INDIANAPOLIS -- Robert Mathis never got to see Deacon Jones take down opposing quarterbacks in person. Germain Ifedi Jersey . He learned to appreciate Jones creativity over time. The Colts Pro Bowl linebacker and newly crowned sacks champion was honoured Thursday as the inaugural winner of the NFLs Deacon Jones Award, which goes to the leagues sacks leader. Mathis will be recognized at the NFL award banquet Feb. 1. "Deacon Jones is the creator of the sack, so to be able to win the first award in his honour is an honour," Mathis told reporters in Indianapolis. "Im very proud that I was able to win it and I thank my teammates, mainly the d-line, who were very instrumental in helping me get to the quarterback." League officials named the award after Jones died June 3 at age 74. Jones was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980. Mathis has been one of the leagues top sack artists since joining the Colts as a fifth-round draft pick in 2003. For nearly a decade, Mathis and Dwight Freeney were among the NFLs most feared pass-rushing tandems. But when Freeney left in free agency during the off-season, the critics contended Mathis would struggle without his longtime teammate and close friend. Instead, Mathis used it as motivation. When asked Thursday why he has played so well over the years, Mathis responded: "The fact that I do have a chip on my shoulder every time I play. When people say you cant do something, you want to show them that you can." So the 32-year-old who is in his second season as a rush linebacker delivered the best season of his career. He broke Freneeys franchise record for sacks in a season (16) with 19 1/2 and became the Colts career sacks leader (111), surpassing Freeneys previous mark (107 1/2). Mathis finished the regular season with 65 tackles, matched his career high with eight forced fumbles -- two of which led to safeties -- and helped lead the Colts to their first AFC South title without Peyton Manning. Indy (11-5) will host Kansas City (11-5) on Saturday afternoon in a wild-card game. Mathis, who was the sacks leader most of the season, even came up with two sacks in the regular-season finale to move past St. Louis Robert Quinn and join Freeney as the only Colts players to win a sacks title. Freeney took that honour in 2004. Thomas Rawls Jersey . The 26-year-old Redditch, England, native played three of his past four seasons under Rennie with the Carolina RailHawks of the North American Soccer League. Jarran Reed Jersey . The day began ominously for the Rangers when star pitcher Yu Darvish was scratched from his scheduled start with stiffness in his neck. Fill-in Scott Baker gave up three hits over six innings and Chris Gimenez hit a tiebreaking two-out RBI single in the sixth off Phil Hughes. http://www.seahawksfansprostore.com/Black-Steve-Largent-Seahawks-Jersey.html?cat=946 .com) - It appears both the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls will reach the playoffs, but the two squads are coming off losing efforts. NEW YORK -- The last time the New York Rangers had a game to forget, they responded with five straight wins that put them on the cusp of the Stanley Cup finals. They are still there, and the Montreal Canadiens arent going away without a fight. New York needs one more victory to reach the championship round for the first time in 20 years. The Rangers know that Game 6 at home on Thursday is their best chance to get it. They returned home from Montreal on Wednesday, one day after a wild 7-4 loss cut their series lead to 3-2. If New York doesnt end it Thursday, the Rangers will have to go back to Montreal for a deciding Game 7. New York, which went the full seven games in each of the first two rounds of this years playoffs, will be playing its 20th post-season game. No team that played a pair of seven-game series before the conference finals has reached the Stanley Cup finals. "Its an opportunity to win the game to go to the Stanley Cup final," Rangers forward Brad Richards said. "I think everybody is alert and ready that way. We were talking about it all (Tuesday) how excited we were to get on the ice and start playing. "We had some mental breakdowns, but I dont think it had anything to do with (fatigue). Weve had a lot of rest this series. The opportunity that faces us right now, were pretty excited about it. I dont think there is too much letdown." In the second round, a poor performance at home in Game 4 against Pittsburgh dropped the Rangers into a 3-1 series hole. But New York won Game 5 on the road, took Game 6 at home, and won the clincher back in Pittsburgh to set up the matchup with Montreal. Now that the Canadiens have staved off elimination once, the Rangers are wary of giving them any more hope they can turn the tables. "You learn a lot from it. Thats why experience is experience," Richards said. "You go through many situations. (Tuesday) night was a bad feeling, but today were getting on a plane to go back to our city, and we get to play in front of our fans. "Its always, forget as quick as possible and try to remember the good things that were doing. It was one bad night, but weve been doing a lot of good things in this series." The Rangers won the opening two games in Montreal and then split a pair of overtime decisions at home. Even though they have had success on the road and in recent Game 7s, they know that going the distance again works against them. "Its a dessperate time," Richards said. Luke Joeckel Jersey. "You dont want to go back to a Game 7 where anything can happen. We want to get this done. Theyre a good team anywhere. "Were going to have to be a lot better, and we will be." This is as far as New York has advanced since captain Mark Messier led the club to the 1994 Stanley Cup title -- breaking the Rangers 54-year drought. The Garden will be ready to celebrate again Thursday. After the Rangers lost Game 4 to Pittsburgh, the loyal fans thought they might not see their team again until next season. That will be the situation again if the Canadiens pull off another victory. "You win a game, and things change in your locker room and you start feeling better about yourselves," Rangers defenceman Marc Staal said. "We know how it feels coming back in a series, but it doesnt change anything in our room. We are as confident as ever going into our building, and looking forward to it." So are the Canadiens. They know that if they wouldve scored in overtime of Game 4 as they did in Game 3, they wouldve had a two-game sweep at the Garden and would be the ones looking to advance Thursday. "Well be ready for one of those tight-checking games," defenceman Josh Gorges said Wednesday after an optional practice in Montreal. "Im sure it will be again one of those hard-fought games that well have to make sure that were even better than we were last game." Montreal will have rugged forward Brandon Prust back in the lineup after he served a two-game suspension for a late hit on Derek Stepan in Game 3 that broke the Rangers forwards jaw. Stepan returned Tuesday and scored two goals while wearing a full faceguard. The Rangers will be without defenceman John Moore. He was suspended for two games Wednesday after receiving a match penalty Tuesday night for a hit to Montreal forward Dale Weises head. Henrik Lundqvist will be back in goal for the Rangers after he was pulled in Game 5 on a rare off night in which he allowed four goals on 19 shots in less than two periods. He avoided the loss when New York rallied from a 4-1 deficit to get even. Backup goalie Cam Talbot gave up two goals in relief. "(Tuesday) night was probably the best game weve played in this series," Canadiens forward Lars Eller said. "If we keep doing a lot of those things, I think the end result will be good." Cheap Jerseys From China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL White Jerseys Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys White Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap NFL Womens Jerseys ' ' '