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Danko Lazovics 10th International goal for Serbia was enough for Beli Orlovi to see off the stubborn challenge of Nigel Worthingtons developing Northern Irish side at Windsor Park. Lazovic of PSV, capped off a fluent move at the edge of the box involving Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Zoran Tosic set up the 26 year-old PSV frontman to drill his shot past Maik Taylor, who pulled off a few superb saves during the match, in particular, a stunning acrobatic stop from Kuzmanovic early on in the game after the Stuttgart midfielders shot was curling quickly for the top corner.Northern Ireland had a couple of decent chances, nothing major to trouble Stojkovic in the Serbian goal, but David Denzel Curry Jersey Healy had a great chance on 64 minutes and didnt trouble the keeper. Motherwells Stephen Craigan had two strong headers well blocked from Stojkovic and the stubborn Serbian backline in both halves. Jonny Evans was taken off at half-time for Northern Ireland which provides Sir Alex Ferguson another injury problem ahead of a busy period at Old Trafford.This was the first of a double-header for Radomir Antics side, who play their next friendly in South Korea on Wednesday. Its fair to say, Korea will give the highly-rated Serbs a more competitive test having themselves qualified for the World Cup in South Africa. The 20th best side in the world, according to FIFA Rankings, have developed rapidly over the last few years and in my opinion are one of the most exciting national teams to watch at this minute. They have a manager and an FA, focused on combining their one or two top cla s, experienced players with an influx of homegrown talent. As a Scotsman, whos national side was embarrasingly torn apart by another average International side, I admire Serbias strategy and ambition to give the young players a chance to lead their national side forward, something I wish the Scottish FA would look at immediatley. Antic, who has now been in charge for 16 games, losing only 4, is well-ahead of schedule having deservedly pipped France to an automatic place in South Africa.Can Serbia realistically compete in South Africa?Well, you may laugh, and laugh all you like, but I genuinley believe the Serbians can do something special at this World Cup. Having only lost 2 games in Qualification and gaining 22 points from 10 games is a fantastic record for any side, they only conceded 8 goals in the 10 games which shows they are pretty hard to break down at the back. Lets take a good close look at what ammunition Radomir Antic will have at his disposal ahead of the show-piece event. Between the sticks, Vladimir Stojkovic of Sporting CP, has 26 caps and is a reliable and steady goalkeeper who isnt prone to many major blunders. Having a reliable keeper, breeds confidence among the rest of the team.In defence, the main colo sus is Manchester Uniteds Nemanja Vidic who is a born leader of men in that Serbian team. Vidic has 43 caps, and is usually partnered by Chelseas Branislav Ivanovic, both bring a wealth of experience to Antics side. At full-back, Antonio Rukavina, Aleksandr Kolorov and Ivica Dragutinovic are usually the main men chosen by Antic to complete the back four. Breaking through, Neven Subotic of Dortmund, Nenad Tomovic of Genoa and Jagos Vukovic of PSV, who made his debut in Belfast, are all defenders challenging the large presences of Vidic and Ivanovic.In the middle of the park Serbia have a real collection of talent, starting with the captain Dejan Stankovic, who plays his football at Inter Milan and has 85 International Caps. Gojko Kacar and Nenad Milijas, are the more defensive-midfielders who bring a soildne s and structure to their midfield. Zdrako Kuzmanovic of Stuttgart is one who is starting to make a name for himself as a tall, elegant midfielder with a really dangerous shooting ability. Milos Krasic of CSKA Moscow and Zoran Tosic of Manchester United are two players I rate very highly, Krasic has a powerful run when he has the ball at his feet and has burst on to the scene in the Champions League. Tosic of Manchester United hasnt had the same influence as we thought when a large fee was paid to Partizan Belgrade, but if you watch the lad for Serbia youll see exactly what is to come from Tosic who is one of many products from the Black and White half of Belgrade, to name a few, Adem Ljajic, Radoslav Petrovic & Ljubomir Fejsa.Milan Jovanovic of Standard Leige is the main in-form attacker for Serbia with 5 goals in qualification. Jovanovic, a certainty to travel to South Africa, can also play wide-left and has done on many occasions. Marko Pantelic, Nikola Zigic and Danko Lazovic have 29 goals between them and supply Antic with a major selection headache. Lazovic is the more technical striker of the three, and I would think he will partner Jovanovic as Pantelic and Zigic are much more static than Lazovic, who provides work-rate and pace.Antics Young Guns Are Ready For South Africa. Max Strus Jersey

The Houston Texans have agreed with four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Danielle Hunter on a $49 million, two-year contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The A sociated Pre s.The person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract cant become official until the new league year begins Wednesday, said Hunter is getting $48 million guaranteed.Hunter had a career-best 16 1/2 Jaylen Adams Jersey sacks last season for Minnesota. Hes reached double digits in sacks five times in eight years.Hunter replaces Jonathan Greenard, who is heading to the Vikings. Hunter will play opposite AP Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson on Houstons defensive line.ADVERTISEMENT The Texans won the AFC South last season and advance to the divisional round of the playoffs under first-year coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.___AP NFL: Seth Curry Jersey

The are looking to signal a changing of the guard when Buffalo heads to Foxborough to take on the on Saturday. The Bills can tie for the top spot in the AFC playoff picture and would be hoping for a Miami win in New England the following week, but breaking a six-game losing skid against the Patriots is motivation enough. Buffalo is 10-4 on the strength of its defense, and the unit would love to make Patriots quarterback Tom Brady show some of his age. The Bills also have gotten steady play from quarterback Josh Allen and rookie running back Devin Singletary. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.New England is a 6.5-point favorite in the latest Patriots vs. Bills odds, while the over-under is 37.5 after dropping as low as 36.5. Before making any Bills vs. Patriots picks of your own, .The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up over $7,000 for $100 players on its top-rated since its inception four years ago. It has nailed its recent top-rated NFL picks, entering Week 16 of the 2019 NFL schedule on a strong 33-22 run that dates back to last season. It's also on an incredible 95-65 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.The model ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch the past three years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 96 percent of CBS Sports office pool players last season. Anyone who has followed it is way up.Now, it has broken down . We can tell you it's leaning under and it's also generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in more than 50 percent of simulations. You can . Now, here are the betting lines and trends for Bills vs. Patriots: Patriots vs. Bills spread: New England -6.5 Patriots vs. Bills over-under: 37.5Patriots vs. Bills money line: New England -281, Buffalo +225 NE: QB is 31-3 against BuffaloBUF: RB Joel Embiid Jersey has rushed for at least 75 yards in five of the last seven games.The model knows the Patriots are 10-6 against the spread in division games since 2017 and Brady continues to win despite a lack of weapons. was brought in to help, and the veteran receiver has 20 catches for 148 yards in six games since coming over from Atlanta. Brady also relies heavily on running back , who has caught 65 pa ses for 588 yards and four touchdowns.New England is 16-9 against the spread as a home favorite since 2017 and the defense could make life rough for Buffalo's . The quarterback has been sacked 34 times this season, and New England already has 41 QB takedowns already. Linebackers (6.5 sacks) and (six) lead the way in pre suring the quarterback, and Collins also has three of the unit's 25 interceptions. has six picks, and the cornerback also has broken up 18 pa ses.New England has the pedigree, but that doesn't mean it will cover the Patriots vs. Bills spread on Saturday.The Bills have covered the spread in three of four division games this season and Singletary has made a major difference since becoming the starter in Week 9. The third-rounder has 729 rushing yards and 28 catches for another 192 yards. Allen has thrown 18 touchdown pa ses and nine interceptions. Wide receiver is averaging 14.2 yards on 71 receptions, while is a reliable slot man, catching 60 balls for 670 yards.The defense has been the calling card for Buffalo, which is 9-4-1 against the spread this season. The secondary is the strength of the unit, which allows 190.5 pa sing yards per game (third in the NFL). Cornerback , with six interceptions and 17 pa ses defended, and safety , who has two interceptions and three fumble recoveries, are difference-makers. Linebacker is the soul of the defense, posting 105 tackles and 1.5 sacks.So who wins Bills vs. Patriots? And which side of the spread can you bank on in more than 50 percent of simulations? . Trey Burke Jersey

The ' backfield Nate Archibald Jersey has been a me s this offseason, but we got a smidgen of positive news Thursday. Coach Bruce Arians said is "" after dealing with a hamstring injury. Ellington is expected to play in the team's first preseason game Saturday versus the . He returned to practice on Monday.Arians has been frank about his . He was specifically peeved at Ellington and rookie mi sing practices with injuries. Johnson remains out with a hamstring injury. Arians suggested this week the team could look outside the organization for alternatives -- . Ellington getting close to full speed might not change Arians' outlook, but it's a step in the right direction for a muddy ground game. The latest Podcast and recaps the first Hard Knocks episode in Houston. Reggie Theus Jersey

Welcome to the Around The NFL End Around, a weekly look back at the world of the National Football League. serves as your guide.It was a good week for ...1. Jags game-day experience manager: Dude is working hard. Pool parties, contests from the second deck, a mascot on enemy fans. It's almost as if the team is trying to distract the audience from the product on the field.2. : The wide receiver has had a , but his most amazing feat is making this team relevant in December.3. : The nomad signal-caller of the seeming dearth of competent quarterbacks on the planet right now. What I'm trying to say is, stay near your phone until Week 17 is over.It was a bad week for ...1. :. Maybe the reason Cutler seemed to be during his Thursday pre ser is because he knows what will happen when Clausen faces the ' defense. 2. : It must be hard enough succeeding in the NFL when your mechanics and instincts vanish like you're in a bad body-switch comedy. But Griffin is also dealing with a coach who seems to relish at him. Football doesn't seem very fun in D.C.3. Kickers:The NFL is considering from 18.6 feet to 14 feet at the . The players union needs a Mike Conley Jr. Jersey separate union to protect kickers rights.Manziel #HotTake madne sYes, was awful on Sunday. But what was up with the instant funeral service for his NFL career this week?In just the video above, you'll see Terrell Davis give Manziel an F-minus for his performance (this grade does not exist in modern academia), while NFL AM co-host Eric Davis went even further: "'s decision to put (Manziel) in is one of the worst coaching decisions of the last decade."T.D. and Eric Davis were hardly alone. I can't even imagine what was going on at the Worldwide Leader. Actually, let's check in there ...ESPN has lost it's mind. Florida Man (@JellyIntoAJam) You get the point. Too many people seem ready to write Manziel off based on one miserable game. But I think this requires a more nuanced approach. Manziel better hope the agree.Tweet of the weekI just don't get receipts Aldon Smith (@AldonSmith) Receipt (noun): A written acknowledgment of having received, or taken into one's po se sion, a specified amount of money, goods, etc.What The What? is an intense guy on the football field. We've known this for years. You don't need to be a champion lip-reader to know he -- like many other athletes -- will sometimes expre s himself with profanity.Some people believe this vulgarity should be hidden from the American public. this week that the FCC received three indecency complaints about Brady."Greetings," one Indianapolis (of course) mother wrote. "My 6-year-old children know how to read lips even if there is no sound. So why during the telecast is CBS going out of their way ... to show screaming the F-word on national TV?"A Pennsylvania grandparent had a similar i sue:"(T)he camera showed multiple times on the Side lines (sic) yelling "F*." He said it multiple times and they showed it multiple times. My 8-year-old grandson was watching the game with me and even commented that he should not have said that."Brady offered up a fair response last week when asked about his salty dialogue: "It is (a great word), especially in the heat of the moment."We couldn't agree more. Relax, grandma.DeSean Jackson is the bestWe have no reason to doubt that 's impre sion of former teammate is 100 percent accurate. "This is Jackpot, CUZ!"Quote of the Week, Part I"Yes, I eat a lot. I'd eat a big sausage."-- , beautiful animal/guest judge on Top ChefQuote of the Week, Part II"J.J. needs to start paying me, needs to pay some royalties. You can't just copy somebody without paying."-- Former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo, who over his finger-wag celebration.A Very Angry Bears Fan ChristmasThis makes me want the to be bad forever. Get this man a record contract.Hero of the Week: J.J. Watt kidThis kid has some guts... I like it. JJ Watt (@JJWatt) This kid closes his letter STRONG.I was the most feared rusher in my league this year. I am sending you my autographed game jersey so you will know me when I am a famous NFL player.*Your friend,*Anthony Definitive Sub-Rob Lowe Power RankingsIt's been a weird season. It's only fitting that the year's most prominent advertising campaign featured Rob Lowe and a series of DNA-challenged doomed doppelgangers. I've probably tweeted more about this DirecTV campaign than the and combined. I believe that makes me qualified to offer the definitive Sub-Rob Lowe Power Rankings.Note: There is the chance that DirecTV rolls out more sub-Lowes during the postseason, but those sorry beasts mi sed the cutoff date. Onto the rankings:5. Scrawny Arms Rob Lowe4. Painfully Awkward Rob Lowe3. Far Le s Attractive Rob Lowe2. Crazy Hairy Rob Lowe1. Super Creepy Rob LoweUntil next time ...The latest Around The NFL Podcast and recaps the ' win over the . Find more Around The NFL content on . Jeff Green Jersey

