The Denver Broncos are impressed with Jameis Winston and Mike Evans, a couple of rising young stars who are transforming the identity of the once-plodding Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Winston, the first overall pick in the 2015 draft, is tied for the NFL lead with eight touchdown passes.Evans, the second-year pros favorite target, leads the NFC with 21 catches and is the only Bucs receiver to begin a season with TD receptions in three consecutive games.I see a confident quarterback. Hes confident in his arm, and hes trying to make all of the throws, Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib said, adding the faith Winston has in Evans is evident, too.Hes a talented guy. Big, fast, he goes in that Calvin Johnson category, that Julio Jones category. The big, fast guys (with) the big catch radius, Talib added. His quarterback definitely trusts him. His quarterback gives him opportunities to make plays.Containing one of the leagues up-and-coming passing combinations figures to be one of the keys to the Broncos (3-0) remaining unbeaten when the reigning Super Bowl champions visit Raymond James Stadium on Sunday.The Bucs (1-2) have lost two straight, with Winston attempting 52 passes during a 41-7 loss at Arizona two weeks ago, and 58 more while throwing for a career-best 405 yards in a 37-32 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Tampa Bays home opener.Coach Dirk Koetter knows thats too many times to put the ball in the air, especially against a defense as talented as the Broncos , who are second in the league with 12 sacks.But with running back Doug Martin sidelined by a hamstring injury, the Bucs have had little choice except to try to ride Winstons arm.He likes to throw it all over the field and he is not shy about letting it go, Denver safety T.J. Ward said. It should create a lot of opportunities for us.Winston and Evans relish the opportunity Tampa Bay has in facing the defending NFL champions.Koetter came away from last weeks loss talking about the need to change the culture of a team that has a knack for doing whatever it takes to lose.Its an elusive thing. Its not something you can just reach out and put your finger on, Koetter said. I just dont feel like we should sit back and pretend it doesnt exist.Neither does Winston, who embraces the challenge presented by the Broncos.Im really excited because this is a great team, its a great franchise, and who else should we play but these guys? Winston said. This is a great opportunity that were given.Some things to know about the Broncos and Buccaneers:SIEMIAN THRIVING: QB Trevor Siemian is trying to extend Denvers NFL-best eight-game winning streak. Last week he became the first player in league history to throw for at least 300 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions in his first road start. Hes led winning drives in two of the Broncos three games and has a league-best fourth-quarter passer rating of 146.9. This week he faces a team thats yielded an NFL-high 101 points .BIG MIKE: Evans 301 receiving yards are the most for a Tampa Bay receiver through three games. He and Winston spent extra time working together during the offseason, and they believe its making a difference. The 6-foot-5, 231-pound third-year pro, who topped 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first two seasons, certainly has caught the attention of Talib. With receivers, there are some guys where you either have this huge catch radius or you dont, the Broncos star said. Theres nothing you can learn in the NFL. If you go watch Evans tape from seventh or eighth grade, I bet hes doing the same thing, catching jump balls, running past people, catching deep balls. Its just that catch radius that makes him special.SPEAKING OF TALIB: The Broncos cornerback was a first-round draft pick of the Bucs in 2008 and had 16 interceptions (three returned for touchdowns) in four-plus seasons with Tampa Ba. The Bucs traded him to New England during the 2012 season. He returns to Tampa for the first time with 31 interceptions -- most by a cornerback since he entered the league. His nine returned for TDs put him tied for fourth all-time. He is as advertised, Winston said. Man, he has great ball skills.NO MORE GRIPING: Broncos WRs Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas both complained about not getting enough throws/work in Weeks 1 and 2. Last week, Siemian hit Sanders nine times for 117 yards and two TDs, while Thomas had six receptions for 100 yards and his first TD of the season. Understandably, theres been no more griping from those guys.---AP NFL website:
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http://twitter.com/AP-NFL . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division. . 10 Texas A&Ms offence dominated as usual against SMU. . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. . Lack made 20 saves for his third shutout of the season as the Canucks blanked the St. Louis Blues 1-0 in the first post-Olympic game for both teams night. . Didier Drogba gave away the penalty that put Senegal one goal away from a major upset, but the veteran striker will get another chance -- probably his last -- at the World Cup after Salomon Kalous injury-time strike sealed the Ivorians place in Brazil next year. PITTSBURGH -- Make no mistake, Andrew McCutchen is happy to still be a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.But the All-Star centerfielder, who spoke Saturday for the first time since the team openly tried to trade him during the recently completed winter meetings, was bothered by the recent trade talks.I do want to be here, but Id be lying if I didnt tell you that none of this didnt bother me, that my name was out there, McCutchen said. Were all human. To have my name to be thinking about possibly being traded, I mean of course it got to me because we all have those dreams.My dream is to be a Pirate my whole career and to win multiple World Series, and sometimes when your name is popped up, it kind of makes you think well, those dreams could be altered a little.McCutchen agreed to a six-year, $51.5 million contract before the 2012 season. McCutchen, who is signed for the 2017 season at $14 million, plus a club option for 18 at $14.75 million, hoped to at least be able to play out his deal when he initially signed.If you have a contract, it doesnt mean much nowadays because you can still be traded, McCutchen said. If you wouldve asked me in 2012, that I would be in this position, or my name being thrown up in trades, I wouldve been like no youre crazy, but the game has changed and things have evolved over time, so its not a surprise.Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington -- eyeing glaring needs in the starting rotation and with a potential plan for replacing McCutchen in place -- sent out feelers to other teams ahead of the winter meetings, but nothing came to fruition with Washington going elsewhere for a centerfielder after talks with the Pirates broke down.McCutchen followed it all on Twitter.Everybody was asking me things and I was like look I dont know any more than what you guys know, McCutchen said. I was just kind of on edge, seeing what was going to happen.McCutchen admits hes surprised to still be in Pittsburgh. He had a chance to clear the air with Huntington after the winter mmeetings.dddddddddddd.I do understand he has a job, but I dont understand what he has to do, McCutchen said. I cant empathize with that, just like he cant empathize with what I could be going through. We had a good conversation and ended it on good terms.McCutchen said he hasnt been offered a new contract and isnt sure whether or not management will approach him about an extension. McCutchen said hes still open to a new contract with the team despite the tumultuous week, but isnt sure if that is going to happen.Ive always said that I want to be a Pirate and I want to retire a Pirate, McCutchen said. That hasnt changed just because my name is in on trades.There has been no player more pivotal to Pittsburghs turnaround than McCutchen, a former first-round pick who made his major league debut in 2009. He earned his first All-Star berth in 2011 and won the MVP in 2013, becoming the first Pirate to capture the award since Barry Bonds in 1992.McCutchen spent the last five seasons as a fixture in the middle of Pittsburghs lineup as the Pirates pulled themselves out of two decades of losing to reach the playoffs three straight years between 2013 and 2015.Last season marked the first significant bump in the road for McCutchen.He got off to one of his typical slow starts, but unlike previous years, he was unable to snap out of the funk. McCutchen hit a career-low .256 while setting a career-high with 173 strikeouts, as the Pirates sputtered to a 78-83 record, a distant third place in the NL Central behind the World Series champion Chicago Cubs.The 30-year-old McCutchen stressed repeatedly that injuries didnt affect his performance and said the same on Saturday as he vowed to have a bounce-back season in 2017.Youre going to have your off years, but its all about what you do and how you come back from that, McCutchen said. Im looking forward to this season. Im ready to go. ' ' '
