New Orleans Saints

While disgruntled fans clamored for the head of defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs, coach Sean Payton said his staff would take a week off before starting on their season-ending personnel evaluations, including the coaches.

As a result, Payton said he had nothing to report and that he would let the media know. Yet, he didn't rule out not making any changes to a staff that has already lost offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Doug Marrone—who left in mid-December to take the head-coaching job at Syracuse.

"We'll see," Payton said when asked specifically about any tweaking of the current staff. "We'll look closely at the makeup of our staff as we head into 2009, and the responsibilities will be clearer."

Payton did take several minutes to defend Gibbs,...

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As the Minnesota Vikings packed their stuff following their playoff loss, the Williams Wall vowed to play in the 2009 season opener. Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, along with three players from the New Orleans Saints, were suspended by the NFL for four games following a positive test for a banned diuretic.

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While head coaches and assistants were an endangered species in several NFC cities Monday and Tuesday, it wasn't open season in New Orleans.

And, as Saints coach Sean Payton indicated during his end-of-the-season news conference, it won't be for at least a week—if it is at all.

While disgruntled fans clamored for the head of defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs, Payton said his staff will take a week off before starting on their season-ending personnel evaluations, including the coaches.

As a result, Payton said he had nothing to report and that he would let the media know. Yet, he didn't rule out not making any changes to a staff that has already lost offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Doug Marrone—who left in mid-December to take the...

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New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush recently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his injured left knee, the second knee operation in less than three months for the former Heisman Trophy winner.

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Terrell Owens sent an early morning pep text to Tony Romo to let the Dallas QB know he's still behind him. The mercurial wide receiver won't get the chance to do it again this season. "No matter what, I'm still the same guy that shed tears for him in last year's press conference and I'll do it again because that's the type of person I am, regardless of what anybody thinks or says about me," Owens...

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Written off after a blowout loss to the Ravens, Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid aren't quite done in Philly.

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The New England Patriots had television sets on their plane as they flew home from Buffalo, so they were able to watch as their playoff hopes slipped away. On the bus ride from the airport, they learned the Miami Dolphins had defeated the New York Jets to clinch the AFC East. A year after becoming the first NFL team to go 16-0 in the regular season, the Patriots are missing the playoffs.

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Drew Brees was comfortable with falling just short of breaking the NFL single-season passing record. The New Orleans Saints quarterback finished 15 yards shy of Dan Marino's mark, but still led the league in passing for the second time in three years. "When I sit back and look at it, that record's stood for a long time.

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John Kasay came through in his last, best chance to guarantee the Carolina Panthers would have a playoff game on their home field, where they are unbeaten. DeAngelo Williams rushed for 178 yards, Steve Smith had 134 yards receiving, and Kasay's 42-yard field goal with a second left lifted Carolina to a 33-31 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, locking up the NFC South title and the...

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The Saints deactivated Pierre Thomas and inserted Deuce McAllister as the starting running back against Carolina on Sunday in what could be McAllister's final game with the Saints. Thomas emerged with a sore wrist and back from the Saints' 42-7 victory in Detroit last weekend and did not practice this week.

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