The inaugural Europa Conference League season will commence next season. It will be UEFAs third-tier European competition after the Champions League and Europa League.The newly-formed competition will be unique from the fact that none of the qualifying teams will receive a direct entry into the group stage, .As many as 184 teams will be involved in the qualifying phase with at least one from each of the 55 a sociations. 46 of those clubs will be transferred from either the Europa League or Champions League.The final play-off round to reach the group stage will involve 34 teams from the Main Path, which includes the seventh-placed teams in the Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A.Meanwhile, there is a separate Champions Path for teams, who mi s on qualifying for the Europa League play-offs.For the 10 teams (seeded vs unseeded), a play-off will decide the five clubs qualifying for the group stage alongside the 17 clubs progre sing from the Main Path.The remaining 10 slots will be made up of the losers Jeff Green Jersey from the Europa League play-off round.Europa Conference League group stage teams:*17 teams from the Europa Conference League Main Path.*5 teams from the Europa Conference League Champions Path.*10 teams eliminated from the Europa League play-offs.The knockout phase is also quite different from recent Europa League seasons. The top teams in the eight groups will automatically qualify for the last 16 of the competition.However, the group runners-up will play an additional knock-out round against the eight clubs, who will join the competition after finishing third in their respective Europa League groups.The 2021/2022 Europa League group stage campaign will involve only 32 teams as compared to the 48 previously.The round of 16, quarter-final, semi-final ties will have the usual procedure with double-legged ties home and away.The winner will be guaranteed a place in next seasons Europa League if they have not qualified for the Champions League from their respective domestic competitions.UEFAs third-tier competition is focused on offering opportunities to some of the smaller a sociation clubs to play at the European stage against well-known teams.However, only one club will qualify for the play-off from each of the top six a sociations, which gives a fair chance for smaller sides to compete for European silverware. Kevin Durant Jersey

The have three running backs competing for one or two spots on the running backs depth chart behind Tyjae Spears and Tony Pollard, with the group consisting of Ha san Haskins, Julius Chestnut and Jabari Small.None of the three have been Patrick Beverley Jersey particularly impre sive during the offseason and over the first two preseason games, but it also hasn't helped that the blocking from the backup offensive linemen has been lackluster, to say the least, in exhibition play.After the preseason Week 2 win over the in which Haskins had the best showing, head coach Brian Callahan gave his a se sment on all three backs and noted how both Small and Chestnut have run better than Haskins. However, he also praised Haskins for his work on special teams."I think Julius has played well for himself, he's putting himself out there. Played well overall, done all the things we ask the running back to do, so he got the first carries" Callahan said, according to . "And then, I think Jabari Small played really well, too, so we've got some competition there."And I think (Small and Chestnut) have played probably a little bit better than Ha san at this point, and obviously Ha san is a special teams demon, and that matters too. So, that competition is ongoing and we've got another week to go."While the part about Small and Chestnut running better certainly isn't great news for Haskins, he has actually been the most consistent ball-carrier over the two preseason games after Chestnut was quiet in Week 1 and Small has been quiet in both contests.That, along with his special teams prowe s, could be enough to put him over the top. Montrezl Harrell Jersey

The ' picked up 215 receiving yards versus the , the most in Week 1 of the 2023 NFL campaign. Continue reading for a full list of league leaders, including the pa sing and rushing categories as well.For more information, check out our complete .Wild Card Round Pa sing LeadersADVERTISEMENT Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins): 466 yards (vs. Chargers) (): 403 yards (vs. ) (): 367 yards (vs. ) (): 344 yards (vs. ) (Buccaneers): 337 yards (vs. )Matthew Stafford (Rams): 334 yards ( Thanasis Antetokounmpo Jersey vs. ) (): 316 yards (vs. Eagles) (): 307 yards (vs. ) (): 305 yards (vs. ) (Lions): 277 yards (vs. Rams)Wild Card Round Rushing LeadersChristian McCaffrey (): 152 yards (vs. ) (): 127 yards (vs. ) (Packers): 118 yards (vs. Cowboys) (Chargers): 117 yards (vs. Dolphins) (Browns): 106 yards (vs. ) (Chargers): 91 yards (vs. Dolphins) (): 89 yards (vs. Dolphins) (Bills): 79 yards (vs. Steelers)Travis Etienne (): 77 yards (vs. ) (): 75 yards (vs. )Wild Card Round Receiving LeadersTyreek Hill (Dolphins): 215 yards (vs. Chargers) (Rams): 181 yards (vs. Lions) (Packers): 151 yards (vs. Cowboys)Justin Jefferson (Vikings): 150 yards (vs. Buccaneers) (Eagles): 148 yards (vs. Buccaneers) (Chiefs): 130 yards (vs. Dolphins) (49ers): 129 yards (vs. Steelers)Puka Nacua (Rams): 119 yards (vs. Seahawks) (Rams): 119 yards (vs. Seahawks) (Saints): 112 yards (vs. Titans)FOX Sports created this story using technology provided by and data from Sportradar. Brook Lopez Jersey

Dan Campbell's decision to play the Lions' starters in their Week 18 clash with the Vikings a game with precious few playoff implications raised more than a few eyebrows.Sam LaPorta's injury served as an example of why. Detroit's Pro Bowl tight end was forced to exit Sunday's clash after suffering a knee injury in teh first half.LaPorta, a rookie, has emerged as one of Jared Goff's top targets in 2023. He figured to play a significant role on a Lions squad hoping to make a push toward the Super Bowl.Now, his status going forward is shrouded in mystery.MORE:Here's what you need to know about LaPorta's latest ailment.Sam LaPorta injury updateLaPorta crumbled to the turf after reeling in a pa s from Goff, appearing to have gotten his leg caught in the gra s as he was brought down partway through the second quarter.Ouch. Damn it. Love me some LaPorta. Hope hes ok. Michael Fabiano (@Michael_Fabiano) His left knee looked to have buckled and hyperextended on the play. And he clearly was in discomfort as he writhed on the ground in the immediate aftermath of his injury.LaPorta eventually walked off the field on his own accord. He was soon transported to the locker room via medical cart and eventually for the rest of the game.Lions TE Sam LaPorta heads to the locker room on the cart. Questionable to return with a knee injury. Colton Pouncy (@colton_pouncy) Coach Dan Campbell after the game that LaPorta's injury "isn't as bad as it looked." He still could mi s time, but Campbell after referring to the malady as one of the "day-to-day" variety.LaPorta still could mi s time, most immediately next week's playoff opener. But there is an that he could play in this one.NFL Network's Ian Rapoport later reported the Clay Buchholz Jersey tight end suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise. Pro Bowl TE Sam LaPorta suffered a hyperextended knee and a bone bruise, source said after the MRI. Hes likely to mi s some time, but as coach Dan Campbell said, not as bad as it couldve been. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) Earlier in the game, LaPorta set a new franchise record with his 84th reception of the season, one more than Brandon Pettigrew's previous mark for a Lions tight end. He caught two more before he got hurt, putting him at 86 catches for the regular season.Why the Lions are playing their starters vs. VikingsWith the Lions all but locked into the No. 3 seed Detroit would need the Cowboys to lose to the Commanders and the Eagles to lose to the Giants to jump to No. 2 it came as a bit of a surprise when Campbell told reporters his plans to play his starters in Week 18.We're gonna use our full arsenal and go win this game," Campbell said earlier in the week. "That's the objective here.It seems Detroit, knowing it will play a game on wild-card weekend, wanted to enter the postseason on a high. A matchup with Minnesota, which is all but eliminated from postseason contention, could have certainly offered the Lions an opportunity for a tune-up before the Big Dance.MORE:Given the small margins between winning and losing the postseason, perhaps that was appealing to Campbell and Co.It's an imperfect science, admittedly. But it seems Detroit's staff was all-in on Campbell's move."Weve got such a robust coaching staff that with a wide variety of opinions on how we should proceed in a scenario like this," offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said. "So, Im trusting. Im trusting the powers that be and that have gone through this before (to decide) what the best course of action is to get us ready, (and) not only to win the game this week, but also the future weeks, as well.It will be interesting to see if such a viewpoint changes in light of LaPorta's potential absence. Ryan Borucki Jersey

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick took out a on Sunday to thank Boston fans for their support during his time on the New England sideline.For 24 years, I was ble sed to feel your pa sion and your power, said the ad, which ran in Sundays Boston Globe and includes an image of Belichick overlooking a large crowd.Six times, you packed Boston by the millions for parades that were truly a two-way expre sion of gratitude and love, he wrote. The images from those days are burned in my memory."Belichick coached the Patriots to six Super Bowl championships and 17 AFC East titles in a 19-year span. But the team struggled after quarterback Dj Herz Jersey Tom Brady left, with three losing seasons in four years and a 4-13 record in 2023 .ADVERTISEMENT Although he interviewed twice for the Atlanta Falcons position, the offseason hiring cycle appears to have concluded .Belichick was known for his time in both Cleveland and New England for being closed-lipped and refusing to engage with reporters or fans longing for information about the team. But now that hes gone, the hoodie-wearing coach even poked fun at his reputation as a grouch.You may even have enjoyed my fashion sense and pre s conferences, or maybe you just tolerated them, he wrote. I loved coaching here and, together, we experienced some amazing moments.___AP NFL: Derek Law Jersey