Smalltalk » With both teams holding out their starters

CHICAGO (AP) — AJ McCarron made a shaky case for a roster spot Josh Oliver Jersey , leading a surge in the fourth quarter after struggling for most of the game, and the Buffalo Bills closed the preseason with a 28-27 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday night. few key reserves playing, the focus was on McCarron.He ran for a touchdown and threw for three more in the fourth — including a 6-yarder to Keith Towbridge in the closing minute. That capped an 84-yard drive that was aided by two roughing-the-passer calls, including one against Isaiah Irving on a fourth down at the Buffalo 3.McCarron was 13 of 34 for 156 yards and had an interception returned for a touchdown in the early going. He could be the odd man out if the Bills decide to go with two quarterbacks rather than three.Tyler Bray made a case for the Bears to keep three quarterbacks. With Mitchell Trubisky and backup Chase Daniel not playing, Bray was 19 of 29 for 180 yards and an interception. Ryan Nall ran for 79 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown.Signed to a two-year deal in free agency after spending the past four seasons as Andy Dalton’s backup in Cincinnati, McCarron was considered the initial front-runner for the Bills’ starting job because he had more experience than first-round pick Josh Allen and returning backup Nathan Peterman.But he missed a little over a week after he bruised his right shoulder while being hit several times at Cleveland on Aug. 17. That injury along with his performance seemed to knock him out of the running for the starting job. It also raised questions about whether he will make the opening roster.McCarron got off to a brutal start, throwing for just 39 yards and getting picked off twice in the first half.His troubles really began after Cody Parkey kicked a 47-yard field goal on Chicago’s first possession.Moments later, McCarron threw a pass right to the Bears’ Doran Grant along the sideline http://www.jaguarscheapstore.com/quincy-williams-ii-jersey-cheap , resulting in a 33-yard touchdown return. And just like that, it was 10-0.Parkey added a 23-yard field goal midway through the second quarter. Nall made it 20-0 with just under two minutes left in the half with his 32-yard TD run up the right sideline, though the Bears missed another opportunity in the closing seconds after McCarron got picked off again.Chicago’s Abdullah Anderson tipped a pass at the line, leading to an interception for John Timu. But Parkey’s 39-yard attempt hit the right upright.NATIONAL ANTHEMThere were no protests by either team during the anthem.INJURIESBills: RT Conor McDermott walked gingerly toward the sideline after a 10-yard scramble by McCarron in the third. He returned later in the quarter at left tackle.Bears: TE Daniel Brown suffered a shoulder injury on a 27-yard catch in the third and left the game. … LB Kasim Edebali was helped off the field and taken from the sideline on a cart with an apparent leg injury after a run by Buffalo on the first play of the fourth quarter.NEXT UPBills: Open season at Baltimore on Sept. 9.Bears: Open season at Green Bay on Sept. 9. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)In a perfect world, Brian Orakpo would like to play 25 snaps a game for the Tennessee Titans.That would mean the Titans have enough talented linebackers on the roster to keep the 10-year veteran fresh rotating between the field and the sideline. Fresher legs all around also would mean more sacks and pressure on quarterbacks for a dominant combination.”That’s how you stay fresh,” Orakpo said. ”Philly did it, New York back in the day with Osi (Umenyiora) and (Michael) Strahan and all of them did it. That’s what it’s all about. I don’t want to be playing 90 snaps a game, who does? If that’s what it takes Ryquell Armstead Jersey , that’s what it takes. But at the same time it’s all about depth, and we need those guys to step up and I know they will.”Orakpo wants Tennessee to take a cue from the champion Philadelphia Eagles by building enough depth to survive when injuries hit and still be able to make a run at a championship. The Eagles had five key players miss the Super Bowl last February, including quarterback Carson Wentz.The Titans are working to further strengthen the roster for a deeper playoff run this season with only two real holes to fill in their starting lineup after last year when they went 9-7 .– Running back Derrick Henry, the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner, showed he can replace DeMarco Murray by running for 156 yards in a playoff win at Kansas City in January.– Inside linebacker Avery Williamson left for the Jets as a free agent , and the Titans have a handful of options there.Tennessee signed inside veteran Will Compton, who started 33 of his 57 games over five seasons with Washington, and also traded up to draft Rashaan Evans of Alabama at No. 22 overall. The Titans also have Jayon Brown, who played extensively in passing downs as a rookie last season.The Titans also drafted linebacker Harold Landry III at No. 41 overall http://www.jaguarscheapstore.com/gardner-minshew-ii-jersey-cheap , and he has gotten plenty of work with the first-team defense with Orakpo nursing a sore shoulder in camp.Compton, who has been working with the first-team offense so far in camp, played only nine games last season before a Lisfranc injury ended his season. He said the Titans’ depth, chemistry and leadership helped convince him to join the Titans.”Coming into this locker room, it’s definitely a player-led team, and those are the teams that can become great,” Compton said. ”We’re not there yet. We have a long way to go, but the chemistry and the leadership is all there. And that’s what you need: a lot of experienced, veteran guys and everybody plays a role and everybody wants the same thing.”The Titans also signed defensive lineman Bennie Logan to join three-time Pro Bowler Jurrell Casey Nick Bosa Jersey , DaQuan Jones and Austin Johnson in the middle. Logan, who has started 63 of 74 career games with Philadelphia and Kansas City, was impressed by seeing the Titans in the AFC wild-card game Tennessee won last January against the Chiefs.Even with Henry at running back, Titans general manager signed Dion Lewis away from New England as another option in the backfield. Three-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker says he loves looking around the offensive huddle in camp.”It’s beautiful,” Walker said. ”You’re going to have to focus on a lot of other people other than just No 82, so I’m excited about it.”With all five starters back on the offensive line, general manager Jon Robinson still signed linemen with starting experience in Kevin Pamphile and Xavier Su’a-Filo . Robinson’s best work came in the secondary, signing cornerback Malcolm Butler after adding Logan Ryan as a free agent in 2017. Adoree Jackson, the 18th pick overall in 2017 Dwayne Haskins Jersey , started every game last year.”We have depth no doubt,” Ryan said. ”I think everybody who is not starting right now wants to start, and I think the guys that won’t make this team will make other teams.”NOTES: WR Rishard Matthews, recovering from an unspecified injury, was added to the physically unable to perform list. Orakpo (shoulder), Evans, TE Jonnu Smith, DL Claude Pelon (right knee) and TE Luke Stocker did not practice.—