n around Wilson operating from t | Forum
Mitglied q123
Mär 7 '19
NEW YORK -- Phil Jackson says he hasnt voted for a president since 1980. Nike Sb China Wholesale . After campaigning vigorously on behalf of losing democrats George McGovern and Jimmy Carter, Jackson determined the political system was flawed, perhaps even broken, so he ceased participating.He watched last Tuesdays presidential outcome at the New York abode of his friend and former teammate Bill Bradley, the one-time U.S. senator from New Jersey who ran for president in 2000.We ordered out -- Greek, Jackson reveals. The senator and Knicks president did what most American did that night -- obsess over the turnout in Broward or Wayne County and try to make sense of one surprise after another. Then, for Jackson, thoughts of his day job intervened: We had it on for a while, but I wanted to watch the Minnesota-Brooklyn Nets game because we were playing the Nets the next night, so I flipped the channel.Bill said to me, What are you doing? I had just heard enough. Wolf Blitzer was talking so fast it hurt my brain.I sent my staff a riff earlier in the day from George Carlin about not voting. If you vote, you are responsible for what you get.Phil Jackson is, of course, a president of a different kind. Hes in control of the New York Knicks and fully endorses the notion that if his platform doesnt pan out, he will assume responsibility.Jackson sat down for an exclusive interview with ESPN.com the morning after the election to discuss Derrick Rose, the triangle, Carmelo Anthonys activism and Gregg Popovichs asterisk.Jackie MacMullan: You have been under siege since youve taken over the Knicks, which has been different for you. In your coaching travels youve been all but untouchable. How have you handled the adversity?Phil Jackson: I knew the parameters of what would go on from years of playing in series against the Knicks. I remember all the barbs. Its a process of sticking to my beliefs and being able to say, Whatever. This is what I was hired to do. Im going to follow the plan and if it doesnt work out, it will be evident.JM: There have been reports you are frustrated that (Knicks coach) Jeff Hornacek isnt employing the triangle offense enough. Is that the case?PJ:?No. But when they run it I want them to run it the right way. If you are going to do it, use your skills and run it the right way. Im not frustrated at all. Derrick Rose missed three weeks of training camp (because of a civil trial). Its totally understandable where we are as a ballclub. We have guards that do a lot of stuff off the dribble. I want them to understand they can do things off the pass. It has to be a combination.JM: Can the triangle still be effective in todays game, which has gone the space and pace route?PJ:?If you want to learn the fundamentals of the game, you dont bypass any of the basics, like how to make a post pass, how to set up a screen, what pivots you can use to escape pressure and force defenses to react. What are the passing lanes? You have to acknowledge that. You have five players on the floor. If you are going to drive you have to know where players will be on the court. If you are going to make a pass you need space between players and have a certain amount of lanes open. Appropriate space between players is 12-to-16 feet. Eighteen-to-20 feet is a little long to make an appropriate pass. Weve extended that to create long lanes to allow players to roll to the basket and stretch the floor.JM:?So, is it safe to say the Knicks will not be a space and pace team any time soon?PJ:?Its my feeling when everybody does the same damn thing it becomes, Who has the best Rolls-Royce? Who has the best, fastest stock car in this race we are running? So if you have LeBron, wow, were going to do the same thing even though we dont have the Rolls-Royce? You have to be unique. You have to have something no one else is doing to have genius in this game. It becomes an ownership. I dont care about the triangle. I care about systematically playing basketball. If the spacing isnt right, if guys are standing on top of each other, if there arent lanes to be provided, or rebounders available to offensively rebound the ball, or we dont have defensive balance when a shot goes up, all of these things are fundamental basketball. I follow it. Im not railing, This is inadequate or This isnt right. Just show me what will work. Are we running around for no reason? Can we hit the first cutter? Do we have the ability to hit the second option or are we just bypassing plays so someone can hit a 3-point shot? It doesnt make sense to me.JM: Which NBA teams impress you?PJ: Its obvious Golden State plays a game in which people move the ball, they move themselves, they are creating passing lanes, they get penetration, they hit the open man, they set picks. They get a little wild, but Steve (Kerr) does a really fine job of keeping everyone in their lanes, so to speak. Hes a really fine coach with a great command of the game. That feel for basketball is so important.JM: What other teams do you like?PJ: Cleveland has really gotten better about playing together as a team. They have shown much more resilience defensively and are taking responsibility on the defensive end. The ball still gets stuck. Not everyone has a purpose. They have a role, but they might not feel like they are involved and I like to see all five players being involved in the game.San Antonio continues to do what they do best, running their system, which incorporates a lot of things I believe in, things Pop and I have struggled with each other over for a few years.JM: So what is your relationship with Popovich like?PJ: We have no animosity. We just played against each other so many times. One time he just stuck guys in the corner and ran the twin towers and that was it. But theyve evolved so much. I like the way his teams play. Hes using a lot of triangle stuff, a lot of pinch post stuff. It works.JM: If you ran into Popovich on the street, what would you say?PJ: Where are we gonna have a glass of wine? I have great respect for his ability as a coach and how he keeps his players playing at a very high level.JM: You, Popovich and Pat Riley are the most decorated coaches of your generation. What separates Riley?PJ: Pat has a terrific sense of what he wants to do. Now that Im president, I have to read all this stuff about the league. Usually its delete, delete, delete. But I noticed there was something about D-Wade (Dwyane Wade) and Pats communication breaking down the other day. I wondered about that. I found it surprising.JM: It all started when LeBron left, right? Could you have ever imagined Earvin Johnson leaving Riley, or Michael Jordan leaving you?PJ: It had to hurt when they lost LeBron. That was definitely a slap in the face. But there were a lot of little things that came out of that. When LeBron was playing with the Heat, they went to Cleveland and he wanted to spend the night. They dont do overnights. Teams just dont. So now (coach Erik) Spoelstra has to text Riley and say, What do I do in this situation? And Pat, who has iron-fist rules, answers, You are on the plane, you are with this team. You cant hold up the whole team because you and your mom and your posse want to spend an extra night in Cleveland.I always thought Pat had this really nice vibe with his guys. But something happened there where it broke down. I do know LeBron likes special treatment. He needs things his way.JM: You traded for Derrick Rose, which was a gamble. What was your thinking behind it?PJ: Mike Conley was the best choice as a free agent, but hes making $30 million a year. Thats almost insane. We saw that was going to happen. We had the opportunity to play with Derrick and see if he does have enough left in the tank -- hes 27 years old -- before we have to get into that (free) agent market again. It gave us an opportunity to build a team around him, Carmelo and Kris (Porzingis).And, having experiences with Joakim (Noah) over the years, not only as a player with talent, but a guy who showed up at my door in Montana, he knows Derrick and he knows how to play with him. It gives us an advantage. Both are coming back into playing form.JM: When you say coming back into playing form, do you feel, as other NBA observers have noted, that Rose and Noah logged too many minutes in Chicago?PJ: Ive watched Luol Dengs career very closely. He played (among) the most minutes in the league in 2013 (Deng was 13th) and you remember what happened to him in the playoffs. They thought he had spinal meningitis. (Editors note: Deng had a spinal tap to test for meningitis that proved to be negative, but spinal fluid leaked into his body and he missed the remainder of the postseason). It was weird. He got completely depleted, and there was a notion that went along with that; the excess playing time might not have been necessary. I think players get that back again but in a different format. They may not get back to 95 percent but they can be 90 percent with the knowledge of how to play, which gives them an advantage to know when to turn it on.JM: Rose is a former MVP, but he is prone to posting a bunch of 7-for-17 games. How do you reconcile that?PJ: Most of Derricks misses arent jumpers. They are going to the basket -- penetration -- which is really