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TEMPE, Ariz. -- No one has played better defense for the Arizona Cardinals through two games than Tony Jefferson.The 24-year-old safety has 21 tackles, 18 of them unassisted. He has three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits and a recovered fumble.Not bad for a guy who scraped his way onto the Cardinals roster as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2013.I feel like Ive had to fight every year to be on the team and to make a statement, he said after practice Wednesday. I always have a big chip on my shoulder. I never get complacent, just try to take advantage of every opportunity I get.Most of the time, Jefferson is playing in the box, near the line of scrimmage, where he can blitz the passer, defend the tight end or just race to the middle of the play as it develops. Tyrann Mathieu spent a lot of time in the box last year, too, leading to an All-Pro selection. But Mathieu has played only free safety thus far while he works his way back from knee surgery.Jefferson acknowledges that its a position that allows him to make many plays.A lot of it has to do with scheme, he said. Coach Boettch (defensive coordinator James Boettcher) does a great job finding ways to use guys strengths. Hes let me be aggressive, attack, be physical if I want to be. And at the same time play man on tight ends and stuff. Im actually having a really good time. Im enjoying it right now. Its just all coming together.Jefferson had 10 tackles in the opener against New England and matched his career high with 11 tackles in Arizonas 40-7 victory over Tampa Bay on Sunday.After the game, he mentioned the fact its a contract year for his improved play. But he downplayed that in the Wednesday interview.Obviously, I speak for anybody, you play well, you want to get paid, Jefferson said, but thats just a small portion of it. Obviously I want to win a championship. Obviously I want to be one of the best safeties in the league. It may sound crazy to other people ... but I have my own goals.Coach Bruce Arians has been around a long time and has seen how playing in a contract year seems to rev up a players performance.They always see those dollar signs, he said. Its an amazing thing.When Jefferson was a restricted free agent last summer, the Cardinals tendered him the lowest possible offer -- about $1.7 million a year. Nobody matched it and he was left in a take-it-or-leave-it situation.Teams dont even like messing with the restricted stuff, Jefferson said. They can low-ball out and you either take it or you dont. I hated that whole process. Hopefully things work out to where Im here and dont worry about hitting free agency.Jefferson has played in every game since he made the roster three seasons ago, but only sporadically as a starter.When the Cardinals chose not to re-sign Rashad Johnson this offseason, the starting safety job was his.It means a lot. Ive always wanted to be a starter, Jefferson said. Thats why Im here. Im not going to not take advantage of the opportunity. Im going to do what I can to keep it, do what I can to build from it.Mathieu has watched Jefferson develop through the years.Ive always thought Tony played well, even going back to our rookie year, or second year, him just continuing making strides, Mathieu said. Ive always thought he was a good tackler. Ive always thought he was underrated in coverage. I think hes just really putting it all together this year. Hes been really focused. Its a big year for him, a contract year.When Mathieu returns to his do-everything role, Jefferson doesnt expect his playmaking to slow down.I dont ever fathom the fact of me being on the field, Im going to make less plays, he said. When Im on the field, Im looking to make the most plays I can and have the same mindset whether Im playing d-line, d-end, safety, corner. It doesnt matter. When Im on the field, I expect to make plays.The Cardinals (1-1) are at Buffalo on Sunday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLWholesale Air Max 1 . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Cheap Air Max 1 Mens . With Parker having a quiet game for once, Nicolas Batum and Boris Diaw provided the scoring as France won its first major basketball title by beating Lithuania 80-66 on Sunday. It was a victory that ended a decade of frustration for Parker and a talented French generation, which lost the final against Spain two years ago and took bronze in 2005. http://www.cheapairmax1.net/ .C. Lions has come to an end. Banks told TSN on Jan 2 that he had no interest in playing out the option year of his contract with the Lions in 2014, and he again made that clear in a conversation with Lions GM Wally Buono last week. Cheap Air Max 1 China . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Cheap Air Max 1 Sale .C. -- Al Jefferson joked that he feels he can score from anywhere on the court.(Sports Network) - To play, or not to play, that is the question for New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez is expected to be activated off the disabled list for Mondays opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. The slugger hasnt played this season because of offseason hip surgery and a quadriceps strain, and just completed a rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Trenton. The drama surrounding Rodriguezs return has been marred by reports that he will be suspended the rest of this season and all of 2014 due to his involvement in the Biogenesis scandal. The New York Daily News reported that the league has rejected requests from the troubled third basemans representatives to continue negotiations regarding a possible settlement of his looming suspension. Rodriguez, who has been penciled in to start against the White Sox, will reportedly be able to take the field if he opts to appeal a possible suspension. Major League Baseball plans to announce all penalties on Monday for those players involved with Biogenesis of America, a Miami-area based anti-aging clinic suspected of distributing performance-enhancing substances. The Yankees could use A-Rods power in a lineup that has seen better days. They just dropped two of three contests at San Diego this weekend and suffered a 6-3 setback Sunday afternoon. Phil Hughes struggled in his 2 2/3-inning outing and allowed five runs and six hits to take the loss, New Yorks 11th in the past 17 tries. Austin Romine homered and both Curtis Granderson and Lyle Overbay added an RBI for the Yankees, who are 4 1/2 games off a wild card spot and 2-3 on an eight- game road trip. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has missed the last two games because of a right calf injury and could land on the DL again. Jeter has played just five games this season and traveled with the club to Chicago. "Its been terrible. Its been like a nightmare," Jeter told the clubs website Sunday. "The whole season has been a nightmare. I really dont know what to tell you; I wish that wasnt the case and we werre sitting here talking about something besides another injury.ddddddddddddWell see what happens. I have no idea." Andy Pettitte taking the mound for the Yanks Monday night is certain and the veteran left-hander is 0-2 in his last three appearances. Pettitte did not receive a decision in Tuesdays 3-2 loss at Dodger Stadium, where he tossed seven innings of two-run ball and remained 7-8 in 19 starts with a 4.28 earned run average. Pettitte is 4-4 in 10 road assignments this season and 11-9 with a 4.41 ERA in 24 career starts against the White Sox. The White Sox are mired in a season-high 10-game losing streak and lost all seven games on their recent road trip. They have been swept in three straight series, including a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers this weekend. Chicago tried to end its losing ways on Sunday, but sustained a 3-2 loss in 12 innings. Torii Hunters RBI single in the bottom of the 12th won it for the Tigers and handed the White Sox their first 10-game slide since June 11-20, 1976. "Were just trying to get through and you just try to do the best you can at the moments that youre in there playing," White Sox veteran Paul Konerko said of his teams struggles. "Theres not a lot of positives." Konerko homered and Adam Dunn went 4-for-5 with a home run in defeat. Dylan Axelrod was dealt the loss for his performance in the 12th inning and White Sox starter Andre Rienzo allowed two runs in six innings. Set to take the mound for Chicago in the opener of a 10-game homestand Monday is lefty Jose Quintana. Quintana did not factor in the outcome of a 6-5 loss at Cleveland on Wednesday and was reached for three runs in five innings. He is 5-3 in 22 starts to go along with a 3.62 ERA and won his only career start against the Yankees last June 29 in a 14-7 win in the Bronx. Quintana allowed six runs in six innings in that one. The Pale Hose last won on July 25 and are meeting the Yankees for the first time since winning five of seven matchups a season ago. Chicago swept a three- game set in this series at home last Aug. 20-22. ' ' '