News und Ankündigungen » hth. The Nationals rally came against form

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Some quarterbacks are good in the two-minute drill.Matthew Stafford doesnt even need that long.Stafford is having one the best seasons of his career, statistically, and the numbers dont even tell the whole story. Every game the Detroit Lions have played has been decided by seven points or fewer, so their quarterback has constantly been under pressure with time running down. That was the case last weekend, when Stafford and the Lions went 35 yards in 23 seconds to set up a tying field goal on the final play of regulation. Detroit beat Minnesota in overtime .We would like to score earlier in the game and have a lead, but it did not work out that way, Stafford said. Our guys did a good job of sticking together.Stafford has completed 67.3 percent of his passes this season, throwing for 18 touchdowns and five interceptions. His passer rating of 101.6 would be the highest of his eight-year career if he maintains it.Hes doing this without his top receiver Calvin Johnson, who retired in the offseason. The Lions (5-4) have this weekend off, and they are by no means a lock for the playoffs, but whatever their flaws, theyve been able to count on their quarterback.Stafford has had difficulty at times living up to his promise as the No. 1 pick in the 2009 draft. He threw for 5,038 yards and 41 touchdowns in his third season, but that year soon began to look like an outlier. Even when Detroit reached the playoffs in 2014, the Lions were led by their defense.A 1-7 start last season cost Detroits general manager and team president their jobs, and it was fair to wonder about Staffords future as well.Stafford and the Lions played better down the stretch, and Detroits hope was that Jim Bob Cooter had figured out how to get more out of the teams quarterback. Cooter was promoted to offensive coordinator in the middle of last season.In their opener this season, the Lions trailed Indianapolis by one with the ball on Indys 25-yard line and 37 seconds left. Stafford completed three straight passes, and Detroit was in range for Matt Praters winning field goal.(Stafford) appears to make it a little bit easier than what it actually is, coach Jim Caldwell said. Number one, he prepares extremely hard. Number two, he has great confidence that he doesnt back down and doesnt shrink away from those moments, and the guys that are around him can sense that, and I think it gives them a little bit more confidence.Last month, the Lions trailed Philadelphia by two in the fourth quarter. On third down, Stafford and Golden Tate connected for 27 yards, setting up the field goal that put Detroit ahead to stay. The following weekend, it was a 44-yard drive that set up the winning field goal with 1:29 remaining against Los Angeles.The Lions were down by four against Washington with 1:05 remaining Oct. 23, and they went 75 yards for the winning touchdown.Last weekends drive at the end of the fourth quarter came with no timeouts left. Stafford threw an 8-yard pass to Tate, who went out of bounds. Then Stafford completed a 27-yard throw to Andre Roberts in the middle of the field. Detroit was able to rush up and spike the ball, giving Prater a chance at the 58-yard field goal that tied it.We practice those situations all the time. You might not believe it, but we actually go through situations where we need a field goal with 23 seconds left, safety Glover Quin said. When we completed that pass down the middle, we knew we had enough time to get to the ball and execute it perfectly. We didnt have anybody lining up wrong or guys covered up that would have resulted in the end of the game. We were able to hustle to the ball, snap it and spike it.Time was certainly against the Lions in that game, but Stafford has proven he can beat the clock.What else can you ask for but an opportunity? Tate said. We went out there and executed fairly well and found a way.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtristerCheap Authentic Shoes Online . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Cheap Authentic Shoes From China . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. http://www.cheapauthenticshoes.com/ . 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Authentic Shoes For Sale .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.PITTSBURGH -- A season thats spiraled away from the Pittsburgh Pirates spilled into frustration Sunday.On the edge of elimination from the playoff race with a 10-7 loss to Washington, the Pirates got into a bench-clearing skirmish after Nationals star Bryce Harper injured his left thumb trying to avoid a fake tag by third baseman Jung Ho Kang.The Pirates are five games behind in the NL wild-card race with a week left.When Kang came up for the first time after Harper was hurt in the third inning, he saw a fastball sail behind him from Washington starter A.J. Cole.Thats when the fracas began.I was just calmly sitting there watching some people come out of their dugout like, as if they were in the right, Im just trying to understand how, said Pirates left fielder Sean Rodriguez, who was ejected during the fray.How could you defend throwing the ball behind someones head for whatever reason? I guess thats what got me going a little bit, he said.Cole also was tossed.I was very surprised I was the only one ejected considering, Rodriguez said. I got blamed for being the one that instigated, but you can watch the film yourself.Harpers thumb was sore and the reigning NL MVP will have X-rays Monday.Harper led off the third inning with a triple for the NL East champions. As Harper neared third, Kang acted as if a throw was coming and faked a tag.Harper went down, was checked by a trainer and stayed in. He scored on Anthony Rendonns double and was replaced in the field in the bottom half by Chris Heisey.dddddddddddd.Jayson Werth, who was in the middle of the ruckus, had a pinch-hit, two-run homer and Heisey had a go-ahead single during a five-run burst in the eighth. The Nationals rally came against former teammate Felipe Rivero (1-5).Rivero had allowed just four earned runs in his previous 25 innings since being traded from Washington to the Pirates.Kang hit a two-run homer off Koda Glover to give the Pirates the lead in the seventh.Shawn Kelley (3-2) wound up with the win. Former Pirates closer Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 43rd save.TRAINERS ROOMPirates: C Francisco Cervelli did not play after taking a foul ball off his wrist Saturday. ... RHP Neftali Feliz (arm) threw off flat ground but is not yet ready for a return to the mound.UP NEXTNationals: Tanner Roark (15-9 2.70 ERA) had his start pushed back one day after the Nationals clinched the NL East on Saturday night. Hell looking for his career-best 16th win as Washington hosts Arizona for a four-game series.Pirates: Chad Kuhl (5-3, 3.73 ERA) will start as Pittsburgh begins a four-game series against the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs. Kuhl has allowed seven earned runs in 7 1/3 innings in his two previous starts against Chicago this season. ' ' '