it at 3 in the fifth. The game featured three challenged

When every team had reached the halfway mark of its 2014 season, one name stood out in the race for The Associated Press NFL awards: Arizona coach Bruce Arians.The other seven honours, including the new assistant coach award, should provide a mad scramble heading toward January.Measuring performance through the first eight games can be a valuable tool in predicting which teams and individuals will be busy in January.Still, things often change as the weather gets colder, the schedule gets shorter and the pressure ramps up.Some would argue, though, that Arians deserves top coaching honours regardless of how his Cardinals fare the rest of the way. They have the NFLs best mark through eight games despite a bunch of injuries and living in the rugged NFC West.How are the Cardinals 7-1 after missing their starting QB for three games and, at one point in the season, being down six of last years starters in the front seven? asks Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback and one of 50 panel members who vote for the awards in January. The first reason is good coaching. Arians hasnt let his team make any excuses and has taken control of the formidable NFC West at midseason.Of the half-dozen AP voters asked in an informal survey, all six selected Arians as Coach of the Year so far.As for the APs newest award, for assistant coaches, Arians defensive co-ordinator, Todd Bowles, received lots of support.Bowles is winning, somehow, without Daryl Washington, Karlos Dansby, John Abraham and Darnell Dockett, not to mention lesser injuries this season for Calais Campbell and others, says Don Banks of SI.com.USA Todays Jim Corbett favoured Dallas defensive co-ordinator Rod Marinelli, whose unit has played far better than many thought it was capable of doing.Another intriguing race is shaping for Comeback Player of the Year. Eagles receiver Jeremy Maclin, Cowboys linebacker Roland McClain, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston, Texans running back Arian Foster and Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer got mentions.Most of them are coming off injury-shortened seasons, while McClain flopped in Oakland and walked away from the game twice in Baltimore.His plan to take a one-year deal with the Eagles instead of trying to hit it big on the market will pay off this coming off-season, Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports says of Maclin.Just as with Coach of the Year consideration, the top defensive player award appears to have been a runaway through the halfway point of the schedule. While Houston and Denver LB Von Miller have stood out, too, Texans DE J.J. Watt has soared highest.Its incredible to think a player as consistently dominant as him can be a part of a team thats lost 17 of its last 23 games, Garafolo notes.The NFLs most disruptive defender does it all, adds Banks. He has the sacks, the touchdowns (three, one each via interception, fumble return and reception), the fumble recoveries, the passes defenced and the tackles for loss to make this race no contest in 2014.There figures to be a 16-game contest for Offensive Player of the Year, which quite often is earned because of statistical performance. That could give Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray the nod over the likes of quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck and Tom Brady, and receivers Antonio Brown and Bears RB Matt Forte.The Cowboys running backs streak of eight consecutive 100-yard games ended on Sunday, Vrentas says, but with 1,133 rushing yards so far this season, Murray alone has amassed more yards on the ground than 28 NFL teams.More than 28 teams — try 32 — have had rookies making an impact already. Thats the pattern of the NFL nowadays thanks to the salary cap and the way the passing game has become dominant.So the top two rookie awards are, well, very much up in the air.Not surprisingly, Bob Glauber of Newsday favours a receiver and a cornerback. Glauber pinpoints for Offensive Rookie of the Year Panthers wideout Kelvin Benjamin, who already has 40 catches for 589 yards and five TDs. His choice for Defensive Rookie of the Year is Chicago CB Kyle Fuller, already a starter with three interceptions.Others to consider halfway through the schedule on offence include Bills WR Sammy Watkins, Saints WR Brandin Cooks, Eagles WR Jordan Matthews, Cowboys guard Zach Martin, Packers centre Corey Linsley and Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon.Other defensive contenders range from Ravens linebacker C.J. Mosley to Rams DT Aaron Donald to Browns CB Justin Gilbert to safeties Ha Ha Clinton-Dix of Green Bay, Deone Bucannon of Arizona and Jimmie Ward of San Francisco.Maybe even one of the outstanding rookie kickers — Arizonas Chandler Catanzaro and Philadelphias Cody Parkey — or punter Tress Way or Washington will get recognized.As for the most recognizable award, MVP, quarterbacks usually dominate the conversation. But Murray and Watt certainly have become major parts of the discussion.Corbett, Vrentas and Banks favour Brady.Brady has stats that are comparable to Peyton Manning, and just convincingly outplayed him head to head in Foxboro, Banks says.Glauber likes the five-time MVP Manning, as does Garafolo.I almost went Andrew Luck here, but thats probably a reaction to the down game Manning had in New England followed by Luck and the Colts thrashing the Giants the next day, Garafalo says. Manning has been outstanding once again and his arm strength seems to have gotten even better. Lucks numbers are gaudy and hes been very good, but hes not wrong when he points out there are areas he can clean up.Most intriguing would be if Watt gets strong support for MVP, an award that has gone to just two defensive players: Alan Page (1971) and Lawrence Taylor (1986).Eight-year, $108 million contract extension hasnt led to any complacency, Glauber says of Watt. Just the opposite, the guy goes a million miles an hour on every play.___Online: http://pro32.ap.org/poll and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Jerseys NBA Cheap . Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. He guided Red Bull Salzburg to the Austrian championship this season. NBA Jerseys Cheap China . - Andrew McCutchen went 4 for 5 and finished a home run short of a cycle, and Jordy Mercer drove in a career-high four runs to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to an 8-2 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. http://www.nbacheapjerseysstore.com/. It was a move of some time in the making. “He hasnt thrown well, clearly some guys are being used more than him right now and the only way to get out of this funk is to pitch,” said general manager Alex Anthopoulos. Cheap Basketball Jerseys China .K. Subban and Matt Duchene will be the two skaters sitting out the teams opening game. Wholesale NBA Store . -- Cheyenne Woods, the niece of Tiger Woods, shot a 2-under 69 on Tuesday to finish first in stroke-play qualifying at the Womens U.CHICAGO -- Even the Chicago White Sox relievers dont know who will get the ball in the ninth inning. Zach Putnam has had the last two chances, and made the most of them. Putnam earned his third save and second in two nights, striking out Jason Castro swinging to end the game with two on and give the White Sox a 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. "Its interesting, and theres definitely an element of fun to it," Putnam said. "We dont know from game to game who is going to have that ninth if its a save opportunity." The White Sox have had no steady closer after Nate Jones and Matt Lindstrom were injured, and Ronald Belisario struggled in the role. They have been closing games by committee, and four relievers combined to throw three scoreless innings Saturday. White Sox manager Robin Ventura turned to Putnam to record the final out after Jake Petricka allowed a walk and infield hit in the ninth. "Unfortunately, I dont have a guy that youre just going to leave out there, saying thats your closer," Ventura said. "I like Puts swing-and-missability with some lefties, and thats the reason." Tyler Flowers had three hits and drove in the go-ahead run in the fifth for the White Sox, who have won two straight against the Astros to open the second half. George Springer hit his 20th home run, a solo shot, and Jose Altuve had a two-run double for the Astros. Flowers RBI double snapped a 3-all tie after Alejandro De Aza tripled. Flowers, who also drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the seventh of Fridays 3-2 victory, had his first three-hit game since April 24. "I dont know where he went over the break, but you can come back with renewed energy," Ventura said. "Catchings a tough thing to do. I think you dont find too many catchers that are going to hit all year long. Its a tough position, and people that do it are special. With him getting some rest, maybe it kind of gets him going in the right direction." Flowers is 6 for 9 in his last three games after going 10 for 112 in his previous 34.dddddddddddd "I dont know if Im quite locked in yet," Flowers said. "Its good to put some quality at-bats together." White Sox starter Hector Noesi (4-7) gave up three runs in six innings and has lowered his ERA from 11.74 to 5.21 since joining the rotation. "Im getting prepared for the second half to be tough," Noesi said. "So, Im more aggressive when I go to the mound." Dallas Keuchel (9-6) allowed four runs and 12 hits in five innings. He was 7-2 with a 3.13 ERA in his previous 10 road starts. "When you look at the amount of trouble he was in, to minimize it to four runs -- and only three were earned -- he did a nice job of battling," Astros manager Bo Porter said. The White Sox went ahead 1-0 in the second after three singles and an error. Conor Gillaspie extended the lead to 2-0 with an RBI single in the third. Flowers was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in another run. Springers homer cut it to 3-1 in the fourth. He is one home run shy of tying Lance Berkmans club rookie home run record, set in 2000. Altuves double tied it at 3 in the fifth. The game featured three challenged calls and replay reviews totalling 5 minutes, 39 seconds. All were overturned. In the third, Gordon Beckham appeared to be hit by a pitch, loading the bases. The Astros challenged the call, and review confirmed Beckham was not hit. He returned to the plate and struck out. In the fourth, the White Soxs Alexei Ramirez was called out on a grounder to third, but replay confirmed he was safe at first. Later in the inning, Jose Abreu was called safe at second on a fielders choice. The Astros challenged the call, and Abreu was ruled out. NOTES: The White Sox optioned INF Carlos Sanchez to Triple-A Charlotte and will make a corresponding move on Sunday. .Abreu, who was leading the majors with 29 homers, is expected to play far more games than he did in Cuba, where he said teams play 96 games. He said he doesnt expect fatigue to be an issue. Ventura noted Abreu can sometimes DH to allow for rest. ' ' '