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FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. - Star receiver Julio Jones and safety William Moore are making improvement from injuries as the Atlanta Falcons prepare for a crucial game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.The Falcons limited themselves to a walk-through Wednesday, looking to recover physically from a grueling Monday night loss to the Green Bay Packers. Coach Mike Smith said Jones and Moore would not have been able to practice, even if it had been a normal workout.That said, Smith remains confident that both players will be able to go Sunday against the Steelers.Absolutely, the coach said. We are anticipating that both those guys will continue to turn around. Its not even been 48 hours and weve had big turnarounds thus far. Both those guys are guys that dont need to go out and practice. If theyre ready to go at 1 oclock on Sunday, both those guys will be out there.Jones went out late in the 43-37 loss to the Packers with a hip injury after making 11 catches for a team-record 259 yards. Moore, who already missed much of the season with a shoulder injury, had to leave the game after hurting his foot.Cornerback Robert Alford also was listed as out on the injury report. He has missed three games with an injured wrist, but is closing in on the outer range of his expected recovery period. Smith initially said it would be two-to-four weeks before he returned, wearing a special cast.The Falcons (5-8) are assured of their second straight non-winning season, but they continue to lead the NFC South with a tiebreaker edge over the New Orleans Saints. If Atlanta wins out, it would capture the division championship with a .500 record and host a first-round playoff game.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL___Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 Buy Shoes Black Friday . This week, topics cover the World Series champion Red Sox, John Farrell and what to look forward to this off-season. Discount Shoes Black Friday . 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Fake Shoes Black Friday . - Golden State Warriors coach Mark Jackson sat on the scorers table at Oracle Arena on Wednesday morning.MINNEAPOLIS -- Derek Jeter soaked in the adulation from fans and players during one more night on baseballs national stage, set the tone for the American League with a pregame speech and then delivered two final All-Star hits. Mike Trout, perhaps the top candidate to succeed the 40-year-old Yankees captain as the face of the game, seemed ready to assume the role with a tiebreaking triple and later a go-ahead double that earned the 22-year-old MVP honours. On a summer evening filled with reminders of generational change, the AL kept up nearly two decades of dominance by beating the National League 5-3 Tuesday for its 13th win in 17 years. "I think let Mike be Mike. I dont think people have to necessarily appoint someone to a particular position," Jeter said. "Hes got a bright future ahead of him. I dont know how much better he can get, but if he consistently does what hes doing, then he will be here for a long time." Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer to help give the AL champion home-field advantage for the World Series. No matter what else happened, from the start it seemed destined to be another special event for Jeter. He made a diving stop on Andrew McCutchens grounder to shortstop leading off the game and nearly threw him out at first, then received a 63-second standing ovation when he walked to the plate before his opposite-field double to right leading off the bottom half. He was given another rousing cheer before his single to right starting the third and 2 1-2 minutes more applause after AL manager John Farrell sent Alexei Ramirez to shortstop to replace him at the start of the fourth. As Frank Sinatras recording of "New York, New York" boomed over the Target Field speakers and his parents watched from the stands, Jeter repeatedly waved to the crowd, exchanged handshakes and hugs with just about every person in the AL dugout and then came back onto the field for a curtain call. "It was a special moment and it was unscripted," Jeter said. "I was unaware of it." NL manager Mike Matheny of the Cardinals didnt want it to stop. "The guys on our side have the utmost respect for him and would like to have been standing out there for a little while longer," he said. "I think Derek was the one that was uncomfortable with it." While not as flashy as Mariano Riveras All-Star farewell at Citi Field last year, when all the other players left the great reliever alone on the field for an eighth-inning solo bow, Jeter tried not to make a fuss and to deflect the attention. Even during his clubhouse speech. "He just wanted to thank us," Trout said. "You know, we should be thanking him." A 14-time All-Star who was MVP of the 2000 game in Atlanta, Jeter announced in February this will be his final season. His hits left him with a .481 All-Star average (13 for 27), just behind Charlie Gehringers .500 record (10 for 20) for players with 20 or more at-bats. While the Yankees are .500 at the break and in danger of missing the post-season in consecutive years for the first time in two decades, Jeter and the Angels Trout gave a boost to whichever AL team reaches the World Series. The AL improved to 9-3 since the All-Star game started deciding which league gets Series home-field addvantage; 23 of the last 28 titles were won by teams scheduled to host four of a possible seven games.dddddddddddd Detroits Max Scherzer, in line to be the most-prized free agent pitcher after the season, pitched a scoreless fifth for the win, and Glen Perkins got the save in his home ballpark. Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista was 0 for 2 with a strikeout while Jays left-hander Mark Buehrle did not get in the game. Target Field, a $545 million, limestone-encased jewel that opened in 2010, produced an All-Star cycle just eight batters in, with hitters showing off flashy neon-bright spikes and fielders wearing All-Star caps with special designs for the first time. With the late sunset -- the sky didnt darken until the fifth inning, well after 9 oclock -- there was bright sunshine when Jeter was cheered before his first at-bat. He was introduced by a recording of late Yankees public address announcer Bob Sheppards deep monotone. St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright left his glove on the mound and backed up toward second, clapping along with the crowd of 41,048. "I tried to tell him to pick it up -- lets go," Jeter said. "But he took a moment and let the fans give me an ovation which I will always remember." When Jeter finally stepped into the batters box, he took a ball and lined a 90 mph cutter down the right-field line for a double. "I was going to give him a couple pipe shots just to -- he deserved it," Wainwright said. "I thought he was going to hit something hard to the right side for a single or an out. I probably should have pitched him a little bit better." After those in-game remarks created a stir on the Internet, Wainwright amended himself: "It was mis-said. I hope people realize Im not intentionally giving up hits out there." Trout, who finished second to Cabrera in AL MVP voting in each of the last two seasons, became the youngest All-Star MVP, about 3 1-2 months older than Ken Griffey Jr. was in 1992. Playing in his third All-Star game, Trout followed Jeter in the first by tripling off the right-field wall. Cabreras homer -- just the fourth in the last six All-Star games -- made it 3-0, but the NL tied it on consecutive RBI doubles by Chase Utley and Jonathan Lucroy off Jon Lester in the second and Lucroys run-scoring double against Chris Sale in the fourth. Trout put the AL ahead for good with an RBI double in the fifth -- a bouncer over third base against Pat Neshek, the St. Louis reliever who grew up in the Minneapolis suburbs and started his career with the Twins. Jose Altuve followed with a sacrifice fly off Tyler Clippard. Raised in New Jersey, Trout saw a lot of Jeter and said all week he felt honoured to play alongside him. "Growing up I was setting goals to myself that when I get -- if I ever get the chance to get -- to the big leagues, thats how I want to play," Trout said. "And the way he carries himself on and off the field, how he respects the game -- always hustling, it doesnt matter what the score is. If they are down 10 runs, he is always running the ball out. Thats how I want to play." NOTES: The NL holds a 43-40 advantage, with ties in 1961 and 2002. ... Nesheks brother works on the grounds crew at Target Field. ' ' '