ekansekans's blog: "df"

TAMPA, Fla. -- With the game on the line, Robert Griffin III moved the Washington Redskins right down the field and to the second victory of his young career. Billy Cundiff redeemed himself for a horrible day kicking, making a 41-yard field goal with 3 seconds remaining and the Redskins snapped a two-game losing streak with a 24-22 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Cundiff missed three earlier attempts, including a 31-yarder that wound have put the Redskins (2-2) up by two scores early in the fourth quarter. He also missed first-half tries of 41 and 57 yards, but was on the money after Griffin drove his team into position for the winning score. Tampa Bay (1-3) wiped out an 18-point deficit to go ahead 22-21 on Connor Barths third field goal, a 47-yarder with 1:42 remaining. But Griffin wasnt finished. He completed three straight passes to move the Redskins from their own 20 to the 41, then ran for 15 yards to the 26. Cundiff kicked the game-winner two plays later. Griffin threw for 323 yards without an interception and scored on a 5-yard run while Washington was building a 21-3 lead in the second quarter. Pierre Garcon recovered a fumble by the second overall pick in this years draft in the end zone for the Redskins first touchdown. Alfred Morris rushed for 113 yards and scored on a 39-yard run. Josh Freeman threw for 299 yards and one touchdown, leading the Bucs back from their big deficit with help from Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson, who scored on a 7-yard reception late in the third quarter. Jackson finished with six catches for 100 yards, and Williams had five receptions for 115 yards. Griffin was sacked six times and was hit hard after handing off on some option plays, prompting coach Mike Shanahan to ask the rookie to take some precautions on the field to protect himself. With regular officials back on the job, the Bucs were flagged twice for unnecessary roughness on the Redskins quarterback -- once on a throw out of his own end zone and the other when he was picked up and dropped for a 2-yard loss by Tampa Bay rookie safety Mark Barron on a designed run. Barron read the quarterback keeper perfectly, but was flagged when he lifted Griffin into the air before dumping him to the ground and falling on top of Griffin. The 2011 Heisman Trophy winner bounced right up, clapped his hands, then threw for 20 yards to Garcon on the next play. Largely on the strength of containing Cam Newton and limiting Carolina to 10 yards on the ground in a season-opening victory, the Bucs entered Sunday allowing a league-low 47 yards per game rushing. They gave up almost that much alone when Morris took a pitch from Griffin and started off left tackle before cutting back to the middle of the field on his TD run. Tampa Bays offence sputtered until Freeman connected with Williams on a 65-yard pass that led to the TD pass to Jackson that trimmed Washingtons lead to 21-13. Two more completions to Jackson, this time for 54 and then 22 yards, set up LeGarrette Blounts 2-yard TD that helped the Bucs pull within 21-19. Griffin began the winning drive from the Washington 20 with 1:42 left. He completed passes of 15 yards to Santana Moss, 20 to Fred Davis and 4 to Evan Royster before taking off on his big run that got the Redskins into field goal range. The Redskins played without safety Brandon Meriweather and receiver Aldrick Robinson, who were declared out after colliding in the end zone during pregame warmups. The teammates remained on the ground for several minutes before being helped to their feet and walking to the locker room. Meriweather missed the first three games of the season with a sprained left knee. Cheap Jerseys . The tournament opens the 34th Champions Tour season at Hualalai Golf Club. The field of 40 has champions from the past two years and major champions from the past five, plus eight sponsor exemptions. Cheap NBA Jerseys . -- Rory McIlroy faced the strongest collection of contenders at any golf tournament this year Sunday at the BMW Championship. http://www.azulvirtual.org/hot.html . -- Petr Straka scored once and set up three more as the Rimouski Oceanic crushed the visiting Halifax Mooseheads 9-0 on Friday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action. SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Alex Smith is supportive of Colin Kaepernicks success, even if the second-year pro takes Smiths starting job as 49ers quarterback. "If you cant be happy for your teammates success youre playing the wrong sport. Go play tennis or golf or something," Smith said Wednesday. "Thats ridiculous, I think. That doesnt belong in team sports, in my opinion. Its the quarterback position. It gets a lot of attention. Were going to get talked about." Smith plans to fight for his job once he is fully healthy, and he had yet to be medically cleared Wednesday after missing Monday nights 32-7 rout of the Bears recovering from a concussion. Yet coach Jim Harbaugh said that once Smith is available, the QB for the NFC West-leading Niners (7-2-1) could change week to week, and even during the course of a game. Harbaugh gave no indication when he would select his No. 1 for Sundays game at New Orleans (5-5). "People are probably drooling all over themselves because they have something to talk about," Harbaugh said. "Well let it play out. I wouldnt expect an announcement today or any timeline on that. Well get that to you." Harbaugh underwent a follow-up evaluation for his irregular heartbeat Tuesday and said, "believe weve got that one licked." He has quit chewing tobacco and given up the four or five Diet Cokes he was drinking daily after doctors encouraged him to improve his diet and decrease his caffeine intake. Harbaugh underwent a cardiovert procedure last Thursday. "Zero," he said of soda and dipping. "Cold turkey." He swears hes had no headaches as he moves off caffeine. But picking his quarterback for Sundays game at the Superdome very well could give him one. Smith completed 18 of 19 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in a Monday night win Oct. 29 at Arizona for a passer rating of 157.1. Smith then sustained a concussion in the second quarter of a 24-24 tie against St. Louis on Nov. 11. He even threw a touchdown pass with blurred vision six plays after taking the hit doctors believe caused his injury. Kaepernick went 16 for 23 for 243 yards, two touchdowns and an impressive passer rating of 133.1 in his first NFL start Monday against Chicago. The second-round draft pick out of Nevada in 2011 hardly seemed fazed by footballs big stage. He directed scoring drives on the Niners initial four possessions and completed 12 of his first 14 passes, with a 57-yard throw to Kyle Williams that set up Vernon Davis 3-yard TD on the next play. Harbaugh rated Kaepernicks debut start as "A-plus-plus." "Whatever coach says goes," running back Frank Gore said of who might be handing him the ball. "Weve got two great quarterbacks on the team. Were happy that weve got two good quarterbacks. Whoever coach names, thats who weve got to roll with. ... Im happy weve got two quarterbacks who can play and lead our team to victory.dddddddddddd Thats what you want." Smith said he and Kaepernick have spoken frequently in recent days, and both want whats best for the team moving forward. "Weve always been on each others side, weve always supported each other," Kaepernick said. "Were going to keep doing that." When asked if he has earned another start, he said that was up to Harbaugh. The New Orleans defence is preparing for both. The Saints were impressed by Kaepernicks prime-time performance, but also have painful memories of Smiths sensational night in a 36-32 victory against favoured New Orleans in the NFC divisional playoffs last January. "Theres not much of a difference between him and Alex Smith," Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Theyre both very athletic, they throw the ball. We saw Kaepernick has a big arm. He can make all the throws. And the offence ran the same with him. So we can prepare the same for both of them." Competing for his job is nothing new for the 28-year-old Smith, the 2005 No. 1 overall draft pick. Smith took over as 49ers starter midway through 2009 and was entrenched as the No. 1 heading into 2010. After separating his non-throwing left shoulder at Carolina, former coach Mike Singletary turned to 2006 Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith for the next five games -- even after Alex Smith was healthy again. Troy Smith went 3-2, then it was Alex Smiths turn again for two games, including a commanding win over eventual 2010 West champion Seattle. After a flop at San Diego, Singletary turned back to Troy Smith for a must-win game with the Rams. That 25-17 loss cost the coach his job with one week to go. Jim Tomsula, serving a single-game stint as interim head coach, went with Alex Smith for a win against Arizona. Smith understands this is the way it goes in the NFL -- and in his case, year after year. "Yeah, Ive been in a few of these, you know?" Smith said. "And theyre all different. You know, I think the great thing is obviously the character of this locker room. Weve got great character in the quarterback room, too. "Its not easy, it can be complicated, but this is a good problem for the 49ers. Its a good problem for us as a team. Its not a bad thing." Notes: LB Aldon Smith was selected NFC Defensive Player of the Week, following fellow linebacker Patrick Willis honour earlier this season. Official scorers reviewed tape after Mondays win and gave him an additional half-sack for 5 1/2 of the six on Bears backup QB Jason Campbell. "I think I made a lot of plays out there. They got the numbers right," said Smith, the NFL sacks leader with 15. "I had fun." ... CB Chris Culliver, who played Monday night, wore a non-contact black jersey in practice as he nurses a shoulder injury. ' ' '