TAYSOM HILL

Patrick Mahomes loses sleep preparing for Thursday night games.

Mike Westhoff has always been blunt and brutally honest.

The Philadelphia Eagles have traded two first-round picks in this month's draft to the New Orleans in a major swap of assets.

An underwhelming free agent class for quarterbacks is overshadowed by the possibility of multiple big names changing teams.

Falcons Saints Football New Orleans Saints quarterback Trevor Siemian (15) works against the Atlanta Falcons during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson) (Brynn Anderson)ATLANTA — (AP) — The New Orleans Saints just missed making the playoffs on Sunday, despite beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-20. Trevor Siemian led back-to-back scoring drives following two Atlanta turnovers late in the first half, and the Saints overcame the loss of quarterback Taysom Hill to an injury. A pair of Atlanta turnovers helped the Saints extend the 14-6 lead. Falcons: Atlanta shifts its focus to the offseason and the NFL draft.

The New Orleans Saints just missed making the playoffs on Sunday, despite beating the Atlanta Falcons 30-20.

The Saints can make the playoffs with a win and a San Francisco loss at the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams can win the NFC West title for the third time in five seasons with a victory. ___4:35 p.m.Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are all but in the playoffs in what the star quarterback says is “most likely” his final season. The Chargers and Raiders are playing the final game of the NFL's first 17-game regular season. Ben Roethlisberger still has playoff hopes in his final season, a week after the star quarterback’s farewell in Pittsburgh.

___5:45 p.m.New Orleans quarterback Taysom Hill has left a game against Atlanta midway through the second quarter with a left foot injury. Brady reached 5,000 on his second completion, a 5-yarder to Cameron Brate early in the second quarter against Carolina Panthers. The Rams are controlling the ball early while building a 17-0 lead in the second quarter against San Francisco. ___4:35 p.m.Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers are all but in the playoffs in what the star quarterback says is “most likely” his final season. Ben Roethlisberger still has playoff hopes in his final season, a week after the star quarterback’s farewell in Pittsburgh.

Rookie sensation Jaylen Waddle returned from the COVID-19 list to catch 10 passes for 92 yards and touchdown, and the Miami Dolphins beat the short-handed New Orleans Saints 20-3.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Ian Book says that because of the unpredictability of COVID-19, he and fellow reserve QB Trevor Siemian adopted the motto: “Stay ready.” Now, because of a COVID-19 outbreak infecting at least 15 Saints players and several coaches, Book is on the brink of seeing how ready he really is. The rookie out of Notre Dame took snaps at practice Friday as New Orleans' No. 1 QB and is slated to make his NFL regular-season debut as a starter against the Miami Dolphins in the Superdome on Monday night.

NBC's “The Voice,” CBS' “Survivor” and Fox's “The Masked Singer” all crowned winners this past week and had fans tuning in. NBC had 5.1 million, CBS had 3.8 million, ABC had 3.5 million, Univision had 1.3 million, Ion Television had 1 million and Telemundo had 910,000. NFL Football: New Orleans at Tampa Bay, NBC, 18.06 million. NFL Football: New England at Indianapolis, NFL Network, 7.26 million. “Football Night in America, Part 2,” NBC, 4.73 million.

Television viewers were in the mood for competition last week.

New Orleans’ defense gave Tom Brady fits again, shutting down Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense as the Saints put the Buccaneers’ division title celebration plans on hold with a 9-0 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions.

New Orleans’ defense gave Tom Brady fits again, shutting down Tampa Bay’s high-powered offense as the Saints put the Buccaneers’ division title celebration plans on hold with a 9-0 victory over the reigning Super Bowl champions.

CeeDee Lamb had 122 yards from scrimmage, Tony Pollard ripped off a 58-yard touchdown run and the Dallas defense produced a drive-stalling sack and three interceptions in the fourth quarter of a 27-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night. The Saints' first scoring threat came on their second drive, but Brett Maher's 56-yard field goal attempt drifted wide right. The Saints tied it on Lil'Jordan Humphrey's 24-yard TD catch early in the second quarter, but never led. After Greg Zuerlein's 55-yard field goal put Dallas up 10-7, the Saints threatened late in the second half when they drove to the Dallas 26. Saints: Hours before the game, the Saints placed defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon on injured reserve after he'd missed the previous two games with an ankle injury.

