Its not difficult to pinpoint the teams that have unexpectedly prospered or just as stunningly plummeted halfway through the 2016 season.Yep, were looking at you, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. Last January, you played for a spot in the Super Bowl. Right now, youre hanging with the mediocrities (or worse) of the NFL.Nor is it hard to spot the surprisingly successful teams putting themselves in the championship mix, from the Dallas Cowboys to the Oakland Raiders.But what about the individuals who are rising or flopping? The Associated Press sports writers who cover the 16 AFC teams suggest the following.BALTIMORESurprise: LB Zachary Orr leads the team in tackles as a third-year player.Disappointment: QB Joe Flacco has looked tentative in the pocket and has more interceptions than TDs. Granted, the Ravens have no running game and the left side of the O-Line has been injured, but still ...BUFFALOSurprise: LB Lorenzo Alexander, maybe the most pleasant development in the NFL this season. The free-agent addition, a journeyman in his 10th season, is among the league leaders in sacks.Disappointment: WR Sammy Watkins (left foot) is hobbled by injury for the third straight season and is on IR, though he could return this month.CINCINNATISurprise: WR A.J. Green was leading the NFL in receptions when Cincinnati went on its bye despite being the focus of opposing defenses on every passing play.Disappointment: DT Geno Atkins had 42 tackles and 11 sacks last season. Through eight games, he has only 16 tackles and 3+ sacks, and the Bengals are 3-4-1.CLEVELANDSurprise: WR Terrelle Pryor only made the conversion from quarterback last season and has quickly developed into a playmaker. Through the first nine games, Pryor had 46 catches and four touchdowns.Disappointment: QB Robert Griffin III. Not his fault, but he broke a bone in his shoulder in the season opener that deprived him of a chance at a comeback and the Browns from seeing if he could be their long-term answer.DENVERSurprise: QB Trevor Siemian was an afterthought when Peyton Manning retired. Now hes the starting QB on a playoff contender.Disappointment; OT Russell Okung, who went through a stretch of five holding calls in three games and gave up a sack-strip.HOUSTONSurprise: DE Jadeveon Clowney, finally healthy after two injury-filled years. His move from outside linebacker has helped the Texans make up for the loss of J.J. Watt.Disappointment: QB Brock Osweiler got a $72 million contract and has thrown the same number of interceptions (nine) as touchdowns. Houstons passing game ranks among the worst in the league.INDIANAPOLISSurprise: TE Jack Doyle, claimed off waivers from Tennessee in 2013, has steadily progressed each season and already surpassed his previous career totals in yards and TD catches.Disappointment: Coach Chuck Pagano. After signing a four-year deal, being given more authority over some decisions and armed with a healthy Andrew Luck, it looked as if Pagano would take his second chance and run with it. Instead, the Colts have gotten stuck in neutral.JACKSONVILLESurprise: DE Yannick Ngakoue, a third-round pick from Maryland who has four sacks and three forced fumbles and has replaced Dante Fowler in the starting lineup.Disappointment: QB Blake Bortles has been so inaccurate and inconsistent that he brought in a mechanics coach for a two-day refresher course, a last-ditch effort to turn his season around.KANSAS CITYSurprise: WR Tyreek Hill, a fifth-round pick expected to be primarily a kick returner, already has 19 catches for 223 yards and four touchdowns.Disappointment: OLB Tamba Hali signed a three-year, $21 million contract when the Chiefs realized they would be without Justin Houston most of the season, but hes aging before their eyes.MIAMISurprise: RB Jay Ajayi has turned a weak ground game into a strength by averaging 6.0 yards per play and has six TDs.Disappointment: WR DeVante Parker, a 2015 first-rounder, has done little to establish himself as a complement to top target Jarvis Landry.NEW ENGLANDSurprise: RB LeGarrette Blount, whose production over the first four games coming off hip injury last season helped take the pressure off Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett.Disappointment: CB Cyrus Jones, a second-rounder, has struggled in his limited action returning punts, was ejected at Cleveland and hasnt played since.NEW YORK JETSSurprise: WR Quincy Enunwa, a sixth-rounder in 2014, has blossomed into a legitimate playmaker in Chan Gaileys offense. With Eric Decker out, Enunwa has stepped up as the No. 2 receiver behind Brandon Marshall.Disappointment: CB Darrelle Revis, a former shutdown defender, has looked mostly mediocre this season, no longer resembling the guy who left opposing teams best receivers stranded on Revis Island.OAKLANDSurprise: RB Jalen Richard, an undrafted free agent, has helped provide depth behind Latavius Murray.Disappointment: CB Sean Smith, a major free agent addition who got benched in the opener and struggled earlier in the season before showing some improvement of late.PITTSBURGHSurprise: WR Sammie Coates led the league in yards per reception (21.3) before injuring his left index finger. Hes been a long-distance threat.Disappointment: LB James Harrison is hardly the only disappointment on an underwhelming defense, but the 38-year-old got his first two sacks of the season this past weekend. Hes seen his playing time slowly decrease.SAN DIEGOSurprise: Top draft pick DE Joey Bosa. After a holdout and hamstring injury that cost him four games, he has become a force on the Chargers defense, particularly in opposing backfields.Disappointment: That the team couldnt get the rookie defensive end signed in time for training camp. A squabble over money he was due and offset language caused the No. 3 overall pick to miss camp. After signing, Bosa pulled the hamstring and the Chargers went 1/3 without him.TENNESSEESurprise: RB DeMarco Murray. For a player who looked washed up in Chip Kellys offense in Philadelphia last season and cost the Titans only swapping 13 spots in the fourth round of the draft, what a bargain.Disappointment: Rookie LB Kevin Dodd, the 33rd pick overall, has been a minimal contributor. The Titans could use more pressure from someone who had 12 sacks and 23+ tackles for loss last season at Clemson.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Rogie Vachon Kings Jersey . The Vikings announced Thursday that Priefer will be one of seven holdovers from the previous staff, along with offensive line coach Jeff Davidson, wide receivers coach George Stewart and others. Norv Turner will mark his 30th year of coaching in the NFL as the offensive co-ordinator, as widely reported for weeks, and George Edwards will be the defensive co-ordinator. Ilya Kovalchuk Jersey . Pierce was ejected in the third quarter of Indianas 103-86 win Monday. George Hill stole a bad pass and was going in for a layup, and Pierce hustled back and appeared to be trying to wrap him up. http://www.kingsauthentic.com/authentic-rob-blake-kings-jersey/ . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Anze Kopitar Kings 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. Marcel Dionne Kings Jersey . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. AMES, Iowa -- The dullest matchup involving a Big 12 team this weekend is a crucial one for Iowa State.The Cyclones (0-3) are the only winless team left in the league, and their start has left little doubt that victories will be hard to come by in 2016.But San Jose State (1-2), which visits Ames on Saturday, is one of the team that Iowa State can and should beat -- even if first-year coach Matt Campbell doesnt agree just yet.When youre 0-3, I dont know that youre supposed to win anything, Campbell said. The reality is, what can we do to get better?For starters, the Cyclones could move the ball with more consistency.Iowa State ranks 115th out of 128 FBS programs with just 317.7 yards per game, and the coaching staff has juggled quarterbacks Joel Lanning and Jacob Park in an effort to find anything that will work for more than just a play here or there.Luckily for the Cyclones, the Spartans are 112th with 475 yards allowed per game.Here are some of the keys to consider as Iowa State prepares to wrap up nonconference play.SCOUTING THE SPARTANS: San Jose State looked somewhat improved despite losing last week, as did Iowa State did in falling at TCU 41-20. The Spartans are averaging just 31 points a game -- although 66 of those 93 points came in a home win over Portland State of the FBS. San Jose State has allowed 16 sacks, the most in the country, but its sixth-best nationally in turnover margin at plus-6. Quarterback Kenny Potter, who left last weeks 34-17 loss at Utah with a bruised right leg, is expected to start against the Cyclones. Potter has completed 60 percent of his passes and can do damage on the run.QB CONTROVERSY? Not yet anyway for Iowa State. Campbell has committed to playing Lanning, the starter and a dual threat, and Park, a more natural passer, based on situations aand feel.ddddddddddddLanning rushed for a pair of touchdowns against the Horned Frogs, while Park was 7-of-15 passing for 90 yards.BREAKOUT FOR WARREN? Cyclones running back Mike Warren, the nations leader in rushing yards among freshmen a year ago, finally got untracked against TCU with 95 yards on 23 carries. San Jose State is allowing 236 yards on the ground per game and might be the worst rush defense Iowa State sees all season.Ive kept my same goals, and Im still striving to reach them. Even if it doesnt happen this year, Im pretty sure itll happen down the road, Warren said.THE NUMBERS: The Spartans have lost 11 straight nonconference games again FBS opponents in the regular season since beating BYU 20-14 at home in 2012. ... Iowa State has won all three meeting between the teams, who last faced off in 1980. ... The Cyclones entered 2016 with just six career starts among its offensive line, third-fewest in the nation. ... Iowa State was listed as a 6-point favorite as of Thursday. The Cyclones will likely be underdogs the rest of the way, save for a trip to Kansas on Nov. 12.THE LAST WORD: The kids are starting to understand what our expectations are. Its not just about winning and losing football games. Yes, thats very important. We all know that. Nobody is more competitive than I am. But how you win football games is what Im interested in, Campbell said. Everyone in this building demands that what it looks like (during the week) in preparing to be successful is put into not only win a game, but to build a program.---Follow Luke Meredith on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LukeMeredithAP---Online: AP college football website: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '
