First place in the NFC South is on the line Sunday afternoon in the Mercedes Benz Superdome as the Saints host the Carolina Panthers. Both teams are 8-3. New Orleans is coming off a loss that ended their eight-game winning streak. Quarterback Drew Brees says they plan to play their best game of the season:
Cut 16 (14) “important game”
Atlanta is just one game back of the Panthers and Saints in the division standings. Star rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore did not practice Thursday. Sources say offensive tackle Zach Strief will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Month. And running back Alvin Kamara has been named NFL offensive rookie of the month.

Tonight is the semi-finals on the non-select of the LHSAA playoffs…..in class one-A there’s a great battle in northeast Louisiana as Oak Grove hosts Kentwood. The Tigers are looking for their first state title since 2001, while the Kangaroos won two years ago. The winner will play the winner between top seeded West St John and defending champ Logansport. In Two-A…top seeded Welsh, led by quarterback Zach Hayes hosts the Many Tigers, who feature UCLA commit AJ Carter at running back. On the other side of the Two-a bracket its second-seeded Ferriday, who hasn’t won a title since 1956 hosting St. Helena, who has reached the semifinals for a second season.

The New Orleans Pelicans will look to overcome some recent adversity as they travel to face the Jazz tonight in Utah.

A year after turning down a job at LSU, the AP is reporting that Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher will likely leave the Seminoles for Texas A&M.