Für unsere Gäste » ng each and e

METAIRIE, La. -- Veteran linebacker Craig Robertson, who emerged as a surprise starter in his first season with New Orleans, uses words like confidence and trust when he describes the Saints transformation from an 0-3 team to a resurgent playoff hopeful that has won four of five games.As important as improved chemistry was bound to be for a team with its share of young players and recently acquired journeymen, it might take more than that to see the Saints through an upcoming two-game stretch that could either validate their recent run of winning form, or send them stumbling back to the ranks of playoff long shot.New Orleans hosts defending Super Bowl champion Denver on Sunday, then plays the following Thursday night at defending NFC champion Carolina, which has won two straight since a surprising 1-5 start.You know what it is -- you have two physical teams, two physical battles, Saints running back Mark Ingram said. You just know mentally you have to be prepared and physically you have to be prepared.For the third straight season, and the fifth time since 2007, New Orleans is 4-4 following a start of 1/3 or worse.On the four previous occasions the Saints rallied from a poor start to climb back to .500, they were unable to sustain their mid-season momentum and faded down the stretch.But coach Sean Payton and his players sound dismissive of any attempt to compare the 2016 Saints to those of failed seasons past.Its a new year, a new team, said Ingram, who rushed for 158 yards, including a 75 yard touchdown, and also caught a short TD pass in a 41-23 victory at San Francisco on Sunday. Weve got a lot of guys with great character, a lot of guys with resilience. I feel like our teams getting closer. We all love each other.Halfway through its season, the Saints have at least produced the resume of a competitive team. Of the four teams that have beaten New Orleans, two (Atlanta and Oakland) are division leaders, while the other two (Kansas City and the New York Giants) are second-place teams with winning records. Only New Orleans loss to Atlanta was by more than six points. The other three came down to the final possession.Yet, of the four teams New Orleans has beaten, only one -- Seattle -- has a winning record. Three of their victories were by five or fewer points. New Orleans double-digit defeat of the Niners was only the latest of several lopsided losses for San Francisco.I dont try to look at the quality of wins or losses, Payton said. Its in the rear-view mirror, really, and weve just got to learn from the mistakes.And the Saints made mistakes in San Francisco, particularly on defense. Niners QB Colin Kaepernick had his best performance this season with 398 yards passing -- second most of his career -- including touchdown passes of 47 yards to DuJuan Harris and 65 yards to Vance McDonald. If the Saints defense hadnt come up with four turnovers, including Robertsons early interception that set up a New Orleans TD, Sundays game could have been much tighter.Their explosive plays were mistakes on our end, Robertson said Were still growing as a defense, week by week, mixing together, and youre going to have that where you just have mistakes like that. But its our job as a defense to limit those mistakes because mistakes in this league go for touchdowns.In the meantime, the Saints have managed to reduce pressure on their defense by keeping their offense on the field with time-consuming drives that have featured an improving ground game. In a victory over Seattle two games ago, Tim Hightower became the Saints first running back this season to rush for more than 100 yards. On Sunday, Ingram became the second as New Orleans finished with 248 yards on the ground. And quarterback Drew Brees still managed to pass for 323 yards and three TDs.This team is playing complementary football, Robertson said. Our offense did a great job of running the ball, controlling the clock and letting us have time to rest. And when you have that, you have a chance to be good when its time for you to get back on the field again.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Fake Soccer Jerseys . Traditional contenders Brazil, Greece and Turkey drew the other three spots to complete the 24-team field for this summers tournament in Spain, basketball governing body FIBA announced Saturday at its meeting in Barcelona. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys China . John Lucas, signed as a mentor for rookie Trey Burke, showed he can score if required, scoring 12 points of his 16 points in the second quarter as Utah built an 18-point lead. https://www.soccerjerseyschina.us/ .C. -- Manny Malhotra had two goals and an assist, leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-3 win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday. Wholesale Soccer Jerseys . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Muhammad Wilkerson?says he will be ready for the regular season.Fresh off signing a new multiyear contract, Wilkerson expressed his confidence on Wednesday that he will be on the field for the New York Jets season opener against Cincinnati on Sept. 11.I will be ready for Week 1, the defensive end said. He is recovering from a broken right leg suffered in last seasons finale and couldnt predict when he would be available in training camp, which begins next week.Rehab is going well, he said. Im running four times a week and just taking it day by day. Im focusing on my leg and rehabbing each and every day. When the coaches feel it is time for me to get out there on the field and I am ready to go, I will be out there.Wilkersons deal is worth more than $85 million, including $37 million in guarantees through the first two years. Through three years of the deal, Wilkerson will be paid $54 million in guaranteed money.Asked whether he was surprised that the last-minute deal came together when there was so much pessimism surrounding his contract situation, Wilkerson preferred to look forward.Im happy to get a deal done and glad this part of the situation is over with, annd now I can just focus on football and get ready for the season, he said.ddddddddddddI am glad my agent got a deal done for me and ... everybody in my support system. Were ready to get things rolling. I dont have to focus on my contract situation and can concentrate on my rehab.He also believes that the Jets, who finished 10-6 last season, are a playoff team if they build off that performance in their first season with Todd Bowles as coach.?We could be the sky is the limit, we can be as good as we want to be, as long as were all putting in the work day after day and pushing each other to be great, Wilkerson said. We had a good record last year and just have to build on that.Wilkerson, from Linden, New Jersey, gets to stay home to play for at least five more years after compiling 36.5 sacks through his first five NFL seasons. He has 372 total tackles, seven forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 77 games.I definitely wanted to be here, he said. Im from New Jersey ... wanted to raise my children here, and Im really excited to be here. ' ' '