Gäste » which Smiths first pass was intercepted and returned for

MANCHESTER, England - The English Premier League season is approaching its halfway point and a number of storylines are beginning to take shape.Chelsea and Manchester City are unstoppable forces and will fight it out for the title. Manchester Uniteds resurgence, based on its glut of attacking riches, is offering a tantalizing glimpse of what to expect next season with its defence sorted out.And the fight for the final Champions League place could involve five or six teams and be the most thrilling in years.The second part of the festive fixture pileup takes place on Sunday, when squad strength is set to come into play as 18 of the leagues 20 teams play their second matches in the space of 48 hours.Chelsea holds a three-point lead over City heading into a tricky-looking away match at Southampton, which has recovered from a blip and is back in the top four. With City on a seven-match winning streak and at home to relegation-threatened Burnley, there is a chance of a twist in the title race.Third-place United is unbeaten in eight matches, winning seven of them, but faces a test of its new-found credentials in an away match at Tottenham — one of a slew of teams in the chasing pack in the hunt for European football next season.Elsewhere, West Ham meets Arsenal in a match pitting fifth vs. sixth respectively, while Liverpool hosts Swansea in another game between two teams in the top nine and in reach of the top four.Here are some things to know about the 19th round of games, which marks the mid-point of the campaign:___VINTAGE TERRYScoring goals at one end and keeping them out at the other, John Terry is a player reborn at Chelsea.Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho sees my John of 2004, 05, 06 in the recent displays of the former England captain, who has been a rock in the teams superb start to the season.Terry has scored goals in each of his last two games and helped Chelsea keep clean sheets in six of its last seven matches.Terry was Chelseas captain during Mourinhos first spell as manager at Stamford Bridge, helping the team to back-to-back Premier League titles in 2005 and 06.Key to Chelseas obduracy in defence is the form of holding midfielder Nemanja Matic, who has been one of the star players in the Premier League this season and a brilliant protector of the back four.Hes been a revelation for us, Terry said.___SOUTHAMPTON RECOVERYSouthampton was Chelseas nearest challenger only a month ago, before a defeat to Man City sparked a run of four league losses that burst the bubble at St. Marys Stadium.The south-coast side is back in form after successive wins against Everton and Crystal Palace, scoring three goals in both games, and could give Chelsea problems.For everybody, Chelsea are the biggest test, Southampton manager Ronald Koeman said. In my opinion, they are the best team in the Premier League until now, but we believe in ourselves and it will be a great game.Southampton has struggled against the top teams this season, though, losing to Liverpool, City, Arsenal and Man United.___ROONEY REVELLINGWayne Rooney has dropped back into central midfield as Man United manager Louis van Gaal looks to find a spot for all his attacking players — and the England captain is responding with some of his best form in years.Rooney scored twice in Fridays 3-1 win over Newcastle to take his team-high tally to nine goals for the season. He has scored eight times in his last eight games for club and country, and is keeping up his scoring form despite playing in midfield for United.Its a role that Ive played many times and I know I can play, said Rooney, who has played behind Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie for the last two games. The manager has given me even more license to get forward and get into the box from that role.Comparing himself to United great Paul Scholes, Rooney added: As Paul did many times over his career, he could see the ball when it was wide and see the space and run into it.___EVERTON STRUGGLINGIts been a tough season for the Merseyside clubs — but while Liverpool appears to be on the rise, nothing is going right for Everton.The blue half of Merseyside has lost four of its last six Premier League games to drop to 12th place in the standings. The team is 13 points behind where it was last season after 18 games, with its regression perhaps due to its involvement in the Europa League.Everton lost 1-0 at home to Stoke on Friday during which defender Phil Jagielka, American goalkeeper Tim Howard and winger Kevin Mirallas were injured and are all set to miss Sundays trip to Newcastle.It is a pivotal moment in the season for us, Everton manager Roberto Martinez said. Jake Ryan Jersey . The Los Angeles Clippers showed them just how ugly that life could be. Jared Dudley scored a season-high 21 points, Chris Paul added 16 points and 17 assists, and the Clippers jumped all over the Bulls in Roses absence for a 121-82 victory Sunday. Bryan Bulaga Jersey . Their 9-19 record remains identical to the crosstown rivals in Brooklyn and trails both Toronto and Boston in the Atlantic Division. Raymond Felton, their declining point guard, is back on the sideline nursing his third injury of the season. http://www.officialgreenbaypackersfootball.com/authentic-antonio-morrison-jersey-womens . The 18-year-old Januzaj has made his breakthrough at United this season, including scoring twice in a 2-1 win over Sunderland before the recent international break. His performances have sparked a debate about where his international future lies. Quinten Rollins Jersey .com) - The Vancouver Canucks hope an upcoming stretch of home games will be enough to get the club into the postseason. Kevin King Jersey . Price also posted the longest shutout sequence since 1960 at 164:19 minutes. He stopped a combined 55 shots in Canadas final two games and 70 of 71 shots in Canadas three elimination games, allowing only a breakaway goal to Lauris Darzins of Latvia. For his efforts, Price was named best goalkeeper by the tournament directorate. Prices outstanding play is marred only by the extremely strong defensive play of Canadas top six defencemen; Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester.(SportsNetwork.com) - At last, the New York Jets can be picked on someone sharing a similarly mediocre win-loss size. The Tennessee Titans will host the visiting Jets this weekend in the NFLs lone Week 15 battle of 2-11 teams, and, as unlikely as it may sound, matchups actually dictate that Rex Ryan and Co. could be in for a rare bout with success. New York is second in the league with an average per-week rate of 149.7 rushing yards, which presumably would mean prosperity against the Titans, whose average of 141.5 rush yards allowed is worst among the leagues 32 teams. That number rises to 173.0 when only counting Tennessees six home games, which goes a long way toward explaining the teams lowly 1-5 home record. Tennessee, in fact, has lost seven games in a row by an average of 15 points, which is the franchises longest drought since the Houston Oilers dropped 11 consecutive games in 1994. Last week, the Titans were brutalized, 36-7, by the Jets fellow northern New Jersey swamp-dwellers, the New York Giants. The Giants racked up 402 total yards to Tennessees 207, and the Titans converted two of 13 third downs, to the predictable post-game chagrin of their players and coaches. Its disappointing, tight end Delanie Walker said. Weve only won two games, and were still playing the same way. We always say were going to change, and nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. The arrival of the Jets will also signal the return of former starting quarterback Jake Locker, whos all but guaranteed that role this weekend thanks to the doubtful status of recent incumbent Zach Mettenberger - who re- dinged a sprained shoulder when he was sacked for a fifth time last week. Mettenberger had an 86.7 passer rating in six starts, and while Tennessee coach Ken Whisenhunt insisted he wouldnt rule the youngster out until I know for sure he cant go, he did assess the scenario for Locker, whose 71.1 passer rating is better than just one NFL starter - New Yorks Geno Smith. Locker was 9-of-11 for 81 yards and an interception as a reliever against the Giants. Its an opportunity to play. Jake wants that, Whisenhunt said. (He just needs to) prepare the best he can and do the best job he can. I think thats the way hell look at it. Hes a good pro. Hes been in a tough situation, coming in like that. He did some good things (Sunday). He moved around in the pocket well, ran with the ball a couple of times. On the one interception, he was trying to make a play at the end of the game. Meanwhile, the Jets have lost nine straight games in which the aforementioned Smith has started, including a 30-24 overtime decision last week in Minnesota, in which Smiths first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. He finished with 18 completions in 29 attempts for 254 yards. In his second year as a pro, his touchdown-to-interception ratio of 0.67 remains second-worst in the NFL, but that didnt stop him this week from telling New Yorks Newsday publication that hed shown flashes of being a Pro Bowl quarterbackk.dddddddddddd I feel like I have the tools and I have what it takes to be that, but, obviously, it takes some consistency and Ive been very inconsistent in my two years here. With that being said, Ill be more of the guy you see doing well than the guy who struggles at times. It may not help his cause this week that his favorite new target - in-season trade acquisition Percy Harvin - is doubtful with an ankle injury suffered against the Vikings. On the other side, defensive tackle Muhammad Wilkerson is questionable after he missed last weeks game with a toe injury. Among the Jets who do figure to play, the game marks a return to old stomping grounds for running back Chris Johnson, who signed with New York as a free agent after spending his first six NFL years with the Titans. He ran for 7,965 yards, including 2,006 in 2009, and 50 touchdowns with Tennessee, placing him third in franchise history in both categories. In 13 games with New York, hes run for 558 yards and is averaging 4.5 yards per rush. Going to the visitors locking room, its going to be kind of weird, he said. Its definitely harder than what I expected, but its a situation where a lot of times stuff is out of your hands that you cant control, so I just try to take advantage of every opportunity I get. Johnsons lone 100-yard game of the season came in Week 13 against Miami, when he went for 105 on 17 carries. Last week against Minnesota, he had 16 carries for 53 yards. If you give him an opportunity to hit the home run, he can do it, Tennessee defensive back Michael Griffin said. We have our work cut out for us. Hes going to be geared up and ready to play and looking to prove to us and the organization it was mistake to let him go. WHAT TO WATCH FOR A Day in McCourty Take Smiths lingering tendency to throw the ball to the wrong team and add in the fact that hell probably be without his favorite receiving option - Harvin - and it could spell trouble. Tennessee cornerback Jason McCourty has three interceptions, two forced fumbles and 10 pass deflections through 13 games, often while blanketing the opposing teams best receiver. Return to Glory? Conversely, the presumed return of Locker to the Titans starting quarterback position gives the fourth-year pro - a No. 8 overall draft selection in 2011 - a chance to be the latest passer to victimize the Jets faulty secondary. New York has allowed 29 passing touchdowns in 14 games (second-worst in the league) and is 29th in the league when it comes to interceptions. OVERALL ANALYSIS The Jets havent gotten to 2-11 without finding ways to lose games that they presumably ought to win. And while they may have indeed found their counterpart in mediocrity against the Titans, the reality remains that theyre a road team with a 0-6 record on the road. Though it would hardly be a surprise to see them piece together a victory, instead expect a battle of field goals that goes late to the home side. 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