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Bruce Arians, Pete Carroll, Jason Garrett, familiar names likely to get support for the APs Coach of the Year honour.How about the guys who do the grunt work for them? Some call plays, others spend countless hours teaching, administrating, organizing. Few get the glory.Until this season. On Jan. 31, the night before the Super Bowl, at the prime-time NFL Honors TV show, the leagues top assistant coach will, indeed, bask in the spotlight. For the first time, the AP will present a separate award to the assistant coach voted to have done the best job in 2014.And there are plenty of candidates.Todd Bowles, Arizona defensive co-ordinatorAlready being looked at for upcoming head coaching vacancies, Bowles has worked wonders with an injury-ravaged unit. The Cardinals (11-3) stay in — or win — games more because of their defence and coaching than anything.Adam Gase, Denver offensive co-ordinator.Gases unit now has become as much run-oriented as Peyton Manning-oriented, and its working. Remember, this is the guy who got some wins out of Tim Tebow back in 2011.I think hes used the knowledge of the coaches that hes worked with, you know, the offensive coaches especially, and the Nick Sabans that have been instrumental in some of his coaching philosophies, Manning says. Hes used those to apply to his coaching style and its helped him a lot.Like Bowles, Gases name will come up in the January chase for head coaching positions, particularly for teams with a young QB in need of development.Teryl Austin, Detroit defensive co-ordinatorThe phrase Lions impressive defence is something new around the Motor City. Austin has it ranked second overall and first against the run in his first year on the job.Detroits secondary was expected to be a weak link, but it has yielded only 238 points. Austin has cultivated balance and gotten it.James Campen, Green Bay offensive lineWhen you have a prized quarterback such as Aaron Rodgers and a stud runner in Eddie Lacy, one thing that can neutralize them in Titletown is weak blocking. The Packers had been so-so on the offensive line for too long, but Campen has helped develop youngsters who could become anchors: tackle David Bakhtiari and rookie centre Corey Linsley.Rod Marinelli, Dallas defensive co-ordinator; Bill Callahan, Dallas offensive co-ordinator/offensive line; Scott Linehan, Dallas passing gameA three-pronged candidacy.The Cowboys dedication to DeMarco Murray, like Rodgers a leading contender for MVP, and the running game lifts both Callahan and Linehan into consideration. Callahan oversees perhaps the best line in the NFL, and Linehan has avoided the temptation to put a heavy burden on QB Tony Romo.But the most eye-catching work in Big D has come from its, well, Big D. Expectations for the Cowboys defence couldnt have been lower entering 2014. Yet Marinelli has moulded an unheralded (some would say undertalented) group into a winner.Dan Quinn, Seattle defensive co-ordinatorThis one is simple: Seattles sometimes overpowering defence makes the Seahawks tough to derail. Its doing exactly what it needs to do for Seattle to repeat, despite personnel losses to injury and free agency.Dave Fipp, Philadelphia special teams co-ordinatorNo discounting the additions of Darren Sproles, Josh Huff, Chris Maragos, Cody Parkey and Bryan Braman, Fipp has done a strong job making his groupings, well, special. The Eagles have a huge edge on opponents in punt/kickoff returns and coverage, and have four runbacks for TDs.Todd Haley, Pittsburgh offensive co-ordinatorIf anyone said Pittsburgh leads the league in something, the natural instinct for the home of the Steel Curtain would be to think defence. Nope. Haley has helped Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and LeVeon Bell into position to set franchise marks.Gary Kubiak, Baltimore offensive co-ordinatorRay Rice, suspended. Barnard Pierce, hurt and then ineffective.So Kubiak turned to journeyman Justin Forsett, and Forsett is among the league leaders in rushing.The O-line has been outstanding, allowing only 16 sacks.The biggest thing with Gary is the confidence he gives the unit, QB Joe Flacco says. I think Gary does a great job of doing that and seeing what theyre giving us out there and making adjustments and making calls on the fly.Jim Schwartz, Buffalo defensive co-ordinator; Pepper Johnson, Buffalo defensive lineSchwartz might have flopped as a head man in Detroit, but hes rediscovered his tough defensive mastery here. No better evidence than the 21-13 win over the high-powered Packers last Sunday.His biggest helper has been Johnson, who took over a topnotch unit and has made it even better.Bill Kollar, Houston defensive lineSure, J.J. Watt, another leading MVP contender, would make any coach look good. Listen to what Watt has to say about his mentor:Every single day is something new with him. Im always learning and Im always improving as a player. I owe a lot of my credit to him.Such an endorsement might make Kollar award worthy. Well find out on Super Bowl eve.___AP Pro Football Writers Arnie Stapleton and Rob Maaddi, and Sports Writers Kristie Rieken, Noah Trister, Will Graves, John Wawrow, David Ginsburg, Genaro Armas, Schuyler Dixon and Tim Booth contributed to this story.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Barry Sanders Lions Jersey . The Blueshirts hope to stay alive once again when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Sundays Game 6 battle at Madison Square Garden. 