ALAMEDA, Calif. -- Free agent running back Maurice Jones-Drew is coming back home to Oakland after signing a three-year contract with the Raiders on Friday. Jones-Drew returns to his native Bay Area after spending his first eight seasons with Jacksonville and starring in college at UCLA. Jones-Drew joins quarterback Matt Schaub, defensive linemen Justin Tuck and LaMarr Woodley and receiver James Jones as successful veterans brought in by general manager Reggie McKenzie this off-season who are looking for a late career spark in Oakland. "Theres a ton of talent here," Jones-Drew said. "Reggie McKenzie and his staff have done a great job of piling on guys that are coming from programs that are winning and know what it takes. Granted, most of us have chips on our shoulders, at least I feel like I got (done) wrong. ... Its something thats going to drive us and push us to that next level." The Raiders also signed two defensive linemen, bringing back Pat Sims to a one-year deal and signing former Green Bay Packer C.J. Wilson. Sims played well in his first season in Oakland with two sacks and 41 tackles while starting all 16 games. He met with other teams before staying in Oakland, according to his agent Rick Smith. Wilson spent the past four seasons with Green Bay, recording 103 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks in 50 games with 11 starts. Jones-Drew had 8,071 yards rushing and 68 touchdowns for Jacksonville but was hampered by injuries the past two seasons. That led the Jaguars to let him test the market in free agency after his five-year, $31 million contract expired. The Jaguars thanked Jones-Drew for his work on the field and in the community. "Maurices toughness, determination and competitive spirit on the field served as a great example to all of his teammates," the team said in a statement. "Maurice has been one of the great Jaguars and he holds several team records for touchdowns that will remain for a long time. His place in Jaguars history is firmly established and we look forward to honouring him in Jacksonville at the appropriate time in the future." After more than two weeks on the open market, Jones-Drew finally found a new home in a familiar place. Jones-Drew grew up in the East Bay town of Antioch and starred at nearby De La Salle high school. Jones-Drew still spent his offseasons in the Bay Area and looked forward to being able to keep his family in one place and that his grandmother will now be able to see him play in person more often. Jones-Drew has gotten hurt the past two seasons when playing the Raiders in Oakland. He missed the final 10 games in 2012 after injuring his left foot at the Coliseum. He strained a tendon in the same foot when playing the Raiders this past season. After ranking second in the NFL with 4,321 yards rushing in a three-year span from 2009-11, Jones-Drew has been limited to 1,217 yards in 21 games the past two seasons. He averaged a career-low 3.4 yards per carry last season. That has led critics to argue that Jones-Drew has lost a step at age 29 and is on the downside of his career. The Raiders are hoping good health will help Jones-Drew return to the elite form he had before the injuries. "I have a ton left in my game," Jones-Drew said. "People tend to look at running backs and say, Oh, youre 29, you dont have anything left. ... I feel like I have a ton left in the tank and I get an opportunity to show that here in Oakland." The Raiders needed help at running back after allowing Jones-Drews former backup in Jacksonville, Rashad Jennings, leave through free agency to sign with the New York Giants. Oakland did bring back injury-prone starter Darren McFadden on a one-year deal but has no other proven tailbacks on the roster. The Raiders are hoping last years sixth-round pick, Latavius Murray, can contribute after spending his entire rookie year on injured reserve. McFadden has missed 29 games over his six-year career with injuries and has averaged 3.3 yards per carry the past two seasons. Jones-Drew said he was told there will be an open competition at running back between him and McFadden. "He kind of has a leg up on me because hes been in this offence already before," Jones-Drew said. "My job is to come in and to compete to play. We both have something to prove and that will help us all out in the long run, competing and being able to push each other." The Raiders also re-signed defensive tackle Pat Sims for one year according to the players agent, and signed former Green Bay Packers defensive lineman C.J. Wilson on Friday. AP Sports Writer Mark Long in Jacksonville, Fla., contributed to this report Nick Murphy Jersey . - Mike Zimmer has brought a demanding style to the Minnesota Vikings. Elvis Grbac Jersey . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. http://www.customravensjersey.com/custom...arge-1453d.html. In a pregame tribute commemorating his final contest at Coors Field on Wednesday night, Helton caught the ceremonial first pitch from his daughter with his wife, younger daughter and good friend Peyton Manning watching from the field. Haloti Ngata Jersey . - Playing a road game against a division rival raises the intensity for linebacker Clay Matthews. Marlon Humphrey Jersey . -- C.J. Wilson parked his car and laughed while signing autographs for faceless fans who handed bats, balls and cards to the pitcher from the other side of a brick wall. WINNIPEG -- Ilya Bryzgalov didnt have to say anything Monday night as the Winnipeg Jets fans did all the talking. Bryzgalov, who is rarely short of words off the ice, stopped all 24 shots his way and Charlie Coyle scored the games only goal as the Minnesota Wild blanked the Jets 1-0. The Russian goaltender was serenaded on more than once occasion by the home crowd with chants of "Il-Ya". He answered the catcalls with a series of arm gestures. "I want to show them get louder," said Bryzgalov, who Minnesota acquired at the trade deadline from Edmonton. "It sounds like a good tradition. "It became a good tradition every time I play here," he added. The Wild victory all but clinched a Western Conference wild-card berth. Minnesota (41-26-12) would need to lose its final three games with Phoenix winning four straight in order to miss the playoffs. Coyles one-timer off a pass from Zach Parise at 1:05 of the second period came just after a penalty to Winnipeg defenceman Mark Stuart had expired. "Mikko (Koivu) made a nice pass down to Zach and Zach just put it through a guy and found me," Coyle said, "And I just tried to throw it on net and it happened to go in, so it was a great play by those guys." The Jets (35-35-10), who will miss the playoffs for the seventh straight season stretching back to their time as the Atlanta Thrashers, iced an injury-depleted lineup. With two games remaining and 80 points to their credit, the Jets are assured of finishing behind their 51-point pace of the lockout-shortened 2013 season, which would have extrapolated to 87 points in a full campaign. Michael Hutchinson, a 24-year-old rookie who began the season in the ECHL, made his first career NHL start with regular backup Al Montoya still suffering from a lower-body injury. He wasnt asked to make many difficult stops, but Hutchinsons only blemish on 17 shots came on Coyles one-timer. "I thought I played pretty well," Hutchinson said. "Theres some times where nerves get the best of you and you start over thinking certain situations, but overall I think I gaave the team a chance to win the game.dddddddddddd" Bryzgalov wasnt much busier, but did have a higher degree of difficulty as he picked up his fourth shutout of the season. Bryzgalov is now 6-0-3 since joining his new club. "They keep the game simple for mea let me see the shots. They block a lot of shots," Bryzgalov said about his teammates. "I just go on the ice and play hard to try to give the team a chance to win the game. The guys play in front of me unbelievable." The shots were 7-6 Jets in the first period and 7-5 Wild in the second, as neither team could generate any offence. The third period was wide open by comparison, with Winnipeg sending 12 pucks at Bryzgalov. Even four power-play chances couldnt help the Jets find the back of the net. "Whenever your goalie is giving you performances like that your penalty kill is going to be better," said Wild coach Mike Yeo, who added that hes pleased with the improvement his teams penalty kill has shown in the stretch run. Winnipeg winger Evander Kane, who was a healthy scratch Saturday night in Toronto for reportedly being late to a team meeting, was back in the lineup. He managed just one shot on goal and was on the ice for Coyles goal. "Theyre an aggressive penalty kill, like ours," Kane said. "Special teams is what won the game tonight. Its tough when you lose 1-0, because youve got to score at least one to win." The Jets wrap up their home schedule Thursday night against Boston, and finish their season the next night in Calgary. Minnesota returns home to face Boston, St. Louis and Nashville. Notes: Jets captain Andrew Ladd missed his first game due to injury since the 2010-11 season, while Dustin Byfuglien (torn muscle) is done for the season. a Still on the Jets injured list were forwards Chris Thorburn and Mark Scheifele and defencemen Keaton Ellerby and Zach Bogosian. a Minnesota was without forwards Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker and defencemen Clayton Stoner and Keith Ballard. a Jets centre Jim Slater played in his 500th career NHL game. ' ' 'ww.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Corey-Linsley-Packers-Jersey/. Catch the game on TSN starting at 7pm et/4pm pt. You can also listen to all the action live on TSN 1050 at 7pm et. The Knicks are two games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference race. Blake Martinez Super Bowl Jersey . Jim Leyland, in his eighth playoffs, has never had a starting rotation he trusts as much as the grouping of Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Doug Fister. Preston Smith Super Bowl Jersey . 1 status and was unable to prevent a late season collapse, James Reimer said he wants to put the past behind him and is looking forward to spending the next two years in a Maple Leaf uniform.Fargo, ND (SportsNetwork.com) - Whew! North Dakota States reign as the three-time FCS national champion was pushed to the limit by South Dakota State on Saturday, but freshman R.J. Urzendowskis second touchdown reception of the game with 54 seconds left lifted the second- seeded Bison to a 27-24 win in the second round of the playoffs Saturday. Urzendowski caught a 12-yard fade pattern from quarterback Carson Wentz to erase South Dakota States go-ahead touchdown just minutes earlier and send North Dakota State (12-1) to next weekends national quarterfinals, where they will host seventh-seeded Coastal Carolina (12-1). Young kids made a few plays at the end, NDSU coach Chris Klieman said after the win. Thats why this league is this league. Every week, week in and week out. I knew this game was going to come down to the fourth quarter. Before South Dakota State fell for the seventh straight time to Missouri Valley Football Conference rival North Dakota State, the Jackrabbits (9-5) thought they might have a stunning upset. Quarterback Austin Sumners 3-yard touchdown pass to freshman Jake Wieneke with 3:18 left put the visitors ahead, 24-20. But the Bison drove 76 yards in eight plays, helped by a pass interference that moved the ball 14 yards to the South Dakota State 7. After Wentz threw an incompletion and the Bison were moved back five yards by a false start, Wentz faked a handoff to John Crockett and llofted the game-winning pass over SDSU cornerback Dallas Brown and into the hands of the 6-foot Urzendowski just inside the end zone.dddddddddddd On the first play of South Dakota States ensuing possession, Tre Dempsey intercepted Sumner at the Jackrabbits 25 to put North Dakota States escape on ice. The Bison overcame South Dakota State senior running back Zach Zenner, who rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns while becoming the first player in NCAA history to surpass 2,000 yards in a season for a third time. He finished the season with 2,019 yards. Zenner kept South Dakota States go-ahead drive alive with a 5-yard run on 4th- and-2 at the Bison 32. The Jackrabbits scored when Sumner faked a handoff to Zenner and fired a quick slant to Wieneke in the Bison end zone with 3:18 left to play. North Dakota State built a 14-0 lead in the first half as Wentz fired a 27-yard touchdown pass to Urzendowski and then ran in a 27-yard score. Urzendowski finished with four receptions for 109 yards. Crockett rushed for 102 yards on 23 carries and Wentz had 70 yards on 13 carries. South Dakota State fought back to tie the game 14-14 before halftime on two Zenner touchdown runs in the second quarter. Justin Syrovatkas 33-yard field goal at the 6:43 mark of the third quarter put the Jackrabbits ahead 17-14, but NDSUs Adam Keller countered with two field goals and the Bison went back ahead 20-17. ' ' '
