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DALLAS -- The Indianapolis Colts played mostly without Andrew Luck when they missed the playoffs in 2015 after winning their division a year earlier.The star quarterback returns, and so do postseason expectations for a team that has made the playoffs 14 of the past 17 seasons.And maybe this is the year for the Oakland Raiders, who havent had a winning season or made the playoffs since losing the Super Bowl after the 2002 season.Luck missed nine games with an assortment of injuries and struggled with turnovers when he was playing. Protecting the fifth-year star is also a priority, with heavy investment in the offensive line and Lucks offseason effort to refine his sliding technique to avoid big hits.The Raiders have bigger hopes after a six-win improvement under coach Jack Del Rio to 7-9, with a promising young quarterback in Derek Carr and a potential superstar receiver in Amari Cooper. The defense has a proven pass rusher in All-Pro Khalil Mack, who had 15 sacks.Besides the Colts, Dallas, Detroit and Baltimore were the other 2014 playoff qualifiers to miss a year later. The Cowboys are without Tony Romo again after he broke a bone in his back in a preseason game, the Lions are trying to move on after receiver Calvin Johnsons retirement, and the Ravens are stuck in a tough division.With all that in mind, heres a glance at four potential playoff qualifiers that didnt make it a year ago, and four prospects for missing out a year after getting in:COULD GET BACK INColts: Coach Chuck Pagano overhauled his staff after going 8-8 following 11-5 records in his first three seasons. First-round pick Ryan Kelly is a walk-in starter at center, and former Miami coach Joe Philbin is in charge of the blockers. Frank Gore believes he can end Indys eight-year stretch without a 1,000-yard rusher. Linebacker Robert Mathis should be motivated to help improve a struggling run defense in the final year of the 35-year-olds contract.Giants: New York spent big to re-sign Jason Pierre-Paul and lure fellow pass rusher Olivier Vernon and other free agents after missing the playoffs four straight years since winning the 2011 championship. Ben McAdoo replaced longtime coach Tom Coughlin. Eli Manning and top receiver Odell Beckham Jr. always give the Giants a chance to have an elite offense in the potentially weak NFC East.Raiders: Carr took a step forward in his second season, throwing for 32 touchdowns and 3,987 yards. Cooper has a proven partner in Michael Crabtree. Latavius Murray was a 1,000-yard back. Oakland lost a lot of leadership with the retirements of safety Charles Woodson and defensive end Justin Tuck. But the Raiders hope to fill the void with four free agents: guard Kelechi Osemele, cornerback Sean Smith, linebacker Bruce Irvin, and safety Reggie Nelson.Jets: Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick missed the offseason in a contract dispute but has been around long enough that it shouldnt matter much. Versatile running back Matt Forte is joining an offense with receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker, who combined for more than 2,500 yards and 26 touchdowns. The question is whether they can survive a schedule that includes six road games in the first nine weeks, and five of those opponents made the playoffs last year.MIGHT NOT BE BACKRedskins: Kirk Cousins had never won more than one game or started more than six before leading Washington to nine wins and the playoffs last season. He will have to match his NFL-best 70 percent completion rate if the Redskins cant improve on a 28th-ranked defense. Cornerback Josh Norman and safety David Bruton Jr. were brought in as free agents to try to boost that unit.Texans: Houston made the playoffs in the weak AFC South, then proved it didnt belong with a 30-0 loss to Kansas City. The Texans are banking on Brock Osweiler proving he can be the playoff winner after he didnt get a chance to show that behind Peyton Manning in Denver. Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt is coming off back surgery that kept him out for the start of training camp.Broncos: No Manning after he retired. No Osweiler after he spurned the Super Bowl champs to sign with Houston. And now free agent pickup Mark Sanchez was beaten out by 2015 seventh-round pick Trevor Siemian of Northwestern. Rookie first-rounder Paxton Lynch will have to wait for his chance. The uncertainty at quarterback makes Denver vulnerable, but one of the best defenses in the league is spearheaded by superstar linebacker Von Miller.Steelers: Is it crazy to bet against Ben Roethlisberger, especially after he threw for 148 yards and two touchdowns in what are likely his only two series of the preseason? Perhaps. So how about this? The Steelers have never made the playoffs three straight seasons under the 13th-year quarterback, and they are coming off their fourth set of back-to-back appearances with him. Plus, running back LeVeon Bell will be suspended the first three games and hasnt been able to stay healthy the past two years.