The Saints continue their preparations today for Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay. New Orleans has lost four in a row and its record has dropped to 4-8, leaving the Black and Gold with slim playoff hopes. Coach Sean Payton says there’s no looking back or too far ahead, as the team’s main focus is beating the Bucs

cut 16 (10) “our focus”

The Saints will take on a 6-6 Tampa Bay team that’s still in the playoff hunt. Sunday’s kickoff is at noon.

Bad news for the Black and Gold as running back Mark Ingram has been placed on injured reserve because of a shoulder injury. That means Ingram will miss the final four games of the regular season.

Coachingsearch-dot-com reports that McNeese State head coach Matt Viator has interviewed for ULM’s head coaching vacancy. Viator just led the Cowboys to a 10-0 regular season and a Southland Conference Championship.

According to a report by USA Today, LSU has the highest paid assistant coaching staff in the country. The coaches underneath Les Miles were paid five-point-four million dollars, which is just ahead of Auburn and Alabama. LSU is the only school to pay its two coordinators at least one million dollars.

This weekend it’s the nonselect high school football championship games at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. In Class Five-A, it’s Zachary versus John Ehret. In Four-A…Karr faces defending champs Neville. The 3-A game features St. James going up against Lutcher. Kinder faces Mangham in the Class 2-A championship. In 1-A it’s Kentwood taking on Haynesville.

In college basketball action last night, Shawn Long scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds as UL-Lafayette rolled over McNeese State 97-64. The Ragin Cajuns took a 21-point lead over the Cowboys into halftime and that lead grew to 40 with about 3:30 remaining in the game. UL-Lafayette evens their record to 3-3 and travels to Ruston to face Louisiana Tech Saturday. McNeese falls to 1-6 and will face Indiana Saturday in Bloomington.