Dein erstes Forum » The Kansas City Chiefs‘ defense had been hearing

KANSAS CITY http://www.packerscheapshoponline.com/cheap-authentic-jace-sternberger-jersey , Mo. (AP) — all season about how bad they were, and how they were the biggest threat to an offensive juggernaut falling short of reaching the Super Bowl.Then they shut down the Oakland Raiders in Week 17.Now, the Raiders are hardly one of the NFL’s premier offenses, and they rolled into Arrowhead Stadium with little impetus to play hard. But by holding Derek Carr and the rest of the Oakland offense in check, it gave the Chiefs some positive momentum heading into the playoffs, not to mention proof that some subtle tweaks to their personnel packages had paid dividends.“We just have to keep it rolling,” said linebacker Justin Houston, their longtime emotional leader. “It’s a great time for us to play like this. We were firing on all cylinders from the front to the back end (against Oakland) and now we just have to build off it.”That’s because Andrew Luck and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts, who come to Kansas City for the divisional round on Saturday, represent a massive upgrade in competition.Luck threw the second-most touchdown passes in the NFL this season, behind the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, and enjoyed one of the best offensive line performances in the league.Their offense isn’t a one-trick pony, either. They dominated the Texans on the ground in a 21-7 win in the wild-card game, when Marlon Mack piled up 148 yards rushing and a touchdown.Together Dexter Williams Jersey , the Colts have roared into the postseason with seven wins in eight games.“Andrew’s going to get you every once in a while,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, “and you’ve got to make sure you get him more than he gets you, but he’s got a lot of good players around him. That offensive line, people can argue with you that it’s the best in the National Football League. You look at the receivers, they’ve got good receivers, they’ve got good tight ends, you go all the way around.“You’ve got to bring your best. That’s what the playoffs are all about,” Reid added. “This is the best in the National Football League, which is the best in the world, and you have an opportunity to do that. That’s an exciting thing, but you better bring your best every play.”The question for the Chiefs is simple, though: Is their best good enough?Indianapolis was fifth in scoring while the Chiefs were 24th in scoring defense. They were last in the league in rush defensive efficiency, average yards after contact and first-down percentage Nick Bosa Jersey , and they were second-to-last in yards-per-carry allowed despite many teams trying to play catch-up.As bad as those numbers were, though, the Chiefs were actually respectable against the pass. And they were downright dominant when it came to pressuring the quarterback, generating sacks on 7.4 percent of pass plays — better even than Khalil Mack and the Bears — and pressure on 31.1 percent of them.That means an intriguing matchup between the Colts offensive line, which hasn’t allowed anybody to have more than one sack in a game since Week 4, and the Chiefs’ pass dominant rush.“The goal and strategy remains the same,” Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni said. “Run the football and set up other things by running it, and then be successful in situational football.”The Chiefs made some key personnel changes late in the season, effectively benching veteran safety Ron Parker and cornerback Orlando Scandrick. Daniel Sorensen, Charvarius Ward and Jordan Lucas have been playing more, and their results against woebegone Oakland were encouraging.The Chiefs also could get safety Eric Berry back after he missed Week 17 with a recurrence of his heel injury. Berry only played a couple of games this season, but he changed the entire dynamic of the Kansas City defense for the snaps he was on the field.“We’ve just got to lock in,” Chiefs cornerback Kendall Fuller said. “For us, we’re inside this building. That’s the only thing we’re focusing on. I’m not a big social media guy. We just come together week-in and week-out L.J. Collier Jersey , to win on Saturday. We just keep it in-house and focus on each other.”Notes: Berry and WR Sammy Watkins (foot) participated in the portion of practice open to the media on Tuesday. DT Derrick Nnaddi (concussion) also said that he’d been cleared to rejoin practice. … OLB Dorian O’Daniel did not practice because of a calf and ankle injury. Edwin Jackson figures he’ll enjoy pitching for as long as teams are willing to put him on the mound.

