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http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/jimmy-graham-jersey from elaine's blog

KANSAS CITY http://www.greenbaypackersteamonline.com/jimmy-graham-jersey , Mo. (AP) — Andy Reid will readily admit that he loves offensive linemen.

He played the position at BYU, for one thing. He coached the big guys for years in college and in the NFL before becoming a head coach in Philadelphia and Kansas City. And that affinity for perhaps the most underappreciated position on the field has never waned during three decades in the league.

Still, it was a bit surprising to see 10 of them make the Chiefs‘ active roster last weekend.

“Yeah,” Reid acknowledged Monday, “but we like the guys we got there. We’ve kept 10 before, and you know you can’t have enough of those guys. But everything in this thing is fluid.”

The offensive line isn’t the only spot where the Chiefs made some atypical roster decisions. They also kept just two quarterbacks, Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne, in a departure from Reid’s norm, and they’ll have just two tight ends available when they open the season against the Chargers on Sunday.

Demetrius Harris will join the fold in Week 2, once he serves his one-game drug suspension.

The Chiefs also kept an additional running back, giving them four ball-carriers along with fullback Anthony Sherman. Undrafted rookie Darrel Williams was able to crack the 53-man roster along with starter Kareem Hunt and backups Damien Williams and Spencer Ware Derrius Guice Jersey , playing so well in training camp and throughout the preseason that the Chiefs didn’t want to let him go.

In fact, that belief in their youth shaped a lot of the Chiefs’ roster decisions.

They let go veteran quarterback Matt McGloin once they managed to stash undrafted free agent Chase Litton on their backup squad. They also cut loose veteran linebacker Frank Zombo, a mainstay since Reid’s arrival in 2013, in favor of undrafted rookie Ben Niemann and third-year pro Terrance Smith.

“Well, we had some good young players we wanted to keep,” Reid said, speaking specifically about the choice to keep two QBs on the active roster, but a statement that could apply to the entire roster.

“We thought we’d do that and see how it worked. But it was in order to keep some younger guys.”

The Chiefs were one of the oldest teams in the league last season, particularly on defense, where linebackers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali helped drive the average age up. They still have their share of veterans, but a significant roster turnover has helped to bring that number back down.

In the secondary alone http://www.washingtonredskinsteamonline.com/rob-kelley-jersey , the Chiefs have a trio of rookies in safety Armani Watts and cornerbacks Tremon Smith and Charvarius Ward. They also have a trio of rookie linebackers in Niemann and draft picks Breeland Speaks and Dorian O’Daniel, and another rookie up front in Derrick Nnadi.

The performance of the defensive backfield, though, will draw plenty of attention on Sunday. That’s because safety Eric Berry remains a question mark after a heel injury kept him out most of training camp, and the group was so shaky in preseason games that some late-camp additions were made.

Orlando Scandrick signed a free-agent deal to solidify cornerback. The Chiefs also traded for Ward the night of their preseason finale, then signed veteran safety Ron Parker over the weekend.

“We do have a couple of new, younger guys. I do like them,” Reid said. “There’s a good nucleus with that group. I have a lot of confidence in (defensive backs coach) Al Harris, and we’ll just give those guys an opportunity to grow. I’m good with the whole cornerback situation. I like what we have there. I’m looking forward to seeing how those guys develop throughout the season.”

Reid could say the same for just about every position on the team.

Notes: Reid declined to say whether Berry will be available for the opener, calling him day to day. “We’ll see how it goes,” Reid said. … Parker spent the past four seasons with the Chiefs before signing with Atlanta Dustin Hopkins Jersey , which cut him last week. Reid said the veteran safety looked good in the preseason, though, and that he was hampered by a high ankle sprain much of last season. “He knows the system, knows the scheme,” Reid said. “We have a lot of trust in him.” … The Chiefs cut OL Bryan Witzmann and claimed OL Austin Reiter off waivers from Cleveland.

Sidney Crosby passed Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh’s record book and pushed the Philadelphia Flyers to the brink of elimination.

Flyers fans booed the goal – and the ones that stuck around for the end belted a familiar refrain: “Fire Hakstol! Fire Hakstol!”

Crosby scored his fifth goal of the series and became the Penguins‘ career postseason points leader in a 5-0 win over the Flyers on Wednesday night.

The Penguins lead the first-round playoff series 3-1 as its shifts to Pittsburgh for Game 5 on Friday. Crosby and the Penguins followed a 7-0 Game 1 win and a 5-1 Game 3 victory with another dominant outing.

Matt Murray stopped 26 shots for his second shutout of the series and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins are a win away from playing in the second round for the 11th time in the last 12 seasons.

Crosby scored in the second period for a 4-0 lead and topped the team owner and Hall of Famer in Lemieux for most playoff points with 173.

”A lot of his records aren’t going to be touched,” Crosby said. ”The fact I can be close to him and around that one, I guess I’ve been fortunate to play in a number of playoff games helps a lot.”

The Flyers were already on their second goalie by the time Crosby scored. The Penguins chased Brian Elliott early in the period after the maligned goalie allowed his 14th goal of the series. Michal Neuvirth relived Elliott and it didn’t matter. Neuvirth lost track of the puck behind the net and had his head turned to the right when Crosby found it and snapped it under the goalie’s left skate.

”I was in a good spot. The puck ended up right on my stick,” Crosby said.

The Flyers were confused. The Penguins were composed.

And it so it goes in Philly, the Flyers are a loss away from another empty season without the Stanley Cup.

”Somehow, we need to get our confidence back and go from there,” team captain Claude Giroux said.

Disgruntled Flyers fans chanted from the balcony to the concourse for the Flyers to fire third-year coach Dave Hakstol.

Both teams played without key cogs in their lineup: Sean Couturier (who had career highs with 31 goals and 76 points) was injured Tuesday at practice in a vicious collision with teammate Radko Gudas; the Pens played without top-line forward Patric Hornqvist because of an undisclosed injury.

Giroux Rico Gathers Jersey , who scored 102 points during the season, has not scored a posteason goal since 2014.

”One game away for the season to be over,” Giroux said. ”You can expect this team to have some fight the next game.”

The Flyers pulled out all their good-luck charms.

The national champion Villanova Wildcats were in the house and star guard Phil Booth screamed ”Are you ready for some hockey?”

Flyers fans heard the usual stirring rendition of ”God Bless America,” live by Lauren Hart and on video by the late Kate Smith. The song has been a rallying anthem for the Flyers since Smith began singing it in the mid 1970s. Hart started the song, then looked up to the big screen and passed it off to Smith. They finished in a split-screen duet.

Once the pageantry settled down, the Penguins poured it on.

Crosby’s on-point pass on the power play led to Evgeni Malkin’s third goal of the playoff just 4:33 into the game. Phil Kessel scored his first of the postseason midway through the period. Kris Letang made it 3-0 in the second and that was all for Elliott.

Riley Sheahan made it 5-0 late in the third. Neuvirth stopped 11 of 13 shots in relief.

”We won in their building on the second game so that’s the attitude we’re going to take,” Neuvirth said.

Murray was solid again, and stoned Travis Konency on a breakaway out of the penalty box in the second that had the second-year center slam his stick on the ice in anger.

”They had their chances, at times,” Murray said. ”But we got the job done.”

NOTES: Couturier was named a Selke Trophy finalist as the league’s best defensive forward. … 2018 Olympic hockey gold medalists Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando hosted a clinic and helped donate equipment on behalf of a volunteer effort at the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. Snider was the Flyers founder and chairman until his death in 2016. … Crosby scored on all three goalies the Flyers have used in the series. … The Flyers are 2 for 17 on the power play in the series.

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