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PHILADELPHIA (AP) Minutes after doctors told Chris Maragos he needed season-ending knee surgery Authentic Donte Jackson Jersey , the Philadelphia Eagles’ special teams captain got a phone call that his wife was going into labor.

”I literally got the best news and worst news within 15 minutes,” Maragos said.

Maragos and his wife welcomed their third child, daughter Cambria Rose, on Oct. 16. He had his torn posterior cruciate ligament repaired a few weeks later. The injury is expected to keep him off the field until training camp.

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So while the Eagles (9-1) continue their pursuit of the franchise’s first Super Bowl title, Maragos is forced to watch from the sideline.

”It’s been challenging,” Maragos said. ”You pour your whole life’s work to be an NFL player and to get to these moments and then to have an injury that would set you back like this, it’s definitely disheartening, but I do have a lot of encouragement and I do have a lot of confidence knowing that I’m right where I need to be.”

The 30-year-old Maragos leans heavily on his faith. Instead of anger and resentment Seahawks Rashaad Penny Jersey , he’s found a way to be thankful through adversity.

”God is so gracious that he gives us so many things to get through the difficulties,” Maragos said. ”Most importantly, he gives us his word, which guides us and gives us the truth and the substance of our being and gives us our guiding lamp in terms of how we’re trying to navigate through life.

”What I’ve been super grateful for from a personal level, he gives us great relationships with solid believers and other people who are fighting the fight and walking this walk on a daily basis. We have such a great group of guys who have been supporting me, showing love, praying for me, staying in touch and hanging out.”

The Eagles have a strong core of Christian players Bengals Cordy Glenn Jersey , including quarterback Carson Wentz, tight ends Zach Ertz and Trey Burton, offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski and many others.

They hold a Bible study for couples on Mondays, another one for the players on Thursdays and gather the night before each game for prayer and devotionals. The night before a 28-23 victory at Carolina on Oct. 12 – Maragos was injured in the fourth quarter of that game – wide receiver Marcus Johnson was baptized by Pastor Kyle Horner in a hotel pool as several players gathered around in prayer.

”It’s such a blessing to have a group of guys who you can come to about anything.” Johnson said.

Some injured players choose to rehab near their offseason homes or quietly do their work at the team’s facility. Maragos has been visible and supportive and remains a leader even though he can’t run onto the field and make tackles. Despite walking on crutches, he’s been on the sideline for home games and hopes to travel later in the season.

”I can’t physically be on the field and give them my body, fly around and sacrifice for those guys, but I can sacrifice in so many other ways,” Maragos said. ”I can give them what I’ve learned mentally Authentic Kendall Wright Jersey , what I have spiritually, all of those things where hopefully I can fill in cracks for them and encourage them when they need it.”

For Maragos, it’s the only way.

”The (Bible) says to consider difficult circumstances pure joy because we know that in those difficult times (God) is creating something in me that will make me better and stronger and make me complete as a Christian, as a man, as a member of our community, as a member of our house,” Maragos said. ”So I have to trust.”

Maragos, who began his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers in 2010 as an undrafted rookie after playing at Wisconsin Authentic Welington Castillo Jersey , joined the Eagles in 2014 after winning a Super Bowl with Seattle.

He’s been an integral part of Philadelphia’s success on special teams and also plays safety. The Eagles rewarded him with a three-year contract extension last November that runs through 2019.

His former team had something in common with his current one: a strong group of Christian players led by Russell Wilson.

”We had a great brotherhood in Seattle, guys who loved Jesus passionately and were committed to the Lord and that was the cool thing because you saw guys who were willing to put that much more into their sport because they knew they were honoring the Lord through their gifts and talents and abilities, so you saw the sacrifices probably even greater because they knew they were playing for something greater and the same here with the Eagles,” Maragos said. ”We want to bring the Lord as much glory as possible.”

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NASHVILLE Authentic Isaac Yiadom Jersey , Tenn. (AP) Go ahead and pick against the Tennessee Titans. Count them out against the New England Patriots or call them the ugliest team left in the NFL playoffs.

A franchise only two years removed from the NFL’s worst record over a two-season stretch cares only about winning.

”Our guys kind of like that role,” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said of being underdogs. ”Again, this is not a flashy team. It’s not sexy. It’s just a blue collar, come to work, see what happens when you do and see … everybody compete for 60 minutes, see what the outcome is going to come. … Don’t worry about predictors. That’s their job. We have a job to do.”

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The Titans (10-7) went 5-27 between 2014 and 2015, costing Ken Whisenhunt his job after 23 games. Mularkey took over http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/tyquan-lewis-jersey , and he’s now 21-21 after a stunning comeback for a 22-21 win at Kansas City in the wild-card round.

Now they will visit New England (13-3) on Saturday night for Tennessee’s first divisional playoff game since January 2009 and their first divisional road game since losing to the Patriots 17-14 in January 2004. They’ve already been installed as 13-point underdogs, though being at least an 8-point underdog at Kansas City and trailing 21-3 at halftime didn’t stop the Titans.

Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jurrell Casey said the Titans’ confidence never wavered as they tied for the second-largest comeback by a road team in the playoffs.

”Everybody was hungry and had the want to,” Casey said. ”When you have that, and look around the sideline and see it in their eyes, there’s no reason to panic. That’s what we’ve been doing all year long, and we’ll continue to do that.”

Actually, the Titans have been doing that for the past couple seasons under Mularkey. The Titans now are 7-1 since the start of the 2016 season in games decided by three or fewer points – best in the NFL.

Tight end Delanie Walker said they are comfortable when trailing Steelers Terrell Edmunds Jersey , confident in their ability to rally.

”We fight to the end,” Walker said. ”We weren’t worried about it. We came in (at halftime) and we were like, `They haven’t done anything to stop us.’ We made some adjustments. We went back out there, moved the ball, scored some points and there you have it.”

Mularkey said being in close games is expected with how Tennessee attacks on offense with its run scheme. That’s what makes coordinator Dick LeBeau’s defense so crucial.

The Titans rallied against Kansas City with the defense holding the Chiefs to just 61 yards total offense and no points in the second half. On the other side, the offense held the ball for more than 19 minutes, scored on four straight possessions and Derrick Henry had 85 of his career-high 156 yards rushing in the fourth quarter.

Marcus Mariota also notched the ninth game-winning drive of his career and fifth since the start of the 2017 season in beating Kansas City.

Mularkey said the mental toughness required to pull out so many close games is critical Cheap Orlando Brown Jr. Jersey , especially on the road.

”We did a lot of good things in that game to give us a chance to win,” Mularkey said. ”Unfortunately, we had to do it late, but we did a lot of good things as a team I think will carry over as we go forward.”

General manager Jon Robinson, who got his start in the NFL with 12 seasons in New England starting as a scout, has been busy rebuilding this roster over the past two years. Cornerback Logan Ryan, who signed as a free agent last offseason after four seasons and two Super Bowl rings with the Patriots Authentic Josh Jackson Jersey , said the Titans feature a bunch of players with nothing to lose.

”A bunch of guys who are underrated, undervalued, who came from different places, and who were trying to do something special. We believe that,” Ryan said.

Now the longshot Titans face their biggest test yet Saturday night in New England.

”We want more,” Walker said.

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For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL.

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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