APPLICATION » front four to the linebacking corps to the secondary.

NEW ORLEANS -- If it takes a master to recognize a masterpiece, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who at 37 is having perhaps the most explosive season of his 16-year NFL career, sees nothing but beauty and the beast when he analyzes the Seattle Seahawks defense he will try to decipher Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (1 p.m. ET, FOX).They really invented that scheme that a lot of people are trying to replicate, but its hard to do when you dont have the personnel, Brees said of the Seattle defense, responsible for an epic 6-6 tie last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, the first NFL game to end in a tie since 2014. Theyre so good in so many areas, from the front four to the linebacking corps to the secondary.There is really not a weak link in the defense. You just have to be your absolute best when it comes to execution and put yourself in favorable positions as an offense, making sure youre in third-and-manageable situations and youre understanding the pressure and just making sure you get positive plays.Despite the Saints 2-4 start, Brees is defying NFL actuarial tables, completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 17 touchdowns against five interceptions. He is averaging a career-best 350 passing yards a game, and in a 27-21 loss at Kansas City last week, he recorded his league-record 100th 300-yard game.They are getting a lot of explosive plays, said Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, who fought off severe fatigue and cramping to help the 4-1-1 Seahawks escape with the overtime tie against Arizona. They are getting the ball down the field and scoring points. Theyre doing a great job.Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of the New Orleans offense, Theyre really tough, like theyve been in the past, so effective throwing the football and attacking people. Between Sean (Payton) and Drew putting it together, it makes it very difficult. They have good weapons, and they use them really well.Since Payton took over as the Saints coach in 2006, New Orleans is 2-1 in the regular season against Seattle but 0-2 in the playoffs. The Seahawks have won the past three meetings, however, holding New Orleans to just 22 total points in the two most recent victories.When you watch the tape, there are two things (that stand out), Payton said. Theyre very talented, and I would say they have outstanding technique. Theyre playing a little man-to-man, but you see a lot of zone coverage. It forces you to come underneath with throws. That combination of coverage and then what theyre able to do with their rush plans make it extremely challenging.This will be the first time former Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, traded before the 2015 season to Seattle, will play in the Superdome against his old team. Graham is still feeling his way back from a knee injury, but he is second on the team in receptions (27 catches for 408 yards) with one touchdown.Its going to be weird, obviously, Brees said about facing his former teammate. We had a lot of good years here with Jimmy. We hated to see him go. We were close, and he was close with a lot of guys. We all loved Jimmy, and we understand things like that happen in this league. Im sure hes going to be pretty amped up to be back, but I know our fan base loved him and loved what he did for New Orleans and did for our team. There is a lot of love there.Carroll said Graham struggled last season before he sustained the knee injury, but he likes the growing relationship between Graham and quarterback Russell Wilson.Russell and Jimmy have really connected, and it took some time to develop that chemistry, Carroll said. Jimmys been great since hes gotten back and has his legs underneath him after coming back from the amazing rehab that he had to go through. They hit their stride, and hes been really effective, and hes off to a great year.The Seahawks are struggling to rush the ball, averaging just 3.1 yards a carry. They are scoring just 18.5 points per game, but that has been good enough with a defense that is allowing only 14 points a game.Both teams enter the game with questions at left tackle. Saints tackle Terron Armstead returned to practice Wednesday but has been in an out of the lineup. Seattle tackle Bradley Sowell sprained his knee last week and probably will not play. Starting New Orleans cornerback Delvin Breaux (broken leg) probably is at least another week away from returning. Cheap Jordan Shoes China . The Islanders dealt Thomas Vanek to the Montreal Canadiens after less than a year on Long Island. Meanwhile, the Oilers dealt long-time sniper Ales hemsky to the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday for a fifth-round pick in 2014 and a third-rounder in 2015. Discount Jordan 4 Royalty . Pence singled in the winning run with no outs in the ninth inning to give the Giants a 7-6 victory over the San Diego Padres on Sunday. http://www.wholesalejordan12.com/ . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Wholesale Jordans China . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Cheap Jordan 4 China . Burke is expected to miss two to three months after breaking a finger in the teams third preseason game. Tinsley, a 10-year veteran, spent the last two seasons in Utah, where the point guard averaged 3. RALEIGH, N.C. -- Redshirt sophomore Coult Culler will no longer play football for North Carolina State due to unspecified injuries, coach Dave Doeren says.Doeren announced Cullers decision Tuesday.Culler is a native of Wilmington who redshirted as a linebacker in 2014 and played in four games on the defensiive line last season.ddddddddddddHe was moved to offensive guard in the spring.He will remain in school and will pursue a degree in fisheries, wildlife and conservation biology. ' ' '