Where I bat in the middle order you generally have to be able to play the situation

Todd Gurley is averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. Blake Bortles has more turnovers than touchdowns. Odell Beckham Jr., Jordan Reed and Brandon Marshall dont yet have a touchdown catch.Are they going through an early season funk, or is it a sign of decline?NFL Nation reporters pick a struggling player from each team and predict whether he is in the middle of a small slump or a big slide.AFC East | AFC North| AFC South | AFC West NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC WestAFC EASTBuffalo BillsBig slide: Quarterback Tyrod TaylorHe ranks 22nd in completion percentage (61.0), 21st in yards per attempt (6.84), 20th in passer rating (83.6) and 16th in Total QBR (62.6) through the first three weeks of the season. Those arent terrible numbers, but the Bills were looking for a bump in Taylors performance as a passer and he mostly hasnt delivered. As long as opponents can keep Taylor contained in the pocket, they are comfortable having him try to beat them through the air. Theres a blueprint on how to beat Taylor and unless he can break a few big runs, Taylor cant seem to overcome the game-planning against him. -- Mike RodakMiami DolphinsBig slide: Cornerback Byron MaxwellMiamis No. 1 cornerback had two consecutive bad games against the Patriots and Browns. Maxwells coverage has been inconsistent, and his tackling has been mostly horrendous. That is a bad combination to try to change overnight. -- James WalkerNew England PatriotsBig slide: Cornerback Justin ColemanColeman, the Patriots No. 3 corner, struggled in the second half of the teams win over the Dolphins in Week 2 (he bit on an out-and-up route by Kenny Stills on a 24-yard touchdown) and then was replaced in the role by top 2016 draft pick Cyrus Jones the following week. The Patriots didnt draft Jones (second round, 60th overall) to be buried on the depth chart, so it could be difficult for Coleman to regain his spot. -- Mike ReissNew York JetsSmall slump: Wide receiver Brandon MarshallMarshall, still looking for his first touchdown, is mired in his longest scoring drought since 2014. In fact, he has only one red-zone reception on seven targets -- and his frustration is building. Hes playing with a mild knee sprain, so that could be part of it. Marshall is 32, but its too early to call this a slide. For now, well say slump. -- Rich CiminiAFC NORTHBaltimore RavensBig slide: Wide receiver Kamar AikenIn three games, he has three catches for 19 yards. This comes after he was the Ravens leading receiver in 2015. Aiken finished last season with 75 catches and five touchdowns. But he?has fallen to fifth on the depth chart behind a free-agent addition (Mike Wallace), two players returning from injury (Steve Smith Sr. and Breshad Perriman) and a rookie (Chris Moore). Unless there is a run of injuries at receiver like last season, Aiken isnt going to get to half of his catch total from 2015. -- Jamison HensleyCincinnati BengalsSmall slump: Defensive tackle Geno AtkinsAfter starting the season with a sack and three tackles for loss against the Jets, Atkins has been relatively quiet. Although he hasnt played badly by any means, he hasnt been the disruptive force he usually is, and that might be a contributing factor for a slow start to the teams pass rush, which has generated only four sacks. That wont last forever. At his best, Atkins is one of the top players at his position, and he will make a big difference for the Bengals in games down the road. -- Katherine TerrellCleveland BrownsBig slide: Cornerback Tramon WilliamsWilliams coverage skills do not seem to be what they once were. In Miami, Williams was beat in coverage on a Jarvis Landry touchdown and missed a tackle on a Damien Williams touchdown catch. According to Pro Football Focus, quarterbacks are 12-for-14 passing for 147 yards with three TDs throwing toward Williams -- a rating of 150.0. When hes in the slot, quarterbacks have a rating of 153.8. From 2007 to 13, Williams never allowed a passer rating higher than 90, per PFF. At 33, Williams might have reached the point where age is catching up to him. -- Pat McManamonPittsburgh SteelersBig slide: Wide receiver Markus WheatonWheaton missed significant time in the preseason, and his 2016 debut couldnt have gone worse, dropping a touchdown pass and failing to make at least two other contested plays. Perhaps Wheaton will respond -- hes eager to -- but with running back?LeVeon Bell returning and young receivers Eli Rogers and Sammie Coates becoming key pieces to the offense, Wheatons role is uncertain. The Steelers have made clear they will roll with the hot hand at the receiver spot opposite Antonio Brown, which doesnt favor Wheaton at the moment. -- Jeremy FowlerAFC SOUTHHouston TexansBig slide: Wide receiver Jaelen StrongAfter Strongs disappointing rookie season, he came into training camp as one of the most improved players, according to coach Bill OBrien. Through three games, however, Strong doesnt have a defined role in the offense, and has only one catch for 15 yards. He has been targeted by quarterback Brock Osweiler?only five times. OBrien said because the Texans are using receivers?DeAndre Hopkins and Will Fuller?often, as well as running back Lamar Miller in the passing game, it has been tough to get Strong targets. Jaelen has to do some things better to continue to have the ball thrown to him, OBrien said after Thursday nights shutout loss to the Patriots. If Fuller continues his?strong season, it might be hard for Strong to get targets, so this slide could continue. -- Sarah BarshopIndianapolis ColtsBig slide: Outside linebacker Robert MathisOne of the reasons why the Colts didnt pursue a pass-rusher during the offseason was because they felt as if they would be fine in that area based on how Mathis ended the 2015 season: three sacks in the final three games. So much for that optimism because the 35-year-old Mathis has yet to register a sack and has only four tackles through the first three games. And thats why its not surprising the Colts have only four sacks on the season. -- Mike WellsJacksonville JaguarsBig slide: Quarterback Blake BortlesBortles has had a rough start. He has turned the ball over seven times (six interceptions), has held onto the ball too long, is hesitant with reads, is forcing throws, his mechanics are off, and generally looks uncomfortable. He has not been able to get into a rhythm, either. Thats partly because the Jaguars cant run the ball (55.0 yards per game) so the offense rests completely on his shoulders. Its also because teams are playing a lot of Cover 2, which prevents the Jaguars from going downfield to wide receiver?Allen Robinson. Bortles isnt a West Coast QB. Hes better throwing downfield and getting chunk plays, and the Jaguars arent doing that. These issues wont go away overnight so while he might eventually come out of it, it could take all season. -- Mike DiRoccoTennessee TitansSmall slump: Quarterback Marcus MariotaMariota threw nearly two touchdown passes for every interception as a rookie, but hes at 1:1 so far this season. The Titans are forcing the issue running the ball, which puts him under center and running a lot of play action. What he does best as a passer, through, is run a no-huddle offense out of the shotgun. I dont think the Titans are putting him in enough favorable situations, and he?has made some poor choices throwing the ball. He also has not resolved his first-year ball security issues, as he has lost two fumbles. But at this early stage and coming off only his 15th NFL game, it registers as a slump, not a big slide. -- Paul KuharskyAFC WESTDenver BroncosSmall slump: Kicker Brandon McManusMcManus has a new holder?and?long snapper,?so perhaps it shouldnt be a shocker that through training camp, the preseason and in the seasons early going, there have been some bobbles. McManus missed three field goals attempts in the preseason and has missed one already in the Broncos first three games of the regular season. He also had an extra point attempt blocked Sunday in Cincinnati. The 6-foot-8 Margus Hunt got plenty of penetration on the play, but the kick still didnt seem to have McManus usual lift on it. McManus was a stone-cold lock last season, and the Broncos?need him at his best again.?-- Jeff LegwoldKansas City ChiefsBig slide: Wide receiver Albert WilsonWilson looks like a bad fit in the Chiefs offense. He lost his starting job to Chris Conley,?isnt getting open and isnt getting the ball as their third receiver. He has only five catches for 12 yards. The Chiefs have other, better receiving options than Wilson, so its difficult to see how things will get much better for him. -- Adam TeicherOakland RaidersSmall slump: Defensive end/outside linebacker Khalil MackMack, who made history last season by being the first player selected first-team All-Pro at two positions in the same season and racked up?15 sacks, is sackless through three games. Teams have been double-teaming him and chip-blocking him, but he seems to be taking especially wide angles to the quarterback, to no avail. Hell get his numbers, coach Jack Del Rio insisted. Theres more to playing in football than getting sacks, and theres more that hes involved in. Hes directly involved in everything that were doing and hes a fine football player and hes busting his butt and doing a nice job for us. ... I dont want him to start pressing for numbers. Its not about numbers. Its about us making the plays we need to make to win games. OK, then. Slump, it is. -- Paul GutierrezSan Diego ChargersSmall slump: Tight end Antonio GatesGates has only six receptions for 35 yards and a touchdown this season. He missed last weeks game against the Colts because of a lingering hamstring