Youve got to feel for Italy this week.Facing the All Blacks a week after the world champions suffered a first defeat in 19 matches and have since come in for all kinds of criticism, including a poor attitude and a lack of respect for their choice of haka, the poor old Azzurri look to be on a hiding to nothing this weekend.Regardless, Saturdays Test in Rome at least gives Italian rugby fans the chance to watch the All Blacks in action for the first time since 2012 when New Zealand triumphed 42-10. Three years prior in Milan, the scoreline was a much more respectable 20-6 and perhaps thats where the Italians will look for inspiration.But after last weeks shock loss to Ireland, the All Blacks will be desperate to put in a performance that meets their impossibly-high standards; starting with a distinct improvement in discipline after they were on the wrong end of a whopping 12-4 penalty count in Chicago.Team newsItalyGiorgio Bronzini will make his bow for the Azzurri after being named as starting scrum-half alongside fly-half Carlo Canna for the match.Edoardo Padovani, Giulio Bisegni, Tommaso Benvenuti, Luke McLean, Angelo Esposito, Carlo Canna, Giorgio Bronzini; Sergio Parisse (c), Simone Favaro, Maxime Mbanda, Andries van Schalkwyk, Marco Fuser, Lorenzo Cittadini, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lovotti.Replacements: Ornel Gega, Sami Panico, Pietro Ceccarelli, George Biagi, Francesco Minto, Edoardo Gori, Tommaso Allan, Tommaso Boni.New ZealandSteve Hansen has made 12 changes to the starting side, with Liam Coltman and Rieko Ioane to debut from the bench.Damian McKenzie, Israel Dagg, Malakai Fekitoa, Anton Lienert-Brown, Waisake Naholo, Aaron Cruden, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Steven Luatua, Sam Cane (c), Elliot Dixon, Scott Barrett, Patrick Tuipulotu, Charlie Faumuina, Codie Taylor, Wyatt Crockett.Replacements: Liam Coltman, Joe Moody, Ofa Tuungafasi, Brodie Retallick, Matt Todd, Aaron Smith, Lima Sopoaga, Rieko Ioane.Key matchup: Sergio Parisse vs Steven LuatuaOne shudders at the thought of just where Italy would be at Test level had it not been for veteran skipper Sergio Parisse. The Italian No.8 has led his country with distinction for the best part of a decade and is one of their few genuine world-class players. While he is prone to trying to do too much to get his side over the line, Parisse does possess a wonderful skill set and anticipates the game superbly. At 33 years of age, Parisse might be coming to the end of his career. But there can be no doubting Parisses pride in the Italian jersey and he is sure to savour what may be his final Test against the All Blacks.Steven Luatua is named to make his first Test start in more than two years, since the defeat to South Africa in Johannesburg in October 2014. He was dropped to gain strength and conditioning, and was then omitted from consideration due to injury and lost form. He now has an opportunity to impose himself as a replacement for the rested Kieran Read and Jerome Kaino, with Steve Hansen giving him a remit in an inexperienced backrow to be really physical and show us that he can do that job at this level of rugby. Fair to say this might be his last Test if he doesnt impress.Key stats- Italy have never beaten the All Blacks- New Zealand last lost back-to-back Tests in 2011- Sergio Parisse will break Martin Castrogiovannis Italian record for Test caps when he plays his 119th match this weekendWeatherRome is expecting a mostly sunny day on Saturday. There is next to no chance of rain, giving the players cool, but firm conditions for rugby.What they saidI would be delusional to say ... do you go out to every game and say you are going to win? Yes, you have to go out with that attitude. They are the best team in the world, they still are. Ireland havent overtaken them. They are on the way and now they have mental belief. Italy coach Conor OShea.The Irish probably found us a bit predictable, too. We struggled early in terms of ball supply and werent able to paint some pictures that we needed to paint. So when we did get the ball, eventually, we did become predictable. All Blacks assistant Ian Foster.VerdictItaly coach Conor OShea is right to go out with the attitude that his side can win; otherwise whats the point in turning up? But he will no doubt settle for a strong showing that limits the pain many think the All Blacks will inflict on the Azzurri this weekend. Italy enjoyed some success against the All Blacks through a dominant scrum in Milan a few years back and they will be banking on a similar set-piece showing to keep the scoreline respectable. The All Blacks, on the other hand, will want to run up a score, but more important will be the nature of their execution and discipline. After last weeks shock loss, anything other than perfection in Rome will leave All Blacks fans unhappy. Expect their supporters to be smiling come Sunday.New Zealand by 35. Bernie Parent Jersey .com) - Christian Ponder will get another chance to prove himself for the Minnesota Vikings, with head coach Leslie Frazier announcing Wednesday that the struggling quarterback will start this weekends game against the Green Bay Packers. Philadelphia Flyers Jerseys . Roman Josi had a goal and an assist to lead the Predators to a 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Monday night. http://www.hockeyflyersauthentic.com/bobby-clarke-jersey/ . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. Scott Laughton Flyers Jersey . They had already blown a double-digit lead, fans were hitting the exits, and a long seven-game road trip waited at the end. Dave Schultz Flyers Jersey . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Cam Newton took some heat from critics when he ripped into game officials two weeks ago after Carolinas 30-20 win over Arizona, saying he didnt feel protected in the pocket.Kansas Citys Alex Smith, another mobile quarterback, says he understands Newtons point.He certainly has merit in that argument that I have seen in that they were blows to the head, helmet to helmet, Smith says. Its hard to say, I dont know thats similar across the league or if hes certainly at a disadvantage being so big. Hes such a good runner that all of a sudden hes not getting the calls.I probably havent studied enough on that. In terms of the hits Ive seen in the pocket, he very well could have had a flag thrown.Smith says he wants players and officials to be held accountable.Obviously players get held accountable for things that happen on game day. I think guys just want to see that across the board. They want referees included, Smith adds. Those guys out there, there needs to be some accountability on that. I think everyone wants to be treated the same. If some quarterbacks are getting afforded certain protection, that needs to be across the board, regardless of how big you are, how mobile you are. It needs to get called consistently.Obviously nobody is perfect, Im not saying that. There is going to be some human error, but certainly you want to see it get called consistently.