Die Anpflanzler [DA] » ghed up the road weary

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Vince Wilfork advised and encouraged teammates on the sideline during last years playoffs.Not exactly where the five-time Pro Bowler wanted to be, but a torn right Achilles tendon kept him from clogging the middle for the New England Patriots.The defensive tackle is back doing that this season, ready for the post-season after playing in all 16 games for the AFCs top-seeded team.I worked my tail off just to get back and play football like I know how to play, and I never take anything for granted, Wilfork said. Its fun to come to work with the group of guys that I have in this locker room.He missed just six games in his first nine seasons and often occupied two blockers, opening space for teammates to stop ball carriers. But he played in only four last season.As a rookie in 2004, he played every game and was part of a team that won the Patriots third NFL championship in four years. But since, theyve lost the two Super Bowls theyve reached.They might have reached a third if Wilfork had been healthy for the Patriots 26-16 loss to the Denver Broncos in last years AFC championship game. He still tried to contribute while watching.When I was coming off the field he would say, all right, theyre doing this and you go back out there and do this, said defensive tackle Sealver Siliga, a midseason pickup last year and a backup this season.Of course, Wilfork would much rather be on the field tackling runners.Thats where hell be Jan. 10 when the Patriots host Indianapolis, Cincinnati or Baltimore in an AFC divisional playoff game.Every season means a lot to me, Wilfork said. The passion I have for the game, it means a lot just being where I came from, especially last year.His presence was critical this season in victories against two of the worst teams when he made plays rare for defensive tackles.With just over five minutes left in a 17-16 win over the New York Jets, Wilfork tipped a 52-yard field goal attempt by Nick Folk in the 15th game of the season.And in a 16-9 victory in the third game, Oakland had the ball at the Patriots 12 with 59 seconds left. Thats when Wilfork intercepted Derek Carrs pass.That led safety Devin McCourty, who worked out with him in the off-season, to dub him Air Wilfork.Wilfork, a remarkable athlete for a 325-pounder, had a more simple label.I just look at it as capitalizing on opportunities, he said. Throughout the course of the season, youre going to have a couple of opportunities where you can make a game-changing play and Ive been able to make a couple of them in my career.Cornerback Brandon Browner also is returning to the playoffs after being suspended for them last season when his Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl.Does that make his return sweeter?Ive talked about the Super Bowl all off-season, Browner said. Thats been my goal. I want it bad. I dont know if its sweeter, but I want it bad because I didnt get to play in it.Darrelle Revis, the other free agent cornerback signed by the Patriots before the season, was in the playoffs just twice in his previous seven seasons and none in the last three.You talk to guys who have playoff experience and guys who never, whove played 12-13 years and have never even touched the playoffs, he said. Its great.Revis also came back from a serious injury. He missed most of the 2012 season with the Jets with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and wasnt at full strength in 2013 with Tampa Bay, which missed the playoffs. But this year he was chosen for the Pro Bowl.Theres a lot of appreciation just for (Wilfork) to get back to playing at a high level, Revis said. Hes been one of the top players in the league at his position.Revis and Browner are two big reasons for the Patriots defensive improvement this season. Wilfork is a third.Hes held up well this year, coach Bill Belichick said. Hes a powerful guy. Hes very smart and instinctive. Its hard to fool him on those type of plays, screens or traps or misdirection plays, those kind of things. Hes a hard guy to block.In this years playoffs, thats what offensive linemen must face.He didnt sulk last year when he was injured. He did what he could to help make us a better defensive line by giving advice, Siliga said. Now hes back, and Im excited to go into the post-season with him.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Ryquell Armstead Jersey .Y. -- Mark Steenhuis scored four goals and added two assists to lead the Buffalo Bandits over the Toronto Rock 12-10 in National Lacrosse League action on Saturday. Josh Allen Jersey . Sami Salo scored two goals as the Canucks overcame a hat-trick from Edmonton Oiler rookie sensation Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to win 4-3 in NHL action Saturday. http://www.cheapjaguarsjerseysauthentic.com/ . Sources tell TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger that the team is quietly gauging interest on the Senators captain, though Spezza has a limited no-trade clause and carries a large contract. Cheap Jacksonville Jaguars Jerseys . Got Jacks? Pulling off a comeback for the ages, feisty Stephen F. Austin became the latest No. 12 seed to pull off an upset, tying the game on Desmond Haymons did-that-just-happen four-point play with 3. Josh Oliver Jersey . The 30-year-old Kottaras served as Kansas Citys backup catcher last season after being claimed off waivers from Oakland in January. NEW YORK -- Throughout an up-and-down month, the Los Angeles Angels have been pretty consistent in one area: hitting home runs. Albert Pujols had one of Los Angeles four long balls, C.J. Wilson kept New York in check again and the Angels roughed up the road weary Yankees 13-1 Friday night. "The offensive part of our club is doing what it needs to do," manager Mike Scioscia said. "Hopefully well start to match it on the mound, particularly in the bullpen." Pujols hit homer No. 501 and Ian Stewart had a two-run shot off Hiroki Kuroda (2-2) for the majors top slugging squad. Erick Aybar connected for a three-run drive and Collin Cowgill went deep against Bruce Billings, one of the pitchers called up when Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games after being caught with pine tar on his neck Wednesday night. Even with Josh Hamilton and Kole Calhoun on the disabled list, the Angels set a club record for March and April with 35 home runs, and Pujols has a majors-leading nine. But Los Angeles, which wasted a ninth-inning lead Wednesday in a 5-4 loss, is just 11-11 and has not been above .500 yet this season. "It was a fun game for us after the off day and after the way the last game went," Wilson said. "Were hitting balls all over the place." Wilson (3-2) played catch on a softball field in Central Park wearing his red glove, unnoticed by any New Yorkers. It was hard not to notice his dominant performance in a difficult wind Friday. He gave up a run and four hits in six innings, the seventh time in eight starts hes held New York to two or fewer earned runs. Hank Conger had a pair of RBI doubles and a run-scoring single, Aybar reached base all five times -- once when Carlos Beltran dropped his flyball to right field -- and scored four runs. Howie Kendrick had three of the Angels 16 hits and scored three runs in a game that ended in front of a near-empty stadium. The Yankees returned home at 3 a.m. Friday from an eventful 4-3 road trip in which they lost starters Ivan Nova to a season-ending elbow injury and Pineda for two starts. They came out flat against the only AL team with a winning record against them since 2000. The Angels improved to 66-59 against New York since tthe turn of the century, but have won just 5 of the last 12.dddddddddddd In the lineup because of his success against Kuroda and third baseman David Freeses struggles, Stewart singled in the second and hit a two-run shot in the third. He went 2 for 3 against the Yankees starter and is 8 for 16 against the righty. On a chilly night, New York managed just two hits off Wilson until the sixth, when Alfonso Soriano had a sacrifice fly after Derek Jeter singled for his 3,336th hit and Beltran doubled. "Hes got pretty good stuff," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Hes got good stuff and commands the baseball with a lot of movement." The Angels sprayed hits through the Yankees varied shifts, scoring three in the second. Conger doubled in a run with a liner that hit the right field wall with a loud thud, Cowgill drove in another with a sacrifice bunt to first base and J.B. Shuck had an RBI groundout. Stewart connected in the third with two outs. After his only 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, Kuroda gave up a long homer to Pujols to start the fifth. An out after Kendrick doubled, Aybar sent a fly to deep right that hit off Beltrans glove for an error, chasing Kuroda. "Im feeling good," Pujols said. "It feels good to feel healthy." Billings relieved and gave up an RBI double to Conger for an 8-0 lead. Aybar and Cowgill hit long balls off Billings in the seventh. Kuroda had his worst outing of the season, allowing 10 hits and six earned runs. "The sinker wasnt good, as well as my slider and I got behind in the count and got hit," Kuroda said through a translator. Scioscia said before the game Ernesto Frieri would be removed the closer role while he works on spotting his pitches. The right-hander worked a 1-2-3 eighth, when the score was 12-1. "Velocity is there," Frieri said. "I just need to make my pitches." NOTES: Girardi said David Phelps would start in Pinedas place on Wednesday. ... Yankees backup SS Brendan Ryan (back) is scheduled to play in a rehab game for Class-A Tampa on Sunday. ... Pujols nine homers in April ties an Angels record set by Brian Downing in 1986. ... Mike Trout went 0 for 4, snapping a 13-game hitting streak against the Yankees. 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