issue. Over the last five years, however, Gates has averaged 63 catches for 728 yards and seven touchdowns per season. If he can stay healthy, Gates should reach those numbers again in 2016. -- Eric D. WilliamsNFC EASTDallas CowboysSmall slump: Wide receiver Terrance WilliamsEven when things go well for Williams, bad things happen. A 47-yard reception was turned into a fumble after he had the ball swiped away from behind last week against Chicago. In the season opener, he failed to get out of bounds in the final seconds. Williams is in a contract year and could be pressing, but the Cowboys could need him to make big plays if Dez Bryants knee injury limits Bryants effectiveness. -- Todd ArcherNew York GiantsSmall slump: Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.It has been three games and Beckham hasnt reached the end zone yet. For most players, that is no big deal. For Beckham, its eye-opening. He scored 25 touchdowns in his first 27 career games over his first two professional seasons. Its only a matter of time before he gets another TD, however. Hes still averaging 10 targets per game and is on pace for almost 1,500 yards receiving. He also has come close on multiple occasions. The touchdowns will come. -- Jordan RaananPhiladelphia EaglesSmall slump: Wide receiver Josh HuffHuff has five catches for 19 yards on nine targets through three games. Coach Doug Pederson is trying to get the ball into Huffs hands near the line of scrimmage in the hopes that he can generate some explosive plays. Huff is bound to break a few over the course of the season, but expect the output to be up and down. -- Tim McManusWashington RedskinsSmall slump: Tight end Jordan ReedReed hasnt caught a touchdown pass yet after grabbing 11 last season, including 10 in the red zone. He still has caught 16 passes, so its a matter of time before he scores again, and Sundays opponent, Cleveland, ranks 28th in yards allowed per game to tight ends. Teams have focused hard on Reed in the red zone, but he will break through soon. -- John KeimNFC NORTHChicago BearsBig slide: Running back Jeremy LangfordThe beginning of Langfords sophomore season is troubling. Langford, who burst onto the scene with 816 all-purpose yards as a rookie last year, has averaged only 3.7 yards per carry in 31 rushing attempts and has just five receptions for 27 yards. In another unfortunate development, Langford is now expected to miss four-to-six weeks because of a right ankle sprain. Its not exactly what Bears management envisioned when Matt Forte left via free agency. -- Jeff DickersonDetroit LionsSmall slump: Wide receiver Golden TateIt has been a slow start to the 2016 season for Tate. He has caught 13 passes for 94 yards and has his fewest yards per catch of his career (7.2 yards) and the lowest yards-after-catch?average since 2011 (4.9 yards). Those numbers should improve as the season goes on and?Marvin Jones picks up more attention as a No. 1 receiver. That should open up lanes for Tate to break tackles easier and turn his short receptions into longer gains. It could come as soon as Sunday against Chicago. -- Michael RothsteinGreen Bay PackersBig slide: Running back James StarksStarks set a career-high with 601 yards rushing last season while splitting the job with Eddie Lacy. This year, he has 9 yards on 12 carries -- plus three catches for 31 yards -- through three games. How can a player go through such a drastic change in one offseason? Well, Starks is 30 years old, practically ancient for an NFL running back these days, and players -- regardless of position -- can lose it overnight. Its why some coaches and general managers subscribe to the theory that its better to get rid of a player too early than too late. But the Packers signed Starks to a two-year, $6 million contract this offseason. Maybe he will come around if he gets more opportunities, but at this point it looks as if hes on the decline. -- Rob DemovskyMinnesota VikingsBig slide: Wide receiver Charles JohnsonHe appeared to be on the verge of a strong comeback season following his recovery from the broken rib that plagued him last year. Johnson clicked with Teddy Bridgewater in the preseason but has only three catches from Shaun Hill and Sam Bradford. He hasnt clicked with either quarterback, and with Bridgewater out for the season, Johnson could be looking at a slide when he doesnt have the time to build a rapport with them. -- Ben GoesslingNFC SOUTHAtlanta FalconsSmall slump: Wide receiver Julio JonesJones had only one catch for 16 yards on four targets in Monday nights win over the Saints, leaving fans to wonder if Jones was still bothered by a calf injury and, in turn, just used as a decoy. Well, Falcons coach Dan Quinn said Jones was fine and should have a heavier load in practice than he did leading into the Saints game. Whether hes 100 percent or not, dont expect one-catch games to become a trend for Jones. Hes too dominant even when he draws added coverage, and he still leads the Falcons with 188 receiving yards despite the off night. -- Vaughn McClureCarolina PanthersSmall slump: Wide receiver Devin FunchessHe has only three catches for 28 yards and a touchdown in his first three games. He had a huge drop in Sundays loss to Minnesota. Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said he wasnt concerned about Funchess. But Funchess started slow last season, then came on strong toward the end. He had seven catches for 120 yards and a touchdown in the regular-season finale. Perhaps hes just adjusting to having Kelvin Benjamin back.-- David NewtonNew Orleans SaintsBig slide: Safety Jairus ByrdIm picking on Byrd for a few reasons here as a representative for the entire defenses struggles. For one thing, he is one of the few starters who has actually been healthy enough to play every game this season. For another, he is supposed to be one of the Saints biggest playmakers, but he still has zero takeaways and zero passes defensed. Byrd and the secondary have done a good job of preventing superstar receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Julio Jones from hurting them. But the rest of the Falcons offense roamed free in the open field in Monday nights loss to the Falcons. Things should get a little better when the secondary gets healthier -- but its hard to predict that Byrd will ever return to the Pro Bowl form of his past. -- Mike TriplettTampa Bay BuccaneersBig slide: Wide receiver Vincent JacksonJackson has mustered only nine catches for 99 receiving yards this season -- he has had more than that in single games in years past -- and hes fifth on the team in receptions. Aside from stats, though, he just doesnt look the part. He has become an afterthought in the Bucs offense. Hes not making those leaping catches were used to seeing, even on off-target throws, which he used to be able to do because of his elite?athleticism. He said he still feels like hes playing at a very high level, but its not looking that way. -- Jenna LaineNFC WESTArizona CardinalsSmall slump: Wide receiver John BrownHe hasnt been the John Brown of old so far this season. He has only eight catches for 92 yards and no touchdowns. Compare that to last season, when Brown had 12 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown through the first three games, and its clear the?concussion he?suffered in training camp that kept him out about a month has affected him. -- Josh WeinfussLos Angeles RamsBig slide: Running back Todd GurleyThis has nothing to do with Gurley the runner and everything to do with the game plan against him. Gurley has failed to reach 100 yards in 10 of his last 11 games because opposing defenses arent worried about the Rams beating them through the air. There will be times, like Sunday, when the Rams take advantage of that in the passing game. And there will be times, probably very soon, when Gurley manages big games despite a loaded box. But defenses probably wont shift their focus. Gurley will always deal with a lot of attention so long as the dynamics of his offense remain unchanged. It is what it is. -- Alden GonzalezSan Francisco 49ersBig slide: Quarterback Blaine GabbertGabbert offered some hope that he could turn into a serviceable NFL starter at the end of last season when he posted a solid 87.1 passer rating over the final seven weeks. But that hope has mostly been erased the first three weeks of this season as he currently sits 30th in the NFL in passer rating (68.6), 27th in passing yards (532) and 32nd in yards per attempt (5.54). In fairness, Gabbert has faced top-notch defenses early this season, but those numbers fall in line with most of his NFL seasons and the schedule doesnt get much easier. -- Nick WagonerSeattle SeahawksBig slide: Running back Thomas RawlsA couple of weeks ago, it looked as if Rawls was in position to take over as the Seahawks starting running back, but now its unclear when hell return to the field. Rawls has a little crack in his fibula, coach Pete Carroll said earlier this week, and hell be out for a minimum of a few weeks. Rawls was already coming off offseason ankle surgery, and he totaled only 25 yards on 19 carries through the first two games. Asked if the new issue could land Rawls on injured reserve, Carroll said, Not at this point. The Seahawks are holding out hope that Rawls can get healthy and contribute later in the season, but thats far from a certainty the way things stand right now. -- Sheil Kapadia Ryan Anderson Suns Jersey . -- Jimmy Walkers first PGA Tour trophy came with a special gift tucked inside. Jalen Lecque Jersey .1 million pounds ($61.2 million) on Saturday, giving the beleaguered English Premier League champions a major lift. https://www.thesunslockerroom.com/Dario-Saric-City-Edition-Jersey/ . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. Devin Booker Suns Jersey . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Penny Hardaway Suns Jersey .Y. - Detroit goaltender Jonas Gustavsson has earned NHL first star of the week honours after winning in his first three appearances of the season. The joke is that South Africans feel more at home in Perth than some Australians. With an estimated 30,000 of their countrymen permanently settled in the city, and its distance from the rest of Australias cities, you can understand why. South African batsmen Stephen Cook and Temba Bavuma also have reason to feel like they belong at the WACA, but its got more to do with where they come from.They play their cricket at the Wanderers in Johannesburg, which Cook said was probably the one ground in the world thats similar to Perth in terms of pace and bounce. While the WACA has lost some of its bite and the Wanderers has been known to produce run-fests, especially in limited-overs cricket, the surfaces remain spicy enough to keep bowlers interested.Batsmen need familiarity to be properly equipped on such pitches and Cook, whose domestic career is more than a decade and a half old, said he had more than enough. I think it will stand me in good stead and I will try to take a few of the lessons Ive learnt in my career and translate them into playing here, Cook said.Bavuma only has half of Cooks experience but more than three times his number of Tests caps and is just as eager to show what he can do on a seamer-friendly strip. Judging by the nets, its quite similar to the Wanderers. Here the bounce is a bit exaggerated. Thats a challenge I am looking forward to, he said.But both will need major improvements on what they have showed on tour so far if they are to match their talk with action. The pair are the only two in the top seven who have not scored at least a half-century in South Africas two warm-up matches.Cook managed just 5 and 12 in the first one, a day-night practice match, and got a duck in the second. Bavuma fared slightly better with scores of 11, 21 and 43. On South Africa As winter tour to Australia earlier this year, Cook scored only 58 runs in four innings - two of them were ducks - while Bavuma scored 51 in that series, with a top score of 21.Those numbers are not reassuring, but Cook insisted they were not a cause for concern. I havent scored that many runs since Ive been here but Im not too perturbed by that. Things were pretty good in a couple of domestic games back home and Ive felt like Ive been in decent touch, he said, referring to an unbeaten 97 in the first-class season opener between the Lions and Cobras at the Wanderers. We all hit the ground runnning when it gets to the real stuff.dddddddddddd Sometimes a lot gets read into practice games and situations like that but Ive played this game for long enough to know that theres no direct correlation between the two.Bavuma also has recent form to fall back on. On his ODI debut against Ireland, batting as an opener, he scored a century and showed an ability to shift gears, which he knows could be called on in the Tests.Where I bat in the middle order you generally have to be able to play the situation, Bavuma said. There will be moments in the series where you have to take the attack to the opposition. Its about me being able to recognise those moments and adjust.Bavuma has already showed an ability to adapt to pressure. He is the first black African batsman to play Test cricket for South Africa and as such, carries the hopes of a nation. He accepts that. If that was not enough, at 1.67 metres (55) he has since been asked if he also considers himself an ambassador for the vertically challenged as well. He isnt entirely sure of the answer but he knows that he could be seen as a novelty and that means expectation on him will grow with each game.Its a pressure I am trying to embrace and take in my stride. I want to improve and better myself all the time, Bavuma said.At 33, so does Cook. Schooled alongside former South African captain Graeme Smith, Cook has waited almost half his life to play for South Africa and with time not on his side, he wants to make the most of every match.My first Test was a dream, but as cricketers were never satisfied. You get a taste for something and you want more. This is an iconic series. Its been a series in which a lot of players and a lot of teams careers have been defined. Therein lies another wonderful opportunity for us as a team. Its for me as an individual to make my stamp and put my mark on it.Cook watched as JP Duminy and Faf du Plessis prospered on previous Australian tours and saw two people of similar age and and who I grew up playing cricket against, go from guys who were maybe not that well known, to guys who put in big performances under pressure.Neither Cook, nor Bavuma are well-known yet. But they have put in performances under pressure at the Wanderers. Now they have to do it at the WACA. ' ' '