The New England Patriots barely missed a beat when Tom Brady served his monthlong Deflategate suspension, going 3-1 and keeping up with the undefeated Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos.Trevor Siemian, the 250th overall draft pick in 2015, outdueled a trio of top overall selections in Cam Newton, Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston during a magnificent first month as Peyton Mannings surprise successor.Then, reality hit -- along with Buccaneers defensive tackle Clinton McDonald .He flung Siemian to the turf, bruising his left shoulder, the first in a string of injuries that have sidelined the likes of DeMarcus Ware, C.J. Anderson, Aqib Talib and Derek Wolfe while helping to break the Broncos stranglehold on the AFC West.With an anemic offense and a depleted defense, the Broncos (6-3) are looking up at not only the Patriots (7-1) in the AFC but two teams in their own division. The resurgent Raiders (7-2) and the Chiefs (6-2) are ahead of them in the AFC West, which the Broncos have owned since Tim Tebow was running the read-option and not the bases.Weve just got to find a way to stay on the damn field, said coach Gary Kubiak, whose team leads the league in three-and-outs, putting a back-breaking strain on its dazzling defense.Behind Derek Carr and Khalil Mack, the Raiders are seeking their first playoff berth since 2002, and their 30-20 drubbing of Denver on Sunday was their biggest win in more than a decade.We know we cant look at this game as something thats going to define us or define the season, running back Latavius Murray said after running for three touchdowns and half of Oaklands 218 rushing yards.By dominating the trenches and controlling the clock for 41:28, the Raiders were able to expose a weakness in Denvers otherwise stellar defense.Thats something that we have to fix, cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said. Its been leaky pretty much all season. So we have to figure that out and really put an emphasis on that, and get back to doing what we do.The Raiders wont get caught up in their first-half success because they know holding off the Chiefs, who have won 10 consecutive home games , and Broncos, who have won five divisional titles in a row , wont be easy.Plus, New England is clearly the class of the conference now that Manning is pitching products instead of pigskins.Brady is back and better than ever.The Patriots, who visit Denver on Dec 18, are 4-0 with him back under center.At age 39, that speed bump year when most elite QBs have either traded in two-minute drills for 30-second spots or are just trying not to tarnish their legacy, Brady has thrown for a dozen TDs and not a single interception in four games.His completion rate of 73.1 percent is nearly 10 points above his career average, and his passer rating of 133.9 would be a career high if he can maintain this pace over the second half.Brady is two wins shy of Brett Favres 199 career victories and three wins shy of Mannings record 200 wins, a mark the five-time MVP set when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50.Its pretty early, so, theres a long way to go, Brady said. Seven wins, its a good place, I think decent position. But coach always says `Seven wins wont get you anything in this league. Hes right. Weve got a lot of football ahead.As well as things have gone for the Patriots, the trade of defense stalwart Jamie Collins was a reminder to everyone -- Brady included -- that no one has infinite time in the Patriots locker room.You cant be around this long and not realize that the world will keep spinning and the sun will come up tomorrow without you, Brady said.The next two months will show whether Bill Belichicks trade of Collins was a huge mistake or a heeded message.New England is well on its way to an eighth consecutive AFC East title, holding a three-game lead over second-place Miami (4-4).The Houston Texans (5-3) are the only .500-or-better team in the AFC South, but they were throttled 27-9 in Brock Osweilers return to Denver.At least the South has a winning team. The Ravens and Steelers are tied atop the North at 4-4.Nothing epitomizes Pittsburghs paradoxical season as well as kicker Chris Boswells flubbed onside kick Sunday in the final minute of the Steelers 21-14 loss to Baltimore. Boswell attempted what in soccer is known as a rabona -- where the kicking leg is wrapped around the other leg before striking the ball. But Boswell kicked the ball right into his other foot.A lot of teams seem to be tripping over themselves in an attempt to keep up with Brady and the Patriots this season. Indeed, the only conference teams with winning records halfway through the schedule are the Patriots, Texans and the trio from the AFC West.And all the way at the bottom, 0-9 with few prospects for getting a victory, are the Cleveland Browns.Ive never been 0-and-9 before, so you better believe its the toughest challenge Ive ever had, Browns coach Hue Jackson said. But I am excited about the challenge and I truly believe that weve got a tough road ahead of us, but were looking forward to it.