It has not been a flattering run for the , particularly when looking at their past six games.Really, it's been an unflattering season for Buffalo outside their Week 4 win over the . At the time, that felt like a statement game. Now, it looks more like an outlier or a point of punctuation and a pivot point for Buffalo's season.The Bills defense allowed 288 yards per game through Week 4 and 370.8 yards per game since Week 5, as noted by ESPN. In those same timeframes, they've gone from scoring 34.8 points per game to 20.2, and they've gone from allowing 13.8 points per game to 21.At the start of the season, they were built to have balance, with quarterback elevating the offense and coach Sean McDermott elevating the defense. Allen needed to keep doing Boomer Esiason Jersey what the best quarterbacks do: leverage his unique physical a sets with smart play.ADVERTISEMENT But instead, we've seen mental mistakes crop up. Allen is tied for an NFL-high nine interceptions with, and. (Not the best company.) It feels fitting, too, that Allen should be in the same spot as Howell, because the quarterback plays a bit like Allen did when he was a rookie. But it's not Allen's rookie year anymore. He and Howell shouldn't be in any of the same categories. And yet, there they are.Allen's poor play is currently a chicken-or-egg question.The egg: Is this just the Allen many predicted would bust when he was drafted No. 7 overall in 2018? Is he just a hard-headed QB with a propensity for risk?"It's the old cliche: In order to win you have to stop yourself from losing," Allen said.Now, if it's clich, then Allen has probably heard it 100 times. And for whatever reason, it's not sinking in. But if there were anyone who Ricardo Allen Jersey might get it to sink it, it could have been Tom Brady, who basically lectured Allen on decision-making recently on the "Let's Go!" podcast." Allen is like my oldest son," Brady said in a conversation with Allen and host Jim Gray. "I try to tell him, but in the end, he's just got to do it his own way. We have to sometimes make decisions in certain moments to check the ball down or to gain a few yards and move on."There is another option the chicken. Maybe Allen is in an offensive system that is predictable and lacking in a supporting cast. Because of those constraints, he feels the need to flout coaching and good decision-making and force the ball into bad situations in hopes it works out.Now that's still on Allen. But it points to a broader i sue with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey, who isn't getting the most out of his offense."The big thing for us is not becoming one dimensional, predictable," Dorsey told reporters Monday. "And I think that's what we try to do. We tried to open up some series with some RPOs. We tried some drop-back pa ses. We tried some run game. We've got to be able to do that to keep the defense off-balance, so that we don't become predictable, and we have to do that in a way that's efficient for us."Translation: They've tried a few things but nothing is working yet. (Now, that list of things that Dorsey has tried is not a particularly creative list: run, pa s Jackson Carman Jersey and run-pa s-option. But he's not going to broadcast the fine details of what, exactly, he's doing at a more minute level.)Whatever the answer is, Allen's mistakes are burning the Bills. For the past two seasons, Allen and quarterback have been in the top 10 for interceptions rankings. And their teams overcome that risky behavior through good defense and makeup big plays. Basically, Allen might get intercepted on a risky play once, but or or someone else would convert the next two risky plays for ma sive chunk yardage or a touchdown.That's not happening this year. Instead, opponents are punishing Allen and the Bills.What's alarming is that the stats show that opponents can punish the Bills even more. Buffalo ranks seventh in giveaways but 14th in points allowed off turnovers (40). That number is likely to get worse, given that the Bills had 11 takeaways in the first four weeks but just three since then. And while they only gave up five turnovers in the first four games, they have put up nine from Weeks 5 to 9.Bills drop to 5-4 after lo s to Bengals. Time to hit panic button? The truth is that right now the defense isn't very good, largely due to high-impact injuries. And McDermott's no-nonsense scheme is meant to highlight its talented players. Because of Cincinnati Bengals Jersey a few years of poor drafting, the Bills don't have depth behind their top-tier talent.With all their injuries most notably to cornerback and linebacker McDermott's defensive unit lacks teeth. Even edge has yet to play at the expected level amid his extended recovery from an ACL injury. In his 24 snaps Sunday against the Bengals, he posted the team's second lowest PFF grade on defense with zero tackles (and a mi sed tackle) with one pre sure on a 7.1% win rate (ninth among defenders).The Bills have done what they can to make up for their injuries, with the additions of cornerback (a trade acquisition) and defensive tackle (a free-agent signing). But they're complementary pieces, not centerpieces like White and Milano.The Bills defense is doing what it can to keep the team in the game, with the offense floundering. But it's tough for McDermott & Co. when they simply lack talent."I get it. I understand everyone's frustration. I absolutely do," McDermott said Monday. "We're working extremely hard to make the adjustments we have to make, Nick McCloud Jersey and Ken is doing the same. So I remain confident in Ken and our offensive staff." Want great stories delivered right to your inbox?Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. The Bills have turned into a team we barely recognize. Yes, the numbers look OK, especially the advanced statistics. But a closer look at recent performances paint a much grimmer picture. While they looked liked they were building toward Super Bowl contention after Week 4, they have since created overwhelming evidence of ineptitude, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.It's time for the Bills to worry. It's time for them to get urgent. It's time to realize how bad things have gotten.A turnaround starts and finishes with Allen. He is their superstar. He has the talent to change the season. But he has been so inconsistent this season that his coaches and teammates need to implore him to elevate his game.Because if he can't, Buffalo's playoff hopes will begin to dwindle.Prior to joining FOX Sports as the AFC East reporter, Henry McKenna spent seven years covering the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Follow him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.

The , and people acro s the country are furiously booking hotel rooms and flights to ensure they're present for some phenomenal matchups this year.NFL.com has already put together the for fans based on the top NFL games of the 2015 season, but what about those who love college football as much as the NFL? College Football 24/7 is here to help and has a sembled the top-five road trips for college football and NFL games in 2015.Each week might not feature Dzanan Musa Jersey the absolute best college football or NFL matchup, but rather, the best combination of games that fans could easily attend over a weekend.1. Primetime comes to Indiana2. Rivalry Week meets Turkey DayNFL game: at , 12:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 26College game:Ohio State at Michigan on Nov. 28Distance:45 miles between Ford Field and the Big House, Michigan Stadium, in Ann Arbor.The skinny:NFL and college football fans have plenty to give thanks for on this weekend. The annual Day game features Chip Kelly's (and po sibly a pair of Heisman Trophy winners at quarterback) traveling to face and the , a playoff team last season looking to do more in 2015. That game should have plenty of wide-open offense, which NFL and college fans won't mind. Two days later, Jim Harbaugh takes to the field for his first rivalry game as head coach of the Wolverines, and it just so happens to be against Urban Meyer and the defending national champion Buckeyes. Hard to have more Langston Galloway Jersey compelling storylines than this two-game swing. These are the top 10 college football rivalry games, as determined by the College Football 24/7 staff. 3. Texas two-step4. Lone Star, three stopsNFL games: at , 4:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 26; at , 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 29College game:Baylor at TCU on Nov. 27Distance:264 miles between AT&T Stadium and NRG StadiumThe skinny:If No. 2 on this list doesn't float your boat for weekend, this Texas road trip might. You can start off on Turkey Day with the and , which brings the interesting sub-plot of being the first game for against his old team. The following day you can catch the Andre Drummond Jersey Big 12 game of the year -- a grudge match between TCU and Baylor in what might be for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Finally, you can cap things off with a trip down I-45 to catch the and duking things out. If you're really adventurous, you can even detour to Baton Rouge, La., for Texas A&M vs. LSU.5. California road tripNFL games: at , 8:25 p.m. ET on Oct. 22; at , 4:05 p.m. ET on Oct. 25College games:Utah State at San Diego State on Oct. 23; Utah at USC on Oct. 24Distance: 712 miles between Levi's Stadium, Qualcomm Stadium, and the L.A. Memorial ColiseumThe skinny:Who's up for a Isiah Thomas Jersey road trip along the coast of California? You can start out in the Bay Area with another edition of the great rivalry between the and at Levi's Stadium (or if you prefer to start in Los Angeles, Cal at UCLA is the same night). Then you can watch football for four straight days with a trip down to see a big Mountain West matchup between QB Chuckie Keeton's Utah State squad and San Diego State. The following day you can head up to Los Angeles, where USC will look to return to glory against a Utah team that is top-20-worthy this season. Finally, you can wind up back in San Diego, where the and will hook up Josh Jackson Jersey , perhaps to decide which franchise moves to the Los Angeles area. You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at .

