presentative, finishes his 12-year career on 174 games, including 82 at Cronulla from 2008-11.Snowden paid trib

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- If there has been a constant in the New York Giants three-game winning streak, its been that Steve Spagnuolos defense has had to make a fourth-quarter stands to secure the wins.Last week, the defense stopped the Eagles at the New York 17 after Eli Manning threw his second interception of the fourth quarter in a 28-23 win.The unit had to pitch a shutout over the Rams in the final three quarters in a 17-10 win in London on Oct. 23.The streak started with the defense holding in the waning seconds after the Ravens got to the Giants 24 in a 27-23 win.We know how good we can be, but we are not there yet, linebacker Keenan Robinson said. We still have a long way to go. We havent done anything yet.The job for the defense will be tougher Monday night when the Giants (5-3) host the Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-1) at MetLife Stadium. While the Bengals defense has struggled this season, their offense is stacked.Andy Dalton has had a 100-plus quarterback rating in four of his last five games. A.J. Green leads the NFL in receiving with 59 catches, and his 896 yards are No. 2 overall. The running game is averaging 120.3 yards, with Jeremy Hill gaining 5.0 yards a pop. Giovanni Bernard gains roughly 4.0 yards per run and is second on the team with 31 catches.Theres more, too. Tight end Tyler Eifert returned to the lineup in London on Oct. 30 and had nine catches for 102 yards and a touchdown.`Man, they can run the ball or pass the ball, Giants defensive end Olivier Vernon said Friday. They have a good quarterback and they have a good receiver as well. They have good weapons on the offensive side of the ball, so we just have to play our ball.If there is one thing that the defense has done well, it is stop the run. New York is ninth in the league, limiting opponents to an average of 93.9 yards. Only three teams have gotten 100 yards on the ground -- Green Bay (147), Minnesota (104) and Dallas (101) -- and none in the last three games.You have to make them as one-dimensional as possible, linebacker Devon Kennard said. We have to go in and stop them on first and second down when it comes to the run game and make them have to throw; put them in third-and-long situations and make it harder on them.Stopping the run is going to fall on the Giants front seven with tackles Johnathan Hankins and Damon Harrison stuffing the middle, Vernon and fellow end Jason Pierre-Paul holding the edges and funneling the plays back inside.Safety Landon Collins gives the front seven an extra boost with his ability to come into the box. He leads the team in tackles, sacks and interceptions, picking up three in the last two games.Hes a big key part of their defense, Dalton said of Collins, who has taken major strides in his second season. `Hes all over the place, and you have to know where he is. Hes been playing well for them. For a guy to lead in sacks and interceptions, it shows how great a player he is.The defense has also excelled in the red zone. It has allowed only 11 touchdowns in 28 possessions, the best in the league at 39.3 percent.There are concerns, though. Too many big plays surrendered: The Eagles had seven plays of 20 or more yards last week and probably would have had more points had they not failed on two fourth-down plays in New York territory and had a field goal blocked.Sometimes big plays happen, said Robinson, who has done an excellent job recently covering tight ends. We want to make sure we play disciplined, sound football so we limit the big plays. Sometimes they are going to make the great catch or the great throw. If we are giving up big plays because we are not in the right position or made the wrong call, thats what we have to eliminate.Still, this is a major improvement from a year ago when the defense blew leads either in the fourth quarter or overtime in six games.I feel good, said cornerback Janoris Jenkins, the free agent signee who has given New York a shutdown cornerback, one who will probably draw Green on Monday night. I have been saying it since the beginning of the year, I think we can be special, and I still feel that. We just have to continue to work.Game notesWR Victor Cruz (ankle) did not practice for the second straight day. He hopes to play. ... Coach Ben McAdoo moved the practice into the teams bubble with winds gusting.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and -http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFLAlex Fernandez Jersey . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Charles Johnson Jersey . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. https://www.cheapmarlinsjerseys.us/791r-moises-alou-jersey-marlins.html . Now that hes hitting streaking teammates with pin-point passes for easy layups, Love is asserting himself as one of the true superstars in the league. Tayron Guerrero Jersey . In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the off-season. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Kevin Brown Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action.In the end, Kade Snowdens body couldnt handle it.The Newcastle forward on Friday announced his NRL retirement one year early, finally bringing an end to a long battle with a neck injury that had sidelined him since the Knights 2016 season-opening game.It is the first time the 29-year-old has played less than 17 games in a season since 2007.It has been a tough year not being able to contribute to the team but my body just couldnt do it anymore, Snowden said.A number of injuries, but primarily my neck, have forced an early retirement from the game that has been my whole life.Because injury forced Snowden to retire, the estimated $400,000 he is owed next year is believed to be wiped off the Knights salary cap for next season.He is one of two forwards confirmed on Friday to be leaving the Hunter at the end of the year, with Robbie Rochow announcing a move to South Sydney on a one-year deal.James McManus and Jeremy Smith are also retiring at sseasons end.ddddddddddddSnowden, a former NSW State of Origin and Australian representative, finishes his 12-year career on 174 games, including 82 at Cronulla from 2008-11.Snowden paid tribute to then-Sharks coach Ricky Stuart for helping him earn two appearances for the Blues and his solitary Kangaroos Test during his time in the Shire.Thank you to the two clubs, and especially Ricky Stuart, who turned me into the man and player that other players wanted to play with, he said.Having made his debut with the Knights, Snowden then returned back to his former club, where he played his final five seasons.I was so happy I was able to play my last couple of years at the Knights, he said.To have my family and friends support me every week and to represent Newcastle meant the world, even though it has been cut short. 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