Celebration Bowl. Both were dashed with last weeks 42-21 loss at archrival North Carolina Central.Were trying everything we can

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Coming into this season, the New York Giants have $30 million in cap space invested in their starting defensive line.Based solely on sacks five games into the season, the return is going to be disastrous.The Giants (2-3) have an NFL-low four sacks and only two have been by the linemen heading into Sundays game at MetLife Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens (3-2).Olivier Vernon ($13 million against the cap) and fellow defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul ($9.4 million) have one sack apiece. Tackles Damon Harrison ($6.6 million) and Johnathan Hankins ($1.3 million) have been shut out.The lack of a rush was never more evident than Sunday night, when Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers sometimes had as many as five seconds to stand and throw. He was not sacked and hurried only three times.The only time he was really knocked down was when Vernon shoved him to the ground while cornerback Janoris Jenkins returned an interception. Of course, Vernon drew a 15-yard penalty for the illegal hit.Vernon, who was signed to a five-year, $85 million contract, didnt have much to say about the lack of a pass rush. Most of his answers were 10 words or fewer and noted the need to play better.It is the beginning of the season, Vernon said when asked if he was frustrated.The former Miami Dolphin has been bothered by a wrist injury since the second week of the season but refused to address it Thursday.Pierre-Paul, who like Vernon has rarely left the field this season, returned to practice on a limited basis on Thursday following a groin injury. He said he will play Sunday.Pierre-Paul, who missed half of last season after mangling his right hand in a fireworks accident on July 4, isnt concerned about the sack total either. He said the defenders have been close and just need to finish plays.To me, its not even about sacks, to tell you the truth, he said. Yes, its nice to have, but in reality, when you look at the games, weve been close. We just have to finish with the sack numbers.Our defense has been playing pretty well. We just have to get there and finish. Im not talking about the D-line, Im talking about as a group. Tackle better. We have done a poor job tackling. Thats every guy on the team, including myself. We just have to get better.Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said sacks can be great, but he is more interested in limiting opponents on rushing on first and second down and cutting down on opponents big plays.I will say this: Would we like to have more? Spagnuolo said of the sacks. Yes. Would we like to have more pressure on the quarterback? Yes. I do think that there are moments in there where we are hitting and getting pressure on the quarterback that dont show up on a stat sheet. But we need more.The Giants practiced in shoulder pads on Thursday just to work on their tackling.The tackling problem has resulted in the defense failing to get off the field many times. It is ranked 30th in third-down defense.The lack of a pass rush, the third-down defense, poor tackling and little help from the offense in recent weeks has the Giants riding a three-game losing streak. It also has many fans thinking about a fifth straight season missing the playoffs.Theres no uh-oh, Pierre-Paul said. You know how it is. We started, what, 0-6 (2014)? We still had a chance to go to the playoffs. Its still early. The seasons just started. Were going on six. Its early. Anything can happen. Then we have this bye week after this London game. Were just focusing on this game now, but we have a lot of room for improvement.Game notes Return specialist Dwayne Harris (toe) did not practice Thursday, joining CB Eli Apple (hamstring), OT Marshall Newhouse (calf), and SS Nat Berhe (concussion) and Darian Thompson (foot). ... TE Larry Donnell returned to practice after missing last week with a concussion.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Francisco Cervelli Jersey . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. Dave Parker Jersey . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. http://www.piratesrookiestore.com/Pirates-Colin-Moran-Kids-Jersey/ . Ferrer, trying to win his fourth title on Mexican soil, will next play South Africas Kevin Anderson, who eliminated American Sam Querrey,7-6 (2), 6-4. Also Wednesday, Gilles Simon (6) of France beat Donald Young of the United States 6-4, 6-3, Ukraines Alexandr Dolgopolov downed Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4 and Croatias Ivo Karlovic defeated Dudi Sela of Israel 7-6 (4), 6-2. Bill Mazeroski Jersey . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Felipe Vazquez Jersey . Barcelona also left injured defenders Carles Puyol, Javier Mascherano and Jordi Alba out of its squad for the trip to Glasgow. That means that Marc Bartra will probably start again in the centre of the defence alongside Gerard Pique. (STATS) -- Richmond begins another playoff voyage with history squarely on its side. Momentum is another matter.The 12th-ranked Spiders return to Robins Stadium for Saturdays first-round matchup with No. 17 North Carolina A&T reeling from two giant blows -- an upset loss to their main rival and a season-ending injury to their nearly irreplaceable quarterback.Two-time All-CAA Football selection Kyle Lauletta wont be leading the Spiders third straight postseason trip after tearing his right ACL in last weeks 34-13 defeat at William & Mary, a result that cost Richmond (8-3) far more than a likely national seed and opening-round bye. With senior backup David Broadus also unavailable for reasons coach Danny Rocco hasnt disclosed, the Spiders will turn to either junior Jake Clise, a former walk-on at LSU, or true freshman Reid Chenault.In one sudden spell, the Spiders go from having a player with the third-highest passing yardage in the FCS over the past two seasons to having their season rest on two with a combined five pass attempts -- all of which came last week.Thats kind of the story of the football season, senior linebacker Omar Howard remarked.Richmond has indeed dealt with its share of adversity during a season it began ranked fourth in the STATS FCS Top 25 and with national title aspirations coming off a 2015 semifinals appearance. All-America safety David Jones broke his left arm in the sixth game and leading rusher Deontez Thompson began the year third on the depth chart before being elevated due to season-ending injuries to Gordon Collins and Xavier Goodall.North Carolina A&T (9-2) can certainly relate to the Spiders unenviable circumstances. Third-string quarterback Oluwafemi Bamiro will make a third consecutive start with Lamar Reynard still sidelined with a chest injury and backup Kylil Carter (knee) out for the season.Were more concerned about our situation than Richmonds situation, coach Rod Broadway said.Broadways greatest worry, though, is his teams mindset for a game that may be viewed as a bittersweet consolation prize after the Aggies failed to achieve their No. 1 goal of a third straight MEAC championship and a second consecutive spot in next months Celebration Bowl. Both were dashed with last weeks 42-21 loss at archrival North Carolina Central.Were trying everything we can to get these guys back mentally, because it was such a crushing blow for us to go play like we did, he said.The Aggies could use respect as a motivating factor in their first FCS playoff game since 2003. The MEAC has lost 18 straight times in the tournament, thee last seven each by double digits, and conference members are 0-5 all-time against Richmond.ddddddddddddIts a great honor to have been chosen to play in the playoffs, and hopefully we can go represent our conference and do a good job this weekend, Broadway said.North Carolina A&T hardly qualifies as a pushover. The Aggies boast a road victory over FBS-level Kent State and sport one of the FCS premier running backs in Tarik Cohen (1,518 yards, 19 total TDs), the MEACs all-time rushing leader who works behind an experienced offensive line that averages 310 pounds.They play a physical brand of football, Rocco said during Mondays CAA teleconference. Theres a mental toughness that they bring and weve got to recognize that here early in the week. (Cohen) is as good as any back in (our) league, and that says an awful lot.In a matchup where controlling the line of scrimmage will be essential, Thompson (761 yards, 10 total TDs) figures to be a central part of the Spiders game plan as well. The redshirt freshman has ripped off four straight 100-yard efforts while averaging 7.4 yards per carry over that stretch.Neither team stopped the run well a week ago. Richmond surrendered 219 yards and two touchdowns to William & Mary standout Kendell Anderson and the Aggies were gashed for a season-high 270 yards on the ground by N.C. Central, which had both quarterback Malcolm Bell and running back Dorrel McClain eclipse the century mark and combine for five TDs.The schools share one common opponent in Norfolk State, which lost 34-0 at Richmond on Sept. 10 and 35-0 at N.C. A&T four weeks later. Those mirror-image outcomes, coupled with the similar strengths and injury issues of both teams, suggest a tightly contested game to determine which advances to next weeks second-round clash at North Dakota.Richmond does believe it holds two key variables that could work to its advantage, however, in playing at home and its vast playoff experience. The Spiders have won 14 straight nonconference games at Robins Stadium since falling to Appalachian State in the 2009 quarterfinals and have won 12 of their last 13 there overall. That run includes postseason victories over MEAC member Morgan State and William & Mary in each of the previous two seasons.We still have all the confidence in the world, Howard said. Theres 100 other teams that arent playing at this time of year. Weve (just) got to play each game like its our last, because it very well could be. ' ' '