HOUSTON -- Matt Schaub will start at quarterback on Sunday for Houston against Denver and interim coach Wade Phillips expects him to receive a better reception than he did the last time he played at Reliant Stadium.
https://www.buffalofootballshop.com/52-Jersey . Schaub will start for an injured Case Keenum and try to help the Texans end a 12-game skid. Schaubs last action in Houston came when he took over late in a game against Oakland on Nov. 17 as Keenum was struggling. The home crowd booed him so loudly when he entered the game that the offence was forced to use a silent count. "Im not worried about that because I know a majority of our fans are with us no matter what and theyve stuck through no matter what," Phillips said. "We appreciate them. This is our last home game, so we need a lot of support and I think well get it." Schaub, who was benched after six games, will start for the first time since Oct. 13. Keenum has an injury to a ligament in his right thumb and was unable to grip the football on Tuesday. Phillips said he will wear a splint this week and he isnt sure of his status past Sunday. Keenum fell on his thumb and injured it on the last of his four sacks in this weekends loss to the Colts. Schaub last played in the second half at Jacksonville on Dec. 5 and moved the ball well before throwing an interception on what could have been the go-ahead drive in a 27-20 loss. "Hes a consummate professional," Phillips said. "We know Matt. We know hell work hard at what he does and hes going to give us his best effort. And were going to support him." Also on Wednesday, Phillips announced that running back Ben Tate will be placed on the injured reserve after another injury to his ribs. Tate has been playing with four broken ribs since October, but hasnt missed a game. Phillips marveled at the toughness Tate has shown in playing through the injury. "A cracked rib is a problem, but its not something that that it could be too serious as far as his overall health," Phillips said. "But once you get it multiple times, I think youve got to shut him down." Already without Arian Foster, the team signed Jonathan Grimes to take Tates roster spot and add depth at running back. Undrafted rookie Dennis Johnson, who was signed in late October, will start on Sunday. Johnson has appeared in seven games this season with 37 carries for 154 yards. There was a bit of good news for the Texans on Wednesday as Phillips said the injuries to defensive end Antonio Smith (knee) and cornerback Johnathan Joseph (groin) werent serious and they are expected to return to practice Thursday.
https://www.buffalofootballshop.com/82-Jersey . You can watch the game on TSN at 7pm et/4pm pt and listen to the game on TSN Radio 690 in Montreal. After starting the month of November on an 0-3-1 slide, the Canadiens have recorded wins in three of their last five outings (3-1-1).
https://www.buffalofootballshop.com/39-Jersey . Omar Rahou made the discriminatory gesture several times while celebrating scoring a goal against Romania at Antwerp in January, UEFA said. The sanction was double the five-match ban Nicolas Anelka received from an English Football Association independent tribunal last week for the same act.Foxboro, MA (SportsNetwork.com) - Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh called Joe Flacco the NFLs best quarterback last week. Tom Brady had something to say about that this week. Bradys 367 yards and three touchdowns, the last a go-ahead 23-yard strike to Brandon LaFell with 5;13 remaining, rallied the New England Patriots to a 35-31 AFC Divisional Playoff victory over Harbaughs Ravens at Gillette Stadium. The fourth postseason meeting between the teams in six years was another classic, with the Patriots twice battling back from 14 points down -- including a 28-14 deficit midway through the third quarter -- and not taking their first lead until Bradys final TD delivery of the day. New England also overcome a career postseason-best four touchdown throws from Flacco, though his second interception of the game virtually ended Baltimores own comeback hopes with 1:39 left to play. The top-seeded Patriots advanced to their fourth straight AFC Championship Game, where theyll await the winner of Sundays Indianapolis-Denver clash. Bradys yardage total and 33 completions in 50 attempts each shattered his own franchise records for a playoff game, while the three-time Super Bowl champs connection with LaFell gave him 46 career postseason touchdown passes to break the leagues all-time record held by Bradys boyhood idol, Joe Montana. He also ran for a touchdown. Rob Gronkowski caught one of Bradys touchdown throws in a 7-reception, 108- yard effort. Danny Amendola finished with a pair of touchdown grabs for New England, including a 51-yard catch from wide receiver Julian Edelman on a trick play in the third quarter. Flacco, aiming to extend his own NFL record with an eighth career playoff win on the road, ended with 292 yards on a 28-of-45 completion rate. Justin Forsett had a touchdown catch while running for 129 yards on 24 carries for Baltimore, which owns two of the three victories by visiting teams against New England in the Brady/Bill Belichick era and very nearly pulled off a third. The Ravens owned a 31-28 lead following Justin Tuckers 25-yard field goal with 10:17 remaining, before Brady sent New England ahead with a terrific performance on the ensuing drive. He completed 8-of-9 attempts while marching the Patriots 74 yards in 10 plays, with Amendola coming up with a key 6-yard catch on 3rd-and-6 to move the chains at the Baltimore 38. Three snaps later, Brady launched a perfect downfield throw that LaFell cradled down the left sideline for the go-ahead -- and record-setting -- score. Flaccos 17-yard hookup with Owen Daniels on 4th-and-3 had the Ravens in New England territory at the two-minute warning, but he overthrew Torrey Smith on a deep route and New Englands Duron Harmon picked off the pass in the end zone to just about seal the outcome. The Ravens did get back the ball near midfield with four seconds left. However, Flaccos Hail Mary heave into the end zone was knocked away as time expired. Flaccos fourth touchdown toss of the afternoon, a 16-yarder to Forsett, staked Baltimore to a 28-14 advantage early in the third quarter. The battle- tested Pats were undaunted, however, as Brady engineered touchdowns on the next two possessions. After 9-play, 80-yard sequence in which Brady threw on every down resulted in Gronkowskis 5-yard touchdown catch, New England wasted little time striking again after its defense induced a three-and-out. Braady initially looked downfield before tossing the ball behind the line of scrimmage to Edelman, who hit an uncovered Amendola in stride to draw the Patriots even with 4:20 to go in the third quarter.
https://www.buffalofootballshop.com/73-Jersey. A sack of Flacco and fumble recovery by Jamie Collins deep in the Ravens own end on the following series was negated by a defensive holding call on Darrelle Revis, and Baltimore capitalized on the penalty. The Ravens moved into scoring range behind several strong runs from Forsett, though they ended up settling for Tuckers field goal when Daniels couldnt come down with Flaccos third-down pass in the end zone. Flacco was right on the mark during Baltimores first two drives of the game, both of which resulted in touchdowns to stake the Ravens to a 14-0 lead. He went 4-for-4 for 69 yards on the opening series as Baltimore reached the end zone in just five plays, the last a 19-yard catch by Kamar Aiken on a well-executed play fake by Flacco that began the scoring just 2:42 in. Flacco hit on 5-of-6 throws to complement a pair of long runs from Forsett on the Ravens next possession, which ended when Steve Smith beat Revis to make a juggling 9-yard touchdown catch on 3rd-and-7. Two big plays from Gronkowski, a 16-yard reception on 3rd-and-8 and a 46-yard connection with Brady, helped New England close the gap on the following drive. Brady cut the lead to 14-7 by scrambling into the end zone from four yards out on a 3rd-and-goal play in the final minute of the first quarter. The Patriots converted two more third downs on Brady completions, one a 23- yard strike to Gronkowski, on a game-tying 10-play trek late in the second quarter. Amendola capped it by shaking free of a tackle on a short catch and diving across the goal line for a 15-yard touchdown 3:37 before halftime. Bradys lone critical mistake of the day came on New Englands next offensive set, as he failed to recognize Daryl Smith in underneath coverage and the veteran linebacker intercepted the intended pass for Gronkowski at the Ravens 43. After a 20-yard pass interference penalty on Revis put the Ravens deep into New England territory, Daniels came down with Flaccos pinpoint back-shoulder throw into a tight window for an 11-yard touchdown that sent Baltimore into the half up 21-14. A gutsy 4th-and-6 call on its initial series of the second half enabled Baltimore to extend the lead, as Torrey Smith hauled in Flaccos deep pass while being mugged by Brandon Browner at the Patriots 1-yard line. Though the wideouts taunting penalty pushed the ball back 15 yards, Flacco found a wide- open Forsett in the flat on the ensuing snap to restore the 14-point differential. Game Notes The win was the 20th for Belichick in the postseason, tying him with Dallas Cowboys legend Tom Landry for the most by a head coach in league history ... In addition to breaking Montanas mark, Brady became the NFLs all-time leader in postseason passing yards with 6,791 ... Brady posted his seventh career 300-yard passing game in the playoffs, second only to Peyton Manning in NFL history ... Flacco had gone 188 straight pass attempts without an interception before being picked by Devin McCourty in the third quarter ... Edelman had eight catches for 74 yards, with Amendola totaling 81 yards on five receptions ... Patriots rookie center Bryan Stork did not return after injuring his right knee. ' ' '