ct. Miami had 10 penalties for 79 yards.D-LINE DEBUTSDefensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and end Mario Williams made their preseason debuts for the Dolphins, but didnt have much impact for

METAIRIE, La. -- As mounting losses bury them deeper and deeper in the Western Conference standings and Anthony Davis holds out for help like a kitten caught on a telephone wire, the New Orleans Pelicans have cautioned not to expect any miracles upon the return of Jrue Holiday.We dont want to put pressure on him and make him feel like hes the savior, general manager Dell Demps said.Jrues not the cavalry, coach Alvin Gentry said last week. Hes not coming in with the white horse and the stuff like that.Indeed, when it comes to New Orleans postseason chances, the white horse may have already left the barn.The Pelicans, at 2-10, are one game better than they were this point last season, when an injury-induced malaise ultimately gave way to a disappointing 30-win season. Precedent doesnt foretell a much kinder future this time around, either: In NBA history, of the 65 teams that have started 2-10, eight have gone on to make the playoffs.But perhaps this offers a shred of hope: The most recent team to begin 2-10 and make the postseason cut was the 2010-11 Philadelphia 76ers, who started a 20-year-old point guard named Jrue Holiday.Thats just the beginning of why Holidays return from a three-month hiatus to tend to his wife and new daughter has loomed over this beleaguered franchise, even as every member with a speaking role has, to their credit, stressed patience and family first.Hes an All-Star, point-blank, said Pelicans forward Solomon Hill, a fellow Los Angeles native who shares a trainer with Holiday.Hes a great defender, scorer everywhere. Hes a leader. Hes been there, hes been in the playoffs, hes upset guys in the playoffs. Hes a proven vet, but hes still young. Hes definitely a core-type player, one that you [build] a franchise around.The Pelicans obviously have one of those in Davis, whose numbers have swelled across the board as his role expands to include keeping tempo, singing backup and cleaning up afterward. Even after missing Wednesdays loss in Orlando, the 23-year-old superstar leads the team in minutes played, points, rebounds, blocks, steals, field goal attempts, field goal makes, free throw attempts, free throw makes and morose interviews.But as anyone with internet access will tell you, Davis needs more support. Even as their superstar maximizes an offensive workload befitting Atlas, the Pelicans rank a meager 27th in offensive efficiency. Take Davis and the since-waived Lance Stephenson off the ledger and their field goal percentage (40.8) would rank tied for last.The leagues basement is also where youll find a 3-point percentage (29.1) that somehow dips on open looks (22.3 percent, per NBA.com/Stats), of which there are plenty thanks to the attention Davis draws.ETwaun Moore has stretched out his legs in new environs but an aversion to contact leaves him dependent on a slow-coming 3-ball.Tim Frazier scraps and knows how to keep Davis stuffed with touches (40 percent of Davis buckets come off Frazier passes, per NBA.com/Stats), but has seen his turnover rate steadily rise as defenses adjust to play the pass.Terrence Jones had perhaps the best non-Davis offensive performance with 26 points in Wednesdays loss to the Magic, but their skill sets may overlap too much to coexist like they did in Kentuckys 2012 national title run (the duo has a minus-8.6 net rating in 134 minutes this season, per NBA.com/Stats).The Pelicans dont need a second-coming. Theyll take something, anything from a talent like Holiday to galvanize an offense that mustered league-average last season despite a parade of late D-League call-ups but has struggled this season with parts coach Alvin Gentry admits are better-suited in tertiary roles.With a guy like [Holiday], a guy that can score the ball the way he does -- youre not just talking about scoring but efficiently, Hill said. Getting to the line, creating for others. You cant just all of a sudden triple-team Anthony Davis anymore. You have to account for [Holiday]. Regardless if he plays five minutes or 48 minutes, hes going to affect the game. He just brings an intensity that if youre not ready for him youll never be ready for him.Davis, whose effective field goal percentage last season rose four points when he played next to Holiday, per nbawowy.com, has been looking forward to the opportunity since the summer.We worked out a couple times together in L.A. We just tried to develop that chemistry, Davis said. Theres always been that gap where we couldnt really build that chemistry. But this summer was a good summer for us. Its unfortunate he had to go through what he had to go through with his family. But now that hes going to be back, we got to try to find a way to rekindle that chemistry.How quickly theyll be given the opportunity to showcase their pick-and-roll synergy remains to be seen. Holiday, at least from the jump, is likely to come off the bench until he gets back up to NBA speed.It will be harder to keep Holiday -- who occupied a bigger role on offense than ever last season yet kept his turnover rate among his career lows and assist rate among his career highs -- away late. The Pelicans are tied for the most crunch-time opportunities this season, per NBA.com/Stats, but have also totaled the most losses (7) in those situations in large part because of the sixth-worst clutch offense.I think I can do whatever they want me to do, if its cheerlead, hand out Gatorades, play defense, call a set, whatever it is. Im just here to help, Holiday said. Down the stretch I do think I could help with some directing and just tightening it up at the end of the game.No one will confuse Holidays talents for those of Davis, whose origin story has reached the part where the superhero begins to hone his newfound powers. But a steady hand to guide him may be enough to save the day.Until he gets back I really wont be able to understand it, but Im pretty sure he has [maybe] the largest role on our team, Hill said. AD, being a young guy still coming into his own. Of course [Davis] can score the ball. But just that leadership role hes taken -- hes definitely taken strides, but Jrues done it. Jrues played with multiple All-Stars, played in the playoffs.He knows who he is. I definitely think when he gets back, hell be able to be that guy for us.Puma Scontate Italia .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. Scarpe Puma Uomo Scontate .J. -- Marshawn Lynch said Thursday it will be good to get back to football after the Seattle quiet talking running back wrapped up his final mandatory media session of Super Bowl week. http://www.pumascontate.it/ . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Zalando Scarpe Puma Scontate . LOUIS -- The New Orleans Saints looked like a team playing out the string. Puma Scarpe In Offerta . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off.ARLINGTON, Texas -- Tony Romo led a touchdown drive in his preseason debut once the Dallas offense stopped committing holding penalties, rookie backup quarterback Dak Prescott had a strong encore and Ryan Tannehill finally got the Miami Dolphins moving.Alfred Morris finished the second of Romos two possessions with a 15-yard scoring run before Prescott ran for two touchdowns and threw for two scores, including another one to Dez Bryant, in the Cowboys 41-14 exhibition victory Friday night.Tannehill had two scoring tosses to Kenny Stills.Dallas (1-1) had three holding penalties in the first five plays of an opening drive that stalled. Then Romo completed all three passes, including a pair to trusty tight end Jason Witten, before the scoring run from Morris, who had 13 carries for 85 yards.Romo was 4 of 5 for 49 yards, and the Dallas offense had 300 yards at halftime.It was a good start. We needed that, Witten said. Its been a long offseason. We have Tony leading the way. We had a lot of energy.Tannehill, who played late into the first half with the Dolphins (1-1) trying to move past a rough opener for the first-team offense last week, had scoring passes of 13 and 3 yards to Stills. Tannehill led another drive inside the 5 that ended on downs and finished 12 of 20 for 162 yards.I liked the mentality that he had going into that first half, first-year coach Adam Gase said. I liked the fact that the ones wanted to stay in and do another series. Thats what I wanted to see.Prescott has two touchdowns passes in each of the two preseason games and is 22 of 27 for 338 yards without an interception after completing his first eight passes following a 10-of-12 showing in his NFL debut against the Los Angeles Rams last week.The fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State had a 20-yard scoring run and a 1-yard sneak that was held up on review. Prescott tossed a short touchdown pass to Brice Butler the play after a 58-yarder to the speedy wideout.Prescott had an overthrow for what would have been his first interception in the second quarter, but it was wiped out by a roughing-the-passer penalty against Andre Branch.Its been a great start for him, and hes excited about it, Romo said. You just keep building on it every day, but you cant ask for a better starrt.ddddddddddddTOO MANY MISTAKESThe Cowboys had 10 penalties for 100 yards in the first half and 12 for 113 yards for the game. The Dolphins twice had options of two penalties that were either personal fouls or unsportsmanlike conduct. Miami had 10 penalties for 79 yards.D-LINE DEBUTSDefensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and end Mario Williams made their preseason debuts for the Dolphins, but didnt have much impact for a defense that ended up allowing 433 yards. End Cameron Wake was held out again.ROOKIE WATCHDolphins: LG Laremy Tunsil made his first start as the offensive line again looked shaky. Tannehill was sacked on third down on the opening possession, and the Dolphins averaged 3.2 yards per carry in the first half.Cowboys: RB Ezekiel Elliott, the fourth overall pick, was sidelined again with a mild hamstring injury that has kept him out of most of training camp. Hes expected to debut Thursday at Seattle.POSITION BATTLESDolphins: Jay Ajayi and Arian Foster did little to settle things at running back. Ajayi carried six times for 19 yards, and Foster had minus-5 yards on two carries in his first action since tearing an Achilles tendon in Week 4 last season, the last of seven in Houston.Cowboys: Shaneil Jenkins, who joined the team about a week into training camp, had a sack for a desperately thin group of defensive ends. Jobs are there for the taking.INJURY UPDATEDolphins: Backup quarterback Matt Moore left after his second play when he was hit in the head while sliding by linebacker James Morris, who was penalized. Moore was evaluated for a concussion, but Gase didnt have an update after the game.Cowboys: Second-year linebacker Mark Nzeocha, who missed last season recovering from a knee injury sustained at Wyoming, left in the first half with a strained Achilles tendon.QUOTABLE:On defense, we just got to do a better job of stopping the run, Gase said. We just got to get some negative plays, get our hands on some balls and when we do, we have to finish it with a turnover.---Online:AP NFL websites: http://pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Schuyler Dixon on Twitter at https://twitter.com/apschuyler ' ' '