With just three weeks remaining in the NFL season, many teams are facing must-win situations to stay alive in the race for January football, while others have eyes on the first-overall pick. This Sunday, four teams have a chance to clinch playoff spots and Johnny Manziels Browns are facing a key matchup against the Bengals in the rookies first start. Manziel makes first start in must-win matchup The AFC North has emerged as the NFLs most competitive division – and only division with every team above .500. However, the Browns have dropped two straight games and are rapidly falling out of the playoff picture. Hoyer threw seven interceptions to zero touchdowns in his last three starts. He was replaced by Manziel in Week 13 before starting again last Sunday. To save their dwindling post-season hopes, and above .500 record, the Browns are turning to electrifying rookie Johnny Manziel at quarterback. The Browns, at 7-6, are desperate for a win and if Manziel cant deliver one, their playoff drought will be almost certain to continue. If the Bengals can leave Cleveland with a win, Cincinnati will stay atop the AFC North. A loss would open the door for the Steelers and Ravens to take the division lead. Ravens, Steelers look to keep pace in AFC North against sub-.500 teams The Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers each sit a half game behind the Bengals in the AFC North, with the Steelers currently owning one of two AFC Wild Card spots. The Ravens play host to host to the 2-11 Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, a favourable matchup for the team especially considering the Jaguars put leading rusher Denard Robinson on IR this week. The Jaguars defence features a strong pass rush, but is also one that is susceptible to big plays against; having allowed 48 completions of 20 yards or more this season. With games against the Texans (7-6) and Browns remaining on the schedule, the Ravens need a win against the lowly Jaguars. If the Bengals and Steelers win their next two games, the two will meet in Pittsburgh to decide the division crown in Week 17. The Steelers face a tougher matchup in the NFC South-leading Atlanta Falcons. Despite their 5-8 record, the Falcons remain directly in the hunt to host a playoff game in January as a division winner. Coming off a narrow loss to the Green Bay Packers, in which they battled back with 30 second-half points, the Falcons will present a challenge to the Steelers. Pittsburgh has the playoff- hopeful Chiefs (7-6) and rival Bengals remaining on the schedule. Patriots, Broncos, Colts can punch playoff tickets with wins By the time Sunday night comes around, half of the six AFC playoff spots could be secured. Familiar Territory The Colts, Patriots and Broncos all won their respective divisions last season. The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts can all guarantee a return to the playoffs with wins against division foes this weekend. All three teams can clinch not just a playoff spot, but their respective divisions and at least one home game with a win. The Patriots are at home to the Miami Dolphins, while the Colts host the Houston Texans. The Broncos travel to play the San Diego Chargers. Panthers forced to turn Anderson to keep faint playoff hopes alive The Carolina Panthers are coming off their most convincing win since Week 2 against the Detroit Lions after routing the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. With the win, the Panthers jumped back into the playoff race, and were just another loss by the Saints away from controlling their own destiny. Anderson is making his second start in a season for the first time since 2010, when he was with the Arizona Cardinals. Yet, all the confidence the Panthers had mustered ahead of hosting the struggling Buccaneers came to a sudden halt on Tuesday when Cam Newton was involved in a car accident that caused the quarterback to suffer two back fractures. Newton, coming off his first three touchdown game of the season, will miss Sundays game due to the injury and backup Derek Anderson will start in his place. Anderson started the first game of the season for the Panthers – coincidentally against the Buccaneers - as Newton was sidelined by injuries. In his lone start, Anderson led the Panthers to a win and posted a 108.7 quarterback rating, a mark Newton topped for the first time this season against the Saints. First place in the NFC East on the line as Cowboys, Eagles meet again The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles met just two weeks ago on Thanksgiving Day in America and the Eagles appeared to be the far superior team with a 33-10 victory. The Eagles were held to 139 yards of total offence against the Seahawks, the lowest mark ever for a Chip Kelly-led team at the college or pro level. The Cowboys rebounded from the loss with a convincing win over the Chicago Bears, while the Eagles saw their offence completely shut down by the Seattle Seahawks. Now, with the Cowboys entering on 10 days rest – as opposed to three the last time around – the game figures to much more competitive, if not completely opposite. This game should prove to be much more important for Dallas than the Eagles, who have the Giants and Redskins remaining on the schedule. The Cowboys, meanwhile, have an intimidating date with the Colts looming in Week 16. Notes Facing the Rush Led by Mario Williams, Marcel Dareus and Jerry Hughes (pictured), the Buffalo Wild Things have an NFL-high 48 sacks this season. The Green Bay Packers can clinch a playoff berth this weekend with a win over the Buffalo Bills and a Dallas Cowboys loss, along with clinching strength of victory tiebreaker over the Cowboys. However, after facing an almost non-existent pass rush against the Atlanta Falcons, the Packers offensive line will have their hands full against the Bills top-ranked pass rush. The Packers O-line has allowed 27 sacks this season, but just six over the past four games. Opposite Directions The Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers met in Week 13 as 7-4 teams with realistic playoff aspirations. The Seahawks won that first meeting handedly - 19-3 - shutting down the 49ers offence in the process. After dropping their contest against the Oakland Raiders in Week 14, the 49ers now sit well outside the playoff picture and loss this week could eliminate them January football for the first time since Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach in 2011. Pick Race Jake Locker will make his first start since Oct. 5 on Sunday, replacing the injured Zach Mettenberger. The New York Jets and Tennessee Titans both sit tied for last in the NFL at 2-11, a win for either club could eliminate them from the