Two Premier League titles aside, Manchester City finally showed once and for all they are ready to be counted among Europes elite clubs.Coming off what could be a franchise-altering victory over Barcelona, City now try to avoid the dreaded letdown Saturday when they host new boys Middlesbrough.Things looked bleak at the Etihad on Tuesday after the Citizens fell behind 1-0 on Lionel Messis goal in the 21st minute. Here were Manchester City (7-2-1), playing with their backup goalkeeper, their confidence still fragile with one win in their last seven matches and on the verge of seeing the Catalan giants -- the class of Europe -- put together another one of their masterpieces that would again expose the gulf in class between the sides.Instead, Pep Guardiolas charges dug in against his former side and weathered the onslaught. And a goal by Ilkay Gundogan on 39 minutes leveled the match and changed the fortunes of Manchester City, likely for the short term and possibly forever.The hallmarks of high pressing and fluid passing Guardiola instilled at Barcelona now became Citys, and they took advantage of a weakened Spanish spine minus Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta to add second-half goals by Kevin De Bruyne and Gundogan again for a 3-1 victory that left them needing only three more points to secure passage back into the knockout round of the Champions League.If you talk about the first 30 minutes, we are not able to compare against the best teams, Guardiola said. This club was 25, 30 years out of Europe, while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich were playing every year.We need time. We are three or four months into playing a different way. We try and now we won against the best team. For the future generations they are going to realise: wow these guys are able to beat the best team.Gundogan has played every bit the part of the ￡20 million transfer fee City paid Borussia Dortmund over the summer of late with braces in back-to-back contests. The German international had scored just once in his first eight matches after missing most of summer training due to a dislocated kneecap.While Sergio Aguero did not score, Guardiola singled out his striker for a relentless effort in leading the high line of pressure that unnerved Barcas backline, noting that he played awesome.It was also the type of effort City supporters had been waiting for Raheem Sterling to give since his arrival from Liverpool prior to last season -- running into the ground and being smart with possession, evidenced by his pass to set up Gundogans first goal. Yet for everything City did right, and there was plenty they did right, it could all go for naught without a victory to follow this weekend.The game against Middlesbrough will be another tough test, it will be completely different than against Barcelona, but in the end, we have to do the job and win the game, De Bruyne said.So into the cauldron of the Etihad enter Middlesbrough (2-4-4), still trying to find their bearings in the top flight and looking for any and every way to find points now that will help them in the relegation scrap they will likely endure come springtime.Boro snapped a six-match winless streak last Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Bournemouth as Gaston Ramirez and Stewart Downing scored on either side of halftime, and they recorded a second consecutive clean sheet after shipping nine goals the previous five matches.We defended as a team -- mistakes have cost us in the past, Downing told the teams official website. Everyone put a shift in but thats what you need, everyone on your mettle when youre going for points in the Premier League.Manager Aitor Karanka will have a few more options to choose from in his starting XI for this match as Marten de Roon and leading scorer Christian Stuani are expected to be available. Additionally, midfielder and talisman Grant Leadbitter could also make the squad after playing for Boros Under-23 team Monday.I said always how important he is for the team, Karanka said. Even when he was injured, he was traveling with the team, and you can feel his character on the pitch and in the changing room.Now with him training and playing it is a massive and important thing for us.Even with the reinforcements, expect Middlesbrough to be compact against Manchester City similar to how they held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw despite conceding 70 percent possession to the Gunners.The teams last met in the top flight in the 2008-09 season, when the home team held serve in both matches. 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A bottle of Geritol for the Jets.?A time machine for the Bears and Titans. NFL Nation reporters pick out Black Friday?presents for all 32 teams.NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC WestNFC EASTDallas CowboysA new pass-rusher.Every team would like one, but the Cowboys are in desperate need, even if some assembly is required. For years the Cowboys had DeMarcus Ware, who turned into the franchise leader in sacks. Every time they broke the huddle, offenses had to account for No. 94. Without that dominant pass-rusher, offenses dont need to put extra attention on any of Dallas pass-rushers. The Cowboys would wait in line for a long time and start some sort of in-store scuffle to get that pass-rusher. If they dont make a playoff run, that will be their downfall. -- Todd ArcherNew York GiantsA 2011 postseason handbook for the entire team.The Giants were a wild-card team in 11. They had a bad running game and an offensive line that wasnt very good. All they did was put it together in the postseason