He was the only person to speak on his behalf. N

The Atlanta Falcons sit in the drivers seat in the NFC South and, with a favorable schedule in the final three weeks, are very much in the mix for a first-round playoff bye.But they need to get healthy ahead of the playoffs.The banged-up Falcons (8-5) kick off their closing stretch Sunday, when the lowly San Francisco 49ers (1-12) visit the Georgia Dome for the final time. This is the last season for the Falcons in the dome, before moving down the block to their new stadium for the 2017 season.Wide receiver Julio Jones, who missed last weeks road win over the Los Angeles Rams with a toe injury, will be out again this week.Atlanta head coach Dan Quinn reclassified Jones injury as a sprained toe. Quinn had initially described the injury as turf toe, which could have lingered much longer than the sprain is expected to.Well get him back here shortly, Quinn said of Jones. When he can explode like he does ... the good news is its not something thats going to be a long-term thing.The 49ers are battling their own injuries, with left tackle Joe Staley (hamstring/doubtful) and receiver Torrey Smith (concussion/out). Staley had started 92 consecutive regular-season games, before missing last weeks loss to the New York Jets. Smith is in the leagues concussion protocol and still needs to be cleared before taking the field again.Even if the 49ers were at full-strength, theyd be hard-pressed to keep up with the Falcons, who boast the leagues most prolific offense, led by quarterback Matt Ryan, an MVP candidate. Ryan has already thrown for more than 4,000 yards with 30 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He threw three touchdowns and no interceptions against the Rams.Matts one of those quarterbacks that transcends any system, San Francisco head coach Chip Kelly told reporters Wednesday. It doesnt matter, I really dont think, what system hes running. Although, the one hes running right now hes very, very successful in. I think he fits very well into what (offensive coordinator) Kyle (Shanahan) is doing. But hes had a couple different coordinators and been successful with whoever was coaching him. Thats just the type of player he is. I think hes an elite quarterback.Despite missing Jones and Sanu, the Falcons put up 42 points in the win over the Rams. The 49ers have scored a total of 47 points in their last three games combined.Quarterback Colin Kaepernick will start Sunday against Atlanta. Kaepernick has completed 54.8 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and three interceptions, since taking over as the starter for Blaine Gabbert in Week 6.I think Colin has gotten better each week with us, Kelly said. The more comfortable he gets in our system, the more comfortable we are around him. ... Weve been pleased with Colin.Kaepernick has yet to lead a victory this season, though. Last week, San Francisco jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter against the Jets, but was held scoreless in the second half and lost their 12th straight game, despite a 193-yard rushing performance from Carlos Hyde.Once again, it comes down to our execution, Kaepernick said. We have to be able to make plays and we didnt make enough in the second half to put points on the board.The Falcons lead the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers by one game in the NFC South and are within a game of the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions in the battle for the second seed in the NFC.After Sundays game against the 49ers, the Falcons close out the regular season at the Carolina Panthers and at home against the New Orleans Saints. Atlantas three remaining opponents are a combined 11-28.Who were playing and where were playing -- thats kind of irrelevant, so to speak, because you want to just go and battle for it, Quinn said. (Thats) the intent of the players, thats what were set out to do. Custom Paul George Jersey . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Cheap Custom Celtics Jersey . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. http://www.custompacersjersey.com/ . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Custom Celtics Jerseys . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. Wholesale Custom Celtics Shirts . Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals, and backup goalie Cam Talbot earned his second win in two nights as the Rangers shook off a late tying tally and beat the Maple Leafs 2-1 Monday night.CARSON CITY, Nev. -- O.J. Simpson went before a parole board and pleaded for leniency on his armed robbery and kidnapping sentence Thursday as he expressed regret for his actions and described being an upstanding inmate who earns pennies an hour keeping gym equipment sanitized and umpiring and coaching games in the prison yard. Simpson also said he has become a counsellor of sorts to fellow inmates doing time for similar crimes and noted that he has made amends with his victims in a botched heist of memorabilia in a hotel room in Las Vegas in 2007. "I just wish I never went to that room," the 66-year-old Simpson said during a 15-minute appearance. Parole officials did not immediately rule on his request, which Simpson made remotely from a video conference room the Lovelock Correction Center. But their decision will have little impact on his overall sentence because he is only eligible for parole on one of his consecutive sentences. As a result, even if the Nevada Parole Board ruled in his favour, he would then begin serving sentences attached to other charges and spend at least another four years in prison. His best chance for freedom lies with a pending decision by a Las Vegas judge on whether to grant him a new trial based on claims that his trial lawyer botched his defence and had a conflict of interest in the case. Clark County District Judge Linda Marie Bell held a weeklong hearing in May on the issue that featured testimony from Simpson. At the parole hearing, Simpson provided a glimpse of his time in prison since he was sentenced to nine to 33 years behind bars. He said he has served as a counsellor of sorts to other inmates who come to him with their issues. But he said he shouldnt be compared with other inmates. "The difference between all of their crimes and mine is, they were trying to steal other peoples property," a greying Simpson said. "They were trying to steal other peoples money..dddddddddddd "My crime was trying to retrieve for my family my own property," he said, mentioning how he has missed his children, graduations and his sisters funeral. "Make no mistake I would give it all back to these guys. They can have it all to get these five years of my life back." He also told the two-member parole panel that he has spoken at length with Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong -- the two dealers targeted in the holdup. He acknowledged that he was "not as civil as I should have been" while trying to regain the property. "I knew both of these guys who had my stuff," Simpson said. "I am sorry for what has happened. ... Ive apologized. Theyve apologized." He was the only person to speak on his behalf. No victims spoke. Parole Commissioner Susan Jackson and hearing representative Robin Bates were expected to make a recommendation to the full parole board later Thursday and a final decision is expected next week. Jackson noted that Simpson has had no disciplinary actions during his incarceration and was deemed a "low risk" for repeat offences. During the court hearing in May on Simpsons motion for a new trial, his current lawyers, Patricia Palm and Ozzie Fumo, presented evidence and questioned witnesses, including trial lawyer Yale Galanter, about whether he knew in advance about the September 2007 plan for Simpson and several other men to confront the memorabilia dealers. Simpson argues that he was trying to retrieve items stolen from him after his 1995 "trial of the century" in Los Angeles when he was acquitted of murder in the 1994 slayings of his ex-wife and her friend. Bell hasnt indicated when she plans to issue her decision, but told a KSNV-TV interviewer for a segment aired this week that she still had "some writing to do." ------ Associated Press writer Ken Ritter in Las Vegas contributed to this report. ' ' '