CeeDee Lamb had 122 yards from scrimmage, Tony Pollard had a 58-yard touchdown run and the Dallas defense produced timely sacks and turnovers in the Cowboys' 27-17 win over the New Orleans Saints.

When Saints coach Sean Payton was asked about his team's inability to convert any of the five 2-point tries attempted this season, his response spoke to a more overarching issue for New Orleans' offense. "If you’re a pretty good offensive team, it’s probably not a problem," Payton said. “If you’re not a good offensive team, which is what I would say that’s where we are at right now, it probably is a problem.”

Josh Allen passed for 260 yards and four touchdowns, Buffalo’s defense stifled New Orleans’ short-handed offense and the Bills rolled to a 31-6 victory that sent the injury-ravaged Saints to their fourth straight loss.

Matt Ryan hit Cordarrelle Patterson for a 64-yard gain with a minute to go, setting up Younghoe Koo’s 29-yard field goal as time expired, and the Atlanta Falcons defeated the mistake-prone New Orleans Saints 27-25.

Welcome to Super Bowl Sunday in November. Week 9's slate of games features five Super Bowl rematches, two more than any other week in league history. That was a rematch of Super Bowl 3 which the Jets won 16-7 after Joe Namath guaranteed an upset. The others are:—The Broncos at Cowboys, a repeat of Super Bowl 12, which Dallas won 27-10. That's a repeat of Super Bowl 34, which the Rams, then based in St. Louis, won 23-16.

(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) (Mark Humphrey)The latest from Week 9 of the NFL (all times EST):___12:25 p.m.Mark Ingram can make franchise history for the New Orleans Saints when they host Atlanta in one of the early games on the NFL’s Sunday slate. The 2009 Alabama Heisman Trophy winner, drafted 28th overall by New Orleans in 2011, rejoined the Saints on Oct. 29 of this season when he was acquired in a trade with Houston. Ingram now needs 63 yards rushing to eclipse Deuce McAllister’s all-time Saints rushing mark of 6,096 yards that has stood since 2008. The Saints (5-2) are seeking their fourth straight victory, which would move them into a tie atop the NFC South with the Buccaneers. It’ll be Brissett’s fourth start of the season for Miami, after Tagovailoa missed three other games with fractured ribs.

New Orleans Saints two-time All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas says he won’t play this season because of complications related to ankle surgery last summer.

Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals was taken to a hospital as a precaution after suffering a bruised throat and Daniel Jones of the New York Giants was carted off the field with a concussion on a rough day for young quarterbacks.

Brady has thrown for 411 yards and five TDs, and Tampa Bay leads Miami 45-17 in the fourth quarter. The Texans caught a break in the second quarter when New England's Damien Harris fumbled near the goal line, taking a scoring chance away from the Patriots. Nick Folk also missed the extra point on a touchdown by New England in the second quarter. Hill, the quarterback the Saints use in different roles, had one catch before being injured early in the second quarter. Cook didn’t play two weeks ago in a win over Seattle, after getting hurt in the team’s second game at Arizona.

Joe Burrow has thrown for 230 yards and two touchdowns, enabling Cincinnati to stay right with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Nick Folk also missed the extra point on a touchdown by New England in the second quarter. Matthew Wright hit the right upright for a miss in the first quarter for the Jaguars against the Titans and Mason Crosby’s attempt in the second quarter for the Packers against the Bengals clanged off the left upright. Hill, the quarterback the Saints use in different roles, had one catch before being injured early in the second quarter. Cook didn’t play two weeks ago in a win over Seattle, after getting hurt in the team’s second game at Arizona.

Patriots Texans Football Houston Texans wide receiver Chris Conley (18) makes a touchdown catch against the New England Patriots during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Houston. —Steve Reed reporting from Charlotte___2:50 p.m.Davis Mills has thrown three touchdown passes, and the Houston Texans lead New England 22-9 in the third quarter. The Texans caught a break in the second quarter when New England's Damien Harris fumbled near the goal line, taking a scoring chance away from the Patriots. Nick Folk also missed the extra point on a touchdown by New England in the second quarter. Hill, the quarterback the Saints use in different roles, had one catch before being injured early in the second quarter.

Saints Washington Football New Orleans Saints wide receiver Deonte Harris, left, catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Washington Football Team safety Landon Collins the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 10, 2021, in Landover, Md. On Sunday his first attempt sailed wide right, and his second miss was wide left against the Patriots. Nick Folk also missed the extra point on a touchdown by New England in the second quarter. Hill, the quarterback the Saints use in different roles, had one catch before being injured early in the second quarter. Falcons counterpart Matt Ryan will be without top receiver Calvin Ridley as the team tries to bounce back from a 34-30 loss to the Washington Football Team.

APTOPIX Giants Saints Football New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) celebrates his touchdown in overtime to defeat the New Orleans Saints in an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Brett Duke) (Brett Duke)NEW ORLEANS — (AP) — Saquon Barkley ran for a 6-yard touchdown in overtime after Daniel Jones passed for a career-high 402 yards, and the New York Giants rallied for their first win of the season, 27-21 over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. Jones ran for a 2-point conversion to make it 21-18, then led the Giants to Graham Gano's tying, 48-yard field goal with 31 seconds left in regulation. Jones marched the Giants right back down the field, but the Saints' defense stiffened after New York had a first-and-goal at the 3 to force Gano's short field goal that made it 14-10. Saints: Running back Tony Jones Jr. was carted off the field in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

Saquon Barkley ran for a 6-yard touchdown in overtime after Daniel Jones passed for a career- best 402 yards, and the New York Giants rallied for their first win of the season, 27-21 over the New Orleans Saints.

Jameis Winston threw two touchdown passes, Malcolm Jenkins returned an interception for a score and the New Orleans Saints beat the New England Patriots 28-13.

Saints Displaced By Ida Football New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, center, stands on the field as his team stretches as they prepare for an NFL football workout in Arlington, Texas, Monday, Aug. 30, 2021. Displaced by Hurricane Ida, the Saints went back to work Monday about 500 miles away in the home of another NFL team. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth) (Michael Ainsworth)The New Orleans Saints are investigating the possibility of remaining in the Dallas area for up to a month and opening their regular season against Green Bay in the Cowboys’ home stadium, coach Sean Payton said. And Payton assured that Hill, a strong all-around athlete who’s played multiple positions, would continue to have a considerable role. Winston and Hill are “both real good football players and we’re going to need both of them this year,” Payton said.

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton says the team is investigating the possibility of remaining in the Dallas area for up to a month and opening its regular season against Green Bay in the Cowboys’ home stadium.

Don't expect the New Orleans Saints to cede bragging rights in the NFC South too easily.

A person familiar with the decision says the Saints have selected Jameis Winston to succeed Drew Brees as starting quarterback for their regular season opener against Green Bay on Sept. 12.

Jaguars Saints Football New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) reacts after throwing a touchdown pass in the first half of an NFL preseason football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in New Orleans, Monday, Aug. 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle) (Derick Hingle)NEW ORLEANS — (AP) — Jameis Winston completed touchdown passes of 43 and 29 yards to second-year pro Marquez Callaway, and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-21 in a preseason game on Monday night. Winston is competing for the job with Taysom Hill, who went 3-1 as a starter while Brees was injured last season. Both clubs are in the midst of quarterback competitions, supplying the game with more intrigue than a typical preseason contest. Saints: Wrap up their preseason slate at home Saturday night against Arizona.

Jameis Winston passed for touchdowns of 43 and 29 yards to Marquez Callaway, and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 23-21 in a preseason game.

There's “no check-down mentality,” Winston asserted after training camp practice at Saints headquarters on Saturday. When Brees retired, Winston signed for at least one more season with New Orleans, giving him an opportunity to compete with Hill. "You can’t put a price on having an opportunity to be an NFL (starting) quarterback,” Winston said. “I think it’s one of the most desired positions in all of sports.”This is a nuanced competition in that Winston and Hill are different stylistically. Hill is a dual-threat quarterback who — even when Brees was healthy — was regularly subbed in for designed option runs.

Jameis Winston says making better decisions with the football doesn't mean adopting a mentality that favors short throws.

