be able to do," Patricia

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The first workout in pads during training camp usually belongs to the defense Lerentee McCray Jersey , but Los Angeles Chargers center Mike Pouncey was ready to bring his own level of physicality.

Pouncey traded blows with Chargers defensive linemen Brandon Mebane and Corey Liuget on Monday, showing a ferocity he rediscovered because of how his time in Miami ended after seven seasons.

”It just lit that fire again in me,” Pouncey said. ”I never thought I would play with anybody but the Dolphins, but once they released me, it made me want to be an even better football player. It made me want to prove everybody wrong, and I’m excited to be here. I can’t wait to help this run game out, help this football team do something special.”

Pouncey signed a two-year contract with the Chargers in March, inspired by the chance to play with one of the game’s top quarterbacks in Philip Rivers.

His time in Miami saw Pouncey working with a host of journeymen before helping first-round draft pick Ryan Tannehill transition to the NFL. Rivers is at the other end of the spectrum in terms of talent, experience and understanding of the game. It didn’t take long for Pouncey to recognize Rivers’ comprehensive mastery of the position.

”I just like that he knows everything that is going on each and every play. When we go up, he’s the guy that points out the Mike (linebacker). He knows when blitzes are coming Luke Kuechly Jersey , so he puts us in the right protections and he gets us in and out of plays. When a bad look is there and we don’t want to run that play, he switches the play,” Pouncey said.

”To be able to play with him, I don’t take it for granted. I feel like it’s something that I lucked up into, and I’m going to take full advantage of it.”

The chance to play on a team with viable Super Bowl aspirations was just as important for Pouncey, who reached the playoffs once during his time with the Dolphins, as the Chargers are the only team in the AFC West that returns its head coach, both coordinators and starting quarterback. The professionalism displayed by his new teammates during their brief time together has convinced Pouncey the Chargers can deliver on their growing expectations.

”Every year in the league I’ve always wanted to win,” Pouncey said. ”That’s the goal every year you go into training camp is to try and win something, win the Super Bowl. For me right now Jim Kelly Jersey , at the point in my career, I’m excited to be on a football team that has a chance. They finished top of the league in offense last year, and our defense is unbelievable, so I feel with me coming here it can only help.”

Pouncey wants to make his presence felt in the run game, where the Chargers tied for 25th after averaging 3.8 yards per carry last season. He looked up to the part in practice, creating holes for Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler. But Pouncey also felt the familiar push back from the likes of Mebane and Liuget on the interior.

Chargers defenders had been looking forward to the chance to hit again, and coach Anthony Lynn said their energy was evident.

”That’s kind of why you had to hold them back a little bit. You don’t want the excitement to go too far,” Lynn said.

The back and forth during the morning session was fine by Pouncey.

”First days of pads is always the funnest day,” Pouncey said. ”I feel we had a really good day as a football team on both sides of the football, and we can only get better from here.”

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At last Eddie Goldman Jersey , a new face on the other side of the line.

The Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions conducted the first of two joint practices Tuesday in preparation for their preseason opener Friday at the Oakland Coliseum, allowing players on both teams to get a new perspective after practicing against teammates for the past two weeks.

"It was nice to see some new coverages, some different stuff," Oakland quarterback Derek Carr said. "It was good for us. It'll be good film. A lot of things happened today, good and bad things that we needed to have happen that we haven't had happen in practice yet."

The practice was conducted in a controlled environment after Raiders coach Jon Gruden met with first-year Detroit coach Matt Patricia in the offseason. The two friends mapped out the workouts well before the Lions arrived in Northern California.

Patricia said the joint practices offer an opportunity for rookies and young players from both teams to make an impression.

"For a lot of the young guys that haven't stepped onto an NFL field with anyone except for their own teammates it certainly brings a different element from the standpoint of competitiveness and an evaluation standpoint," Patricia said. "Even the veteran guys, it's good to get out there and compete against somebody else. You kind of get into that rhythm and that mentality of going against the same guy every day."

Unlike in previous years when the Raiders have held combined practices with the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers, there were no fights and only a few minor scuffles.

Oakland linebacker Tahir Whitehead was at the center of one after hitting a Lions player who was getting up after making a long catch near the end zone. Whitehead, who played six seasons in Detroit, including the last four as a starter Charles Haley Jersey , also exchanged good-natured ribbing with Lions running back Ameer Abdullah during a goal line drill near the end of practice.

"It was fun getting a chance to catch up with the guys even though we're chirping and everything going back and forth," Whitehead said. "When I was there we did the same exact thing. We were going back and forth. It's all competitive and we're just trying to get each other better. This time I'm in the black and silver and it's just a different feel."

The teams went through individual position drills on separate fields before coming together on both fields for team scrimmages.

Fans filled the east stands while members of the military and a handful of youth football teams sat on the west side, adding a livelier feel to practice.

"The fans made it even better," Detroit running back Kerryon Johnson said. "Everybody's tired of hitting each other for however many weeks we've been going against each other. It's a new face, a new venue. It made it fun and it made it like a real game and we really enjoyed it."

Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford looked crisp while leading the Lions' first unit. At one point he completed a deep throw to Marvin Jones Jr. for a touchdown after Jones raced past Raiders cornerback Antonio Hamilton.

Carr was equally sharp but threw his first interception of training camp when he was picked off by Detroit's Darius Slay.

"On a stupid scramble drill, too," Carr said. "I was bummed."

Notes: Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah made it through his second practice after coming off the physically unable to perform list earlier in the week. "There's certainly some different things for him that we're going to have to learn this year to be able to do," Patricia said. "Just getting him on the field is one step closer." . Raiders running back Chris Warren provided the play of the day when he leveled Lions linebacker Jarrad Davis and sent the former first-round draft pick flying back.

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