record shared by DeMarcus Ware (Dallas, 2007-08) and Simon Fletcher (Denver, 1992-93). Mack

ATLANTA -- Dustin Johnson is playing better than anyone in the world, and Kevin Chappell cant wait to watch him at the Tour Championship.Even if that means having to beat him.Johnson powered his way down the fairways and occasionally out of the brutal rough at East Lake on Friday for a 3-under 67, giving him a one-shot lead over Chappell and moving him one round closer to the $10 million FedEx Cup prize.The U.S. Open champion is on a different level at the moment.Even on a demanding test like East Lake this year -- only 10 players remain under par -- Johnson is hitting his driver long and straight. His wedge game has gone from a weakness to a strength. A new putter he put in play two weeks ago when he won the BMW Championship is giving him a better feel for alignment.Small wonder that this was his seventh straight round at 68 or better during the FedEx Cup playoffs.The game is never easy. I wish it was, Johnson said. Obviously, Im playing good right now. Ive got a lot of confidence in my game. Every week, I feel like I bring the same game, which is nice. But I put in a lot of work to get to where I am.Johnson was at 7-under 133.Chappell, one of two players at the Tour Championship who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, was just as solid, even if it doesnt look as spectacular. He has made only one bogey in 36 holes, quite a feat on a course where the Bermuda rough is so punishing that balls sink to the ground and sometimes cant be seen from a foot away.He shot a 68 and will be in the final group of a playoff event for the second time this year.Kevin Kisner (70) and Hideki Matsuyama (71) were four shots behind, while Rory McIlroy overcame another rough start on the front nine to post a 70. He was in the group five shots behind, which isnt much of a deficit at the halfway point except for Johnson being the one they have to chase.If nothing else, Johnson all but eliminated nearly everyone not among the top five seeds vying for the FedEx Cup. McIlroy is No. 6 and still has a chance, though he would have to win the Tour Championship and Johnson would have to finish third.I need to win, and I just need someone to play as good as Dustin this week, McIlroy said.Jason Day is out of the picture. The worlds No. 1 player withdrew in the middle of a round at the second straight tournament, citing the same nagging back issues that he hopes will be cured by rest.By Day withdrawing, Johnson won the points-based PGA player of the year award and is likely to win the player vote as PGA Tour player of the year because of his three victories, with perhaps another to follow.But there is still work ahead of him, and that starts with Chappell.I promise you, Ill be watching Dustin, Chappell said. Hes the best player in the world right now, and its an opportunity for me to see where my game is. Theres a golf tournament going on, and I have a chance to win that. Thats the ultimate goal. But I also have a chance to see why hes the best player in the world right now, and I look forward to taking advantage of that opportunity.Chappell has been a runner-up three times this season and keeps running into the wrong guys -- Kisner at Sea Island, Day at Bay Hill and The Players Championship. He also was in the mix at the TPC Boston until McIlroy pulled away.It seems I like going against the hot player at the time, he said.Russell Knox matched the low score of the tournament with a 66 that allowed him to get back under par at 1-under 139, along with Justin Thomas, who is still hopeful of a Ryder Cup pick at the end of the week.Thomas lost a shot when his ball moved right as he set his putter down behind a short par putt on the 11th hole. The PGA Tour reviewed it on videotape and gave him a one-shot penalty under Rule 18-2, the same penalty applied to Johnson at Oakmont in the U.S. Open.Thomas disagreed with, but accepted, the penalty. His argument was it was not a flat surface and the greens were running fastIts nothing against the rules officials. Its a god-awful rule, Thomas said. Its very fortunate it didnt cost Dustin a major championship. I hope it doesnt cost me anything. I dont feel like I did anything wrong.Mark Russell, the vice president of rules and competition for the tour, said, the wind was light and the ball had been at rest for quite some time.And the moment that Justin put his club behind the ball and addressed the ball, the ball moved, he said. In that situation, the evidence is against the player and he was penalized.That left him six shots behind Johnson instead of five. Either way, its a tall order for Thomas or anyone to catch Johnson. Archie Manning Jersey . Peter Gammons, an analyst for Major League Baseballs network and website, drew the ire of hockey fans on Sunday when he criticized the two NHL teams on Twitter for their physical game the night before. Ted Ginn Jr Jersey . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. http://www.saintsrookiestore.com/Saints-Michael-Thomas-Jersey/ . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Wil Lutz Youth Jersey . The Brazilian goalkeeper signed a loan deal with the Major League Soccer club on Friday as he looks to get playing time ahead of this summers World Cup in his home country. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Saints Jersey . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. The Oakland Raiders are on the verge of ending a 14-year playoff drought.A victory over San Diego will do the trick and the Raiders are focused on securing the long-craved postseason spot when they visit the Chargers on Sunday.Oakland (10-3) is tied for first place in the AFC West and has a two-game lead in the wild-card chase with three games to play.The possible realization of the goal prompted quarterback Derek Carr to reminisce on his rookie campaign of 2014 -- when saying things were bleak seems a bit kind.Starting 0-10 was not fun. It makes these moments so awesome, Carr told reporters. It makes these moments really cool to already have 10 wins and those things. I know for our team, our sole focus is beating the Chargers because if we dont, were still sitting there hoping and wishing. Our focus is just going down to San Diego and trying to come out with a win.The Chargers (5-8) wont be part of the playoffs and also face an unclear future. San Diego voters shot down a stadium proposal last month and the team moved closer to a relocation to Los Angeles on Wednesday when NFL owners unanimously approved a tenant-lease contract between the Chargers and Los Angeles Rams.The Chargers have until Jan. 15 to exercise an option to move to Los Angeles. Team president Dean Spanos has repeatedly stated he wont announce a decision until the season in over.Sundays contest could be the next-to-last home game in San Diego and it will be one in which standout running back Melvin Gordon misses due to hip and knee injuries.Undrafted rookie Kenneth Farrow and recent pickup Ronnie Hillman will share the ball-carrying duties.Gordon has rushed for 997 yards and is craving the 1,000-yard mark after experiencing a disappointing rookie season in 2015 so he is hopeful his season isnt over.It would mean a lot but Im just going to take it for what it is, Gordon told reporters. If I feel I can go back out there and be ready, Im going to go back out there. ... I know my body. If I can go out there and feel I can be productive, then Ill be out there. If I cant, weve got the guys who will make it up for me.The Chargers most promising young defensive player is also ailing. Rookie defensive end Joey Bosa sprained his neck in last Sundays 28-16 loss to the Carolina Panthers but he will play after not being listed on the injury report Friday.Meanwhile, Carr has enjoyed an MVP-ccaliber season with 3,492 yards and 24 touchdowns against just five interceptions.ddddddddddddBut he also is coming off an atrocious performance in a 21-13 loss to the Chiefs on Dec. 8. The combination of frigid conditions and an injured right pinkie finger didnt help as Carr was 17-of-41 passing for 117 yards.The showing was easily Carrs worst of the season but he made it clear his finger had nothing to do with the sub-par effort.It was just execution -- literally inches, Carr said. Theres a whole bunch of plays that I think about that we always hit and for whatever reason, we just missed by an inch. Sometimes that happens in practice and you never want it to happen in a game. This time it did.Carrs favorite target is second-year receiver Amari Cooper, who went over the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight campaign. Cooper, who has 73 receptions, ranks sixth in the NFL with 1,010 receiving yards.Oakland leads the NFL with a plus-15 turnover margin and is receiving remarkable play from standout defensive end Khalil Mack.Mack is tied for third in the NFL with 11 sacks and has recorded at least one in eight consecutive games, two off the record shared by DeMarcus Ware (Dallas, 2007-08) and Simon Fletcher (Denver, 1992-93). Mack is shooting to become the first player with a sack in nine consecutive games in a single season.Mack also has forced five fumbles and his presence cant rate as a comfortable feeling for Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers.Though he has passed for 3,589 yards and 27 touchdowns, Rivers also has been intercepted a league-worst 17 times. He was personally responsible for five turnovers in the loss to the Panthers -- three on interceptions and two strip-sack fumbles -- as the Chargers turnover count grew to an NFL-worst 30.I know better than that but at the same time I dont want to stand back there and throw balls away and get beat 35-3, Rivers said. It just felt like that was the way it was going, and again, that is no excuse to make some bad mistakes and turnovers.Oakland has prevailed in the past three meetings, including a 34-31 home win on Oct. 9. Carr passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns with one interception, while Rivers passed for 359 yards and four touchdowns and was intercepted twice. ' ' '