Tottenham will play their final home game of the season tomorrow against Mark Hughes Manchester City. The penultimate game of the season will Michael Porter Jr. Jersey see Manchester City arrive in London with both sides still in the hunt for Europa League football next season- with the winners of the game likely to contest Fulham for a place in the European competition. Manchester City currently lie a point below Tottenham, meaning a Spurs win would ensure that City could finish no higher than eight, one place below a Europa League spot.Team NewsTOTTENHAM:Fitne s tests:Zokora (groin), A sou-Ekotto (ankle/foot)Mi sing: Dawson (ankle), Bent (knee), Palacios (compa sionate leave), OHara (knee), Lennon (groin).Aaron Lennon once againfails to make the Spurs squad afternot recovering from his groin problem. The injury comes as a great blow for both Spurs and Lennon as the young winger was playing incredibly well before his injury, and the player was greatly mi sed during the 0-0 stalemate with Everton last week.Jamie OHara is out for the rest of the season after having a knee operation, and both Michael Dawson and leading scorer Darren Bent are set to mi s yet another premier league fixture. Wilson Palicios completes the list of definite absentees- hes still in Honduras recovering after the death of his younger brother.Both Benoit A sou-Ekotto and Didier Zokora are expected to complete late fitne s tests after suffering ankle and groin injuries respectively. Ledley King is set to start after he apologised to Harry Redknapp following his nightclub shenanigans (). Tom Huddlestone looks set to start in midfield whilst Heurelho Gomes seems to have kept his place in goal despite some poor keeping last week against Everton.EXPECTED TEAM LINE-UP: (5-3-2)GomesCorluka King WoodgateHutton BaleHuddlestoneJenasModricKeane© DefoeMANCHESTER CITY:Tests: Sturridge (hip/thigh), Wright-Phillips (ankle/foot). Will Barton Jersey Mi sing: Benjani (thigh), Bellamy (knee), Hamann (ankle/foot), Robinho (groin)Robinhois out- meaning both sides leading goalscorers are absent from tomorrows clash. Benjani and Bellamy are also confirmed casualties, leaving Mark Hughes with a headache over who to play up-front. Martin Petrov and young Felipe Caicedo are set to start.Experienced centre midfielder Didier Hamann has damaged his foot and Sturridge is unlikely to feature- though the youngster will undergo a fitne s test. Shaun Wright-Phillips will also be tested, and could settle for a place on the bench.EXPECTED TEAM LINE-UP: (4-5-1)GivenRichards Onuoha Dunne© BridgeElano Ireland Kompany De JongPetrov CaicedoHead to Heads:LUKA MODRIC VS. ELANOThe battle of the playmakers. With Elano standing at 5ft 9in and Luka Modricjust half an inch smaller neither of the players are seen are seen as gritty ball winning midfielders but both have amazing vision and fantastic dribbling skills. Elano has also shown his skill at hitting long range shots this season, so Heurelho Gomes will need to be on his guard. Modric will probably be deployed on the left hand side of midfield or as a shadow striker behind Defoe and Keane. Elano will most likely start on the right- so expect a direct clash. Both sides are also mi sing their defensive midfielders (Hamann and Palicios) so there should be a multitude of opportunities Facundo Campazzo Jersey for both of the playmakers.KING V CAICIDOThe Ecuadorian youngster plays in a direct style and has impre sed for City this season. Ledley Kingplays for the first time after his nightclub antics and the defender will probably endure his fair share of taunting from both City and Liverpool fans in the next week. Caicedo has only hit three goals in twenty-four appearances for Manchester City, but the forward could still pose a threat to the Spurs defence. However, you would hope a defender of Kings calibre would be able to bo s Caicedo for the majority of the game...KEANE V DUNNEThe two Irish stars are best friends and its no secret that Robbie was gutted when Dunne failed to secure a move to Spurs at the end of last season. However there will be no prisoners held when these two meet, with the outcome of their rivalry pivotal to the matches result. Keane has been playing well of late and has linked up well with former strike partner Jermain Defoe, so expect Dunne to be tested.Recent FormTottenham have been enjoying a fine spell under Harry Redknapp, and he has led the club from bottom of the table to Europa League challengers. That form has slightly dipped of late, with the club failing to beat Everton last week and losing to Manchester United. However Tottenham fans have the right to feel incredibly aggrieved after some dubious decisions in that particular clash, and Spurs have not conceded at home in six games.LAST FIVE FIXTURES:Sat May 09 2009Everton(A)0 0Sat Apr 11 2009West Ham United(H)1 0Sun Apr 19 2009Newcastle United(H)1 0Sat Apr 25 2009Manchester United(A)2 5Sat May 02 2009West Bromwich Albion(H)1 0Manchester City have blown hot and cold under Mason Plumlee Jersey Mark Hughes leadership, but a late push has seen the Blues fired into the top half of the table. However City have scored only eleven points this season on their travels, and lost last week in the Manchester derby, losing 2-0 to their more illustrious rivals.LAST FIVE FIXTURES:Sun Apr 19 2009West Bromwich Albion(H)4 2Sat Apr 25 2009Everton(A)2 1Sat May 02 2009Blackburn