FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. -- The Atlanta Falcons were looking for two new starters on Monday after losing defensive end Kroy Biermann and fullback Bradie Ewing to season-ending injuries. Biermann tore his right Achilles tendon and Ewing separated his left shoulder in Sundays 31-24 win over the St. Louis Rams. Coach Mike Smith said Monday each will be placed on the reserve injured list. "As I say many times, one mans misfortune is another mans opportunity and weve got some guys that we expect are going to step up and make some plays for us," Smith said. The loss of Biermann will lead to expanded roles for defensive ends Jonathan Massaquoi and rookie Malliciah Goodman. The versatile Biermann also played a linebacker position which had him dropping back in pass coverage. "Theres a role for a (backup) defensive end when Kroy was playing defensive end and theres a role for one of the (backup) linebackers," Smith said. "Weve put that in place from the very beginning. "As you know, your roster never stays the same from year to year and usually it doesnt stay the same from week to week. We will make the adjustments and move forward." Biermann was credited with two tackles before leaving the field on a cart late in the first half. Biermann, a fifth-round pick in 2008, has 16 1/2 career sacks, including 4 in 2012. Osi Umenyiora, an off-season free-agent signee from the Giants, is the teams other starting defensive end. Ewings injury will lead to more playing time for Jason Snelling, who ran for a touchdown against the Rams after starting running back Steven Jackson left the game with a thigh injury. Snelling has played fullback and running back in his seven seasons with the Falcons. "Jason has always stepped up whenever hes had an opportunity," Smith said. "I thought he did an outstanding job yesterday." Ewing did not have a carry but had one catch for 14 yards before hurting his shoulder in the first quarter. This is the second straight year Ewing has suffered a season-ending injury. His tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee before his 2012 rookie season. Smith said he met with Ewing on Monday morning. "Its tough because hes not been able to stay on the field," Smith said. "Hes had the knee injury last year and it ended with him going on reserve injured early. The same thing is happening this year. "As I told him hey, weve just got to get you healthy. March and April will roll around and well reconnect and get moving forward." The Falcons beat the Rams despite losing five starters with injuries: Biermann, Ewing, Jackson, linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (foot) and cornerback Asante Samuel (thigh). Samuel missed the opening game at New Orleans with a thigh injury. Backup defensive end Cliff Matthews returned after leaving with a neck injury. The Falcons had other injury concerns entering the game. Receiver Roddy White has been slowed by an ankle sprain since the third week of the preseason. His playing time has been limited in the first two regular-season games. Receiver Julio Jones (knee), offensive tackle Sam Baker (back) and defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux (knee) started against St. Louis after being listed as questionable. Smith, who normally gives injury updates on Wednesday unless a player suffers a season-ending injury, had no updates Monday on Jackson, Weatherspoon or Samuel. The Falcons play at Miami next Sunday. . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. . Pospisil, the seventh seed, saved match points in each of the last two sets before falling to the unseeded Dutchman. "I wasnt very happy with the way I was playing,"said Pospisil.