first-overall pick sweepstakes. A win this week could be costly in April. The current draft order for the top five picks is as follows: 1. Buccaneers 2. Titans 3. Jaguars 4. Jets 5. Raiders Elgton Jenkins Jersey . Louis against the Blues. The Canucks picked up their second straight victory in the swings opener on Tuesday in Calgary before getting routed in Minnesota last night, 5-1. Jace Sternberger Packers Jersey . Early in the first period, Stuart pinched in from the blue line, hit Nash and was assessed a minor penalty for elbowing. Nash remained in the game for the rest of the first period, but did not return for the second. http://www.packersrookiestore.com/Packers-Dave-Robinson-Jersey/ . Ryu (8-3) allowed a run and three hits in six innings and struck out six in his 13th start. In his first 13 starts last season -- his first in the major leagues -- the left-hander was 8-5 with a 2.85 ERA. This was the ninth time this year that Ryu has allowed fewer than three earned runs, and he is 7-0 in those games. Mike Daniels Womens Jersey . Geovany Soto had an RBI for the Cubs. Carlos Silva gave up one run on three hits over six innings to pick up the win. Josh Willingham drove in the lone run for the Nationals, who had just four hits. Rashan Gary Jersey . - The Seattle Seahawks have signed nine players to 2014 future contracts, including quarterback B.NEW YORK, N.Y. - Alex Rodriguez tested positive for a banned stimulant in 2006, The New York Times reported Monday, an accusation denied by a representative of the legal team for the New York Yankees third baseman. The newspaper cited two unidentified people involved with baseballs drug-testing program. Baseballs joint drug agreement specifies the discipline for a first positive test for a banned stimulant is six additional unannounced drug tests over the year following the violation. A second stimulant violation would result in a 25-game suspension. Rodriguezs legal team accused MLB of leaking the allegation of a positive test, using a statement and making a filing to arbitrator Fredric Horowitz. Lanny Davis, a former Clinton administration official working for Rodriguezs legal team, denied the player tested positive, the Times said. James McCarroll, a lawyer for the three-time AL MVP, did not address whether Rodriguez had a positive test, only that he was not banned. "Alex Rodriguez was never suspended for use of stimulants or any violation of the MLB drug program," McCarroll said in a statement. "The fact that MLB has resorted to leaking federally protected medical information about a player speaks volumes of the weakness of their case against Alex — and their desperation to secure a win in the arbitration, at all costs." MLB chief operating officer Rob Manfred declined comment. "We were not the source for this story," MLB said in a statement. "We honour our joint drug program and never publicly disclose player test results until its publicly announced." In a statement Monday night, Davis called for a government probe into MLBs methods. MLB has admitted paying for documents and Rodriguezs lawyers have claimed baseballs representatives have intimidated witnesses. "U.S. authorities should initiate an investigation as to whether any federal crimes have been committed by MLB investigators as well as those in the Commissioners office who may have been complicit in this misconduct," Davis said. Rodriguez was suspended for 211 ggames by Major League Baseball on Aug.dddddddddddd 5 under baseballs drug agreement for his alleged "use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone, over the course of multiple years." He also was penalized under the labour contract for "a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioners investigation." The three-time AL MVP was allowed to keep playing until the arbitrator decides a grievance filed by the players association to overturn the penalty. Horowitz has presided over eight days of hearings, which are scheduled to resume Nov. 18. "Alex has abided by the confidentiality rules of the arbitration process. MLB has not," McCarroll said. "In response to MLBs incessant leaks, Alex recently has even gone so far as to offer that the proceeding be opened to the media, so as to even the playing field — an offer which MLB promptly rejected, as they prefer to continue their one-sided flow of leaks, rather than having the weakness of their case exposed publicly by full and fair coverage. Every new step MLB takes wreaks of desperation, in its obsessive effort to bring Alex down." MLB and the union agreed in 2005 to ban many stimulants. The paper said it wasnt clear whether a failed stimulant test was introduced by MLB as evidence in the grievance. Rodriguez said when he arrived at spring training in 2008 that "last year, I got tested 9 to 10 times. ... We have a very, very strict policy, and I think the game is making tremendous strides." That would be an unusually high number of random checks but would be in line with a player subjected to additional tests resulting from an amphetamine violation. Later in the day, A-Rod said his comments were an "exaggeration to make a point." Sports Illustrated reported in 2009 that Rodriguez tested positive for steroids during MLBs anonymous survey in 2003, and A-Rod said two days later he used banned substances while playing with the Texas Rangers from 2001-03. ' ' 't recently acting as an consultant to Steve Yzermans gold medal-winning Canadian Olympic hockey team in Sochi, Krueger, who also coached the Swiss national team, has no previous experience with soccer at any level. "This is the start of a new world for me," Krueger told BBC Sport. One thing Krueger doesnt intend to do is meddle in manager Mauricio Pochettinos on-pitch affairs. "Ive got to come in gently. We dont need sudden changes of direction. What Mauricio doesnt need is someone getting involved day-to-day," Krueger said. "He and his staff need space so they can continue to grow the group. Ive met Mauricio; hes vvery honest, a strong personality and he has strong values.ddddddddddddI will stay in my place. He should feel comfortable." Though inexperienced in the soccer world, Krueger has a wealth of sports experience that he hope can translate outside of hockey. In 2011, Krueger was appointed a member of the World Economic Forum and has been key in the development of new leadership models. "My strengths are sport-specific on the hockey team-building side, but other strengths are on the leadership side," said Krueger, who coached the Oilers last season. "We need to take the whole leadership side to a different level." Saints currently sit ninth in the Barclays Premier League table and are next in action on Saturday when they host Liverpool. ' ' '