Rovers(H)3 1Sun May 10 2009Manchester United(A)0 2Sun Apr 12 2009Fulham(H)1 3PREDICTION:Most predictions acro s the internet have Spurs down as getting the three points tomorrow, but I expect a tight clash. We will mi s Palicios desperately, and I dont think a 5-3-2 formation is attacking enough. Elanos long shots could trouble Gomes and Aaron Lennons absence will be felt. Ive got the game down as a 2-1 City win with Huddlestone opening the scoring before Petrov and Elano secure the win for City.And finallyThe race for 7th place.FULHAM travel to St. James Park in the Tyler Lydon Jersey hope of securing a Europa League spot. Newcastle are celebrating their first win under Alan Shearer, after beating rivals Middlesbrough 3-1 this week. One more win would all but complete Newcastles escape from relegation, and the Magpies will probably fancy their chances against ateam notoriously bad on the road. Im hoping Newcastle do us a favour, 2-1 to the Magpies. Meanwhile, WEST HAMare away to Everton, the team that held us last week. Everton have one eye on the F.A Cup final against Chelsea and are expected to rest a number of players, giving West Ham the chance to regain the 7th place spot. I think West Ham will triumph 3-1.

LSU has lost its defensive coordinator and the Tigers are losing starting defenders early to the draft, too. Coordinator John Chavis Lonzo Ball Jersey is leaving for the same job at Texas A&M, and whoever replaces him will have to make do without linebacker Kwon Alexander, , and cornerback Jalen Collins, who announced Thursday via Instagram In addition, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports that safety Jalen Mills is telling players that he Jerry West Jersey 's Collins' decision was not a surprise, though the Advocate reported that Collins said he was given a "stay-in-school" grade from the Advisory Board. JaVale McGee Jersey Mills (6-foot, 194 pounds), , started at cornerback for two seasons before moving to safety this season, and his versatility will be a selling point. Collins (6-2, 198) Devontae Cacok Jersey has excellent size. Both would seem to be candidates to be selected in the middle rounds, with teams likely higher on Collins than Mills.LSU has lost 17 players Jared Dudley Jersey in the past two drafts to early entry, more than any other school. Mike Huguenin can be reached at [email protected]. You also can follow him on Twitter .

Hearts striker Christian Nade has been been ordered to lose weight before he can be considered for the first team again. The former Sheffield United player arrived at Tynecastle at the end of last years summer transfer window and has rarely played a full match since.On arrival we were informed that Nade was short Mario Hezonja Jersey of matches and would take time to gain full fitne s. He found himself in the starting line-up on many occasions but was never able to go the full ninety. As the season progre sed there appeared little improvement, with regards to the Frenchmans fitne s, and injury towards the end of the season set him back even further.Manager Csaba Laszlo criticised some of the top earners at Tynecastle for being lazy recently, without naming any names. Laszlo spoke with the Scotsman newspaper about Nade yesterday and the Romanian-born Hungarian spoke positively about the player in the present, however, seemed critical of his recent past Jacob Evans III Jersey . When I arrived at Hearts, people told me they hadnt seen Christian Nade for a long time on the training field. Now, he is beginning to work.This is a big challenge but I am so happy for the technical team because we pushed Nade back on to the training field. He is taking to the bicycle, showing a positive attitude and we have changed this.He would like to come back but now the question is will it be inone month or maybe two months? We must be careful not to Bill Bradley Jersey get him injured. His weight is very high and he must be a little bit slimmer. He must work very hard and he is doing this but I think he still needs time.If we are very realistic, maybe in one month he will be ready. The player is making a big effort to come back, maybe that was not there before. He has changed now and he says he wants to work, his mentality has changed.In attack I would like to have a striker who is more confident and more experienced, someone who can score.This is profe sional football, you must score goals and win games.One forward who has Taj Gibson Jersey been linked with Hearts can certainly score but may be a little short on experience. Derek Riordan has spent the last two season in the Celtic reserves making very few first team appearances.The rumour linking the former Hibs player to Tynecastle was reignited last night when it was claimed, during the BBC RadioScotland coverage of Rangers v Kaunas, that Jim Spence had heard that Riordan could be heading to Edinburgh but not Hibs.Many in the Hearts support would not accept Riordan due to his past as a Hibs player. He certainly has the quality, or has shown it in the past he was on the verge of a becoming a regular in the Scotland squad before he signed for Celtic Reserves but as the player is obviously in dire need of a fresh start and regular first team football. Would it really be a good move for him to come Maurice Harkless Jersey to a club under pre sure to perform, with half the support on his back before he has kicked a ball?

The media CONVINCED us it was defense at #8 for the in the 2024 NFL draft. No other thought is po sible, right? Gospel. Free $!Wrong.A gentle reminder (this coming from the man who had to take a smoke break covering Round 1 of the NFL Draft) at the end of the day the decisions of three men Reggie Perry Jersey ultimately steer this splintery ship: Head Coach Raheem Morris, General Manager Terry Fontenot &Owner Arthur Blank.Opinion and authority are valuable in collaborative Atlanta in their scaled differences: silver & gold.RCB #21 Mike HughesIf you claim to have predicted as CB2 on August 1st: Sure you did honey, of course, you did.This leaves initially projected running as the lead rotational corner for LCB A.J. Terrell and Hughes at RCB. Well, maybe Phillips is headed to Nickel? Does not seem so. Having largely been projected as a nickel to cater to DeAndre Jordan Jersey his 5'9" size comingout of Utah, Dee Alford is currently running as the starting Nickel.Defensive Coordinator Jimmy Lake directly addre sed his opinion of Hughes>Phillips III recentlyHughes) had a really good spring and has earned the right to play more snaps.Opinion and authority are valuable in collaborative Atlanta in their scaled differences: silver & gold.My opinion Joe Harris Jersey is to disagree and side with Phillips III>Hughes, so Im going to have to see it going forward.SS #27 Richie GrantSecondarily surprising - Richie Grant leading snaps ahead of second-year DeMarcco Hellams.Raheem Morris and Arthur Smith see players differently, for example:I told Richie when I got here that I was wrong on him, Morris said. I didn't think he was as good a player as he is. And he's played well and does some good things, tackles strong. I was in another place when I evaluated him.-Raheem MorrisThus we must remember to not put too much stock in Grants role change down the stretch last season favoring Hellams.Grant faced a change drastic enough to go from 26 James Harden Jersey consecutive starts to a consecutive snap count of 11%, 38%, and 42%, even with an increase in 3-safety defensive packages by then Defensive Coordinator Ryan Nielsen. Pour salt in this wound, 3-safety defense and its safety utilization similarities to Cover 2 cater to Grants apparent strengths as Terry Fontenot put it, Where Richie excelled more was playing near theline of scrimmage, pre suring, even adding He's got to improve things in coverage.4i/5T/OLB #50 James Smith-WilliamsAt 6'3", 265, and listing three positions, fight the innate response to fear that Smith-Williams has no place to call home.Over 400 snaps of playing time as Andre Roberson Jersey a on a defensive line featuring Montez Sweat, Chase Young, Jonathan Allen & DaRon Payne to name a few can find a spot in a weaker Atlanta room vs. 2023 Washington. In Jimmy Lakes base 3-4 with surrounding personnel, project Smith-Williams in the Weakside Linebacker role directly competing with breakout-thirsty third-year .Should he find himself sliding to a rotational role, the heavy playing free snap plan forSmith-Williams has been there from Raheem Morriss initial pursuit in Free Agency.

The ' to the included more than a lopsided score. coach announced Monday afternoon that has a "" and will Darius Miller Jersey see more specialists. Pagano added that he if the running back will go on injured reserve."It kills you because ," Pagano said. "... We are going to mi s his energy, his pa sion."It's a . Bradshaw was by far their best runner and was dangerous as a receiver out of the backfield, especially in the red zone. For the season Bradshaw rushed for 425 yards on 90 totes and two scampering scores, while nabbing 38 receptions for 300 yards Lonzo Ball Jersey and six catching touchdowns.It marks another setback for the injury-plagued running back, who in his eight years has always displayed vast potential but hasn't been able to stay on the field. In those eight Jrue Holiday Jersey seasons, he's only played in 16 games once. Last season, he mi sed all but three contests with a neck injury that required surgery.Bradshaw will be a free agent following the season. As has been the case since making the trade for the first-round pick, the will need even more from than he's provided thus far. 's snaps are also likely to increase out Derrick Favors Jersey of the backfield. In more positive injury news, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport added that suffered a low ankle sprain, according to two sources. Allen confirmed the injury Monday and said that he's day to day, per .The latest Around The NFL Podcast from an action-packed Week 11. Sindarius Thornwell Jersey Find more Around The NFL content on .

PITTSBURGH -- Ask one of Dean Pees' players about the blitzes he draws up, and you'll be lied to. Specifically, ask them about a moment on Saturday when the were facing a third-and-4 deep in their own territory amid a frantic fourth quarter. Devon Dotson Jersey Pees had three stand-up rushers on either side of the line and one down tackle over the center who dropped back into coverage.To 's left, a trio of , and showed blitz. Mosley went wide drawing a blocking back and a tackle while Suggs hesitated toward the line before dropping back into coverage. The threat was enough to draw another two blockers in his direction. And with the gaping hole, Stewart had a free run at the quarterback. Wendell Carter Jersey Roethlisberger was pre sured into a by Suggs between his legs.But that's all we know. said it was an old play, just something Pees has lying around for a situation like this one. , a frequent beneficiary of such calls, said it was a new creation that was drawn up this week specifically for Roethlisberger. won't even tell you what Pees named it."I can't give y'all our recipe, man," McPhee said. "You can figure it out, but we'll still come with it."What we do know is that Pees has once again proven himself as a serially overlooked head coaching candidate. His game plan, which included a second exotic blitz that significantly altered the evening, was grounded in more than a decade of experience watching .Pees coached against Roethlisberger in college at Kent State, the last -- and only -- time he was given the chance to run his own team. His game plan limited mobility and piled on the ' hulking quarterback to ensure no plays would be extended. He took the built in advantage of no and ran with it.A few minutes before Suggs' interception, he unleashed Dumervil on a rush that left a player with the league's third-highest regular-season sack total completely Cristiano Felicio Jersey unblocked. A tap in."It's huge, man," Dumervil said. "As players, it's hard to get a sack and earn it yourself. So whenever you can get a layup off the scheme, it's just icing on the cake."Like Baltimore offensive coordinator , consideration in Pees is limited given the fact that Baltimore is on a playoff run. As a No. 6 seed there is little time to squeeze in an interview when designing a game plan against a -winning quarterback.But Pees is also 65, three years older than , a coach who recently changed the league's perception on ages Justin Holiday Jersey for first-time head coaches. Maybe some believe that is too old to start over. Maybe another Coach of the Year award for Arians would afford Pees a chance to get a serious look; one he deserves.Another game plan like Saturday, though, and he'll be hard to ignore. Each of the past two seasons, Pees' defense has been one of the league's most efficient, according to an all-encompa sing metric by Football Outsiders. Baltimore was No. 8 in total defense this year.And next week in New England, he'll have another chance to take a bow. He was 's defensive coordinator from 2006 to 2009, an experience we would not write off.The "Around The NFL Podcast" is Thaddeus Young Jersey now available on iTunes! to listen and subscribe.

