Dein erstes Forum » Shanahan acknowledge

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Welcome back to the big stage, Jerick McKinnon and Fozzy Whittaker.Oh, and Matt Asiata and Cameron Artis-Payne, get ready to carry the football, too.The Vikings and Panthers will be counting on their backup running backs to have a next man up mentality when they meet Sunday in Charlotte, a city that was placed under a state of emergency due to the violent protests stemming from a police shooting last week.Both teams lost their featured backs last week to injury -- Minnesotas Adrian Peterson underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus, while Jonathan Stewart is dealing with a pulled hamstring. Both players are out indefinitely.While Peterson was the leagues MVP in 2012, a case can be made that Stewart might be just as valuable to the Panthers at this point. Carolina comes in with the leagues top-ranked rushing offense, while the Vikings are last.Whittaker has started three games since coming into the league as an undrafted rookie in 2012, but ran for 100 yards on 16 carries last week in a 47-26 win over the San Francisco 49ers after Stewart went down in the first quarter. Whittaker has primarily been used as a third-down back and could wind up splitting carries with Artis-Payne, a bigger, stronger runner who has more of a straight-ahead style.A lot of it is you prepare for the scheme and then youre aware of the back thats in there, whichever back it ends up being, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.McKinnon hopes to give the Vikings (2-0) a boost in the running game.The 5-foot-9, 205-pound back has started six games during his three seasons in the league, all of those in 2014 when he ran for 538 yards and averaged 4.8 yards per carry. Asiata is a power back who could see goal-line and short-yardage carries.Things to watch on Sunday:BUMMED BROTHER: Panthers center Ryan Kalil said he is bummed that he wont be facing his brother Matt, the starting left tackle for the Vikings who was placed on injured reserve with a hip injury this week. They have faced each other twice in their careers.We definitely get very competitive during these weeks and we have a 1-1 tally going on, Ryan Kalil said. Im really, really disappointed for my brother and I knew hes really upset.T.J. Clemmings, who started all 16 games at right tackle last season for the Vikings, will be back in a starting role.WAYNES WORLD: The knee injury that kept Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes out of the first two games thrust Trae Waynes, the teams first-round draft pick last year, into an elevated role.Hes still on his NFL learning curve, as evidenced by the pass interference and defensive holding penalties he picked up on the same drive in the third quarter against Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers targeted him often. But Waynes darted in front of a fourth-quarter pass by Rodgers for a game-sealing interception in the victory, a clear sign of progress for the Michigan State product.Id much rather have him be aggressive and get a couple of those once in a while than play real soft and scared, Zimmer said of the flags thrown on Waynes.Rhodes has returned to practice this week, which could affect Waynes playing time.RECEIVERS ON A MISSION: Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin has been huge since his return from a torn ACL with 13 receptions for 199 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games back.Meanwhile, Stefon Diggs has been tearing it up for Minnesota with 180 yards receiving and a TD in last weeks 17-14 win over the Packers.CLEANING IT UP: The Panthers won last week despite turning over the ball four times. Its something Cam Newton said the team needs to clean up against the Vikings.We just cant keep allowing ourselves to go on those lulls and having those brain farts, the quarterback saidCAPTAIN RETURNS: Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn spent the first five seasons of his career with the Panthers and still keeps a home in Charlotte in the offseason. So it will be a homecoming when he returns as a vital member of one of the leagues top defenses.Its definitely going back home, Munnerlyn said. My emotions are very high. Its going to be a crazy game for me, back in Charlotte where I stay, and playing against my former teammates and my former coach.---AP Sports Writers Jon Krawczynski and Dave Campbell contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Flyers Jerseys China . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Custom Flyers Jerseys . Ibaka equaled a career high with 20 rebounds, adding four blocked shots and 15 points as the Thunder smothered the Milwaukee Bucks offence in a 92-79 victory Saturday night. http://www.customflyersjersey.com/ . LeBron James and Chris Bosh didnt need any more. Williams scored 11 points in 10 minutes, Alan Anderson scored 17 points, and the Brooklyn Nets finished the exhibition season with a 108-87 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night. Cheap Custom Flyers Jersey . PAUL, Minn. Custom Bernie Parent Jersey . - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. RICHMOND, Va. -- Jarvis Jenkins is the eighth Washington Redskins player to receive an NFL drugs-related suspension in 22 months, sanctioned for four games without pay Friday for testing positive for a banned performance enhancing substance. Expected to start at defensive end, Jenkins will instead miss the first four games of the regular season. He will be eligible to return to the active roster on Sept. 30, following the Week 4 game against the Oakland Raiders. Jenkins, who was on the practice field at training camp working with the first-string unit when the suspension was announced, released a statement saying he was "shocked and confused" to learn that he had tested positive for what he called "an obscure substance." Then he addressed reporters at length following the practice, apologizing to fans, the team and his parents. "It was a simple mistake," he said, "but Im accepting my responsibilities like a man." Jenkins said he takes pre-workout and recovery supplements. Every NFL player has been instructed not to take supplements that dont have an "NSF" label -- a label that means theyve been certified as acceptable under an agreement between the league and players union -- but Jenkins said he nevertheless took an over-the-counter supplement that didnt have the label. Jenkins said he checked the ingredients of the supplement, but he learned thats not a failsafe method. In March, he was informed that he had tested positive for a substance women take for breast cancer and that has also been used by athletes in connection with steroids. He appealed the suspension, but the league ruled against him. "I thought I was going to get off on it, and I didnt," he said. "The NFL has strict rules. ... They tell us werre responsible for whats in our body.ddddddddddddObviously Im being led as an example." Jenkins backup was expected to be Adam Carriker, but Carriker had a third surgery Thursday for a right knee injury and is unlikely to play this season. Chris Baker, who has been moved from nose tackle, and Kedric Golston are the leading candidates to start while Jenkins is away. Jenkins is allowed to practice during training camp and can play in preseason games. Jenkins said the Redskins do a good job of educating players about the NFLs drug policies, but the results are debatable. Left tackle Trent Williams, tight end Fred Davis and cornerback Phillip Buchanon served four-game sanctions in 2011. Cornerback Cedric Griffin and tackle Jordan Black were docked four games last year. Linebacker Rob Jackson, like Jenkins, is suspended for the first four games this year. Safety Tanard Jackson is serving an indefinite suspension and could be reinstated this year. Each suspension comes with its own backstory -- Williams, Davis and Jackson were sanctioned for substance abuse, the rest for performance-enhancing drugs -- but coach Mike Shanahan acknowledged the troubling trend. "We have emphasized it," Shanahan said. "But maybe not enough." A second-round pick in 2011, Jenkins missed his rookie season with a right knee injury. He returned last year to start 14 games and felt primed for a breakout season. "Its always a tough blow for your football team," Shanahan said. "Hopefully our players will learn that without the label of NSF, you cant take any supplements, because you never know whats going to be in the supplements. Well pay the price for it. Hopefully our players will learn from it." ' ' '