and win the Super Bowl. Odell Beckham Jr. and the other 47 Giants who werent on that team would benefit from learning how its done. -- Jordan RaananPhiladelphia EaglesAn air horn.This is to be set off next to coach Doug Pederson for every pass play he calls beyond the 35 mark. He knows the winning formula requires this team to pound the rock and eat up clock, but sometimes he allows the situation to move him away from the plan despite the fact that the Eagles have been competitive in every game theyve played. Rookie quarterback Carson Wentz has averaged 45 pass attempts over the teams past three losses. In the teams five wins, he has averaged 33 attempts. Sometimes, a little reminder is all you need. -- Tim McManusWashington RedskinsAn ATM.That way the Redskins can re-sign quarterback Kirk Cousins without any excuses (well, there is that pesky salary cap and that ultimately is the key factor, but lets not ruin a good gift here). The Redskins are being prudent knowing theyll have other key free agents to sign not only this offseason but next. Cant blame them. But since becoming the starter to open the 2015 season, Cousins has thrown for a combined 46 touchdowns to 19 interceptions. Those are numbers that should lead to a big deal for any passer, even one who is surrounded by excellent talent. Cousins has probably played as well as he ever has in the past five games. Its not about the touchdowns -- 10 to two interceptions -- its his handling of the protection and audibles that has pleased coaches most. And led to more success. -- John KeimNFC NORTHChicago BearsDoc Emmett Browns DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future.The entire city of Chicago wants the 2016 season to be over. The 2-8 Bears are poised to miss the playoffs for the sixth straight year, and nine seasons out of 10. Maybe if the team jumps ahead to 2020 or 2025, the Bears will discover theyre perennial playoff contenders. If any franchise needs a time machine -- besides the Browns -- its the Bears. -- Jeff DickersonDetroit LionsSome of the Cubs and Cavs fairy dust.This has been the year of the beleaguered franchises finally winning titles (or in the Indians case, making the World Series). Few franchises in the NFL have been worse in the Super Bowl era than the Lions, with one playoff win since the modern-day NFL was constructed and no divisional titles since the 1993 season. Detroit has had the knack for the comeback this season, and while it doesnt have a LeBron James or an Anthony Rizzo, it has put itself ?in position to make a run for the playoffs. The Lions could use some of what pushed the Cubs and Cavs to a title to help them achieve success (A divisional title? A playoff win? More?) similar to what their fellow Midwestern cities have enjoyed. -- Michael RothsteinGreen Bay PackersNoise-canceling headphones.A pair for general manager Ted Thompson, coach Mike McCarthy, quarterback Aaron Rodgers and defensive coordinator Dom Capers. That way they wont have to hear the criticism, or white noise as Rodgers called it, that has been -- and likely will continue to be -- directed their way this season. -- Rob DemovskyMinnesota VikingsA refund on their plan to fix the offensive line this year.Pay it out however youd like -- the return of an injured tackle like Matt Kalil, or a credit to their salary-cap space -- but because the Vikings have more than $30 million of their salary cap on injured reserve, theyre currently left with less than $500,000 to improve the roster. It was part of the reason making a trade for a veteran tackle would have been difficult at the deadline, and after the Vikings spent much of the offseason addressing the line, injuries have put them in worse shape this year than they were in last season. -- Ben GoesslingNFC SOUTHAtlanta FalconsFifty-three bottles of 5-Hour Energy.This is so the Falcons dont fall asleep down the stretch en route to the playoffs. A streak of three consecutive seasons without making the playoffs should end if the Falcons simply take care of business at home over the last six games. They lead the NFC South at 6-4 and are on track for a home playoff game. Dont blow it. -- Vaughn McClureCarolina PanthersA yearlong supply of Brylcreem.Remember? A little dab will do you. The Panthers need the magic they had a year ago when quarterback Cam Newton made the dab the talk of the NFL if they hope to get on the roll needed for a return to the playoffs. The Atlanta-based dance wont win games, but if the Panthers start playing loose like they did when they dabbed through the regular season with a 15-1 record it cant hurt. It especially cant hurt Newton, who has thrown only three touchdown passes in his past four games. -- David NewtonNew Orleans SaintsHelium-filled footballs for field goals and extra points.The 4-6 Saints have now lost three games that can directly be linked to blocked kicks: a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown in a 16-13 loss at the Giants in Week 2, an extra-point attempt returned for the game-winning two-point conversion in a 25-23 loss to the Broncos in Week 10, and a blocked field goal that set up a 40-yard touchdown pass before halftime of last weeks 23-20 loss to the Panthers. The Saints brought in a new veteran special teams coach this week, but they need all the help they can get. -- Mike TriplettTampa Bay BuccaneersA compass.The Bucs need one because they are 4-1 on the road and 1-4 at home this season, and they clearly need to be reminded of where home turf actually is. It isnt just this season, either. The Bucs are 18-43 at home since 2009, the worst such record in the NFL during that span. While youre at