Clan-Members » who started all 12 games and led

MINNEAPOLIS -- Nearly a month ago, the Minnesota Vikings lost their starting quarterback and hastily traded for another.Nearly two weeks ago, the Vikings lost their star running back and a key offensive lineman.However, Minnesota hasnt lost a game in more than eight months.Heading into their Monday night matchup with the New York Giants (2-1), the Vikings (3-0) qualify as one of the early surprises in the NFL. They topped the Tennessee Titans before earning surprise wins over the Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers despite an unimpressive offense that is now led by a quarterback who didnt arrive in Minnesota until the preseason ended.For these Vikings, it is not about offense. With running back Adrian Peterson gone and new signal-caller Sam Bradford doing just enough to move the ball, Minnesota is winning thanks to defense and special teams.Coach Mike Zimmer -- a defensive specialist during his six years as an assistant with the Bengals -- has a defensive unit that heads into the Giants matchup averaging an NFL-best five sacks per game and is tied for second in interceptions.The Vikings defensive unit insists it isnt focusing on its own press clippings, instead doing its homework on the Giants and quarterback Eli Manning.Weve got our hands full, said Vikings defensive back Harrison Smith, who had a 35-yard touchdown return after intercepting Manning in late December when the Vikings won 49-17 -- a Giants loss that all but sealed the fate of since-dismissed former coach Tom Coughlin. Theyve got a bunch of very talented receivers that pop out on film, so theres definitely a lot to do this week. Anytime you play a quarterback like that, it challenges you.Last year, the teams played outdoors on a cold winter night in Minnesota. This year, the Vikings sparkling new U.S. Bank Stadium is the site, and conditions will be perfect under the glass roof.The Giants three-headed tandem of wideouts is sure to test the Minnesota defense on the turf, with rookie Sterling Shepard joining Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. as deep threats. Shepard, a second-round pick from Oklahoma, caught five passes last week, including his second pro touchdown.While Petersons absence means that the Giants run defense will get a potential break, there are sudden question marks in the New York backfield as well.In a 29-27 home loss to the Washington Redskins last Sunday, New York running back Shane Vereen was lost, likely for the season, to a triceps injury. That means the Vikings wont be the only team with a running back by committee approach.The Giants Orleans Darkwa and the Vikings Jerick McKinnon arent the running backs one would normally expect to delight a national TV audience, but both teams will battle with what they have.Orleans always runs hard, Giants guard Justin Pugh said. Even going back to last year, he puts his head down and hes going to get some yards. Im excited for him to get the opportunity. Thats huge, thats something that you dream about, to be the starting running back. Hes going to have his chance on Monday Night Football.In addition to Mannings two interceptions during the Washington loss, the Giants other glaring issue was penalties. New York was flagged 11 times for 128 yards, a trend that first-year coach Ben McAdoo knows cannot continue.We knew (the referees) were going to throw the flags, and throw them early and often, McAdoo said. We need to be a more disciplined football team, and well get that fixed.Yes its disappointing. We need to be better than that, we are better than that, we need to address it this week, and were going to fix it.The Vikings had similar troubles in their only other home game, a 17-14 win over the Packers in Week 2, when they were penalized 13 times for 137 yards. That was an error Zimmer vowed to correct as the season goes along.For non-division rivals, there is plenty of recent history between the Giants and Vikings. The Monday game will be the 12th regular-season meeting in the past 16 seasons. Perhaps the most famous Vikings-Giants matchup determined the 2001 NFC title, when New York advanced to the Super Bowl via a 41-0 blowout of Minnesota in the Meadowlands.Theyre playing good football, Manning said of the Vikings. Well have to see if we can get back on track and play some better football.Nike Air Max 270 Destockage . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Vente En Gros Nike Air Max .Y. -- Sabres defenceman Tyler Myers had no intention of changing his hard-hitting style before taking part in a disciplinary hearing for his illegal check to New Jersey forward Dainius Zubrus head. http://www.maxnikepascher.fr/destockage-air-vapormax.html .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Air Max 90 Femme Soldes . The home side created most of the chances but struggled to break down Braunschweigs resilient defence, resulting in the Bundesligas 1,000th scoreless draw. Nike Air Max 97 Femme Pas Cher .B. - Sebastien Auger made 44 saves as the Saint John Sea Dogs edged the visiting Acadie-Bathurst Titan 2-1 on Saturday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.Syracuse failed its biggest early season challenge, which in retrospect shouldnt have been a big surprise. Louisville apparently is that good.Now the Orange (2-2) have a chance to make some amends for that 62-28 home loss to the rising Cardinals in early September when they meet Notre Dame (1-3) on Saturday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.The game gives Syracuse an opportunity on a national stage in an NFL stadium to show that first-year coach Dino Babers has the Orange pointed in the right direction. Theyre coming off a 31-24 road win over UConn that snapped a two-game skid.It felt good, said Orange wideout Amba Etta-Tawo, who had 12 catches for a school-record 270 yards and two touchdowns against the Huskies and leads the nation in receiving with 40 catches for 706 yards. A lot of people can breathe now. We just have to keep building upon that.Playing at this particular neutral site might not be the place. Since former athletic director Daryl Gross decided to schedule a series of games against top-flight teams at MetLife Stadium instead of the Carrier Dome in an effort to spread the Syracuse brand in metropolitan New York City, the Orange have lost the first three games at the home of the Giants and Jets -- to Southern Cal (42-29 in 2012), Penn State (23-17 in 2013), and Notre Dame (31-15 two years ago).This Notre Dame team was ranked 10th in the preseason and quickly fell flat. The Irish have allowed more points through four games (134) than any other team in program history. The defensive slide prompted Irish coach Brian Kelly to fire defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder after last weeks 38-35 home loss to Duke.I always like to play teams when theyre at their best because I dont want to win on Saturday and have people say, `Oh, you guys beat Notre Dame, but thats when they were going through X, Y, and Z, Syracuse linebacker Zaire Franklin said.dddddddddddd I would like to play the Notre Dame thats fifth in the nation and headed for a playoff.The Syracuse offense has leaned hard on Etta-Tawo, a graduate transfer from Maryland in his last season of eligibility, and he has responded in a remarkable way. After a summer of working closely together, its no surprise hes become the favorite of quarterback Eric Dungey.Seemingly lost in the dizzying array of balls thrown by Dungey -- hes 117 for 179 for 1,367 yards -- is last seasons go-to guy. Steve Ishmael, who started all 12 games and led the Orange with 39 receptions for 570 yards and seven touchdowns, is fourth on the team this season with 17 catches for 171 yards and zero TDs in the Oranges new up-tempo offense.So far, Ishmael is taking it all in stride.He (Babers) has told me my time is going to come, Ishmael said. Im really going with the flow of things. Im so glad Ambas been making a lot of plays. When other teams see that, when they do double him, its going to open up everything for everybody.The offense should be a lot more exciting when that happens because its going to leave a lot of vulnerable spots.---Freelance writer Mark Frank in Syracuse contributed.---AP College Football Website: www.collegefootball.ap.org---Follow Kekis on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Greek1947 ' ' '