Back when Bruce Arians announced his retirement [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsteamonline.com/andy-dalton-jersey]Andy Dalton Jersey[/url] , Arizona Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said he would be in no rush to find a new coach.

He pointed out that Arians was the last coach hired in 2013.

But while the Cardinals have followed their methodical, and quite secretive, process, the pool of potential candidates has dwindled.

Two, according to multiple reports, are taking other head coaching jobs – Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur with the New York Giants and New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia with the Detroit Lions. Another, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach Mike Munchak [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsteamonline.com/logan-woodside-jersey]Logan Woodside Jersey[/url] , publicly declined a second interview with Arizona.

”The timing for my family was not appropriate for me to pursue this potential opportunity,” he said in a statement this week, ”but I am very excited with the decision to remain with the Pittsburgh Steelers.”

That leaves six of the nine initially interviewed by Bidwill and general manager Steve Keim: Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Eagles quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo, Patriots linebackers coach Brian Flores, Cardinals defensive coordinator James Boettcher and Atlanta Falcons special teams coach Keith Armstrong.

Bidwill wants second interviews with the finalists and wants the candidates to come to Arizona to see the team’s training facility and stadium.

But Schwartz [url=http://www.raiderscheapstore.com/p.j.-hall-jersey-cheap]P.J. Hall Youth Jersey[/url] , DeFilippo and Flores can’t talk again until next week because their teams are still in the playoffs.

Armstrong was to have a second interview in Arizona on Friday. Falcons head coach Dan Quinn confirmed Armstrong’s second interview, initially reported by NFL Network.

”He is terrifically qualified to lead a team,” Quinn said at his season-ending news conference on Thursday. ”And I’ve thought this for a long time.”

Wilks also had a second interview in Arizona on Friday, the Arizona Republic reported. He was interviewed Thursday for the vacant head coaching job in Tennessee.

Recruiting a new coach in Arizona is made more difficult by the fact the Cardinals have no established quarterback following the retirement of Carson Palmer. There’s also uncertainty about the return of wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the impact the coaching choice will have on the star receiver’s decision. The rest of the Cardinals’ receiving corps is thin.

Whoever takes the job will join an NFC West where the other three teams are set at quarterback – Jared Goff in Los Angeles, Russell Wilson in Seattle and, now, Jimmy Garoppolo in San Francisco.

The Cardinals do have a strong returning defense and will have one of the NFL’s best running backs in David Johnson [url=http://www.vikingscheapstore.com/mike-hughes-jersey-cheap]Mike Hughes Youth Jersey[/url] , who will be back from a broken wrist, an injury that occurred in the 2017 opener and sidelined him the rest of the season.

—

AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Atlanta contributed to this report.

—

 

TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ will take the mound against Luis Severino on Saturday in a repeat of the Opening Day matchup won by the New York Yankees.

With the July 31 deadline for trades without waivers looking, Happ is considered a prime candidate to be dealt and the Yankees would be one of the interested teams, according to speculation.

The possibility of Severino (13-2, 1.98 ERA) and Happ (10-4, 4.03) soon becoming teammates adds another intriguing dimension to their matchup in the second game of a three-game series at the Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays started the series with a 6-2 victory Friday night with Justin Smoak capping a five-run second inning with a three-run homer.

The Yankees (56-29) are 7-4 against the Blue Jays (41-46) in the season series so far, including a 4-3 record at the Rogers Centre as they complete their third and final series of the season there this weekend.

The win Friday ended the Blue Jays’ four-game losing streak against the Yankees.

Severino is an obvious choice for the All-Star Game to be played at Washington’s Nationals Park on July 17.

Happ is one of the few Blue Jays with a legitimate chance to go to the game.

Severino will be a leading candidate to win the American League Cy Young Award if he continues his current pace. He leads the majors in wins and is second in ERA.

The 24-year-old enters Saturday with a scoreless streak of 13 2/3 innings. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 15 straight starts [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsteamonline.com/andy-dalton-jersey]Authentic Andy Dalton Jersey[/url] , the longest such streak by a Yankees pitcher since Ron Guidry had a 15-game streak April 8-June 22, 1978. The only longer streak by a Yankee is 20 set by Russ Ford during the 1910 and 1911 seasons.

“I always feel great when Sevy’s on the mound,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “The record in a lot of ways speaks for itself. The ability to get deep into games. He’s been really good against the elite competition, it seems like, as well.

“He’s putting himself in that conversation as one of the best in the game. There’s no doubt about it.”

Severino is 2-3 with a 4.12 ERA in nine career games (eight starts) against the Blue Jays and 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA in two starts against them this season. In five career starts at the Rogers Centre, he is 1-1 with a 2.81 ERA.

Happ had his worst start of the season Sunday when he allowed seven runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 9-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

He did not allow a run until the fifth when Nicholas Castellanos did most of the damage with a grand slam.

“I felt like I was a pitch away from getting out of it,” Happ said after the game. “Again [url=http://www.cincinnatibengalsteamonline.com/joe-mixon-jersey]Joe Mixon Bengals Jersey[/url] , I look at the hard-hit balls and there was two or three today. I didn’t feel like I was in the middle of the zone getting hurt today, but it is what it is. It’s not a pretty outing.”

His only start against the Yankees this season was a loss on Opening Day, March 29, when he allowed three runs (two earned) in 4 2/3 innings as Severino picked up the win. In 17 career starts against the Yankees, he is 8-3 with a 3.53 ERA.

The Yankees have lost five of their past seven road games and are 23-16 in away games this season. They are 7-8 when visiting American League East cities this season.

The Blue Jays are 13-20 against AL East teams. They are 4-3 on their homestand and are 23-22 at home for the season.

.