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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Andy Reid has been around long enough to know that focusing on the playoffs with three games left in the regular season is foolish, a trap that can derail a team capable of much bigger things.He also knows something about human nature.So, try as he might to stop his Chiefs from pondering what the future could hold on Sunday, the old coach reluctantly acknowledged that everybody on his sideline will be well aware of the stakes.Probably everyone on the Tennessee sideline, too.I know its an important time of the year. I know that. And if youre in the hunt, every game becomes an important game, right? Reid asked. If you can just keep it that simple from a coach and player standpoint, youre doing OK. Its going to get blown up around you, but we dont talk about it.The Chiefs (10-3), tied atop the AFC West after last weeks win over Oakland, are among three teams that can clinch a playoff spot this week. Beating the Titans is the easiest way, but they could back into a playoff spot if things break their way in games involving Denver, Pittsburgh and Miami.But there is more at stake than just the playoffs, which is why Reid and Co. are focused solely on beating the red-hot Titans. They still believe they can earn a first-round bye and the AFCs No. 2 seed.Theres a lot of incentives to put on this game, Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said. You want a ticket to the dance. You cant win it unless you get in, so you want to clinch it, for sure.There are nearly as many incentives for the Titans (7-6), who are tied with Houston atop the AFC South. But while the Chiefs are almost certain to make the playoffs as a wild-card if they cant hold off Oakland in the division, the Titans only hope for the postseason may be as a division champ.I know they know the big picture, Titans coach Mike Mularkey said, echoing his counterpart, but Im going to keep them on the same picture weve been on that weve got to win this game. We have to win. We have to go to a tough environment in Kansas City, a team thats playing extremely well, and weve got to win this game or everything else is irrelevant.As two playoff contenders prepare to tangle at Arrowhead Stadium, here are some key story lines:BUNDLE UP: The Chiefs-Raiders game Thursday night ended with temperatures in the low-20s, and thats going to feel balmy. Snow is in the forecast on Saturday with temps at kickoff Sunday in the low-teens.Probably one of my last college games at Oregon, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota said, it got down into the high-20s. So this will be the coldest game Ive played, for sure.RUN, RUN, RUN: The Titans roll into the game with the leagues third-best rushing offense, buoyed by DeMarco Murrays resurgent season and Derrick Henrys increased role in the offense. And theyll be facing a Chiefs defense missing linebacker Derrick Johnson, who ruptured his Achilles tendon last week.Next man up. Thats what happened with me, Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston said. They played the first eight games this season without me and they did a great job. So its next man up. Im going to pray for him and hope he stays strong. I know hell stay strong. But the next man needs to be prepared.SPEAKING OF RUNNING: The Chiefs have struggled to run the ball for weeks, and much of the shine has worn off Spencer Ware, who was a fantasy football darling through the first six weeks.Its not one person, one scheme. Its been hit or miss on all the different schemes, Reid said. We can tighten it up, and we can give the players some things that might be a little better for what they do.TYREEK THE FREAK: Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill was the AFC special teams player of the week after his punt return touchdown against Oakland. He also caught a TD pass in the game. And with a kick return TD and a TD run, hes the first rookie since Gale Sayers to score each of those ways.I have to give a shoutout to my brothers out there on the field fighting for me, doing everything that theyre supposed to do, Hill said. Without those guys, I wouldnt be standing here in front of you.RED ZONE EFFICIENCY: The Titans are among the best in the NFL at scoring touchdowns in the red zone, while the Chiefs are among the worst. Mariota has thrown 32 TD passes without a pick in those spots.He has a very quick release and theres not a lot of room for error down there, a lot of tight windows, Mularkey said, and I think hes been very good with that.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Marc-Edouard Vlasic Jersey .Y. - New York City has been selected to host the NBA All-Star weekend in 2015, with the game played at Madison Square Garden and the slam dunk contest and other skills events held at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Evander Kane Jersey . -- Canadian Andrew Wiggins got the ball on the wing, made a nifty spin move and then let go with a soft floater from about 10 feet that swished through the net in Allen Fieldhouse. http://www.officialsharksnhlshop.com/kevin-labanc-jersey/ . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. Custom San Jose Sharks Jerseys . If ever they start actually putting pictures beside words in the dictionary, the Blue Jays left-handers mug will appear beside “Consistency. Melker Karlsson Sharks Jersey . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. He was the man of the moment for England on Tuesday, and on Saturday, the spotlight will shine on him once more -- but this time at the club level.Facing the team he left barely more than two months ago, John Stones will try to build on his solid performance for England when his Manchester City squad host Everton on Saturday in a clash of top-five teams at the Etihad.Stones had long been sought by Englands lavish-spending teams, with Jose Mourinho desperate to acquire the 22-year-olds services as an heir apparent to John Terry at Chelsea. Under former manager Roberto Martinez, the Toffees (4-2-1) rebuffed the London side thrice -- first at ￡20 million, then at ￡26 million and lastly at ￡30 million -- in a two-month span last summer.With Pep Guardiolas arrival at Manchester City (6-0-1) this offseason, the money was always going to be there for the taking, but the question was whether Evertons new manager Ronald Koeman would be able to keep the prised youngster from leaving Goodison Park. Guardiolas siren song and pedigree -- plus a ￡50 million transfer fee -- however, were enough to convince Stones that he could become an elite player at a global level at Manchester City and by extension, for England.I felt I was improving at Everton and Im working hard to continue that with my new club, Stones told Citys official website prior to Englands World Cup qualifiers.Im really enjoying being at City; weve had a good start and obviously winning helps, too -- especially when the boys are scoring goals at one end and were keeping clean sheets at the other, which of course is massive for defenders.Stones is also feeling good about his new surroundings.Im learning a new style and getting to know my teammates but overall I couldnt have asked for things to have gone much better in my first two months, he said.And the promise of that potential showed itself midweek when England played Slovenia to a scoreless road draw in World Cup qualifying. Stones stood out in central defence as the Three Lions played a scruffy match in which the best chances Slovenia created were due to errors in Englands midfield rather than the back line. It was the kind of effort people have been waiting for Stones to deliver, confirming the belief he could be in the spine of Englands defence for the next decade.While Citys defence has been good in the early going, there is still much room for improvement. The Citizens have just one shutout in league play to their credit. Their first match against a top-four opponent from last season was a jolt of reality as Tottenham Hotspur dealt Guardiola and City their first loss in any competition, winning 2-0 on Oct. 2.An own goal by Aleksander Kolarov less than 10 minutes into the game marked the first time City had trailed in Premier League play this season. They never ffound a rhythm against a Spurs team willing to pressure them high and prevent the intricate build-up that is a trademark of Guardiola-coached teams.ddddddddddddWhile Koeman can view the match footage of the work done by his fellow ex-Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino and glean some ideas for attack, Evertons revival defensively is a key reason the Toffees are one of the early surprise packages thus far. Everton have conceded a miserly five goals -- only Spurs have yielded fewer at three -- and that has helped overcome an offence that has operated in fits and spurts.Everton tallied nine goals in reeling off four straight wins from Aug. 20-Sept. 17, but they have been held to one in their last two matches, with Romelu Lukakus goal helping secure a point in a 1-1 draw versus Crystal Palace prior to the international break. After failing to score in his first three matches for Everton this season, the Belgium international has eight goals in six contests for club and country and will undoubtedly prove to be a handful for Stones as the two reunite in the penalty area for many clashes.I thought last year was really a year where my learning phase was complete and, whether I had my back to goal or I was facing play, I could do whatever was needed to score goals, Lukaku told Evertons official magazine. Weve made a good start under Ronald Koeman and, at the end of the day, if we can win something this season that would be nice.Thats looking far ahead. But the European spots have to be the main objective and I will do whatever it takes to get us there.Lukaku has three goals in 10 lifetime matches against Manchester City. Counterpart Sergio Aguero, who has gone scoreless for club and country in four straight matches -- including a third penalty miss in all competitions after failing to convert in a loss to Paraguay -- after a blazing run of 11 in his previous seven to start the season, has struck for three goals in 11 career contests versus the Toffees.While City took four of a possible six points from Everton last season, they also bounced the Toffees from the League Cup in dramatic fashion, rallying from two goals down on aggregate in the second leg to advance to the finals on a combined 4-3 scoreline. Aguero potted the winner on 76 minutes, capping a rally that saw Fernandinho and Kevin De Bryune erase that deficit after Ross Barkley had staked Everton to a 3-1 lead on aggregate less than 20 minutes into the contest.Manchester City are unbeaten in their last six (4-2-0) at home against Everton since a 2-1 defeat Dec. 20, 2010, and their first-leg defeat is the only Toffees victory in the last eight (1-2-5) in all competitions between the teams. ' ' '