ST. JOSEPH, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs might want to have Dr. James Andrews on speed dial.Or better yet, fly him into training camp.When the Chiefs begin their run-up to the regular season on the campus of Missouri Western the last week of July, they will do so with the biggest question marks involving the knees of some key players: running back Jamaal Charles, pass rusher Tamba Hali and star outside linebacker Justin Houston.Charles had surgery on his right ACL early last season, Hali had a procedure to clean out his knees and Houston had surgery on his left ACL -- performed by Andrews, the renowned orthopedic surgeon -- in February.How the three of them fare this season could be the difference between success and failure.The important thing with them, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, is you dont rush it.So Charles will be treated with velvet gloves during training camp, even though he participated in some of the offseason minicamps. Hali will also see limited reps. Houston is unlikely to practice until well into the regular season, though the Chiefs are optimistic he will make it onto the field at some point.Hes where he needs to be right now, Reid said. Hes a hard worker, so hes bound and determined to get back. Ive told you before, when youre around him, you have this optimism. I feel optimistic that he is going to be back in a short period of time, but in reality, its going to take a little bit.There are plenty of other pressing issues facing Kansas City this fall. Here are some of them:RUNNING BACK COMMITTEE: The Chiefs survived without Charles last season thanks to the tandem of Spencer Ware and Charcandrick West. Knile Davis is still on the roster, too. So one of the big questions facing Kansas City is whether there will be enough opportunities to go around.Theres competition, but its not competition individually, Ware said. Its reflectively as a group, saying, `Lets do our job and lets score touchdowns.STAFF TURNOVER: Offensive coordinator Doug Pederson departed in the offseason to become head coach in Philadelphia, and Reid turned to a pair of trusted lieutenants to fill his role. Matt Nagy was promoted from quarterbacks coach to co-offensive coordinator and will be the voice in the helmet of quarterback Alex Smith, while Brad Childress became the other co-offensive coordinator after working on special projects.Matts got a great mind, and obviously Andys got a fertile mind, said Childress, who spent time with Reid in Philadelphia before a stint as Vikings head coach. Ill be able to add to that.BACKING UP ALEX: Chase Daniel was so dependable as the backup quarterback the past few years that he signed a big contract to do the same thing in Philadelphia. That leaves an opening for long-time scout squad member Tyler Bray, developmental QB Aaron Murray and rookie Kevin Hogan to earn an important job.The Chiefs could also sign a veteran backup once cuts begin happening this fall, but the coaching staff sounds as if the trio will ultimately spit out Smiths understudy.We have a long way to go, said Murray, who enters camp at the head of the line. This is what football is all about. Its about competition against other teams and your team, and thats what makes everyone better.ROOKIE ROLES: The Chiefs stockpiled picks in the draft and now begin to see what they landed, starting with second-rounder Chris Jones, a defensive tackle who should slide into the rotation immediately.The bigger questions lie in the defensive backfield and on special teams.Third-round pick KeiVarae Russell, fourth-round choice Eric Murray and seventh-round selection D.J. White are all joining the cornerback fray, while speedy Tyreek Hill could emerge as the punt and kick returner.WIDE RECEIVER: The seemingly ever-present question mark in Kansas City is: Who will catch passes this season? Jeremy Maclin gives the Chiefs a solid No. 1, but theyve been searching for depth ever since Reids arrival. They took fliers on Rod Streater and Mike Williams in free agency, drafted Hill and Demarcus Robinson, and still hope that Chris Conley and Albert Wilson can develop into go-to targets.Theyre kind of growing up before our eyes here, Reid said, which is fun to watch.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFLWholesale Shoes China . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Cheap Air Max Plus 270 . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.cheapairmaxplusclearance.com/cheap-air-max-plus/air-max-plus-tn-ultra.html . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Cheap Air Max Plus Clearance . Gerald Green and Miles Plumlee? Green had bounced around the NBA when he wasnt playing overseas. The Pacers gave up on Plumlee after just one season. Now Green and Plumlee are key cogs in the Suns surprising breakout season. Cheap Air Max Plus Tn Ultra Black . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Theres hardly a better way to create momentum in hockey than killing penalties at home, as the Minnesota Wild did so well.Scoring five straight goals to build a big lead at the second intermission will usually get that done, too.Erik Haula and Jason Pominville scored and assisted on the others first-period goal, fueling the Wild for a 6-3 victory over Los Angeles that triggered an early exit for Kings goalie Jeff Zatkoff on Tuesday night.Not every game can be a Picasso, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. We found a way.Three shots by the Kings hit the pipes in the first period, which Pominville punctuated with his goal with 12 seconds left after a sloppy line change that Kings coach Darryl Sutter blamed on veteran defenseman Alec Martinez.Then the Wild squelched 49 seconds of a 5-on-3 situation for the Kings midway through the second period before Charlie Coyle, Mikko Koivu and Teemu Pulkkinen scored for the Wild. Sutter pulled Zatkoff for Peter Budaj during the second intermission.The Wild, whose perennially effective penalty kill units fell to fourth-worst in the NHL last season with a stoppage rate of 77.9 percent, denied all five power plays for the Kings and finished the game as one of three remaining teams in the league without a power-play goal against them yet this season, with 11 opportunities.Youd like your power play to click, but thatd only count for one, Sutter said. There were saves to be made there that werent.Zatkoff stopped 11 shots in his third straight loss since replacing star Jonathan Quick just 20 minutes into the season opener last week. Budaj made nine saves.All I know is that If I was playing Id shoot from everywhere, Boudreau said. When you know that youve got a goalie thats a little bit rattled, youve got to get pucks at the net.Tanner Pearson had two goals, both assisted by Jeff Carter, and Anze Kopitar also scored in the third period for the Kings, but Jared Spurgeons end-to-end empty-net fling from the far corner put the bow on a banner evening for the Wild.Pearson gave the Kings the lead 50 seconds into the game, but the WWild snapped back with a breakaway goal by Haula from the left wing that sneaked between Zatkoffs pads a mere 46 seconds later.ddddddddddddWith Haula centering Pominville and Nino Niederreiter, the Wilds third line was buzzing all night.We just keep feeding off each other, and we just know where were going to be, Haula said.Darcy Kuemper, in his first start of the season, was a lot luckier than Zatkoff. He finished with 27 saves and was all smiles afterward.I got away with a couple there. The post is a goalies best friend, Kuemper said.The Kings couldnt have started the season in worse fashion, with Quick out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014, the Kings missed the postseason in 2015 and won only one playoff game last spring while going out with a whimper in their first-round loss to San Jose.Before Quick was hurt, the Kings were already down one of their top six forwards with a broken right foot for Marian Gaborik in the World Cup of Hockey likely sidelining him until late November.I think everyone knows that Quickie is a big part of this team, but with Zats and Boods we have trust in them and we have to help them out too, Pearson said.The Kings have been outscored 12-6 in three games.Thats just not going to cut it, Kopitar said. You dont have to be a scientist to figure it out.Game notes The Wild are 13-4-4 in their last 21 home games against the Kings. ... Pominville has four goals and 10 assists in 17 career games against the Kings. He didnt score his first goal last season until his 22nd game, on Nov. 28 against Dallas. ... Gaborik, who last skated for Minnesota eight seasons ago, is still the Wilds all-time leading scorer with 219 goals. Hes been replaced in the lineup by Devin Setoguchi, another former Wild player, albeit only briefly from 2011-13.UP NEXT:Los Angeles stays on the road for a visit to Dallas on Thursday night.Minnesota remains at home to play Toronto on Thursday night. ' ' '