freshman last season.The new offense is simplified without bei

ST. LOUIS -- To make the National League playoffs for the sixth consecutive year, the St. Louis Cardinals will have to conquer their home-field disadvantage.Heading into a regular-season-ending, seven-game homestand that begins Monday night with the first of four games against the Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis owns a 33-41 record at Busch Stadium.It is the first time since the stadium opened in its third iteration in 2006 that the Cardinals (81-74) will finish with a losing mark at home. They will post their first losing home record since 1999.The Cardinals start the week a half-game behind San Francisco (82-74) for the NLs second wild-card and 1 1/2 games in back of the New York Mets for the first wild card. On Monday, New York (83-73) opens a three-game series at grieving Miami, playing its first game since the boating death of ace pitcher Jose Fernandez early Sunday morning, while San Francisco gets a day off.Home, not sweet home is where the Cardinals will have to get the job done, and the task doesnt seem impossible by any means. Cincinnati (65-90) is headed for a last-place finish in the NL Central and has won just one of its past 11 series in St. Louis dating back to April 2013.The Cardinals are 4-2 against the Reds at home this year, including a 3-2 win on Aug. 10 that saw Jaime Garcia work into the ninth inning to earn the decision. Perhaps because of that outing, or because of Luke Weavers struggles during a just-completed road trip, Garcia (10-12, 4.59 ERA) gets the ball Monday for his first start since Sept. 13.While Garcia has pitched to a puffy 8.23 ERA over his past six starts, he is coming off four scoreless innings of relief Wednesday in Colorado. He struck out five without issuing a walk.He will be opposed by Reds rookie Tim Adleman (2-4, 4.06 ERA). The right-hander lost two starts to St. Louis this year, although he pitched decently in a 5-2 defeat on Sept. 4 in Cincinnati. Adleman recorded a quality start in a no-decision Sept. 19 at the Chicago Cubs, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings and fanning five.Cincinnati is 2-4 on its 10-game road trip, winning 4-2 in Milwaukee on Sunday behind five scoreless innings from Brandon Finnegan. The Reds are getting outstanding play from shortstop Jose Peraza, who is batting .378 with two homers and 16 RBI in 127 at-bats since being recalled from Triple-A Louisville on Aug. 20.Its just a really nice template to look at to say this guy is going to be really good as he matures, Reds manager Bryan Price said.Power has kept St. Louis in contention, but the offense has slowed in September. On a 5-5 road trip that ended with a 3-1 loss to the Cubs on Sunday night at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals scored 37 runs. Twenty of those runs came in a pair of wins.Were going to have to mix and match and make something happen, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said.Still, right-hander Carlos Martinez, who likely would get the start in the wild-card game if the Cardinals qualify, remains optimistic about the teams chances in October.I think were in a good position right now, he said. I also think we have a great shot at winning the World Series.Wholesale China Jerseys . The incident occurred at 19:56 of the second period of the Kings 4-2 road win over Edmonton on Sunday. Nolan punched Oilers forward Jesse Joensuu in the jaw in front of the Kings goal during a scrum. Cheap NFL Jerseys . The Cincinnati Reds remain perfect with their speedy rookie outfielder in the starting lineup. http://www.cheapauthenticnfljerseys.net/ . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. Jerseys NFL Wholesale . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. China NFL Jerseys .Y. -- Canadas Kaillie Humphries and Heather Moyse have another World Cup gold medal after winning the two-women bobsled race on Saturday in Lake Placid, N.STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Two seasons of ugly offense at Penn State had head coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions in need of more than just a change of scheme.The first job facing new offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead was bringing some positive vibes to Happy Valley.He brings a ton of energy to this offense. That was something I think that kind of revitalized our offense, quarterback Trace McSorley said.Penn State unveils its new spread offense Saturday against Kent State. After the Nittany Lions finished 7-6 and ranked 13th in the Big Ten in total offense in each of Franklins first two seasons, Penn State fans are not likely to have much patience for growing pains.Moorheads ability to deliver an offense that can help the Nittany Lions close the gap on Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State in the Big Ten East will likely play a huge part in determining Franklins future at Penn State.Moorhead, the former FCS head coach at Fordham and offensive coordinator at UConn, seems keenly aware of the enormity of his task and not at all overwhelmed by it.Ive called plays in double overtime to beat Notre Dame, he said. (But) you really understand the situation youre getting into when you become a Big Ten offensive coordinator, particularly taking over an offense that has struggled a little bit.I do understand the ramifications and the immediacy to produce results not just at this level but at this time in history for this program.The last four seasons at Fordham, Moorhead went 38-13 with three playoff appearances and the most prolific offenses in his alma maters history. Before that, he worked under Randy Edsall at Connecticut, where his offenses were more traditional and pro-style. The way his former boss preferred.The 42-year-old Moorhead first landed on Franklins radar a couple years ago at a coaching clinic in his native Pittsburgh.He gets up there and not only do I enjoy his presentation and do we align when it comes to concepts, when it comes to spacing, when it comes to West Coast philosophies in the passing game, but also a lot of the things that hes saying and how hes articulating the message and the passion that he has for it and the energy that he has for it and the cconfidence that he has in it, Franklin said.dddddddddddd Right away, I kind of wrote him down.Franklin dismisses the idea this up-tempo offense that will feature mobile quarterbacks is what he wanted but could not have when Christian Hackenberg, a second-round draft choice by the Jets, was the quarterback at Penn State the last two seasons. Franklin points to his background as an assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers and his stints at Kansas State and Maryland as proof he can work well with drop-back passers.Still, the roster Franklin has built while being handcuffed by NCAA scholarship sanctions dropped on Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky scandal suggests a more new-school approach.I think what it really came down to was embracing the direction of where football is going right now. The speed of the game. The style of the game. The excitement of the game. The entertainment aspect of the game, Franklin said. And then I think more so than anything else it is based on our personnel right now.With scholarship limits gone, an offensive line that struggled mightily to protect Hackenberg at least now has major-college football depth. There is skill position talent. Especially Saquon Barkley, who ran for 1,076 yards as a freshman last season.The new offense is simplified without being simple. Long play calls are out, replaced by hand signals and a word or two at the line of scrimmage. The offensive line is asked to do less problem solving. Moorhead has not only gotten rid of huddles, he has banned the word.Hell always yell sideline congregation, McSorley said.Penn State will play up-tempo, but dont expect Oregon-level blur.We are not a tempo team that runs plays for the sake of running them, Moorhead said. We utilize four different tempos. Its not about running the wrong play quickly. Its about running the right play against the look that we are presented as quickly as we can.Getting it right as quickly as possible is also the best way to describe whats expected of Moorhead this season.---Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP ' ' '