there will be a lot of Raiders fans, Gruden says. There were the la

The enormous expectations and pressure on the Chicago Cubs might have actually been lessened somewhat by playing the San Francisco Giants?in the Division Series. Willson Contreras Jersey . Not because the Giants arent a worthy opponent; quite the opposite, the Giants are rolling again. They have their own compelling story to tell and this series isnt solely about the Cubs and their bid to win a World Series for the first time in 108 years. The Cubs quest remains the primary theme of this postseason, but the surge by the Giants -- another masterful performance by the mythical Madison Bumgarner, Bruce Bochy, Jeff Samardzija, Hunter Pences hair and, from nowhere, Conor Gillaspies home run -- gives people something else to talk about. That is good for the Cubs.Here are five questions.How good is the Cubs rotation?So good, that one potential Cy Young winner, Kyle Hendricks, will have to wait until the second game to make his start after Jon Lester. So good, Jake Arrieta, who has gone 40-14 the last two years, wont start until Game 3. So good, John Lackey, who was signed by the Cubs in the offseason to make critical postseason starts, will have to wait until Game 4. Still, there is a minor concern with Arrieta, though not from him. In his last start, he allowed seven earned runs, the second-most runs hes allowed in a start as a Cub. In his last six starts, he went 2-3 with 21 earned runs allowed in 35 2/3 innings. Hes healthy and more rested than at this time last year. Maybe he has a great October ahead.What is the status of the Giants rotation?It is in good shape other than Bumgarner having to wait until Game 3 to start. The Giants spent last winter and the 2016 trade deadline making sure they had enough starting pitching after Bumgarner. Johnny Cueto went 18-5 with a 2.79 ERA, making him one of the best No. 2 starters in the game. After a couple of terrific starts he made in the postseason last year for the World Champion Royals, there should be no more talk of whether he is up for the challenge of the biggest games. Samardzija, who pitched for the Cubs for seven years before he was traded to Oakland for Addison Russell, went 12-11 with a 3.81 ERA this year. Left-hander Matt Moore, acquired in late July, pitched some really good games down the stretch. And then theres Bumgarner, who shut out the Mets in the wild-card game, lowering his road ERA in the postseason to 0.50, a record, by far. He has made 13 postseason starts and allowed no runs in six of them, tying Tom Glavine for the most scoreless postseason starts in history (it took Glavine 35 starts to get his six). A pitcher has thrown a shutout in a winner-take-all game 19 times. Only Bumgarner has done it twice. He has pitched 23 innings in winner-take-all games and not allowed a run. If the Giants can win one of two in Chicago, then hand it to Bumgarner in Game 3, this series could get very interesting.How much better offensively are the Cubs than last year?Remember, the Cubs got shut down by the great pitching staff of the Mets in the 2015 NLCS. That could happen again -- anything is possible in baseball -- but the Cubs are a significantly better offensive club in 2016. They scored 119 more runs than last year, placing them second in the NL in runs scored to the Rockies. Just as important, they struck out 221 fewer times than last year. First baseman Anthony Rizzos approach to hitting -- he chokes up with two strikes and sometimes just tries to put a ball in play -- hasnt gone unnoticed by other Cubs. The addition of Ben Zobrist, who is a tough out, even with two strikes, has made a difference. In spring training, Maddon said he was dazzled by how much better a two-strike hitter Kris Bryant was compared to last season. It showed. It has shown with all the Cubs.Who will close for the Giants?The Giants led the league in blown saves (30). They lost more games (nine) that they entered the ninth inning with a lead than any team in baseball; five of them came in September. They lost 10 games that they led by three or more runs, most in the major leagues. The bullpen blew eight games in which Bumgarner was in line for a victory, most in the major leagues. The bullpen is the primary reason that the Giants went 30-42 in the second half, the worst second-half record ever by a team that made it to the postseason. Sergio Romo, a former Giants closer who got the final out of the 2012 World Series, is seen as the closer now, but even thats not guaranteed. Bochy will mix and match down there. There is no one better at that than him, but its highly unlikely that he will go back to Santiago Casilla, especially at home, where Casilla occasionally gets booed. The Giants had a tremendously deep and effective bullpen in each of their three championship seasons over the last six seasons. They dont have that same depth this year.How good is the Cubs defense?It is the best in the National League. Russells shift to shortstop in June 2015 was the big move. Russell, and the overall Cubs defense, has gotten better with every game he plays at shortstop. Jason Heyward has brought tremendous defense to right field. Javier Baez has provided great defense at whatever infield position he plays. Bryant can play third base or the outfield. This gives Maddon all sorts of options. Defense was Maddons signature with his Tampa Bay Rays teams. He may be a new-school guy with the way he relates to players and because hes the most interesting man in the world, but he is as old school as it gets when it comes to the actually playing of the game. To him, you simply cant win without a good defense.Prediction:?Cubs in five. Larry Bowa Jersey .