FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Donta Hightower has extra time to prepare for his top-seeded teams playoff game.Meanwhile, hell be rooting for another No. 1 seed.The New England Patriots linebacker plans to watch his college team, Alabama, face Ohio State in a College Football Playoff semifinal Thursday night.Im definitely going to catch that one, Hightower said Tuesday while wearing an Alabama pullover as he stood at his Patriots locker.He might even work out a small wager with safety Nate Ebner, the only Ohio State player with New England.Me and Nate have talked, he said. We havent set it yet. Im pretty sure that hell come up with something good.Running back LeGarrette Blount, safety Patrick Chung and rookie centre Bryan Stork also have a special interest in the college games. Blount and Chung attended Oregon, seeded second, while Stork snapped the ball last season to Jameis Winston, who leads third-seeded Florida State against the Ducks in the other semifinal Thursday.Oregons going to win, Blount declared before pulling his schools jacket from his locker.With a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs, the Patriots (12-4) have a lighter work week than usual. They cant concentrate on preparing for their opponent until they find out who it is.Hightower and Blount plan to watch both wild-card games in the conference: Baltimore at Pittsburgh on Saturday night and Cincinnati at Indianapolis on Sunday.A Baltimore win sends the Ravens to Gillette Stadium on Jan. 10. If the Ravens lose, the Patriots will host the winner of the Bengals-Colts contest.This week, the Patriots welcome having more time off than usual.Im one of the first ones to agree about that, Hightower said. Its good that weve got a slower pace and make sure that we understand things and let some guys get healed up. But were definitely taking advantage of it all the way around.Hightower was one of six starters inactive for last Sundays game against Buffalo that had no bearing on New Englands playoff position. The Bills won 17-9.Hightower and Blount, who played, were on the injury report for that game with shoulder problems.Im injured, but its football, Hightower said. Im going to play through it.He became the Patriots defensive signal-caller when Jerod Mayo suffered a season-ending right knee injury in the sixth game. Mayo also was limited to six games last season by a torn pectoral muscle.Ive got a lot of guys around me that help make me feel a lot more comfortable. So its been a lot easier this year, Hightower said. I was always one that talked, trying to be a nerd about things, and (linebacker coach) Pat Grahams really done a better job than what we did last year as far as just talking about situational things.Blount spent the first 11 games this season with Pittsburgh but was cut on Nov. 18, less than 24 hours after jogging off LP Field with the clock still running in a 27-24 win over Tennessee.The Steelers might have needed him now that running back LeVeon Bell is dealing with a hyperextended right knee that could keep him out of Saturdays game.Asked if he saw the play on which Bell was injured last Sunday against Cincinnati, Blount paused, then said, Man, Im just focused on the Patriots. Obviously, hes a friend of mine and I was concerned, but Im just focused on the Patriots.So much so that he claims he has no special interest in the Steelers wild-card game.Im going to watch them the same as I watch everybody else, he said. Im going to watch college, too.___Online: AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Cheap Islanders Jerseys .Y. -- Phil Jackson lost out on his preferred coach, but hes working hard on keeping his star player. Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys .28 for a combined time of 1:14.70, also an Olympic record. Lee won the gold medal, defending her title from the Vancouver Games. http://www.cheapislandersjerseys.com/ .com) - Even on the day his New Hampshire football team became the nations top-ranked team two weeks ago, coach Sean McDonnell conceded something about the team they replaced at No. Wholesale Islanders Jerseys . David Perron had a career high four-point night with two goals and two assists as the Oilers experienced an offensive explosion, blasting the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-0 to record a rare home win for their second victory in a row. Cheap Islanders Jerseys China .com) - The Toronto Blue Jays will look to snap a three-game skid Friday night when they continue their road trip in the opener of a three-game set against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.Man Utd increased the pressure on Arsenal in the race for the top four with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday. An early Damien Delaney own goal and a cracking effort from Matteo Darmian means United close the gap on Arsenal in fourth to just one point, although the Gunners have a game in hand.Louis van Gaals men were rarely troubled by a lacklustre Palace side, who looked to have one eye on Sundays FA Cup semi-final against Watford and didnt register a single shot on target. Attention now turns to The Emirates on Thursday evening where Arsenal take on West Bromwich Albion, live on Sky Sports 1. Morgan Schneiderlin, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial celebrate after Damien Delaneys own goal Julian Speroni was making his first start of the season for Palace as Alan Pardew made seven changes. The goalkeepers first task of the night was to pick the ball out of his net.Darmian latched onto a nice flick from Marcus Rashford down the left and fizzed a cross into the middle. It was a hopeful cross, but Delaney turned it into a good one as he clumsily turned the ball into his own net with his right foot. From that moment Palace were never in the game as United controlled proceedings through Wayne Rooney, who excelled in a deeper role. He was feeding the front three of Rashford, Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard fruitful service and all that was lacking was a killer instinct in front of goal, otherwise the scoreline could have become very one-sided.Martial was denied on 23 minutes by a save from Speroni and the Palace stopper had to be even more alert seven minutes later to brilliantly tip away a fearsome shot from the right edge of the box by the lively French attacker. Louis van Gaal bbelieves Manchester Uniteds latest win over Crystal Palace keeps them in with a chance of clinching a top four spot Delaney nearly doubled his tally of own goals for the night on 32 minutes as he accidentally turned a Martial cross towards his own net but his blushes were spared as the ball drifted the wrong side of the post.ddddddddddddUnited had won their previous three Premier League home games by a 1-0 scoreline but always looked capable of finding further breakthroughs and it came on 56 minutes.A corner could only be cleared out to Darmian and under little pressure from the Palace defence, he controlled the ball and rocketed a thunderous half-volley into the net via the far post, scoring his first United goal in spectacular fashion. Alan Pardew admits his side may have had one eye on their FA Cup semi-final clash with Watford after losing 2-0 to Manchester United Rooney was searching for his 100th Premier League goal at Old Trafford for Manchester United and the closest he came to getting it was on the hour mark but his side-footed effort from 20 yards was blocked away by Pape Souare two yards from his goal-line. Speroni saved a Rashford effort just before the striker was substituted to a standing ovation on 63 minutes as United saw the game out very comfortably. Uniteds sixth successive Premier League win at Old Trafford puts pressure on Arsenal as they prepare to face West Brom, live on Sky Sports 1 HD on Thursday.Player RatingsManchester United: De Gea (6), Valencia (6), Smalling (7), Blind (7), Darmian (8), Lingard (7), Schneiderlin (7), Mata (7), Rooney (8), Martial (7), Rashford (7)Subs: Fellaini (6), Herrera (6), Memphis (6)Crystal Palace: Speroni (7), Kelly (5), Mariappa (6), Delaney (4), Souare (6); Jedinak (5), Cabaye (6), Lee (6); Zaha (7), Adebayor (5), Sako (4)Subs: Mutch (6), McArthur (6), Wickham (6)Man of the match: Matteo Darmian Cheap Buffalo Sabres Gear Wholesale Calgary Flames Jerseys Cheap Adidas Colorado Avalanche Jerseys Montreal Canadiens Outlet Store Wholesale New Jersey Devils Jerseys Adidas Arizona Coyotes Jerseys Cheap Adidas Boston Bruins Jerseys Cheap Adidas Carolina Hurricanes Jerseys Chicago Blackhawks Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Columbus Blue Jackets Jerseys Dallas Stars Shop Free Shipping Cheap Adidas Detroit Red Wings Jerseys Anaheim Ducks Jerseys China Wholesale Edmonton Oilers Jerseys Florida Panthers Shop Free Shipping Wholesale Los Angeles Kings Jerseys Minnesota Wild Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Nashville Predators Jerseys Cheap Adidas New York Islanders Jerseys New York Rangers Winter Classic Jerseys Cheap Adidas Ottawa Senators Jerseys Cheap Adidas Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys Wholesale Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys Cheap Adidas San Jose Sharks Jerseys St. Louis Blues Winter Classic Jerseys Wholesale Tampa Bay Lightning Jerseys Toronto Maple Leafs Outlet Store Vancouver Canucks Outlet Store Cheap Adidas Vegas Golden Knights Jerseys Cheap Adidas Washington Capitals Jerseys Cheap Adidas Winnipeg Jets Jerseys ' ' '