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The Steelers piled up 481 yards against Cincinnati's historically bad defense.The Chiefs and the Buccaneers each went well over 500 yards the next two weeks Womens Alvin Kamara Jersey , putting the Bengals on the cusp of NFL history.No defense has allowed three straight 500-yard games. In order to avoid the ignominy, the Bengals (5-3) are going to have to stop an offense that's been lighting it up.Hello, Drew Brees.The Saints (7-1) have won seven straight and are coming off a 45-35 win that sent the Rams to their first loss. New Orleans piled up 487 yards behind Brees, who leads the NFL in completion rate (76.3 percent) and passer rating (120.6). He's been sacked a league-low nine times.If the Bengals fail to get a hand on him, it could be history ."They go as Brees goes," defensive end Carlos Dunlap said. "We've got to find a way to slow down that future Hall of Famer."The biggest challenge for the Saints will be keeping the momentum in their only road game during a four-week span. They return home to play the Eagles and Falcons the next two weeks.Although the Bengals have given up the most yards in the NFL, the defense has scored four touchdowns on interception and fumble returns, playing a big factor in three of their wins.The Saints can't afford to get off to a bad start that gives the Bengals the advantage. Also, it would help if the Saints tidied up their defense a bit.While the Bengals are historically bad 鈥?on pace to give up more than 7,000 yards 鈥?the Saints are also struggling on defense. They rank 25th overall, including second-worst in pass defense. They've been among the worst at stopping opponents inside the 20-yard line. The Rams overcame an 18-point halftime deficit and tied it 35-35 in the fourth quarter.New Orleans would like fewer shootouts in the second half of the season."There's a ton of things we have to improve on and we need to improve on, or it's going to hurt us later," coach Sean Payton said.Some things to watch Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium:THE NEW GUYNew Orleans signed former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant on Wednesday . It's unclear what role 鈥?if any 鈥?he'll play this week as he tries to learn the offense. Deep threat Ted Ginn Jr. is hurt, and the Saints hope Bryant can add another dimension to the offense once he gets acclimated."I look forward to building a rapport with him," Brees said. "I look forward to getting him involved in this offense and just become a complement to all the guys that we already have."THOMAS' TIMEWhile Bryant's arrival gets attention, Michael Thomas remains the Saints' biggest threat. He set a franchise record last week with 211 yards receiving Womens Josh LeRibeus Jersey , including his 72-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter. With half the season still remaining, Thomas has 70 catches for 880 yards and five TDs.BIGGEST BLEMISHThe Saints' most glaring problems on defense have come near the goal line. New Orleans' opponents have scored touchdowns on 20 of 28 drives (71.4 percent). That ranks 28th out of 32 teams in defensive red zone efficiency."You can't find any team having success later in the season with the numbers that we currently have," Payton said. "We've got to find a way to improve that."The Bengals lead the league in scoring touchdowns once they get inside the 20-yard line, reaching the end zone on 20 of their 26 such possessions. They've scored touchdowns on eight of their past nine trips inside the 20."We've had some really good schemes," Andy Dalton said. "At the end of the day, our guys have made the plays."OH THAT HISTORYNo NFL team has given up three straight 500-yard games. The 1963 Jets gave up three 500-yard games within a four-game span 鈥?510 to the Chargers, 505 to the Raiders, 317 to the Broncos and 528 to the Chargers again. In its past three games, Cincinnati has allowed 481 to the Steelers, 551 to the Chiefs and 576 to the Buccaneers."We're underachieving right now," Dunlap said. "We're playing well enough to win some games, which is why we're 5-3. If we work on the negatives, we can be that elite defense and that elite team."MISSING GREENA.J. Green caught a 13-yard touchdown pass with 7 seconds left for a win in Atlanta. He had two catches that moved the Bengals into range for their winning field goal against Tampa Bay before they headed into their bye last week. He also hurt a toe on his right foot on the final catch and is sidelined indefinitely, costing Cincinnati its most dependable receiver."It is a huge impact," Payton said. "He is someone that commands a ton of coverage respect."AP Sports Writers Brett Martel in Metairie, Louisiana Womens Benjamin Watson Jersey , and Joe Reedy in Los Angeles contributed to this report. The date was January 14, 2018. The site was U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN, and the event was an NFC Divisional playoff matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Minnesota Vikings. The Saints came into the game as the NFC South champions and the conference's number 4 seed, after defeating the Carolina Panthers 31-26 in the first round the week before. New Orleans finished the 2017 regular season with an 11-5 record, and had Super Bowl aspirations with arguably the most balanced offense in the league and a vastly improved defense. One of the obstacles in their way was the 2nd-seeded and NFC North champion Vikings, who finished the season at 13-3, and had arguably the best defense in the league, coupled with a balanced offensive attack of their own. Minnesota had already defeated the Saints earlier that season, a dominating 29-19 victory in the regular season opener. Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesMost felt that the Saints best chance for victory in a hostile environment against such a formidable foe would be getting off to a good start, but the exact opposite took place. After receiving the opening kickoff but failing to get a first down, New Orleans would punt the ball over. The Vikings would take their opening drive 55 yards on 8 plays ending in a touchdown run by Jerick McKinnon. Matters got worse for the Saints when they failed to sustain a drive the second time they had the ball, and the Vikings would respond with a field goal on their subsequent drive for a 10-0 lead. After an exchange of punts, New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees threw an interception towards the end of the first quarter that Minnesota would turn into a 12-play 58 yard touchdown drive and a 17-0 advantage midway through the second quarter. Each team would miss a long field goal attempt before the end of the half, but Minnesota would take their seventeen point lead into the halftime break in a game that looked like a sure rout for the home team. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsWhen a sack by Saints defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins ended a Minnesota scoring threat on the opening drive of the third quarter, the New Orleans offense would finally come to life. Brees led his team on a 12-play Youth Cameron Jordan Jersey , 80 yard march that would end with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas to cut the Minnesota lead to 17-7. Saints rookie safety Marcus Williams would intercept Viking quarterback Case Keenum on the very first play of the next drive, setting New Orleans up well into Minnesota territory. The Saints took advantage, moving 30 yards in six plays and narrowing the score to 17-14 early into the 4th quarter on a three yard touchdown pass to Thomas, who had 7 catches for 85 yards and two scores on the day. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThat was the start of a wild fourth quarter that saw the lead change hands four times and the two teams would combine to score 29 points. Kai Forbath, a former kicker for the Saints, would kick a long field goal to extend Minnesota's lead to 20-14, and the team's would exchange punts over the next two possessions. Brees, who would finish with 294 yards passing with 2 interceptions and three scores after a rocky first half, spearheaded a forty yard touchdown drive that culminated with a 14-yd. strike to rookie Alvin Kamara. The score would give New Orleans it's first lead of the day, 21-20, but the entertainment was far from finished. Minnesota would retake the lead 23-20 on another long Forbath field goal, this one from 53 yards, with just 1:34 to play in the game. Brees again would lead his team on a scoring drive through the vaunted Minnesota defense. This one would move New Orleans 50 yards in 11 plays, ending in a 43-yd. Wil Lutz field goal and a 24-23 Saints lead with just 25 seconds to play. After a false start penalty, Keenum would complete a pass to wide receiver Stefon Diggs to bring the ball to the Vikings 39-yd. line. Two incomplete passes would follow, leaving Minnesota in a 3rd and 10 with only 10 seconds remaining. Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesKeenum would drop back to pass and look deep to his right. Despite pressure off the edge from New Orleans end Cam Jordan Womens Patrick Robinson Jersey , he got the pass off deep down the right sideline, where receiver Stefon Diggs had gotten behind Saints cornerback Ken Crawley. Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesDiggs hauled the ball in at the New Orleans 34 yard line with 5 seconds on the clock, but squarely in the sights of safety Marcus Williams for the tackle. Minnesota had no timeouts remaining, so a stop would have surely run out the clock for a New Orleans victory.Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images Instead....incredibly, Williams missed Diggs and instead took out the trailing Crawley. Diggs, who caught 13 passes for 230 yards and three scores in the two meetings against the Saints last year, kept his footing and sprinted in for the game winning 61-yd. touchdown that crushed the hopes and hearts of Saints players, coaches, and fans. Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesThe win would send Minnesota onto the NFC Championship game at Philadelphia, where they would lose to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY SportsThe shocking loss would spoil what was a spirited and improbable comeback from the Saints, who were left only to wonder what could have been. A game added to the annals of a number of postseason misses, sometimes in impossible to believe finishes. Custom Kansas City Chiefs Jerseys
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