https://www.cheapblues.com/. Brazilian striker Brandao opened the scoring with a header in the 55th minute before winger Franck Tabanou volleyed home from close range to double the lead in the 61st. . George Hill had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who stayed atop the overall NBA standings despite losing twice on their West Coast trip. Los Angeles kept it close into the second half before the Pacers finished an easy win over the injury-riddled Lakers, who have lost five straight. . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct.BROOKLYN - If you subscribe to the concept of momentum, theres reason to be concerned about the Raptors chances going into Sundays series deciding Game 7. The shift began amid Wednesdays fourth-quarter meltdown, a 44-point browbeating, and carried over to Fridays Game 6. Facing elimination on their home court, a desperate Nets team jumped out to a 34-19 lead after 12 minutes and the Raptors - dazed and confused - never recovered, trailing for the duration. So how crucial is momentum at this time of year? "If you look at the series, the way its gone, its been like a roller coaster the whole time," Dwane Casey said following his teams 97-83 loss in Brooklyn, forcing a Game 7 on Sunday afternoon, tipping off at 1:00 PM from the Air Canada Centre. "Every game has been different." And that was the extent of Caseys post-game assembly. Questions about momentum, clearly favouring their surging opponents. Questions regarding experience, also favouring the veteran Nets. The Raptors were being written off before departing Brooklyn. "To listen to some of this, we may as well not play Game 7," said an agitated Casey. "Every game is different and I know our team will bounce back." For a brief, fleeting moment, Caseys team played the unfamiliar role of favourites, up 3-2 in the series, and it wasnt a good look for them. From the moment Rudy Gay was traded theyve fancied themselves underdogs. Its what brought them together, its what motivates them. Without that built-in adversity, they were unrecognizable. The Nets opened the game with the fight you would expect from a team on the ropes and for whatever reason, Toronto was unable to match it. The Raptors were flat offensively and showed little-to-no resistance on defence. Brooklyn outscored the Raptors 22-4 in the paint, out-rebounded them 14-4 and shot an impressive 68 per cent from the field. They moved the ball, got in the lane at will and controlled the tempo of the game from the jump, while the Raptors could barely get into their offensive sets. "It just comes down to who wants it more," DeMar DeRozan had said the day prior. On Friday it was all Brooklyn. "We didnt really realize we had Brooklyn against the wall and we didnt take advantage of it like we should," said DeRozan after leading the team with 28 points, no one else scored more than Kyle Lowrys 11. "We should have known they were going to come out throwing haymakers and we werent ready for it until the second half." "We just didnt come out with the competitive nature that we needed tonight," Lowry added. "They did an unbelievable job of forcing their will on the game tonight, but we have to find a way to match that intensity." In taking control of the series, Toronto had finally dodged the dreaded inexperience narrative that theyve been trying to shake since they drew the Nets but hhere it is, rearing its head once again.dddddddddddd This was a scenario Casey had considered, one he feared. "I was concerned about what would happen tonight," the Raptors coach admitted. "[In] any Game 6, a team is going to come out with a desperate mindset. With this team, they built to win a championship this year, and theyre going to come out and give you their best shot. [I] knew that coming in and tried to warn our team. Guys who havent been in Game 6 before, its one of the toughest things to do." "Again, experience is the best teacher. Now were going into Game 7, its our first time at that. Luckily we have it at home." Yes, they will play Sundays elimination game in the friendly confines of their home gym, in front of a fan base that has been exceptionally supportive throughout their playoff run. That may be the only tangible reason to like their odds. As a franchise, the Raptors have only participated in one Game 7, the infamous day of Vince Carters graduation and missed fadeaway back in 2001. They have never hosted a deciding playoff game at the Air Canada Centre. With Portlands win over Houston, the Raptors now have the NBAs longest active streak without a playoff series victory. None of Torontos starters have played in a Game 7 while Paul Pierce alone has appeared in eight, Kevin Garnett in six and Joe Johnson in four. And then theres the momentum, if you believe in such things. The Raptors say they dont buy into momentum. The Nets, however, are counting on it. "I think we just need to take this momentum from this game into the next," said Nets forward Andray Blatche, who guaranteed a victory on Wednesday and did the same for Game 7. "I think our momentum will carry over. I think we found a recipe in getting a win on defence and offence and controlling the paint." So here they are. After all this time - two weeks, six games, broken shot clocks, a lint-free global ambassador and an F-bomb dropping general manager - the division-winning Toronto Raptors are right back where they started. Theyre a young, inexperienced team in over their heads, right? Maybe. But if nothing else, theyre back in their comfort zone. Theyre going to be overlooked, theyre going to be the underdogs. So, count them out at your own risk. "We believe in ourselves," Patrick Patterson insisted. "Everyone in this locker room believes in ourselves. Weve believed in ourselves all year long. For us to have any doubt in our minds right now is unacceptable. Its not like we cant beat them. Weve beat them before. Weve done it in the regular season [and] weve done it in the playoffs." "Now we know its win or go home," DeRozan said. "Everything is on the line now. Either we step up and we play with a force from the jump ball to the end of the game, or well be going home the next day." ' ' '
