nished 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA.He was getting after it pretty good, Francona

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos head into their bye week at 7-3 and feeling good about themselves and their chances to make another Super Bowl run.They can thank their safeties.Darian Stewart had three takeaways and T.J. Ward got one in the Broncos 25-23 win at New Orleans on Sunday that was secured by rookies Justin Simmons and Will Parks tag-teaming the first defensive game-winning 2-point play in league history.Simmons blocked the extra point after Drew Brees 32-yard TD toss to Brandin Cooks with 1:22 remaining and Parks returned it 84 yards, somehow staying inbounds as he darted down the Saints sideline.I knew Id blocked it because my right arm was throbbing for a little bit, Simmons said Monday. Everyone was running to the left. So, I look at Will was already like 20 yards in front of everybody, running off to the sideline. I was just praying he got into the end zone.It was the kind of play that can kick-start careers and salvage a season.This was a huge victory for us, especially coming off a bad loss last week to the Raiders, DeMarcus Ware said.And now we go into the bye and get some of our banged-up guys back and we should be ready to go the rest of the season.Ware has been playing about 28 snaps a game since returning from a broken forearm and the plan is to double that down the stretch. Coach Gary Kubiak said Monday he is optimistic Aqib Talib (back) and Derek Wolfe (elbow) will be back in the lineup when the Broncos face Kansas City (7-2) on Nov. 27 in prime time.Also, quarterback Trevor Siemian, who has been dealing with a painful left shoulder ever since spraining the A.C. joint in Week 4, got another cortisone injection after getting hit 20 times by the Saints.The rest will do him some good, Kubiak said.The Broncos avoided their first stretch of four losses in six games since Kyle Orton was their quarterback to start the 2011 season.I probably shouldnt get too ahead of myself, but I feel good about (Talib) and Derek being ready to go, Kubiak said. Aqib actually worked out today. I watched him from upstairs when he worked out with the trainers on the field. Everything looks good. Well probably hold Derek until we get to about next Wednesday and then cut him loose. It sure looks like were going to get closer to full strength. Thats an encouraging thing.Kubiak also feels good about the progression of Simmons, a third-rounder from Boston College, and Parks, a sixth-rounder from Arizona, and the way theyre augmenting Denvers special teams and the Broncos No Fly Zone defense.Theyre both playing well. We have confidence in them, Kubiak said. T.J. and Stew have played big time. Theyve played about 98 to 100 percent of the snaps for this team. Those guys will have to take a little bit off of them. But theyre both doing a good job.Parks said he didnt realize he was close to going out of bounds -- his white cleats blended in with the sideline and there was no clear angle showing he stepped out, so the call stood.I think that made it real interesting, Parks said.Simmons had never in his life blocked a kick, but special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis liked his 40-inch vertical at the NFL Combine and taught him how to leap long snappers.The play is called Leaper, and when DeCamillis called it, Simmons said he did a double-take even though he had been using all the previous kicks to get a feel for the Saints cadence so he could time his jump just right.Simmons was still in awe of the play, saying, I woke up this morning and I was like `Damn, that was wild. Im getting texts still and everything like that, but Im just happy about the win.Both Parks and Simmons knew joining the Super Bowl champs and their stellar secondary meant theyd have to make their mark mostly on special teams at first and pitch in where they could on the leagues top-ranked pass defense.Obviously, everyone in our secondary is at the elite stage and theyve all made Pro Bowls, theyve almost done everything you can do in this league, Simmons said. So, coming in youve got to show them that youre all ball.Pitching in means the world to both, Parks said.Me and Justin, we got the vets smiling on the plane back and thats what its all about, Parks said. Theyve made me happy plenty of times. So, why not reward them back and take some pressure off their hands?I want to do that every week now. I want to do it in practice, in the film room, in the game.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Cyber Monday Nike Shoes . LOUIS -- Mike Smith is used to facing plenty of shots, so this was nothing new. Clearance Nike Shoes . -- Stanford squashed Oregons national championship hopes again, schooling the Ducks in power football. https://www.fakenikeshoeswholesale.com/ .C. -- Charlotte Bobcats coach Steve Clifford said after all of these years in the NBA hes still amazed at some of the things LeBron James does. Black Friday Nike Shoes . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Nike Shoes China . In the response filed Wednesday to the complaint by 30-year-old Alexander Bradley, attorneys say the former University of Florida player is invoking his Fifth Amendment right that protects people from incriminating themselves. CLEVELAND -- Even with the World Series beginning Tuesday, the?Cleveland Indians pitching plans are in a state of uncertainty.The only certainty is that ace Corey Kluber will start Game 1 in Cleveland.The Indians are hoping the cut pinky on right-hander Trevor Bauers throwing hand will hold together well enough for him to start Game 2. And All-Star Danny Salazar will be put on the roster, raising the possibility he could start Game 4 or come out of the bullpen.Bauer left Game 3 of the American League Championship Series with blood gushing from the pinky?he cut while fixing a drone.On Monday, Bauer claimed he should be ready to go for Game 2. Manager Terry Francona and pitching coach Mickey Callaway said the finger had improved, but they were not ready to fully commit.The finger looks a ton better, Callaway said. It looks like it has actually healed some. Before, it looked like he had pulled it out of a meat grinder.Bauer threw to live hitters on Monday without bleeding but appeared to be wearing some protection on the finger, which he wont be allowed to use in a game.If Bauer goes Wednesday, then Josh Tomlin would stay in line to start Game 3 when the series moves to Chicago on Friday. Either Salazar or rookie ALCS hero Ryan Merritt could go in Game 4. Both will be available out of the bullpen.In the event Bauer cannot go on Wednesday, Tomlin is expected to slide in for Game 2, with the Indians hoping that Bauer could go in Game 3 at Wrigley Field.The Indians rotation was ravaged with injuries late in the season. In addition to Salazar, the Indians advanced to the World Series without starter Carlos Carrasco, who is out for the season with a broken hand.?Salazar hasnt pitched for Cleveland since Sept. 9, when he left a start at Minnesota with right forearm tightness. The injury eventually was diagnosed as a strained riight flexor.dddddddddddd Salazar began working his way back in late September by throwing bullpen sessions and simulated games. His three-inning simulation on Sunday was enough to convince the Indians that hes ready to go.I dont know if its going to be as a starter or a reliever, but Im ready, Salazar said.Salazar went 10-3 with a 2.75 ERA during the first half of the season and earned a spot on the AL All-Star roster for the first time, though he didnt pitch in the game. He went on to battle physical problems for much of the second half. In addition to the forearm problem, Salazar missed several starts in August with elbow inflammation. He finished 11-6 with a 3.87 ERA.He was getting after it pretty good, Francona said of Salazars latest simulated game. Weve talked about using three starters, then after the third game, well see where were at. We have [Ryan] Merritt, we have Danny.Neither one would pitch a full game, but between those two, especially with Danny, a guy who made the All-Star team, we could pitch [him] wherever we want. It gives us another really good arm thats kind of a wild card who could help us.If Salazar is used out of the pen, it would be a new experience: All 85 of his big league appearances have been as a starting pitcher.I havent pitched a single inning as a reliever, Salazar said. But I think I know the way to get ready in case they need me to come out of the bullpen.Salazar wont be using his full complement of pitches.Im only throwing fastball, changeup, slider, Salazar said. I havent thrown the curveball. That was the pitch that caused soreness before. I havent tried to throw it yet, and they havent tried to get me to throw it. So were going to go with that for now. ' ' '