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. Xavier Cedeno Jersey . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/custom-c...arge-2090n.html . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. ESPN is getting a do-over.Eleven years after the network telecast an NFL game from Mexico City , it will do so again when the Raiders host the Texans on Monday night.Jay Rothman, ESPNs vice president of production and the Monday Night Football producer, wants this broadcast to be a lot different.We were there in 2005 and I wish we could do `05 over again, and we will not make the same omissions, Rothman says. We went in and did the game and got out.Mexico City is such an awesome city and we will make it a weekend-long spectacle.ESPN has lucked out that the game has plenty of significance, with the Raiders tied for the AFC West lead and best record in the conference heading in, and the Texans leading the AFC South. But this is about more than football.It is about the first international series match there since the Cardinals beat the 49ers at Azteca Stadium in 2005. Its about the stadium itself, one of the most famous sports venues in the world. Its about the fans, who might not follow football as closely as they do futbol, but who generally embrace the American game.And it is about Mexico.The Xs and Os we do every week, Rothman says. I think we are silly not to take advantage and sprinkle in the history of Azteca Stadium. Culturally, look at the fans of Mexico, who share the passion they have for the NFL. The food, the flavor, and points of interest. We will do that all within the body of a three-hour show.Actually, ESPN isnt so limited. It will also stage its pregame shows and other studio programming from Mexico City this weekend. Joining the broadcast team of Sean McDonough, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters will be ESPN Deportes John Sutcliffe, who lives in the city.John is a rock star in Mexico now, he is our breakthrough guy, Rothman says. He will have kind of like a Jim McKay host-type role, though that is challenging within a football game.He will be integrated to share the great moments of Azteca, educate people on the fandom of Mexican fans and as a great people. He is our point person to share those perspectives and stories.Gruden has become something of a rock star in the NFL broadcasting world, and while his main job is to dissect play on the field, it will be intriguing to hear his take on not only the game, but the entire scene Monday night.He coached the Raiders in a preseason game against the Cowboys in Mexico City in 2001.The stadium is what I remember the most, he says. The tradition, the monstrosity of it, the excitement of playing in a place you have only seen and hearrd about. Cole Hamels Jersey. I am anxious to get back there and rekindle the feeling.Azteca has undergone massive renovations, not only to attract the NFLs return, but as home of Club America and of the Mexican national soccer team, and to keep it on the radar for major events in the worlds most popular sport. Yet it has kept much of its uniqueness, Rothman notes.Theres still the moat and the barbed wire, which was there in `05, he says. They built these beautiful locker rooms, but they are outside the stadium (bowl).Players will walk to and from the field through the stands to the stadiums outside, which is where the locker rooms are. It is 7,200 feet (in altitude), and you think especially of the heavy players wearing pads making that walk. Cant imagine doing it with helmets and pads on. They will be sucking air bigtime.It will allow for unique shots and vantage points, not only from the air but the nooks and crannies of the stadium and its features, the march to the field and back up, the pageantry.Rothman promises his network wont avoid covering any non-football news that becomes relevant with the NFL in town. Concern has been voiced in some circles about potential protests in Mexico City over the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.We wear our news hats, too, and we will get together and discuss that, Rothman says. If there are things outside and inside the stadium to cover, we would be criticized for ignoring them and we need to do the right thing.I dont think wed intentionally shoot specific signs (of protest), but if we see what we have seen outside the Trump Tower, we will be obligated to cover it.Gruden says he has no concerns about safety or security.I am excited to go, he says. Ive got my passport and ready to roll. Last time I was there I got to see some really cool places and met some people -- I have no concerns whatsoever.In the end, what usually is most memorable about NFL games on international stages is how entertaining the game is. In that way, the reactions are no different from games held in Miami or the Meadowlands, Seattle or San Diego.I got a feeling there will be a lot of Raiders fans, Gruden says. There were the last time I was there ... and there will be a lot of Texans fans there. It will be loud, like a Raiders home game, I wouldnt be surprised.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '