Pirate Galaxy » huge for the team.We havent won

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- The FedEx Cup is all about the $10 million bonus at the end of the four playoff events.For a dozen or so Americans, the only cup that matters now is one that doesnt pay a dime.The Ryder Cup couldnt be ignored Thursday.Patrick Reed shared the lead after the opening round at the Barclays. Rickie Fowler, J.B. Holmes and Kevin Chappell were among those one shot behind. All four of them are very much in the mix to make the U.S. team, with qualifying for the top eight spots ending after this week.Of course its on my mind, Reed said after his 5-under 66 gave him a share of the lead with Martin Laird.Its easy to forget about the FedEx Cup and its big bonus because there are still 15 rounds left to reach that point. The opening day at Bethpage Black, one of the toughest on the PGA Tour schedule, was just trying to beat the wind and stay in the game.LEADERS: Reed had a good laugh at his own expense on Tuesday when he was asked to bang the gavel for the ceremonial bell closing at the New York Stock Exchange. Dressed in a blue suit with an American tie, he banged once, twice ... and on the third try, he broke the gavel.The only thing he broke Thursday was par.Reed opened with 10 pars, a strong feat considering he started on the tougher back nine, and then ran off three birdies and an eagle for a 66.Martin Laird also had a clean card, with four birdies on the front nine and a shot out of the rough to the elevated green on the 16th to 6 feet for his fifth birdie. Hes not worried about the Ryder Cup. He is No. 89 in the FedEx Cup, so the first order of business was to be among the top 100 to advance to next week.RYDER RAMIFICATIONS: Fowler looked like a shoo-in to be on the Ryder Cup team when he started the year in great form. But missing the cut in two majors and not doing much in the other two havent helped. He is No. 12 and would need at least a two-way tie for fourth this week to have any chance.Opening with a 67 was a good start.Thats the No. 1 priority coming into the year, Fowler said. Id say thats always one of the main goals coming into a Ryder Cup year. Even in the off year, youre thinking about it. That was the whole reason playing last week, trying to get more points. It would be nice to have a chance to make that team without having to get picked.J.B. Holmes was at No. 8 until Reed passed him last week. Holmes moved into position with his third-place finish at the British Open, but he has been pressing since then and has missed his last three cuts. The big hitter spent two hours with the shortest club in the bag -- his putter -- earlier this week, and it paid off.As for Chappell? Depending on however else does, he probably has to win to make the team.BETHPAGE: The Black is a big ball park, the start of a playoff series that favors the big hitters -- the TPC Boston next week, Crooked Stick in Indiana after that, and then East Lake. That also was the rotation in 2012, and it would have seemed to put the medium hitters at a disadvantage.Or maybe not. Brandt Snedeker won the FedEx Cup in 2012.EARLY EXITS: British Open champion Henrik Stenson had planned to skip one of the FedEx Cup playoff events because of a busy schedule at the end of the year, including his trip to Rio for a silver medal in golf.He made it through one round at The Barclays with a 74 and enough discomfort in his right knee that he withdrew. Stenson is at No. 14 in the FedEx Cup and likely will fall out of the top 20 at the end of the week.Brett Stegmaier also withdrew with a wrist injury through nine holes. He was at No. 101, and with the top 100 advancing, his season is over.THE CUT: Making it to the weekend at The Barclays is one of the most important cuts of the year, particularly because of the playoff format. Anyone beyond the top 100 has no chance of extending the season. Anyone just inside the top 100 probably wont stay there if they miss the cut.Scott Brown was a good example. He is at No. 81 and opened with a 10-over 81. He was projected to fall to No. 100. That could change. A year ago, the highest-ranked player to get eliminated was Padraig Harrington at No. 87. Shaquille ONeal Jersey . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Gordon Hayward Jersey . 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ATLANTA -- San Diego and Atlanta look like teams headed in opposite directions -- no matter what the standings show.Josh Lambos 42-yard field goal in overtime gave San Diego a 33-30 win over Atlanta on Sunday.It was San Diegos second straight win, and only second road victory in two seasons. The Chargers (3-4) are still last in the AFC West, but have seen their confidence rise with back-to-back wins, including over defending Super Bowl champion Denver last week.The Falcons (4-3) have lost two straight, leaving them only one-half game ahead of second-place Tampa Bay in the NFC South. They were hurt by nine penalties for 70 yards and their only turnover -- an interception by San Diegos Denzel Perryman of Matt Ryans pass for Julio Jones late in regulation.The game came down to Perrymans stop of Devonta Freemans fourth-and-1 run in overtime. The stop set up Lambos game-winning kick.Falcons coach Dan Quinn stood by his fourth-and-1 gamble that failed, including his decision to give the ball to Freeman after he was stopped for a loss on first down.It was just a message of how much I believe in this team, Quinn said.I just thought we had a good shot. We didnt execute like we can. We like the call, we just didnt execute.The Falcons blew a 27-10 second-quarter lead.Definitely had `em, said Falcons cornerback Desmond Trufant. ... We should have put them away.Perryman led with his big plays and his determination to play through a shoulder injury. He remained down on one knee after a few defensive plays, but wouldnt leave the game.I just stuck it out and fought today, Perryman said, adding he told coach Mike McCoy and his teammates I was going to give it everything Ive got.Here are some things to know about the Chargers win over the Falcons:RECORD FOR RYAN: Atlantas Matt Ryan set an NFL record on Sunday with his 46th game of 200 passing yards or more. Ryan came into the game tied with Halll of Famer Dan Fouts at 45 games.dddddddddddd Fouts played for the Chargers.Ryan began the day leading the NFL in yards passing (2,075) and passer rating (117.9), second in touchdown passes (15) and fifth in completion rate (68.1 percent).BENJAMINS BUDDY: Tyrell Williams proved again there is more than one big-play receiver in San Diegos offense. The teams leading receiver, Travis Benjamin, was active but did not start after being listed as questionable with a knee injury which forced him to miss practice early in the week.Benjamin had four catches for 54 yards while Williams led the team with seven catches for 140 yards.HOW BIG WAS THE WIN?: Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said the win was huge for the team.We havent won two games in a row in a long time, we havent had a road win in a long time, and weve lost a lot of games that have been close, Rivers said. A lot of games like this weve lost ... close games like this. Somebody has the ball late in the two-minute drive, weve lost those games the last two years. ... It will be nice to have a plane ride home with a win for a change.BOSA DANCES AGAIN: San Diego rookie Joey Bosa had two sacks -- his second two-sack game in his young career. The first-round pick from Ohio State also had two sacks in his Oct. 9 debut against Oakland.INJURIES: Chargers defensive tackle Caraun Reid was carted off with a left knee injury in the first quarter and did not return. Reid had a teammate fall on his leg on a Falcons completion to tight end Levine Toilolo.Tevin Coleman led Atlanta with 64 yards rushing, including a 30-yard touchdown run, before leaving with a hamstring injury. Quinn said he had no immediate update on the severity of the injury.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '