Pirate Galaxy » Fitzpatrick as a bridge quarterback,

PHILADELPHIA -- Josh Huff returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, Carson Wentz outplayed Sam Bradford and the Philadelphia Eagles beat Minnesota 21-10 on Sunday, handing the Vikings their first loss of the season.The Eagles (4-2) snapped a two-game losing streak while the rested Vikings (5-1) hardly looked like an unbeaten team after having a bye.I thought we played embarrassing in two phases, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said. Im very disappointed in the performance.Bradford returned to Philadelphia for the first time since his trade to Minnesota eight days before the season opener paved the way for Wentz to start. Bradford was 7-7 in his only season with the Eagles and won his first four starts for the Vikings.But the Eagles pressured and harassed their former quarterback all game, sacked him six times, and forced his first three turnovers this season.I thought he missed some throws that he normally makes, but he got hit a lot, Zimmer said. Its probably hard to evaluate his performance when (the line) looks like a sieve.Wentz also struggled early, tossing two interceptions. But he recovered to lead the Eagles on a couple of scoring drives, including a 5-yard TD pass to Dorial Green-Beckham in the third quarter for an 18-3 lead.Thats a great defense we played, Wentz said. I have to be smarter with the football. We found a way to win. Thats huge for us.Both teams had a sloppy start.After combining for only three turnovers in 10 games, the teams traded giveaways on five consecutive series in the first quarter and totaled eight turnovers. The Vikings started two straight drives inside the red zone, but squandered both chances.Blair Walsh hit a 48-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead before Huff broke loose for his second career touchdown return. Huff sprinted up the right side, ran through Walshs attempted arm tackle at the 40, raced untouched to the end zone and capped it with a somersault. Wentz ran in from the 1 for the 2-point conversion to give the Eagles an 8-3 lead.QUOTABLEVikings: T Jeremiah Sirles: If Sam doesnt feel comfortable back there, its our fault. Its not one guys fault. Its five guys fault.Eagles: Huff said: Hes a kicker. I couldnt let a kicker tackle me or Id be mad at myself.FANTASY STATSVikings: Bradford was 24-41, 224 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT. Matt Asiata had 55 yards rushing. Cordarrelle Patterson had seven catches for 67 yards and a TD.Eagles: Wentz was 16-28, 138 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs. Ryan Mathews had 56 yards rushing. Huff caught four passes for 39 yards.MISSED OPPORTUNITIESThe Vikings had the ball at the Eagles 2 after Andrew Sendejo intercepted Wentzs pass and returned it 16 yards. But Bradford tossed his first pick when Rodney McLeod caught a lofted pass in the end zone.The Eagles gave it right back when Darren Sproles fumbled Wentzs handoff. But on the first play from the Philadelphia 17, Connor Barwin stripped Bradford and Malcolm Jenkins recovered. Jenkins returned it 76 yards for a score, but he was ruled down by contact after a video review.Wentz threw another interception on the next series, a diving play by Xavier Rhodes. But Minnesotas offense didnt do anything again.Down 18-3, the Vikings couldnt get a yard on third and fourth down from the Eagles 6 early in the fourth quarter.GOING FOR ITDoug Pederson took a point off the board after a roughing penalty on the Vikings against Caleb Sturgis and went for the 2-point conversion. Wentz ran it in up the middle on a draw.Pederson went for fourth-and-2 from the Vikings 44 with 1:21 left in the first half. Wentz gained 6 yards on a keeper and the drive ended with Sturgis making a 35-yard field goal for an 11-3 lead.For me, it was an easy situation and I had trust in our guys, Pederson said about the risky calls.INJURIESEagles: CB Ron Brooks was carted off the field after injuring his right ankle trying to make a tackle in the first quarter. Brooks was immediately ruled out and the injury appeared serious. ... LT Jason Peters didnt finish the game after injuring his biceps. ... LB Kamu Grugier-Hill came out with a hamstring injury.Vikings: Sendejo didnt return after injuring his ankle in the first quarter.FRANCHISE FIRSTThe Eagles have returned kickoffs for touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time in team history. Wendell Smallwood returned one 86 yards for a TD in last weeks 27-20 loss at Washington. Huff had a 107-yard TD return as a rookie in 2014.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP-RobMaaddi Wholesale China Jerseys . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. Cheap Jerseys Online . Marincin has played in two NHL games so far this season with two penalty minutes. The 21-year-old has three goals, four assists and a plus-5 rating in 24 games with the American Hockey Leagues Oklahoma City Barons this season. http://www.wholesalestitchedchinajerseys.com/ . LOUIS -- Lance Lynn was one of the more enthusiastic participants as the St. Jerseys Authentic Cheap NFL . 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. Chinese Jerseys Factory . The 20-year-old Pelicans big man glanced up and smiled widely at the well-wishers -- a fitting end to a day he wont soon forget. Davis responded to his selection earlier in the day as a Western Conference All-Star with 26 points and 10 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 98-91 on Friday night. The New York Jets and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick ended their five-month contract dispute Wednesday. The two sides finalized a one-year, $12 million contract on the eve of the teams first training camp practice, sources told ESPN.Another $3 million in incentives are included in the deal, which could boost the value to $15 million, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.The Jets increased their offer Wednesday from $9 million to $12 million, a source said, and gave Fitzpatrick until 7 p.m. ET to take the deal or the team would be moving on.The 11th-hour agreement culminated one of the strangest chapters in team history -- a long stalemate that dominated the Jets offseason.The Jets wanted Fitzpatrick and he wanted them, yet he refused to sign the offer that sat on the table for months -- three years, $24 million, including a total guarantee of $16 million.It definitely was a long process, Fitzpatrick said Thursday. After coming to the realization that it wasnt going to get done right away and that it was going to take some time, I tried my best to put it out of my mind and tried to live life normally. But it was hard with people coming up to me and asking about the contract, people texting me. It was hovering ... looming over my head for five, six months. In the end, Im happy the way it turned out.To make the Fitzpatrick signing official, the Jets will have to create room under the salary cap. They have only $9.1 million in cap space, according to NFL Players Association records.The situation got weird Wednesday, when players said they were instructed by team brass not to discuss Fitzpatrick with the media.After sitting out the offseason, Fitzpatrick is way behind, but he is expected to be the opening day quarterback. Jets coach Todd Bowles maintained throughout the stalemate that Fitzpatrick, who set a franchise record with 31 touchdown passes last season, would be the starter if he re-signed.Geno Smith, who was replaced by Fitzpatrick last preseason after having his jaw broken by a teammates sucker punch in the locker room, returns to his No. 2 role. Rookie Christian Hackenberg and second-year quarterback Bryce Petty will compete for the No. 3 job, although its possible the Jets will keep all four quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.Fitzpatrick had no other offers during free agency, yet the Jets were reluctant to hand the No. 1 job to Smith, the nomminal starter in the offseason.dddddddddddd The result was a staring contest, with each side waiting for the other to blink.Knowing his comfort level with the coaches, the players and the city, the organization was quietly confident it would re-sign Fitzpatrick, 33, a career journeyman who last season led the Jets to their best offensive season since 1998. He became a popular leader in the locker room, fueling a pro-Fitzpatrick sentiment throughout the impasse.Several players, namely wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, were outspoken in their support for Fitzpatrick, perhaps putting pressure on the organization to complete a deal. Team officials were transparent, saying from the outset they wanted him back.Marshall took to Twitter to congratulate Fitzpatrick, posting a photo presumably shot after the quarterbacks deal was agreed to Wednesday.Fitzpatrick was stung by the teams contract proposal, telling friends he would never accept a deal that included a total of $12 million in the second and third years -- essentially backup money. The offer included up to $12 million in incentives, but he didnt bite. He made $3.25 million last season.He didnt renew the lease for the New Jersey home he rented last season, fueling speculation about his future. He also stopped returning texts from teammates, according to Marshall, who said he was starting to worry.As much as they appreciate his 2015 performance, the Jets view Fitzpatrick as a bridge quarterback, a caretaker until Hackenberg or Petty is ready to take over. That led to a sharp difference of opinion at the bargaining table. Fitzpatrick initially sought $15 million per year, as he tried to piggyback on the Sam Bradford and Brock Osweiler deals with the Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans, respectively.The Jets flirted with free-agent quarterbacks?Robert Griffin III?and Brian Hoyer, but talks never reached the serious stage.Fitzpatrick, playing for his sixth team, arrived last year in a trade with the Texans. His career record as a starter is 43-61-1 in 11 seasons with no playoff appearances. He was on the verge of breaking the postseason slump last year, but he tainted his storybook season by throwing three interceptions in a season-ending loss to the Buffalo Bills. ' ' '