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The Oakland Raiders agreed to a one-year deal Friday with veteran linebacker Derrick Johnson to bolster the middle of their defense.

Coach Jon Gruden said Johnson adds a presence to the defense that was needed.

"He brings us status at a critical position http://www.indianapoliscoltsteamonline.com/jordan-wilkins-jersey ," Gruden said. "He's got a great history in this league, been productive under a lot of different coaches, different schemes. He understands the AFC West and certainly understands this rivalry. I'm really excited to add him to our team."

The 35-year-old Johnson spent his first 13 NFL seasons with the rival Kansas City Chiefs and will likely fill the role at middle linebacker that NaVorro Bowman played the second half of last season.

Johnson has been one of the better linebackers in the league during his career but was allowed to leave Kansas City earlier this offseason as the team tried to get younger.

Johnson is a four-time Pro Bowler and the career tackles leader for the Chiefs.

He appeared in 182 games with 169 starts since being drafted in the first round in 2005. He piled up 1,262 tackles to easily shatter the franchise record, had 27陆 sacks and picked off 14 passes, returning four of them for touchdowns.

He had a career-best 179 tackles in 2011, when he was voted the Chiefs' team MVP.

Johnson piled up his impressive stats despite missing part of two seasons with ruptured Achilles tendons. He returned from the first one as good as ever, earning his most recent Pro Bowl trip in 2015 Quinton Dunbar Jersey , but the second seemed to finally take a step out of his legs this past season.

He had 48 tackles in 15 games last season but slowly lost playing time to younger teammates in the middle of the Kansas City defense.

The Raiders need an anchor in the middle of their defense. Bowman fared well in that role after being signed last October following his release by San Francisco. There was interest in bringing him back for a second season but the two sides couldn't agree on a price.

Oakland didn't address that need at linebacker in the draft until the sixth round last week with the pick of Washington linebacker Azeem Victor.

The Raiders also waived linebacker Cory James with a failed physical designation and cut defensive lineman Armonty Bryant with a non-football illness.
Down by two goals in the third period and playing without their starting goalie, the Anaheim Ducks were in danger of taking a loss that would certainly hurt their playoff chances.

But the Ducks have been through plenty of turmoil this season, and that experience was on display as they rallied for a critical win.

Ondrej Kase scored 1:34 into overtime and Anaheim defeated the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Sunday night.

”It’s been a hard year,” said Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano, who had a goal and an assist. ”It’s been a grind in terms of injuries and how we’ve played, and we want to make it count. You don’t want to not be in it, and I think we’re pushing ourselves right to the bitter end to get in there.”

Adam Henrique and Ryan Kesler also scored for the Ducks, who moved into third place in the Pacific Division. Anaheim is one point ahead of Los Angeles with three games remaining for both teams.

Kase used a subtle fake on a 2-on-1 break to get Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier moving left Charley Taylor Jersey , creating enough space to win it by going to the short side over Bernier’s right shoulder.

”He’s a special talent,” Kesler said. ”He does something stupid every night, and that was definitely pretty stupid.”

While Kase won it with speed and skill, the Ducks got to overtime thanks to hard work. They were determined to get more bodies in front of Bernier in the third period, and the grit paid off as Henrique cut Anaheim’s deficit to 3-2 at 7:43 with a sharp-angle shot and Kesler tied it 3-all at 9:19 by pouncing on a rebound in the slot.

”That’s the way we are built,” Kesler said. ”Obviously, they are more of a skill team over there, so we want to play to our strengths and we did tonight.”

Ryan Miller made 19 saves after replacing John Gibson at the start of the second period Corey Linsley Jersey , helping the Ducks to their fifth straight home win. Gibson, who made 10 saves before departing, appeared to be shaken up late in the first when Gabriel Landeskog was hit from behind by Kesler and knocked the goalie down.

Kesler said Landeskog went out of his way to make contact with Gibson.

”He threw himself into Gibby,” Kesler said. ”I gave him a slight jab, and he knows what he’s doing there. He knows better than that.”

Gibson was being evaluated for an undisclosed injury, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said.

Tyson Jost scored twice and Alexander Kerfoot had a goal and an assist for Colorado, which passed St. Louis for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference. The Avalanche lead the Blues by one point, but St. Louis has four games remaining to Colorado’s three.

”A point is a point Sam Acho Jersey ,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. ”You’re not going to know if it’s enough, if it’s not enough. The only day the standings matter is next Saturday.”

Bernier made 28 saves.

The Avalanche took a 1-0 lead 1:16 into the game when Kerfoot got his 18th goal under unusual circumstances. Kerfoot won a faceoff against Rickard Rakell in the right circle and flicked the puck to his left, where it struck Corey Perry’s stake and redirected in.

But the Ducks tied it at 1 on a breakaway by Cogliano at 6:08.

Jost put the Avalanche up 2-1 at 1:04 of the second, scoring for the second game in a row on a backhand for a power-play goal. He made it 3-1 at 12:10 for his first career multi-goal game.

NOTES: Ducks D Cam Fowler sustained an upper-body injury in the third. … The Avalanche went 5-3-3 in the first game of a back-to-back this season. … Ducks D Francois Beauchemin played in his 900th NHL game.

UP NEXT

Avalanche: Visit the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night.

Ducks: Host the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.

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