CHICAGO -- Marcus Mariota is piling up some impressive numbers while he eyes the AFC South title for the Tennessee Titans.Mariota directed Tennessee to a 27-21 victory against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, bolstering the Titans chances of making the playoffs. Tennessee trails Houston by a half-game for the top spot in the division after the Texans lost at home against San Diego.Thats all you want, Mariota said. You want an opportunity this time of the year to get a chance to (win) a division title and maybe make a run at the playoffs. Thats all you can really ask for.The Titans (6-6) are off next weekend and then host the Denver Broncos on Dec. 11. The Texans (6-5) begin December with road games against Green Bay and Indianapolis.When Tennessee returns from its bye week, Mariota will be looking to build on his strong second season. He has thrown for multiple touchdowns in eight straight games. He is the third player in franchise history with 25 touchdown passes in a season.Hes doing a great job at looking for everybody, getting everybody the ball, receiver Rishard Matthews said. Im just happy when the ball comes my way that I can make plays.Matthews had a diving 29-yard reception in the back of the end zone with 1:15 left in the second quarter, helping Tennessee to a 21-7 lead at the break against the Bears (2-9). Delanie Walker also had a 4-yard TD catch in the second quarter.Mariota was 15 for 23 for 226 yards. Derrick Henry had eight carries for 60 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown run.Here are some things to know about the Titans and Bears:BARKLEYS COMEBACK: Chicago quarterback Matt Barkley showed he can lead a comeback in his first NFL start. But he also had some issues.With Jay Cutler shelved by a right shoulder injury, Barkley completed 28 of 54 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns. But he threw a first-half interception and another early in the third quarter.The Bears had a first down at the Tennessee 7 in the final minute when Josh Bellamy dropped a pass in the end zone. Barkleys next three attempts fell incomplete, preserving the win for Tennessee.Barkley credited the comeback to going no-huddle.Routes, they were all crisp, he said. I was seeing everything easier. Our guys, they were getting open.MISSED OPPORTUNITY: The dropped pass in the end zone by Bellamy wasnt the only one by the Bears.Marquess Wilson also dropped one and Deonte Thompson had a possible game-winner fall out of his hands while diving on the final Bears play.All the Bears receivers are backups, with Kevin White injured and Alshon Jeffery suspended for violating the NFLs policy on performance-enhancing substances.It was a tough day for our group, Thompson said. But were just going to keep battling and keep fighting and coming every day with our `A game.INJURY STACK GROWS: With the Bears already missing Jerrell Freeman due to a PED suspension, the linebacker corps took another hit when starting inside linebacker Danny Trevathan went out on the Titans next-to-last possession with a knee injury.Coach John Fox said it appears to be serious, but we do not have all the tests run to give you a real solid prognosis to this point.John Timu replaced Trevathan.DEFENSIVE SHIFT: The Titans stopped the Bears three times in the red zone. Linebacker Wesley Woodyard and safety DaNorris Searcy produced interceptions.You can bend, but dont break, Woodyard said. Just because they get in the red zone doesnt mean they have to score. And we got three red-zone stops and thats the tale of the tape.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL . Antawn Jamison Jersey . Dallas hasnt ruled out the star quarterback for Sunday nights game against Philadelphia, but all signs point to Romos back injury pushing Kyle Orton into the starting role after two years of limited play as the backup. Surely Ortons name isnt the first that comes to mind for fans wanting a change after years of damaging interceptions, fumbles or, most infamously, the field goal flub when Romo dropped the snap on a kick that could have won his first playoff game in 2006. Donyell Marshall Jersey . Haas said he "felt a lot of pain" in his right shoulder when he slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. https://www.cheapwarriors.com/519o-jack-george-jersey-warriors.html . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Shaun Livingston Jersey . On Mar. 16, coming off a "fight of the year" performance at UFC 154 the previous November, St-Pierre faced Nick Diaz at UFC 158 in what would be his eighth defence of the welterweight title. Using his superior athleticism, St-Pierre cruised to a five round, unanimous decision victory setting up a much-anticipated title defence against number one contender Johny Hendricks. Clyde Lee Jersey . Mitch Holmberg added a goal and three assists. Connor Chartier also scored for the Chiefs (3-0-0). Luke Harrison spoiled Garrett Hughsons shutout bid with a power-play goal at 13:17 of the third period. The Spokane goaltender finished with 28 saves, including a Brandon Fushimi penalty shot in the second period that would have tied the game 1-1.There is a reciprocal relationship between sleep and exercise. If you sleep properly, you will probably perform well during your next workout or race, and if you exercise regularly, you will be able to sleep well. By understanding and applying the science of sleep, you will know how to optimize your health, fitness and performance. How Sleep Works Scientists recommend that people get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night because that is the amount of time required for all of the critical sleep-based recovery processes to occur. A very lucky and small percentage of the population has a gene that allows them to recover fully on about 4 hours of sleep - but the rest of us need much more! When you sleep, your