01-02-2020, 02:15 AM
HOUSTON -- The Texans have a starting quarterback. Don Chandler Jersey . Now they need star wide receiver Andre Johnson back in the fold. New coach Bill OBrien named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starter, an announcement overshadowed somewhat by Johnsons absence Tuesday on the first day of a mandatory three-day mini-camp. Johnson hasnt participated in any of the teams voluntary off-season workouts and said last month that he wouldnt attend these workouts, either. On Tuesday, he missed the opening day of workouts that are the last before training camp in late July. Fitzpatrick signed with the team in the off-season a day before Matt Schaub was traded to the Raiders and OBrien made him compete with the three other quarterbacks on the roster for the starting job. "He definitely earned it," OBrien said. "He earned it with his preparation. He earned it with his accuracy. He earned it with his command at the line of scrimmage." A former starter for the Buffalo Bills, the nine-year veteran started nine games last season for Tennessee after Jake Locker was injured. Fitzpatrick threw for 2,454 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. "This is where I wanted to be," Fitzpatrick said. "I wanted another shot at it. I wanted another chance to be the guy." OBrien said this decision doesnt mean that things cant change as the year progresses. "Everybody on our team every single day has to go out there and earn their spot on the team, earn their starting spot," OBrien said. "So quarterback is no different. We have confidence in his ability to lead our football team. Hes done a really good job in the off-season of picking up our system and hes executed it well." Case Keenum, who took over as starter when Schaub was benched last season, T.J. Yates and rookie Tom Savage are vying to be the backup to Fitzpatrick. "With all three of those guys we need just a little bit more consistency," OBrien said. "It has nothing to do with effort or work ethic. Those guys have all worked extremely hard. Theyve all done what weve asked them to do." Johnson has said he has not asked for a trade but last month wondered if Houston was "still the place for me." The 32-year-old receiver is Houstons longest-tenured player after joining the franchise in its second season. OBrien said that he has spoken to and text messaged with Johnson, but wouldnt reveal any details. He said he isnt concerned that Johnson has missed the implementation of his new offence. "I believe based on the different systems that hes been in that hed be able to pick up on our system," OBrien said. "Hes a bright guy, a very bright guy and a guy thats done a lot in this league. So I think hed be able to figure it out." OBrien also doesnt think that Johnsons absence is taking away from the rest of the teams work. "Its really about the guys that are here and theyre working extremely hard," OBrien said. "They dont seem to be too distracted." With Johnson out, Houstons young group of receivers is led by last years first-round pick DeAndre Hopkins and includes third-year players DeVier Posey and Keshawn Martin. "Weve thrown a lot at them," OBrien said. "Its not easy to play receiver in this system and those guys seem to be getting better every day." Houston had preseason Super Bowl aspirations last year, but wound up with an NFL-worst 2-14 record. Rather than choosing a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick, they chose defensive lineman Jadeveon Clowney, who is recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia and also not at the mini-camp. Max McGee Jersey . -- After a year spent travelling the world, Brooks Koepka suddenly is in a position to play a lot more golf at home. Matt Flynn Jersey . - A lot of scenarios ran through Terrell Suggs head when the Baltimore linebacker prepared to face the Pittsburgh Steelers. https://www.packersjerseysale.com/ . Torres tells Spanish daily AS "in football you never know where you will be inside one month. Im going to work hard, thats all you can do with this last part of the season so important.LOS ANGELES -- Carlos Ruiz capped his most productive series of the season so far with another clutch hit, and made a key defensive play at the plate to help the Philadelphia Phillies win a series from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ruiz stroked a tiebreaking two-run double off Brian Wilson in the ninth inning, Marlon Byrd drove in four runs and the Phillies won 7-3 on Thursday night to take three of four from the defending NL West champions. Adrian Gonzalez -- whose fielding error in the fifth led to two runs -- tied the game 3-all in the seventh with a first-pitch homer to centre off Mike Adams, his former Padres teammate. But Philadelphia came back with four in the ninth. "I was basically trying to throw a backdoor cutter and it kind of ran back over the plate," Adams said. "Knowing Adrian from playing with him for many years, I knew he was going to be aggressive with the first pitch. I just missed my spot, and he did what he does." Ruiz regained the lead for the Phillies when he lined a 3-2 delivery down the right field line with one out after singles by Cody Asche and Ben Revere. Byrd greeted Jamey Wright with a bases-loaded two-run single after Wilson (0-2) intentionally walked Chase Utley and hit Ryan Howard with a pitch. Adams (1-0), making his third appearance after undergoing shoulder surgery last July 31 and missing the first two weeks of the season, pitched two innings for the victory despite allowing Gonzalezs homer. "Its been a while since I went two innings," Adams said. "When I came in after the seventh, they asked me if I could stretch it out and go back out for one more. So I said: Lets give it a try and see how it goes." Both managers lost replay challenges. The Dodgers were trailing 3-2 in the fifth when Asche, the Phillies third baseman, fielded Yasiel Puigs grounder behind the bag and threw home, where Ruiz tagged out Hanley Ramirez as he came in standing up without a collision. "That was a big play," Ruiz said. "It was a good throw. I was lucky because those plays happen so fast, you dont have time to think, but I got the ball early. I was on the side of home plate a little bit and he had room to slide, but he didnt and we got the out. I was stilll a little worried it would get changed because now with the replay, you never know. Montravius Adams Jersey. " Dodgers manager Don Mattingly requested a review from umpire Mike DiMuro based on the new rule pertaining to home plate collisions. It took several minutes but the call was upheld. "Before the ball is thrown, you cant set up where the runner doesnt have anywhere to slide, the way we understand it. Thats what we see on video," Mattingly said. "We felt like it didnt have a place to slide." Ryne Sandberg challenged a call by first base ump Hunter Wendelstedt in the Dodgers sixth. Juan Uribe was initially ruled safe on a grounder to shortstop Freddy Galvis. After a review of several minutes -- and a few choruses of "If It Takes Forever" by stadium organist Nancy Bea Hefley -- the call stood. Kyle Kendrick pitched 5 2-3 innings and allowed two runs and 10 hits, including a two-run homer by Uribe. The right-hander remained 0-7 in his last 12 starts. Dodgers right-hander Dan Haren was charged with three runs -- one earned -- and seven hits in six innings while striking out seven. Kendrick, who gave up a two-out single in each of the first three innings, yielded Uribes two-out homer to left field after a leadoff double by Gonzalez. But the Phillies capitalized on Gonzalezs second error of the season to grab a 3-2 lead. The three-time Gold Glove winner botched a one-out grounder by Utley with runners at the corners, as Revere scored the Phillies first run. Utley was credited with an RBI, and Byrd drove in two more with a double just out of the reach of a diving Puig in right-centre. Gonzalezs error was the Dodgers 23rd in 23 games. NOTES: The Phillies entered Thursday with a bullpen ERA of 5.64, the worst in the majors. ... Ruiz was 7 for 14 in the four-game series with a home run, four walks and his first six RBIs of the season. ... Byrd had two doubles in three at-bats against Haren, and is 12 for 24 for his career against him. ... Dodgers pitchers have given up 14 unearned runs. ... Jimmy Rollins, 5 for 21 against Haren, got the night off and Galvis started at SS for the first time since Sept. 7 of last season. ... Puig was 0 for 3 against Kendrick, after coming in 5 for 6 against him with a double and a triple. ' ' '