Literatur » piece. Ryan MacInnis and Matia Marcantuoni supplied th

(SportsNetwork.com) - The modern-day NFL is a quarterback-driven league but if you take away the games most important position, two players stand above everyone else as the most impactful in the league, Houston defensive lineman J.J. Watt and New England tight end Rob Gronkowski. And its no coincidence that Watt and Gronk, who is preparing for Super Bowl XLIX against Seattle in Glendale, Ariz. on Feb. 1, were the only two unanimous selections to the 2014 All-Pro team. Both of those superstars are matchup nightmares. Down in South Texas, Watt is as versatile as it gets, a player capable of moving up and down the line of scrimmage in an effort to identify lesser offensive linemen. It doesnt matter if you are a guard, tackle or center, if Texans defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel or Watt himself think you are a weak link, youre going to have a 6-foot-6, 300-pound monster, who can somehow bench press a Ford F-150 while staying quicker than a hiccup, in your face. Gronkowski, meanwhile, is the offensive version of Watt, a 6-6, 270-pound traditional Y-back, who can put any linebacker on skates with his pure strength yet still beat them athletically in the passing game. If you try to defend the three-time All-Pro with a defensive back, it becomes a game of basketball where Gronk can use his imposing frame to box out the coverage. Thats why Jeremy Lanes critique of Gronkowski was such as a surprise. I actually dont think hes that good, the Seahawks nickel cornerback said Thursday. Hes OK. OK? A player like Jeremy Lane is OK, Gronkowski is on the fast track to Canton as long as he earns his stripes in the longevity department. You can give Lane credit for adopting the Legion of Boom swagger despite being a junior member of pro footballs best defensive backfield but why poke a bear who has better numbers through five NFL seasons than any other tight end in NFL history? The real stars of the Seahawks secondary are of course All-Pro corner Richard Sherman and star safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. And no one talks more trash than Sherman yet even he deflected questions about stopping Gronkowski. I dont know -- Ill be sitting there with popcorn, Sherman said when asked what will happen when Chancellor, the hard-hitting strong safety who is the one who will be dealing with Gronkowski most of the time, and the Pats Pro-Bowler collide. It will be good football though. Dan Quinn, Seattles highly-respected defensive coordinator who is expected to become the next head coach of Atlanta after the Super Bowl, understands what he and his charges are up against. Hes a terrific tight end, Quinn admitted. I think hes a unique guy; the run game, the pass game, the catching radius, and I think at the end of it, just great hands to finish on routes. So when hes up in the air, generally hes strong handed to come down with it so those are a few of the things that impress us about him and why we regard him so highly. Lane didnt get that memo, however. He does have a big body, (but) from what Ive seen on tape, he dont like your hands being put on him, Lane said. So if we put our hands on him and shake him up a little bit, he wont catch that many balls as he should. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, Gronkowski mused when told about Lanes critique. Did it tick you off? a reporter pressed. It may, Gronkowski responded. Anyone want to take bets on what happens if the 190-pound Lane gets his hands on Gronk? Michael Grabner Jersey . LOUIS -- The St. Shane Doan Jersey . - A mixed martial arts fighter who changed his name to War Machine was ordered Friday to stand trial in Nevada state court on 34 felony charges including attempted murder, sexual assault and kidnapping that could get him life in prison for allegedly attacking his porn star ex-girlfriend and her friend. http://www.authenticcoyotespro.com/Jason-demers-coyotes-jersey/ . The Brad Jacobs team from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., advanced to Fridays championship game with a 10-6 win over Chinas Rui Liu in the semifinal. Niklas Hjalmarsson Jersey . - The Chicago Bears have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent centre Brian de la Puente. Marian Hossa Jersey . Sundays race will be held at the Sepang circuit, adjacent to Kuala Lumpurs main airport where the ill-fated flight took off earlier this month. Authorities now say it is almost certain it crashed in the Indian Ocean, killing all 239 people aboard.BELLEVILLE, Ont. -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. Remi Elie scored once and set up two more for the Bulls (2-6-2) while Andrew Ming, Jake Marchment, Brendan Gaunce, Luke Cairns and David Tomasek had the others. Jason Dickinson led the Storm (5-3-0) offensively with two goals and an assist as Ryan Horvat, Brody Milne and Hunter Garlent each scored once. Justin Nichols only lasted 13 minutes in net for Guelph after giving up three goals on eight shots. Matthew Mancina replaced Nichols and recorded the loss after stopping 18-of-21 shots. Guelph crushed Belleville in the shot category in the opening period 20-9, and 72-29 overall, however the Bulls led 4-0 after 20 minutes of play. Marchment opened the scoring 1:13 into the game and Elie added the next one at 5:36. Ming scored next, which led to Nichols being pulled, and Gaunce made it 4-0 at 18:55. Milne and Garlent scored three minutes apart for the Storm, cutting the Bulls lead in half, however Cairns made it 5-2 Belleville at 11:30. Horvat and Tomasek then traded goals to make it 6-3 Bulls heading into the final period. Dickinson scored twice for Guelph in the final period, however Graham stopped 23 shots to preserve the victory. Belleville went 0 for 3 on the power play while Guelph scored once on four chances with the man advantage. --- Otters 6 Spirit 5 (SO) ERIE, Pa. -- Connor Brown scored twice in regulation and again in the shootout as the Otters slipped past Saginaw. Dylan Strome scored the shootout winner for Erie (6-2-1) while Dane Fox, Nick Betz and Jake Evans had the others. Eric Locke had a pair of goals for the Spiriit (4-4-2) and Justin Sefton, Sean Callaghan and Justin Kea had the others.dddddddddddd Devin Williams made 29 saves for the win as Nikita Serebryakov turned away 43 shots in defeat. --- Whalers 4 Rangers 2 PLYMOUTH, Mich. -- Alex Nedeljkovic stopped 37 shots as the Whalers doubled up Kitchener. Gianluca Curcuruto had a goal and an assist for Plymouth (4-6-0) as Zach Lorentz, Victor Crus Rydberg and Carter Sandlak scored a goal apiece. Ryan MacInnis and Matia Marcantuoni supplied the offence for the Rangers (3-4-0). Jack Moylan took the loss after giving up three goals on 23 shots. --- Greyhounds 5 Spitfires 0 SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. -- Matt Murray turned away all 24 shots he faced as the Greyhounds blanked Windsor. Blake Speers scored twice for Sault Ste. Marie (6-1-1) while Sergey Tolchinky, Tyler Gaudet and Kyle Jenkins added the other goals. Spitfires (4-5-0) goaltender Dalen Kuchmey stopped 11-of-15 shots before giving way to Jordan DeKort, who allowed one goal on 17 shots in 32 minutes of relief. --- Steelheads 2 Colts 1 BARRIE, Ont. -- Sean Day scored the winner early in the third period as Mississauga defeated the Colts. Bobby MacIntyre also scored for the Steelheads (5-4-0) while Spencer Martin made 36 saves for the victory. Andrew Mangiapane supplied the lone goal for Barrie (3-5-1). Daniel Gibl turned aside 21-of-23 shots in a losing cause. --- Attack 1 Battalion 0 OWEN SOUND, Ont. -- Cameron Brace scored the winner 58 seconds into the third period as the Attack blanked North Bay. Brandon Hope made 36 saves for Owen Sound (4-5-1) while Gemel Smith and Kyle Hope assisted on Braces winner. Brendan ONeill stopped 23-of-24 shots for the Battalion (5-6-0). ' ' '