body takes advantage of the regenerative processes that occur during this highly relaxed state. Acute exercise experiments that have measured sleep physiology directly from subjects who either performed, or refrained from, daytime exercise indicate that exercise is associated with a small, but reliable increase in Stage 2 and slow wave sleep.1 Exercise may improve sleep quality by regulating body temperature although the exact physiology to explain how exercise improves sleep is still being explored by researchers. However, because body temperature does play a key role in sleep, it has been suggested that people should sleep in a cool room that is about 21 degrees C. One example of a critical restorative process that occurs while you are sleeping is the release of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). HGH promotes fat breakdown and increases in muscle mass, which allows the body to recover from the physiological stresses that occur during training. If you are sleep deprived and have less HGH in your system, not only will you restrict your bodys ability to recover while you are sleeping, but it also appears that you will limit your ability to exercise the next day. Lower levels of HGH may decrease the amount of time an athlete can exercise at maximum effort due to reduced energy stores in their muscles.2 One of the most important things to know about sleep is that it is critical that you attain a highly relaxed state while sleeping. This means limiting the amount of stress in the hours leading up to when you want to fall asleep. The problem with stress goes beyond lying awake thinking about whatever is causing you stress. When you are in a stressed state, you secrete increased levels of a hormone called cortisol into your body and your body can respond to the apparent stress with changes like increased blood pressure and more rapid processing of glycogen. Cortisol is really helpful when you are faced with a stressful situation – like meeting a deadline or saving your family from a sabre tooth tiger – but it inhibits the adaptive processes of your body. The mental effects of sleep are well known to all of us. If we are well rested, we are more able to cope with lifes stresses, stronger and more effective in our exercise, sharper in our work and just plain more fun to be around. The catch is that the North American attitude toward sleep tends to be that it isnt particularly important. As you plan for your next race, or even if you are just reassessing your life in general, the more you can commit to getting a proper amount of sleep, the healthier and more effective you will be. What The Research Tellls Us Some research on sleep that is relevant for runners has to do with understanding the ideal conditions for a good nights sleep so that you can promote the secretion of key hormones that regulate sleep, in particular melatonin.dddddddddddd Melatonin is produced by your pineal gland, which is located deep inside your brain, and organizes the sleep cycle by controlling sleep-wake cycles. Because the pineal gland responds to light via neurons that project from your eyes, you have to ensure that you are in a dark space while you sleep. You also need to limit your use of your TV or computer since looking at a bright screen may disrupt sleep patterns by inhibiting the release of melatonin. Time to cut out the late night talk shows! An interesting finding related to sleep and eating is that research is discovering links between sleep and weight loss. The conclusions are only beginning to form but it appears that there are hormones released while we are sleeping that help to regulate our weight. Not to mention that you are less likely to dive into the sugar and fat to keep yourself going if you are exhausted. It is also important to avoid caffeine within six hours of heading to bed as caffeine (coffee, tea, green tea, chocolate etc…) will disrupt sleep patterns. In terms of the timing of your sleep, there is also an increasing body of evidence that suggests that sleeping on a regular schedule is even more important than the total amount of time you are asleep. Studies show that when an athletes bed time is shifted around but the total number of hours they sleep remains the same, there is a measurable decrease in athletic performance. So sticking to a consistent routine is critical. Improve Your Sleep Performance Personally, I recommend people get 8 hours on a consistent basis. I also recommend sleeping between 10 pm – 6 am to ensure at least 2 hours of sleep before midnight to allow people to get their 8 hours in while still having time to wake up early and get that morning run in. To ensure that you get the best quality sleep you can, keep the following things in mind: - Keep your stress levels to a minimum, especially in the hours before sleeping - Sleep in a room that is as dark as possible - even clock lights can be a problem - Avoid screen time within 45 minutes of going to bed - Keep the room you sleep in at roughly 21 degrees Celsius - Try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule - Try to get into bed a couple of hours before midnight - Avoid caffeine within six hours of going to bed References 1http://ukpmc.ac.uk/abstract/MED/7556348...61IBT5vKEX5.222 VanHelder T, Randomski MW (1989). Sleep deprivation and the effect on exercise performance. Sports Medicine 7(4):235-247. Greg Wells Ph.D. (www.drgregwells.com, @drgregwells) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology. He was the sport science analyst for the Olympic Broadcast Consortium during the 2010 & 2012 Games, and is the author of Superbodies: Peak Performance Secrets from the Worlds Best Athletes. Jessica Caterini is a member of the Human Physiology Research Unit in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Toronto. http://www.drgregwells.comhttp://www.twi....superbodies.tv ' ' '