PHOENIX - As it is, a pretty persuasive case could be made that Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and the rest of the Seattle Seahawks defence is among the very best groups on that side of the ball in NFL history.The Seahawks are the first team since coach Buddy Ryans 1985-86 Chicago Bears to give up the fewest points per game and fewest yards per game in back-to-back seasons.Theyre also the first team in more than 40 years, since the Minnesota Vikings Purple People Eaters of 1969-71, to lead the league in points allowed for three consecutive seasons.Where would Seattle rank, though, if it manages to beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Sundays Super Bowl, a year after overwhelming Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the championship game?Not surprisingly, in this age of Twitters ability to instantly transform a mild boast into motivational material for an opponent, the Seahawks are not quite willing to wade into a debate.That would be cool, once you look back 20 or 30 years from now, to see how good you are. I remember the great defences back in the day. Theyre still being talked about. Teams from the 70s, from the 80s, theyre still being talked about to this day, even, linebacker K.J. Wright said. So when it gets to 2040, we can look back and just see how good we are. Itll be pretty fun.Others are ready to assess the Seahawks today.Over a two-year period, theyre as good as anybody thats played, said Brian Billick, coach of the Ray Lewis-led 2000 Baltimore Ravens that set a league record for fewest points in a season.Another former NFL head coach, Steve Mariucci, is impressed by the way Seattle has put up strong statistics year after year lately.Theyre in the conversation because of continuity over time, said Mariucci, now an NFL Network analyst. The Bears were pretty good over time, too, but they didnt win another Super Bowl. They were one-and-done.Those Chicago teams featured Hall of Famers, but they also used a never-before-seen scheme that confounded opponents. The Seahawks dont necessarily present creative formations or try to confuse offences.Instead, they rely plenty on everyone sticking to their assignments, hard hitting, turnovers and closing speed that helps limit opponents yards after catches.To try to avoid fumbling Sunday, the Patriots worked this week on protecting the ball.Running with slippery balls. Guys trying to strip the ball from you all practice, receiver Brandon LaFell said, adding that coach Bill Belichick puts a ton of water on the balls, and weve got the greased balls that are real slick.Brady calls playing against the Seahawks a grind and a test of wills.Youve got to run good routes. Youve got to make good throws. Youve got to throw into tight windows, Brady said. Theyve got a lot of eyes on the quarterback, so youve got to be conscious of those things, and youve still got to be able to play aggressively and play with confidence. You cant let one bad play affect another.The Seahawks defensive lines ability to fluster Brady and slow burly running back LeGarrette Blount could be key Sunday, and much of that responsibility will fall to Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril.But Seattles success really starts in the secondary with the self-styled Legion of Boom, led by All-Pros Sherman at cornerback and Thomas at safety. The other safety, Kam Chancellor, gets less recognition, but as Sherman put it: He doesnt fly under the radar on the field.Another vital cog is All-Pro middle linebacker Bobby Wagner, whose value became most clear when he was out of the lineup for five games with a toe injury. Since his return, Seattle is 8-0.If they make that 9-0 with another Super Bowl victory, then maybe even the Seahawks will be ready to rate themselves.We can definitely talk about it. We have to win the game first, Wagner said. But if we win the game, we can talk about it.___Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP_NFL Johnny Unitas Jersey . Goodell said in an ESPN Radio interview Monday (http://es.pn/1gkbauy ) that participants played harder and made the game very competitive. Goodell says he had fun watching the game Sunday and thinks fans did, too. Marcus Peters Jersey . The deals were announced on Friday. Beckham will receive $4.175 million in base salary, while De Aza will receive $4.25 million. Beckham hit .267 with five home runs and 24 RBIs over 103 games last season, his fifth with the White Sox. http://www.customravensjersey.com/custom...arge-1793d.html. Parmelee hit a game-ending shot in the ninth inning and the Minnesota Twins overcame David Ortizs big night to beat the Boston Red Sox 8-6 on Tuesday. Mark Clayton Jersey . Espanyol midfielder Sanchez intercepted Bilbao goalkeeper Gorka Iraizozs clearance and, having spotted a gap, risked using his less-favoured left foot to fire a beautifully precise long-range shot that bounced in from high up the near post in the 24th minute. Bam Morris Jersey . Each day, TSN.ca provides the latest rumours, reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. Defensive Depth TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun is reporting the Toronto Maple Leafs have considerable interest in unrestricted free-agent defenceman Dan Boyle.BOSTON - With Game 6 looming, Fenway Park a quiet calm before a New England crowd fills it and creates a raucous storm, were down to the nitty-gritty in this American League Championship Series. The hometown Red Sox, leading 3-2 and a win away from a trip to the World Series; the visiting Tigers, facing the daunting task of having to win twice on the road to wrest away the American League pennant. The prospect seems doable, however, considering presumptive Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer is due to hurl Game 6 and, should Detroit win, former Cy Young award Justin Verlander is scheduled to pitch Game 7. These teams are grinding. A series which started on the strength of pitching has morphed into an offensive battle. The Red Sox are hitting only .206 as a group in the ALCS, the Tigers .259, but the two clubs have combined for 41 hits in the last two games after teaming up for only 35 total in the first three. The Tigers are hurting, namely their star third baseman Miguel Cabrera and catcher Alex Avila. Cabrera, sapped of his ability to drive the ball to the opposite field by a leg injury which also has further depleted his already limited range at third base, will continue to chug along as best he can. Cabrera is 5-16 (.313) in the series but his lone extra base hit is a Game 2 home run, more the product of a mistake curveball hung by Clay Buchholz than Cabreras ability to get his damaged lower body to leverage his swing through the baseball. There has been next to no discussion, except in whispers, to removing Cabrera from the starting lineup. Manager Jim Leyland couldnt do it, hed be skewered publicly if he did and the Tigers were eliminated, and from a logistical standpoint his replacement options are limited. Hernan Perez? Thats not happening. What about some combination of Jhonny Peralta and Jose Iglesias on the left side of the infield and the insertion of Andy Dirks or Don Kelly in left field? Sounds like a better plan but, really, despite Cabreras Game 5 base running foible, costly error and poor at-bats, a Miggy at 60-percent (or less) remains the best option. If hes willing and able to play, play him. "It kind of breaks your heart, to be honest with you," said Leyland of the state of Cabreras health. "Hes tough as nails. I have so much respect for him. Everybody is conscientious these days about people earning their money. You talk about somebody who is earning their money, this guy feels like he owes it to the Detroit Tigers and our fans to be out there." As for Avila, hes reaffirming the notion that catchers play one of the most difficult positions in pro sports. Hes fouled a pitch off his right toes, strained the patellar tendon in his left knee in a home plate collision with Bostons David Ross, had Ross foul a pitch squarely off his face mask, and left a game early dazed and in pain, all in the last 72 hours. Avila is willing and able to play and hes the man with whom Leyland must go. "The main thing from a managers standpoint, the one thing you dont want to happen is when youre dealing with an injury - and I think Alex is fine now - the one thing you dont want to happen is start the game and take him out in the second or third inning," said Leyland. "Thats the one thing I try to guard against as a manager." Meantime, Prince Fielder has a hit in four of the five games so far. It feels, however, as if hes done nothing outside of doubling and then scoring in the sixth inning of Game 2. The plate approach is being questtioned, even Leylands referred to Fielders attempts to slap the ball to left field, but Fielders one of the horses which brought Leyland to the rodeo.dddddddddddd Hes not coming out of the lineup and nor should he. The only lineup move of significance Leylands made has been to drop Austin Jackson from the lead off spot to the eight-hole. The Tigers bullpen has allowed seven earned runs in 11 innings pitched against the Red Sox (5.72 ERA) but the damage has been limited to just two of the games, although one is most certainly memorable. Five Detroit relievers each allowed a run in Game 2, the "Big Papi Grand Slam" game, and Phil Coke and Joaquin Benoit each got nicked for a run allowed in the Tigers Game 4 win. Regardless of the numbers and how you break them down to determine the true extent of their ugliness, the relievers Leyland has are the guys hell have to live with - maybe die with - the rest of the way. No doubt Leyland is hoping Scherzer and Verlander, if necessary, can get him very deep into these remaining games. Boston, despite hitting a paltry .150 in the first three games, has an opportunity to book its third appearance in the World Series since 2004. The bats have awakened, with 22 hits combined in Games 4 and 5. The catalyst hasnt been David Ortiz or Dustin Pedroia but Mike Napoli, whose seventh inning home run off Justin Verlander in Game 3 accounted for that games only run. It also propelled Napoli, previously slumping, and including that home run hes since 6-10 with two home runs and a double. "As we talked about the other day, when it was thought because of his struggles or the way things were going in this postseason do you look to sit him and that was never contemplated, other than Game 2 where we thought there might be a better matchup with Mike Carp and the left hander," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "When he gets into that upswing he can carry us and not just because of the home run he hit (Thursday) night, you see the other things hes very capable of doing." Farrell has found magic in the back end of his bullpen. Koji Uehara has four saves in as many playoff opportunities but its been the work of Junichi Tazawa (2 1/3 innings - one run) and Craig Breslow (2 1/3 innings - no runs) that has solidified Farrells late game approach. The key has been Uehara. "Hes not doing something this year that is so out of the norm for him," said Farrell. "Hes been a very successful pitcher, whether its been in Japan or here. But the fact hes the closer here, hes gained the notoriety that he deserves." Farrell, by the way, deserves credit for the handling of his pitching in Game 5. Sensing that Jon Lester was losing control of his outing, a 4-0 lead had been trimmed to 4-2 with one on and one out in the sixth inning, Farrell called for Tazawa and initiated his plan, which asked for Tazawa, Breslow and Uehara to get the final 11 outs of the game. The plan worked and even if it hadnt, it would have been unfair – flat out wrong – to question Farrells strategy. Farrell also deleted the slumping Will Middlebrooks from the starting lineup and replaced him with 21-year-old Xander Bogaerts, whos responded with two doubles, two runs scored and a walk (2-4) in five plate appearances. However this series concludes, the winner will be lauded and the loser will be second-guessed. What weve seen in this series, for the most part, is great pitching and good baseball. The best could be yet to come. ' ' '