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CINCINNATI -- The Bengals had an awful time trying to slow down Ezekiel Elliott in Dallas. The next challenge is trying to beat Tom Brady in New England, something theyve never done.And they know this one could get ugly, too, if they dont get their act together.The Bengals defensive front got pushed around during a 28-14 loss in Dallas last Sunday, a game that wasnt even close. The Cowboys lead 28-0 in the third quarter and essentially ran out the clock.Now its Bradys turn in what amounts to his homecoming after missing the first month of the season, when he served an NFL suspension for deflated footballs. He got some of the rust off in Cleveland last week during a 33-13 win.Cincinnati (2-3) couldnt even slow down the NFLs top running game.Now it has to try to stop one of the best quarterbacks in its history.It doesnt get any easier, defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said, watching video of Brady having his way with Clevelands defense. Watching the game here, he threw for 400 yards and they had 500 yards of offense.The overriding question in Cincinnati: Whats happened to a defense that ranked among the leagues best last season? It gave up the second-fewest points in the league but ranks 12th overall this week in points allowed.The Bengals had breakdowns everywhere on defense during the 28-14 loss in Dallas . Elliott ran up the middle for a 60-yard touchdown that essentially ended it, and the Cowboys rushed for 180 overall.Cincinnati thought the defense would get back in form when linebacker Vontaze Burfict returned from a three-game suspension, but there were problems throughout the unit in Dallas.I really havent been in this situation before, fifth-year cornerback Dre Kirkpatrick said. This is my first time since Ive been with the Bengals. Its a little challenging. Are we going to answer the bell? Are we going to rise up for the challenge?The Patriots (4-1) made it through their most challenging stretch and figured a way to go 3-1 during Bradys suspension. Brady threw for 406 yards and three touchdowns in Cleveland even though he later acknowledged he was getting back in the flow.The previous time the Bengals went to New England, they had one of their worst games in recent years. Brady threw for a pair of touchdowns and the Patriots ran for 220 yards overall in a 43-17 win. Cincinnati hasnt won at New England since 1986, dropping their past six there.Weve got a lot of guys that were here (in 2014) and played in that game, quarterback Andy Dalton said. We know what to expect when we go there and the atmosphere were going to get.Game notes The Bengals havent lost back-to-back games by 14 or more points since 2010, when they finished 4-12. Thats also the previous time they opened a season 2-3. ... TE Tyler Eifert didnt work out with the team on Wednesday, an indication hell miss another game while recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Hes also got a sore back. ... G Clint Boling (shoulder) and A.J. Green (calf) also were held out of practice as a precaution. ... RB Jeremy Hill (shoulder), S George Iloka (shoulder) and TE C.J. Uzomah (ankle) were limited.---Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Jose Canseco Jersey . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Terry Steinbach Jersey . PAUL, Minn. http://www.cheapathleticsjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-rollie-fingers-jersey . LOUIS -- St. Walt Weiss 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. Joe Morgan Jersey . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. MINNEAPOLIS -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodells power to freely punish Adrian Peterson has prevailed, two seasons after the Minnesota running back became embroiled in a child-abuse case that heightened the dispute over league discipline.A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that an NFL arbitrator acted within his rights by upholding Goodells six-game suspension of Peterson in 2014. That came under the personal conduct policy the league toughened up following a brutal act of caught-on-video domestic violence committed by Baltimore running back Ray Rice.The 8th Circuit ruling overrode the decision issued Feb. 26, 2015, by U.S. District Judge David Doty that found NFL arbitrator Harold Henderson overreached his authority in handling the NFL Players Associations appeal on behalf of Peterson.Appellate judges James Loken, Diana Murphy and Steven Colloton heard the leagues arguments Oct. 19, 2015.The dispositive question is whether the arbitrator was at least arguably construing or applying the contract, including the law of the shop, Colloton wrote for the panel. The arbitrator here undoubtedly construed the Rice decision in reaching his decision. Disagreement with his conclusion is not a valid ground on which to vacate the decision.The NFL had no immediate comment on the ruling, issued about 27 months after the injuries to Petersons then-4-year-old son were reported.The NFLPA issued a statement of resignation.Our union pursues all claims because we believe in due process, fundamental fairness and in the spirit of collective bargaining agreements. While the NFLPA disagrees with the decision, we accept this loss, the union said. When negotiation or collective bargaining fails to resolve our differences, we will always fight and pursue every recourse for our players rights.The leagues primary argument was that a judge should not be able to intervene in a collectively bargained labor dispute like this, and the appeals ccourt agreed.dddddddddddd.Doty had sided with the NFLPAs contention that the six-game ban, announced by Goodell on Aug. 28, 2014, couldnt apply retroactively to Peterson since the boy was hurt more than three months before the enhancement of the personal conduct policy. Peterson was indicted on Sept. 12, 2014, by a grand jury in Texas after it found him guilty of disciplining the boy with a tree branch. He eventually pleaded no contest to misdemeanor reckless assault.Peterson was on paid leave for nine games. Then Goodell issued the unpaid suspension with six games left on Minnesotas schedule. The league collected half of the roughly $4.1 million that Peterson was to forfeit, the proration over a 17-week basis from his $11.75 million salary for that year. It held off on the remaining three-game fine, pending the NFLPAs petition to Doty to vacate Hendersons decision.After playing in only one game in 2014, Peterson returned to the Vikings last year and led the league in rushing with 1,485 yards. The dispute in front of the 8th Circuit, then, boiled down to power, principle and about $2 million.The league has gotten its share of court losses to the union, but not lately and not at the higher level.Three weeks ago, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York issued a rejection of requests by the NFLPA and Tom Brady to reconsider a decision that reinstated a four-game suspension of the New England Patriots quarterback. Brady was punished for his role in deflated footballs during the AFC championship game after the 2014 season.As with Deflategate, the Peterson case was ultimately about the scope of Goodells power over player discipline and well beyond the initial behavior that landed him in trouble in the first place.---Online:AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '