鈥?When Carson Wentz went down for the Philadelphia Eagles
Chad Thomas Jersey Browns , the pressure fell on backup Nick Foles and everyone else to step up.The defense rose to the challenge in the first playoff game.They harassed Matt Ryan, contained Julio Jones and made a goal-line stand at the end in a 15-10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons.“We know defense wins championships. You say it all the time. You hear it. It’s clich茅 but it’s true, especially where we are now at home,” Pro Bowl safety Malcolm Jenkins said.The strong defensive effort helped the underdog Eagles (14-3) advance to the NFC championship game for the sixth time since 2001. They’ll host the Vikings (14-3) next Sunday. Minnesota advanced with a thrilling 29-24 win over New Orleans.“We don’t even care,” linebacker Nigel Bradham said about a preferred opponent. “Obviously, we’ll see a good game and get ready to prepare for whoever we’re going to play next.”Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s unit was No. 1 against the run, 17th against the pass and fourth in points allowed.They held the Falcons to 281 yards, no points in the second half and Atlanta’s only touchdown drive came after a fumbled punt at the Eagles 18.“We don’t point fingers,” defensive end Brandon Graham said. “Just stay the task and keep playing your technique. Keep playing with effort. The second half, we went out there and did that. Nobody gave us a shot. We have another 60 minutes next week. I’m happy with this team because we are a great team. We stay together even through adversity.”Eagles coach Doug Pederson showed his confidence in the defense when he chose to have Jake Elliott kick a 21-yard field goal instead of going for fourth-and-1 at the Falcons 3 with a 12-10 lead and 6:05 remaining.The defense had forced two three-and-outs and held Atlanta to only 49 yards in the second half. But Ryan led the Falcons on a long drive, converting a fourth-and-6 along the way. Atlanta had a first down at the Eagles 9 with 1:19 left.Ryan threw incomplete to Jones and T.J. Ward. After a 7-yard pass to Jones to the 2
Raiders Arden Key Jersey , the season came down to one play.Falcons offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian inexplicably called a rollout, taking half the field away for Ryan.The defense read the play when they saw the formation, pressured Ryan and forced him to throw it up to Jones in the corner of the end zone. Jalen Mills had tight coverage and the ball sailed over Jones’ hands.“We probably had three guys calling out the play on that one just based on our preparation, our study,” Jenkins said.Jones had nine catches for 101 yards, but Mills and Ronald Darby kept him out of the end zone.“The whole motto and the slogan was just ‘do your job,'” Mills said. “Nobody has to go out there and be superman. Know what you have to do for one, then go out there and execute.”The defense did its part. The defense will have to do it again next week because the offense isn’t going to win a shootout.“It was on us and we wouldn’t want it any other way,” Bradham said. “That’s how you feel when you’re on (defense) and you feel like we lead this team. We set the tone for this team and we set the pace for this team. That’s how we feel. We feel like all the energy and everything comes through us and everybody feeds off of it.”AP NFL website: Former Super Bowl MVP Mark Rypien said he has attempted suicide, hired prostitutes and suffers from persistent depression. Now, he’s wondering if he sustained brain injuries while playing football.
The 55-year-old former quarterback is worried about his future even as he revealed some lurid elements of his past.
”There were behaviors that were just bizarre
Hayden Hurst Youth Jersey ,” Rypien said in an article published Friday in The Spokesman-Review newspaper and also broadcast on KHQ-TV of Spokane.
His wife, Danielle, said she has also worried about Rypien’s future.
”I remember thinking, `Oh my God, he’s going to end up in a home,”’ Danielle said. ”I didn’t want him running around the street with a shopping cart.”
Rypien was a record-breaking high school quarterback in Spokane and then a star at nearby Washington State. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in 1986 and played until 2002.
Since then, he appeared outwardly to live a comfortable life in Spokane.
But he said that was not the case.
”My story is impactful because people see me in a different light. I want them to see me in an accurate light,” Rypien said. ”I’ve been down the darkest path. I’ve made some horrible, horrible mistakes. But I’ve given myself a chance to progress forward.”
Rypien, who led the Redskins to victory in the 1992 Super Bowl over Buffalo and was picked as the MVP, said he played organized football for 26 years and figures he suffered several concussions.
”People think you have to be knocked out to have a concussion
Jordan Howard Jersey Youth ,” Rypien said. ”There are hundreds of times you shake it off and get back in there. It’s all about the cumulative hits. That’s what cause brain damage.”
Rypien said he suffers from depression, anxiety and isolation. Outwardly social, ”I can’t wait to get home and be alone,” he said.
A decade ago, his impulsive behaviors began to escalate; aggressiveness and verbal outbursts increased.
One day, Rypien left a 20-minute audio suicide message at home for Danielle to find. But he took no action.
Sometime later, it went beyond a message. Rypien swallowed 150 Advils and washed them down with a bottle of wine.
”It was the thought that people aren’t going to miss me,” Rypien said. ”I was shameful and guilty of poor decisions, shameful and guilty of being depressed all the time. I didn’t want to be around anymore.”
Danielle found him and poured hydrogen peroxide and activated charcoal down his throat to get him to vomit up the pills.
Rypien said he also used to patronize massage parlors in Spokane that were shut down in a police sting back in 2012. His name didn’t appear with the hundreds of other men listed as customers that were published for one reason: He didn’t use a credit card to pay for the services.
”Yes, I was part of this,” Rypien acknowledged
Mark Andrews Color Rush Jersey , offering no further details. ”Again, I made some absolutely crazy mistakes. Terrible decisions. Poor judgment.”
Rypien has soured on football.
”I wouldn’t put any of my kids or grandkids in a football jersey,” he said.
The Rypiens believe now they know what caused Mark’s uncontrolled behavior and have found tools, if not solutions. They weathered the kind of storm that often tears families apart. But Rypien is worried about the future.
”I might get worse,” Rypien said. ”I’ve got strategies to get me through the next day, the next year, 10 years. But I don’t know.”
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Information from: The Spokesman-Review, .