---THE LONG VIEW: Minnesota Vikings left guard Alex Boone was sidelined last week against Detroit because of a concussion, a first for his eight-year NFL career. Hed only missed four games to injury before, all because of knee trouble. Boone has since passed the post-concussion testing, cleared to take the field for practice on Wednesday.He has returned with some deeper perspective, as well as better equipment. Boones wife and oldest child urged him to ditch the helmet hed been wearing for years, the oldest model left in the league, he estimated.They dont want to wheel me around when Im 35, so I will be trying a new helmet this week and probably from here on out, he says, reflecting on his old helmet like a little kids security blanket. Ive always loved it, and now Im going to have to upgrade to one of these new fancy things that Im not happy about.Boone predictably found the concussion protocol annoying, complaining about the time he had to spent sitting in front of a computer answering questions to prove his mental acuity was back to normal. But he recognized the seriousness of the injury.This is a brutal game, and sometimes you get hit in the head and things go wrong, Boone said. I have kids, and the last thing I want is to have them take care of me at 35. Its hard because I want to play and I want to do everything, but at the same time its serious and Ive got to be a dad at the same time.---COLLEGE HONOR FOR RYAN: Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan will have his No. 12 Boston College jersey retired on Nov. 19 when the Eagles play UConn. The Falcons are off next week, so Ryan will be free to attend the event.Im looking forward to that, Ryan says. It will be a fun weekend to get together with my college friends and college teammates as well as family up there. To see so many people who have impacted my life on such a huge scale and really helped me to become both the player and the person that I am.Ryan led Boston College to 25 wins in 32 starts, including three bowl victories, from 2005-07. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year in 2007, when he led the Eagles to the ACCs Atlantic Division championship.---OLD MAN WITH FRESH LEGS: Darren Sproles has become Philadelphias No. 1 running back at age 33.The versatile vetteran is an excellent punt returner and has been used mostly as a situational player throughout his career with the Chargers, Saints and Eagles.dddddddddddd But Sproles has played at least 80 percent of the snaps in the last two games and has 36 offensive touches.Meanwhile, Ryan Mathews has just eight snaps and 10 touches in those games after starting the season as the featured back.The Eagles also rotate rookie Wendell Smallwood and Kenjon Barner. Sproles blocking ability and skills as a receiver give him the nod, despite his age.Against Dallas, Darren was obviously the hot hand at the time, and we just kept feeding Darren, keeping him going, and same thing (against the Giants), coach Doug Pederson says.Sproles is averaging 4.8 yards per carry, a full yard more than Mathews. He also has 25 catches for 241 yards, including a 73-yard TD.Mathews twice ran for 1,000 yards and went to one Pro Bowl while in San Diego. He leads the team with five rushing TDs, but also has two fourth-quarter fumbles, including one that led to a 24-23 loss at Detroit.---SIEMIANS SHOULDER: Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian has been dealing with a sprained left A.C. joint since getting flung to the ground by Tampa Bay defensive tackle Clinton McDonald on Oct. 2. The size of the large bump on his left clavicle has become a grotesque barometer as to how many times hes been hit on any given week.Im fine. At this point everybody is dealing with their own little bumps and bruises, but Im fine and Ill be ready to go Sunday, Siemian says as he prepares to face the Saints this weekend.Asked what types of hits hurt his shoulder the most, Siemian shows hes not hurting enough to quash his sense of humor: The hard ones, the really hard ones.Its weird, youll get hit sometimes and youll feel good, and then sometimes you say to yourself, That kind of hurt, but thats part of the deal.---TRUE COLORS? Dallas linebacker Sean Lee is going home to Pittsburgh and will face the Steelers for the first time. He says there are likely to be more than 30 family members and friends there.The former Penn State standout wont pretend that theyre all big Cowboys fans, though. The black and gold runs too deep.I bet you theres some friends who will have a 50 jersey on and underneath it theyll have a Steelers jersey, Steelers colors, theyll be rubbing on it during the game, says Lee, the leading tackler for the Cowboys. They wont say it to my face, but behind the scenes itll be tough for them to root for the Cowboys.Lee understands, because there wasnt a bigger fan when he was a kid. Terrible Towel. Steelers jacket.He wasnt alive when the Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s and in 1980, including a pair of wins over the Cowboys. But he still had a Steel Curtain poster and a picture of Jack Lambert on the wall of his bedroom. Most of his favorite players came from the 1990s: linebackers (of course) Greg Lloyd and Kevin Greene, defensive back Carnell Lake.I was that kid who was bringing the Here We Go Steelers fight song to recess, playing it over and over again back in third grade, says Lee, referring to the 1995 season, when the Cowboys beat the Steelers in the Super Bowl. Its like here in Dallas. You grow up in Pittsburgh, youve got to be a Steelers fan.---AP Pro Football Writers Barry Wilner, Rob Maaddi, Dave Campbell and Arnie Stapleton, and Sports Writers Schuyler Dixon, Charles Odum and Steve Reed contributed.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '