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The NFL’s catch rule would get less complicated if team owners approve recommendations from the powerful competition committee.

 

One of the first orders of business when the league’s annual meetings begin Monday in Orlando [url=http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-arden-key-jersey]http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-arden-key-jersey[/url] , Florida, will be a proposal by the committee to clarify what is a catch. Commissioner Roger Goodell said during the week of the Super Bowl he would urge simplification of the rules.

”Catch/no catch is at the top of everyone’s minds,” Troy Vincent, the NFL’s football operations chief, said Wednesday before outlining the committee’s recommendations.

The owners will be asked to vote on clarifications that eliminate parts of the rule involving a receiver going to the ground, and that also eliminate negating a catch for slight movement of the ball while it is in the receiver’s possession. No calls in the last few years – not even pass interference – have caused more consternation than overturned catches in key situations, including those by Dez Bryant, Jesse James and Austin Seferian-Jenkins.

”We were at the point as far as players and particularly coaches who asked, `Why is that not a catch?”’ Vincent said. ”We talked to fans, coaches and players and we asked the groups, `Would you like this to be a catch?’ It was 100 percent yes.

”Then we began writing rules that actually apply to making these situations catches.”

Here’s what would constitute a catch if the owners approve the competition committee’s alterations:

– control of the ball;

– getting two feet down;

– performing a football act or;

– performing a third step.

The stipulation that slight movement of the ball while the receiver still has control no longer would result in an incompletion. Vincent pointed to the touchdown catch by the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Corey Clement in the Super Bowl as an example of a player never losing possession of the ball despite slight movement.

”That’s what the fans [url=http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-jackson-jersey]http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-jackson-jersey[/url] , coaches and players want,” Vincent said. ”They are the magical moments people are looking for, and that includes all of those (plays). It’s the biggest (proposed change). Why we want this is this is one call shaping results across the sport.”

Richard Sherman, the star cornerback who recently was cut by Seattle and signed with San Francisco, approves cleaning up the rules.

”I’m in favor of it because it gives the refs more clarity,” Sherman said. ”I think anytime you can give the referees more of a straight line, an edge, to call plays, I think it’s better for the game.

”I think obviously there’s been a lot of scrutiny on the catch rule. Last year, my team was at the wrong end of it. A guy caught the ball and ran three or four steps, put his hand in the ground [url=http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jk-scott-jersey]http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jk-scott-jersey[/url] , fell, fumbled the ball and nobody touched him, and they said it was an incomplete pass. It was the most ridiculous thing I think I’ve ever seen.

”I think that they need to do more rules like that. They need to take the gray area out of a lot more rules because the rule book is getting too crazy. It’s getting too extensive. Every year, the refs are getting scrutinized left and right when it’s a bang-bang play. This game is happening at a million miles an hour and there’s really nothing you can do about it. The rule book is so complex. How many times can you think of 1,500 rules in a second of a play and see which ones apply to that particular play? So, I think any time they can simplify the rule book and simplify the ref’s understanding and the public’s understanding is better for the game.”

Competition committee members are chairman Rich McKay, president of the Falcons; Broncos general manager John Elway; Cowboys COO Stephen Jones; Giants owner John Mara; Packers President Mark Murphy; Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome; Saints coach Sean Payton and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.

They also are recommending:

– expanding protection of a runner, which also involves quarterbacks when they have given themselves up as a runner. Vincent cited Kiko Alonso’s hit on Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco last season, saying the NFL must avoid an ”unnecessary shot.”

”This is strictly a safety move,” Vincent said.

– allowing the officiating staff at NFL headquarters in New York, using video review [url=http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-daesean-hamilton-jersey]http://www.broncosauthorizedshops.com/authentic-daesean-hamilton-jersey[/url] , to call for an ejection of a player committing an egregious non-football act. That would include throwing punches or being involved in a fight. Vincent pointed to acts by Rob Gronkowski and Mike Evans last season.

Vincent said there were no discussions within the competition committee regarding protocol for the pregame national anthem. Owners are expected to take up the subject on Monday or Tuesday, but no decisions are likely.

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AP Pro Football Writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.

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WASHINGTON — Their winning streak against the Baltimore Orioles ended, the Washington Nationals will turn to Max Scherzer on Thursday night as they look to win the three-game series against the team with the worst record in baseball.

Scherzer (10-3, 2.06 ERA), seeking to avoid losing three starts in a row for the first time since 2015, will be opposed by Kevin Gausman (3-6, 4.48).

In each of his last two outings, Scherzer has made one mistake and the Washington bats haven’t been able to overcome it. On June 10, he allowed a two-run homer to Brandon Crawford in a 2-0 home loss to the San Francisco Giants, and last Saturday he was touched for a two-run shot by Toronto’s Devon Travis, also in a 2-0 loss.

“This is major league baseball. One pitch can cost you a game. Now I’ve had it happen back-to-back starts [url=http://www.authenticswashingtonredskins.com/cheap-da_ron-payne-jersey]Da'Ron Payne Color Rush Jersey[/url] ,” Scherzer told the Washington Post. “… You can get beat like that.”

Scherzer allowed a combined eight hits in the two losses while striking out 19 in his first back-to-back defeats since 2015.

He leads the NL in wins, strikeouts (152) and opponents’ batting average (.171) and ranks second in ERA.

Scherzer is 6-2 with a 2.87 ERA in 11 career starts versus the Orioles. He beat them on May 30, throwing eight shutout innings and giving up just two hits.

Adam Jones is 13-for-32 (.406) with three doubles and four home runs against Scherzer, while Manny Machado is 2-for-25 and Mark Trumbo is 1-for-16.

