Hilfestellungen » Serra. However, French veteran Thomas Voeckle

SEATTLE -- Somewhere between the disappointment of losing in Carolina and the start of training camp, the Seattle Seahawks rediscovered themselves and what they hope will become their place back atop the NFC.This wasnt based around team building exercises or group gatherings as in the past. Starting individually and growing into a collective, the Seahawks believe the edge that made them the best team in the NFC for two straight seasons -- only to dip a year ago -- has returned.The maturation of our team, we know how to play and we know how to win, Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson said.Throughout training camp the discussion around the Seahawks has centered on a return to the feeling heading into the 2013 season. That year, the Seahawks were coming off an NFC divisional playoff loss to Atlanta when a late comeback was thwarted, but only after a late-season run that put Seattle into the playoffs.And it was followed in 2013 by the first Super Bowl title in franchise history.That scenario played out in similar fashion last year: a late run to get into the postseason, a wild-card round road victory and a disappointing loss in the divisional round.So, Super Bowl?You can see the energy difference from last year, cornerback Richard Sherman said. You can see the guys moving different, theres more chemistry, theres more unity, theres more continuity as you say it. Our guys are just ready.Heres what to watch this season with the Seahawks:UP FRONT: Once again the offensive line is in the spotlight to begin the season. The Seahawks seem stable on the interior with Justin Britt moving to center, rookie Germain Ifedi at right guard and Mark Glowinski at left guard. Its on the edges where theres uncertainty. Bradley Sowell appears locked in at left tackle, and either JMarcus Webb or Garry Gilliam will start at right tackle. Its not an ideal situation, but if the preseason is an indication the Seahawks should be better off than the start of last season, when the line was at the root of their offensive problems.GROWTH POTENTIAL: Can Wilson match what he did the latter half of last season when he tore up the NFL at a record pace? The better question might be whether Seattle goes back to more of a power run game or uses the quick passing that led to Wilsons rise the end of last season. The answer is likely somewhere in the middle. Seattle always wants to be a run-first offense, but knows ways to be successful in the passing game without putting Wilson at undue risk of getting hit.STAYING ON TOP: For each of the past four seasons no defense in the NFL has been tougher to score on than Seattles. Its a run not seen in the NFL since the Cleveland Browns of the 1950s. If the Seahawks are to stay on top theyll need a pass-rush replacement for departed linebacker Bruce Irvin, and hope they can be better in the back end than a season ago. Seattle never fully overcame safety Kam Chancellors 2015 holdout, but with everyone healthy and in camp from the start, the Seahawks believe they can remain the standard for the league.You know whos around you and where theyre going to be and you trust them, Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. The more years you play with them, the more years you trust them, and its exciting. I think were fortunate.BEAST MODE 2.0: No one is going to adequately replace Marshawn Lynch. The style and attitude he brought the Seahawks was unique and separate from the way he ran. But Seattle can replace his production on the field. Thomas Rawls is back from the broken ankle that ended his strong 2015 early. Christine Michael continues to show maturation and promise as a legitimate NFL running back after three seasons of underachievement. Couple those two with rookies C.J. Prosise and Alex Collins and Seattle has plenty of options to remain a run-first team.PAY THE MAN: Michael Bennett has made it known for more than a year he would like a reworked contract that pays him on par with comparable defensive linemen. Despite being unhappy with his deal, Bennett hasnt pouted when it comes to the field, remaining a disruptive presence lined up at both end and tackle. Another strong season will likely lead to a financial reward for Bennett.---AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFLWholesale Nike Shoes . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Cheap Nike Shoes From China . The native of Mont-Tremblant, Que., captured a World Cup downhill event Saturday, his second this year and fifth career victory on the circuit. https://www.wholesalenikeshoesauthentic.com/ . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off. Cheap Nike Shoes . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Cheap Nike Shoes For Sale . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week.University graduate Jan Bakelants pulled away close to the finish line to win Sundays second stage of the Tour de France and take the race leaders yellow jersey for the first time in his injury-plagued career. The 27-year-old Belgian made his move with a few hundred meters remaining and the RadioShack rider did enough to withstand a late charge from Slovak sprinter Peter Sagan for the biggest achievement of a frustrating career that only saw him turn professional at the age of 23. "Its difficult to believe what happened today, its fantastic," said Bakelants, who had a knee operation earlier this year. "Today it may be the first and last time I ever wear the yellow jersey." He won in three hours 43 minutes 11 seconds, with Sagan and third-place finisher Michal Kwiatkowski one second behind him. In the overall standings, Bakelants is one second ahead of veteran British rider David Millar. Victorias Ryder Hesjedal finished in 40th a day after crashing in the opening stage. The 156-kilometre trek started from Bastia and, after four moderate climbs, finished in Ajaccio where French emperor and military mastermind Napoleon Bonaparte was born in 1769. With the finish in sight, Bakelants found himself with five other riders and instinct told him that he may never get a better chance to make a name for himself. "I felt the others werent going at 100 per cent so I stayed back, but then I saw the peloton were closing in on me," he said. "With 500 metres to go I had a look and I saw that I was still 100 metres clear of the peloton. I gave everything I had and I made it by one second. But that doesnt matter, I have the yellow jersey." It has been a difficult career for Bakelants so far. "I had a lot of bad luck. Ive had two operations. I fell at the Tour of Lombardy in 2010, I fractured my right knee and left elbow. You know, things like that take time to heal," he said. "This year I had bad luck as well, an operation on my right leg. I worked very hard to come back." Prior to Sunday, his proudest achievement was off the bike -- namely a bachelors degree in bioscience engineering from the university of Leuven in Belgium. "I think theres more in life than just cycling," he said. "But at the moment cyclings in first place." German sprinter Marcel Kittel started the day in the lead after winning Saturdays crash-marred first stage, but the rolling hills took their toll and he finished nearly 18 minutes behind in 169th spot. "Itss a difficult stage and Im a sprinter, thats why I suffer," said Kettel, who retained the sprinters green jersey.dddddddddddd "I had goose bumps when I went up the hill. So many people were screaming my name. But we were expecting to lose it (the yellow jersey)." The days last climb up Cote du Salario was much shorter than the other ones but far steeper. By the time the pack reached the foot of it, Kittel and British sprinter Cavendish were among a small band of strugglers drifting further and further away. Spaniard Juan Antonio Flecha and Cyrille Gautier attacked up the final ascent, and Tour favourite Chris Froome then launched a surprise attack to go after Gautier when the Frenchman pulled away. But Froomes attack fizzled out and the main pack swallowed him up. "I thought it might be a good time, just to push on a little bit," Froome said. "Its always good to keep people on their toes." Although he did not lose any time to his rivals, two-time former champion Alberto Contador felt the after-effects of his crash on Saturday, when his left shoulder was grazed. "There is pain in your whole body," the Spaniard said. "Im hoping to be better tomorrow." The day after more than a dozen riders crashed, a small white dog ran out into the road some 4 kilometres and a potentially dangerous situation was narrowly avoided by a matter of seconds. A bystander started to run after the dog and then changed his mind, and the dog just managed to reach the other side of the road before the marauding pack passed through. Cavendish was in trouble all day, struggling to keep up as his teammates tried to drag him up the second climb up Col de la Serra. However, French veteran Thomas Voeckler had a lot in reserve and chased the four early frontrunners. Lars Boom and Ruben Perez Moreno were soon caught up, leaving just Canadian David Veilleux and Blel Kadri at the front. Voecklers attack reeled in Veilleux, who hails from Cap-Rouge, Que., but then fizzled out quickly, leaving Kadri alone in the lead. Veilleux finished in 116th. Chasing his third career Tour stage win, French rider Pierre Rolland attacked on the third climb -- the days most difficult, a sinewy category 2 ascent up the Col de Vizzavona. But the pack accelerated and chased him down. Svein Tuft of Langley, B.C., is in 182nd. Mondays third stage is the last of the Corsican trio and is again hilly, with four moderate climbs dotted along the 145.5-kilometre route from Ajaccio to Calvi. ' ' '