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---AP Sports Writers Josh Dubow and Kyle Hightower contributed.---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Air Max 90 Essential Wholesale . In taking its goal tally to 99 in all competitions already this season, City delivered another demonstration of its lethal firepower at Etihad Stadium to set up a fourth-round match at home to another second-tier team -- Watford. Nike Air Max 90 Leather Sale . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. http://www.wholesale90airmax.com/wholesale-air-max-90-premium.html . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Wholesale Air Max 90 Off White .com) - The Calgary Flames aim to bounce back from their first regulation home loss of the campaign on Friday night when they host a Detroit Red Wings club that they swept in three meetings a season ago. Nike Air Max 90 Ultra Se Sale . R.J. Umberger scored twice to lead the Blue Jackets to a franchise-record for consecutive wins with a 5-3 victory Tuesday night over the Los Angeles Kings. PHILADELPHIA -- New York Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom established himself as a rising star last season.Philadelphia Phillies rookie righty Zach Eflin is just beginning to establish himself, period.The two pitchers square off Sunday afternoon, when the Mets and Phillies play the rubber game of their three-game series in Citizens Bank Park.DeGrom (5-4, 2.61) has recently begun to show the dominating form he displayed last year, when he went 14-8 with a 2.54 ERA during the regular season and 3-1 with a 2.88 ERA in four postseason starts for the National League champions.He has gone 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA and 20 strikeouts (compared to four walks) in 20 innings over his last three starts, and his last time out he worked seven innings in a 4-2 victory over Miami. He allowed two runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking two.He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning unscathed, and thereafter only allowed solo homers to Giancarlo Stanton in the fourth and sixth innings.(I feel) better than where I started, deGrom said afterward, according to Major League Baseballs official web site. Things are starting to come back, and I was pretty happy about today.He is 3-0 with a 3.03 ERA in six career starts against the Phillies, and the Mets have won all six of those outings.Eflin (2-2, 4.08) was hit hard by Toronto in his first major league start, on June 14, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits in 2 2/3 innings, but since then he has gone 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA. He earned his first major league victory on July 5, going the distance to beat Atlanta 5-1, then followed that up with a 10-3 victory in Colorado five days later.Over his last two starts, he has gone 15 innings and yielded three runs on 13 hits while striking out nine and walking two.You just cant live in the past, Eflin said of his bouncebaack, according to MLB.ddddddddddddcom. Youve just always got to have your head high. I learn after every outing and I learned a lot after that one (against the Rockies). Ive done a good job of just keeping the ball down and throwing all of the pitches for strikes and keeping the hitters guessing.The Mets won the series opener 5-3, but the Phillies answered with a 4-2 victory Saturday night, as Maikel Franco drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning single.Franco is hitting .370 over his last 18 games, raising his average from .235 to .265, and has 17 RBI in his last 15. His 18 homers and 54 RBI lead the team and are third among major league third basemen, and on Saturday he blooped the first pitch he saw from Mets reliever Hansel Robles -- a 97 mph fastball -- into left field to snap a 2-2 tie.I know it was a good situation for me, Franco said. I just want to put the ball in play. Something good happened, and Im glad something good happened for me, and for my team, too.Franco had shown considerable promise in his first extended big league trial in 2015, hitting .280 with 14 homers and 50 RBI in 80 games, but found himself in the throes of a frustrating slump earlier this season.That is now behind him.He looks like hes staying on the ball better, manager Pete Mackanin said. Hes fouling off some tough pitches to right field. Hes just not flying off the ball like he has been, and hes getting results.Mackanin added that Franco is real close to resembling the player he was a year ago.Hes going to have a good year, Mackanin said. I think hes only going to get better as the season goes along.The Phillies have won 11 of their last 15 games, while the Mets have dropped four of five. ' ' '