On Wednesday night, the Orioles got a two-run homer from Trumbo and five pitchers combined for a 3-0 win, snapping a six-game losing streak against Washington that dated to last season.

Baltimore (21-51) won for only the fourth time in 21 games and improved the majors’ worst road record to 10-28 after the teams endured a 2-hour, 43-minute rain delay.

“It’s never easy, especially when you get over the hour mark, two-hour mark,” Trumbo said. “Then you have to restart. It’s almost two games in one, so great job by our guys tonight.”

One night after pounding out 14 hits [url=http://www.authenticsbaltimoreravens.com/cheap-lamar-jackson-jersey]Cheap Lamar Jackson Jersey[/url] , the Nationals (39-33) were held to five and were shut out for the fourth time in their last nine games.

“We’ve got some pretty good hitters,” Washington manager Dave Martinez said. “We’ve just got to keep pushing and keep going. The runs will come. I know they’ll come and when they do come they’ll come in bunches.”

Gausman has not won since May 11, though in his last two starts it had as much to do with the Baltimore bats as his pitching. On June 9, he allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-3 loss to the Blue Jays. Then on June 15, he gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 2-0 loss to the Miami Marlins as he allowed five hits and threw 107 pitches.

“Kevin gave us a really good chance to win,” manager Buck Showalter told the Baltimore Sun. “I’m sure he’d like to take back some of the 0-2 hits he gave up, but two runs … I can’t fault him for that. It just gets magnified any runs our pitchers give up because we’re struggling so much to score runs.”

Gausman is 3-1 with a 4.70 ERA in four career starts against the Nationals. Bryce Harper is 3-for-7 against him and Anthony Rendon is 3-for-9.

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The Philadelphia Phillies and the St. Louis Cardinals will play the rubber match of their current series and their season series Wednesday afternoon.

The teams have split the first two games of their series at Citizens Bank Park and are 3-3 against one another in 2018. Jake Arrieta and Michael Wacha will face off for the second time this season.

Arrieta (5-5 [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsshop.com/cheap-mark-walton-jersey]Mark Walton Color Rush Jersey[/url] , 3.33 ERA), who spent four-and-a-half seasons with the Chicago Cubs, is familiar with the Cardinals. The veteran right-hander is 8-5 with a 2.38 ERA and a 9.5 K/9 rate in 18 career starts against St. Louis. The ERA is the third-lowest for Arrieta against any opponent he’s faced more than twice in his nine-year major league career.

Arrieta gave up four runs (two earned) in just three innings against the Cardinals during a rain-shortened start on May 18.

Arrieta also had a short outing the last time he was on the mound. Facing the Brewers last Friday, he surrendered eight runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings. It marked the third straight start in which Arrieta gave up at least four earned runs, and his ERA has risen from 2.16 to 3.33 over that span.

Arrieta took blame after the 13-2 loss.

“It was (bad) all the way around,” he told mlb.com. “I single-handedly lost us the game. I put up a five-spot in the second inning, and it wasn’t because of the defense really. And again, if there’s a play on defense that’s not made, it’s our job to get the next guy out to pick that guy up. And I didn’t do that.”

Wacha (8-2, 3.24 ERA) is also coming off a short start.

The right-hander was hit hard against the Cubs on Friday. He allowed nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and four walks in four innings. Wacha picked up just his second loss of the season and his first since his season debut against the New York Mets on March 31.

Wacha gave up three homers in the loss after allowing just three long balls in his previous 12 starts.

“They were all elevated [url=http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-natrell-jamerson-jersey]http://www.saintsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-natrell-jamerson-jersey[/url] , middle of the plate,” Wacha told mlb.com. “I just have to do a better job of locating and getting it where I need it to go.”

Wacha tied his season-high with eight strikeouts against the Phillies on May 18. He allowed only two runs on five hits across six innings in that start, and has a 4.15 ERA in six career starts against Philadelphia.

Wacha will try to help the Cardinals win back-to-back games for the first time since June 8-9.

St. Louis was a 7-6 winner Tuesday night thanks in large part to Matt Carpenter. The infielder hit the game-winning home run in the ninth inning off Phillies reliever Seranthony Dominguez and also had a two-run double. Carpenter has homered in three straight contests and is hitting .316 in his last 13 games.

Carpenter has just four hits in 38 lifetime at-bats against Arrieta, but two of them have been home runs.

LeBron James‘ face said it all. J.R. Smith messed up. And the Cleveland Cavaliers paid for his mistake as they lost Game 1 of the NBA Finals 124-114 to the Golden State Warriors in overtime.

 

The score was tied at 107 with 4.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Cleveland was at the line. George Hill’s free-throw attempt bounced off the rim, and Smith rebounded. Instead of putting a shot up while near the basket, Smith dribbled out toward midcourt and kept it , despite James’ shouts for the ball.

Time ran out. Overtime ensued. Golden State won.

Welcome to the club of big blunders, Smith.

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CHRIS WEBBER – 1993

The announcer said it before the game-deciding moment even happened: ”Remember, the Wolverines are out of timeouts.” Well, Michigan’s Chris Webber didn’t remember.

After dribbling into a corner with 11 seconds left in the championship [url=http://www.minnesotatwinsteamshop.com/authentic-kyle-gibson-jersey]Kyle Gibson Minnesota Twins Jersey[/url] , surrounded by defenders, Webber called a timeout . Automatic technical foul. North Carolina hit two free throws, then two more to seal it.

Michigan lost 77-71. It was the last time the Fab Five played together, as Webber went to the NBA 0-2 in NCAA finals appearances.

