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ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions are alone in first place, and their top competitors in the NFC North have been floundering.Its an opportunity for the Lions to win their first division title since 1993 -- but their outlook could change awfully quickly if the next few weeks go badly.Confidence is building, but one thing we know about the league is, it will humble you, defensive lineman Kerry Hyder said.The Lions play three of their next four games on the road, starting this weekend at New Orleans. With road games against the New York Giants and Dallas also coming up, there are plenty of potential pitfalls awaiting a Detroit team that is in this position only because of its success in close games.The Lions (7-4) havent had a game decided by more than seven points all season. Theyve won enough of them to take a one-game lead over Minnesota in the division, and Detroit has the tiebreaker over the Vikings after sweeping them. But the Lions have room for improvement in all phases.Like anything else in our system, we can get better, coach Jim Caldwell said. We can get better defensively. We can get better offensively. We can get better in our kicking game.Detroit has had its share of chances recently to end its division title drought. In 2011, the Lions won their first five games, but they finished 10-6, well behind Green Bay. In 2013, the Lions were 6-3 and in sole possession of first place. The Packers were dealing with major injury problems, but Detroit lost six of its last seven games, costing coach Jim Schwartz his job.The following season, the Lions went 11-5 but lost a showdown at Green Bay in a regular-season finale that decided the division.Detroit has won six of its last seven after beating Minnesota on Thanksgiving , and the Vikings have dropped five of six. Green Bay is below .500. If the Lions win two of their remaining five games, that might be enough to keep them in first place. They have home games against Chicago and Green Bay still to come.The road games will be tough, though, starting with Sunday at New Orleans.Obviously Drew (Brees) has been one of the best quarterbacks in the league for a long time, pretty prolific. Those guys have been together, Caldwell said. Hes been in the same system.The Saints (5-6) arent in great shape in the playoff race, but unlike Minnesota, New Orleans has been playing fairly well lately . The Saints have won five of eight since an 0-3 start.New Orleans has scored at least 32 points in six of its 11 games. Detroit has reached that total only once.They have a powerful offense, Hyder said. They can run the ball well, they can throw the ball deep well. As a defense, weve got to bring our lunch pails.Game notes TE Brandon Pettigrew, who tore his left anterior cruciate ligament late last year and hasnt played at all this season, spoke for a bit in the locker room Monday. He did not rule out the possibility of returning this weekend. Well see where it goes. Im not going to say for certain, he said. ... The Lions signed TE Logan Thomas to the practice squad and released LB Brandon Chubb from the practice squad.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL .---Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister Custom Wales Soccer Jerseys . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Aaron Ramsey Wales Jersey . Three came down to the fourth quarter while quarterbacks continued to shine in all four games; so important to the overall quality of the game. http://www.soccerwalesstore.com/ashley-williams-wales-UEFA-EURO-jersey/ . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Aaron Ramsey Jersey . Manuel was offered a position the day he was fired. He accepted earlier this week and the team made the announcement Friday. Wales Soccer Jerseys . PAUL, Minn. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida States running game is largely defined by Dalvin Cook, but with the emergence of other players the Seminoles are showing they might have one of the deepest ground games in the Atlantic Coast Conference.The 12th-ranked Seminoles are third in the ACC and 22nd in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 244.8 yards per game. They gained 478 yards in last Saturdays win over South Florida, which was just a yard off the school record.The ground game resurgence could bode well for FSU (3-1, 0-1 ACC) on Saturday as it faces a North Carolina defense that is last in the conference in rushing defense.I hope we can keep it going like that, and you can rotate those guys that much, Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said. That allows us to control the clock, control the ball, move the ball, do the things we need to do.Through the first four games, the Seminoles are running the ball 58.5 percent of the time, which would be a highest percentage in Fishers seven years as coach. From 2010-15, the run percentage was 52.3 percent.Most of the focus remains on Cook, who is coming off a career-best 267 yards against USF.The junior said he laughed when some wondered why he didnt have a 100-yard game the first three weeks. He also added that last weeks game put some questions about any injuries to rest.People get caught up in the stats. Theres nothing wrong with me, he said. I know the runs I make on the practice field. The first three games we were one man or one trip away from a long run.While Cook has emerged as more of a receiving threat out of the backfield, other players have stepped up in the ground game to keep Cooks touches at a manageable level.Jacques Patrick is averaging 6.2 yards per carry and is coming off his second career 100-yard game. The sophomore has emerged as a more physical runner compared to last year and has done a better job of breaking tackles.Patrick also credited Cook for helping him develop into a better player.I feel like I complement him well, Patrick said. He goes out there and gashes the defense. And I gash the defense too, that makes it easier for him. Thats the biggest thing.FFreshman Deondre Francois has been used more on read options the past couple of weeks as he matures more as a dual-threat quarterback.dddddddddddd His 38-yard run against USF was the longest running touchdown by a Florida State QB in eight years.Fullback Freddie Stevenson has also gotten more into the mix. The senior came into the season with just 12 carries and a touchdown but already has seven carries and three scores in the three games he has played.That has all translated to Cook carrying the ball on just 43.1 percent of the Seminoles run plays. Last year in the 12 games he played, Cooks number was called on 58.6 percent of those plays.Besides the depth in backs, the offensive line has started to gain more consistency in run blocking and resembles the unit they were last year. Center Alec Eberle is hoping the confidence they gained last week can carry over to the rest of the season.Its awesome to know that at any moment we can run the ball or pick it up and pass it, he said. It gives us a good confidence boost and it gives the o-line a confidence boost after all the turmoil and adversity weve been through as an o-line, struggling at first, going out there and putting up 400 yards is pretty big.After facing Georgias Nick Chubb in the opener and Pittsburghs James Conner last week, North Carolina (3-1, 1-0) faces another talented run game on Saturday. The Tar Heels are allowing 240.2 rushing yards per game, which is second-worst among Power Five conference teams.North Carolina coach Larry Fedora said Florida State is the deepest running attack they have faced because of what Francois can do behind center.Defensive coordinator Gene Chizik added Cook is different from the other backs they have faced because of his speed.Hes got really good vision, not that the other two dont, but he makes really good jump cuts and cuts on a dime, Chizik said. Hes powerful when he needs to be powerful. Hes very fast when he gets in the open field and hes got great vision and makes very elusive, quick cuts. ' ' '