After a two day wait, Birminghams right-sided full-back Stephen Kelly is a Stoke City player, joining on loan from Championship promotion candidates Birmingham until the end of the Joshua Garnett Jersey season. It has emerged that the deal was in place to sign Kelly before Mondays five oclock transfer deadline, but the adverse weather conditions meant the player was unable to travel to Stoke to complete the deal. The FA granted special dispensation for the deal to be completed after the official end of the transfer window however, and after two days checking the appropriate paperwork was all in place, the Nick Mullens Jersey deal has been completed.Stokes newest signing looking rather frail The 25 year old Republic of Ireland international began his career in England at Tottenham Hotspur in the year 2000 and despite being tipped for big things at the club, was allowed to move to Birmingham in June 2006 for a fee of 750,000 plus add-ons. In total, he made almost 40 league appearances for Spurs, his only two career goals coming for the London club and played 79 league games for Birmingham. He has also spent time on loan at Southend, QPR and Watford Jerick McKinnon Jersey and has twelve Ireland caps. He had lost his place in the Blues side of late though after a spell on the sidelines injured and with his contract expiring in the summer, the second city club seemed happy to let him leave, and I suspect a significant loan fee is being payed to them by Stoke.Kelly was the only outfield player to play every Premier League minute last season Kelly, who will presumable go straight into the Stoke side, spoke of his delight at making the switch (though what footballer doesnt?), saying I heard about the move on Monday and I was happy to come straight away, I cant wait to get going here Joshua Dobbs Jersey . I believe Kelly is a good signing for Stoke, he is better than any other option we have at right-back, with Andy Griffin looking increasing slow at the top level and Andy Wilkinson still looking raw Bradley Pinion Jersey in the side, despite succe sful battling performances of late. Kelly is a cla sier player who also gets forward well, something that cannot be said of either Griffin or Wilkinson. He is one of the Birmingham players to come out of last years relegation with most credit, and hopefully can banish the demons of last Mays disappointment with a succe sful fight against relegation with Stoke.

The road to succe s in the NFL begins each year with the hard work and wide-open po sibilities of training camp. As teams around the league gear up for the 2015 campaign, NFL Media reporters will be checking in from . For our next stop, Jeff Darlington visits the .Where is NFL Media?Two years ago, after a chance meeting between coach Trevor Penning Jersey Sean Payton and The Greenbrier resort owner Jim Justice at a golf event in West Virginia, a relationship formed that quickly helped create one of the NFL's most unique training camp setups. Justice built the a $20 million training facility on a newly flattened mountain, and after two succe sful camps at this West Virginia resort, it seems safe to say the will be making the journey northeast beyond the end of next year, when the original contract to train here ends.Observations1) A forgettable 7-9 season in 2014 might've left fans wondering, in a deep pocket of their minds, about the future of in New Orleans. That's not to say he's overstayed his welcome or that his ability has waned, but with a monster salary-cap number on the books for the next two years, it's hard to fathom how good the can be with such a ma sive financial commitment at quarterback. Here's the good news: Brees still looks like an elite QB in practice, and the ' commitment to getting him better protection should provide him with more time to make the most out of his offensive weapons. So for now, it's safe to keep those wonders about Brees buried, knowing at least he is still Bob Pollard Jersey special enough to get the job done in what will continue to be, even without , a high-output offense.2)Speaking of that offensive line, the should be pleased with the progre s of this unit. As the team wrapped up its time in West Virginia on Thursday with Wil Lutz Jersey a final joint practice against the , the group looked especially cohesive. Brees took a sack at the end of team drills, but he otherwise stayed clean. and look especially beastly, but and also look plenty capable of making this a much better year for the ' consistently high-powered offense.3) On Tuesday night, before the arrived for joint practices, Payton told his players that if they fight at all over the next two days, they should pack their bags to go home. He didn't have to test the threat. New England and New Orleans lived up to their peaceful proclamations, never engaging in anything close to what we've seen at other camps. and got a little hot at one point during special teams drills, but they quickly walked away. The succe sful practices were proof of a greater point: Threatening repercu sions for fighting is the best way to curb the i sue.New additions, OL: The last month must feel like a year to the ' top draft pick. Not only did he mi s most of the offseason program because of academic rules, but he also has played every position except center during training camp. Peat's head, no doubt, is swimming in new information. It doesn't appear he'll emerge as a Week 1 starter at any spot, but this preseason is invaluable. No player took more snaps in the most recent preseason game against the , New Orleans Saints Jersey and it's likely that will only continue. Reviews have been both good and bad at times, so patience will be a virtue here., C: If Peat is an example of a long-term work in progre s, Unger is the opposite. The center, who was acquired in the trade with the , has been a perfect plug-and-play addition to Brees' line. Teammates love how quickly he has grown comfortable with the group. And his ability to read a defense, something Payton coveted about him, seems as advertised, as well. Count on Unger being a big help to an offense that always finds a way to put up big numbers.Extra pointsSome very notable West Virginians showed up to joint practices at Terron Armstead Jersey The Greenbrier this week, including Jerry West and Bubba Watson, both of whom live near the resort. Former receiver Randy Mo s also watched, wearing a navy shirt, from the sideline.Follow Jeff Darlington on Twitter .