Anmelden » Chad Kelly insists a few months away from football

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — helped put life in perspective.He read the Bible while living in his parents’ basement. He recommitted himself to the game. And now he believes he can avoid any more trouble off the field.The once-promising young quarterback thinks his latest humbling experience will help jump-start his career with the Indianapolis Colts in what even he acknowledges could be his last NFL chance.“You just have to put in enough work for those guys to trust you because it’s going to take some time Julian Love Jersey ,” he said Wednesday. “There have been things that have happened in the past, but I am up for the challenge to prove to these guys I am dedicated to this.”Only time will tell if Kelly will be one of the few who actually turns the corner, though he may have found the perfect landing spot.His new coach, Frank Reich, was a longtime backup to Kelly’s uncle, Jim, a Hall of Fame quarterback with the Buffalo Bills. The man who signed Kelly, general manager Chris Ballard, decided to take a low-risk gamble by establishing guidelines for Kelly to meet. Kelly declined to elaborate on any specific provisions.Expectations are low in Indy, too, given that the Colts already have an established Pro Bowler in Andrew Luck, a solid backup in Jacoby Brissett and a known quantity in Phillip Walker as their No. 3 quarterback.And with Luck missing his second week of offseason workouts because of a strained calf, Kelly will get even more snaps so he can learn a new offense.“He has come in and he’s picked up the system well Darius Slayton Jersey ,” Reich said. “I think he’s — from what we saw at the rookie minicamp — he has progressed from there. I think Chad shows to have a little bit of a knack and some instincts. He has made his share of mistakes out there, but I think he’s certainly showing he belongs out there competing.”NFL scouts all saw his promise. And the Denver Broncos overlooked the potential pitfalls when they took Kelly with the final pick of the 2017 draft.He was booted off Clemson’s roster after arguing with coaches during the 2014 spring game. He pleaded guilty to a non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct stemming from a December 2014 incident in which he allegedly punched two bouncers and threatened to use an AK-47 to “spray the place” after he being ejected from the bar.In October 2016, Kelly charged onto the field when a bench-clearing brawl erupted during his brother’s high school football game. And then there was the torn ACL that ended his senior season at Ole Miss.There was more trouble in the NFL.After missing his entire rookie season to rehab from the knee injury, he took only one snap, a kneeldown, before he was cut in 2018 after he left a Halloween party and entered a house belonging to a man and woman he did not know. In March, he pleaded guilty to a second-degree trespassing charge.Over all those months, Kelly pondered his future. A few teams were interested but none was willing to sign him.“I really didn’t know,” he said when asked if he thought he’d get another chance. “I really couldn’t tell you what I was feeling like — you were kind of lost, you kind of look to the good Lord, you talk to close friends and family, and at the end of the day you’ve got to move on. You’ve got to get ready for whatever life brings you. I was just reading, doing as much as I could to stay active on the field and in the weight room.”Indy finally offered him a tryout earlier this month during a rookie minicamp and apparently he did enough during those three days to convince Ballard he was worth a chance. Kelly signed May 20.If he sticks around long enough T.J. Hockenson Jersey , Kelly will at least give the Colts an extra training camp arm to diminish the wear and tear on Luck. But if he stays out of trouble and finally starts playing football the way many believe he can, Kelly could give the Colts another solid backup option.“There is something there,” Reich said. “He can throw on the run, and then when he moves in the pocket I think he’s got some natural movement instincts and can deliver the ball from different arm angles. He has played a lot of football for his age and thrown a lot of balls.” FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)For the better part of two decades, the second meeting of the regular season between the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots has had only mild drama attached to it. That won’t be the case for Sunday’s matchup. New England (11-3) wrapped up its ninth consecutive AFC East title with last week’s win over Pittsburgh. It can lock up a first-round bye this week with a victory over the Bills, combined with a loss by either Pittsburgh or Jacksonville. If the Patriots win and the Steelers and Jaguars both lose, New England will secure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Bills (8-6) are still alive in their quest to break a 17-year playoff drought, and would not be eliminated from contention even with a loss to the Patriots. Buffalo’s postseason absence is the longest active streak in North America’s four major professional sports. In NFL terms, Buffalo is tied for having the fifth-longest drought, and the longest since the NFL merger in 1970. ”Of course, the big picture’s there http://www.lionscheapstore.com/jahlani-tavai-jersey-cheap , but you can’t move too far ahead,” said Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who was Joe Flacco’s backup for the Baltimore Ravens’ 2013 Super Bowl win. ”It’s definitely tough, but one thing about it is you can’t necessarily worry about what other teams are doing.” There is also the subplot of this being the first time the teams have met since Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski’s late, gratuitous hit on Bills defensive back Tre’Davious White late in New England’s 23-3 win at Buffalo Dec. 3. White was lying face down on the sideline after intercepting Tom Brady’s fourth-quarter pass attempt to Gronkowski. Gronk – upset about a flag not being called on White for pushing off – dived into him, driving his forearm into White’s back and head. Gronkowski was called for unnecessary roughness, but not kicked out of the game. Afterward, Patriots coach Bill Belichick apologized to Buffalo coach Sean McDermott . Gronkowski also apologized, saying he let his frustration get the better of him. In the days that followed, White condemned Gronk as ”a dirty player.” But he said this week that he has moved on . ”It’s just getting over it,” White said. ”It was still lingering on me. But as I got a chance to think about it, that was childish. I got over it and I’m past it. I’m focused on winning.” Safety Devin McCourty said he is expecting a playoff atmosphere, but not because of any bad blood. ”I don’t think either team is going to need what happened last game to get them going Will Harris Jersey ,” McCourty said. ”Two teams trying to win a football game at the end of the season is going to be chippy. It’s going to be everything from pushing and shoving to fighting for extra yards. You’re going to get all of that Sunday.” Here are some things to watch for when the Bills and patriots square off again: ONE-MAN SHOW: Most of the Bills’ success this season has come via the legs of running back LeSean McCoy. He leads the Bills with 1,057 yards rushing and six touchdowns. He also has two TD catches. In all, he has accounted for eight of the 26 touchdowns scored by the Bills’ offense. His 1,407 yards from scrimmage (including 350 receiving) make up 33 percent of the net yards of offense Buffalo has produced. McCoy has eclipsed 100 yards rushing four times this season. Buffalo is 3-1 in those games. New England has allowed a 100-yard rusher only four times and is 2-2 in those contests. DEFENSIVE STRUGGLES: While McCoy has been the catalyst offensively when Buffalo has had success this season, Buffalo’s defense has mostly struggled with stopping the run. It has allowed 140 or more yards rushing six times and given up a league-worst 19 of its 32 touchdowns on the ground. That included two against New England and six in a 47-10 loss to New Orleans on Nov. 12. By contrast, the Bills have allowed a league-low 11 touchdowns passing, and two or more in one game just twice this season (three in 30-27 win over Tampa Bay and two in 54-24 loss to the Chargers). TOM TERRIFIC: The Patriots have won four of the last five meetings with the Bills, but Buffalo has taken two of the last three games in Foxborough. Brady was serving his four-game ”Deflategate” suspension during Buffalo’s 16-0 win at Gillette Stadium last season. But the 40-year-old QB has a 27-3 regular-season record against the Bills, his highest win total over any opponent. He has also thrown for more touchdowns (66) against the Bills than any other opponent. — AP Sports Writer John Wawrow in Orchard Park, New York, contributed to this report. —