today and this process, this draft, for the

TAMPA http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/dexter-lawrence-jersey , Fla. (AP) — The Buccaneers pulled off the biggest upset of the opening week of the NFL season, beating the Saints in a high-scoring shootout. Three months later, neither team is looking back.New Orleans (10-2) is on the verge of clinching another NFC South title. Tampa Bay (5-7) is trying to escape a deep hole and climb back into playoff contention.“It does feel like it’s been quite a while,” Saints coach Sean Payton said, reflecting on his team’s 48-40 loss to the Bucs in Week 1.“Obviously, a lot’s taken place since then. We will be seeing a different quarterback in this game,” Payton added. “I think there are some similarities relative to what the teams do scheme-wise and yet through the course of the season, there’s been injuries, new players playing at different positions for both sides and a big enough gap to where you’re watching a lot of other tape, not just the tape of your past game.”That’s life in the NFL, which doesn’t afford much time to dwell on wins or losses.When the division rivals meet again Sunday, the Saints will be eager to rebound from a 13-10 road loss to Dallas that stopped a 10-game winning streak.The Bucs beat Carolina 24-17 last week, improving to 2-0 since Jameis Winston regained Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback job.“You don’t win 10 straight in this league if you’re not pretty good,” Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said,cautioning against reading too much into New Orleans’ only loss since Ryan Fitzpatrick led Tampa Bay past the Saints on Sept. 9.“As we’ve said many times, this is a week-to-week league and there’s good players on both sides,” Koetter added. “I don’t think the Saints are going to be losing too much sleep over losing (and) being 10-2.”New Orleans can clinch its second straight NFC South title with a win Sunday or a Carolina loss or tie.The Bucs, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, have won the past two meetings in the division rivalry.“We’re playing for a lot, in the position we’re in. I think our team knows that,” Payton said.“The bottom line is we control our destiny right now,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “We win this game, we win the division and that’s the first step, first goal that we set for ourselves this season. … Then, we’ll worry about the next goal.”Some things to know about the Bucs http://www.oaklandraidersteamonline.com/josh-jacobs-jersey , who won two straight after a stretch in which they dropped seven of eight games, and Saints:PERSONAL RIVALRYTop Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore could be seeking a measure of redemption when he lines up against receiver Mike Evans.A year ago, Lattimore memorably frustrated Evans to the point that the big Bucs receiver leveled the cornerback along the Tampa Bay sideline as Winston and Lattimore exchanged words. Yet, in Week 1 of this season, Evans had a huge day in the Superdome against Lattimore, catching seven passes for 147 yards, highlighted by his 50-yard touchdown catch.But Lattimore, the 2017 defensive rookie of the year, has come back strong from that game and Payton was highly complimentary of his play this season while, to some extent, also excusing his Week 1 performance.“Marshon, we feel like, is one of the better corners in this league,” Payton said, “and I’m glad we have him.”IMPROVED PASS RUSHSince Week 7 when Tampa Bay fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith and promoted linebackers coach Mark Duffner as his replacement, the Bucs have the second-most sacks in the league with 24. The only team with more over that stretch is New Orleans with 25.RAIN READINESPayton tends to be very particular about reviewing weather forecasts for outdoor games and particularly so this week, where the forecast is calling for rain and some wind.“It doesn’t ‘look like’ it’s going to rain. It’s going to rain — 95 percent chance of rain. There’ll be some wind — 10 to 12 miles an hour. We know the direction; it’ll head from their locker room toward the pirate ship. I think the footing is going to be important relative to the shoes that we’re wearing.”To that end, the Saints were practicing outside Thursday, when Payton said their work included “wet ball drills, the whole 9 yards. It’s just understanding ball security, understanding the conditions.”Payton recalled that in September 2013, a Saints game at Tampa Bay was delayed by weather.“We’ve been there before when we were sent in … to go eat oranges for half an hour and then stretch and come back out and play,” he said.BALL SECURITYWinston, who sat out the season opener while serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct penalty, has not turned the ball over since regaining his starting job two weeks ago. In his past three games Ben Banogu Jersey , including starts vs. the 49ers and Panthers, the fourth-year pro completed 61 of 84 passes (72.6 percent) for 760 yards and six TDs vs. one interception for a 119.1rating. “He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Payton said.“I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of turnovers. … (But) I think as long as Jameis continues to make good decisions, then he’s going to play good football,” Koetter said. “That’s really all we’re worried about.” OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP)Perhaps Ozzie Newsome will be filled with emotion and just a bit of sadness in the weeks ahead as he prepares for his final NFL draft as general manager of the Baltimore Ravens.For now, however, he won’t allow his mind to be cluttered with thoughts other than landing the very best players the college game has to offer.”It’s all about the preparation and it’s all about who is the player that we’re going to take with that first-round pick – if we pick in the first round,” Newsome said Wednesday.Newsome – the only GM the Ravens have ever had – will step down after the upcoming season. He’s been overseeing the draft since 1996, and now he’s got one more chance to garner some talent for a team that has won two Super Bowls under his watch.It’s the end of an era, one that started when Art Modell brought his Cleveland Browns to Baltimore and put Newsome in charge of building a winner.”I really haven’t thought about that. I’ve been more just preparing for this draft,” Newsome insisted. ”What’s going to occur a year from now is not in my thought process. It’s just making this the best draft that we can this year. That’s what’s been my focus.”Newsome spoke while sitting at a table with his successor-in-waiting, assistant GM Eric DeCosta, head coach John Harbaugh and director of college scouting Joe Hortiz.Behind the foursome was a montage of many of Newsome’s greatest picks, including Hall of Famers Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis as well as Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs and Joe Flacco.Recently, though, there have been a few misfires – most notably receiver Breshad Perriman at No. 26 in 2015, tight end Maxx Williams at No. 55 that same season and safety Matt Elam at No. 32 in 2013.That’s one big reason why the Ravens haven’t made the playoffs over three straight seasons, and why Newsome doesn’t have time for nostalgia as he nears the April 26-28 draft armed with the 16th overall pick.”When we were having success, we were getting all the credit,” Newsome said. ”When we’re not having success, we take all the blame. It falls right on me.”The 62-year-old Newsome will stay on board after this season as an adviser, according to owner Steve Bisciotti.DeCosta, 46 Parris Campbell Jersey , has been waiting to take over for years now. He spurned several offers from other teams along the way, and Bisciotti finally decided that it was time to make the switch.DeCosta, like Newsome, has no time to think about the ramifications of the transition.”That’s still in the future. Honestly, the best thing I can do is take care of today and this process, this draft, for the future,” DeCosta said. ”We’re really focused on this. We’ve got an opportunity here to really fix our team, which we need to do.”This draft has a lot of significance, not because it’s Ozzie’s last draft, but because it’s the draft that we have right now. We’ve got a great opportunity. We don’t want to blow it.”As a player, Newsome was a Hall of Fame tight end with the Browns. Since 1996, he’s gotten a thrill out of choosing from the best college talent in the world.”From the very first draft, I had the same anticipation, and the same butterflies, that I did when I walked out the tunnel to play my first NFL game,” Newsome said. ”All the work is done, and then you have this moment where you have to pull the trigger, you have to perform.”Next year, it will be DeCosta’s turn – with help from his mentor.”Over the last 22 years, probably the most rewarding thing has been working with Ozzie, and I don’t see that changing,” DeCosta said. ”We’re a family. We want to win. I’ve got probably the best GM in the history of football – at least one of the top five – and I hope he always stays.”—