aching staff. “Its a thrill,” said Gibbons. “Just to

DENVER -- Hes watched draft picks flounder and free agents falter, seen some of his best players sidelined by injuries and witnessed Peyton Mannings successor struggle to stay safe behind a spongy offensive line.Yet, John Elways Denver Broncos are 7-3 at their bye.He can thank a great defense led by Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and some lucky breaks such as Carolinas missed last-second field goal in the season opener and Justin Simmons block of an extra point last week that led to the first defensive 2-point game-winner in NFL history.I think we would take it if you said at Week 10 wed be 7-3 with whats happened, Elway said. We havent played our best football yet, which I think is the encouraging thing.Another reason Elway is grinning and not grimacing is that his team is about to be astonishingly healthy when they host Kansas City (7-2) in a Sunday night showdown that begins a brutal six-week homestretch.DeMarcus Wares fractured forearm is history, and hes about to double his snap count after averaging just under 29 snaps in the three weeks hes been back in the lineup.Aqib Talibs bad lower back has quieted down and Derek Wolfes cracked right elbow is on the mend.The only sidelined star that wont be coming back anytime soon is running back C.J. Anderson , who had knee surgery but hopes to be available for the playoffs.Andersons absence looms large because the Broncos sport the youngest backfield in the NFL.Second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian threw his first NFL pass this season. Rookie tailback Devontae Booker has two TD runs, rookie fullback Andy Janovich has been hampered by a broken hand and third-year backup running back Kapri Bibbs scored his first career touchdown this month.Additionally, the tight end group has been largely invisible in the passing game with veteran Virgil Green averaging 1.8 catches per game without a single touchdown grab and second-year pro Jeff Heuerman managing just two catches.Similar to last season when he acquired Vernon Davis for the stretch run, Elway made a deadline-eve deal to toughen up his tight end group, this time getting A.J. Derby from the Patriots.Derby has two catches and tons of promise as the Broncos try to clear out defenders in the middle of the field. That would open up more chances for star wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders plus clear some running room for the Broncos sputtering ground game.Denvers dazzling defense is just as star-studded as last years version that brought home the Lombardi Trophy. But the Broncos run defense has proven leaky without free agent departures Malik Jackson and Danny Trevathan and Vance Walker, who blew out a knee in training camp.Elway exudes confidence even with Denvers offense sputtering as it did last season.We feel like we can get better on the offensive side. We have room for improvement there, Elway said. Weve figured out ways to win. Thats what you have to do. Were excited about the last six.Two of those are against Kansas City, one with Oakland and another versus rival New England in addition to trips to Tennessee and Jacksonville.I know that the schedule is a tough schedule from here on out, Elway said, but thats what happens when you win the division.Thats something Denver has done five years in a row.The AFC West is much more competitive this season, sporting three of the conferences four seven-win teams.Thats why Kubiak says its time for Siemian, 7-2 as Denvers starter, to step things up a notch.I want Trevor to play big, Kubiak said.To do that, hes going to have to stay upright.The reason he does make a lot of plays is because he will sit in there and get hit right in the mouth and make a play, Kubiak said. That is a great characteristic of a quarterback because you have to do that sometimes.But it can also send a quarterback to the sideline as it did Siemian for six quarters in October after he bruised his left shoulder.Its been a target for pass rushers ever since, and its not only his scuffling O-line thats to blame. Kubiak said hes dropping back too far in the shotgun at times.Were not going to protect you if youre doing that, Kubiak said.That was Kubiak defending his beleaguered O-line, something hes willing to do because hes as much assured in Siemians mental toughness handling criticism as he is in his physical toughness.Siemian received another cortisone injection in his bruised left shoulder this week and watched rookie Paxton Lynch run the one full practice before they all bolted on a five-day furlough.Siemian wasnt planning anything special.A lot of rest. Wont be doing much bench press this week, said Siemian, well aware hell be doing the heavy lifting soon enough.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton St.Louis Blues Gear . -- Hunter Smith scored the winner with just 12 seconds remaining in the third period as the Oshawa Generals edged the host Sarnia Sting 5-4 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. St.Louis Blues Store .com) - The Montreal Canadiens will try to halt their longest losing streak of the season when they host the struggling New York Islanders in tonights clash at the Bell Centre. https://www.cheapblues.com/ . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Blues Jerseys 2020 .ca. Kerry, Just watched the shootout in the Coyotes/Leafs game and I have to ask, why was the James van Riemsdyk goal allowed to count? All of the video replays we were shown on TV were inconclusive about whether the puck had entirely crossed the line or not. Wholesale Blues Jerseys .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.ARLINGTON, Texas - Mired in one of the worst offensive slumps of his professional career, J.P. Arencibia is going back to the basics. In the bowels of Rangers Ballpark, not far from the Blue Jays clubhouse, is the visitors batting cage. Thats where, for about an hour on Friday afternoon, Arencibia and hitting coach Chad Mottola focused on the fundamentals of hitting. Not against live pitching. Not against a pitching machine. Just hitter, coach, a bat, a ball and a tee. “Its June and we shouldnt be doing this but thats where were at,” said Mottola. “Now you have to accept this. Where he thinks and the great athletes do, (they) want to play at 90 miles per hour the whole time, where I cant stand watching the same thing over and over. We have to back it up to where the balls not moving again and get that confidence back and get that correct feel back. That separation, letting your hands hit the ball rather than you jumping at the ball.” Arencibia went 0-4 in Thursdays 3-1 win over the Rangers. He has just three hits in his last 45 at bats, a span of 12 games dating back to the start of the National League road trip on May 30 in Atlanta. Hes hitting .211 for the season and with just six walks has an on base percentage of .233, the lowest in all of baseball for hitters with enough plate appearances to qualify. The strikeouts get talked about most. Hes racking them up – 76 in 228 offical at bats – which ranks him second on the Blue Jays behind Colby Rasmus (79.) Arencibia has a 0.1 WAR, the Wins Above Replacement statistic, which suggests a bench player or minor league call up would provide the Blue Jays with essentially equal productivity. He doesnt have to be presented with the numbers. Arencibia knows what they are and in one breath he tells you they need to get better. In the next, perhaps looking for the silver lining in a cloudy time, Arencibia wants to discuss areas he feels hes done well. “Even statistically, looking, obviously not my average and stuff like that but my production as far as RBIs, even though I should have more, is pretty up there for my position,” he said. “I would say my extra base hits. Its just one of those things. I think you cant really look into it other than coming in everyday and trying to work to be consistent and help the team.” Arencibias 12 home runs are second-most among catchers. Only Atlantas Evan Gattis, with 14, has more.His 30 RBI rank Arencibia ninth at his position. Most of Arencibias success, however, came earlier in the season. Slumps happen and numbers aside, players can tax themselves mentally tryiing to find the best methods to emerge.dddddddddddd “(Coaches are) sitting there watching the same game everyone else is doing and we get frustrated as well but we know obviously hes not going in the box with those goals,” said Mottola. “When you have fear in this game it tends to get really fast and you are 0-2 every time. Then when you start seeing some pitches, recognizing them out of hand instead of just hoping, then were starting to go down the right path. Thats kind of where were at now. I think hes kind of hit rock bottom and seeing the results and saying ‘Okay, Im ready type thing and thats when its easier as a coach.” Arencibia, sometimes criticized for his defense, is doing his best to compartmentalize his struggles at the plate by focusing on other ways to help his team. “As soon as I put on my catchers gear I become somebody else,” said Arencibia. “I have to go out there and I have to know that that pitcher, Im trying to win the game on the defensive front and Im trying to do everything I can to win that game defensively.” INTERESTING THEORY Broadly discussing offensive slumps, hitting coach Chad Mottola believes batters most often get themselves into trouble with the games most basic pitch. “I have a theory that all slumps are started by fastballs, Mottola told TSN.ca. “They get your body fast and open it up quick and that exposes you to everything.” GIBBONS ON ALL-STAR COACHING STAFF Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, along with White Sox skipper Robin Ventura, will be part of American League manager Jim Leylands (Tigers) coaching staff. “Its a thrill,” said Gibbons. “Just to get an opportunity in Major League Baseball to go to a game like that but then to be selected by Jimmy Leyland, who I think the world of, I mean hes recognized in the baseball world as one of the top ever. His numbers speak for themselves.” Gibbons, the Mets first round pick (24th overall) in 1980, noted the connection each coach has to the host ballclub. Ventura played for the Mets for three seasons (1999-2001.) National League manager Bruce Bochy, of the San Francisco Giants, played for the Mets in 1982. His coaches are Terry Collins, the current manager of the Mets and Davey Johnson, who managed the Mets to their last world championship in 1986. ROTATION ROTATED Wednesdays rainout in Chicago provides Josh Johnson an extra day to let a blister on his right middle finger heal. R.A. Dickey will pitch, on regular four days of rest, on Saturday. Johnson will start on Sunday. Hell be on six days of rest. ' ' '