History dictates that it’s likely at least a couple of the five first-round quarterbacks won’t fulfill the hopes of the teams that drafted them.

As the NFL celebrated the conclusion of an in-person draft on the shores of Lake Erie that went swimmingly one year after a virtual event caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, one main fact emerged.

(AP Photo/Jason Behnken, File)NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Saints are bringing back quarterback Jameis Winston on a one-year contract. Brady led the Buccaneers to the franchise's second Super Bowl victory while Winston served as a backup for the NFC South Division champion Saints. Winston played only sparingly in his first season in New Orleans, even when Brees missed four games with rib and lung injuries. In all, Winston appeared in four regular season games for New Orleans, completing 7-of-11 passes for 75 yards. “One thing I’m really excited to learn — the most exciting thing — the way this quarterback room functions,” Winston said last April.

Brees completed 28 of 39 passes for 265 yards, connecting with Michael Thomas and Latavius Murray for touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints defeated the Chicago Bears 21-9 in an NFC wild-card game Sunday. Brees' first touchdown pass in the opening quarter was 11-yards over the middle to Thomas, back from a three-game absence to help heal a nagging ankle injury. The 2019 Offensive Player of the Year missed nine games this season and had not caught a touchdown pass since December 2019. That marked the second time this season a Bears player was thrown out for action taken against Gardner-Johnson after the whistle. The Bears have reached the playoffs twice since Pace took over in 2015, both times under Nagy, who was hired in 2018.

The Saints (12-4) will host the seventh-seeded Chicago Bears in the wild-card round next Sunday at 4:40 p.m. EST. He also ran for five TDs, but the Panthers struggled to make winning plays late in games all season with Bridgewater at the helm. That leaves questions about his future as the Panthers starting QB, especially with the team having a top 10 draft pick in 2021. UP NEXTSaints: The four-time defending NFC South champions host the Bears next Sunday in the playoffs. Panthers: After failing to make the playoffs for the third straight season, Carolina will look to the NFL draft to upgrade a number of pressing needs.

Let’s start with:PAYTON’S PLANOn Christmas night, Saints running back Alvin Kamara tied a 91-year-old NFL record by rushing for six touchdowns in a 52-33 wipeout of the Minnesota Vikings. “I was thinking about our best play there,” Payton explained afterward. Payton wasn’t talking about Nevers’ record six TD runs. “A lot of these players — I’d say most of these players — have no idea how good Gale Sayers was,” said Payton. “It was a great moment.”Brees said Payton mentioned Sayers’ mark before the Saints’ last touchdown drive.

New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara (41) breaks free past Minnesota Vikings cornerback Cameron Dantzler (27), outside linebacker Eric Wilson (50) and defensive end D.J. He finished with a career-high 155 yards rushing to help New Orleans beat the Minnesota Vikings 52-33 on Friday and clinch a fourth straight NFC South title. He has since set Saints records for rushing TDs in a season with 16 and total TDs with 21 (he has five receiving). It would be 8-yard gain, 7-yard gain.”The Saints (11-4) never punted, and set a record of yards gained in a game by a Vikings opponent with 583. New Orleans' 264 yards rushing were the most by a Vikings opponent in Zimmer's seven seasons.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints in New Orleans, Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. The victory kept the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs (13-1) in pole position to capture the AFC's lone playoff bye as a No. Mahomes' second TD toss looked more like a basketball assist, a chest-pass to tight end Travis Kelce cutting behind blockers for a 1-yard score. With two timeouts remaining, the Saints kicked deep, but could not prevent Mahomes and Co. from running out the clock. Saints: Receiver Tre'Quan Smith and safety Marcus Williams each left with ankle injuries in the second half.

FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2020 file photo, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, right, speak with quarterback Drew Brees (9) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken, File)NEW ORLEANS – Saints record-setting quarterback Drew Brees “looked good” in his first practices since returning from rib fractures and a punctured lung, and is slated to start against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, coach Sean Payton said. Even before Brees' injury, Hill would intermittently take snaps under center to provide New Orleans' with a change-of-pace, read-option QB. Payton said Brees would be wearing a protective vest over his torso, but the coach dismissed the idea that the Saints were rushing the 41-year-old QB back from injury. “We wouldn’t be playing him if he wasn’t healthy and able to function and feeling good and recovered,” Payton said.

