Buehrle (10-6) often jokes about luck and how its the determining

(SportsNetwork.com) - In one of the greatest postseason games in recent memory, the New England Patriots only lead was the final score as Tom Brady and Co. outdueled Joe Flacco and a battle-tested Baltimore Ravens team, 35-31, to reach their fourth consecutive AFC Championship Game. In doing so the Patriots became the only team in NFL postseason history to fight back from a pair of two-touchdown deficits to win. Brady finished 33-of-50 for 367 yards and three touchdowns, with his 50th and final toss being a go-ahead 23-yard strike to Brandon LaFell with just over five minutes remaining, a pass that was prettier than Tom Terrifics supermodel wife. It was also Bradys 46th TD pass in the playoffs, breaking Joe Montanas all- time record. I dont think we played as well as we wouldve liked, said Brady, who completed eight of nine passes for 72 yards on the game-winning drive. We showed a lot of toughness coming back from those two deficits. Already the winningest postseason signal caller in NFL lore coming in, Brady was a hair better than Flacco, the most successful playoff QB since 2008 and a player that had already beaten the Pats in January at Gillette Stadium on two different occasions. Flacco was 28-for-44 for 292 yards tossed a career postseason-best four touchdowns but his second interception of the game virtually ended Baltimores chances with 1:39 left to play. Flacco had thrown 197 passes and 17 TDs between postseason interceptions, the second longest streak in history, when Devin McCourty finally figured him out in the third quarter. The University of Delaware product, who has been dubbed January Joe by some and Joe Cool by others for his unflappable demeanor in big spots, only went 11 passes before being picked again, this time by Duron Harmon in the end zone as Flacco misread a single-high safety as he went deep down the left side for Torrey Smith. In our increasingly black-and-white society which automatically lauds winners and shuns losers with little nuance, its Flaccos turn to take the heat for a rare mistake. But, this was like an Ali-Frazier heavyweight title fight where the only real loser was the fan who didnt see it. The fourth postseason meeting between the Pats and Ravens in six years was an instant classic, as Flacco connected on his first eight passes, two for touchdowns to Kamar Aiken and Steve Smith, as Baltimore took an early 14-0 lead. The Patriots got off the deck with a Brady 4-yard TD run and a 15-yard Brady to-Danny Amendola hook up late in the first half. Bradys lone miscue -- a woefully underthrown ball that Ravens linebacker Daryl Smith intercepted -- shifted the momentum back to the Ravens as Flacco found Owen Daniels for an 11-yard score with 10 seconds left before intermission. Flaccos fourth TD, a 16-yarder to Justin Forsett in the third quarter, had the Charm City celebrating but New England got off the canvas again, first with a 5-yard Brady to Rob Gronkowski TD and then with a brilliant gimmick play. With the ball at the New England 49, Brady tossed a lateral to former Kent State college QB Julian Edelman, who lofted a pass to a wide-open Amendola to deadlock the game at 28. Weve had (the trick play) in for 10 weeks, and the coaches finally got to call it, Edelman said. I had to loosen up the arm a little bit. Baltimores attempt at a third knockdown fizzled in the red zone and the Ravens settled for a Justin Tucker and a 31-28 edge. And settling for three instead of seven was all Brady needed. We had two separate 14-point leads. Those guys did a good job getting it back to seven as quickly as they could, said Flacco. They dont panic. Joe Ingles Jersey . Thornton emerged as one of the leagues best defensive ends against the run in 2013. The former undrafted free agent from Division II Southern Arkansas led Philadelphias linemen with 78 tackles and had one sack. Jae Crowder Jersey . On paper, it looks a little like Andre the Giant taking on a midget wrestler. It has all the makings of a rout with the Americans adding an eighth win in nine outings of this biennial event. The Yanks have eight players in the top 15 in the world while the Internationals have just one. http://www.cheapjazzjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-john-stockton-jersey . It all would have been for naught, however, had it not been for some clutch shooting in the fourth quarter by Kobe Bryant and a couple of equally critical hustle plays by Derek Fisher and Pau Gasol in the final minutes. Dante Exum Jersey . Snedekers best result so far this year is a tie for eighth place at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. He sits 113th in FedEx Cup standings and has dropped to 31st in world rankings — not the results expected from a player ranked fourth in the world only two years ago. Jonas Jerebko Jersey . -- The taxing preseason, which included two games in China, is finally over.OAKLAND – There has been a quiet, building frustration in the Blue Jays clubhouse with Major League Baseballs new replay and challenge system. After Saturday nights 5-1 loss to Oakland, Torontos third-straight defeat at O.co Coliseum, Jose Bautista blew the lid off the simmering pot. First, the situation: With the Jays trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Jose Bautista was at the plate with two outs and Melky Cabrera on first base. Bautista doubled down the leftfield line off As reliever Luke Gregerson. Third base coach Luis Rivera waved Cabrera around third. Shortstop Jed Lowries relay throw to catcher Derek Norris was on the money and Norris swiped a tag at a sliding Cabrera. Home plate umpire Bill Miller, the man involved in Brett Lawries infamous helmet spiking incident two years ago, called Cabrera out. Manager John Gibbons challenged the play. It was close. The call on the field stood after a two-and-a-half minute review. The inning was over; the Jays wouldnt recover. "I dont really know which replay they were looking at but clearly they must have had a different video feed than the one we had," said Bautista. "Its pretty frustrating for you to battle as a team, keep the game close, for our pitchers to be doing what theyre doing, for us to keep grinding through games and facing some touch pitching and somehow be able to tie the game in the eighth inning, it all goes down the drain because somebody first, initially, made a bad call to begin with and then it gets upheld by God knows who in some room in New York supposedly." Bautista, the gathered media were about to find out, was only getting warmed up. "This whole replay thing has become a joke in my eyes," said Bautista. "I think they should just ban it, they should just get rid of it. I dont really understand the purpose of it but getting the right call on the field is not the purpose. Thats pretty obvious and evident. I dont know what kind of agenda the people that are doing the replays are on, what their plan is, what their purpose is, who theyre looking after. But obviously getting the right call on the field is not what theyre doing." There are those in the organization whove expressed quiet frustration at other challenges and reviews that havent gone the Jays way. Another recent example: Last Wednesday against Milwaukee when Munenori Kawasaki was called out at first base on a groundball to Brewers shortstop Jean Segura. Seguras throw pulled first baseman Jonathan Lucroy off the bag. Lucroy spun and attempted a tag on Kawasaki. The call was upheld despite evidence to the contrary. Baseball is cycling umpires through the so-called replay war room in New York City. When a play is challenged, the on-field umpire is getting on the headset and talking to a colleague. Regardless of what is the reality, the perception is increasing that umpires are watching out for umpires. Count Bautista in that camp. "I feel like there was a chance for Adam Lind to tie the game in the eighth inning (that) was taken away from us," said Bautista. "Man on second, two outs, 3-2 ballgame, we were right in it. Unfortunately some people, I dont know what the right word is, lack of integrity, lack of accountability, or some really good camaraderie that are looking after each othher, are not doing what theyre supposed to be doing.dddddddddddd Because getting the right call on the field, which is why instant replay was instituted, is not the purpose of whats happening. The best evidence is what happened today." Bautista surely will be fined for his outburst and his comments reflect a growing frustration with the clubs play. The Jays are 9-18 since hitting their season high-water mark of 38-24 on June 6. A six game lead in the American League East has turned into a deficit. Following Saturdays loss, Toronto is a full game back of the Baltimore Orioles for first place. The team is dealing with injuries, the latest suffered by Edwin Encarnacion (story here: http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=456550). Brett Lawrie has a fractured right index finger and likely wont be back until August. Bautista is playing with a sore hamstring and Adam Lind is playing with a bruised right foot. REYES ON TRADE MARKET Shortstop Jose Reyes weighed in to TSN.ca about Oaklands acquisition of pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel in Fridays blockbuster trade with the Chicago Cubs. "Its good for Oakland," said Reyes. "They got very good two pitchers. Samardzija, hes been one of the best this year. To go along with what they have, I mean thats huge for them. That means theyre pushing and they want to go all the way." Judging by the package the Athletics sent to Chicago (2012 first round pick, SS Addison Russell; 2013 first round pick, OF Billy McKinney; P Dan Straily and a player to be named later) its clear the Blue Jays couldnt match unless they were willing to part with a young pitcher off their major league roster. Starting pitching may not be Torontos priority, anyway. The staff has held up well through more than a half the season. An infielder, a second baseman or a third baseman, and bullpen help are just as important. "I think he knows what we need," said Reyes. "As a player I need to worry about doing my job. Our GM, hes got a job to do so I dont want to get involved in that and get involved in his decisions. Of course, our front office knows what we need. Its no secret to no one." GIBBONS: BUEHRLES AN ALL-STAR Mark Buehrles skipper thinks his left-hander should be in Minneapolis on July 15 for the All-Star Game. "Yeah he should be an All-Star, no question. No doubt," said manager John Gibbons. Buehrle (10-6) often jokes about luck and how its the determining factor in whether hes successful. After a 10-1 start to his season, Buehrles dropped his last five decisions and is winless in six-straight starts. Look closer, though, and youll see hes still pitching well. Four of Buehrles last six starts, the winless span, have been quality starts (six or more innings, three or fewer earned runs against). Buehrles ERA, in 121 1/3 innings this season, is a stellar 2.60. ITS A CRUEL BUSINESS How is Tommy Milone feeling right now? The As left-hander tossed six innings of shutout ball against the Blue Jays on Friday and had a record of 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA over his last 11 starts dating back to May 9. On Saturday, Milone was optioned to Oaklands Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento to make room on the active roster for newly-acquired starting pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. ' ' '