Bewerbungen » brought to the team will be more difficult.I cant say th

PHILADELPHIA -- Carson Wentz owes some of his success to Sam Bradford.Bradford certainly wasnt thrilled when the Eagles drafted Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick, but he served as a mentor to the rookie throughout the summer until he was traded to Minnesota on Sept. 3.When I first got here, it was good to have Sam and Chase (Daniel), Wentz said Wednesday. I talked to Sam quite a bit and really wanted to dive deeper into this offense. Sam had some good insight on our offense, and he was in a number of other systems as well. We had good conversations. I really built a good relationship with him and I look forward to playing against him.Wentz leads the Eagles (3-2) against Bradford and the unbeaten Vikings (5-0) on Sunday in Philadelphia. While much of the focus centers on the quarterbacks, Wentz isnt getting caught up in the hype.The Vikings are the next game on the schedule. Were excited for it, Wentz said. We have had two tough losses where we didnt execute the way we wanted to. We dont put pressure on ourselves, but at the same time, we play with a sense of urgency that we have to be better. We know that, and we will.Bradford, a former No. 1 overall pick by the Rams, set franchise records in his only season in Philadelphia with 346 completions and a 65 percent completion rate. His 3,725 yards passing in 14 games was the fourth-most in Eagles history. Bradford passed up free agency and signed a two-year, $36 million contract with $22 million guaranteed in March.Then Philadelphia moved up to get the second pick and selected Wentz. Bradford figured his days with the Eagles were numbered. Still, he thought hed get one more season.I was really excited about the year there, Bradford said. I felt like I had a really good spring. I felt like I played well in the preseason. I felt like things were really coming together on offense for us. I looked forward to playing this year there and continuing the chemistry we had built last year.But the Vikings were desperate for a quarterback after losing Teddy Bridgewater to a serious knee injury and they moved quickly to acquire Bradford for a first-round draft pick and a conditional fourth-round.Its turned out to be a win-win trade for both teams.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Rob Maaddi on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP-RobMaaddi Frank Kaminsky Hornets Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. Alonzo Mourning Hornets Jersey . According to a report from the Winnipeg Free Press, the Bombers will name Acting GM Kyle Walters to the post full time. http://www.hornetsteamproshop.com/Cheap-Cody-Zeller-Hornets-Jersey/ . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Larry Johnson Hornets Jersey . To the surprise of many, it isnt the Wolverines but their in-state rivals the Michigan State Spartans. Miles Bridges Hornets Jersey .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. A few plays are often the difference between a truly successful season at Alabama and one that leaves the Crimson Tide feeling unfulfilled. The finest line separates a championship team and one that comes up just short.By thinking beyond the slimmest margins that separate winning and losing, Alabama coach Nick Saban has built one of the greatest dynasties in college football history.I talk a lot about trying to be a dominant player, not winning the game, Saban told The Associated Press. I talk a lot about being a champion, not winning a championship. And theres a little bit of difference in that. Were trying to create a process here that helps a guy be all he can be. Were not trying to create a process that wins a game.Though there has been an awful lot of that going on in Tuscaloosa since Saban got to town in 2007. And there is no reason to think it will stop this season.The defending national champion Crimson Tide is the No. 1 team in The Associated Press preseason Top 25 for the third time under Saban and the fifth time in the history of the program.The Tide received 33 of 61 first-place votes from the media panel and 1,469 points in the poll released Sunday. No. 2 Clemson, which lost the College Football Playoff championship game to Alabama in January, received 16 first-place votes and 1,443 points.Oklahoma is No. 3 in the preseason poll and received four first-place votes. No. 4 Florida State had five first-place votes. No. 5 LSU, No. 6 Ohio State and No. 7 Michigan all received one first-place vote.Alabama has won an unprecedented four national championships in the last seven seasons, but none has come when the Tide started No. 1 (2010 and 2013). Thats one of a couple of trends Alabama will be trying to buck this season. The last preseason No. 1 to win the national championship was Southern California in 2004.Still, Alabama is the safest bet in college football. Since 2008, only once has a season reached Thanksgiving without Alabama in contention for a national title. In three seasons (2008, 2013, 2014) during which Alabbama has not played for the national championship under Saban, the Tide lost a close game to a team that did.ddddddddddddNone of that history matters to Saban, who is only two national championships away from matching Bear Bryants record six during his 25 years as coach at Alabama. Saban does recognize that staying on top is more difficult than getting there.It all goes back to competitive character, attitude, how people buy in. How you fight human nature. Its basically human condition to get satisfied with success, said the 64-year-old Saban, who is 105-18 at Alabama. Theres a lot of books written on how to be successful. Theres not a lot of books written on how to stay successful.Having an army of four- and five-star recruits is a good place to start.The deepest and most dominant front seven in college football last season had three players (linemen AShawn Robinson and Jarran Reed and linebacker Reggie Ragland) taken in the second round of the NFL draft. The next wave of stars includes linebacker Reuben Foster, edge pass rusher Tim Williams and defensive end Jonathan Allen. Talent is never in question in Tuscaloosa. Replacing the leadership Robinson, Reed and Ragland brought to the team will be more difficult.I cant say that I know that they will step in those roles, Saban said. I dont think your true competitive character ever gets revealed until you get in the heat of the battle, and how you respond to things when it doesnt go your way.Alabama will be breaking in a new starting quarterback this season. But why worry about that? Three of the Tides championships under Saban, including last seasons, have come with first-year starting quarterbacks.The Tide loses a Heisman Trophy-winning running back in Derrick Henry and has two former five-star recruits waiting to pick up the slack in Damien Harris and Bo Scarbrough.The machine keeps humming.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '