being targeted as a scapegoat for Kenyas l

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Andre Johnson keeps himself loose and warm on the Tennessee Titans sideline, walking around and exercising by lifting his knees up towards his chest.He wants to be ready to go when needed.Biding his time is something different for the man with the most catches and yards receiving of any current NFL wide receiver, and Johnson is doing his best to fit in with his third team in as many years. Johnson showed why the Titans signed him at the start of training camp when he caught the game-winning touchdown pass in Detroit last week.Its a new role for me, Johnson said of being a backup. In the beginning, it could be really frustrating because its something youre not used to. But when youre able to go out and make a play like that to help your team win a game, it makes it all worth it.Johnsons 14th NFL season didnt start until the Titans signed him to a two-year deal on the day they reported for training camp. The seven-time Pro Bowler had been looking for a team after a lone season in Indianapolis, which followed his first 12 seasons with the Houston Texans who drafted him third overall out of Miami in 2003.Johnson came to Tennessee having started 181 of the 185 games he played in the NFL.Tennessee doesnt need Johnson to start. The Titans signed Rishard Matthews away from the Dolphins and have rookie Tajae Sharpe, a fifth-round draft pick, are in those roles.They want Johnson catching passes to extend drives and win games, just as he did against Detroit. Johnson caught the second pass thrown to him on fourth-and-5 over two defenders for the game-winning with 1:13 left. After the game, Johnson and offensive coordinator Terry Robiskie shared a brief moment .Hes one of the reasons why I came here, and he just gave me a hug and told me thats what youre here for, Johnson said.The 6-foot-3, 229-pound Johnson still offers a big target for a quarterback and great hands. He used his body to finish off the TD reception with a linebacker already clawing at the ball. Then again, Johnson now has 1,057 receptions for 14,139 yards -- both within the NFLs top 10 all-time -- with that the 69th touchdown of his career.Oakland quarterback Derek Carr has known Johnson since he was 12 and calls the receiver a good friend.I think he is a Hall of Famer, Carr said Wednesday. Theres no doubt in my mind hes one of the best receivers to ever play this game.Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has only started 14 games so far in his NFL career, and he certainly understands what he has in Johnson.Andre, his play his entire career gives any quarterback a whole lot of confidence, Mariota said. So for me, it doesnt matter whos out there. I trust every one of those guys. They put in a lot of hard work throughout the week. But Andres level of play, its easy to throw the ball.Johnson celebrated by tossing the ball from his first TD catch with Tennessee into the stands. He said the catch ranks up near the top in his career, though the reaction by some of his new co-workers took him by surprise.After the game because I had so many of the people that work here and some of my teammates, and they were like, `Were glad youre not doing it to us anymore, Johnson said. It was kind of funny just hearing that. But at the end of the day, Im a Titan and Im here to try to go out and make plays that to help win games. Thats what Im here to do.Game notes Titans coach Mike Mularkey announced right guard Chance Warmack chose to have surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right hand and will go on injured reserve. Either Brian Schwenke or Josh Kline will replace him. ... LB Derrick Morgan (left hamstring) and WR Kendall Wright (left hamstring) took part in individual drills. TE Delanie Walker (hamstring), CB Brice McCain (knee) and CB Valentino Blake (bruised chest) did not practice.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker Jim McMahon Youth Jersey . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. Akiem Hicks Bears Jersey . -- Jacksonville wide receiver Cecil Shorts will likely be a game-time decision whether hell play Sunday in the Jaguars home game against the San Diego Chargers. https://www.bearssportsgoods.com/Womens-William-Perry-Inverted-Jersey/ . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Dan Hampton Youth Jersey . Then the Pacers gave Oladipo and his Orlando teammates the cold shoulder. Paul Georges buzzer-beating 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter spurred a 21-4 run, finally sending Indiana past the Magic 97-87 in a tougher-than-expected opening night matchup. Dick Butkus Bears Jersey . -- Brandon Jennings made the most of his first game with the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. NAIROBI, Kenya -- The former agent and coach of banned marathon champion Rita Jeptoo appeared in separate Kenyan courts on Monday and were both released on bail as police continue to investigate them for involvement in doping.Agent Federico Rosa was charged last week with six counts related to administering banned substances to two athletes: Jeptoo and a little-known runner named Elijah Kiprono Boit. The Italian national denied the charges and was released on Monday on $5,000 bail.Jeptoo was the top female marathon runner in the world and a three-time Boston Marathon and two-time Chicago Marathon champion when it was announced she failed an out-of-competition test for the blood-booster EPO in late 2014. Court documents in Rosas case allege he conspired with others to administer a prohibited substance to Jeptoo on several occasions in August and September 2014.Jeptoo was banned for two years and is the highest profile of at least 40 Kenyan athletes to fail doping tests and be banned since the last Olympics in 2012. Her case has gone to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, with the IAAF seeking a sterner punishment than the two-year ban handed down to her by Kenyan authorities.Rosa, who still represents other top Kenyan athletes, had his passport withheld when he was released on bail. The judge said he would release Rosas travel documents if the agent could prove his claim that he represented 10 Kenyan athletes who were due to compete at the Riuo de Janeiro Olympics. Rosa said he needed to travel to Europe and then the Olympics to conduct business.Rosa is the agent forr, among others, three-time 1,500-meter world champion Asbel Kiprop, marathon runners Jemimah Sumgong and Stanley Biwott, and former 800-meter world champion Eunice Sum.dddddddddddd None of those athletes have been implicated in the case, and some have spoken out in defense of Rosa, saying he is being targeted as a scapegoat for Kenyas long-running doping problems.In a twist, marathoner Mathew Kisorio, an athlete Rosa previously represented who was banned for doping, said last week in an affidavit presented to the court that he was pressurized by some people to falsely incriminate Rosa in doping.Jeptoos former coach, Claudio Berardelli, who is also Italian, has not been formally charged but is being investigated alongside five Kenyan men for conspiracy to help athletes take banned substances. Berardelli previously coached Jeptoo, Kisorio, and 800-meter runner Agatha Jeruto, who were all banned for doping. Berardelli also previously worked for Rosas athlete management company but the relationship ended after those three runners he trained failed tests.On Monday, Berardelli was also released on $5,000 bail as a judge at a separate court gave police and prosecutors more time to investigate.Three of the five Kenyan men facing doping charges alongside Berardelli were accused in a recent undercover operation by British newspaper The Sunday Times and German broadcaster ARD of providing and administering EPO to foreign athletes training in Kenya. ' ' '