aid, Momentum is only as good as the

**wanglei** 23 янв 2018, 04:55

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- After a falling out with the New England Patriots, linebacker Brandon Spikes is embracing his fresh start with the Buffalo Bills. Spikes joined the Bills late Friday night on a one-year contract. The Bills have been active in free agency thus far, signing six free agents. The middle linebacker is easily Buffalos most intriguing addition. The 26-year-old Spikes is an aggressive, hard-hitting defender. A second-round pick of the Patriots in 2010, Spikes started 39 of 53 games in New England, with 286 tackles and five forced fumbles. He was third on the Patriots in tackles in 2013 with 86. "I was excited the whole time to get going with a new start in a new beginning in a new place," Spikes said on a conference call Monday. "I feel like its going to be fun and Im down for a challenge. I want to help change the culture there." Spikes is known for the physical nature of his play. "All the old-school, throwback backers, I just moulded my game after them and it just stuck with me this whole time," Spikes said. "I wouldnt call it intimidating, Im just playing and going hard and relentless and play every play like its your last." The addition of Spikes is one of many moves the Bills hope will fix their porous run defence. With Spikes taking over middle linebacker duties, the Bills plan on moving young standout Kiko Alonso to the weak side after spending his rookie season in the middle. The Bills also signed former New York Giants linebacker Keith Rivers to a two-year contract on March 12. The Bills finished 28th against the run in 2013, allowing an average of 128.9 yards per game. "I actually think it was like seven games where they gave up 150 yards on the ground. I just want to come and help them out," Spikes said. "Thats one of my strengths, stopping the run, and I feel like I can help. Whatever they need me to do, Im willing to do and do it at a high level." Spikes joins a defence that has its fourth co-ordinator in four seasons. Former Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz is installing a base 4-3 following the departure of Mike Pettine, who left Buffalo after one year to become head coach of the Cleveland Browns. Spikes is set to reunite with his former linebackers coach, Pepper Johnson, now Buffalos defensive line coach. Johnson made the move from New England in January and Spikes said his presence was one of the reasons he decided to come to Buffalo. "A great coach, a great inspiration to the game," Spikes said. "He loves the game and hes definitely what I want to be down the road; hes a legendary ball player and coach." After playing with a knee injury for several weeks in New England, Spikes was placed on injured reserve on Jan. 6. An ESPN report later said Spikes was placed on IR after being late to a team meeting during a Boston snow storm. On Saturday, after the contract was official, Spikes tweeted: "Free at last, free at last. I thank God Im free at last. Free at last, Free at last !!!!!! #LetsGetIt #PoWwWwW." "I just want to kind of close that chapter," Spikes said. "I just want to put that all behind me. Its great just to have a new beginning. Im excited. The past is the past. Im happy now and Im ready to get to work and Im just ready to help." Spikes is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his cousin, Takeo Spikes. Takeo Spikes was a standout linebacker with the Bills from 2003-06. After wearing number 55 in New England, Spikes is returning to the number 51, which he wore earlier in his career, in honour of his cousin. "He inspired me to be great," Spikes said. "He inspired me to have a dream and chase it. ... Watching him in Buffalo growing up inspired me to wear the number 51 ... hes just somebody I look to be like." Chris Terry Jersey . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Victor Rask Jersey . Darren Collison and Blake Griffin scored 23 points apiece and the Clippers beat the Suns 112-108 Wednesday night, their fourth win in a row and 17th in the last 19 games. http://www.hockeyhurricanes.com/eddie-lack-hockey-jersey/ . In the second game of their day/night doubleheader at Minneapolis, three Blue Jays pitchers, Steve Delabar, Sergio Santos and J. Nathan Gerbe Jersey . "Hopefully well get all this out of the way," he said, "and everyone will be healthy the rest of the year." Zimmerman was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday and is expected to miss between four to six weeks. Jaccob Slavin Jersey . Scheffler told The Associated Press on Wednesday he made the choice because he had three concussions over the past four years. CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Mike Leake wasnt about to let this 8-0 lead get away. Jay Bruces homer helped the Reds get ahead by eight runs for the second day in a row, and Leake made this big lead stand up, pitching eight innings on Saturday for an 11-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. A day earlier, the Blue Jays pulled off the second-biggest comeback in their history. Down 8-0 after the second inning, they rallied to a 14-9 victory behind a pair of homers from Edwin Encarnacion. With their bullpen depleted, the Reds needed a solid effort from Leake (5-6), who went eight innings for the first time since May 13. "I already knew that we needed something, but its not like you can do it on command," Leake said. "My focus today was getting strike out within the first two pitches and going after them." The Reds got ahead 8-0 after four innings on Saturday against J.A. Happ (6-4), and the Blue Jays didnt have another big comeback in them. Leake had a lot to do with it, allowing the Blue Jays only four hits, including Colby Rasmus homer. "That was a character game," manager Bryan Price said. "We needed to show up and get yesterday out of our minds. One thing this team has shown all year is that it doesnt get down on itself." The Blue Jays are 9-5 all-time against the Reds, having won their four previous interleague series. Cincinnatis offence has languished near the bottom of the majors for much of the season, with Bruce and Joey Votto spending time on the disabled list. Both are back, and the Reds are starting to hit. Theyve scored at least nine runs in four of their last six games. Devin Mesoraco added a three-run homer in the seventh, his third homer in three games, as the Reds pulled away and quickly forgot about their Friday night meltdown. "Dusty (Baker) always said, Momentum is only as good as the next days starting pitcher," Mesoraco said. "Leake went out and gave us what we needed, and we were able to put some runs on the board." Happ made it easy for the Reds in the first inning, walking three batterss with two outs.dddddddddddd Ryan Ludwick drove in two runs with a single, and another scored on Erik Kratzs passed ball. Bruces homer in the third inning gave him 47 homers off left-handers over the last five seasons, the most by any player in the majors. Bruce scored three times overall. The Reds made it 8-0 in a fourth inning highlighted by RBI doubles from Votto and Brandon Phillips. Leake singled and scored during the rally. Happ lasted only four innings and give up seven hits, eight runs and four walks. It was his shortest start of the season. The four walks matched his season high. It was the most runs hed allowed since July 13, 2012 against the Giants. "He didnt have it today," manager John Gibbons said. "We never really had a chance. It was another big deficit to overcome. It was a little disappointing after last night, but theres nothing we can do about it now." Billy Hamilton singled home a run, extending his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games. He also stole his 31st base, the most by a Reds rookie since Chris Sabo stole 46 in 1988. After their four-homer, 16-hit splurge in the series opener, the Blue Jays went back into their hitting funk. The AL East leaders have lost 10 of their last 14 games, scoring two runs or less seven times during that span. NOTES: Johnny Cueto, who leads the NL with a 1.92 ERA, goes in the final game of the series against R.A. Dickey, who got two extra days of rest after his last start because of a sore groin. ... Both teams bolstered their bullpens before the game. The Blue Jays called up LHP Rob Rasmussen and optioned RHP Liam Hendriks. The Reds called up RHP Carlos Contreras and designed OF Roger Bernadina for assignment. Both got into the game. ... SS Jose Reyes fouled a pitch off the side of his left knee in the fifth inning but stayed in the game and popped out. He was replaced as part of a double switch in the bottom of the inning. ... The Reds had their fourth sellout of the season. Theyre 1-3 in front of sellout crowds at Great American Ball Park this season. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '