Off-topic » matchup for a Dallas secondary allowing 29

VANCOUVER - Every once in a while, Delvin Breaux walks out of a store only to be stopped when the anti-theft detection system goes off.The Hamilton Tiger-Cat defensive back always has the required receipt. But he also walks around with a tangle of metal screws, rods and plates after breaking his neck in 2006 playing high school football in Louisiana.Breaux is more than the Ticats shutdown corner. He is a study in courage and perseverance.Great player. Better man, said Hamilton special teams and linebackers coach Jeff Reinebold.A highly recruited 17-year-old, Breaux was headed for NCAA glory when his life slid off the rails in a game between his McDonogh 35 High School and Jesuit High in New Orleans. Racing down the left sideline on special teams, Breaux angled towards the kick returner and, cutting round the corner of the five-man wall, launched himself at the ball-carrier like an Exocet missile.Later at the hospital, he was told he had broken his C4, C5, C6 vertebrae and an artery had been partially blocked by a chopped bone. His doctor told him he should be dead.Eight years later, the 25-year-old Breaux is a CFL Eastern all-star in his second year in the league. On Sunday, he has a second shot at the Grey Cup, with only the Calgary Stampeders in his way.Im thankful just for the opportunity to be here, he said Thursday. And to be alive.Breaux knows his story is inspiring, and hes willing to share it. But his preference is not to dwell on the past.I dont like to be reminded of what happened, because I could have been dead, he said.His journey back was long and hard. The injury cost him his football career at LSU, one of a plethora of top schools to offer him a scholarship, and sent him to some dark places.The moments when I didnt have anywhere to go. The moments when I could see myself not being the person I wanted to be, he recalled.Breaux credits his faith and fiancee Kasey for helping him get back on track. He gradually built back his body and signed on with the semi-pro Louisiana Bayou Vipers in 2012 just to get some game film (shot by Kasey) to show scouts.In reality, there was almost nothing pro about the Gridiron Developmental Football League. It was disorganized and Breaux played for free. But he saw it as a chance to resume pursuing his dream.Its not about money, its not about chasing girls, said Breaux. Its about having passion for the game or having passion for what you like to do. To play the game for free after breaking your neck, man I think thats inspiring.Breaux worked out in front of pro scouts in San Antonio, turning heads by running 40 yards in 4.35 seconds and covering receivers like a glove.CFL scouts were interested but the level of competition in his prized semi-pro game film did not wow them. Someone suggested he tried Arena Football and, after a brief stint with the New Orleans VooDoo, he signed in Hamilton as a free agent in May 2013.Today the six-foot-one 196-pounder is a key member of the Ticat defence, usually tasked with shutting down star receivers. In the Eastern final, he kept Als wideout Duron Carter under wraps for close to three quarters. Carter, who hauled in 75 passes for 1,030 yards during the regular season, finished with three catches for 25 yards.The Breaux show is winning rave reviews.Im just super proud of Delvin, said Hamilton defensive co-ordinator Orlondo Steinauer. Hes in just his second year and to me he had the same type of year last year. He just had some injuries and wasnt getting any recognition.Hes a guy whos not going to have a lot of stats. Hes just going to have tight coverage a majority of the time.Hes definitely a stud, added Hamilton quarterback Zach Collaros. I know our guys do not like playing against him in practice. Hes a very physical corner. He covers well, he runs well.Breaux acknowledges he has a lot to be thankful for these days. He is living his dream. And when someone recognizes him in Hamilton, he sees it as proof he is a role model and doing something positive with his life.Not surprisingly, Breaux keeps what happens on the field in perspective. He says losing the championship game to Saskatchewan last year was difficult. But he dealt with the disappointment.On the plane ride home I was thinking about it, he said. But at a point in time you just have to get over it. The game is over with and you just have to work on next season.Breaux says his neck is 100 per cent these days, although he works hard at maintaining the strength in that area. He is reminded of what happened daily, however, via the scars on the front and back of his neck.Still the day his life almost faded to black is behind him.Theres nothing but light in front of me.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter Sam Darnold Jets Jersey . LUCIE, Fla. Custom New York Jets Jerseys . The right-hander said he threw about 30 pitches in a routine bullpen session Sunday at Yankee Stadium, his final hurdle before starting Tuesday night at Tampa Bay. http://www.authenticjetsfanatic.com/c-104-jets-spencer-long-jersey.aspx .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions. Isaiah Crowell Jets Jersey . - The Jacksonville Jaguars are leaning more toward playing injured quarterback Blake Bortles against Tennessee on Thursday night. Chris Herndon Jets Jersey .com) - Hassan Whiteside scored 20 points with nine rebounds in the Miami Heats 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday.December looms for the Dallas Cowboys. The Boys are in the top spot in the NFC East as the calendar turns toward Christmas and now all they have to do is finish things, starting tonight in Chicago where Dallas faces off with a Bears team minus its leaders on both offense and defense, quarterback Jay Cutler and linebacker Lance Briggs. Watch the action unfold live on TSN, with coverage beginning with Monday Night Countdown at 6:30pm et/3:30pm pt. Heres the problem, though. Dallas is just 13-17 in the month of December since Tony Romo took over as the teams starting quarterback in 2006, and Romo himself is 11-15 as a starter with some high-profile missteps. "Weve always known that what they remember is what you do in December," Cowboys owner and GM Jerry Jones said this week when talking about his teams troubles in December. "We need to change that. That was our goal this year. And weve got a chance to do something about it this year." A 3-1 November has the Cowboys tied with Philadelphia in the NFC East but the Cowboys currently hold the tie breaker thanks to a 17-3 win in Philadelphia back on Oct. 20 and a perfect 