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The Yankees made the moves before Tuesdays game against Baltimore. Robertson was listed retroactive to Monday. Robertson posted two saves in three games as the replacement for retired Yankees closer Mariano Rivera before getting hurt. SURREY, B.C. -- Travis Lulay isnt giving up on the CFL season just yet. The B.C. Lions quarterback says he will make a decision in the next couple of weeks on whether to have surgery on his right throwing shoulder which he re-injured in Friday nights 7-5 win over the Ottawa Redblacks. If surgery isnt needed, Lulay believes he could play again this year. "Thats a possibility," Lulay told reporters Tuesday at the Lions practise facility. "We just dont know enough quite yet. "As far as options go, that is one of the options, not to have the surgery and see how it responds." If surgery is needed, that would finish Lulay for the year. "If it were to look like surgery is the best thing to do, wed decide exactly how to do it and more forward," he said. An MRI Monday confirmed the CFLs 2011 MVP had suffered a dislocated shoulder. The Lions placed Lulay on the six-game injured. Lulay underwent off-season surgery on the same shoulder, which resulted in him starting the year on the six-game injured list. He finally returned to the lineup in Week 8 against Toronto and made his first start against Ottawa. The shoulder was hurt again when Lulay ended up at the bottom of a pile while trying to recover a loose ball late in the fourth quarter of the win over Ottawa. "I knew it went right away," Lulay said. "Thats the cruel nature of our sport. "Right after the game it was a tough moment." The MRI showed the extent of the damage. "Due to the nature of the injury, the surgery which was performed on Travis shoulder last winter has essentially been undone," Dr. Bob McCormack said in a release. Lulay wasnt the only CFL quarterback injured last weekend. Darian Durant of the Saskatchewan Roughriders is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a torn tendon in his right elbow. He was hurt in Sundays win over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and requires surgery. A national television audience saw Lulay being helped off the field. Immediately he began receiving a flood of best wishes on social media from players and fans across the CFL. Lulays voice quivered with emotion when discussing what that meant to him. "That was pretty cool to have the respect of your peers," he said. "That emotion has carried me over the top of the disappointments." In parts of three games this year Lulay has completed 22 of 35 passes for 194 yards. Hes also rushed for 54 yards on six carries. Kevin Glenn, the veteran quarterback B.C. acquired as an insurance policy before the season, will start when the Lions play the Blue Bombers on Saturday night aat B.dddddddddddd. Place Stadium. The Lions and Bombers are tied at the bottom of the West Division standings with 12 points each, making the game important for both teams playoff hopes. Head coach Mike Benevides said the team has confidence in Glenn, who has won five games as the Lions starting quarterback. "We understand the task at hand and we understand each other better," said Benevides. "We will find a way to get it done." Injuries resulted in Glenn taking over the starting quarterback position with the Calgary Stampeders in 2012. He ended up taking the Stampeders to the Grey Cup game. "Ive been in this situation the past two or three years," Glenn said. "It doesnt get different. "Ive always prepared as if I was going to play. Ive always put myself in the position to where I am ready if I get that chance." B.C. has struggled offensively this season. The Lions have failed to score an offensive touchdown in three games, including the last two. Glenn has completed 161 of 256 passes for 2,151 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Running back Andrew Harris, who earlier in the year was battling for the rushing lead, has managed just 54 yards in the last three games. Lulay, who turns 31 later this month, has a history of shoulder problems. The latest injury casts some doubt on his future. The six-foot-two, 216-pound native of Salem, Ore., partially dislocated his right shoulder last September in a win over Montreal. He missed the final seven regular-season games but returned to play in the Lions West Division semifinal loss to Saskatchewan. For the season he completed 224 of 347 passes for 2,841 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In November, Lulay had surgery to tighten the ligaments in the shoulder. That started a long winter of rehabilitation that spilled into the regular season. For the first several months after the operation Lulay couldnt even pick up his infant daughter or take a carton of milk out of the refrigerator. Lulays shoulder problems date back to June 2007 when he suffered a partly torn labrum playing for the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europa. That resulted in surgery and rehab. In October 2009 he hurt the shoulder in a game against Winnipeg. That resulted in Casey Printers taking over as B.C.s starting quarterback. In October 2012 Lulay took a hit on the shoulder in a game against Hamilton and missed the next two games. Lulay, the father of two young children, was asked if hes considered retirement. "Not yet," he said. "Im going to make the best decision for me, for my wife and family." ' ' '