Even the greatest NFL players eventually peak and begin that tumble back down the mountain. For some, the peak is long and luxurious; for others, that peak is short, and the fall comes after a couple years of prosperity. This list features players nearing the end of the road or those having held on a bit too long. Some call it long in the tooth; others call it over the hill. We’re calling this the All-Washed team for 2022. Indianapolis Colts QB Matt Ryan source: Getty Images This was a close race between Matt Ryan, Ryan Tannehill, and Baker Mayfield. We’re giving Mayfield one more chance to prove everyone wrong. Tannehill has rookie Malik Willis breathing down his neck, but at his best never reached the heights of former league MVP Ryan. As the Atlanta Falcons faded back into obscurity after the debacle of Super Bowl LI, so has Matty Ice. Cold would be the best description for Ryan at this point, passing for just 20 touchdowns last year and falling short of 4,000 passing yards for the first time since 2010. Ryan hasn’t sniffed the Pro Bowl since his MVP year in 2016. It wouldn’t be shocking to hear Ryan call it a career at the end of the ‘22 campaign. Dallas Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliot source: Getty Images Zeke’s demise is a couple years in the making, but he hasn’t been the same back over the last couple of years. Elliot went from the top feature running back in the NFL to being the overrated half of a dual threat running game in Dallas. Were it not for Jerry Jones’ loyalty to certain players, Elliot might have been cut already. His average rushing yards per game has declined each season following his rookie year. In 2021 this number fell all the way to 58.9 ypg. If Elliot can’t step up this season, his career in big D could end next offseason. Tennessee Titans WR Josh Gordon ( practice squad) source: Getty Images It feels like Josh Gordon is hanging on by a thread. Gordon recently signed to the Titans’ practice squad, and if he can’t make this roster, that might be all she wrote. There was so much promise early on for Gordon after Cleveland selected him in the 2012 supplemental draft. Gordon led the NFL in receiving yards in 2013 and, for his efforts, was named All-Pro and a Pro bowler. Gordon’s substance abuse issues seemed to take control of his life as he missed the ‘15 and ‘16 seasons, serving a suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. We’ve seen more Josh Gordon comeback attempts than George Foreman. At 31 years old, Gordon needs to find a team to stick with this year and produce. Otherwise, he’ll go down as one of the biggest’ what if’ talents the NFL has ever seen. TE Jared Cook (free agent) source: Getty Images Cook is a two-time Pro Bowl tight end. He will forever be remembered for his clutch reception from Aaron Rodgers to eliminate the Cowboys in the divisional round playoff game in 2017. It won the ESPY that year for Best Play. After peaking in catches and receiving yards in ‘18, Cook hasn’t come close to that production. He caught 48 passes for 564 yards last season for the Chargers but is a free agent entering the ‘22 season. Jared had four TD receptions last year, his lowest since ‘17 with the Raiders. At age 35, it might be well into the season before Cook gets a call this year. Dallas Cowboys LT Tyron Smith source: Getty Images Tyron Smith has been beastly on that Dallas offensive line for over a decade. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, two-time All-Pro, and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. But over the last couple of years, injuries have caught up with Smith, who will miss most of the ‘22 campaign with an avulsion fracture in his knee and the hamstring tendon pulled off the knee. Smith turns 32 years old during the regular season, and it just feels like time is winding down for the All-world tackle. If he does return this year, you have to wonder how effective he can be after such a brutal leg injury. Philadelphia Eagles DL Fletcher Cox source: Getty Images Fletcher Cox has been one of the better defensive linemen of his era as a six-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro. Cox had his most productive season in ‘18, the year after leading the Eagles’ Super Bowl-winning defense. Fletcher made the Pro Bowl and All-Pro that season, recording 10.5 sacks, 34 QB hits, and 12 tackles for loss, all career highs. Last year Cox produced career lows in tackles for loss (7) and solo tackles (25) while making only 3.5 sacks in 16 games. Cox has primarily been healthy during his career, suiting up for at least 14 games in each of his 10 seasons as a pro. In professional sports, age catches everyone, and it may be Fletcher’s time. Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Lavonte David source: Getty Images Lavonte David has only been a Pro Bowl selection and All-Pro once in his career, but he’s been more than solid for the Bucs at the linebacker position for a decade. Many of those years went largely unnoticed because the team was so bad. David missed five games last season, which contributed to the lowest solo tackle total (63) of his career. Lavonte will be 33 before the end of the season, and this is usually around the time we see linebackers slowdown. Minnesota Vikings DB Patrick Peterson source: Getty Images Peterson was once expected the be the next big time shutdown cornerback in the NFL when he was drafted fifth overall by Arizona out of LSU. Patrick was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first eight years of his career. He’s a three-time All-Pro and was even named to the HOF All-2010s team. There’s been a noticeable drop-off in production over the past couple of years, even going back to Arizona. Now in Minnesota, a change in the defensive scheme could help the veteran cornerback immensely this season as they’re switching to more zone coverages. Cornerback isn’t a position that always ages gracefully in the NFL. Some even transition to safety as they age, and that could be the next move for Peterson if he wishes to play well into his 30s.
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With English football making its return on Tuesday night, Swansea will welcome a high-flying Sheffield United to south Wales when the midweek Championship fixtures get underway.
Starting with the hosts, last seen earlier in the month making a much-needed return to winning ways, there is no doubt that Swansea will be desperate to build off of that momentum. However, despite claiming a hard-fought 1-0 victory at home against QPR on September 3rd, Russell Martin s men still find themselves battling it out at the foot of the Championship table. Picking up just a single win from any of their previous five second-tier showdowns, the one-time MK Dons boss has also seen his side pick up a pair of victories from any of th…
As for the visitors, marching on and picking up a 2-0 victory over bitter rivals Manchester United last weekend, Liverpool have continued on what is becoming a famous campaign. Already with one hand on their first Premier League title and knowing that victory on Thursday would see them once again widen their gap to 16 points, the mood in Jurgen Klopp s camp couldn t be any higher. Yet to taste defeat in England s top-tier this season and in the midst of an eight-match winning run across all formats, there is no doubt that the former Borussia Dortmund boss will be most impressed by his side s recent performances at the back. The reigning European champions are yet to pick the ball out of their own net since opening the New Year and have remarkably gone over 650 minutes without conceding …
I watched Aston Villa win 3-1 at Liverpool yesterday and thought just how a team who loses two games out of the first three in the Premier League can really go on and be crowned champions. Liverpool suffered only two defeats in the whole of last seasons campaign and came close to challenging bitter rivals Manchester United. The Reds even managed to go to their deadly rivals and win 4-1, in what was one of the best performances of the season.
Their problem last season was the fact that they slipped up far too much against so-called lesser sides. Tottenham and Aston Villa are not bad sides, but if Liverpool are to claim their first league title in 20 years then they have to defeat these sides.
I have a friend who is a die-hard Liverpool fan and every season before the sea…
Free-scoring Manchester City will be plotting to heap more misery on struggling Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side have scored 12 goals in their last two games against Norwich and CSKA Moscow, meaning Sunderland who sit second-bottom in the Premier League are likely to have their work cut out as they go in search of just their second win of the season.
City will be full of confidence having qualified for the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League for the first time with a 5-2 beating of CSKA in midweek a result that followed up a 7-0 hammering of Norwich last Saturday.
But they must address their away form if they are to challenge for the Premier League title, having won just once in five matches on their travels this term.
Pe…
Cristiano Ronaldo s exit leaves Real Madrid trying to fill a monumental goalscoring void.
But Los Blancos will waste little time in finding someone to step into the sizeable boots left vacant by Ronaldo s €100million move to Serie A champions Juventus.
Few clubs can match the prestige of playing for Madrid, who have won the Champions League in four of the past five seasons, so there is sure to be a lengthy queue ready to take the mantle.
Below we take a look at the most likely candidates.
100- was the first player in Champions League history to reach 100 goals for the same club (105 goals currently). Icon
— OptaJose (@OptaJose)
Eden Hazard
Perhaps the most obvious contender is Chelsea s Eden Hazard, whose star is sure to…
Uli Hoeness admits criticism he faced at last year s annual general meeting played a part in his decision to step down as Bayern Munich president but feels he is leaving the club in great condition
Bayern confirmed on Thursday that the long-serving Hoeness will not stand for re-election in November and former Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer was unanimously backed by the club s advisory board to take over.
The news ended months of speculation surrounding the 67-year-old, who at the 2018 AGM was lambasted by supporter Johannes Bachmayr in an 11-minute rant for running a one-man show .
After 30 years as general manager and a decade as president, Hoeness believes the time is right to call it a day.
Danke Uli!
— FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN…
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp backed his in-form striker Roman Pavlyuchenko to fire his team towards Wembley after the Russian s two goals helped them cruise into the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The former Spartak Moscow attacker, who was out of favour and the centre of transfer speculation during the January transfer window, also netted a double in last Sunday s win at Wigan, giving Redknapp pause for thought.
He s in great form, said Redknapp after the 4-0 rout of Bolton at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.
Last week he trained hard and worked hard and looked very good. He looked like he wanted a go and when people work in training it rubs off on Saturday, he added.
The former Southampton boss expects the international star to start in Sunday s crucial lea…
(GSM) The Ligue 1 game between Sochaux and Olympique Marseille is postponed to ensure Marseille gets ample time to prepare for their decisive Champions League game against Real Madrid.
The game between Olympique Marseille and Sochaux, which was scheduled on December 2, is postponed to a later date, the LFP said in a statement, without giving a new date.
This decision has been made to put Marseille in the best conditions before their crucial game against Real Madrid.
Marseille will go through to the knockout phase of the Champions League if they manage to beat Real Madrid in the league fixture on December 8. The last time the two teams faced eachother in October 2009, Real defeated L OM (3-0) and climbed to the peak of Champions League Group C.
Marsei…
Victor Wanyama has warned Cape Verde not to expect an easy game when they meet Kenya in their 2018 World Cup qualifier on Friday.
Cape Verde enter the qualifying process in the second round with a bye due to their superior seeding, whilst Kenya were forced to see off Mauritius with a 5-2 aggregate victory.
However, despite being ranked 114th in the official FIFA world rankings – 62 places beneath their upcoming opponents – Wanyama says Kenya will pose a tough test in the two-legged tie.
Cape Verde should not expect us to be a walk in the park as we will take the game to them throughout the entire game, the Southampton midfielder said.
Of course we know they are ranked way above us but as long as we play as a unit then nothing is impossible we can be…
Wolfsburg extended their unbeaten home record in the Bundesliga to 29 matches after dismantling Werder Bremen 6-0, while champions Bayern Munich opened up an eight-point gap at the top.
Werder failed to cope with a rampant Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena. The rout started in the 11th minute when Alejandro Galvez put Christian Trasch s cross past his own goalkeeper and Max Kruse made it 2-0 with a glancing header.
There was no respite after the break as Vieirinha converted Marcel Schafer s teasing cross, before Josuha Guilavogui completed a fine team move to stretch the lead.
Bas Dost scored his seventh league goal of the campaign with a clever finish in the 78th minute and Kruse s second in the closing stages completed the rout.
Bayern s form showed n…