Tiervermittlung Schweiz » The road to the Super Bowl in the NFC will go

through the Big Easy.Though the Saints’ path to get to Atlanta could be challenging: The top three teams in the latest AP Pro32 poll are all from the NFC.The Saints received all 12 first-place votes for 384 points in balloting Wednesday by media members who regularly cover the NFL.New Orleans (13-2) clinched the top seed in the NFC after Sunday’s 31-28 win over Pittsburgh. The previous time New Orleans had the top seed in the NFC was 2009 when it reached and won the Super Bowl.“The news is all good for the Saints: They clinch home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs with a thrilling win over the Steelers https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Andrew-Luck-Jersey , and (quarterback) Drew Brees has a chance to win his first-ever regular-season MVP award,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.The NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams jumped three places to No. 2 after dominating Arizona without star running back Todd Gurley. The Rams can clinch a first-round bye with a win against San Francisco in the regular-season finale.NFC North champion Chicago Bears inched up a spot to No. 3.“With a swarming defense and a solid ground game, the Bears appear poised to make some waves in January along the frosty shores of Lake Michigan,” said Ira Kaufman of Fox 13 in Tampa.The next three teams in the poll are all from the AFC.Kansas City and the Los Angeles Chargers, tied at 11-4 in the AFC West, slipped to No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. The Chiefs dropped a spot after their 38-31 loss at Seattle on Sunday night, and the Chargers fell from No. 2 after losing to Baltimore on Saturday night.The New England Patriots, who won the AFC East for the 10th consecutive year, moved up a spot to No. 6.Seattle climbed three spots to No. 7 after clinching a playoff berth with a win over the Chiefs.The Houston Texans slipped two spots to No. 8 after losing to the Philadelphia Eagles 32-30 on Jake Elliott‘s field goal as time expired Sunday. However, the first-place Texans clinched a playoff spot later in the day when the Steelers lost.Houston will clinch the AFC South with a win over the Jaguars.The surging Baltimore Ravens jumped three spots to No. 9. The Ravens (9-6) lead the AFC North by a half-game over Pittsburgh. The Ravens host Cleveland on Sunday and will take the division with a win.“Who wants to play them?,” asked Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki of the Ravens Josh Ferguson Jersey , who were 4-5 entering their bye week and have won five of six overall.The Steelers need to win at home against the last-place Bengals and have the Ravens stumble for their best chance at reaching the postseason.The Indianapolis Colts fell one spot despite rallying past the New York Giants to round out the top 10. The Colts and Tennessee Titans, who remained No. 14 in the poll, are both 9-6 and end the regular season in a prime-time matchup on NBC. The winner will clinch a playoff spot and could take the division if the Texans stumble earlier in the day. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Derek Carr avoided a sack, stepped up in the pocket and found Brandon LaFell for a go-ahead 6-yard touchdown pass late in the third quarter for the Oakland Raiders.He then let out a scream in his most boisterous celebration of the season, letting out the pent up frustration from one of the more trying weeks of his career.It proved to be short-lived relief as the Raiders collapsed again in the fourth quarter and lost for the sixth time in seven games this season, falling 42-28 to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.Carr’s no-good, very bad week that started with a trade of his No. 1 receiver Amari Cooper, featured reports questioning his toughness and his teammates’ belief in him as well as his long-term future with the Raiders ended with another loss.“I had to answer some funny questions, but you know I know that you guys have to do your jobs,” Carr said. “It’s nothing personal T.J. Green Color Rush Jersey , I know that. It was different. If I’m being honest as a human, it was hard. A lot of the stuff that was going around, I was like, ‘Man, that’s just not true and that hurts.’ Especially just as a man, not even a football player. My goodness, enough is enough. Just to be able to go out here and play football again.”Carr played well, throwing three touchdown passes and running it in for a fourth score. He completed 17 straight passes at one point and played turnover-free for just the second time this season.But it wasn’t enough to get the Raiders (1-6) out of their rut thanks to an even better performance from Andrew Luck and the Colts (3-5), who broke the game open with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter.“I think he’s the strength of this team and I’m excited about him,” coach Jon Gruden said.Here are some other takeaways from the game:MOST POINTS IN NFL HISTORYVinatieri set the record as the NFL’s top all-time scorer in the first half. He kicked a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter to tie Morten Andersen with 2,544 points and then added a 25-yarder late in the second to set the record. Vinatieri scored three more points https://www.coltsfanshop.com/Matthias-Farley-Jersey , giving him 2,550 for his career.“I never thought I’d play that long,” said the 45-year-old Vinatieri, who is in his 23rd NFL season. “I never thought I’d be standing here talking to you guys about all-time records. But I love my teammates — all of them — for the last 20-something years, unselfishly going out there and helping me do my job. A lot of great memories along the way. I think that’s the best part about this day — less the record and more that we got the record in a win.”TIGHT END TRIOLuck threw TD passes to tight ends Mo Alie-Cox, Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle, making the Colts the first team since the 1970 merger to get TD catches from three tight ends in the same game. Doyle’s 10-yarder put the Colts up for good but the most impressive was the first, a 26-yarder with one hand by Alie-Cox.“I don’t get too emotional on the sideline, but I got pretty jacked up after that catch,” coach Frank Reich said. “That was unreal. That catch will rival anything that we’ll see. Big time.”MIGHTY MACKColts running back Marlon Mack followed up last week’s career-best, 126-yard performance against Buffalo with an even better one. He ran for 132 yards and two TDs. This is just the sixth time the Colts have had a 100-yard rusher during Luck’s seven NFL seasons and the first time since Joseph Addai did it in 2007 that a back topped the century mark in consecutive games.“Definitely as a running back Christine Michael Sr Jersey , more carries you feel like you get more comfortable in the game,” Mack said. “That really, truly helps you out. Even if you do get less, you have to make what (they give you) work.”MARTIN’S GAFFEThe game turned in the fourth quarter when Doug Martin fumbled on the first play from scrimmage after Luck’s TD pass to Doyle had given the Colts the lead. That set up Mack’s second TD run and spoiled what had been a promising day for Martin in his first start in place of the injured Marshawn Lynch. Martin had 13 carries for 72 yards and caught two passes for 17.“To fumble like that at the end, it sucks but a lot of guys went out there and played their hearts out,” Martin said. “They put it all out there on the field.”