Cover / Artwork » Some might call Tennessee’s push for a second straight

NASHVILLE Hakeem Butler Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — playoff berth desperate. Three-time Pro Bowl left tackle Taylor Lewan suggests a different motivation for the Titans.“Everyone here has an understanding of what’s at stake and we’re all willing to do what we’ve been doing the past few weeks to get it done,” Lewan said. “I don’t think it matters who gets the credit. … It’s been a cool year. We just got to keep it going.”Winners of three straight, the Titans (8-6) need to beat Washington on Saturday and Indianapolis in the regular-season finale and have either Baltimore or Pittsburgh lose to nab the AFC’s sixth and final seed.Article continues below ...Despite an injury-filled season, the Redskins (7-7) still have playoff hopes too, a game back of Dallas in the NFC East with a wild-card slot more likely if they win out.“We all got to be ready to step our game up two more notches,” said Josh Johnson, the fourth different quarterback to start for Washington this season. “This is a big game.”The Titans are coming off their first shutout in 18 years after downing the Giants 17-0 last weekend. They also can finish off a sweep of the NFC East with a win Saturday. The NFL’s No. 2 scoring defense is allowing only 18.1 points a game, and the Titans have given up only one offensive touchdown over the past three games.Washington snapped a four-game skid, beating Jacksonville 16-13 last weekend . Redskins coach Jay Gruden says the Titans present a much different defensive challenge for Johnson.“He’s got to handle the progressions, the snap counts, the formations, the blitz looks that they give you, which I can’t even tell you how many blitzes there are,” Gruden said. “There are about 3,000 we watched Chris Lindstrom Jersey , so it’s going to be a great challenge for him.”Some things to know about Washington and the Titans:RUN HENRY RUNThe big question is what will Titans running back Derrick Henry do next after piling up a franchise-record 408 yards and six touchdowns rushing over his past two games. Henry needs 175 yards to match Hall of Famer Earl Campbell’s franchise record of 583 yards rushing in three straight games. Henry needs one TD to match Campbell’s seven TDs between Sept. 30, 1979 and Oct. 14, 1979.The Redskins, fourth in the NFL with 25 takeaways, have allowed at least 130 yards rushing in each of their past five games.“It’s always a welcome (sight) when you’re able to run the football in this league,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said.AP ACCOMPLISHMENTWashington running back Adrian Peterson needs 77 more yards rushing to reach 1,000 for the season for the first time since 2015 when he ran for 1,485 for the Minnesota Vikings. Picked up by Washington in August, Peterson has started all 14 games for the Redskins, rushing for seven TDs. No one wants to see him reach the milestone more than Pro Bowl left tackle and fellow Oklahoma Sooner Trent Williams.“It’s an outstanding accomplishment for a guy who was said to not have anything left,” Williams said.MORE TITANIC DTennessee has allowed only one running back to reach 100 yards or more this season, and Houston’s Lamar Miller got 97 on one play. They held Ezekiel Elliott to 61 yards on Nov. 5, Leonard Fournette to 36 yards on Dec. 6 and Giants rookie Saquon Barkley to a 2.2-yard average and only 31 yards last week.HALFTIME BREAKTHROUGHWhen Johnson led Washington to a fourth-quarter comeback and a victory last week, he did something no quarterback had done for the franchise since 2016 after rallying from a 10-3 halftime deficit. Washington had lost all seven games this season when trailing at the half with the Redskins’ previous victory when trailing at the break coming in 2016 in Philadelphia, a streak of 15 games. Johnson http://www.lionsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jahlani-tavai-jersey , who made his first start since 2011, wants to build on that momentum in his seventh career start.MISSINGThe Titans’ defense is seriously hurting. Starting cornerback Logan Ryan was put on injured reserve Tuesday after breaking his left leg. Linebacker Brian Orakpo, who missed the Giants’ game, has yet to practice with an injured elbow, while four-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jurrell Casey has missed practice this week with an injured knee. Safety Kenny Vaccaro is working through the concussion protocol.Washington put safety Montae Nicholson on the NFL reserve/non-football injury list Wednesday after he was arrested early Tuesday.
PHOENIX — As the second half of the season commences, both Arizona and San Francisco have reasons to feel confident as they prepare for the third game of a three-game weekend series Sunday.

Both are nearing full health, and the NL West remains wide open as the Diamondbacks, Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers are within 3 1/2 games of each other entering July.

Arizona survived a 2-15 stretch in May and is playing as well as it did in the early going, when it did not lose any of its first 12 series. The Giants have won nine of 11 after going 18-10 in June, their first winning month since June, 2016.

“I know that we got off to a great start and hit a little downturn and fought back,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said when asked about his takeaways from the first half.

“The obvious thing is, we are playing very good baseball now. We’ve grown and learned and become stronger and tougher because of the situation we walked through in May. They have never pointed their finger at anything or any anyone in an particular situation or moment.

“When it didn’t go well, they were accountable. They played united baseball. We’re right in the middle of a story that we continue to want to tell the way we are telling it.”

Arizona right-hander Zack Godley will oppose Giants left-hander Derek Holland in the final game of the series at Chase Field on Sunday afternoon. The Giants begin a three-game series in Colorado on Monday while the Diamondbacks will host a three-game series against St. Louis.

“Considering everything that is happened, we are right in the thick of things Kyler Murray Jersey , which is where you want to be,” San Francisco manager Bruce Bochy said.

“If you would have told me what we have to deal with – three starters out, (Joe) Panik out, (Evan) Longoria out. Sure, no question you take it. I think it is going to be tight in September. Hopefully we’re right there. That’s our plan.”

Right-handers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija could made their next starts in the majors after prolonged absences due to injury, and Cueto would be particularly welcome. He was 3-0 with an 0.84 ERA in five starts while holding opponents to a .150 batting average before going on the disabled list because of shoulder soreness in the first week of May.

In the interim, Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez have pitched well. The Giants also have received only five starts from Madison Bumgarner, who opened the season on the disabled list before returning in early June.

Arizona outfielders A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr. also are nearing a return from the disabled list after missing considerable time. The Diamondbacks also lost starters Taijuan Walker and Robbie Ray for 58 days before returning.

Pollock and Souza Jr. are on rehab assignments for Triple-A Reno, and Pollock is likely to return before the All-Star break. Pollock was slashing .293/.349/.620 with 10 doubles, 11 homers and nine stolen bases in 43 games before suffering a fractured thumb trying to make a diving catch in center field in the ninth inning of a 7-2 loss to Milwaukee on May 14.

“You think about what the (injury) losses are,” Lovullo said “It’s been a very interesting season. I think the most resilient teams are the ones that understand and accept what’s happening day by day, whether it is good or bad, and move on to the next day as quickly as possible.

“We are a resilient group. We can turn the page quickly, no matter what the results are.”

Godley, 9-5 with a 4.58 ERA http://www.arizonacardinalsteamonline.com/byron-murphy-jersey , is one victory short of NL leaders Max Scherzer, Jon Lester and Aaron Nola, in part because he has received 4.63 runs of support in his 16 starts. His 1.52 WHIP is 44th and last among qualified NL starters, and he has made seven quality starts.

Godley is 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in two starts against the Giants this season and is 2-2 with a 6.97 ERA in six career appearances, four starts, against them. Godley has pitched his best at home this season, going 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA in six starts.

Holland (5-7, 4.24) is coming off arguably his best outing of the season, although he did not receive a decision in a 3-2 victory over Colorado. Holland gave up one run on six hits in a season-high 6 2/3 innings while striking out a season high eight. It was his longest appearance since he went eight innings against Seattle on May 21, 2017.

He is 0-1 in two starts against the Diamondbacks, both with Texas. Holland is 3-5 with a 3.94 ERA in nine road starts this season. He has never pitched in Chase Field.