4-0 division mark. A Week 17 matchup with the Eagles in Dallas still remains on the schedule, however. The Cowboys have had extra time to prepare for Chicago after coming back to win their annual Thanksgiving Day affair. Romo threw for 225 yards and a score on Turkey Day this year, while DeMarco Murray joined elite company with his career-best three-touchdown performance, as Dallas took down Oakland, 31-24. Murray joined Emmitt Smith as the only Cowboys running backs to accumulate three rushing touchdowns on Thanksgiving Day, totaling 63 yards on 17 carries. Romo completed 23-of-32 passes, including a third-quarter TD pass to Dez Bryant, who racked up 61 yards on seven receptions. Lance Dunbar totaled 82 yards on 12 attempts before leaving the game late with a left knee injury. "We did start slow, but its getting to that point where there is no panic anymore," said Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr. The Bears werent so lucky in Week 13, losing a tough 23-20 overtime decision to NFC North-rival Minnesota when Blair Walsh hit a 34-yard field goal with 1:43 left in the extra frame. Alshon Jeffery broke his own team record with 249 receiving yards on 12 catches -- two of which went for touchdowns -- for the Bears, who have dropped their past two games and are a full game behind the Detroit Lions for the top spot in the division, a predicament made even worse by the fact that the Lions have already swept the Bears this season. "Weve got to put up a win in the win column," quarterback Josh McCown said. "The standings dont matter if you dont win football games." McCown was 23-for-36 for 355 yards and two touchdowns against the Vikings, while Matt Forte carried the ball 23 times for 120 yards for Chicago. "I was really proud of the effort in all three phases of the game," said Chicago head coach Marc Trestman. "But as hard as we played, we didnt play hard enough to win. We just didnt get it done." Trestman took plenty of heat for a strange decision in overtime, deciding to let the ever-reliable Robbie Gould attempt a potential game-winning 47-yard field goal attempt on second down. Gould missed his chance wide right and the Vikings went the other way for the win. "I didnt do it from an analytics standpoint. I did it from having been around Robbie the entire year and knowing how he kicks the ball," Trestman said of Gould, whose field goal percentage of 85.8 ranks third-highest in NFL history dating back to 1938. Dallas leads its all-time series with the Bears by a slim 11-10 margin but the Bears have won the last two meetings, including a 34-18 win in Dallas back on Oct. 1, 2012 when the defense recorded five interceptions, with two returned for TDs (by Briggs and Charles&nbbsp;Tillman, two players who wont be available in this one for Chicago.dddddddddddd) The teams havent met in the Second City since a Sept. 23, 2007 affair won by the Cowboys 34-10. WHAT TO WATCH FOR McCowns solid play has masked any desire to push Cutler back too quickly from his latest problem, a balky left ankle. McCown has been rock solid in six games (four starts,) completing 65.2 percent of his passes for 1,462 yards with nine touchdowns against one interception while compiling a 103.6 rating, far better than Cutlers 88.4. All that said though the Bears clearly miss Cutlers ability to extend plays and make something out of nothing, a trait McCown really does not possess. Still McCown has been able to get the football to the Bears dynamic receiving duo of Brandon Marshall and Jeffery, whose 2,099 combined receiving yards are the most of any duo in the NFL entering Week 14. Those two, along with tight end Martellus Bennett, who has 48 catches for 545 yards and five TDs, could be an untenable matchup for a Dallas secondary allowing 294.9 yards a game through the air, second-worst in the NFL. Marshall, though, has been impressed by Carr, Dallas best defensive back. "I dont like playing against Brandon Carr," Marshall said. "He presents a lot of tough challenges throughout a game. Youll notice he changes up his game when he plays against bigger receivers. Hes strong. Hes physical. He plays that way against guys like myself. I absolutely hate the matchup. Its like playing chess out there with him. Every single play is a battle. He just makes you work so hard." The Cowboys defense also figures to get a boost from the return of middle linebacker Sean Lee, perhaps the units best all-around player, who has missed the last two weeks with a strained hamstring. The Bears defense has remained opportunistic with 15 interceptions, but the teams run-stopping ability is virtually non-existent. Chicago is giving up 205.2 rushing yards a contest and nearly six yards a clip on every run over its past six games. That poor play basically coincides with the loss of Briggs to a shoulder injury and veteran middle linebacker DJ Williams to a season-ending pectoral problem. Dallas, though, has an offense heavily tilted toward the pass to begin with and will be without Dunbar, who is expected to miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a torn posterior lateral corner in his knee. "Theres a whole lot of football to be played," Trestman said. "Weve got to start on Monday night and do that. That was the message: Lets worry about what we can control and thats being at our best on Monday night against the Cowboys." This game will also mark the first time Bears defensive tackle Jeremiah Ratliff, who was signed Nov. 6, will face his former team. Ratliff, a four-time Pro Bowler in Dallas when he called himself Jay, left North Texas on bad terms. He never played a down for the Cowboys after signing a $40 million extension, with $18 million of that guaranteed, due to a groin injury. "To me its just another game," Ratliff said Thursday after practice. "As they say, theyre moving on, so have I, and thats the end of it." OVERALL ANALYSIS A trend is a trend until it stops being a trend and the Cowboys December struggles arent going away until Dallas makes them go away. This is a perfect opportunity to start that process on the road in a hostile environment with potential weather issues. A Bears team with Cutler, Briggs and Tillman beats the Cowboys in this spot but one without its key playmakers simply cant be allowed. "You hear me say this all the time, but were focused on winning one game," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "We want to play one good ballgame. Thats really what were focused on. Well let everyone else figure out what the history of the world is." 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