important to have on any team. People are challenging him, which means Joakim and others following him are going to get offensive rebounds, second-chance points. So you understand his shooting percentage isnt going to be all that high, but his penetration is going to create opportunities for others.JM: You mentioned you want your guards to create not just off the dribble but also to off the pass. Do you worry Kristaps Porzingis is getting lost in the offense sometimes?PJ: Kris is going to shine because hes just that good. What I really want to see him do is develop his game. Hes an exceptional shooter and his size is unique. It changes the game in many ways. But he needs to learn how to use his size appropriately in different ways because teams will switch and defend with smaller players. With his back to the basket, he hasnt learned how to do all the positioning and to hold his space. He needs to catch and shoot without bringing the ball down in an area where smaller players can grab it.JM: Is he strong enough to play in the post?PJ: Hes strong enough. Finding a base is always a point of view in the game. Having Pau Gasol for so many years, having long players that dont have a base are what we call high cut players that can get run off the post. The league has allowed more and more of that to be exploited. In the past they had rules about just shoving a guy off the post. Shaq (ONeal) and (Hakeem) Olajuwon could hold it; everyone else just got run out.The European game is high screen and roll with a double high screen, so Kris hasnt been in the post much. Hes got to learn switches, mismatches, when to make the pass, to keep the ball high -- (Dirk) Nowitzki-type things. Hes got a great mind, a great learners mentality, so were lucky.JM: What have your learned about Carmelo Anthony since you got here?PJ: Carmelo likes communication. He likes a relationship. I was with a number of players who were fine with a player-coach relationship, which involved support, How are you feeling? that kind of stuff. Shaq, Kobe, thats all they wanted or needed. They were busy. I was never the guy who said, Lets go out to dinner. But with Melo, I do that. Not as much as Id like, but we do it, because he likes that part of it.JM: What do you talk about?PJ: I do like his activism, his willingness to be an activist. I communicate with him on how to couch activism. My feeling is it can be abrasive if its not done the right way, but it has to be somewhat abrasive if its going to be activism. In some ways, it has become vogue to be an activist -- thats true.I told Carmelo about how Snoop Dogg, who I know from L.A., approached it in his community. He went to the police graduations in L.A. and spoke to the cadets, which is where the rubber meets the road in our lives. Its not just simply about color and race. Its about the atmosphere in the community. I feel Carmelo could have a reasonable voice in that way. Im not here to lead him down the road. Im just here to add some suggestions.JM: What drew you to Jeff Hornacek?PJ: He has a learners mind. I followed this guy since he went to Iowa State. When he came to the pros I wondered, Would he have enough athletic talent? He found a way. Hes adaptable. Hes also very competitive. I like the way he talks to young players. Its become so restrictive on how much of an intrusion a coaching staff can be in the players lives. There has to be so many days off, and so many days for players association meetings and community appearances.These players are spending a lot of time doing things that arent basketball related. As a result, to take a half hour to teach mindfulness, or to study the mental approach to the game has become almost superfluous. Jeff does yoga with the players, tries to approach it as a holistic thing. I give him credit for it.JM: You have an opt-out clause in your contract after this season. Do you plan to exercise it?PJ: I have not entertained that. Im looking for this Knicks team to get back into a situation where they are competitive. Do I have to win a championship before I feel Ive done the job Ive been asked to do, which is to bring this group back to that competitive level? No, I dont. Were starting to make progress. I like a lot of the things we are doing here. But weve got more to do.JM: Lakers executive vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss said if the Lakers didnt make it to the Western Conference finals by 2017, he would step down. Its unlikely the Lakers will meet that goal. Why not go back and run your old team?PJ:?Theyre moving forward in the right direction. Luke (Walton) has them engaged, Brian (Shaw) is an associate head coach; they have a core group of guys that will get it done. It was never important to me to go back and be a part of that. Especially not now. I have this job, this commitment.JM: Then why bother to include the opt-out clause?PJ: The real issue with the opt out was simply my rationale regarding the (potential) lockout. If it was going to happen in December and everybody chose to walk away, there was no way I was going to sit in New York for three, four months when I didnt have a job, because (the players) arent even allowed to show up to work. So, in that case, I would go back to L.A.JM: You are in a bi-coastal relationship with Lakers president and part-owner Jeanie Buss. How difficult has it been to be apart?PJ: Its hard. Very hard. Its hard to keep a house out there. Ive got eight grandchildren in the Bay Area. FaceTime has really helped me.JM: So wheres home?PJ: My accountant tells me I cant be a California resident anymore. I spend too much of my time in New York. Nike Sb Shoes Discount . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Nike Sb Shoes Clearance ., for the next three years with the signings on Monday of Daryl Townsend and Michael Carter. http://www.cheapnikesb.net/ . First off, the fans ripped the Cubbies introduction of a fuzzy new kid-friendly mascot named "Clark". NFL Nation reporters assess the biggest injuries across the league for Week 4.AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC WestAFC EASTBuffalo BillsThe left foot of Sammy Watkins remains a question mark for the Bills, who were without their top wideout in Wednesdays practice. There isnt structural damage to Watkins foot, and theres nothing the team can do but try to reduce discomfort enough for him to play. The hope is the soreness goes away over the long term. -- Mike RodakMiami DolphinsDolphins starting left tackle Branden Albert will be a game-time decision Thursday night against the Bengals due to an ankle injury. He hasnt practiced during this short week, but the team wants to see how he feels during warm-ups. If Albert cannot play, rookie first-round pick Laremy Tunsil could move from left guard to left tackle, where he played the position well during his college career at Ole Miss. -- James WalkerNew England PatriotsQuarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo (right shoulder) and Jacoby Brissett (right thumb) both threw the ball in the warm-up part of practice without much issue. Garoppolo, for instance, heaved one pass 25 yards down the field. This is an encouraging sign for his?availability Sunday, although he deflected a question before practice about his status for the game. I dont know right now, he said. We have to get there and well assess it then, I guess. ... Its hard to predict what youll feel like in three, four days. Meanwhile, Brissett said his thumb didnt affect his grip of the football, noting that he played through the injury last Thursday. Both QBs were officially limited in Wednesdays practice. -- Mike ReissNew York JetsWide receiver Eric Decker aggravated a shoulder injury on Sunday, making him a serious question mark for this week against the Seahawks, perhaps longer. Rookie receiver Jalin Marshall (torn labrum) is out at least two weeks, meaning two other rookies -- Robby Anderson and Charone Peake -- could move up to the No. 3 and No. 4 roles. -- Rich CiminiAFC NORTHBaltimore RavensLeft tackle Ronnie Stanley?prides himself on being durable, but he was walking around the locker room with a protective boot. That makes him a major question mark for Sundays game against Oakland. What makes it worse for the Ravens is left guard Alex Lewis is in the concussion protocol. Baltimore could be forced to start a new left side of the line with James Hurst at left tackle and Ryan Jensen at left guard. -- Jamison HensleyCincinnati BengalsThe wait is still on for Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert, who has yet to return from an offseason ankle injury. He seems to be a candidate to return against the Cowboys in Week 5. In the short term, cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick is doubtful to play against the Dolphins on Thursday night, which is a big blow to a secondary that gave up four touchdowns to the Broncos in the previous week. -- Katherine TerrellCleveland BrownsCornerback?Joe Haden was less than certain hed be able to play Sunday in Washington. Haden missed the game in Miami with a groin strain, and he said hes day to day. Haden always covers the opposing teams best receiver; if hes in any way limited,?DeSean Jackson would benefit. -- Pat McManamonPittsburgh SteelersEli Rogers turf toe is a tricky one, because planting and cutting is crucial to a slot receiver, and the Steelers are already short on complementary receivers for Antonio Brown and Ben Roethlisberger. Markus Wheaton and Darrius Heyward-Bey both have slot experience, so if Rogers cant go against Kansas City, expect Wheaton to start there and try to rebound from his multiple drops against the Eagles in Week 3. Rogers has had a slow few weeks production-wise. Still, the Steelers had hoped to get him more involved and like his development on the inside. -- Jeremy FowlerAFC SOUTHHouston TexansThe Texans got news about a trio of players early in the week, starting with defensive end J.J. Watt being put on injured reserve with a back injury. Watt is eligible to return to practice after six weeks on IR and to game action after eight weeks, meaning he could be back as soon as Nov. 27 against the Chargers. Defensive ends Christian Covington and Devon Still will likely get more playing time on Sunday, but the Texans also signed Antonio Smith to take Watts roster spot. On Wednesday, inside linebacker Brian Cushing practiced for the first time since he left the season opener with a knee injury. He said there is a possibility that he will play on Sunday. On Monday, left tackle Duane Brown returned to practice for the first time since the end of last season, when he tore his quadriceps tendon in the regular season finale against the Jaguars. Though Brown has participated in practice for two straight days, coach Bill OBrien said the veteran might?not play Sunday, but that if he does not, he will be ready for the following week against Minnesota. Chris Clark has been solid in Browns absence, but the offensive line as a whole has struggled thus far. Having Brown back could make a difference for a unit which needs to improve to help the Texans running game and give quarterback Brock Osweiler more time to throw. -- Sarah BarshopIndianapolis ColtsThe Colts have injury concerns with the starting right side of their offensive line. Right tackle Joe Reitz (back) and right guard Denzelle Good (back) both missed practice Wednesday. Good missed last weeks game against San Diego and Reitz left the game early. Theres a chance the Colts will start rookie Joe Haeg at right tackle and Jonotthan Harrison at right guard if Reitz and Good miss Sundays game against Jacksonville in London. -- Mike WellsJacksonville JaguarsCenter Brandon Linder practiced on a limited basis after missing last weeks game because of a sprained right knee. The key to whether he plays against Indianapolis is the strength in his knee and whether it allows him to push off and hold up in pass protection. Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. did not practice Wednesday because of a sore shoulder. It had been a minor annoyance for a bit but not enough to keep him from practicing fully or playing. It flared up on Monday. Coach Gus Bradley said Fowler improved from early in the week, and it looks good for him to be able to play against the Colts. -- Mike DiRoccoTennessee TitansTight end Delanie Walker (hamstring) didnt practice Wednesday as was the plan, but hes expected to return to action after missing a week. Wide receiver?Kendall Wright practiced and looked good coming out of breaks, coach Mike Mularkey said. The Titans hope Wright feels good Thursday and remains on track to make his 2016 debut in Houston. Hes not the speedster the Titans are lacking, but he can be a playmaker beyond what the Titans have been getting from receivers. -- Paul KuharskyAFC WESTDenver BroncosRight tackle Donald Stephenson?(calf) is still a question mark. Coach Gary Kubiak has called it a day-to-day assessment. If Stephenson is unable to play against the Buccaneers, it would take some maneuvering in the offensive line. Last week, the Broncos started Ty Sambrailo at right tackle, but Sambrailo, who missed all of the preseason with an elbow injury, struggled at times against a tough Bengals front. The Broncos could put Sambrailo back in and hope he progresses or put Darrion Weems at right guard and bump Michael Schofield out from guard to tackle. Schofield started at right tackle last season. -- Jeff LegwoldKansas City ChiefsRunning back?Jamaal Charles was once again listed as a limited practice participant on the injury report. He could play on Sunday night against the Steelers, but as cautious as the Chiefs have been with him, thats difficult to picture without Charles getting a full week of practice. -- Adam TeicherOakland RaidersRight tackle remains a huge question mark for the Raiders, who have already played five different linemen there -- Menelik Watson, Matt McCants, Donald Penn, Austin Howard and Vadal Alexander. Neither Watson, who has endured groin and calf injuries, nor Howard, who had an injured right ankle, were practicing Wednesday, but McCants, who injured his left knee in the season opener, was suited up. It would seem either McCants or Alexander, a rookie seventh-rounder, is in line to start Sunday at Baltimore. -- Paul GutierrezSan Diego ChargersHalf of San Diegos projected starting secondary did not practice on Wednesday, with cornerback Brandon Flowers (concussion) and strong safety Jahleel Addae (clavicle) watching from the sidelines. Thats not a good sign for the Chargers, whose defense has given up 322 passing yards per game, third-worst in the NFL. San Diego also faces the leagues passing leader in Saints quarteerback Drew Brees on Sunday. Nike Sb Cheap Wholesale. Addae will not play, but Flowers has a chance to get on the field if he can pass the NFLs concussion protocol. -- Eric D. WilliamsNFC EASTDallas CowboysWide receiver Dez Bryants status for Sunday is murky at best because of a hairline fracture of his tibial plateau in his right leg, according to a source. Jason Garrett would not rule Bryant out of the San Francisco game, but he did not practice Wednesday. Bryant has played without a lot of practice before, but he was not as effective last season with limited work leading into games coming off his broken foot. If Bryant cant play, Brice Butler would move into the starting lineup. He has just one catch for 16 yards in three games, but the coaches like his development in his second year with the club. He has good speed and wide catch radius but needs more consistency. -- Todd ArcherNew York GiantsWith cornerbacks Eli Apple (hamstring) and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (groin) ailing, the Giants could be awfully thin on the back end on Monday night against the Vikings. Rodgers-Cromartie said he has done some light running already, so there is a chance hes ready. But there seems to be a greater chance that both miss this weeks game, leaving the Giants with Leon Hall and Trevin Wade starting alongside Janoris Jenkins. -- Jordan RaananPhiladelphia EaglesThe Eagles should be in good health coming off their Week 4 bye. Coach Doug Pederson expects tight end Zach Ertz (rib) and cornerback Leodis McKelvin (hamstring) to practice next week as preparations begin for the Lions. Both players missed the last two games. -- Tim McManusWashington RedskinsThe Redskins have a number of key players nursing injuries, including starting left guard?Shawn Lauvao (right ankle) and cornerback?Bashaud Breeland (ankle). Neither participated in practice Wednesday, and it could be a few weeks before they return, though coach Jay Gruden listed both as week to week. The Redskins are fortunate to have a veteran backup cornerback?in Greg Toler. In place of Lauvao, theyll start second-year Arie Kouandjio, who has played one NFL snap. -- John KeimNFC NORTHChicago BearsQuarterback Jay Cutlers thumb injury is the Bears biggest question mark. Cutler sustained ligament damage and bruising in his right thumb, and he was inactive against the Cowboys last Sunday.?Cutler himself admitted that his thumb sprain prevented him from properly gripping and controlling the football. But Cutler hates to miss time. He wants to play Sunday when the Bears host the Lions. Will the thumb cause him problems? Coach John Fox has to balance Cutlers desire to return vs. what is best for the team. -- Jeff DickersonDetroit LionsLinebacker remains a major question mark with Detroits roster. DeAndre Levy (quad) and Antwione Williams (hamstring) both missed Wednesdays practice, and the teams linebacker situation looks remarkably similar to last week. Detroit has three healthy linebackers on the roster: Tahir Whitehead, Kyle Van Noy and Thurston Armbrister. Theres also Zaviar Gooden, who was sent back to the practice squad after playing half of the Lions defensive snaps Sunday. Its a situation worth watching considering Detroits defensive issues the past two weeks. -- Michael RothsteinGreen Bay PackersCoach Mike McCarthy said he thought this weeks bye should be enough to heal four of his injured defensive players: Clay Matthews (ankle, hamstring), Letroy Guion (knee), Datone Jones (knee) and Morgan Burnett (groin). But cornerback Sam Shields (concussion) and tight end Jared Cook (ankle) almost certainly wont be ready for the Oct. 9 game against the Giants. Shields hasnt played since the opener, and Cook sprained his ankle in Sundays win over the Lions. -- Rob DemovskyMinnesota VikingsGuard Alex Boone had an MRI on his hip on Monday, though coach Mike Zimmer said he expected Boone to?be ready to play by Monday nights game