NAPA, Calif. -- When the Oakland Raiders set out this offseason to upgrade their defense, general manager Reggie McKenzie systematically targeted every apparent need except for one.McKenzie rebuilt his secondary, added a pass rusher in Bruce Irvin and fortified the defensive line by using a second-round pick on Jihad Ward but was content to stand pat at middle linebacker to give second-year player Ben Heeney a chance to win the job.It definitely lets you know they have confidence in you, Heeney said. It makes you feel good but that doesnt mean anything. Its just what you do on the field every day.Heeney had been groomed to be Oaklands middle linebacker after being drafted in the fifth round out of Kansas in 2015. He had played more on the outside in college but the Raiders liked him in the middle, where he backed up veteran Curtis Lofton for most of last season.Heeney played about one-quarter of the defensive snaps last season but got more time as the year went on and he gained the confidence of his coaches.Now as the starter this year, Heeney has been given the green-dot helmet, which will allow him to get the plays directly into his headset from coordinator Ken Norton Jr.Hes smart, hes fast, and hes relentless, Norton said. He has a nose for the ball, very instinctive. Ben is going to be a very good football player. He cares a lot, hes always getting better. You cant get him out of the film room, asking all the right questions, and we have a lot of confidence in him.Heeney had been the defensive signal caller in college so the role is not new for him and he says it involves little more than hearing the play from Norton and relaying it to his teammates.Having teammates like All Pro Khalil Mack, Irvin, Dan Williams, Sean Smith and Reggie Nelson gives Heeney the confidence that he can perform this season.We have playmakers all over the field, he said. Its definitely fun to be able to give the plays to those guys and see what they can do with it.The Raiders felt little need to upgrade at middle linebacker after letting Lofton go, believing Heeney could fill that role this season.While he is not the prototypical thumper in the middle who can stuff the run, the 226-pound Heeney brings much more speed and agility to the field than Lofton and will be last apt to get exploited in coverage or in space.Ben Heeney is a dog, Irvin said. Hes not the biggest guy, but he plays bigger than what he is. The guy leaves it out there for me. Its just practice, so I can only image what he does for me in a game. Hes a team guy. Thats the biggest thing, having a bunch of team guys who are willing to leave it out there for each other. I can already tell Ben is one of those guys.Heeney finished his rookie season with 27 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks but expects big improvements with more playing time and the comfort level that comes from a year in the NFL and the familiarity with the defensive system.You definitely want the game to slow down as far as seeing your reads, he said. But I like to play fast. I always like to play fast, go get the ball and make plays. Theres a lot of times where I was overaggressive last year. Thats something that hurt me in college. Thats one of the knocks I had.---Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Hakeem Olajuwon Jersey . -- In a span of seven Washington Redskins offensive plays, Justin Tuck sacked Robert Griffin III four times. Kyle Lowry Jersey . Neymar curled home a free kick from just outside the area to put the 2014 World Cup host ahead in the 44th minute. Three minutes after the break, a simple through pass from Paulinho freed Oscar and the Chelsea star rounded goalkeeper Jung Sung-ryong to extend Brazils lead. https://www.cheaprocketsonline.com/1067z-clint-capela-jersey-rockets.html . The CFLs leading rusher kept adding to his gaudy numbers this season and scored the winning touchdown with just over two minutes to play. The New Westminster, B.C., native plowed three yards into the end zone for the last score of a heated, see-saw battle between the two teams with the best records in the CFL. Buck Johnson Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Matt Bullard Jersey . Jon Montgomerys gold medal in skeleton at the Whistler Sliding Centre and his subsequent auctioning off of a pitcher of beer in the village square elevated him to folk-hero status. For just the fifth time in the long-time series, both teams will be coming out of a bye week when Florida and Georgia meet at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla. (CBS).The 14th-ranked Gators (5-1, 3-1 SEC) spent the time to prepare for a stretch run they hope ends in an East Division title and berth in the SEC Championship Game. The Gators gained 530 yards of offense in their last outing, a 40-14 win over Missouri, but also turned the ball over four times.Were nowhere where we need to be, and yet, were getting guys to realize how good they can be, Florida coach Jim McElwain said. You can really be good if you allow yourself to be good.Georgia coach Kirby Smart is taking a wait-and-see attitude before giving his assessment of what progress his Bulldogs (4-3, 2/3 SEC) might have made during the break.Ill answer that question Saturday, because I certainly think we worked towards it, Smart said. I thought that we got to attack some areas that we needed, and I really thought the kids had good energy and attitude to go out and practice the way they did, physical, hitting each other, with toughness.There will be plenty of storylines entering the game, including the relationship between the two coaches. McElwain and Smart worked together at Alabama under Nick Saban from 2008 to 2011. McElwain served as offensive coordinator while Smart worked the other side of the ball as defensive coordinator.His ability to see the game and put a plan together is really, really good, McElwain said.McElwain is concerned about Georgias offensive potential, led by junior running back Nick Chubb and freshman phenom quarterback Jacob Eason. Chubb was held to 40 yards on 16 carries in the 17-16 loss to Vanderbilt in Georgias last game, but despite that and despite missing most of one game to injury, the junior still has rushed for 586 yards.Eason took over as starter in the second game of the season and drove the Bulldogs to the late decisive touchdown the next week in a one-point win at Missouri.He completed 27 of 40 passes with a touchdown againstt Vanderbilt and on the season has completed 54.dddddddddddd3 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. A five-star recruit out of Lake Stevens, Wash., Eason was recruited by both Florida and Georgia.This guy in my opinion is the future of the SEC, McElwain said. Hes that good. His ability to push the ball downfield is something thats impressive.The Bulldogs did get some good news this week on the defensive front as their two leading tacklers, linebackers Natrez Patrick and Roquan Smith, have been cleared of possession of marijuana charges and are eligible to play Saturday.Floridas offense has not been particularly overwhelming this season, but the Gators do have quarterback Luke Del Rio back. He missed three weeks to a knee injury and was a bit rusty in his first game back -- I played terrible. I didnt take care of the ball, he said of his play against Missouri -- but has completed 80 of 139 passes for 998 yards and seven touchdowns for the season.Wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland also is starting to emerge as a threat downfield. The true freshman caught his first career touchdown pass against Missouri and finished with three catches for 79 yards.Hes a talented guy, McElwain said.For the season, Cleveland is averaging 20.7 yards per reception.With 84 of the meetings between the two teams in Jacksonville, the game has a special air about it, which is not lost on the coaches.When you walk in that stadium and see it half and half, half Florida fans, half Georgia fans, McElwain said, I get goosebumps just thinking about it.Smart called it the best neutral site game in college football.I think when you get recruited to go to Georgia and Florida, thats a game that you always point to you want to play in, Smart said. I know historically I was that way as a player.But I know our players are that way. Its considered to them one of the biggest games we have each year, especially because of where its played. ' ' '