If the San Francisco Giants miss the playoffs, it would mark the first time in the wild-card era (since 1995) that a team with the best record at the All-Star break did not play any postseason baseball. Its DEFCON 1 in the war room in San Francisco and time for Tums in the Bay Area, but whats the real problem?If you look at the team as separate squads within the larger collection, one group stands out. Their starting staff posted the sixth-best ERA in the majors in the first half, and its 10th-best in the second. Their defense allowed the third-lowest batting average on balls in play in the first half, and its still third-best in the second half. Their bullpen was third-best in the first half, and its fifth-best in the second.As for their offense, well, the Giants were 11th in the majors in runs scored (4th in the NL) at the All-Star break -- and theyre 29th, second to last, since then. It seems a strength has turned into a weakness.While theres evidence the team is pressing -- only three teams have seen their reach and miss rates go up more in the second half -- every lineup is really just a collection of individuals, and if you look harder at those individuals, three regulars have seen their performance tank in the second half, more than the rest of the team. Those three regulars -- Brandon Belt, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford -- have spent the second half putting up weighted offense thats at least 20 percent worse than their first-half efforts. As much as a team is a large group, it looks like the Giants will go where these three take them.So whats going on with these guys? Lets try to figure it out. Aleksander Barkov Jersey . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Evgenii Dadonov Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. http://www.hockeypanthersofficialonline.com/customized/ .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. Florida Panthers Jerseys . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Vincent Trocheck Jersey . Toronto has dropped games to Indiana and Miami since a five-game winning streak and closed out a three-game road trip at 1-2. The Jarryd Hayne sideshow has departed the NFL, but a potential Australian-grown star has emerged in his place.His name is Adam Gotsis, a 193cm tall, 130kg rookie defensive tackle from the Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford who has bulldozed his way onto the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos 53-man squad.Not only that. The 23-year-old Gotsis earned his spot in the Broncos defensive unit - the top-rated and most feared in the NFL - while overcoming a torn left anterior cruciate ligament.Adam Gotsis is looking incredible out there,?Broncos Super Bowl MVP Von Miller recently told reporters.The NFL regular season opens on Thursday (Friday AEST) when the Broncos host the Carolina Panthers in a re-match of Denvers 24-10 Super Bowl victory.A few months ago Australia had a record 10 players in contention to play in NFL this season.With Hayne returning to the NRL and other hopefuls failing to make rosters, it appears Gotsis, offensive lineman David Yankey (Carolina Panthers) and punters Brad Wing (New York Giants), Jordan Berry (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Lachlan Edwards (New York Jets) will be representing Australia.However, injuries and the cut-throat nature of the NFL, where players are fired for a misguided punt, fumble or just to save money, opens up the likely prospect other Australians will receive a call from a team.AUSTRALIANS IN THE NFL ADAM GOTSIS (Denver Broncos) Position: defensive endAge: 23Height: 193cmWeight: 130kgBorn: Melbourne With the lack of American football leagues in Melbourne, Gotsis was forced as a 14-year-old to play 18-year-olds and then, in his later teenage years, battle grown men.He scored a scholarship to Georgia Tech, but in last years fourth and final season tore up his knee. The Broncos, particularly defensive line coach Bill Kollar, was not deterred and the team made a surprise move by taking the Australian with their valuable second round pick at Aprils NFL draft.DAVID YANKEY (Carolina Panthers)Position: guardAge: 24Height: 198cmWeight: 145kgBorn: Sydney After being drafted in 2014 by the Minnesota Vikings and then cut, the Panthers threw Yankey a lifeline but then waived him last week.He received another chance when the Panthers signed him to their practice squad.BRAD WING (New York Giants)Position: punterAge: 25Height: 191cmWeight: 93kgBorn: MMelbourne After a making headlines for good and bad reasons at Louisiana State University, being cut by the Philadelphia Eagles and last year losing an Aussie vs Aussie battle with Jordan Berry at the Pittsburgh Steelers, Wing has found a home at the Giants.ddddddddddddLast season he tied the Giants franchise record of 33 punts inside the 20-yard line and in the just finished pre-season topped all punters by averaging 47.3 yards a punt.JORDAN BERRY (Pittsburgh Steelers)Position: punterAge: 25Height: 196cmWeight: 88kgBorn: Melbourne The Steelers have had a revolving door at the punter position, but the consistent Berry who is skilled at directional punting has become an integral member of the team.LACHLAN EDWARDS (New York Jets) Position: punterAge: 24Height: 196cmWeight: 97kgBorn: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria To make the Jets squad Edwards went head to head in the off-season and beat the most heralded Australian punter in US college history, Tom Hackett.The Jets are high on Edwards, using a seventh round draft pick on him, and the local press have also become fans of the punter.Lachlan Edwards may only be a punter, but hes going to be a damn good one in the NFL, New Jerseys Star-Ledger told readers last week.AUSTRALIANS IN WAITING- Tom Hackett made history when he won back-to-back Ray Guy Awards for best college punter at the University of Utah. But his crafty, rugby style punting apparently was not as attractive to the Jets as Edwards more traditional style. Theres a good chance an NFL team will take a punt and sign Hackett in coming weeks.- Blake Muir, another giant Sydney-born offensive lineman, spent the off-season at the 49ers before being cut. There are reports he worked out with the Green Bay Packers at the weekend so could end up with the coveted gig of protecting star quarterback Aaron Rodgers.- Adelaide goal kicker Brad Craddock, after a record-setting stint at the University of Maryland, was signed by the Cleveland Browns, but in May the team cut him.- Former AFL player Joel Wilkinson was hoping to use his athletic 186cm tall body in the defensive cornerback position at the Arizona Cardinals, but the team released him in May. ' ' '
