Schwarzesbrett » Hopeful that the off-season acquisitions of Cr

HOUSTON - In just his second season, DeAndre Hopkins is establishing himself as the go-to receiver on a Houston team long led by Andre Johnson.Ryan Fitzpatrick threw for a franchise-record six touchdowns, and Hopkins had a career-best 238 yards receiving and two scores as the Texans set a team-record for points, rolling to a 45-21 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.Hopkins, a first-round pick in 2013, leads the team with 1,041 yards receiving and six touchdowns.Im just happy to see the kid grow as a player, Johnson said. Comparing this year to last year, its amazing. Its fun to watch.Fitzpatrick started after being benched for two games for Ryan Mallett, who sustained a season-ending chest injury last week.Hopkins caught a 58-yard touchdown pass to extend Houstons lead to 24-0 just before halftime. The second score by Hopkins made it 31-14 later in the third quarter.He said learning from Johnson, a seven-time Pro Bowler, has helped his improvement this year.I develop from sitting there talking to him every day, Hopkins said.Fitzpatrick passed for 358 yards and came up one short of tying the NFL record by throwing touchdown passes of 8, 7, 58, 34, 4 yards to his receivers before ending his day with a 1-yard TD toss to J.J. Watt.The quarterback raved about Hopkins.He makes plays, Fitzpatrick said. He is a pretty special player. Weve got two great ones on the outside, so theyve got to figure out (Sunday) what the matchup was.Watt had his third touchdown reception, two sacks, forced and recovered a fumble for Houston (6-6).Tennessees Zach Mettenberger injured his right shoulder playing behind a makeshift offensive line missing three starters. Jake Locker took over in the third quarter and threw for 91 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Titans (2-10), who have lost six straight.Here are five things to know about Houstons big win over its AFC South foe.METTENBERGER SHOULD BE OK: Mettenberger said he has a sprain and thinks he will be able to play next week, but that hell have an MRI on Monday.As minor as it seems right now well get it straightened out (Monday), he said. Hopefully I can put myself in a situation to play next week.The rookie finished with 184 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception to remain winless in five career starts.WATT FOR MVP?: After another big game from Watt, almost everyone from his teammates to the owner of the franchise was campaigning for the defensive end to be the first defensive MVP since Lawrence Taylor in 1986. Watt has 11 1/2 sacks and five touchdowns to make him the first player to have at least 10 sacks and three or more touchdowns in a season since 1982, when sacks became an official statistic.Hes just unbelievable and he continues to amaze all of us, Texans owner Bob McNair said. I think hes deserving of that kind of consideration, and I think that would be wonderful.THE WRIGHT STUFF: Tennessee receiver Kendall Wright was a bright spot in a dismal day for the Titans. He finished with seven catches for 132 yards and a touchdown. It was his third career 100-yard game and he has 51 receptions this season to make him just the second player in team history with at least 50 receptions in each of his first three NFL seasons.FOSTERS RETURN: Houston running back Arian Foster returned after missing the last two games with a groin injury and finished with 79 yards rushing and 26 yards receiving with a touchdown.He does a lot of things, coach Bill OBrien said. Obviously running the ball, but (also) blitz pickup, third down, catching the ball in the backfield. Hes done a lot for our football team this year, so its good to have him in there.LINE WOES: The Titans were missing rookie left tackle Taylor Lewan (ankle), centre Brian Schwenke (knee), who was placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, and right tackle Michael Oher (toe), who was active but didnt play on Sunday. Coach Ken Whisenhunt didnt provide an update on any of the injured linemen after the game and right guard Chance Warmacks status is unclear after he injured his ankle late in Sundays game.With new guys stepping in, weve got to pick it up on the line, left guard Andy Levitre said. Weve got to have more attention to detail, more focus. Weve got guys who have been here a long time and are fairly new to this offence so our attention to detail has to be that much greater.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Joe Theismann Womens Jersey . So true. It is one thing to create a winning football team, and another to keep it winning. Each and every week it changes. The NFL creates a unique interest of not who is "the best", but much more who is "the best this week". Bryce Love Jersey . Colton Sissons also scored for Milwaukee (19-12-8), which went ahead with a two-goal third period. Wade MacLeod and Greg McKegg replied for Toronto (23-12-4). https://www.redskinssportsgoods.com/Womens-Montez-Sweat-Inverted-Jersey/ . Kerr said he had dinner with Jackson, his former coach with Chicago and the new Knicks team president, on Friday night and they talked again Saturday. Kerr is in New York to work the game between the Brooklyn Nets and Toronto Raptors for TNT. Montez Sweat Youth Jersey . TSN Hockey Insiders Pierre LeBrun and Bob McKenzie both reported Thursday that there have been ongoing trade discussions between the Oilers and Los Angeles Kings over forward Sam Gagner. Wes Martin Youth Jersey . SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.BALTIMORE -- In case it wasnt evident before opening day, we now know why the Baltimore Orioles added another slugger to a team that led the major leagues in home runs last season. Nelson Cruz celebrated his Orioles debut by hitting a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning, and Baltimore beat Jon Lester and the defending World Series champion Boston Red Sox 2-1 Monday. Signed as a free agent in February, Cruz lined a solo shot into the left field seats to put the Orioles ahead. He hit 27 homers last year with Texas during a season marred by a 50-game suspension from Major League Baseball in the Biogenesis drug scandal. Cruz joins a batting order that features Chris Davis, who led the majors in 2013 with 53 homers and 138 RBIs. Davis went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts as the cleanup hitter, but it didnt matter because the guy in the 5-hole picked up the slack. "It takes some of the pressure off everybody in the lineup knowing that you can pass the baton and the next guy can pick it up," Davis said. "We have to know as hitters going into the game that we can be patient, we can wait for our pitch, knowing that the guy behind us can pick us up." Cruz, meanwhile, couldnt have been more delighted. Not only did the Orioles provide him with a fresh start, but the fans chanted "Cruuuuuze!" every time his name was announced. "It was really neat, it was special," he said. "I made the right call to come and be part of this organization, be part of this town." Cruz wasnt the only player to enjoy a successful start with his new team. After missing two seasons recovering from knee surgery, Boston centre fielder Grady Sizemore marked his return from a 922-day absence with a second-inning single for his first hit since September 2011. The three-time All-Star for Cleveland later hit his first home run since July 15, 2011, which also came at Camden Yards. "Today was very exciting," Sizemore said. "I couldnt wait to get to the ballpark." Zach Britton (1-0) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief and Tommy Hunter got three outs for the save. Hunter earned the job as closer this spring after the Orioles dealt away Jim Johnson during the off-season. The Red Sox got two on with one out in the ninth before World Series MVP David Ortiz hit a flyball and Jackie Bradley Jr. took a called third strike. "Its life in baseball," Hunter said. "Youve got to earn everything you get. Onee-run game to start the season off against the defending world champs.dddddddddddd" Starting on the road for the fourth year in a row, the Red Sox got nine hits but stranded 12 and went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position. "We had a lot of opportunities, we had a lot of guys on," second baseman Dustin Pedroia said. "We just hit the ball right at people. It was one of those deals where we couldnt find a way to push runs across." Making his fourth straight opening day start for Boston, Lester (0-1) gave up two runs, six hits and a walk in seven innings. He struck out eight. Orioles starter Chris Tillman allowed one run, seven hits and a walk in five innings. The right-hander went 3-1 against Boston last year, but in this one he needed 104 pitches to get 15 outs. Britton gave up a one-out double to Xander Bogaerts in the sixth and got three straight outs in the seventh, the only time all day that Boston went down in order. Evan Meek walked two in the eighth before Brian Matusz retired A.J. Pierzynski on a comebacker. Gametime temperature was announced at 60 degrees, but a stiff wind chilled many in the crowd of 46,685 -- the 23rd consecutive opening day sellout at Camden Yards. Hopeful that the off-season acquisitions of Cruz and right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez will enable Baltimore to return to the playoffs after missing out last year, Orioles fans were out in force. Until recently, games against Boston often drew as many Red Sox backers as those rooting for the home team. "Our crowd was legit," Hunter said. "That was awesome. I hope they come out like that every game for 80 more here." The Orioles used a walk, a single by Matt Wieters and a double-play grounder to take a 1-0 lead in the second. The Red Sox put runners at second and third with two outs in the third before Tillman struck out Mike Carp. In the fourth, Sizemore hit a 3-1 pitch over the right-field wall. NOTES: Dustin Pedroia got Bostons first hit of the season, a one-out single in the first inning, to extend his hitting streak on opening day to eight games. ... After taking Tuesday off, the teams meet Wednesday night. John Lackey (13-5 lifetime against Baltimore) faces Jimenez in his Orioles debut. ... The Red Sox put RF Shane Victorino (hamstring) on the 15-day disabled list and recalled Bradley. ... Ortiz received his 12th opening day start at DH, tying Don Baylors major league record at the position. ' ' '