08-09-2019, 01:06 AM
NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Titans coach Ken Whisenhunts defensive staff has a Cleveland Browns flavour. Whisenhunt continued putting together his staff Monday by announcing the hiring of defensive co-ordinator Ray Horton and defensive backs coach Louie Cioffi, who each filled the same roles this season in Cleveland. The Browns fired head coach Rob Chudzinski after the season. During the 2011 and 2012 seasons, Horton was defensive co-ordinator and Cioffi was defensive backs coach in Arizona while Whisenhunt was the Cardinals head coach. "I am excited about this opportunity, to be reunited with Coach Whisenhunt and to be a piece of the puzzle to move this team forward," Horton said Monday in a release announcing the move. The Browns allowed the third-fewest yards per pass attempt of any NFL team this season. The Browns ranked ninth in the NFL in total defence, up from 23rd a year earlier. "Scheme-wise, one of the most impressive things about Ray is his flexibility," Whisenhunt said in a team release. "He has the ability to go between a 4-3 and 3-4 and put our players in the best position to succeed. It has been evident by what he done and where his defences have ranked in the league over the last few years." Horton worked on the Pittsburgh Steelers coaching staff from 2004-10. He also was a secondary coach for two seasons with the Detroit Lions and five seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. He began his coaching career as a defensive assistant for the Washington Redskins from 1994-96. Horton also had a 10-year playing career as a safety with the Cincinnati Bengals (1983-88) and Dallas Cowboys (1989-92). During Cioffis one season in Cleveland, Browns cornerback Joe Haden earned his first Pro Bowl selection and picked off four passes. Cioffi also helped the Cardinals lead the NFL in passer rating allowed and rank second in the league with 22 interceptions in 2012. Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson had seven interceptions in 2012 to earn his first Pro Bowl selection. Cioffi also was a staff assistant with the New York Jets in 1993-94 and coached with the Cincinnati Bengals from 1997-2010. "I am very excited to be reunited with Coach Whisenhunt and to get to work building a championship team," Cioffi said. "I think (Whisenhunt) is an outstanding communicator, a great motivator and terrific at attacking opposing offences." Oskar Lindblom Flyers Jersey . After seven wins in a row, they have to do it one more time to get into the playoffs. Bernie Parent Flyers Jersey . While Minnesota takes aim at its eighth win of November, the Canadiens will try to post just their third victory in nine games this month. http://www.flyersteamstoreonline.com/aut...rs-jersey/. If there is one club built to handle an off-field controversy, its the Bill Belichick era Patriots. Even if New Englands offence stumbles a bit out of the gate, their defence can help them stay in games, especially in the AFC East with the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets in the first two weeks. Bernie Parent Jersey . She still remembers the massive roar of the home crowd when the Canadians walked out on the pitch before 47,784 fans at Commonwealth Stadium in 2002. Lang expects a similar reception for the Canadian team as the host nation at this years tournament, which begins Tuesday. Claude Giroux Jersey . -- The Atlanta Braves are facing the possibility of losing another pitcher for the season after general manager Frank Wren said Saturday that Cory Gearrin has a serious injury to his right elbow.TORONTO -- Scott Milanovich doesnt want the Toronto Argonauts to completely forget their dismal start to the 2014 CFL season. Toronto opened the campaign with a lopsided 45-21 road loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. On Saturday, the Argos host a Saskatchewan Roughriders squad that registered 10 sacks in a 31-10 dismantling of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in its season opener. "Take nothing away from Winnipeg but I think we were embarrassed with the way we performed and should feel like weve got a lot to prove (Saturday)," the Argos head coach said Friday. "I know Im looking forward to kickoff to see if we can get this bad taste out of our mouth. "I dont know if you ever really let one like that go. Those happen from time to time but they need to stick with you a little bit." The upstart Bombers, who posted a league-worst 3-15 record in 2013, dominated the Argos. Quarterback Drew Willy threw for 308 yards and four TDs while running back Nic Grigsby rushed for 122 yards. Winnipeg also recovered two fumbles, with Demond Washington returning one for a TD. Toronto was also flagged 22 times. The defending Grey Cup-champion Riders were very impressive in their opener. Former Toronto defensive end Ricky Foley had three sacks as the defence held Hamilton to just 114 net offensive yards. Newcomer Anthony Allen -- replacing departed Grey Cup MVP Kory Sheets -- rushed for 158 yards and a TD and also had a touchdown catch. So effective was the run game that Saskatchewan quarterback Darian Durant only threw 22 passes, completing 15-for-136 yards and two TDs. Torontos revamped defence -- it has just four returning starters -- will have four new faces against Saskatchewan. Cornerback Vincent Agnew, safety Jermaine Gabriel, linebacker Antwaun Molden and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas all get the nod as cornerback Matt Ware, linebacker Jamie Robinson and safety Matt Black go on the injured list while defensive lineman Greg Romeus is placed on the practice roster. Running back Jeremiah Johnson goes to the injured list, with Anthony Woodson (practice roster) replacing him. That means sophomore Curtis Steele and rookie Anthony Coombs -- Torontos 14 first-round pick from the University of Manitoba -- will share tailback duties. "Its a great opportunity for us to see how much weve improved in one week playing the champs in our building," Milanovich said. "They (Riders) are going to get some plays but the other thing you look for is how are we going to react to adversity? "When you have that many new guys like we do now, part of it is fun because you dont know whos going to be the person whos going to take the leadership reigns of this team. Im really anxious to see who thats going to be. Hopefully its several guys." However, Milanovich said its important to keep Saturdays game in proper perspective. "Win or lose, this game isnt going to define who we are in three months," he said. "Everybody, myself included,, gets caught up in what happens today and what happened last week and theres no avoiding that but I try not to lose sight of the big picture.dddddddddddd "Even if we win the game if we didnt improve and build towards becoming a better team by the time October and November roll around, it doesnt matter. To me, that was the biggest difference in my two seasons here as the head coach. Even though we were below a .500 club in 2012 we improved every week throughout the season and by the end of the season were playing well. Last year we were leading the East probably most of the way but I dont think we made the incremental improvements we did the year before so I dont know if we got any better while other teams were getting better." In 2012, Toronto won its final two regular-season games to finish second in the East Division with a 9-9 record before mounting its Grey Cup-winning run. Last year, the Argos were first with an 11-7 record before losing to Hamilton in the conference final. Saskatchewans Corey Chamblin -- the CFLs coach of the year in 13 -- said Toronto quarterback Ricky Ray, who had a league-record 77.2 completion average last year, will present the Riders defence with plenty of challenges. "At the end of the day were going to play a different style football team, especially with the quarterback," he said. "This is a more seasoned quarterback than the one we played (Hamiltons Zach Collaros). "We didnt get a lot of looks, we just played fast. But with this quarterback its going to be tough. Youre going to have to play fast and do some things you dont usually do to keep Ricky off his game." Ray was 27-of-38 passing for 283 yards and two TDs against Winnipeg but Toronto rushed for just 42 total yards and had the ball less than 24 minutes overall. However, Ray said there are the things the Argos can do to help limit Saskatchewans pass rush. "You try not to hold on to (the football) too long to give those guys extra seconds to get in there," he said. "Another thing is weve got to be balanced, weve got to be effective with our run and pass game to keep those guys off balance and guessing about whats going to be coming. "We also want to try and get a lead . . . to make sure youre not having to throw on every down because youre behind." Not much has separated Saskatchewan and Toronto the past two years as theyve split their regular-season series 2-2. "Even the year we won it I thought they were very, very close," Milanovich said of the Riders. "Its a very good football team, our guys know we can match up with them and have the ability to compete with them and win the game. "I certainly hope they know that. Were going to have to play well, certainly, to do it." Durant expects a more fundamentally sound Argos squad Saturday. "I dont think theyll give up any easy plays," he said. "Theyre going to make us earn everything we get." ' ' '