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow AP Sports Writer Schuyler Dixon on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apschuylerVapormax Shoes Wholesale . The 18-year-old American had five birdies in her bogey-free round for a 17-under total of 196. Lee held the overnight lead but mixed three birdies with two bogeys for a 70. Nike Tn Womens Sale . Hey!" The lower tier of the School End of Queens Park Rangers Loftus Road was packed solid with a very festive-sounding Chelsea choral section in this particular part of South Africa Road London, W12. http://www.vapormaxaustraliashoes.com/ . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. Air Vapormax Clearance . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Nike Vapormax Wholesale China . Once again Jordan Cieciwa (@FitCityJordan) and I (@LynchOnSports) go head to head in our picks. Last weekend at UFC Fight Night 32 my #TeamLynch got the best of #TeamJC by a score of 9-6. Let us know which side youre on for UFC 167 use the hashtag #TeamLynch or #TeamJC on Twitter.FRISCO, Texas -- Tony Romo stopped a reporter in the middle of what appeared to be the first question in his first meeting with the media since August.The Dallas quarterback brought a statement, and he wasnt going to answer any questions Tuesday.The 36-year-old coming off his fourth back injury in less than four years conceded the starting job to Dak Prescott , who has led the Cowboys (8-1) to a franchise season record-tying eight straight wins and the best record in the NFL.And a somber Romo didnt hide his disappointment while reading the five-minute statement.Hes earned the right to be our quarterback, Romo said of the 23-year-old rookie. As hard as that is for me to say, hes earned that right. Hes guided our team to an 8-1 record and thats hard to do.Romo, who broke a bone in his back in a preseason game, is expected to be Prescotts backup Sunday at home against Baltimore (5-4). It should be the first time Romo is active since Thanksgiving last year, and the first time in 10 years he isnt the Dallas starter.If you think for a second that I dont want to be out there, then you probably never felt the pure ecstasy of competing and winning, Romo said. That hasnt left me. In fact, it may burn now more than ever.Romo was surprisingly reflective as well, recalling the early days of his career when he was an unheralded free agent fighting to stay on the roster. Now hes the franchise leader in passing yards and touchdowns, ahead of Super Bowl winners Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.But hes also in the same place Drew Bledsoe was in 2006 when Romo replaced an ineffective Bledsoe at halftime of a loss to the New York Giants six games into the season and never gave up the starting job.I remember the feeling like it was yesterday, Romo said. It really is an incredible time in your life. And if I remember one thing from back then, its the people that helped me along when I was young. And if I can be that to Dak, I tried to be and I will be going forward.Romo signed the first $100 million contract in franchise history in 2013 and counts $20.8 million against the salary cap this season. The cap hit next year is nearly $25 million, but the Cowboys can reduce it by roughly $5 million if they release him.The mood was more jovial earlier in the day when owner and generall manager Jerry Jones made one of his weekly radio appearances.dddddddddddd paid a lot of money for a backup quarterback as you well know, Jones said, referring to Kyle Ortons $3 million salary as Romos backup several years ago. And this, by the way, is going to be the record for having paid this for a backup quarterback.The Cowboys went 1-11 in the 12 games Romo missed last season with a twice-broken left collarbone. When he immediately grabbed his back after getting tackled awkwardly from behind in the preseason against Seattle, Dallas hopes seemed doomed again.But Prescott had already shown promise in the preseason. And after a one-point loss to the New York Giants in the opener, he has led fourth-quarter comebacks and easy victories alike while compiling the fourth-best passer rating (106.2) with 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions.We all know something magical is happening to our team, Romo said. Im not going to allow this situation to negatively affect Dak or this football team by becoming a constant distraction. I think Dak knows that I have his back. And I think I know that he has mine.After Romo went down in Seattle, the initial word was that his surgically repaired back had withstood the hit. But the broken bone was diagnosed the next day, with an initial timeframe of six to 10 weeks to recover.Getting hurt when you feel like you have the best team youve ever had was a soul-crushing moment for me, Romo said. You almost feel like an outsider. Coaches are sympathetic, but they still have to coach. And youre not there. Its a dark place, probably the darkest its ever been.Part of the darkness came from Romo realizing where he is in his career.Seasons are fleeting, he said in a speech with several pauses. Games become more precious. Chances for success diminish. Your potential successor has arrived, injured two years in a row and now in the mid-30s, the press is whispering, everyone has doubts, youve spent your career working to get here.And now Romos a backup again.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler ' ' '