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MAGIC JOHNSON – 1984

Even legends make mistakes. During Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Magic Johnson lost track of time. His Lakers and the Celtics were tied with 13 seconds left in regulation. Johnson got the ball. For some reason, he ran out the clock , not passing it until it was too late for his teammate to put up a shot.

Boston won that game 124-121 in overtime and ultimately took the series in seven games.

The nickname ”Tragic” Johnson was thrown around after that.

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BEATRICE CHEPKOECH – 2017

There are no shortcuts in steeplechase. And during the World Championships, Beatrice Chepkoech accidently tried to make one.

Just two laps into the 3,000-meter event, Chepkoech completely missed a water jump . The bypass forced her to backtrack and trail her competitors. She ultimately made up a lot of ground and finished fourth.

The Kenyan distance runner had been in the lead.

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BENNY AGBAYANI – 2000

Runners were on second and third in a regular season game. The Giants hit a fly ball into the outfield [url=http://www.coloradorockiesteamshop.com/authentic-kyle-freeland-jersey]Kyle Freeland Colorado Rockies Jersey[/url] , where Mets left fielder Benny Agbayani makes the catch. Three outs.

Or so Agbayani thought.

Agbayani jogged to the stands, handed the baseball off to a kid and started to run to the dugout. Only then did he realize his mistake – there were only two outs – and took the ball back from the fan . The giveaway was ruled a two-base error and both runners crossed home as a result. Mets still came out on top 3-2.

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MARK FLEKKEN – 2018

Hydration is key, but so is paying attention. In Germany’s second division this season, Duisburg goalkeeper Mark Flekken turned his back and meandered into the goal to take a drink. To his surprise, the moment he turned around, Ingolstadt was right there, sending the ball into his net . There was nothing he could do but stand there at that point.

After the match, Flekken admitted he thought he had a couple moments to spare since his team had just scored and music was playing in the stadium. He also said he won’t be putting his water bottle in the goal anymore.

Luckily for Flekken, Duisburg pulled through 2-1.

Also, that water bottle ended up for auction.

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JASON MONEY – 2014

With 3.7 seconds left on the clock [url=http://www.authenticsclevelandbrowns.com/cheap-chad-thomas-jersey]Chad Thomas Color Rush Jersey[/url] , Spanish Fork (Utah) High School was up by three points and facing fourth down. Rather than punting the ball, quarterback Jason Money took it with plans to run out the clock. Which he technically did .

Money stopped at the sideline when he saw zeroes, fully prepared to celebrate, when a Maple Mountain defender realized the play – most importantly, the game – was still live. The whistle hadn’t blown. So, he stripped the ball from Money and a teammate returned it 22 yards to score. Maple Mountain won the playoff game 17-14.

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JAMES JACKSON – 1986

Older doesn’t always mean wiser. Former Georgia quarterback James Jackson also didn’t understand the rules of running out the clock. During Georgia’s 1986 matchup against South Carolina, the Bulldogs were up by less than a touchdown with four seconds remaining. James kept the ball until time expired then dropped it on the Gamecocks‘ 10-yard line .

Again, no whistle.

South Carolina scooped it up and took it to the end zone, but at that time in college football, players could not advance a fumble. It was a dead ball the moment the defender touched it. The rule [url=http://www.authenticsminnesotavikings.com/cheap-jalyn-holmes-jersey]Jalyn Holmes Color Rush Jersey[/url] , since changed, saved Georgia, which held on to win 31-26.

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BURRILLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL – 2016

There were only four seconds left. So the moment a Burrillville (Rhode Island) High School basketball player stole a Chariho inbounds pass, he thought play was over. His whole team thought it was all over. The ball was chucked up into the air , and they celebrated what they believed to be their victory.

Little did they realize Chariho caught the throwaway and called a timeout before the time actually ran out. With less than a second left, a perfect lob play led to a Chariho game-winning layup.

Burrillville lost 60-59. It was the state championship.

.

Shutting down the Utah Jazz offense is proving easier said than done for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

 

For a second straight game [url=http://authenticlosangeleschargers.com/cheap-kyzir-white-jersey]Kyzir White Color Rush Jersey[/url] , a late second-quarter surge by Utah carried over into the second half and it allowed the Jazz to pull away for a 113-96 victory Monday night. The Jazz used a 20-3 run spanning the end of the second quarter and the start of the third to break open the game.

Utah takes a 3-1 series lead back to Oklahoma City. Game 5 in the best-of-seven playoff is Wednesday night.

Donovan Mitchell had 33 points and seven rebounds to lead the Jazz to their third straight win in the series. Joe Ingles added 20 points, hitting five 3-pointers.

Mitchell’s willingness to attack the rim put the Thunder on their heels throughout the second half.

”He’s done a good job of getting in there and finishing or dropping it off,” Jazz coach Quin Snyder said. ”It’s an important part of what we do. He’s our most dynamic offensive player.”

Rudy Gobert added 16 points and 10 rebounds. Ricky Rubio chipped in 13 points, eight assists and six boards. Derrick Favors also scored 13.

Paul George had 32 points and Russell Westbrook added 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Thunder, who shot 39 percent from the field.

”I thought we played downhill a lot more,” coach Billy Donovan said. ”I thought we were at the rim a lot more. From there, we probably missed some opportunities to move the ball. I thought our ball movement was sporadic and sometimes it was very good.”

The Thunder opened a 26-19 lead late in the first quarter when Carmelo Anthony capped a string of three straight Oklahoma City baskets with an alley-oop layup. They held onto the lead for much of the second quarter until Utah finally woke up on offense.

