Ryan said, it is going to affect you.The Bills are optimi

Washington suffered its first loss of the season last week, but its hopes still flicker for a berth in the College Football Playoff.The seventh-ranked Huskies (9-1, 6-1 Pac-12) still control their destiny in the Pac-12 North, needing to beat struggling Arizona State (5-5, 2-5) at home on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, FOX) before finishing the regular season at division-leading Washington State.We do just need to respond, said Washington coach Chris Petersen, whose team lost 26-13 at home to USC last weekend.I hope our guys have a new edge to them a little bit, but I do think theyve done a good job all season long, like Ive been saying, about preparing. They played hard. Both sides played really, really hard. It wasnt about that at all.Washingtons weak nonconference schedule -- Rutgers, Idaho, Portland State -- continues to be an issue as the Huskies now need help to reach the playoff. But they have a chance to impress late in the season, by beating the Cougars and then facing a ranked champion from the Pac-12 South, possibly even getting a rematch against USC.But first up is Arizona State, which has lost four games in a row, allowing at least 37 points in each of them. The Sun Devils have given up 103 total points to Oregon and Utah in the past two outings.Allowing explosive plays has been at the forefront of ASUs undoing.The Sun Devils have allowed 64 plays of 20-plus yards (tied for 121st out of 128 teams nationally), 34 plays of 30-plus yards (123rd), 24 plays of 40-plus yards (127th), 16 plays of 50-plus yards (127th) and 11 plays of 60-plus yards (tied for 126th).For more evidence, see last weeks 49-26 home loss to Utah.The Utes scored on a 64-yard pass, a 27-yard pass, a 17-yard pass, an 82-yard run, a 24-yard pass and a 40-yard run.The story of the whole game, when you go back and look at the film, my only impression is just big plays, said coach Todd Graham. Thats been the big deal. Its just frustrating.Although stonewalled by USC, Washington has all kinds of explosive potential. The Huskies scored 70 against Oregon and 66 vs. Cal this season. The trio of wide receiver John Ross, running back Myles Gaskin and quarterback Jake Browning can provide plenty of fireworks.Browning, after completing 17 of 36 passes for 259 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions against USC, dropped from first to third nationally in passing efficiency with a rating of 189.1.Gaskin was held to 51 yards rushing on 15 carries last week, but he did go over 1,000 yards for the season and is averaging 6.0 yards per carry. Ross, one of 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award, given to the nations top wideout, picked up his 15th touchdown reception of the season last week.Ross is probably the most dynamic player in our league, Graham said. I would say explosive plays and defense are the two things when I think of them.Washingtons defense has been superb, ranking ninth nationally in points allowed (17.9 per game) and 19th in total defense (336.8). The Huskies lead the nation in turnover margin (plus 1.5 per game).But Washington is now without two of its top two defenders against the run. Linebacker Joe Mathis (foot) was already out for the season and linebacker Azeem Victor suffered a foot injury last week that will keep him sidelined.Redshirt freshman DJ Beavers will replace Victor, who has a team-high 68 tackles.I think he filled in pretty well, Petersen said of Beavers.He made some tackles, played aggressive, played tough. Its hard when you lose a player like Azeem, for sure, but it was not like this, Oh, now we have no chance type of thing. He was right there playing physical.Arizona State has some weapons on offense, although quarterback Manny Wilkins, who has dealt with injuries in recent weeks, looked rusty Saturday against Utah, throwing two interceptions and being sacked nine times.Arizona State uses running back Kalen Ballage in a variety of ways, including taking direct snaps. He is coming off his second consecutive game with 200-plus all-purpose yards, rolling up 244 against Utah -- a career-high 118 receiving, 46 rushing and 80 in the return game.Wide receiver NKeal Harry, a talented true freshman, is coming off his best game. He had eight catches for a career-high 114 yards, rushed for 31 yards on a broken play after he dropped a lateral, and completed a 46-yard pass. Hell have interesting matchups this week against Washington cornerbacks Sidney Jones and Kevin King.Torry Holt Youth Jersey . -- Jaye Marie Green shot a 4-under 68 on Thursday to increase her lead to five strokes after the second round of the LPGA Tours qualifying tournament. Tyler Higbee Rams Jersey .Y. -- Bills receiver Stevie Johnson has a bone to pick with the NFL schedule maker. http://www.footballramsshop.us/authentic-eric-dickerson-rams-jersey/ . After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Eric Dickerson Womens Jersey . Note: The Calgary Flames announced Tuesday that Sean Monahan would not be made available to Canadas World Junior team. Andrew Whitworth Jersey . Dusautoir, the former World Player of the Year, sustained a torn bicep playing for Toulouse in the Heineken Cup on Saturday. The flanker, who has played 65 times for France, is expected to be out for up to four months.LeVeon Bell set the scene for Sundays matchup between rust belt rivals Pittsburgh and Buffalo.Its December football, the Steelers running back said. We understand everybody is fighting for position. We just want to get the job done. Thats all there is to it.The Steelers (7-5) have steered their season in the right direction, winning three straight after a four-game losing streak to move into a tie with Baltimore atop the AFC North standings and within one game of Denver for the final wild-card spot.We are in a good situation right now, but we obviously have to win this game and better, Bell said.Pittsburgh controls its fate over the final four weeks of this season, but could cede that control with a single loss.We always want to worry about whats going on in the stadium were in, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. We dont want to have to look around. Weve done that in years past. For us to just have to go out and take care of our own business is good for us.The Bills (6-6) are further out on the fringe of the playoff picture, unable to catch New England in the AFC East and seventh in the wild-card race when tiebreakers are factored in.Buffalo likely needs to win its last four games to end the longest active playoff drought (16 seasons) in North American sports.But the Bills won four straight earlier this season, and enter a three-game home stretch hopeful they can repeat the feat.This experience right here could be the start of something new, Bills linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said. Thats what were trying to do and trying to establish. Take seize of it right now, this opportunity that we have. If we can do that, things start to turn around.Coming off two consecutive wins, the Bills led by two touchdowns on the road at Oakland last week before quarterback Tyrod Tayylor and the Buffalo defense imploded, as head coach Rex Ryan put it, allowing 29 unanswered points.ddddddddddddBuffalos passing offense ranks last in the NFL and the Bills are 14-12 with Taylor under center over the past two seasons. Taylors shortcomings have raised questions about whether the Bills should opt out of the lucrative contract extension they gave Taylor prior to the season.My future in Buffalo is this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Taylor said. Thats what matters the most. Other than that, I dont feel like talking about my contract. We still have games to play.Frustrated with further questioning about his future in Buffalo, Taylor abruptly ended his news conference Wednesday. Im done talking, he said while throwing down his practice jersey.Ryan defended Taylors play, noting injuries to receivers Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods, Percy Harvin and tight end Charles Clay, among others.I just think it is easy to sit back and be critical, but if you are playing without five receivers in the game, Ryan said, it is going to affect you.The Bills are optimistic Woods can return this week after missing two games with a knee sprain. It would be the first time since Week 2 the Bills have had Woods and top wideout Sammy Watkins in the lineup together.After averaging 34 points in their first four wins, the Steelers have not scored more than 28 points in each of their last three wins. A more balanced, ball-control offense has featured Bell more and more as winter approaches.Bell, a Central Ohio native, knows what it takes to thrive along the rust belt this time of year.I played high school football in this weather, he said. I was born into this. ' ' '