CINCINNATI (2-1) at ATLANTA (1-2)Sunday http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-john-cominsky-jersey , 1 p.m. ET, CBSOPENING LINE — Falcons by 5 1/2RECORD VS. SPREAD — Cincinnati 2-1, Atlanta 1-2SERIES RECORD — Bengals lead 8-5LAST MEETING — Bengals beat Falcons 24-10, Sept. 14, 2014LAST WEEK — Bengals lost at Panthers, 31-21; Falcons lost to Saints 43-37, OTAP PRO32 RANKING — Bengals No. 12, Falcons No. 18BENGALS OFFENSE — OVERALL (16) Qadree Ollison Jersey , RUSH (22), PASS (12).BENGALS DEFENSE — OVERALL (26), RUSH (26), PASS (24).FALCONS OFFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (21), PASS (11).FALCONS DEFENSE — OVERALL (27), RUSH (28), PASS (26).STREAKS Marquise Brown Jersey , STATS AND NOTES — Bengals play third road game in September. Falcons play third straight at home. … Game matches two struggling defenses: Bengals No. 26, Falcons No. 27. … RB Joe Mixon sidelined for second straight game after knee surgery. Giovani Bernard ran for 61 yards vs. Panthers. … Bernard had career-high 169 scrimmage yards — 90 rushing, 79 receiving — in Bengals’ 24-10 win over Falcons at Paul Brown Stadium in 2014. … Andy Dalton has 23 career games with 300 yards passing, tied with Boomer Esiason for most in club history. … Bengals have points on last 29 times inside 20-yard line (21 TDs, 8 FGs), longest active streak in NFL. … Bengals’ defense last in NFL on third down, allowing 52 percent conversion rate. … DT Geno Atkins has team-high three sacks and has led NFL interior linemen in sacks last three seasons. … LB Vontaze Burfict serves final of four-game suspension for violating NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. … Falcons RB Devonta Freeman (knee) could miss third straight game. … WR Calvin Ridley had seven catches for 146 yards, team rookie record three TD catches http://www.ravensauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jaylon-ferguson-jersey , against Saints. … QB Matt Ryan coming off first career game with five TD passes. … WR Mohamed Sanu had 1,793 yards receiving, 11 TDs with Bengals from 2012-15. … DE Vic Beasley Jr. had first sack of season last week. …. Fantasy tip: Bernard could be good pick against Falcons’ depleted defense, especially in PPR leagues. Saints RB Alvin Kamara had 15 catches for 124 yards and ran for 66 yards last week, and Panthers’ Christian McCaffrey had 14 catches for 102 yards and 37 yards rushing two weeks ago. Bill Belichick’s impressive resume makes it easy for the five-time championship head coach to mandate that players check their egos before joining the New England Patriots.
Doug Pederson didn’t have a hard sell, either.
The Philadelphia Eagles are an unselfish group that prioritizes winning over personal accomplishments. It’s a major reason why the Eagles (15-3) are playing the Patriots (15-3) in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
”It’s a group that doesn’t really care who gets the ball. The bottom line is trying to win the game,” Pederson said. ”I didn’t have to sell it too much.”
Pederson was 7-9 last year in his rookie season as head coach but has guided the Eagles from worst to first in search of the franchise’s first NFL title since 1960. He found a way to blend a young locker room with a mix of accomplished veterans.
The team added veteran receivers Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith, running backs LeGarrette Blount and Jay Ajayi Miles Boykin Jersey , defensive linemen Chris Long and Tim Jernigan and defensive backs Ronald Darby, Patrick Robinson and Corey Graham.
”I can remember this team showing up in April and talking about being at this place, talking about our dreams, aspirations and focusing on a grind,” safety Malcolm Jenkins said.
”Guys being unselfish, adding guys along the way that added to the team and continued to push, and every time we won and had some success – we even had some adversity – the team believed more and more. It’s been awesome to be a part of.”
Blount led the NFL with 18 touchdowns rushing and earned his second Super Bowl ring last season in New England. He didn’t get a carry in a loss at Kansas City in Week 2 and never complained. Same with Jeffery, who went from No. 1 receiver in Chicago to being one of the guys in Philadelphia.
”We couldn’t care less how many catches or how many carries or how many yards any one guy has http://www.packerscheapshoponline.com/cheap-authentic-darnell-savage-jr.-jersey ,” Blount said. ”We all have one common goal in hand. We all have one thing that we all want more than anything. You can’t be selfish when everybody has one common goal because you have to make sacrifices for the better of the team. We’ve done that and it’s gotten us this far.”
Pederson set the tone and Carson Wentz carried it out with his team-first attitude and that filtered down the roster.
”He’s the most humble guy you come across,” Pederson said. ”He’ll give it right back to the team.”
It was a smooth transition to Nick Foles after Wentz got hurt. Foles also is a respected leader who leads by example. It’s not a coincidence the Eagles sought this type of player.
”This is the most selfless team I’ve ever been around,” Pro Bowl tight end Zach Ertz said. ”Guys don’t care about stats. They only care about winning. Doug is the best coach I’ve been around in managing players. He lets us show our personalities and if he needs to talk to somebody, he does it quietly and in a mild-mannered way. His selfless leadership is a big reason we’re here.”
The team is one of the closest-knit groups in the league and players genuinely care about each other and spent plenty of time together.
”When you see guys hanging out with players from other position groups, it’s special,” defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said. ”I would go eat dinner with Donnie Jones. You don’t see a guy hanging out with a punter.”
If the Eagles win a few championships, perhaps the standard Pederson has set will eventually become similar to Belichick’s Patriot Way. They have to get the first win first.