against the Giants. The Vikings will have their first practice of the week on Thursday, and Boones availability figures to be their biggest question mark of the week. Jeremiah Sirles did an impressive job in Boones absence and would likely start at left guard if Boone isnt ready for the Giants game. -- Ben GoesslingNFC SOUTHAtlanta FalconsAlthough wide receiver?Julio Jones was limited Wednesday while still listed with a calf injury, he is expected to be fully ready to face the Panthers on Sunday. A bigger question is the status of wide receiver Mohamed Sanu coming off a shoulder injury. Sanu did not participate in the teams light practice Wednesday. Although hes expected to play Sunday, too, you have to wonder about him taking hits with the shoulder injury. He prides himself on being physical. -- Vaughn McClureCarolina PanthersRunning back Jonathan Stewart is expected to be out another week with a hamstring injury and defensive tackle Vernon Butler will miss a couple of weeks with a high ankle sprain. The Panthers remain comfortable with Cameron Artis-Payne & Co.?replacing Stewart, and they signed veteran defensive tackle?Kyle Love to fill in for Butler. Love has been with the team the past two seasons, so he knows the system. He had three sacks as a part of the four-man rotation last season. -- David NewtonNew Orleans SaintsThe Saints injury report was looking a lot healthier Wednesday after six starters were sidelined for their Monday night loss to Atlanta. It looks like they could get back wide receiver Willie Snead and safety Kenny Vaccaro, among others. Unfortunately, left tackle Terron Armstead remained absent from practice with his knee injury, leaving his status in doubt for Sunday at San Diego. Second-year pro Andrus Peat did a decent job in Armsteads place Monday, but Armstead is hard to replace. The athletic big man has established himself as one of the leagues best young linemen, and he is arguably one of the two or three best players on New Orleans entire roster. -- Mike TriplettTampa Bay BuccaneersThe Bucs injury situation remains unchanged from last week -- running back Doug Martin (hamstring), defensive end Robert Ayers (ankle), tight end Luke Stocker (ankle) and wide receiver Cecil Shorts (hamstring) are all still not practicing. Center Joe Hawley also missed practice Wednesday due to an ankle injury. On a slightly encouraging note, Ayers had the cast removed from his ankle, which he wore all last week, but it still might be a while before he plays again. -- Jenna LaineNFC WESTArizona CardinalsRight guard Evan Mathis returned to practice Wednesday but was limited, only taking some reps in each period, coach Bruce Arians said. Getting Mathis back Sunday against the Rams would be crucial for the offensive line, which struggled against the Bills front seven. Wide receiver Michael Floyd practiced Wednesday as well but wore a yellow no-contact jersey because he hadnt yet cleared the concussion protocol. Arians said Floyd?didnt have any concussion symptoms. -- Josh WeinfussLos Angeles RamsRams coach Jeff Fisher said there is a really good chance that cornerback E.J. Gaines plays against the Cardinals on Sunday. Gaines missed the first three games with an injury to his left thigh but was close to playing last Sunday against the Buccaneers. The Rams would greatly benefit from his presence against Carson Palmer and a pass-happy offense. Gaines, who excelled as a rookie in 2014 and spent all of 2015 recovering from foot surgery, would line up as an outside corner opposite Trumaine Johnson. -- Alden GonzalezSan Francisco 49ersCornerback Jimmie Ward is dealing with a right quadriceps injury that the team is calling week to week, which likely means he wont be able to play this week against Dallas. The 49ers have been giving up a lot of big plays through the air the past two weeks, and losing Ward isnt going to help. Rookie Rashard Robinson and Keith Reaser are the replacement options. Both have flashed promise but are clearly a downgrade from Ward. If Dez Bryant is healthy and ready this week, the Cowboys?could take advantage. -- Nick WagonerSeattle SeahawksQuarterback?Russell Wilson suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee in Week 3, but hes expected to get the start on Sunday against the Jets. Wilson will likely wear a knee brace, and hell be dealing with limited mobility, but he was a full-practice participant on Wednesday. Expect the Seahawks to build their game plan around Wilson operating from the pocket and getting rid of the ball quickly. This is the second injury Wilson has had to deal with. He suffered a right high-ankle sprain in Week 1. -- Sheil Kapadia ' ' '
