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ATLANTA -- The first four weeks should give the Atlanta Falcons a good read on their hopes for a winning season.Three of Atlantas first four games are against NFC South opponents. Last years 8-8 finish included a woeful 1-5 mark in the division. Even a modest .500 showing in NFC South games would have given the Falcons the same 10-6 record as Seattle and Green Bay, who were wild-card teams.The Falcons should have ample motivation for an early schedule that includes a home opener against Tampa Bay, a game at the Saints two weeks later, and another home matchup with Carolina.Its going to be awesome, said coach Dan Quinn. I love the way that the league has set that up right off the bat. Its an area we didnt do a good enough job last year.Quinn made division play a big offseason emphasis.We know when you get right in your division what that can lead to, Quinn said. So its a real priority for us.The Falcons started 5-0 in Quinns debut 2015 season. Then turnovers began to mount. Atlantas 30 giveaways tied for fifth most in the league.That turnover total included Matt Ryans 16 interceptions, the second most of his career. The interceptions came with only 21 touchdown passes, his low since his 2008 rookie season, and generated questions about his ability to thrive with offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan.This will be a key season for both Ryan, 31, and Shanahan.Some things to watch for as the Falcons play their final season in the Georgia Dome before moving into the adjacent Mercedes-Benz Stadium with its retractable roof.NEAL DOWN FOR START: Rookie strong safety Keanu Neal will miss at least the first two games after a minor right knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery. The Falcons drafted Neal from Florida instead of again chasing sacks in the first round. Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff believe the added speed provided by Neal and rookie linebackers Deion Jones and DeVondre Campbell will lead to more man coverages, freeing more help for the pass rush.With top backup Kemal Ishmael recovering from a shoulder injury, the Falcons signed free agent Dashon Goldson.MORE ON THE ROOKIES: Jones and Campbell earned prominent roles, possibly as starters, with their impressive athleticism. Campbell (6-3, 234) stood out with his ability to shadow tight ends in pass coverage.By the third or fourth game, as many as four rookies could be starters: Neal, Jones, Campbell and right guard Wes Schweitzer, who has been in a tight battle with Chris Chester.RB ROTATION: Devonta Freeman may have difficulty matching his gaudy numbers from his 2015 breakout season. Freeman ran for 1,061 yards with 11 touchdowns, and had 73 catches for 578 yards and three touchdowns, making him a key to many successful fantasy players. This year, the plan is for second-year running back Tevin Coleman to play a bigger role to keep Freeman fresh.Fantasy players can draft Freeman in good faith, knowing his dual-threat talents will lead to consistent production, and hell still be the preferred choice near the goal line.(STILL) LOOKING FOR SACKS: There was no clear sign in the preseason the Falcons are ready for a dramatic boost in their long-suffering sacks total. Atlantas 19 sacks ranked last in the league last season. The Falcons have ranked no higher than 28th since 2012. A key is second-year player Vic Beasley Jr., who has new help from veteran Dwight Freeney.The upside is absolutely amazing for him, said Freeney of Beasley. Im going to try to help him out as much as I can, try to navigate through all the troubled waters and things he hasnt experienced yet.Beasley will play linebacker in the base defense and rush end with Freeney in nickel packages.JULIO AND SANU: All-Pro receiver Julio Jones, who missed the final preseason game with an ankle injury, should be ready for the opener. He ran and jumped well in pregame warmups Thursday night.Following the release of Roddy White, who holds most of Atlantas career receiving records, the Falcons signed Mohamed Sanu from Cincinnati to be the No. 2 receiver.Jones is coming off a huge season. He had the second-most catches (136) and yards receiving (1,871) in a season in NFL history.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Yeezy Scontate . Duchene scored two goals and had an assist, helping the Colorado Avalanche beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 on Friday night to match the best 10-game start in team history. Yeezy Boost Ingrosso . General manager Jarmo Kekalainen told Aaron Portzline of The Columbus Dispatch on Friday that he wants to see Gaboriks contributions go beyond the scoresheet before considering a long-term deal for the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent. http://www.yeezyscarpeitalia.it/ . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Nmd Scarpe Italia . Pedro scored from a pass by Lionel Messi in the 33rd minute and added two more goals in the 47th and 72nd after Valdes saved his second penalty in four days following his stop in Wednesdays 4-0 over Ajax in the Champions League. Ultra Boost 3.0 Scontate . PETERSBURG, Fla.BOSTON -- Jacoby Ellsbury started off the second half for the Boston Red Sox in the best possible way. Ellsbury hit Andy Pettittes second pitch of the game over the right-field bullpen, and Johnny Gomes added a two-run shot in the second inning to help the Red Sox return from the All-Star break with a 4-2 victory over the depleted New York Yankees on Friday night. "It seems like hes been hitting .700," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "His timing has been much more Jacoby-like. And his ability to get on base speaks for itself with the havoc he can create." Felix Doubront outpitched Pettitte in the opener of the three-game series to help AL East-leading Boston maintain a 2 1/2-game lead over Tampa Bay in the division and open a seven-game cushion over its fourth-place rivals from New York. "You cant take too much of it, but obviously this is an important stretch for us that we are in," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We understand that. The next three teams we play are all in front of us. We need to play well." Ellsbury also singled in the third inning and reached on a walk in the seventh to support Doubront (7-3), who allowed three or fewer earned runs for the 12th start in a row. Doubront has six quality starts against the Yankees in six tries. The last Red Sox pitcher to open his career with as many quality starts, defined as six innings pitched and three or fewer runs allowed, against the Yankees was Dutch Leonard -- in 1913-15. "Look at the last two months. Hes pitched extremely well since the end of May," Girardi said. "And hes been tough on us." Ellsbury hit .360 in June and is batting .370 in July, putting together a 19-game hitting streak that was snapped just before the break. He had three hits in the first-half finale, then went 2 for 3 on Friday night to raise his average to .308. "Not the way you want to start the second half, first batter of the game hitting a home run off you," Pettitte said. "Cant keep going out there and giving up 2-3-4 runs in the first or second inning. ... The long ball hurt me." Doubront held a Yankees lineup without Derek Jeter and a handful of other regulars hitless until Lyle Overbay doubled to lead off the fifth inning. In all, the Red Sox left-hander gave up two runs -- one earned -- on three hits and three walks while striking out five in 6 1-3 innings. Koji Uehara pitched the ninth for his ninth save. Pettitte (7-7) gave up four runs on six hits and a walk, striking out four in 6 1-3 innings. Three days after the New York Mets showed their support for the city in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings by playing "Sweet Caroline" at the All-Star game, the Red Sox thanked the Yankees by playing "New York, New York.dddddddddddd" The Yankees made their first visit to Fenway Park this season for the first game after the break, and Robinson Cano played after being hit on the knee by a pitch in the All-Star game. But the lineup barely resembled the team New Yorkers thought would be wearing pinstripes at this point in the season. Jeter was placed on the disabled list before the game -- hes spent all but one game there this season -- and the Yankees are also missing third baseman Alex Rodriguez, first baseman Mark Teixeira (wrist surgery), outfielder Curtis Granderson (broken pinkie) and catcher Francisco Cervelli (broken hand). The lineup was further depleted when left fielder Zoilo Almonte came out of the game in the fifth inning with a left ankle sprain; X-rays were negative. And centre fielder Brett Gardner took himself out when, after being called out on a 3-2 pitch to end the top of the fifth, he slammed his helmet on the ground and was ejected by home plate umpire Mike Everitt. "I have to have better control of my emotions. I put us in a bad spot and caused some guys to play out of position," Gardner said. "I was frustrated. I feel I let the team down and Im sorry for that." That left the Yankees ill-equipped to come back after Boston took a 3-0 lead on the homers. New York made it 3-1 when Gardner walked, stole second and scored when he stole third and catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchias throw went into left field. Chris Stewart doubled home Overbay in the fifth to cut the deficit to one run. The Red Sox added a run in the seventh, then Ichiro Suzuki singled over the shortstops glove and Cano doubled to put runners on second and third with one out in the eighth. But Craig Breslow got Vernon Wells to fly out weakly to short and Luis Cruz grounded to shortstop; Jose Iglesias throw pulled first baseman Mike Napoli off the bag, but he made the tag for the third out. Notes: The Yankees put Jeter on the disabled list before the game with a strained right quadriceps. ... The Yankees signed INF Brent Lillibridge from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... Pettitte had allowed just 19 hits in 100 at-bats against lefties coming into the game before Ellsbury hit a leadoff homer. It was the third homer against him by a lefty in his last four starts. ... Boston OF Shane Victorino left the game with left hamstring tightness. ... It was the latest the Yankees have played their first game of the season at Fenway, except for the strike-shortened season of 1981. ... The Red Sox placed RHP Andrew Bailey on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to July 13) with a right shoulder strain. To fill his spot on the 25-man roster, right-hander Jose De La Torre was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket. ' ' '