Infos » Gus Bradley era is officially over. The

MADRID, Spain -- The slippery blue clay may be gone, but the Madrid Open continues to produce surprises. Second-ranked Roger Federer was ousted by Kei Nishikori of Japan 6-4, 1-6, 6-2 in Thursdays third round, leaving Rafael Nadal as the either the clear front-runner for the title or the next big name who should be wary of an upset. Nadal didnt let his sore knee get in the way of downing Mikhail Youzhny 6-2, 6-3 to reach a quarterfinal with David Ferrer, while third-seeded Andy Murray had to come from behind to edge past Giles Simon 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (6). "Clearly the favourite for this tournament is Nadal," Federer said. Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova -- the top two seeded women-- also reached the quarters in straight sets. Last year, Federer didnt let the slick "Smurf-colored" clay stop him from winning his third title in Madrid. But now with the old-fashioned red clay back at the Caja Magica, Federer only managed to look like the star he is for a spell. Yet Federer wasnt the first highly-ranked player to fall. World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was ousted on Tuesday, a day before Victoria Azarenka followed in a temper tantrum. After recovering from Nishikoris strong start, Federer looked like hed found his stride as he roared back in the second set. But Nishikori reasserted his ground game in the decider, after breaking Federer for a 3-1 advantage, and held on for the surprising victory. Nishikori said beating Federer after losing their only previous meeting was one of the high points of his still burgeoning career. "He was my idol and to beat him was one of the goals for my tennis career," the 16th-ranked Nishikori said. "Beating Roger is, yeah ... I need a couple of days to celebrate." Federer came to Madrid after a seven-week layoff. He said the gusting winds hurt his game, but he gave all credit to Nishikori. "He was the better player today for sure," Federer said. "I was lacking control from the baseline and that carried through from start to finish. Overall Im disappointed with my play." Federer said he will not change his plans and will now train for Rome and then the French Open. This was Nishikoris fourth win over a top-five opponent. Nishikori will next play Pablo Andujar, who advanced when fellow Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver retired. Nadals commanding win over Youzhny featured an array of winning shots. Having already established control by stealing Youzhnys second service game, Nadal kept a point alive with a deft no-look backhand flick before nailing a winner down the line to hold his serve and delight his fans. The fifth-ranked Spaniard then broke Youzhny again by dinking the ball over the net while on the run, giving it so much backspin it twisted away from the Russian. Nadal, who is searching for his seventh straight final since returning from injury, improved to 28 wins and two losses on the year. Nadal said he was still bothered by his left knee, which has sidelined him this year with a nagging case of tendinitis. "Sometimes I have pain," Nadal said. "I try to avoid talking about it as much as possible. With respect to my rivals its not the moment to analyze how I am." Nadals next opponent, Ferrer, outlasted Tommy Haas 7-5, 4-6, 6-4. Murray looked stiff as he conceded the first set to Simon but the Scot improved, and after winning a long game to break back early in the second set, slowly imposed his will. Even so, he squandered five match points before Simon netted his final approach shot in the tiebreaker to end the match in just under three hours. Murray will play Tomas Berdych, who defeated Kevin Anderson of South Africa 7-6 (5), 7-5, to make the final eight. Also, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Fernando Verdasco of Spain 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to set up a match with Stanislas Wawrinka, who came back to see off Grigor Dimitrov 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. On the womens side, the top-ranked Williams dispatched Maria Kirilenko 6-3, 6-1, after Sharapova put away Germanys Sabine Lisicki 6-2, 7-5. Williams dominant performance made Kirilenko wither after she dropped the first set with one of several unforced errors. "I just felt really relaxed, like I was taking my time," said Williams, adding that she strived for precision over speed on serve. Williams will take on local favourite Anabel Medina Garrigues, who advanced after Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan withdrew with a right arm injury. Sharapova will face Kaia Kanepi of Estonia next after she defeated Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia 6-3, 6-4. Ekaterina Makarova of Russia beat Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-2 and will play Sara Errani following her 7-5, 6-3 win over Varvara Lepchenko. Angelique Kerber of Germany meets former No. 1 Ana Ivanovic. Fake Basketball Jerseys . Badenhop was 2-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 63 relief appearances for Milwaukee this season. He is 18-20 in his career with three saves and a 3. Fake Soccer Jerseys . Arsenal failed to take full advantage of its main rivals stumbles on Saturday as substitute Gerard Deulofeu levelled with a hard shot from a tight angle in the 84th minute to give Everton a deserved point. Ahead of a crucial fortnight that will see them play against Napoli in the Champions League, Manchester City and Chelsea, Arsenal leads by five points ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea. https://www.fakejerseys.us.com/ . Already owning gold from competition in Vancouver in 2010, Loch posted a combined four-run time of 3:27.526. That included a track-record third run of 51. Fake Hockey Jerseys . Artturi Lehkonen, Joni Nikko and Ville Leskinen had the other goals for Finland (1-0) while Juuse Saros stopped 28 shots. Tim Robin Johnsgard had the lone goal for Norway (0-2). Fake NBA Jerseys . -- Jakob Silfverberg is making himself right at home with the Anaheim Ducks, scoring four goals in his first four games. Well, that didnt last long -- one week to be exact. The Dallas Cowboys have regained their top standing from Week 14 and unseated the New England Patriots as the No. 1 team in ESPNs NFL Power Rankings this week.ESPNs power panel (a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities) moved the Seattle Seahawks up four spots and back into the top five following a Week 15 win against the Los Angeles Rams. With a two-point loss to the Tennessee Titans, the Kansas City Chiefs dropped three spots to No. 6.Methodology note: These rankings reflect which teams voters think would win head-to-head matchups. Higher-ranked teams would be favored against lower-ranked teams. Coming off a win doesnt guarantee a jump, and coming off a loss doesnt guarantee a fall.Check out the rest of the league and where each team ranks.Previous rankings: Week 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | PreseasonESPN Stats & Information contributed the following research.1. Dallas Cowboys2016 record: 12-2 Week 15 ranking: 2QB Dak Prescott went 32-of-36 (88.9 percent) against the Buccaneers in Week 15, which should quiet the push for Tony Romo for at least another week. Dak has a chance to do even more damage on Monday against the Lions, who have allowed an NFL-worst 72.8 completion percentage this season.2. New England Patriots2016 record: 12-2 Week 15 ranking: 1The Patriots have allowed 16.6 points per game this season, best in the NFL. The Patriots offense has averaged 117 rushing yards per game this season, seventh best in the NFL. The Patriots ranked in the top seven in both categories only once previously during the?Tom Brady?era: 2004. They should have no problem with the Jets in Week 16.3. Seattle Seahawks2016 record: 9-4-1 Week 15 ranking: 7These last few games for the Seahawks will be key in securing a first-round bye and at least one home playoff game. The Seahawks are 7-0 at home this season compared to 2-4-1 on the road. Theyll try to improve to 8-0 at home on Christmas Eve against the Cardinals.4. Oakland Raiders2016 record: 11-3 Week 15 ranking: 4The Raiders are officially back in the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and now have a first-round bye in their sights. But thats not all. If the Raiders can win out against the Colts and Broncos, theyll reach 13 wins for the first time since 1976.5. Atlanta Falcons2016 record: 9-5 Week 15 ranking: 6Julio Jones has missed the past two games, but that hasnt stopped the Falcons from scoring 40-plus points in each, and they also scored 45 earlier this season in a game in which he had 16 yards. Moral of the story: Jones is great, but the Falcons have a complete offense capable of scoring big without him. Atlanta heads to Carolina in Week 16.6. Kansas City Chiefs2016 record: 10-4 Week 15 ranking: 3The Chiefs have lost only four times this season, and in three of those losses they allowed exactly 19 points. When the offense shows up, the Chiefs are hard to beat. A win Sunday against the Broncos will clinch a playoff berth for the second straight season.7. Pittsburgh Steelers2016 record: 9-5 Week 15 ranking: 8Thats five straight wins for the Steelers, who can clinch the AFC North with another victory Sunday against the Ravens. The big names on offense get the headlines, but give credit to the defense: The Steelers have 19 sacks and seven interceptions in their past five games.8. New York Giants2016 record: 10-4 Week 15 ranking: 5Since Week 6, Odell Beckham Jr. leads the NFL in receiving yards (814) and receiving touchdowns (nine). The Giants are 8-1 in that span. Coincidence? Probably not. Beckham looks to stay hot at Philadelphia on Thursday night.9. Green Bay Packers2016 record: 8-6 Week 15 ranking: 11Do you think Aaron Rodgers has a flair for the dramatic? Over the past two seasons, Rodgers is 4-of-6 when passing 40 or more yards downfield in the final two minutes of regulation. The rest of the NFL is 2-of-39 in those situations. The Packers hope to not need a late-game bomb to win against the Vikings this week.10. Baltimore Ravens2016 record: 8-6 Week 15 ranking: 12Beating the Eagles was crucial for the Ravens, but they still have work to do. Two road games await them (Steelers, Bengals) and they are 2-4 on the road this season. ESPNs Football Power Index gives the Ravens no better than a 35 percent chance to win either game.11. Detroit Lions2016 record: 9-5 Week 15 ranking: 9The Lions are looking to avoid a late-season collapse, but with a loss to the Giants already in the bag, and games against the Cowboys and Packers on tap, fans in Detroit may be getting nervous. FPI gives the Lions an 11 percent chance of winning out and a 42 percent chance of losing out.12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers2016 record: 8-6 Week 15 ranking: 10The Buccaneers cant afford to commit too many turnovers, and the four they had against the Cowboys were the second most they have committed all season. The Bucs are now 1-5 this season when turning it over multiple times in a game. The Saints await in Week 16.13. Denver Broncos2016 record: 8-6 Week 15 ranking: 13The Broncos were 4-0 to start the season and had a 96 percent chance of making the playoffs, which was best in the league, according to FPI. The Broncos are just 4-6 since, and FPI now gives them a 25 chance of making the playoffs. A win Sunday at the Chiefs would go a long way in improving those odds.14. Miami Dolphins2016 record: 9-5 Week 15 ranking: 18Maybe QB Matt Moore should be a starter? In his past 10 starts (dating back to 2011), Moore is 7-3 and has thrown 19 touchdowns to six interceptions. He looks to keep the Dolphins in the playoff hunt at Buffalo on Saturday.15. Washington Redskins2016 record: 7-6-1 Week 15 ranking: 14Kirk Cousins is good, but the Redskins cant over-rely on him. The Redskins are now 1-5-1 when Cousins throws for 300 yards this season and 6-1 when he doesnt. Cousins might not need to throw thatt much against the 3-11 Bears this week.dddddddddddd16. Tennessee Titans2016 record: 8-6 Week 15 ranking: 16Thats two straight games without a passing touchdown for Marcus Mariota, but its also two straight wins for the Titans. Tennessee is proving it can win with rushing and defense, but Mariota returning to form wouldnt hurt, either. The Titans play at Jacksonville in Week 16.17. Houston Texans2016 record: 8-6 Week 15 ranking: 17There are three qualified quarterbacks (on pace for at least 320 action plays for the year) with more interceptions than touchdowns this season, and all three lost their starting jobs. That includes Brock Osweiler, who will be taking a backseat to Tom Savage in Week 16, as the 2014 fourth-round pick is slated to make his first career start Christmas Eve against the Bengals.18. Indianapolis Colts2016 record: 7-7 Week 15 ranking: 24Monster wins against the Jets and Vikings sandwich that painful Week 14 loss to the Texans, and the 7-7 Colts now need a lot of help to win the division. The Colts have to travel to Oakland this week, and FPI gives them only a 35 percent chance of winning.19. Cincinnati Bengals2016 record: 5-8-1 Week 15 ranking: 20Sundays loss guarantees the Bengals a losing season for the first time since 2010. The defense has remained strong, but the offense went from averaging the seventh-most points last season to ranking 23rd this season (20.6). The Bengals look to rebound with a win Saturday night at Houston.20. Minnesota Vikings2016 record: 7-7 Week 15 ranking: 15Adrian Petersons return didnt exactly spark the offense. He has now rushed 37 times this season for 72 yards, an average of 1.95 yards per rush. Peterson and the struggling Vikings visit Green Bay in Week 16.21. Carolina Panthers2016 record: 6-8 Week 15 ranking: 22QB Cam Newton improves to 20-5 in December and January regular-season games following Mondays 26-15 victory over the Redskins. It might be too little, too late with these past two wins, but at least the Panthers are showing signs of life. Carolina looks to spoil some of Atlantas fun in Week 16.22. Arizona Cardinals2016 record: 5-8-1 Week 15 ranking: 19The Cardinals drop to 5-8-1 following their Week 15 loss to New Orleans, but lets appreciate David Johnson for a second: On Sunday, Johnson set the Cardinals franchise record for scrimmage yards in a season and matched the Cardinals single-season touchdown record (17). Hell look to add to that against the Seahawks on Saturday.23. New Orleans Saints2016 record: 6-8 Week 15 ranking: 23The Saints are pretty much all-or-nothing this season. They have scored 13 or fewer points three times this season and have scored 40 or more four times. The Saints next host the Buccaneers, a team they were fairly nothing against last time out (losing?16-11).24. Philadelphia Eagles2016 record: 5-9 Week 15 ranking: 27Remember Carson Wentzs streak without an interception to start the season? He has thrown an interception in each of his past five, totaling eight picks in those games, all Eagles losses. Philly hopes to get the Wentz Wagon rolling again Thursday versus the Giants.25. Buffalo Bills2016 record: 7-7 Week 15 ranking: 25The Bills keep hovering around the .500 mark -- and not just this season. Buffalo is 24-22 the past three seasons, and have no playoff berths to show for it. The Bills are still technically alive, and a win against Miami on Saturday could keep them in the hunt.26. San Diego Chargers2016 record: 5-9 Week 15 ranking: 21The Chargers have already been eliminated from the playoffs, but youd think that Saturdays game against the winless Browns is a must-win for San Diego. They cant let the Browns hang around: San Diego has lost six games in which it held a lead in the fourth quarter this season.27. Chicago Bears2016 record: 3-11 Week 15 ranking: 28The Bears arent winning games, but theyve put big scares into the Titans, Lions and Packers in recent weeks, losing to those teams by a combined 12 points. It might be frustrating to watch as a Bears fan, but at least the end result will be a better draft pick. The Bears host another playoff contender in the Redskins this week.28. Los Angeles Rams2016 record: 4-10 Week 15 ranking: 30The Rams have been outscored by 93 points in their past four games, an average of 23.3 points per game. Youd think theyll have a chance to improve on that against the 49ers this week, but remember, the 49ers beat the Rams 28-0 in Week 1 this season.29. New York Jets2016 record: 4-10 Week 15 ranking: 26The Jets have lost by at least 20 points four times this season, tied with the Browns and Rams for the most such losses this season. And once again, Ryan Fitzpatrick might find himself starting because of Bryce Pettys injury. Could another 20-point loss happen in New England this week?30. Jacksonville Jaguars2016 record: 2-12 Week 15 ranking: 31The Gus Bradley era is officially over. The Jaguars went 14-48 (.226) during Bradleys head-coaching tenure, tied for the worst record in the NFL in that span. The Jags season is effectively over, but they can play spoiler to the Titans and possibly the Colts the next two weeks.31. San Francisco 49ers2016 record: 1-13 Week 15 ranking: 29The 49ers allowed 248 rushing yards to the Falcons on Sunday, and that wasnt even one of the two highest rushing totals allowed by the Niners this season. The leagues worst rush defense heads to Los Angeles in Week 16.32. Cleveland Browns2016 record: 0-14 Week 15 ranking: 32The Browns are the fourth team to start a season 0-14, joining the 2008 Lions, 1980 Saints and 1976 Buccaneers (who played a 14-game schedule). The 1980 Saints were the only one of those teams to win a game (they went 1-15). Well see if the Browns Christmas wish of a win comes true Saturday against the Chargers. ' ' '