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WASHINGTON -- -- Max Scherzer was asked last year about impending free agent pitchers that his team could sign during the annual Washington Nationals WinterFest event.It is all about winning, Scherzer said. When you get to the park and you come into the clubhouse, your only thought is about winning and what it takes to do that. There are times, off the field, you are making decisions ... that has to subside when you walk through the clubhouse.Scherzer has been all about winning since he signed a seven-year contract with the Nationals prior to the 2015 season.The right-hander from St. Louis will have a chance to elevate Washington to new heights on Thursday night when he takes the mound at home in the fifth and deciding game of the National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.This will probably be the biggest start of my career, Scherzer told reporters in Los Angeles. Ive said that a few times in my life, but I think this will be it. Youre going to get the absolute best out of everybody on both teams.The Nationals have a chance to win their first postseason series Thursday.Washington lost Game 5 at home to the St. Louis Cardinals of the NLDS in 2012 and fell in four games to the San Francisco Giants in the NLDS two years later.The last time a baseball team in Washington won a postseason series was when the Senators beat the New York Giants in Game 7 of the 1924 World Series in the nations capital.Scherzer was the starter and loser in Game 1 on Friday at Nationals Park. He gave up four runs in six innings with five strikeouts as the Dodgers won 4-3 in a game started by Clayton Kershaw.The Washington ace allowed a solo homer in the first inning to Corey Seager and a two-run shot to Justin Turner in the third. Scherzer allowed 31 homers during regular-season play, and several times it was unlikely players who went deep.Scherzer is 4-4 with a 3.93 ERA in 13 postseason games, with 11 starts. He has 85 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings in his playoff career.Rich Hill, who will get the nod for the Dodgers, lost in Game 2 on Sunday at Nationals Park after his start was rained out Saturday. Hill pitched in 25 games out of the bullpen in 2015 with Triple-A Syracuse, the top farm club of the Nationals.The lefty surrendered a three-run homer to Jose Lobaton in the fourth inning of Game 2 that gave Washington a 3-2 lead. Hill allowed six hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings and was tagged with the loss.The Nationals could also see rookie right-hander Julio Urias, who has not pitched in the series.Hill took the blame for the Game 2 loss.I believe were tied in this series because I didnt execute, he said after Game 2. Im really disappointed. I thought that game was going to play well for me personally to put us in a good position to win and I didnt execute. Its all solely on me.Acquired in a trade with the Oakland As in August, Hill is now 0-2 with an 8.59 ERA in two postseason starts. His other playoff start came when he played for the Chicago Cubs in 2007 against the Arizona Diamondbacks, when he went just three innings. That was one year after he pitched for manager Dusty Baker with the Cubs in 2006.The Dodgers forced a Game 5 with a 6-5 win at home on Tuesday in Game 4. Kershaw started on short rest and did not figure in the decision. He was lifted with two outs in the seventh.I felt really good about it until the last four minutes, Kershaw told reporters. Its a weird feeling. But youve just got to swallow your pride a little bit and realize we won the game and be excited about it and get ready to go back to D.C.Said Baker about Game 5: I know Kershaw aint pitchin. Thank God.Scherzer won his 20th game of the season in the regular-season finale at home against the Miami Marlins on Oct. 2 in a playoff tuneup.On Thursday he will try to send the Nationals to their first postseason series win.Going to be a heck of a ballgame, Scherzer said. Those are two great teams. 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After 14 NFL seasons, the man with more catches than anyone else currently playing had made up his mind.Time to retire.He said hes been contemplating it for weeks and his heart was not in it, Mularkey said Monday. This is a tough business to be in when your hearts not in it.The 35-year-old receiver was nowhere to be found, apparently not ready to publicly discuss his decision. He was not available on Monday and did not release a statement through his agent or the team.None of that prevented Mularkey from trying to talk Johnson into staying. The Titans signed Johnson the day they reported for training camp to a two-year deal paying the veteran minimum this season with the chance at a bigger payday in 2017. Johnson started four of the eight games he played but hadnt caught a pass in the last three.I could tell he had talked about it and it was really useless for what I was saying, Mularkey said.A seven-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, Johnson spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Houston Texans who made him the No. 3 overall pick in the 2003 draft out of Miami. Tennessee had been his third team in as many seasons after Johnson spent 2015 with another AFC South team, the Indianapolis Colts.Johnson finishes his career among the best receivers in NFL history. He ranks ninth all-time with 1,062 catches and 10th with 14,185 yards receiving and also had 70 touchdowns. Johnson led the NFL in catches in 2006 (103) and in 2008 (115). He led the league in yards receiving in 2008 (1,575) and 2009 (1,569).Johnson and former Colts receiver Marvin Harrison, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame earlier this year, are the only NFL players to have four seasons of 100-plus receptions and 1,400-plus yards receiving.Denvers Gary Kubiak, who coached the 6-foot-3 Johnson in Houston, said he texted back and forth with the receiver Monday. Kubiak said Johnson was a fine a football player and person that hes ever been around.Played really big for me, had some really big years. Very unselfish guy, Kubiak said. He was with an organization that was a startup organization, and he always kept his mouth shut and worked. And Im really proud of him. Great person, great career and I hate to see him step away but Im proud of him.dddddddddddd Good man. Good for the NFL.For as much of an impact as Johnson had on the football field, he was so quiet in the locker room that Houston cornerback Johnathan Joseph compared him to a ghost not talking to teammates. Joseph said Johnson opened a bit more in recent years.For him to call it quits, he had to feel in his body that that was the time, Joseph said. Great Hall of Fame career. Great player, great friend off the field, great guy, was a great teammate. It was a blessing to play with him.Johnson also is the leading receiver in Houston Texans history with 1,012 catches for 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns.Texans coach Bill OBrien said Johnson will go down as one of the NFLs best receivers of all-time. But the coach recalled what Johnson did off the field for children with Christmas gifts, items during Thanksgiving and clothes as having just as big an impact on Houston.When he spoke, everybody listened, kind of like E.F. Hutton, OBrien said.Johnson had nine catches for 85 yards and two touchdowns this season, including a game-winning score with 1:13 left in a 16-15 victory over the Detroit Lions during the second week of the season. But he hadnt caught a pass in four games this season.The wide receiver called Mularkey on Sunday night, letting his coach know Johnson needed to speak with him Monday.His newest teammates learned of Johnsons decision from coaches and called and Face Timed with the veteran they nicknamed Sensei after the character in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They had done their best to soak up how Johnson took care of his body and worked hard from practice to the weight room to meetings.Hopefully one day soon, well get to see him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Titans wide receiver Kendall Wright said.Game notes Mularkey said the Titans wont be in a rush to fill Johnsons roster spot immediately. Tennessee has its regular workouts of available players scheduled Tuesday. Receiver Tre McBride, currently on the practice squad, is an option for promotion.---AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Stapleton in Englewood, Colorado, and AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '