Page 2B
SPORTS
East Oregonian
Friday, October 20, 2017
NFL
Seahawks face a Giants team that has changed
By TOM CANAVAN
Associated Press
Week 7
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. —
Heading into their bye, the Seattle
Seahawks had a good idea about
the team they would be facing in a
couple of weeks.
The New York Giants were
winless. Their offense relied on Eli
Manning and the passing game,
and the defense was having a down
year after helping new coach Ben
McAdoo end a four-year post-
season drought.
The Seahawks (3-2) are going
to see a much different opponent
when they face the Giants (1-5) on
Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
New York obviously has a win
after stunning the Broncos 23-10
in Denver last Sunday night. The
pass-happy offense has become a
run-first group with coordinator
Mike Sullivan now calling the
plays, and Manning throwing
sparingly to young receivers who
have replaced the injured Odell
Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall
and Dwayne Harris.
Despite injuries and the suspen-
sion of veteran cornerback Domi-
nique Rodgers-Cromartie, Steve
Spagnuolo’s defense rediscovered
itself in Denver. Rodgers-Cromartie
is also back this week.
“We have players who aren’t
selfish,” McAdoo said. “Talented
men of integrity who want to win
football games, and I believe they
Seattle
Seahawks
(3-2)
New York
Giants
(1-5)
• Sunday,1:25 p.m. (TV: CBS)
• at MetLife Stadium
all see the best way for us to win
football games is to be physical
in all three phases, heavy-handed,
stop the run, run the ball, get timely
conversions and timely stops on
third down, and play good special
teams play.”
Seahawks cornerback Richard
Sherman isn’t ready to say the
Giants are now a run-first team,
even though they have rushed for
300 yards in the past two games.
“It’s the NFL; every week,
some teams are totally different in
their personnel and the way they
attack defenses, so they could go
from being a majority 12-personel
team (with two tight ends) against
Denver to all 11,” Sherman said.
The Giants’ passing game
might pick up this week if Sterling
Shepard returns after missing a
game with an ankle injury.
Seattle quarterback Russell
Wilson never had doubts about
the Giants’ defense, which blew
fourth-quarter leads against the
Buccaneers, Eagles and Chargers.
AP Photo/File
At left, in an Oct. 8, 2017, Seattle Seahawks quarterback (3) Russell
Wilson runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Los
Angeles Rams, Los Angeles. At right, in a Sept. 10, 2017, New York
Giants safety Landon Collins (21) lines up to defend against the
Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
“The reality is all their games
have been super close against some
tough teams, against some really
good players, too,” Wilson said.
“They have been right in pretty
much every game, and unfortu-
nately for them, they have lost a
couple tight ones. We know they
are going to be ready to roll and
they just came off a big win.”
Safety Landon Collins isn’t
ready to say the Giants’ defense is
back.
“Not yet. I mean we got to
showcase it again,” Collins said.
“Once we showcase it again, then
we can possibly say that, but not
yet. We got to just put it on film one
more time.”
Things to watch for this
weekend:
RUN GAME WOES: Seattle is
still struggling to find consistency
in the run game. It was held to 62
yards on 25 carries in the victory
over the Rams prior to the bye.
Thomas Rawls led Seattle with
20 yards rushing. Eddie Lacy was
mostly ineffective as well. Seattle
has been held under 100 yards
rushing three times.
TOP TARGET: With all the
injuries, rookie tight end Evan
Engram has emerged as Manning’s
top target. He had five of the
Giants’ 11 receptions last week for
82 yards and a touchdown. The
first-round draft pick has 24 catches
for 282 yards and two touchdowns,
second best on the team in all three
categories.
EXCELLENT EARL: Seattle
safety Earl Thomas continues to
show why he’s one of the best
safeties in football. He had seven
tackles, a pass breakup, an inter-
ception and a key forced fumble
near the goal line against Rams. His
chop on the arm of Todd Gurley as
the halfback reached the ball for
the pylon caused a touchback and
was critical in Seattle’s six-point
victory.
GIANTS’ O-LINE: After
weeks of searching, the Giants
seemingly have settled on an offen-
sive line. The key was moving Justin
Pugh from left guard to right tackle.
John Jerry moved from right guard
to left guard, and D.J. Fluker took
over at right guard. Ereck Flowers
has remained the left tackle and
Brett Jones has taken over at center
with Weston Richburg sidelined by
a concussion. Bobby Hart lost his
job at right tackle.
GOING EAST: Seattle has
shown no problems going to the
East Coast and playing at MetLife
Stadium. The Seahawks are 4-0 at
the stadium, including their Super
Bowl victory over Denver. They
have beaten the Giants twice —
36-25 in 2011 and 23-0 in 2013 —
and knocked off the Jets last year
27-17.
DODGERS: Ex-Mariner Taylor named NLCS Co-MVP NFL: Lynch ejected
Continued from 1B
“Every night it is a different
guy,” Turner said, “and this is
one of the most unbelievable
teams I’ve ever been a part of.”
Kershaw will be on the
mound again when the Dodgers
host the New York Yankees or
Houston Astros in Game 1 of
the World Series on Tuesday
night. The Yankees have a
3-2 lead heading into Game
6 of the ALCS at Houston on
Friday night, so one more New
York win would set up another
chapter in an old October
rivalry between the Yankees
and Dodgers.
Los Angeles made the play-
offs eight times in the previous
13 seasons and came up short
of its 22nd pennant each time,
often with Kershaw shoul-
dering much of the blame.
The three-time NL Cy Young
Award winner took the loss
when his team was eliminated
by the Cubs in Game 6 of last
year’s NLCS at Wrigley Field.
The ace left-hander was just
OK during his first two starts
in this year’s postseason, but
Los Angeles’ offense picked
him up each time. Backed by
Hernandez’s powerful show
in Chicago, Kershaw turned
in an efficient three-hit perfor-
mance with five strikeouts and
improved to 6-7 in the playoffs
— matching Burt Hooton’s
club record for postseason
wins.
“To get to be on the mound
tonight and get to be going to
the World Series on the same
night, it’s a special thing,”
Kershaw said. “Who knows
how many times I’m going to
get to go to the World Series? I
know more than anybody how
hard it is to get there. So, I’m
definitely not taking this one
for granted.”
When Kenley Jansen retired
Willson Contreras on a liner to
AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh
The Los Angeles Dodgers players celebrate after Game 5 of
baseball’s National League Championship Series against the
Chicago Cubs, Thursday in Chicago.
shortstop for the final out, the
party was on . The Dodgers
poured out of the dugout and
mobbed their dominant closer
near the mound, and a small
but vocal group of Los Angeles
fans gathered behind the
visitors’ dugout and chanted
“Let’s go Dodgers! Let’s go
Dodgers!”
On the field, manager Dave
Roberts hugged Lasorda and
told the iconic skipper the win
was for him.
“I bleed Dodger blue just
like you,” Roberts said. “Thank
you, Tommy.”
Hernandez connected on the
first two pitches he saw, belting
a solo drive in the second for
his first career playoff homer
and then a grand slam in the
third against Hector Rondon.
Hernandez added a two-run
shot in the ninth against Mike
Montgomery.
The 26-year-old Hernandez
became the fourth player with
a three-homer game in a league
championship series, joining
Bob Robertson (1971 NLCS),
George Brett (1978 ALCS) and
Adam Kennedy (2002 ALCS).
Hernandez’s seven RBIs tied
a postseason record shared by
four other players who all did
it in a Division Series.
Troy O’Leary was the
previous player to have seven
RBIs in a playoff game, for
Boston at Cleveland in the
1999 ALDS.
It was a stunning display for
a player with 28 career homers
who remains concerned about
his native Puerto Rico, which
is recovering from a devas-
tating hurricane. He delivered a
historic performance in front of
his father, Enrique Hernandez
Sr., who was diagnosed with
a blood cancer related to
leukemia in December 2015,
but got word last November
that he was in remission.
“For me to be able to come
here and do something like
this is pretty special,” said
Hernandez, who also goes by
Kiké. “My body’s here, but my
mind’s kind of back home. It’s
hard being away from home
with what’s going on.
“All I want to do right now
is go to my dad and give him a
big hug.”
Kris Bryant homered for
Chicago, but the NL Central
for shoving official
champions finished with just
four hits in another tough night
at the plate. Each of their eight
runs in the NLCS came via
the long ball, and they batted
just .156 for the series with 53
strikeouts.
Long playoff runs in each
of the last two years and a
grueling five-game Division
Series against Washington
seemed to sap Chicago of some
energy, and its pitching faltered
against sweet-swinging Los
Angeles. Jose Quintana was
pulled in the third inning of the
final game, and the Cubs never
recovered.
“They executed their plan,”
Bryant said. “They pitched
great and the bullpen was
lights out. That makes for a
tough time scoring runs.”
Turner and Taylor helped
put it away for Los Angeles,
contributing to a 16-hit outburst
while closing out a pair of
impressive performances.
Turner singled home Taylor
in the Dodgers’ five-run third,
giving him seven RBIs in
the series and 24 throughout
his postseason career. Taylor
finished with two hits and
scored two runs as the Dodgers,
who have won five straight NL
West titles, improved to 7-1 in
this postseason.
Taylor’s versatility helped
Los Angeles cover for the loss
of All-Star shortstop Corey
Seager, who missed the series
with a back injury, but is
expected to return in the next
round. Coming off a breakout
season, the 27-year-old Taylor
hit .316 with two homers and
scored five times against the
Cubs.
“I couldn’t be happier to be
a part of this and be with these
guys,” Taylor said. “It’s been
an unbelievable year, and I’m
just super excited.”
Continued from 1B
included Oakland running back Marshawn
Lynch getting ejected in the second quarter
for shoving an official.
HOT TEMPERS: The game took an odd
turn midway through the second quarter
after Kansas City’s Marcus Peters hit
Carr late, angering the Raiders. Offensive
linemen Kelechi Osemele and Donald Penn
confronted Peters and Lynch sprinted off
the Oakland sideline to join the fray. Lynch,
a close friend of Peters, ended up shoving
line judge Julian Mapp and getting ejected .
Peters also was called for a personal foul on
the play. Lynch congratulated his teammates
in the locker room after the game but didn’t
speak to reporters.
“I was disappointed he ran out because I
knew we had a 15-yard penalty and we’d be
in good shape,” Del Rio said.
LONG DRIVE: After Marquette King
pinned the Chiefs at their own 1 with a
perfect punt early in the second quarter,
Kansas City needed little time to turn the
momentum. Smith hit Demarcus Robinson
on a 33-yard pass on the first play of the
drive. After a short run, Tyreek Hill beat
David Amerson for a 64-yard touchdown
pass that gave the Chiefs their first 99-yard
drive since doing it Dec. 3, 2006, against
Cleveland.
DEEP CONNECTION: Carr had not
connected on a single deep ball to Amari
Cooper all season before the two teamed
twice for long TDs in the opening quarter.
On the first, Cooper appeared to push
Terrance Mitchell but the officials picked
up the flag and gave Cooper the 38-yard
TD . Later in the quarter Carr and Cooper
connected on a 45-yard score, making
Cooper the first Raiders receiver with two
TD catches in the first quarter since Mervyn
Fernandez in 1989.
KICKING WOES: The Raiders were
hurt last week when a bad snap by Jon
Condo led to a missed extra point by
Giorgio Tavecchio in a 17-16 loss to the
Chargers. That was Tavecchio’s first missed
kick of any kind this season but he then had
a 53-yarder blocked and missed a 45-yarder
wide left in the second quarter. Tavecchio
also had a false start on an extra point in the
third quarter.
SCOREBOARD
Local slate
PREP FOOTBALL
Friday
Redmond at Hermiston, 7 p.m.
Pendleton at Bend, 7 p.m.
Baker at Mac-Hi, 7 p.m.
Nyssa at Riverside, 7 p.m.
Irrigon at Umatilla, 7 p.m.
Heppner at Stanfield, 7 p.m.
Pilot Rock at Dufur, 7 p.m.
Echo at Cove, 7 p.m.
Arlington at Sherman, 7 p.m.
PREP VOLLEYBALL
Saturday
Condon/Wheeler vs. TBD (Big Sky District
tournament at The Dalles), 10 a.m.
Helix vs. Joseph (Old Oregon districts at
La Grande), 10:30 a.m.
Ione vs. TBD (Big Sky District tournament
at Sherman), Noon
Weston-McEwen at Pilot Rock (CBC
districts at Pilot Rock), Noon
Echo vs. TBD (Old Oregon League dis-
tricts at La Grande), TBD
PREP BOYS SOCCER
Saturday
Mac-Hi at Baker, 1:30 p.m.
Umatilla at Irrigon, 3 p.m.
Riverside at Nyssa, 3 p.m.
PREP GIRLS SOCCER
Saturday
Mac-Hi at Baker, Noon
Umatilla at Irrigon, 1 p.m.
Riverside at Nyssa, 1 p.m.
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL
Friday
Northwest at EOU, 7 p.m.
Saturday
BMCC at Grays Harbor Tournament, TBA
Evergreen at EOU, 5 p.m.
Sunday
BMCC at Grays Harbor Tournament, TBA
COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER
Friday
EOU at College of Idaho, Noon
Saturday
BMCC at Wenatchee Valley, 2:15 p.m.
Sunday
EOU at Rocky Mountain, Noon
COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER
Friday
EOU at College of Idaho, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday
BMCC at Wenatchee Valley, Noon
Sunday
EOU at Rocky Mountain, 2 p.m.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Saturday
EOU at Montana-Western, 1 p.m.
Baseball
MLB Postseason
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
(Best-of-7; x-if necessary)
American League
New York 3, Houston 2
Oct. 13: Houston 2, New York 1
Oct. 14: Houston 2, New York 1
Oct. 16: New York 8, Houston 1
Oct. 17: New York 6, Houston 4
Wednesday: New York 5, Houston 0
Friday: New York at Houston, 5:08 p.m.
(FS1)
x-Saturday, Oct. 21: New York at Houston,
5:08 p.m. (FS1)
National League
Los Angeles 4, Chicago 1
Oct. 14: Los Angeles 5, Chicago 2
Oct. 15: Los Angeles 4, Chicago 1
Oct. 16 Los Angeles 6, Chicago 1
Oct. 18: Chicago 3, Los Angeles 2
Thursday: Los Angeles 11, Chicago 1, LA
advances to World Series
Football
NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East
W L
T Pct PF
New England 4 2
0 .667 172
Buffalo
3 2
0 .600 89
Miami
3 2
0 .600 61
N.Y. Jets
3 3
0 .500 109
South
W L
T Pct PF
Jacksonville 3 3
0 .500 156
Houston
3 3
0 .500 177
Tennessee
2 3
0 .400 110
Indianapolis 2 3
0 .400 97
North
W L
T Pct PF
Pittsburgh
4 2
0 .667 118
PA
159
74
84
130
PA
110
147
142
159
PA
102
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Cleveland
West
3
2
0
3
3
6
0 .500 114 124
0 .400 84 83
0 .000 94 157
W L
T Pct PF PA
Kansas City 5 2
0 .714 207 161
Denver
3 2
0 .600 108 97
Oakland
3 4
0 .429 155 156
L.A. Chargers 2 4
0 .333 116 131
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East
W L
T Pct PF PA
Philadelphia 5 1
0 .833 165 122
Washington 3 2
0 .600 117 113
Dallas
2 3
0 .400 125 132
N.Y. Giants 1 5
0 .167 105 132
South
W L
T Pct PF PA
Carolina
4 2
0 .667 128 122
New Orleans 3 2
0 .600 145 116
Atlanta
3 2
0 .600 121 109
Tampa Bay 2 3
0 .400 118 121
North
W L
T Pct PF PA
Minnesota
4 2
0 .667 122 103
Green Bay
4 2
0 .667 147 135
Detroit
3 3
0 .500 161 149
Chicago
2 4
0 .333 105 148
West
W L
T Pct PF PA
L.A. Rams
4 2
0 .667 179 138
Seattle
3 2
0 .600 110 87
Arizona
3 3
0 .500 119 158
San Francisco 0 6
0 .000 113 146
———
Week 7
Thursday’s Game
Oakland 31, Kansas City 30
Sunday’s Games
Tampa Bay at Buffalo, 10 a.m.
New Orleans at Green Bay, 10 a.m.
Baltimore at Minnesota, 10 a.m.
Tennessee at Cleveland, 10 a.m.
N.Y. Jets at Miami, 10 a.m.
Jacksonville at Indianapolis, 10 a.m.
Arizona vs L.A. Rams at London, UK,
10 a.m.
Carolina at Chicago, 10 a.m.
Dallas at San Francisco, 1:05 p.m.
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh, 1:25 p.m.
Seattle at N.Y. Giants, 1:25 p.m.
Denver at L.A. Chargers, 1:25 p.m.
Atlanta at New England, 5:30 p.m.
Open: Detroit, Houston
Monday’s Game
Washington at Philadelphia, 5:30 p.m.
NCAA
Top 25 Schedule
Thursday
No. 25 Memphis at Houston, 5 p.m.
(ESPN)
Saturday
No. 1 Alabama vs. Tennessee, 12:30 p.m.
(CBS)
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 19 Michigan,
4:30 p.m. (ABC)
No. 4 TCU vs. Kansas, 5 p.m. (FOX)
No. 5 Wisconsin vs. Maryland, 9 a.m.
(FOX)
No. 8 Miami vs. Syracuse, 12:30 p.m.
(ESPN)
No. 9 Oklahoma at Kansas State, 1 p.m.
(FOX)
No. 10 Oklahoma State at Texas, 9 a.m.
(ABC)
No. 11 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame, 4:30
p.m. (NBC)
No. 14 Virginia Tech vs. North Carolina,
12:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 15 Washington State vs. Colorado,
7:45 p.m. (ESPN)
No. 16 So. Florida at Tulane, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
No. 18 Michigan State vs. Indiana, 12:30
p.m. (ABC)
No. 20 UCF at Navy, 12:30 p.m.
No. 21 Auburn at Arkansas, 4:30 p.m.
No. 23 West Virginia at Baylor, 5 p.m.
No. 24 LSU at Mississippi, 4:15 p.m.
Hockey
NHL
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
GP W
L OT
Tampa Bay 8 6
1
1
Toronto
7 6
1
0
Ottawa
7 3
1
3
Detroit
7 4
3
0
Boston
6 3
3
0
Florida
5 2
3
0
Buffalo
7 1
4
2
Montreal
7 1
5
1
Metropolitan Division
GP W
L OT
New Jersey 7 6
1
0
Columbus
7 5
2
0
Pittsburgh
7 4
2
1
Philadelphia 7 4
3
0
Carolina
5 3
1
1
N.Y. Islanders 7 3
3
1
Pts
13
12
9
8
6
4
4
3
GF
29
34
24
23
20
17
18
11
GA
23
22
18
21
21
20
28
27
Pts
12
10
9
8
7
7
GF
31
21
25
26
14
19
GA
21
15
29
17
12
21
Washington 7
N.Y. Rangers 8
3
1
3
5
1
2
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central Division
GP W
L OT
St. Louis
8 6
2
0
Chicago
8 4
2
2
Nashville
7 4
2
1
Dallas
7 4
3
0
Colorado
8 4
4
0
Winnipeg
6 3
3
0
Minnesota
4 1
1
2
Pacific Division
GP W
L OT
Los Angeles 6 5
0
1
Vegas
6 5
1
0
Calgary
7 4
3
0
Anaheim
6 2
3
1
Vancouver
6 2
3
1
San Jose
5 2
3
0
Edmonton
6 2
4
0
Arizona
7 0
6
1
7 23 24
4 20 30
Pts
12
10
9
8
8
6
4
GF
27
28
19
19
23
18
15
GA
21
20
17
18
21
23
16
Pts
11
10
8
5
5
4
4
1
GF
21
20
18
12
15
13
13
16
GA
10
15
19
17
20
16
20
30
NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for
overtime loss.
————
Thursday’s Games
Tampa Bay 2, Columbus 0
Boston 6, Vancouver 3
N.Y. Islanders 4, N.Y. Rangers 3, SO
Nashville 1, Philadelphia 0
New Jersey 5, Ottawa 4, OT
Edmonton 2, Chicago 1, OT
St. Louis 4, Colorado 3
Carolina 2, Calgary 1
Dallas 5, Arizona 4
Friday’s Games
Vancouver at Buffalo, 4 p.m.
San Jose at New Jersey, 4 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Florida, 4:30 p.m.
Washington at Detroit, 4:30 p.m.
Minnesota at Winnipeg, 5 p.m.
Montreal at Anaheim, 7 p.m.
Soccer
MLS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W L
Toronto FC
20 5
New York City FC 16 9
Chicago
16 10
Atlanta United FC 15 9
Columbus
16 12
New York
13 12
T
8
8
7
9
5
8
Pts
68
56
55
54
53
47
GF
72
54
61
68
51
51
GA
35
41
44
38
47
46
New England
Philadelphia
Montreal
Orlando City
D.C. United
12
10
11
10
9
15
14
16
14
19
6
9
6
9
5
42
39
39
39
32
50
44
50
38
30
59
46
55
52
58
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W L T
Vancouver
15 11 7
Seattle
13 9 11
Portland
14 11 8
Sporting K.C.
12 8 13
Houston
12 10 11
San Jose
12 14 7
FC Dallas
10 10 13
Real Salt Lake
12 15 6
Minnesota United 10 17 6
Colorado
9 18 6
Los Angeles
8 17 8
Pts
52
50
50
49
47
43
43
42
36
33
32
GF
49
49
58
39
54
36
43
47
45
31
44
GA
47
39
49
27
45
58
47
54
67
48
62
NOTE: Three points for victory, one point
for tie.
———
Sunday’s Games
Chicago at Houston, 1 p.m.
Colorado at Seattle, 1 p.m.
Columbus at New York City FC, 1 p.m.
Los Angeles at FC Dallas, 1 p.m.
Minnesota United at San Jose, 1 p.m.
New England at Montreal, 1 p.m.
New York at D.C. United, 1 p.m.
Orlando City at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Sporting Kansas City at Real Salt Lake,
1 p.m.
Toronto FC at Atlanta United FC, 1 p.m.
Vancouver at Portland, 1 p.m.
Basketball
NBA
Thursday’s Games
Toronto 117, Chicago 101
Oklahoma City 105, New York 84
L.A. Clippers 108, L.A. Lakers 92
Friday’s Games
Atlanta at Charlotte, 4 p.m.
Boston at Philadelphia, 4 p.m.
Cleveland at Milwaukee, 4 p.m.
Detroit at Washington, 4 p.m.
Portland at Indiana, 4 p.m.
Orlando at Brooklyn, 4:30 p.m.
Utah at Minnesota, 5 p.m.
Sacramento at Dallas, 5:30 p.m.
Golden State at New Orleans, 6:30 p.m.
L.A. Lakers at Phoenix, 7 p.m.