the Redskins Thanksgiving Game against the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys. You can see it. Its `Eye in the sky dont lie, so to speak. ... The more comfortable he gets, and the people around him, and the system, the better hes going to be.We like where he is, we like where hes going, (and) hes going to continue to work, which is also why we like him.How much do the Redskins like him is the question. After not being able to negotiate a long-term deal, theyre paying him $19.95 million this season, and a second consecutive year on the franchise tag would cost $23.94 million.Thats in the range of what Baltimores Joe Flacco, Arizonas Carson Palmer and Atlantas Matt Ryan will cost against the salary cap in 2017, and Cousins doesnt yet have the resume of those established starters. Cousins is getting there, and he knows each game is a test.Im just always trying to prove myself and Im always being evaluated, Cousins said after outdueling Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Ill always be trying to prove myself as long as Im playing this game.Cousins downplayed the grander meaning of asking his GM, How you like me now? But the 28-year-old has a history of being fired up in big moments, like when he screamed, You like that? after leading a comeback from down 24 against Tampa Bay last season.When Cousins gets asked about his contract situation, he calmly recalls a football lifetime of dealing with uncertainty.In high school, I played my senior year with no scholarship offers and had to prove myself to earn a scholarship, Cousins said Tuesday.dddddddddddd I went to Michigan State and played my senior year not knowing what was going to happen with the NFL. It wasnt like I was projected to be a high pick and had to prove myself there. I came here as a backup on a rookie contract as a fourth-round pick, didnt know what was going to happen, had to play that contract out and just prove myself. Here we are again.Cousins waited patiently to earn the Redskins starting job when he was drafted the same year as Robert Griffin III, but now isnt the time for patience. Urgency has suited Cousins well, and he has helped Washington rebound from an 0-2 start to get to 6-3-1 going into the showdown with Dallas.Along the way, Cousins has gotten better at extending plays, making better decisions with the ball and connecting on deep throws. He has a 104.9 QB rating in the past eight games and earning praise from Gruden for his growth.There are so many things that a quarterback has to do pre-snap that hes handling much better than he did when I first got here, Gruden said. Then his confidence to throw the ball and distribute the ball to the right people and not forcing the issue. His interceptions have gone down tremendously. Hes protecting the football in the pocket. Theres so many things that hes doing better that you just cant point to one.Cousins acknowledges that even though hell be 29 by the time next season starts hes still learning. But his veteran teammates see plenty of evidence that Cousins can be a franchise quarterback.Kirk, hes a winner, hes a leader, hes everything you want in a quarterback, said tight end Vernon Davis, who played last season with Peyton Manning. Each and every week hes getting better and better.Game notes Gruden said long snapper Nick Sundberg didnt participate in a walkthrough Tuesday. Sundberg missed the Packers game with a back injury and was replaced by Rick Lovato. ... WR DeSean Jackson (shoulder), LT Ty Nsekhe (ankle), DE Chris Baker (hamstring) and LB Preston Smith (back) were limited Tuesday.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '