ds and 5.0 assists as a junior at West Side (Gary, Indiana). Over the summer, she won a gold medal

There are no flawless teams in the NFL this year. I suppose you could say there are never any truly flawless teams, but 2016 is atypical. There was not a single team heading into Week 13 ranked in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive DVOA. There were four last year. Even the obvious favorites -- your Cowboys and Patriots of the world -- have holes on their rosters, caused either by injuries or other personnel choices.Yet we know teams can overcome these sorts of problems. The Broncos were 25th in offensive DVOA and first in defensive DVOA last year and won the Super Bowl. You need a lot of things to go right for your weakness to either turn into a strength or somehow remain undetected or unexploited by an underwhelming opponent. Its impossible to predict who will be the luckiest between now and the Super Bowl, but somebody will.With the playoffs no longer in the distance, lets look at some of those issues. Organizations cant do much to fix personnel problems now, unfortunately, but a well-timed benching or a run of good health from previously injured talent can mean the world. So lets run through the 15 teams with the best chance to make the postseason?per ESPNs Football Power Index, and identify their biggest current weakness heading into the final stretch of the 2016 campaign.The order:?These are ranked based on the likelihood the key weakness might sink each teams playoff hopes. And that starts, coincidentally, with last years champs ...15. Denver BroncosThe Problem: quarterback healthWho would have thought we would find ourselves sitting here in December worrying about how an injury to Trevor Siemian might impact Denvers playoff hopes? And yet here we are, and those concerns are founded. First-round pick Paxton Lynch simply hasnt been very good this year; after looking competent filling in for an injured Siemian against Tampa Bay, Lynch has been dismal in his first two professional starts.Facing the limited pass defenses of Atlanta (on Oct. 9) and Jacksonville (on Sunday), Lynch has gone 35-of-59 for 327 yards with a touchdown and a pick. His passer rating of 73.2 is bad, and his opponent-adjusted QBR is even worse. Its an absurdly low 14.5; the second-worst quarterback since Lynchs Week 5 start, Josh McCown, nearly doubled Lynchs rating at 27.3. For whatever physical traits he possesses, Lynch looks timid and ready to flee the pocket at any moment. The Jaguars locked him down in throwing situations on Sunday, as the Broncos failed to convert a single third down try after picking up one on a third-and-3 on the second possession of the game.Hes been pressured at the fourth-highest rate of any passer since Week 5 in those two starts, which doesnt help matters, but part of that is on Lynch. Hes being pressured on 39.7 percent of his dropbacks despite opposing teams sending blitzes just 16.4 percent of the time. Siemian, meanwhile, is being pressured on 34.1 percent of his dropbacks, but it has required teams to send blitzes nearly twice as frequently (30.5 percent).The good news for the Broncos is that they should get Siemian back from a foot injury soon, and theyve been through this before. They won a Super Bowl last year with worse quarterback play than what they were getting out of Siemian, who looked impressive during the second half of their Week 12 shootout with the Chiefs. There are other issues here -- notably their run defense, which was 24th in DVOA heading into this week after finishing fourth last year -- but Lynch is likely to return to the bench for the remainder of the season soon enough.14. Oakland RaidersThe Problem: run defenseWhile the Raiders roared back on Sunday to solidify their position atop the AFC West with a 38-24 comeback victory over the Bills, the game put their biggest weakness into perspective. With starting defensive tackle Stacy McGee missing, Oakland was gashed by one of the leagues best running games. Buffalo ran the ball 30 times for 212 yards on Sunday, producing their biggest play (a 54-yard scamper by LeSean McCoy) and all three of their touchdowns on the ground.This isnt a new problem for the Raiders. While theyve had issues at cornerback off and on this season, the run defense has never really been there. Dan Williams arrived from Arizona to be the focal point of their rush defense last season, but Williams lost his starting job in camp and had to fight to get it back during the season. Neither he nor Justin Ellis have been great on the interior. Oakland has also been trying to get by at middle linebacker after parting ways with vet Curtis Lofton and with Ben Heeney hitting injured reserve; Perry Riley and rookie sixth-rounder Cory James have alternated snaps and starts. Theres no consistency, and even the guys you would expect to make plays against the run havent, as we saw when Tyrod Taylor flew past a crashing Khalil Mack on a zone-read keeper for a score on Sunday.This Bills game was a microcosm in another way: Notably, the Raiders were gashed on the ground and still won comfortably. Run defense is less important than ever, and for Oakland, its even less of a concern by virtue of the AFC bracket. Who are they going to play in the playoffs who might be scary on the ground? There were four teams from the AFC among the top 10 of the DVOA rankings for rushing offense heading into Week 13, and three of them are likely to miss the playoffs: the aforementioned Bills, Jets and Dolphins. The fourth? The Raiders.13. Kansas City ChiefsThe Problem: passing offenseJustin Houston already solved Kansas Citys biggest problem through the first half of the season by providing a second pass-rusher alongside the emerging Dee Ford. Now, with Ford, Houston and Tamba Hali all available to rush the quarterback, the Chiefs pass rush suddenly looks scary. It knocked Matt Ryan down nine times on 36 dropbacks Sunday, and Houston looks every bit his old, dominant self after returning from knee surgery.Now, the Chiefs have to be concerned with throwing the football. Theyre never going to be a dynamic passing attack, but they need to be functional if only to take some of the pressure off their running game. Theyve been without Jeremy Maclin for several weeks, and Tyreek Hill has emerged as a wideout who can make big plays out of nothing on screens and jet sweeps, but the Chiefs are going to need more out of Alex Smith than theyve gotten in recent weeks.Smiths archetype is no secret. When hes on his game, Smith is concise and hyperfocused on avoiding turnovers, creating plenty of short completions and moving the ball with his feet. He hasnt been that guy recently. Smith has now turned the ball over in three of the last four games since returning from a concussion, including a crucial interception in the end zone against the Buccaneers in the teams only loss over that stretch. On Sunday, it was a strip sack by Vic Beasley on a play in which Smith held the ball too long under pressure on third-and-3.The margin of error with Smith is generally razor-thin: You cant be as conservative as Smith typically is unless you avoid turnovers almost entirely. This should improve naturally (he hadnt turned the ball over in any of his three prior starts). Maclin will also help. The sample size with Smith is large enough to suggest that this is likely an aberration, and the Chiefs have been good enough to win three of these last four games, despite Smiths mistakes.12. New York GiantsThe Problem: rushing offenseThere simply arent any big plays lurking in the legs of New Yorks running backs, at least without Shane Vereen in the fold. The Giants arent creating anything on the ground. Only three teams have failed to record a run longer than 25 yards this year: the Giants, Colts and Rams. Big Blue has just 19 gains of 10 yards or more on the ground, which ranks 30th in the league. On Sunday, they got one when Paul Perkins went for 18 yards in the third quarter.Vereen is hardly a burner, but he should at least help the Giants as they try to find somebody who can make players miss in the open field and create extra yardage. The Giants also probably need to go into next season and address the right side of their offensive line, where veteran guard John Jerry and 2015 seventh-rounder Bobby Hart are starting. Giants runners are averaging just 2.04 yards per carry before contact so far this year, the fourth-worst rate in the league. Right now, their best hope is to end up against the weak run defenses of the Falcons and Lions in Round 1 and go from there.11. WashingtonThe Problem: run defenseWhile Washington has been able to control the line of scrimmage on offense, the same has not been true on defense. Washington is lost on run defense this year. Heading into Sundays game with the Cardinals, Washington ranked dead last in rush defense DVOA. Arizona curiously responded to this by throwing the ball 46 times, and Washington did hold the Cardinals to 3.7 yards per carry, but David Johnson produced 84 yards on his 18 rushes without ever cracking a run longer than 14 yards.Quite simply, Washington doesnt do very much well against the run. It was 29th in the league against power situations and 32nd in allowing second-level yards, allowing teams to pick up steady chunks of yardage past the line of scrimmage. On first-and-10, Washington is allowing an average of 4.96 yards per carry, ahead of only the 49ers and Raiders. Those teams allow bigger plays, but in terms of steadiness, Washington is worse: It has allowed teams to pick up new first downs on 15.9 percent of those runs, the highest rate in football.Washington was deeper along its defensive line last season, but let Terrance Knighton leave to start Kedric Golston at nose tackle. Golston made it two games before going on injured reserve. Knighton visited with Washington in October but did not re-sign with the team, and Washington has been starting the undersized Ziggy Hood at nose tackle with limited success.The reason Washington comes in ahead of (i.e. worse off than) the Raiders on this list is scheduling. Washingtons hope is to make it as a wild card, and even a win there would mean Washington is then in line for a Round 2 matchup against the Cowboys or the Seahawks, both of whom can run the football well. Dallas just ran the ball for 163 yards and three scores against Washington on Thanksgiving; Ezekiel Elliott and company would love another crack at their divisional rival and its soft underbelly in January.10. Pittsburgh SteelersProblem: pass rushWhile the Steelers basically have been forced to go with a youth movement in their secondary, their cornerbacks have mostly held up unless left on islands to cover for five or six seconds at a time. The bigger issue for Pittsburgh has been troubling opposing quarterbacks in the pocket. The Steelers just arent getting after passers on defense. Theyre pressuring the opposition on just 25.5 percent of their dropbacks this season, ranking 24th in the league.The team is still shockingly dependent upon 38-year-old outside linebacker James Harrison, who leads the team with a mere five sacks. The team leader in knockdowns is defensive end Stephon Tuitt, who has had to shoulder a larger role with star end Cameron Heyward out for the season. The Steelers best hope is the returning Bud Dupree, who made his way back into the lineup in Week 12 and recorded a quarterback hit on Scott Tolzien. When were marking progress by individual knockdowns, though, things look bleak.9. Dallas CowboysProblem: pass rushSecond in a series! If you thought the Steelers had an ineffective pass rush, just wait until you see the Cowboys. Dallas is pestering opposing passers on just 20.7 percent of their dropbacks, the second-worst rate in the league. The Cowboys are almost entirely dependent upon blitzes to bother QBs; when they dont blitz, their pressure rate falls to 18.1 percent, also the second-worst rate in the league. Unfortunately for the Cowboys, they only blitz 18.8 percent of the time, which is the fourth-lowest rate in the league.Dallas secondary has been surprisingly effective this season, with Morris Claiborne in particular taking a leap forward after years of mediocrity before going down with a serious groin injury. You might argue that the Cowboys are unlucky to be without second-round pick Randy Gregory, who is suspended, with another suspension costing them fellow second-round end DeMarcus Lawrence for four games early on in the season.Its also fair to say the Cowboys treat their defensive line the same way Seattle treats its offensive line under Tom Cable. The Cowboys are perennially trying to save money somewhere to afford stars at other positions, and with defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli, they have an excellent line coach with experience in turning other peoples trash into treasure.The metal detector hasnt really gone off this year, unfortunately. Tyrone Crawford leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and Benson Mayowa has been the best edge rusher, with three sacks and five knockdowns in eight games. Lawrence has a knockdown in five of his six games this season, but the Boise State product has just one sack. So many things have gone right for the Cowboys, but their pass rush has been stagnant during this wildly impressive season. Lawrence is probably their best candidate to make some noise.8. New England PatriotsProblem: pass rushHey, see a trend developing? The Patriots have a problem getting after the quarterback as well, and its the biggest reason why their defense ranked 28th against the pass before comfortably handling the Rams and rookie quarterback Jared Goff on Sunday. Goffs two interceptions were both unlucky, but the second one came when Goff was hit on the arm in the middle of his throwing motion by Jabaal Sheard. Sheard recorded one of New Englands nine quarterback knockdowns on the day, an impressive number for a defense that had recorded a total of just 48 hits across its 11 previous outings.To some extent, the Patriots had been unlucky. They were getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks, but it wasnt turning into sacks. Before Sunday, the Patriots were 12th in the league in pressure rate, but 24th in sack rate. When they did get pressure, they turned just 17.3 percent of those opportunities into sacks, which ranked 29th in the league. Against the Rams, that number jumped to 26.7 percent, fifth in the league for Week 13.Their luck should improve, and while they will likely look back and wish they still had Chandler Jones for this season, they should at least be deep enough with pass-rushers to roll out fresh defenders into January. Sheard, who was a healthy scratch against the 49ers in Week 11, had the aforementioned hit and three pass deflections this time out. Kyle Van Noy, acquired from the Lions, had a sack in Week 11 and has stood out as a rusher. Chris Long had a sack and three knockdowns in his revenge game against the Rams. Theres still not a lot of production here, but there are names and bodies, which means hope.7. Tennessee TitansProblem: left cornerbackThe worst is probably over for the Titans, who were struggling for weeks with sub-replacement-level performance from 2015 free-agent addition Perrish Cox, who was being torched for big plays seemingly once per drive. The situation quickly became untenable, and the Titans were likely right to waive Cox after a brutal performance against the Bears in Week 12. He appeared to be getting worse, and while there may have been an injury in play, the Titans were likely going to cut their embattled corner after the season, so there was little point in pushing him to injured reserve.The problem: No promising option is lurking behind Cox on the bench. The Titans inserted rookie fifth-rounder LeShaun Sims into the lineup for Cox at times against the Bears and promoted 2016 Mr. Irrelevant,?Kalan Reed, off the practice squad when they cut the veteran disappointment, but its likely going to be Valentino Blake playing on the outside with Brice McCain remaining in the slot. Thats just a recipe for the leagues better passing attacks finding and exploiting a weak spot in the lineup play after play; the Patriots and Raiders should be able to pick Blake apart, even if hes an upgrade over Cox.6. Tampa Bay BuccaneersProblem: field goal kickingField goal kicking was a genuine problem for the Buccaneers in 2015, when Kyle Brindza cost the Bucs dearly before giving way to the veteran mediocrity of Connor Barth. The Bucs kickers cost them?17.5 points of field position last year, the worst figure in the league. The Bucs overreacted to their problem in the way that one would decide to replace a spent light bulb by tearing down the entire kitchen. They traded up in the second round to grab Florida State star Roberto Aguayo, who was supposed to put their minds at ease.Well, that hasnt happened. Aguayo has missed two extra points and seven field goals in 12 games, going 15-of-22 despite attempting (and missing) just one field goal from beyond 50 yards. Heading into Week 13, he had cost the Buccaneers 10.8 points of field position with his kicks, the worst rate in the league. Thats a number which wont rise after he pulled a 31-yarder wide right against the Chargers on Sunday.Its too early to judge Aguayo, but lets not pretend the Buccaneers are treating Aguayo like just another kicker here. If he had been drafted in the seventh round or signed off the waiver wire and performed exactly the same, the Buccaneers would have cut him weeks ago and picked a veteran option off the scrap heap. They havent done that, of course, because they invested what amounted to a high-second-round pick in Aguayo after accounting for the trade up. Aguayo may eventually prove to be a solid kicker, but the Bucs will be sweating every single time he lines up over the next two months. They bought peace of mind and came away with more anxiety.5. Atlanta FalconsProblem: cornerbacksJust as the Falcons finally found a pass rush in the form of Vic Beasley, injuries sapped the rest of their pass defense. Adrian Clayborn, the teams poor mans Michael Bennett, is out for several weeks (if not longer) with a torn meniscus. More distressingly, star cornerback Desmond Trufant tore a pectoral muscle in a Thursday night game against the Buccaneers and is done for the season, a crippling blow for a team which relied on Trufant at times to either shut down a side of the field or follow a No. 1 wideout around the formation.There isnt much behind him. 2015 second-rounder Jalen Collins has the size Dan Quinn wants, but he showed little as a rookie before being suspended to start the 2016 season. Robert Alford hasnt adapted well to Quinns scheme and is the weakest cornerback of Atlantas trio, and is being outplayed by undrafted rookie Brian Poole. The Falcons are another injury away from looking at meaningful snaps for Blidi Wreh-Wilson, and thats too close for anybodys comfort.The good news: The rest of their schedule isnt exactly filled with great passing attacks. The Falcons have the Rams, 49ers and Panthers on the docket over the next three weeks. The Saints are obviously a concern if Week 17 is a meaningful contest, though, and its scary to think about the Falcons without Trufant against Washington, Green Bay or Dallas in January. Their best solution is just to keep the pass rush going and hope that it can mask the question marks behind it at corner.4. Baltimore RavensProblem: offenseYeah, it seems like a broad problem, and its weird to say after they nearly dropped 500 yards of offense on what was supposed to be a playoff contender in the Dolphins on Sunday, but the Ravens have been unable to form a coherent offensive identity all season. They were 30th in offensive DVOA heading into the Dolphins game, with mediocre raw results against what had been the leagues easiest schedule of opposing defenses.Theres been nothing for the Ravens to hang their hat on: Their offensive identity has been throwing checkdowns into the flat on third-and-long. This is a team that would probably like to throw the ball downfield, given the presence of Mike Wallace, Breshad Perriman?and Joe Flacco, but the offensive line hasnt been good enough in pass protection to hold up for those deep throws. Terrance West looked promising, running the ball 88 times for 414 yards (4.7 yards per carry) in his first six games, only to tote the rock 75 times for a mere 236 yards in the ensuing six contests, an average of 3.2 yards per attempt. They Ravens have managed to be conservative and turn the ball over 17 times in 12 games.The toughest stretch of their schedule is coming up, with the Patriots, Eagles and Steelers on the other side of the field, and it will make or break Baltimores season. If the Dolphins game exhibited a new level of performance for the Ravens, they could be hitting their offensive stride at the right time. More likely, given how poor theyve been on offense for most of the season, Sunday was an aberration.3. Seattle SeahawksProblem: free safetyThis problem was going to be offensive line until Sunday night, when future Hall of Famer Earl Thomas broke his leg in a blowout victory over the Panthers. Pete Carroll suggested that Thomas could return in six weeks, which would get him back during the playoffs, but even that seems like a remarkably optimistic timeline.Theres no replacing Seattles star safety. There likely isnt anybody in the league who could step in and do what Thomas does as the center fielder in Seattles Cover 3. The Seahawks dont always play Cover 3, but its at the heart of what they do, and nobody covers a wider range or takes away as many possible routes over the middle as Thomas does. Some teams cant do with two deep safeties what Seattle can do with one. Hes irreplaceable in a way that nobody else on Seattles roster, short of Russell Wilson,?would be.The good news is theres so much incredible talent on this defense that it might be able to get by without Thomas. Their ceiling is lower now, of course, but the Seahawks just got Michael Bennett back, and the best way to cover for a hole in the secondary is with a great pass rush. Carroll is also one of the greatest defensive backs coaches in NFL history, so if anybody can coach up Steven Terrell into a serviceable safety overnight, its him.2. Detroit LionsProblem: entire pass defenseIt would be virtually unprecedented for a team with a pass defense as bad as Detroits to make a deep run in the playoffs, especially in the modern, pass-happy NFL. The Lions were 31st in defensive DVOA and dead last in pass defense heading into Week 13, with their struggles only masked by facing the leagues easiest slate of offensive attacks. If youre a Lions fan who wants to argue against their problems, you are probably going to bring up their four-game winning streak, in which the Lions have allowed an average of just over 15 points per game. Thats good. It also included two games against the misfiring Vikings and one against the Jaguars broken?passing attack. The one game nobody can argue with came on Sunday, when the Lions held the high-powered Saints to just 13 points while picking off Drew Brees three times. That will be enough to push the Lions off the bottom of the DVOA table, although it might only be past the Browns into 31st.The disconcerting issue comes with Detroits pass rush. Remember when I mentioned the Cowboys own the leagues second-worst pressure rate? The Lions are the ones below them. When the Lions dont blitz, theyve managed to bother opposing quarterbacks a mere 13.8 percent of the time. Dallas, in 31st place, is at 18.1 percent, almost as close to league average (23.7 percent) as they are to Detroit. The Lions sacked Brees only once on Sunday, and while he missed time with a high ankle sprain and has been unlucky given his 12 quarterback knockdowns, Ezekiel Ansah still doesnt have a sack in 2016. Kerry Hyder?has been the teams only noticeable pass-rusher, and after recording five sacks in his first four games, he has just two sacks since.The Lions should have two more weeks before they have to buckle down, given that they play the Bears and the struggling Giants offense before what might be a division-deciding game against the Packers. Theyll likely be facing a Cowboys team with nothing to play for in Week 16 before heading to the postseason, but their defense simply hasnt been very good. The Saints game could be a new baseline of success. Maybe Ansah goes on a tear, or the team gets better once DeAndre Levy returns from his quad injury. Most likely, though, the Lions will be sending one of the leagues worst defenses to the postseason. Its hard to imagine that ending well.1. Houston TexansProblem: quarterbackThe most difficult problem to overcome, of course, is having a replacement-level quarterback. Brock Osweilers numbers were inflated by a garbage-time drive in the snow, and he didnt throw any interceptions, but he was playing a very beatable pass defense in Green Bay on Sunday and couldnt even average 6 yards per attempt.Backup Tom Savage was unavailable in Green Bay while suffering from an infection in his elbow, but even if hes healthy, Savage isnt going to be a significant upgrade. Osweilers the guy in Houston until 2018, and hes just not playing at a championship-caliber level. If you point to Osweilers last team as a good example of a club that won the Super Bowl with ugly play at quarterback, remember that those Broncos had the leagues best defense and great special teams and went three games while throwing just one interception.You have to do just about everything else at an elite level to win with a quarterback that bad, and the Texans arent a team of that caliber. They were 14th in defensive DVOA heading into Sundays game against the Packers and 31st on special teams, and would need Osweiler to swear off interceptions like a New Years resolution for four postseason games to win a Super Bowl. The Texans chances of making it to the postseason are down to 47.3 percent, but even if they do make it, its more likely they get knocked out at home in the first round by the second-place team in the AFC West than advance very far given what theyre getting from the games most important position. Custom Seattle Mariners Jerseys . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Cheap Mariners Jerseys . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ .com) - The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will try to extend their winning streak to a season-high seven games when they visit the Edmonton Oilers for Sundays clash at Rexall Place. Seattle Mariners Pro Shop . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. "Its embarrassing to be at home and play the way we did," said defenceman Josh Gorges. Seattle Mariners Store . The judges scored it 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for Jones (19-1). It was the champions closest call. Despite the loss, it was a remarkable show by the confident Swedish challenger, who had the best of the early rounds and then hung on in the fourth and fifth. Score another big win for Jeff Walz on the womens basketball recruiting trail.Dana Evans, the No. 7 prospect in the espnW HoopGurlz Top 100, announced Tuesday night that she will be attending Louisville.I chose the Cards because of the relationship I built with the coaching staff, Evans said. Theyre going to make me a better player.Evans, a 5-foot-6 point guard, averaged 35.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a junior at West Side (Gary, Indiana). Over the summer, she won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA Americas U18 championships in Valdivia, Chile, averaging 8.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists.In Evans, Louisville is getting an electric point guard and a scoring dynamo. Shes elusive and is especially good in breaking down the defense and getting to the rim.Evans becomes the third member -- and third top-25 prospecct -- in Walzs 2017 recruiting class.dddddddddddd. She joins fellow point guard Lindsey Duvall, the No. 22 prospect in the nation, and post player Loretta Kakala, the No. 25 prospect. The Cardinals 2016 recruiting class was ranked sixth in the country.Evans, who said she considered about 40 schools, ultimately chose Louisville over Purdue and Tennessee.Evans is just the third top-10 prospect in the 2017 class to commit, joining point guards Chasity Patterson (Texas) and Anastasia Hayes (Tennessee). Twelve of the top 20 prospects in the class -- including No. 1 Megan Walker, No. 2 Evina Westbrook and No. 3 Rellah Boothe -- remain undeclared.The NCAA early signing period for womens basketball is Nov. 9-16. ' ' '