Starting with Gobert cutting to the rim for a dunk with 3:45 left in the second quarter, the Jazz scored on 11 straight possessions. Ingles fueled the surge by hitting three consecutive 3s to put Utah in front 58-52 before halftime.

”These guys are great at telling me to shoot it as much as possible within the flow of our team and our offense,” Ingles said.

The surge Ingles kept going finally culminated in another dunk by Gobert that punctuated the decisive 20-3 run that gave Utah a 67-52 lead.

”The whole year, one of the things that we’ve wanted to do collectively is try to generate open shots,” Snyder said. ”You’re not always going to make them [url=http://www.authenticspittsburghsteelers.com/cheap-chukwuma-okorafor-jersey]Chukwuma Okorafor Color Rush Jersey[/url] , but you want to keep taking them. Eventually, you’re going to make some. We hit some timely ones in the second half.”

The Jazz led by as many as 21 in the third quarter. Utah went up 87-68 when Mitchell drained a jumper and then fed Ingles for a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession.

Physical play and heated emotions characterized the game. Both teams picked up two technical fouls before halftime. Jae Crowder was ejected after a technical foul with 5:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

”That’s just what you’re going to get with a playoff team,” George said. ”It’s playoff basketball. It’s going to get chippy. It’s going to get physical. We’re in it for the fight.”

TIP-INS

Thunder: Westbrook finished with his fourth consecutive double-double in the series. … Anthony went just 5 of 18 from the field. … Oklahoma City totaled one assist in the third quarter and finished with 10 for the game. … The Thunder shot 5 of 26 from 3-point range.

Jazz: Ingles is 10 of 21 from 3-point range over his last two games. … Utah forced 15 turnovers. … Royce O’ Neale finished with a career playoff-high nine rebounds. … Rubio is averaging eight assists per game in the series.

WESTBROOK VS. RUBIO

Westbrook publicly promised to shut down Rubio in Game 4 after the Jazz point guard notched a triple-double in Game 3. His aggressiveness ended up with Westbrook drawing four personal fouls in the first half. In the end, Rubio shot just 4 of 12 from the field, but he finished with two fewer assists (eight) than the Thunder tallied as a team.

Following the game, Westbrook did not want to discuss how he guarded Rubio.

”It wasn’t about me or him,” he said. ”Let’s get past that. We done with that.”

RECORD SETTER

Mitchell set a postseason rookie scoring record for the Jazz, passing Karl Malone, who had 31 points on April 20, 1986, against the Mavericks. Mitchell is the first rookie to have a 30-point playoff game since Brandon Jennings did it in 2010. Mitchell is just the third rookie in the last 50 years to score 110-plus points in his first four playoff games [url=http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-m.j.-stewart-jersey]http://www.buccaneersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-m.j.-stewart-jersey[/url] , joining Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan.

”It’s definitely an honor to have a record like that,” Mitchell said. ”Definitely an honor. No doubt about that, but we have one more game, so I’m focused on that.”

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PITTSBURGH — The rearview mirror was a popular item, at least figuratively, for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers on their day between playoff games Thursday.

The Penguins, defending Stanley Cup champions, downplayed their 7-0 series-opening win in which they dominated in pretty much every area and vowed to concentrate on Game 2 on Friday night at PPG Paints Arena.

The Flyers, conversely, were hoping to move past the painful loss and even the first-round series before it moves to Philadelphia.

“It’s one game. Whether it’s 7-0 or 1-0 in double overtime, it’s one game [url=http://www.edmontonoilersteamshops.com/authentic-ryan-mcleod-jersey]Ryan McLeod Oilers Jersey[/url] ,” said Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby, who had a hat trick in Game 1. “A big part in the playoffs is to get better every game and adjust. That’s the way you have to look at it.”

The Penguins expect the Flyers to do the same, and to charge back Friday.

“We know it’s going to be a tough challenge; they’re a good hockey team,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “We would expect that they would respond appropriately.”

Philadelphia has not been able to do that so far. Pittsburgh swept four games between the teams during the regular season, scoring five goals in each of those games, before trouncing their cross-state and Metropolitan Division rivals Wednesday in their postseason opener.

Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said the game looked just as lopsided when he reviewed it on video.

“They did an outstanding job,” Hakstol said of the Penguins. “They were the better team. There was very little time, space. They were the quicker team, and they executed in all the little areas of the game better than we did.

“You can’t go out in practice and work on everything. It doesn’t work that way … so we just picked a couple of things that we wanted to try to brush up on. The other things, we’ll have to do through a little bit of video, a little bit of discussion [url=http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-keke-coutee-jersey]http://www.texansauthorizedshops.com/authentic-keke-coutee-jersey[/url] , and mostly just clearing the mind and getting the focus back on Game 2.”

Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who had 102 points during the regular season, was highly disappointed after Game 1, when he was minus-4 for the first time this season.

“It’s one of the worst games I’ve been a part of,” Giroux said. “I was terrible. I made a lot of bad plays.”

Still, he was confident enough about the Flyers bouncing back that he was willing to predict a win in Game 2.

“We’ve got to play better and play with a little bit more attitude,” Giroux said. “We’ve got a day here to think about it. We’re going to get out of this together, win the next game and go back home 1-1.”

While Pittsburgh goaltender Matt Murray is coming off a 24-save shutout and has a franchise-record 206:26 shutout streak dating to last year’s Stanley Cup Final, it remains to be seen whether Philadelphia will come back with Brian Elliott, who gave up five goals on 16 shots in Game 1, or switch to Petr Mrazek [url=http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-josh-allen-jersey]Authentic Josh Allen Jersey[/url] , who allowed two goals on 14 shots in relief.

After Wednesday’s game, Hakstol said his inclination was to stick with Elliott, but he declined to confirm that after practice Thursday.

“I’m not ready to say anything about lineups,” Hakstol said. “I fully stand by what I said (Wednesday) night. That was how I felt. I’m not going to move away for sure from that, but I’m not making any lineup decisions or announcing any lineup decisions (Thursday).”

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) Jay Gruden would rather coach against Carson Wentz once every four years instead of twice each season.

He can blame the Cleveland Browns.

When the Browns traded the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft to Philadelphia for a slew of draft picks [url=http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-josh-jackson-jersey]Authentic Josh Jackson Jersey[/url] , the Eagles selected Wentz. He’s been the franchise quarterback they expected.

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Wentz has started every game since his arrival, going 12-10. The Eagles (5-1) lead the NFC East and are first in the conference entering Monday night’s game against Gruden and the Washington Redskins (3-2).

”I think he’s progressed at a rate as fast as anybody I’ve seen really,” Gruden said about Wentz. ”His ability to make plays in the pocket, his ability to stay in the pocket in the face of a rush and still deliver balls accurately, his command of the offense.”

Wentz is one of the favorites to win the NFL MVP award, according to oddsmakers. Meanwhile, the Browns are 1-21 since the trade and have used five starting quarterbacks.

That’s Cleveland’s problem. But it bothers Gruden [url=http://www.authenticssanfrancisco49ers.com/cheap-jonathan-cooper-jersey]Jonathan Cooper Jersey Elite[/url] , too.

”I think he’s already proven this short in his career that he’s one of the top quarterbacks in the league, quite frankly, and he’s going to be for a long time,” Gruden said. ”And I don’t know how he got to Philadelphia. And I’m very upset about that.”

The Redskins beat the Eagles twice last season, but Wentz led Philadelphia to a 30-17 win at Washington in Week 1. His magic act to escape a sack and toss a 58-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor on the opening series set the tone for the success he’s having.

Wentz has completed 60.9 percent of his passes for 1,584 yards, 13 TDs and only three interceptions. He’s seventh in passer rating at 99.6.

”Every week it seems like we’re playing against an excellent quarterback [url=http://www.authenticskansascitychiefs.com/cheap-robert-golden-jersey]Robert Golden Jersey Elite[/url] , and knowing that Wentz is going to be there for a long period of time just puts a few more gray hairs on my head,” Gruden said. ”But love the competition, and it’s our job to get after him and make him uncomfortable.”

Wentz and the Eagles are well ahead of schedule. They weren’t expected to be serious contenders until next season. But Wentz has taken a giant leap from his rookie season and his teammates have jumped on board.

”When we’re sitting where we’re at right now, we can just never let that slip,” Wentz said. ”We can never let that slip from our preparation in the film room, the meeting room, the weight room [url=http://www.authenticcincinnatibengals.com/cheap-preston-brown-jersey]Preston Brown Jersey Elite[/url] , in practice, so that’s just something I feel like we have to always keep focusing on. Never settle, never settle, and just keep striving for that greatness.”

The Eagles can’t get carried away with early success. They learned the hard way last season. Wentz led them to a 3-0 start. Then came a bye and nine losses in the next 11 games.

”We’re made different this year,” Wentz said. ”We have a different character make-up in that locker room, and nobody’s going to ever settle for anything less than greatness. So we’re going to go out there every day and attack it.”

The Redskins have no slouch at quarterback, either. Kirk Cousins has completed 66.5 percent of his passes for 1 [url=http://www.sanfrancisco49ersteamonline.com/weston-richburg-jersey]Wholesale Weston Richburg Jersey[/url] ,334 yards, nine TDs, two interceptions and a passer rating of 106.4.

Unlike Wentz, Cousins doesn’t have job security. He’s playing a second consecutive season on the franchise tag and faces uncertainty next spring.

”I have a lot of respect for him in this: he wasn’t a first-round draft pick,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. ”He earned his way in. He earned his way into a starting position, and he kept it, and he’s produced when he’s been on the field.

”He’s made plays with his arm. He’s made plays with his leg. He’s a smart player. He puts them in good positions. They have a lot of checks at the line of scrimmage. Most teams do now [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkjets.com/cheap-chris-herndon-jersey]Chris Herndon Jersey Elite[/url] , but he does a good job of controlling the run game. He’s a good quarterback.”

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP-RobMaaddi

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) The Latest on a suspected drunken-driving crash that killed Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson and another man (all times local):

5:10 p.m.

The family of an NFL player killed in a suspected drunken-driving crash allegedly caused by a man who was living illegally in the U.S. is grieving privately as the tragedy stirs a national political reaction.

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Atlanta attorney Daniel Meachum is a spokesman for relatives of Indianapolis Colts linebacker Edwin Jackson [url=http://www.officialpenguinsproshop.com/authentic-adidas-matt-murray-jersey]Adidas Matt Murray Jersey[/url] , who died Sunday along with his Uber driver when a pickup truck struck them along Interstate 70 in Indianapolis.

Meachum says Jackson’s relatives are in shock and ”just want to grieve as a family.”

He says they planned no response to President Donald Trump’s tweets Tuesday about the double-fatality and the crash suspect’s immigration status. Trump referred to Jackson’s death as ”disgraceful” and called on Democrats to work with him on border security and illegal immigration.

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12:05 p.m.

Federal immigration authorities say a man being held in a suspected drunken-driving crash that killed an Indianapolis Colts player has a prior driving-under-the-influence conviction in California.

Linebacker Edwin Jackson avcnd his Uber driver were fatally injured in the collision Sunday.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Nicole Alberico says 37-year-old Manuel Orrego-Savala was convicted of a DUI in Redwood City, California [url=http://www.authenticspittsburghsteelers.com/cheap-james-washington-jersey]James Washington Jersey Elite[/url] , in 2005 and has numerous misdemeanor convictions and arrests in California and Indiana.

Orrego-Savala is a Guatemalan citizen who’s in the U.S. illegally. He was deported in 2007 and 2009.

He remained jailed Tuesday but has not been formally charged in the crash. The 26-year-old Jackson and 54-year-old Jeffrey Monroe were struck as they stood outside Monroe’s car along Interstate 70 in Indianapolis.

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President Donald Trump says it’s ”disgraceful” that an Indianapolis Colts player was killed in a suspected drunken-driving crash by a person who was in the U.S. illegally.

The president also prodded Democrats to work with him on illegal immigration and border security.

The collision killed linebacker Edwin Jackson and his Uber driver, Jeffrey Monroe [url=http://www.saintscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-natrell-jamerson-jersey]Natrell Jamerson Super Bowl LI Jersey[/url] , who was not mentioned by Trump.

Since the campaign, Trump has regularly pointed to crimes connected to illegal immigration as evidence that the U.S. needs to build a wall along the Mexican border and tighten immigration policies. As president [url=http://www.authenticsbuffalobills.com/cheap-russell-bodine-jersey]Russell Bodine Jersey Elite[/url] , he has threatened to withhold federal funding to cities with sanctuary city policies.

Authorities say the man suspected of causing the collision Sunday has twice been deported from the U.S.

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EAST RUTHERFORD [url=http://www.carolinapanthersteamonline.com/dj-moore-jersey]Wholesale DJ Moore Jersey[/url] , N.J. (AP) The questions about tackle Ereck Flowers‘ future with the New York Giants are increasing as the 2015 first-round draft pick was a no-show for the team’s first voluntary minicamp under new coach Pat Shurmur.

Players do not have to attend either the organized team activities or any minicamps.

Shurmur, however, let it be known in the offseason that he would appreciate it if they attended, with new systems on offensive and defense being installed and the team coming off a 3-13 season that cost former coach Ben McAdoo his job.

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Flowers has skipped everything. There are now reports the Giants are shopping him in the days leading to the NFL draft, which starts Thursday.

The former Miami product has not lived up to expectations in his first two seasons at left tackle. That forced new general manager Dave Gettleman to go out and sign New England Patriots left tackle Nate Solder as a free agent, a move that would have forced Flowers to move to right tackle.

Flowers has not given any indication why he has stayed away.

”He’s not here, so there’s not really much to say [url=http://www.officialsenators.com/authentic-adidas-erik-karlsson-jersey]Adidas Erik Karlsson Jersey[/url] ,” Shurmur said.

The coach refused to say whether he was disappointed.

”We understand that this is a program that is voluntary,” he said. ”I tend to believe it is very necessary, but he’s not here. So, when he is here, we will start to talk about him.”

The Giants don’t have a lot of depth at tackle. Free agent Chad Wheeler played in 11 games with five starts as a rookie. Adam Bisnowaty started in his only game last season after being drafted in the sixth round.

If Flowers is traded, the Giants are going to have to draft a tackle or sign one as a free agent.

Odell Beckham Jr., who missed most of last season with a broken ankle [url=http://www.clevelandindiansteamshops.com/authentic-lonnie-chisenhall-jersey]Authentic Lonnie Chisenhall Jersey[/url] , and defensive end Olivier Vernon were both at the minicamp. They skipped the minicamp a year ago.

”I think the big thing for us is our game is very simple – it’s about the ball, it’s about negotiating the ground and it’s really about man whipping man,” Shurmur said.

The minicamp, which does not entail any hitting, is more about making sure players get to know the new systems, with some throwing and receiving mixed in. The defenses can work on stripping the ball.

There was speculation that Shurmur wanted to use the minicamp to see what quarterback Davis Webb could do. The third-round pick did nothing last season, so the Giants really don’t know what they have with their backup to Eli Manning.

”I don’t think there needs to be any anxiety on his part – get trained up [url=http://www.raiderscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kolton-miller-jersey]Kolton Miller Super Bowl LI Jersey[/url] , come on out here, let it rip and mistakes happen in practice and you learn from them,” Shurmur said. ”I think that’s why you practice, so I think you have to be careful about making a final evaluation on a guy in a three-day period here. He just needs to come out here and get as good as he can be.”

Most players said they felt they were entering this season with a clean slate.

Cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who was suspended for a game last season after missing a practice, intends to be on his best behavior this season.

”I promise y’all that Jackrabbit says it won’t happen this year what happened last year,” he said. ”There won’t be any animosity between players [url=http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cordy-glenn-jersey]Authentic Cordy Glenn Jersey[/url] , no disrespecting the coach. There will be none of that. New York Giant football is back.”

Jenkins also believes fellow cornerback and 2016 first-round draft pick Eli Apple, who also was suspended for a game, will be a different player this season.

”You have to understand that he was young,” Jenkins said. ”It’s a clean slate, new coaching staff and for him it’s guys like me that have to push him and help him out because I’ve been in the league so long and just help him understand that adversity is going to hit you and when it hits, you’ve just got to keep it going.”

Beckham did not take part in the afternoon practice, but fellow receiver Sterling Shepard said that was a precaution.

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NEWARK [url=http://www.atlantafalconsteamonline.com/isaiah-oliver-jersey]Wholesale Isaiah Oliver Jersey[/url] , N.J. (AP) New Jersey Devils‘ first playoff berth since 2012 is there for the taking. All they have to do is take it.

Taylor Hall scored two goals and the Devils reduced their magic number for clinching a postseason berth to six points with a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

Any combination of points earned by the Devils or not earned by Florida that total six will complete an improbable ride back to the postseason for the team that finished last in the Eastern Conference in 2016-17.

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”It’s a tough time in the year and for a lot of the guys in this room, they’re going through it for the first time,” said Hall, who is looking to make the playoffs for the first time in his eight-year NHL career. ”It wasn’t a perfect game but we managed to get two points and give ourselves some breathing room.”

Coupled with Florida’s 5-1 loss to Boston earlier in the day, the Devils opened a five-point lead over the Panthers in the race for the second wild-card spot in the conference and moved within a point of idle Philadelphia for the top wild-card spot. The Devils and Flyers each have four games left in the regular season [url=http://www.clevelandindiansteamshops.com/authentic-larry-doby-jersey]Authentic Larry Doby Jersey[/url] , while the Panthers have five.

”Any win right now is going to be huge and we have to keep it going to give ourselves the best chance to control our own destiny and come out strong in Montreal tomorrow,” said goaltender Keith Kinkaid, who made 27 saves, the last on a one-timer by Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock with 14 seconds to play.

Stefan Noesen and Blake Coleman each had a goal and assist as the Devils won for the seventh time in 10 games (7-2-1).

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”He played great,” Pulock said. ”It was good to see him back. It looks like he didn’t miss a beat, so good to see him.”

Hall, who has carried the Devils in a career-best season [url=http://www.cowboyscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-leighton-vander-esch-jersey]Leighton Vander Esch Super Bowl LI Jersey[/url] , broke a 1-all tied 41 seconds into the second period with a fortuitous power-play goal. His shot from the left boards hit off the skate of New York defenseman Adam Pelech in front of the net and deflected past Greiss.

Hall’s 36th goal of the season was magnificent. He picked up a loose puck at his own blue line, flew up the ice into the Islanders zone and then veered to his left and ripped a shot over Greiss’ left shoulder from the left circle to make it 3-1 at 9:08.

”He’s our leader,” Coleman said of Hall. ”He’s been doing it all year, it’s almost routine now for him to score big goals and make big plays. We feed off of it and it’s a reason why we are where we are.”

Beauvillier got New York within one a little more than four minutes later with a power-play shot that was deflected by Devils forward Brian Gibbons past Kinkaid.

Islanders had a chance to tie it late in the period with another power play, but Coleman got his third short-handed goal [url=http://www.milwaukeebrewersteamshop.com/authentic-travis-shaw-jersey]Authentic Travis Shaw Jersey[/url] , beating Greiss up high to cap a 2-on-1 with defenseman Mirco Mueller with 1:02 left in the period.

The goal became important when Wagner scored on a deflection in front with 3:36 left in regulation.

Fritz had given the Islanders the lead 75 seconds after the opening faceoff, scoring on a rebound. Neosen tied it at 7:54 scoring in close on a setup by Coleman.

NOTES: The Devils honored hockey historian and television analyst Stan Fischler during the game. A 2007 Lester Patrick Trophy recipient for contributions to hockey in the United States, he is retiring from television coverage in the New York-metropolitan area after this season. He turned 86-years-old on Saturday. … Devils RW Kyle Palmieri left the ice in the third period after being cut under the eye by an inadvertent stick from teammate Andy Greene. Devils coach John Hynes had no update on his condition. … Wagner took out Hall and referee Dan O’Halloran with a check being the Devils net in the first period. … Hall’s 88 points are the fifth most in a season for the Devils, eight less than Patrik Elias’ record of 96 set in 2000-01.

UP NEXT

Islanders: Start the final week of the season at home against Philadelphia on Tuesday night

Devils: Play final back-to-back of season at Montreal on Sunday night.

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NASHVILLE [url=http://www.newyorkyankeesteamshop.com/authentic-andy-pettitte-jersey]Authentic Andy Pettitte Jersey[/url] , Tenn. (AP) The Tennessee Titans released cornerback Jason McCourty in April to avoid paying the veteran $7 million and to get younger in their secondary.

Now they get to see him again with McCourty proving he’s not done yet.

The Titans (3-3) visit the winless Browns in Cleveland, and McCourty already has three interceptions compared to none for his Tennessee replacements.

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”When I left Tennessee, it wasn’t really about the money, it was more about the opportunity to play,” [img]http://www.sndpic.com//nike_nfl_jerseys/nike_new_york_giants/nike_giants_140.jpg[/img]said McCourty, who had been a mainstay in Tennessee’s secondary since being a sixth-round draft pick in 2009.

”I knew if I came back I was going to be the fifth-string cornerback.

So McCourty [url=http://www.authenticsnewyorkjets.com/cheap-thomas-rawls-jersey]Thomas Rawls Jersey Elite[/url] , now 30, believed he could still play football and decided to test his chances as a free agent for the first time in his career. His goal? To compete and be a team’s second or third cornerback.

McCourty has been a bright spot for the 0-6 Browns starting each game. He also has those three interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown last week against Houston , two forced fumbles and 24 total tackles this season

”I’ve just been happy with myself,” McCourty said. ”I guess a little bit of it is proving to yourself that man, you can still play this game. You still are a good player.”

With McCourty gone [url=http://www.bengalsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-cordy-glenn-jersey]Authentic Cordy Glenn Jersey[/url] , the Titans revamped the cornerback position in the offseason, signing Logan Ryan from New England, drafting Adoree’ Jackson in the first round and adding free agent Tye Smith as a backup to holdovers LeShaun Sims, Brice McCain and Kalan Reed. Of that group, Smith has the only interception.

McCourty said he is not bitter at the Titans for wanting to move on without him.

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”It doesn’t matter how good you are, what you’ve done. At some point, someone is going to tell you either you’re not good enough, we don’t want you anymore. So, you know what’s to come and I think I just look back on it, just grateful for the eight years that I did have there.”

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has taken notice of McCourty’s play with the Browns.

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Titans tight end Delanie Walker said his old teammate’s play jumps off the film when watching the Browns defense.

”J-Mac is an explosive player, and he is doing it over there. You see him all over the place. He shows up on the runs, the passes. I think he’s going to try to show up, especially going against us,” Walker said.

NOTES: The Titans held running back DeMarco Murray (hamstring) and linebackers Derrick Morgan (abdominal strain) and Brian Orakpo (rest) out of Wednesday’s practice. Receiver Corey Davis (hamstring) and safety Johnathan Cyprien (hamstring) did not practice and have been out for weeks. Mariota (hamstring) practiced fully.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL .

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ORCHARD PARK [url=http://www.newyorkyankeesteamshop.com/authentic-mariano-rivera-jersey]Authentic Mariano Rivera Jersey[/url] , N.Y. (AP) Limping heavily on his left leg, Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor quietly grabbed a few belongings from his locker and headed out a side door.

Before pulling on a pair of head phones, Taylor nodded his head ”Yes,” when asked by The Associated Press if he was OK. He then gingerly climbed into a cart, driven off up the tunnel and into the New Era Field parking lot.

With him might also have gone the Bills’ fading chances of completing a late-season playoff push after Buffalo dropped to 6-6 following a 23-3 loss to New England on Sunday.

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Taylor was hurt on the first play from scrimmage [url=http://www.vikingscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-kendall-wright-jersey]Kendall Wright Super Bowl LI Jersey[/url] , when he was sacked by David Harris. He continued playing through the injury before leaving the game after overthrowing receiver Deonte Thompson to end Buffalo’s seventh drive in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.

”He was in pain. You could see it on his face, the expressions he was making,” running back LeSean McCoy said. ”It shows you a true warrior.”

Coach Sean McDermott provided no update except to say Taylor was being evaluated.

Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White was also sidelined by a potential concussion, after Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski led with his shoulder in striking the player in the back of the head while White lay on the field.

”That’s just dirty football. There’s nowhere in our game for that,” safety Micah Hyde said.

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Taylor’s injury has the potential of sidetracking Buffalo’s bid to end a 17-year playoff drought that stands as the longest active streak in North America’s four major professional sports. Without him, the Bills would be forced to turn back to rookie Nathan Peterman, who proved he wasn’t ready two weeks ago. That’s when McDermott’s ”calculated risk” to bench Taylor backfired: Peterman threw five interceptions in the first half of a 54-24 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers.

The Bills are 21-19 in games Taylor starts, and 0-4 when he doesn’t since 2015.

Though knocked for being too conservative in hesitating to throw into coverage, Taylor has at least been efficient. He has 12 touchdowns versus four interceptions after being picked off at the goal line by Patriots linebacker Eric Lee at the goal line to end Buffalo’s first drive.

Center Eric Wood credited Taylor for persevering through the pain.

”It just drives home stuff I already knew about him [url=http://www.bostonredsoxteamshop.com/authentic-rick-porcello-jersey]Authentic Rick Porcello Jersey[/url] , that he’ll do whatever it takes for this team,” Wood said. ”He was able to conceal it if he was in a ton of pain, but he laid it on the line for us today.”

Despite the injury, Taylor had three runs for 32 yards.

In the end, it wasn’t enough for a Bills team limited to scoring on Stephen Hauschka’s 49-yard field goal [url=http://www.arizonadiamondbacksteamshop.com/authentic-nick-ahmed-jersey]Authentic Nick Ahmed Jersey[/url] , and which came away with no points on two drives inside the Patriots 10.

Aside from Taylor’s interception, Peterman had a drive end on downs at the Patriots 1, where his fade pass intended for Zay Jones was batted away by Stephon Gilmore.

The Bills squandered another scoring opportunity late in the second quarter with Joe Webb lining up in a wildcat formation. Webb barely overthrew a pass intended for running back Travaris Cadet, who was open deep over the middle near the goal line.

”Those are three situations we have to take advantage of and we didn’t,” Wood said. ”Extremely frustrating. We missed some opportunities on offense to put seven on the board [url=http://www.houstonastrosteamshops.com/authentic-houston-astros-jersey]Authentic Houston Astros Jersey[/url] , and against a team like that you have to.”

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For more NFL coverage: http://pro32.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP-NFL

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KANSAS CITY (6-2) at DALLAS (4-3)

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OPENING LINE – Cowboys by 2

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RECORD VS. SPREAD – Chiefs 6-2, Cowboys 4-3

SERIES RECORD – Cowboys lead 6-4

LAST MEETING – Chiefs beat Cowboys 17-16, Sept. 15, 2013

LAST WEEK – Chiefs beat Broncos 29-19; Cowboys beat Redskins 33-19

AP PRO32 RANKING – Chiefs No. 4, Cowboys No. 11

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COWBOYS OFFENSE – OVERALL (8), RUSH (2), PASS (17)

COWBOYS DEFENSE – OVERALL (13), RUSH (15), PASS (15)

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More AP NFL: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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