1 conference seed is tight, with the Packers one game ahead of the Saints, the Rams and Seahawks one game behind. Drew Brees will be active after missing four games with fractured ribs and a collapsed lung, making for an intriguing matchup with Patrick Mahomes. The Bills (11-3) scored twice in a 17-second span in the third quarter to ice their fourth straight victory that officially ended the New England Patriots’ 11-year reign atop the division. The Ravens have run for at least 100 yards in 36 straight games, seven short of the NFL record set by Pittsburgh from 1974-77. Baltimore is averaging 173.8 yards on the ground and topped 200 yards in each of the past two games.

Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts scrambles during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts provided the Philadelphia Eagles a spark with his legs and his teammates came up with their best all-around effort of the season. They needed everyone to deliver to beat the New Orleans Saints. Sanders brook loose for an 82-yard TD run in the second quarter, giving the Eagles a 17-0 lead. He had a 74-yard TD run against Pittsburgh and a 74-yard run against Baltimore.

(AP Photo/Butch Dill)NEW ORLEANS – Drew Brees has been diagnosed with multiple rib fractures and a collapsed right lung, a person with knowledge of the situation said Monday. Brees' injuries, which were first reported by ESPN, are expected to sideline the quarterback for multiple weeks. Saints coach Sean Payton said Monday he would not comment on any injuries before the first required injury report of this week on Wednesday. Street got a clean shot on Brees, de-cleated the quarterback and came down hard on the right side of Brees' torso. “In my humble opinion, saw really one flagrant hit worthy of personal foul and that was the hit on Tre'Quan,” Payton said.

“When I came out in the second half and started throwing the ball (to warm up), it became really apparent that I wasn't going to be effective,” Brees said. Brees said he didn't expect the injury to be “a long-term thing," but added, ”it's just a matter of how long it's going to be. “We couldn’t get anything going in the second half and didn’t get much out of our running game," coach Kyle Shannahan said. Tight end Josh Hill also left the game with a concussion in the second half. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore left with an oblique injury, but could be seen standing on the sideline without his helmet in the second half, urging on teammates and even dancing at times.

The Bears’ Cairo Santos made a 51-yard field goal at the end of regulation to force the extra period. He came through with his fourth field goal on a windy day, sending the Bears (5-3) to their second straight loss. “My gut, we’re on the field and I feel like we can kick a field goal at that distance without risking any ball-security issues,” Payton said. Marshon Lattimore then intercepted Nick Foles, leading to a tiebreaking field goal by Lutz. After the Saints went three-and-out, Chicago tied it with 13 seconds left on Santos’ field goal into the wind.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill (7) rolls into the end zone on a touchdown carry in the second half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers in New Orleans, Monday, Oct. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

"We have also discussed the possibility of moving our home games to LSU with the NFL and they are aware of our exploring this option. The Saints have played three of eight scheduled regular season home games in the Superdome so far this season with no ticketed fans in attendance. "There’s been no indication that NFL games with fans are having an impact on daily COVID case trends at the local or state level,” McCarthy said. Broome said she'd welcome the Saints playing with fans in Tiger Stadium — with conditions. That season, the Saints were displace to San Antonio, which hosted three home games, while Tiger Stadium hosted four.

He’s got to do better but we could have done some other things better,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said. “This is how you grow as a team," Brees said. The Chargers (1-4) fell to their fourth straight loss by a touchdown or less, and the second in overtime. Then Brees found Cook open behind the Chargers’ secondary on third-and-long to tie it early in the fourth quarter. Saints: Enter their bye week, followed by a Week 7 home date with Carolina on Oct. 25.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) drops back to pass under pressure from New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Malcom Roach in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)NEW ORLEANS – Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers sounds increasingly enamored with the scheme and play-calling philosophy of second-year head coach Matt LaFleur. The Packers are unbeaten and putting up some of the best offensive numbers in the NFL. Rodgers passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns, and the Packers scored 10 points in the final nine minutes to pull out a 37-30 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night. Emmanuel Sanders caught a 10-yard scoring pass at the end of the first half that gave the Saints a 17-13 lead.