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KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Every football fan has been through the experience: They watch their favorite team flounder around on offense for most of four quarters, then they slice up a defense with the two-minute drill.Naturally, everyone wonders why teams dont just run their hurry-up offense all the time.Its a totally different situation there at the end. Ive been asked that a lot, said quarterback Alex Smith, who led the Chiefs through a near-flawless two-minute exercise in their victory at Denver on Sunday night. You want to play like that all the time but its different.Smith had a hard time explaining why its different, but that doesnt change the reality. The Chiefs struggled simply to pick up first downs until they were faced with an eight-point deficit in the closing minutes, and marched 42 yards for the tying touchdown and 2-point conversion. They went on to win 30-27 on a field goal by Cairo Santos in overtime.That defense is a good defense and they have game-changing players, Smith said. You look back at their Super Bowl run, the sack-fumbles, the touchdowns and the things they can create. I know we didnt have success early, but we didnt give them those. We eliminated those. Those are the things teams feast off of. We were able to hang around and make adjustments. And then we were able to make plays down the stretch.The Chiefs have been criticized all season for their offensive production, which ranks in the bottom third of the NFL in most major categories. Smith has endured the brunt of it, too, not only as the most visible part of the offense but also because of his own erratic play.Hes missed open wide receivers. He rarely pushes the ball downfield. He has been reluctant to run. And he seems content to check down at the first sign of trouble.But when the pressure was Sunday, the veteran quarterback responded. He kept finding unheralded wide receivers and tight end Travis Kelce for first downs, and he threw a dart to Tyreek Hill with 12 seconds remaining in regulation to help force the extra session.Yeah, its weird, but I think the crazier it gets, the calmer he is, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said this week. Thats just how hes wired. It seems to just calm everybody else down. Its a unique thing. Its one of the things that makes him a great player, I think. He handles that very well.It wasnt always this way. The Chiefs have struggled going into halftime and at the end of games the past couple of years. But they spent extra time on the two-minute drill during the summer, and again in training camp, and it has paid off in a big way this season. They needed a similarly frantic comeback to beat San Diego in their opener.So again, shouldnt the Chiefs want to run that tempo all the time?The obvious answer to that is yes, co-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said, but you dont get away from what your identity is as an offense. And you have to understand, the defense is playing differently when youre in the two-minute mode, too.The Chiefs (8-3) head to Atlanta on Sunday before turning around to face Oakland on a short week at Arrowhead Stadium. Both offenses are dynamic, and the Falcons may be the best in the NFL, so there will be pressure on Smith and the rest of the Chiefs offense to keep pace.At least, for the first three quarters.They seem to do just fine in the final minutes of the fourth.A lot of games in this league come down to that, Smith said, so its something we work hard on. Its one of those things where the more you practice it, the better you are at it. Its all of us being better in a situation like that.Game notes DL Kendall Reyes (knee) and DT Dontari Poe (back spasms) did not work Thursday. ... Santos was chosen the AFC special teams player of the month. He went 11 for 11 on field goals in November, including that overtime winner against the Broncos.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL. Cheap Air Max Wholesale China . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Cheap Air Max Free Shipping .J. -- Marty Brodeur beat the Pittsburgh Penguins yet again. http://www.airmaxchinacheap.com/ . Hargreaves began his career in 2008 with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has played with the Edmonton Eskimos and last season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Air Max China Cheap . After Martin Skrtel put the Reds in front from close range at Stamford Bridge after only four minutes, Hazard hit back in the 17th with a superb strike. Etoo gave Jose Mourinhos team a decisive lead from Oscars back pass in the 34th. Wholesale Air Max Shoes . LOUIS -- St. The?Oakland Athletics?have released designated hitter/first baseman Billy Butler with one year left on his contract. He was hitting .276 with four homers and 31 RBIs in 85 games.It was time to move on, As general manager David Forst said.The at-bats just werent there. Said manager Bob Melvin: We wish him the best, but it just never ended up being a great fit here.Butler acknowledged frustration with a diminished platoon role in Oakland after playing every day most of his career. He believes he still has a lot to offer.You dont have the type of at-bats I have in the big leagues with the type of success I have for not being able to hit both sides, Butler said. I feel I can bring that to a team at a championship level and Ive proven that.Butler made headlines in August when he suffered a concussion in a fight with teammate Danny Valencia.The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the fight began before batting practice on Aug. 19 over what Butler apparentlly said to Valencia while an equipment representative was in the clubhouse.ddddddddddddAccording to the Chronicle, Butler interrupted Valencias conversation with the equipment rep to say Valencia regularly uses spikes that are in breach of his contract, adding that the reps company should terminate Valencias endorsement deal.Words were exchanged between the two players, and Valencia punched Butler in the head during a brief fight, the Chronicle reported. Butler ended up on the seven-day concussion disabled list.Butler is a career .289 hitter with 146 homers and 724 RBIs in 10 seasons. The 2012 All-Star signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the As as a free agent in 2014 after eight seasons with the Royals.Last year he hit .251 with 15 homers and 65 RBIs.Information from The Associated Press was used in this report. ' ' '