up 22-11 and it was 24-14 at the end of the first quarter. M

The man who brought as much value to the position as anyone in football history, Smith is the career rushing leader with 18,355 yards. DeMarco Murray, the guy currently toting the ball for the team Smith helped win three Super Bowls, the Dallas Cowboys, isnt faring too poorly this season. Murray has rushed for at least 100 yards in all eight games, an NFL mark, and is on pace to gain 2,000 yards on the ground.Further proof, Smith says, that the running back is an important cog, even in todays pass-happy NFL.That the league has drifted to becoming a quarterback-focused league, the demands for a running back have been neutralized a bit, Smith says. Everyone wants to get that quarterback.But there are not that many Aaron Rodgers or Peyton Mannings or Tom Bradys or Philip Rivers. Its been proven through time that to have success in the NFL, you have to have that balance.Look at the teams who have won Super Bowls recently. Seattle last year could run the ball. Pittsburgh, Baltimore. Even San Francisco when you go back, could run the ball. And we could run it. You have to have that running game to win championships.Smith believes Murray can crack the 2,000-yard barrier, but only if he and everyone around him can stay healthy. Thats already in question with quarterback Tony Romo nursing a back problem.Smith plans to attend the Super Bowl and has hopes the Cowboys will get there for the first time since he helped them win the 1995 NFL title. First, hell be attending the college football championship at the Cowboys home stadium, which he calls Jerrys World.As part of a contest sponsored by Keurig (www.Tailgate.Keurig.com), fans can win a trip to the game to spend time with Smith — and not just brewing coffee.Its a chance for me to engage with the fans up close and personal, Smith says. We can talk football and anything else they want to talk about.___LYSTEDT LAW: The Brain Injury Alliance of Washington will celebrate this weekend the passage of youth sports concussion laws in all 50 states.The NFL and USA Football, the governing body for the sport, have played roles in helping get the Lystedt Law passed throughout the nation. Commissioner Roger Goodell will accept the organizations 2014 Leadership Award on behalf of the NFL at a gala in Seattle.Such laws were inspired by Zack Lystedt. In 2006, Lystedt suffered a brain injury following his return to a middle school football game after sustaining a concussion. Zackery, his family and a broad range of medical, business and community partners lobbied the Washington state legislature for a law to better protect young athletes in all sports.In 2010, Goodell sent letters to the governors of 44 states that did not have concussion laws urging them to pass something similar to the Lystedt Law. The NFL advocated for the laws until every state had one.That has happened.The passage of the Lystedt Law in all 50 states is an important step for all young athletes and their parents, says Goodell, whose teenage twin daughters have played soccer and lacrosse. The Lystedts and the Brain Injury Alliance of Washington should rightfully be proud of all that they did to make the nationwide passage a reality. We are honoured to support their work to protect all young players, no matter what sport they play.We will continue to focus on making our game better and safer and setting the right example on health and safety in sports.VACATION OR SUIT UP?: The New York Giants cost cornerback Mike Harris a vacation.A member of the Lions practice squad, Harris was on his way to the airport for a flight home during Detroits bye week when he got a call that the Giants had signed him on Tuesday.Vacation over.Harris changed his plans and planes, went to New Jersey and practiced with the team on Thursday for its game against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday night.Harris, who spent the 2012-13 seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars and made seven starts in 31 games, is ready to play.You have to be ready, Harris said. You never know when your number is going to be called.In Harris case, you also never know where you are going to be when your phone number is called, and what it might cost you.I would rather lose the bye week rather than spend another week on the practice squad, he said.JERSEY REPORT: As the league approaches the halfway point for all 32 teams, who has the hottest-selling jerseys?Who else but the quarterbacks?Denvers Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Andrew Luck and Seattles Russell Wilson rank at the top according to sales at Dicks Sporting Goods stores. Four other QBs make the Top 10: Baltimores Joe Flacco is sixth, Carolinas Cam Newton is eighth, New Englands Tom Brady is ninth and — even though he is a backup who rarely gets on the field — Cleveland rookie Johnny Manziel is 10th.Only one defensive player is in the Top 10, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly at No. 5.Fifth is Eagles running back LeSean McCoy, and seventh is Bears receiver Brandon Marshall.The defending champion Seahawks top the team sales chart, followed by Denver, Carolina, Chicago and Baltimore.___AP Pro Football Writer Barry Wilner and Sports Writer Tom Canavan contributed to this story.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Stitched Soccer Jerseys .com) - The Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Seth Curry on Tuesday. Cheap Soccer Jerseys China . Six years of waiting are finally over for the Dallas defenceman. Daley had a goal and an assist, Kari Lehtonen recorded his fifth shutout of the season, and the Stars clinched their first playoff berth since 2008 with a 3-0 victory against the St. https://www.fakesoccerjerseys.com/ . Henry, who missed three games with a knee injury, was charged with a handball in the penalty area in the 82nd minute as he went to block a strike from Patrick Mullins. On the ensuing penalty kick, Lee Nguyen picked up his fourth goal of the season, giving the Revolution a 2-1 win Saturday afternoon. Fake Soccer Jerseys . Chris Heisey connected for his first grand slam and Devin Mesoraco homered and drove in a career high-tying four runs as Cincinnati took advantage of Tampa Bays depleted pitching staff for a 12-4 victory on Sunday. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Authentic . Portland won Game 4 Sunday night at the Moda Center and are now up 3-1. The last time the Blazers won a playoff series came in the 2000 Western Conference semifinals against the Utah Jazz.PHOENIX - The Memphis Grizzlies are back in the playoffs and the upstart Phoenix Suns are staying home. Mike Conley and Zach Randolph made the critical plays in the final 68 seconds and the Grizzlies pulled out a 97-91 victory over Phoenix that clinched the last playoff spot in the West and eliminated the Suns from post-season competition. Randolph scored 32 points to lead the inside power game that was just enough for Memphis to beat the Suns for the fourth time in four games this season. There were 15 lead changes in an intense fourth quarter, with Memphis scoring the final seven after Phoenix took a 91-90 lead on Miles Plumlees tip-in with 1:27 to play. Conley, taking a pass from Randolph, followed with a 3-pointer that put the Grizzlies up 93-91 with 1:08 to go. It was the first go-ahead 3 of Conleys career with two minutes or less remaining in a game. Dragic threw the ball away on Phoenixs next possession and Randolph scored the final two of his 32 points to give Memphis a 95-91 cushion with 47.4 seconds to go. "Its stressful, being in a game that both teams are going back and forth," Conley said. "Every time we made a play, they made a play. Give them credit, they played their hearts out. We were just able to make enough plays down the stretch." Memphis weathered 19 turnovers to win its fourth straight, a streak that began with a win over Miami. "Weve needed every game basically since February it seems like," Conley said. "Weve played every game like a playoff game. Its been fun to be part of a group that comes in and stays focused and to get back in the playoffs. Its huge from where we started off this season." The Grizzlies were 10-15 after a loss to Dallas on Dec. 18. "This is a culmination of not just this week or not just March or April, this is a culmination of everything weve been through since December," first-year Memphis coach David Joerger said. "For these guys, its a happy locker room, a relieved locker room and just a bunch of very proud guys with great chemistry." Mike Miller added 21 points, Marc Gasol 17 and Conley 13 for the Grizzlies, in the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Markieff Morris had 21 points, and Channing Frye scored 14. So did Dragic, playing on a sore ankle. The Grizzlies can move ahead of Dallas for the No. 7 spot with a victory at home over the Mavericks in their regular-season finale Wednesday night. The Suns lost their third straightt to come up just short of the playoffs in a remarkable turnaround season under first-year coach Jeff Hornacek, winning 22 more games than a year ago, with one to play, after going 25-57 in 2013.dddddddddddd. "Its really tough to say something positive right now," Dragic said. "Nobody expected us to play so good. We built some good chemistry with this team. A lot of new faces, a lot of young guys, new coaching staff, new GM, so I think were headed in the right direction. "When you are so close to the playoffs, you always want some little bit more." Phoenix is only the fifth team in NBA history to win 47 games and not make the playoffs. "These are the hardest games to win," Hornacek said, recalling his days as a player. "You have to do everything right. You cant have bad stretches." The last of Millers five 3-pointers — in six attempts — put the Grizzlies 86-85 with 3:10 to go. Miles Plumlee made a 16-footer and Phoenix led 87-86, then Gasol scored on a driving layup and Memphis was on top 88-87 with 2:23 left. Bledsoes 15-footer gave the lead back to Phoenix, then Conley sank a 20-footer, a hint of what was about to come, to make it 90-89 Memphis. Then came Plumlees tip-in and Phoenixs final lead. An early 15-4 run put the Grizzlies up 22-11 and it was 24-14 at the end of the first quarter. Memphis took its biggest lead, 44-31, when Randolph converted a three-point play with 2:54 to play in the second quarter. But the Grizzlies didnt score again in the half. Bledsoe ended the Suns string of eight straight missed 3-pointers and Phoenix scored the final nine points of the half to cut it to 46-42 at the beak. It could have been closer. Bledsoe missed a free throw what could have been a 3-point play and, after a Memphis turnover, P.J. Tucker took an off-balance shot before the halftime buzzer when Bledsoe was wide open for a layup. The Suns run continued in the third quarter, when Phoenix outscored Memphis 11-4 to start the period and took a 53-50 lead on Channing Fryes 16-foooter. Nobody led by more than six points the rest of the quarter, with Tony Allen going coast-to-coast in the final seconds for a layup that tied it at 67 entering the fourth. NOTES: The Suns havent made the playoffs since 2010. ... The Suns conclude their season at Sacramento on Wednesday night. ... Of Memphis potential first-round foes, the Grizzles were 0-4 this season against San Antonio, 1-2 against Oklahoma City. ' ' '