beschreibung des Clans » confidence is down its a lot tougher too. Hes

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Colts made a choice.Rather than take their bye week immediately after playing in London, like every other team has done, they delayed it.Turns out, it was a perfectly timed win-win. First, the Colts beat the Chicago Bears seven days after returning from their European excursion and now they head into their weekend off following a crucial win at Green Bay. They couldnt have plotted it any better.We need to build on that (win) now, Andrew Luck said. I think this week comes at a perfect time to self-evaluate and to see football-wise, tactically, and technique-wise maybe why it hasnt been as good as you want it to be.Certainly, this has not been the season the Colts envisioned. At 4-5, they still havent won back-to-back games. They trail defending AFC South champion Houston by 1+ games.They relied on a makeshift secondary to get through September, and a makeshift offensive line to survive October, perhaps paying a price for their patience. While Luck has been sacked a league-high 33 times and is on pace to go down almost 60 times this season, the short-handed defense is ranked No. 29 overall.Its been even tougher than it looks.Indys first three wins all came courtesy of fourth-quarter comebacks, and Sundays by staving off the Packers late rally.Luck spent the first half of the season getting acclimated to a new offensive line and a new offensive coordinator while the defense tried to learn the new system installed by first-time defensive coordinator Ted Monachino.Coach Chuck Pagano heard critics complain about slow starts, poor decisions, a torrent of penalties and a continual barrage of mistakes. Some even questioned whether Pagano should be fired during the bye week.Yet his message never wavered. He implored players to buckle down, clean things up and stick to the plan. He even sent them home with a friendly reminder to come back ready to work.For us to not build on this, for us not to do the right thing and not stay in our iPads and go work out and do the things necessary over the next four or five days that need to be done and not take advantage of this (win), then shame on us, Pagano said. Thats on all of us.Whether that offseason decision to push back the bye was shrewd planning or just dumb luck, things have worked out.As Luck and his teammates spoke to reporters, there was a noticeable change. They looked relaxed, happy and eager to start what they hope will be a more enjoyable final seven weeks.That was probably the most fun I had in my whole career, that game right there, Pro Bowl receiver T.Y. Hilton said, referring to Sundays victory. Just to be able to play at full strength and have that many weapons, it makes my job easier, it makes their job easier, and especially Andrews (job).The one looming question is timing. Pagano acknowledged that even in the locker room, there were players who wanted to build off the momentum from Sunday and keep playing.Savvy veterans such as 35-year-old outside linebacker Robert Mathis want to see the Colts do that, too, after some badly needed rest.We need the break. Ill leave it at that, Mathis said with a laugh.The schedule wont be forgiving, either. They play two home games in five days in Thanksgiving week before hitting the road for three of the next four games.If they intend to chase down Houston and capture their third division title in four years and return to the playoffs, the Colts cant afford to take another break. They need to come back rested, ready and healthy enough to turn their late bye week into an advantage that will help them during the closing flurry.Yes, 100 percent, Luck said about stringing together some wins. And the goal is for us to look back and this (victory) to not be the biggest win of the year. This wont be the highlight of the year.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Fake NFL Jerseys Cheap . - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. Fake Nike NFL Jerseys .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. http://www.fakenfljerseys.com/ .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Fake NFL Jerseys China . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Fake NFL Jerseys For Sale . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU.ANAHEIM, California - Josh Johnson insists he isnt injured. He says the triceps inflammation which shelved him for six weeks earlier this season is a non-issue. The troublesome tendinitis in his left knee, mentioned this week by manager John Gibbons and repeated by catcher J.P. Arencibia, isnt the reason Johnsons struggled so badly. “Ive had it since I was 11 years old so its nothing new,” said Johnson. “Sometimes itll be sore but actually it feels as best it has all year so not one bit.” Barring the unforeseen, Johnson will be getting the ball on Tuesday in Seattle. To add to the woes of his personal six-game losing streak, Johnson is scheduled to line up against “King” Felix Hernandez. There he was, more than three hours before the start of Saturdays game against the Angels, getting in his usual bullpen work in between starts. Johnson made a footing adjustment his last time out, throwing from the extreme first base side of the mound. The change can be measured in a matter of inches but for a pitcher accustomed to routine, it feels like a longer move. “I think that maybe just getting comfortable on that side of the rubber,” said Johnson, “thats a big part of it. We worked on it and threw some curveballs today, finally throwing them for strikes and being able to bounce it. Just much tighter spin. The slider was good and tried to take a little bit off the split, so it was a good bullpen; a really good bullpen.” Johnson suggested Saturdays side season was much better than his recent bullpens, expressing hope that his work would translate into better results in a game. He needs them. In Johnsons last six starts, all losses on his personal record, hes allowed 28 earned runs in 28 innings for an even 9.00 ERA. Dating back seven starts, Johnson has allowed multiple runs in the inning in which he allows his first base runner of the game. In his last two outings, losses to Houston and the Los Angeles Angels, hes spotted opponents four runs in the first inning. The statistics are hideous but to Johnsoons credit hes not hiding from them.dddddddddddd Inquiring minds gather around his locker stall and hes willing to oblige. The numbers, the reminders, they take a toll but he insists during a game he isnt distracted. “Once Im out of the game or in between innings you get pretty frustrated but youve just got to push all that aside and find ways to get outs,” said Johnson. “Its been a really tough go.” “I think the biggest thing is understanding hes still one of the best in this game,” said Arencibia, whos watched Johnson stumble up close. “This game will knock you down to where, mentally, it will drag you around and its hard enough to play when youre feeling great; when your confidence is down its a lot tougher too. Hes an unbelievable pitcher, works hard, first-class guy. I think its one of those things, I think this game tests you, everyone has struggles in their careers.” Johnson has gone from a pitcher likely to make a high eight figure salary on a multi-year contract, to a guy who may have to accept a one-year qualifying offer, to a man who may find himself on the free agent scrap heap looking for an incentive-laden deal. The Blue Jays, in the business of winning even if they havent been doing enough of it, are wrestling with whats best for the ball club. Do you do right by Johnson and give him the opportunity every fifth day to improve his stock, even if, every fifth day, his stock drops further? Do you take advantage of off days and push Johnson back, giving him more days of work in between appearances and fewer starts the rest of the way? Or do you pull the plug altogether? The answer, at the moment, isnt obvious. Johnson, for his part, says hes looking forward to his next start. Well take him at his word. Typically laid back, Johnson acknowledges he sometimes thinks about joining the infamous highlight reels frequented by the likes of Carlos Zambrano. If all else fails, break something. “I want to really bad,” said Johnson. “Maybe after the last start I might have.” ' ' '