CINCINNATI, Ohio -- An MRI test on Friday confirmed that Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins tore the anterior cruciate ligamen

Posted in IYH Forums by jokergreen0220 at 08:46, Jul 10 2018

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- An MRI test on Friday confirmed that Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, leaving the AFC North leaders without another star player on defence. The All-Pro lineman got the leg bent under him while trying to make a tackle during the first half of a 22-20 overtime loss at Miami on Thursday night. The medical staff initially thought hed torn the ligament, and the test a day later in Cincinnati confirmed it. The Bengals (6-3) didnt have many injuries during their opening push that left them in control of the AFC North, leading second-place Baltimore (3-4). Theyve suffered several significant injuries in the last three weeks. Top cornerback Leon Hall is out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon. Safety Taylor Mays also is gone with a dislocated shoulder. Middle linebacker Rey Maualuga got a concussion and hurt his left knee during a 49-9 win over the Jets on Sunday and was on crutches during the week, out indefinitely. Now, theyve lost their top defensive lineman. Atkins led all NFL interior linemen in sacks with 12.5 last season and topped the Bengals with six so far this year. The Bengals are short-handed on the defensive line. End Robert Geathers has been on injured reserve for most of the season with an elbow injury, and reserve tackle Devon Still has missed the last two games. "Weve lost -- between Robert and Geno -- two of the guys up front we count on for a lot," coach Marvin Lewis said. Running back Giovani Bernard had a sensational game on Thursday, picking up 79 yards on nine carries and catching four passes for 25 yards. He had a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that was one of the seasons best, slipping out of a tackle in the backfield, running to the left sideline and cutting back across the field to tie the score, slipping away from defenders along the way. He was sidelined late in the fourth quarter and in overtime by bruised ribs. Lewis said on Friday its not expected to be a long-term injury. Tim Duncan could have easily gone out on top, with his fifth NBA championship trophy under his arm and his health intact just a few months after his 38th birthday. Theres just no way. Duncan is having too much fun with his San Antonio Spurs coaches and teammates, and hes playing too well to call it quits now. Duncan has decided to exercise the option on his contract for 2014-15 and will return next season, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday. The person requested anonymity because an official announcement has not been made. As the Spurs beat the two-time defending champion Miami Heat in the NBA Finals earlier this month, Duncan was asked several times about his future, as he has been for the last five or six years. He was noncommittal, saying he would take some time after the season ended to mull his decision. But after Game 5, most of the Spurs said they expected the group to return and now Duncan has reached his decision, which was first reported by Yahoo! Sports. He will make about $10.3 million next season in the final year of a two-year agreement that was drawn up specifically to allow the Spurs the financial flexibility to surround Duncan with top-shelf talent. "He feels a responsibility to his teammates," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said after the team won the championship. "He enjoys them. He wants to hang around as long as he can while hes useful and while hes having an impact on the game. He takes care of his body. He works out all summer long with a variety of different things, boxing, swimming. Hes very careful about what he puts in his body, so he does everything he can to maintain a level of play. "At some point," Popovich added, "that will stop." But not this year. When Duncan looked around at the Spurs, he saw every reason to come back and try to do just about the only thing the SSpurs havent done during his 17 years there -- win back-to-back titles.dddddddddddd In Popovich he has perhaps the best coach in the game, one who has established a culture of teamwork, success and stability that is unparalleled in the league. In Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, he has two trusted teammates who have been by his side for years, have sacrificed money, fame and statistics right along with him to build the Spurs organization into the envy of the NBA. And in Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard, Duncan has a young, fresh-faced star on the rise to carry more of the load as the Big Three get older. "With the front office putting the teams together that weve had and us playing smaller roles and our roles changing over the years, and us happy to accept the roles that were in, I feel we can do it until we feel we dont want to do it anymore," Duncan said two weeks ago. Perhaps as important as anything, Duncan is still one of the best big men in the league. He was named first team All-NBA in 2012-13 as he helped the Spurs to the finals, where they lost to the Heat in a heart-breaking seven-game series. This season, Duncan averaged 15.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in just 29.2 minutes per game, playing in a system expertly devised by Popovich to limit the wear and tear on his body. He shot almost 57 per cent in the finals and dismantled Heat star Chris Bosh, who grew up with a Duncan poster on his bedroom wall. "Weve been on our last run for the last five or six years from how everyone wants to put it," Duncan said. "We show up every year, and we try to put together the best teams and the best runs possible because what people say doesnt matter to us. "As I said, as long as we feel were being effective, were going to stay out here and were going to play. We feel like we can be effective, and we have been." NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2020 Wholesale NFL Gear China Jerseys Cheap Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys NFL Jerseys China ' ' '