it, and this is a special request coming from several Bucs fans -- get Jameis Winston a recording of the Florida State Seminoles war chant to play at Raymond James Stadium, because when he heard the chop chant at Arrowhead Stadium last week, he said it got him fired up on third down, and he went 12-of-15 on third down, while fellow former Seminole?Roberto Aguayo made all four field goals. -- Jenna LaineNFC WESTArizona CardinalsThe 2015 offense.It was the best in the NFL, led by an excellent Carson Palmer. His performance last season, in which he set career highs in yards and touchdowns, earned him an MVP vote. He was also throwing to a wide receiving corps that played to its talent level. Larry Fitzgerald set a career high with 109 catches and had 1,000 yards for the first time since 2011, John Brown broke 1,000 yards and Michael Floyd?finished the season with five 100-yard games in his final eight. The offense was ranked No. 1 in yards per game, yards per play and passing yards per play. This year its ranked ninth, 22nd and 23rd in those respective categories, which has led to the Cardinals going 4-5-1 through 10 games and not living up to the Super Bowl hype that started the season. -- Josh WeinfussLos Angeles RamsA massage chair for Todd Gurley.Sharper Image has some really great massage chairs, one of which even features foot-and-calf massager and dual lumbar heating units. Lets get one for the Rams star running back. The poor guy has been taking a beating in his second NFL season. Gurley has the misfortune of being the feature running back for a team with an inferior offensive line that is having a hard time blocking defenses that are stacking the box to stop him. He is averaging only 1.59 rushing yards before first contact, which ranks 41st among 43 qualified runners. Those muscles need tending to. -- Alden GonzalezSan Francisco 49ersA DVD box set of the old ESPN television show Playmakers.The show ended after one season, but it had 11 entertaining episodes, and everyone knows the Niners could use about that many playmakers on their roster right about now, not to mention some entertainment for their fans. San Franciscos roster is mostly devoid of game-changing players, with a serious need for pass-rushers, wide receivers and a quarterback, among other positions. Since the pursuit of actual plaaymakers will have to wait until the offseason, maybe the show can at least get the Niners through the final six games.dddddddddddd-- Nick WagonerSeattle SeahawksNeck pillows.Really big neck pillows. The Seahawks will make one of the longest trips an NFL team can make this weekend when they travel to Tampa to take on the Buccaneers. On the season, the Seahawks will travel the third-most miles (27,766) of any team in the league. But so far, theyve had positive results on the long trips. Pete Carrolls team lost to the Saints in New Orleans but played two of its best games of the season when traveling east to face the Jets and the Patriots. With a strong finish, the Seahawks can earn a top-two seed in the NFC and minimize their travel in the postseason. -- Sheil KapadiaAFC EASTBuffalo BillsFuzzy Bills slippers for Sammy Watkins.After he returned to practice Wednesday after weeks on injured reserve, the Bills could use Watkins help as they attempt to climb in the AFC standings and sneak into the playoffs. Watkins left foot has been a source of frustration for Bills fans since he underwent surgery in the spring, and a pair of slippers would surely go a long way to keeping him comfortable and pain-free moving forward. -- Mike RodakMiami DolphinsMore national recognition.This is an easy gift for the Dolphins, and it doesnt cost a thing. Miami has been a nice, under-the-radar story for more than a month during its five-game winning streak. The team isnt getting nearly the same national publicity as other hot teams such as the Cowboys, Patriots, Seahawks or Raiders, however. The Dolphins are playing just as well as those teams, but without the fanfare. -- James WalkerNew England PatriotsResistance bands for every player.Before almost every game, quarterback Tom Brady goes through the same routine of using resistance bands to loosen up, and it has seemed to make him faster and more elusive, even at age 39. One can picture it now: a full team resistance-band workout before each game, with Brady leading the way. -- Mike ReissNew York JetsA bottle of Geritol.This is for the old guys -- specifically, the old guys who arent playing up to their standards. Were talking about quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (34), wide receiver Brandon Marshall (32) and cornerback Darrelle Revis (31). They were deemed three of the most important players at the start of the season. From a production standpoint, theyre all suffering through their worst seasons, especially Revis. -- Rich CiminiAFC NORTHBaltimore RavensIndustrial-grade duct tape.This will help the Ravens hold together a banged-up offensive line. Four of five starters have missed at least one game due to injury, and the Ravens have had different lineups for seven straight games. It has gotten so bad that Pro Bowl left guard Marshal Yanda has shifted to right guard because it will allow him to be most effective with a left shoulder injury. The injuries along the offensive line are a big reason for the Ravens struggles to run the ball and protect quarterback Joe Flacco. -- Jamison HensleyCincinnati BengalsA copy of The Replacements.Quarterback Shane Falco was nicknamed Footsteps for his tendency to run from pressure to avoid being sacked. Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton has been sacked 29 times this season. He might want to give the movie a look to avoid the same mistakes. Plus, with A.J. Green out for an unknown period of time, Giovani Bernard out for the season, and Dre Kirkpatrick and Shawn Williams dealing with injuries, the movie might not be so bad to watch. -- Katherine TerrellCleveland BrownsTheir old uniforms.Its one thing to be 0-11. Its quite another to jettison 50 years of a traditional look and then go 0-11. Check the longtime traditional NFL teams -- the Bears, Packers, Steelers and Giants. Do they overhaul their look? -- Pat McManamonPittsburgh SteelersSweatin to the Oldies: The Complete Collection.The Steelers are ranked 21st in total defense, so its time to call up Richard Simmons to channel the old days when Pittsburgh was the NFLs best. The Steelers can have every volume for their library. Clearly this is the best motivation for a playoff push. Even James Harrison agrees. -- Jeremy FowlerAFC SOUTHHouston TexansThis ones for the entire league -- a new way to measure first downs.In the Texans loss to the Raiders on Monday night, there were two questionable spots/measurements that went against Houston in the fourth quarter. Both appeared to be first downs, and even though the Texans challenged the fourth-down play, the call stood. After the game, coach Bill OBrien said, Weve got all these cameras. We cant get that right? Perhaps a chip in the football could help the NFL get some of those calls right. Those calls were made in a tied game in the fourth quarter, and had the Texans won, they would have been 7-3 with playoff tiebreakers against the Raiders and Chiefs. -- Sarah BarshopIndianapolis ColtsAn unlimited supply of Adam Vinatieris diet for older defenders.Whatever the 43-year-old kicker is eating and drinking is clearly working -- he has missed only one field goal attempt since Week 2 of the 2015 season. Now its time for Vinatieri to share the wealth. The Colts have five defensive starters over the age of 30, and they need to step up during the final six games if Indianapolis expects to catch the Texans in the AFC South. The Colts rank 30th in the NFL in total defense. -- Mike WellsJacksonville JaguarsA GPS unit. Maybe it would help quarterback Blake Bortles do a better job of finding his receivers. His completion percentage is actually better this season (60.2 percent) than it was in either of his first two seasons, but hes still missing receivers by significant margins at times. Hes just 1-for-13 on passes that have traveled 30 or more yards in the air and most of those passes havent been close. He also has had trouble finding guys on crossing patterns. He has consistently thrown behind receivers, and three interceptions have come off passes that Marqise Lee had to reach behind him to try to catch and tipped. -- Mike DiRoccoTennessee TitansThe same time machine the Bears got, but this one to go back, not ahead.If the Titans could just redo Oct. 23, when the injury-depleted Colts came to Nashville. Marcus Mariota holds on to the ball when he drops back with 1:55 left in the game down four points rather than letting defensive tackle T.Y. McGill pop the ball from his hands and watching Robert Mathis recover it for a 14-yard touchdown. The Titans end their losing streak to the Colts at nine. Surgically remove, repair and reinsert that game and leave everything else alone, and the Titans are 6-5, in second place and just behind 6-4 Houston right now. -- Paul KuharskyAFC WESTDenver BroncosA boxed set of Titanic DVDs -- with bonus features.The No. 1 film at the box office in 1998 brings along memories of the Broncos offensive line play that season. They carved out enough room for Terrell Davis to top 2,000 yards rushing and win a league MVP award in 1998. The Broncos have struggled in the offensive front for most of this season and in many ways it is the single biggest reason some in the league say the team cant repeat as Super Bowl champions. -- Jeff LegwoldKansas City ChiefsTheir offense from 2003.That Chiefs team set a club record in scoring with 484 points, or more than 30.0 per game. Thirty points is a dream for the 2016 Chiefs. Theyve reached that level only twice this season, once when starting quarterback Alex Smith missed half of the game because of an injury. The Chiefs are wasting a potentially successful season because theyre dragging an offense that has trouble converting on third downs and is horrible in the red zone. The 2003 Chiefs met their doom in the playoffs because of a lousy defense. In 2016, having a lousy defense sounds to Chiefs fans like a good problem to have. -- Adam TeicherOakland RaidersAn answer about?Aldon Smiths reinstatement.The outside linebackers yearlong suspension ended Nov. 17, but the Raiders are waiting on the final word from commissioner Roger Goodell. Coach Jack Del Rio talked with Goodell briefly on the field Monday night in Mexico City but said that subject did not come up. With six games to go for the 8-2 and first-place Raiders, Smith would add an intriguing element to Oaklands pass rush, so long as he has his personal life in order. But the Raiders would love to know, one way or another, whether or not the former All-Pro will be with them for a playoff push. -- Paul GutierrezSan Diego ChargersA jar of Stickum.The Chargers are tied for the league lead with 22 turnovers, including 10 in the fourth quarter. San Diegos inability to hold on to the football is one of the primary reasons the Chargers are 6-15 in games decided by eight or fewer points since the start of the 2015 season. The Chargers need some help holding on to the football, and a little Stickum could do the trick. -- Eric D. Williams ' ' '