Jackson tied a record Monday when he played for his 13th major league club, allowing a run in six innings for the Oakland Athletics in their 5-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers. Called up from Triple-A for his first big league appearance of 2018, Jackson matched the mark for most teams set by former reliever Octavio Dotel.

”It’s always good to be wanted,” Jackson said. ”When I can’t find a team that wants to bring me in, then I guess it’ll be time to sit it down. But until then, I like to come out. I like to compete, to have fun. I feel like I still have something in me and that I can bring value to a team.”

Jed Lowrie hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the top of the ninth. The A’s trailed 4-1 after Detroit’s Nicholas Castellanos hit a three-run homer in the seventh, but Oakland scored three in the eighth off Joe Jimenez to tie it. Then Lowrie connected for his 12th home run of the year, barely fair down the line in right field off a cutter from Shane Greene (2-4).

Lou Trivino (6-1) got the win in relief, and Blake Treinen pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances. The A’s have won seven of nine.

Jordan Zimmermann pitched five scoreless innings for the Tigers, but that wasn’t enough to prevent Detroit’s sixth straight loss.

”I felt good,” Zimmermann said. ”I threw a lot of sliders today, and they were pretty good.”

Stephen Piscotty and Jonathan Lucroy had three hits apiece for Oakland. Piscotty hit a solo homer in the seventh to tie it at 1. The A’s have homered in a record 26 consecutive road games.

The 34-year-old Jackson allowed six hits and struck out seven with no walks. It was his first start since Sept. 28, when he was with Washington.

”For most guys http://www.seahawkscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-marquise-blair-jersey , it’s tough to go to a new team in the middle of a season. There can be some nerves and some uncomfortableness being with a new team,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. ”This is probably the last guy that you worry about that, being that it’s his 13th team. He seemed real comfortable when he came out of the bullpen, seemed really comfortable when he took the mound. That has a lot to do with experience.”

Down by three in the eighth, Oakland chipped away against Jimenez. Marcus Semien hit a sacrifice fly, and Lucroy followed with an RBI single. Then Franklin Barreto tied it with a run-scoring double.

John Hicks hit an RBI single for Detroit in the fourth to open the scoring.

Oakland center fielder Dustin Fowler made a diving catch with a runner on second to end the seventh.

JOURNEY

Jackson made his big league debut in 2003 with the Dodgers. He’s also pitched for the Rays, Tigers, Diamondbacks, White Sox, Cardinals, Nationals, Cubs, Braves, Marlins D.K. Metcalf Jersey , Padres and Orioles. Detroit traded him in 2009 as part of the three-team deal with Arizona and the New York Yankees that brought Max Scherzer to the Tigers.

”I’ve been playing against him forever, so I was pretty familiar with his stuff, just from a hitting standpoint,” said Lucroy, Oakland’s catcher. ”Look, this guy’s an innings eater. He throws strikes. He fills the zone up, attacks guys. Veteran pitcher who knows exactly what he’s doing out there.”

Monday marked eight years since Jackson threw a no-hitter for Arizona at Tampa Bay.

CITIZENS

Before the game, the Tigers held a ceremony for a group of people being sworn in as American citizens. Included were Detroit shortstop Jose Iglesias and outfielder Leonys Martin, both natives of Cuba.

”It’s amazing,” Iglesias said before the game. ”Become an American citizen on a ballpark, and with full uniform and everything. It’s a blessing.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Athletics: Oakland reinstated LHP Ryan Buchter from the disabled list. He’d been on the DL since April 26 with a strained left shoulder. The A’s also purchased Jackson’s contract from Triple-A Nashville, designated RHP Liam Hendriks for assignment and optioned OF Nick Martini to Nashville.

UP NEXT

Detroit sends LHP Blaine Hardy (3-1) to the mound Tuesday night against Oakland RHP Frankie Montas (4-1).

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