Abmeldung » If the first map was any indication, the N

For more than a decade, the NFL has been taking its game abroad looking to attract new fans and new markets to football.When the Oakland Raiders take on the Houston Texans on Monday night in Mexico City, the fans at Azteca Stadium will see something no foreign audience has ever gotten the chance to watch: two teams with winning records.Instead of watching the dregs of the league, the sold-out crowd at the renovated Azteca Stadium will see a game with playoff implications when the Raiders (7-2) take on the Texans (6-3) in a matchup of first-place teams.Despite the big stage, high stakes and international flair, it still is just one game.We know if you dont win, it doesnt mean anything. Its a cool thing to look back on someday, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr said. It doesnt change the game for me. It doesnt change my heart rate. It stays the same.The Raiders enter the game on a roll having won three straight games before a bye, capped by a 30-20 prime-time win over defending Super Bowl champion Denver on Nov. 6. That has Oakland off to its best start since 2001 as the team hopes to end a 13-year playoff drought .The Texans have won two straight and are in sole possession of first place in the AFC South, but have gotten much less publicity for their record than Oakland. In part, thats because Houston has been outscored by 27 points with lopsided losses to New England, Minnesota and Denver overshadowing the wins.A victory against a Raiders team that has been so impressive of late would be a big step forward for the TexansI think every single week is a statement game, Texans quarterback Brock Osweiler said. When you look across the National Football League, every single week is different. You see one team maybe blow out somebody one week and then the next week they get blown out, or a win and then the next week they lose. So, I think every single week you need to go out there and prove yourself.Here are some other things to watch:WRONG CARR: After David Carr failed to develop into a franchise quarterback when Houston drafted him with its first pick as an expansion team in 2002, the Texans twice passed on his little brother in 2014. Houston took pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney with the first overall pick, then guard Xavier Sua-Filo at the top of the second round -- three picks before Derek went to Oakland. That move looks suspect now with Carr developing into one of the leagues top young quarterbacks.We chose who we chose and were happy with who we chose, coach Bill OBrien said. Dereks having a good year.MACK ATTACK: The Raiders were very happy with Houstons draft that year. They ended up with edge rusher Khalil Mack with the fifth pick and he has outperformed Clowney so far with 26 sacks to Clowneys 7 +. Then they got Carr in the second round.Mack has sacks in four straight games and is looking forward to a rematch with Osweiler after sacking him five times in one game last year in Denver.We are well aware of what Khalil Macks capable of doing -- obviously I experienced it firsthand last year -- and we will have answers for him, Osweiler said.HIGHER GROUND: Both teams will have to deal with the altitude for the game played at an elevation of 7,350 feet. The teams wont arrive in Mexico until Sunday in hopes of limiting the effects of the altitude, and they spent the week preparing for it.Just work hard, Mack said. You cant really control the elevation. Its like Denver and all those other places. Just get ready and expect you might have a hard time breathing.OAKLANDS ENGINE: The Raiders have invested heavily in the offensive line the past few years by signing free agents Rodney Hudson, Kelechi Osemele, Donald Penn and Austin Howard and it is paying big dividends now. Oakland has allowed a league-low 11 sacks and has run the ball effectively of late, especially two weeks ago against Denver when the Raiders gained 218 yards on the ground. Carr attributes the success of the team to the play of the line.He calls us the engine, Penn said. Theres no car without an engine.PUNT PARTY: Marquette King had big shoes to fill in Oakland back in 2013 when he replaced six-time All-Pro Shane Lechler as Raiders punter. King has thrived and leads the NFL this season with 21 punts of at least 50 yards. He celebrates some of those punts with dance moves that have gone viral. While Lechler is impressed by his successors kicking leg, the dance moves are something else.Unfortunately, I have, Lechler said when asked whether he had seen any of the dances.---AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Ultra Boost Trainers Uk . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. Ultra Boost Clearance . LOUIS -- Cardinals cleanup hitter Allen Craig says hes recovered from a foot injury and ready to be put on St. http://www.cheapultraboostuk.com/ . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Cheap Ultra Boost . The Canadian squad, skipped by Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg, got on the board first with two in the second end, and followed that with two more apiece in the fourth and sixth ends. Discount Ultra Boost . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Day 3 of the ELeague Playoffs saw Astralis and OpTic Gaming punch their ticket to the Grand Finals, earning wins over SK Gaming and FaZe Clan, respectively.Astralis blank SK GamingThe first semifinal matchup of the day went rather well for Astralis as they managed to silence SK Gaming on arguably their two best maps. The series started out on Overpass, Astralis initial map pick, and on cue the team quickly jumped out to a 5-0 lead. That seemed to evaporate all at once, however, as SK Gaming put together their own rally to keep the score close at halftime. Unfortunately for SK, Astralis had a great second half thanks to Andreas Xyp9x H?jsleth, who rallied his team to a map win 16-11. H?jsleth would put together an impressive 52/35 KD and 124.4 ADR in the two-game series.The second map of the best-of-three series may have been the most surprising result of the tournament as SK Gaming lost on Train for just the third time in the last 28 times theyve played on the map. Perhaps more surprising, Astralis put together a commanding 12-3 at halftime, annihilating SK on their supposed best map. A late rally fueled by Gabriel FalleN Toledos impressive movement and AWPing helped the Brazilians earn seven consecutive round wins on the defense to get back into the game. But that wouldnt last long as Astralis Markus Kjaerbye Kj?rbye and Nicolai device Reedtz had a huge hand in taking the last two rounds away from SK to cllaim the map 16-12 and the series 2-0.ddddddddddddOpTic upset FaZe Clan en route to finalThe second best-of-three series of the day also showcased a sweep, this time at the hands of the Green Wall, OpTic Gaming. If the first map was any indication, the North American team seemed to firing on all cylinders, as they cruised to a 16-3 Map 1 win on Train. Tarik tarik Celik led the team, accumulating a remarkable 25/9 KD followed by a shattering 125.1 ADR.The second map would get a bit more interesting as each team seemed to trade runs of momentum in the first half. Even in a 10-5 hole to start the second half of Map 2, FaZe Clan would simply not give up, earning five consecutive defensive round wins to nearly knot up the map. Luckily for OpTic, their economy was at full strength for a much-needed buy round, a brilliant strategic move that allowed them to earn two round wins, extending their slight lead. Once again, though, FaZe wouldnt back down as they rallied to win the next two rounds. That was the end of the road, however, as OpTics Will RUSH Wierzba came up big in the final three rounds to close out the map 16-12 and the series 2-0.With the win, OpTic Gaming will advance to face Astralis in the Grand Final on Saturday. The climactic battle will take place at 4:00 PM EST on TBS. ' ' '