in a room together and learn together and grow together,” Posluszny said.”That’s the best part of the NFL: Your teammates and the environment that you create in that locker room where you know that … I’m

METAIRIE T.J. Hockenson Jersey , La. (AP) — Drew Brees dismisses the notion that the Saints‘ recent downturn in scoring is a sign of vulnerability.Either that or the 18-year veteran knows better than to acknowledge their past three opponents might have been on to something.“Bottom line is this: Regardless of how those games played out for the first 3 1/2 quarters, we went into these last two games on the road, in the division, down at half, down going into the fourth quarter and found a way to win,” said Brees, whose nose remained scuffed up from a sack on Monday night.“Whether it’s a special teams play, a blocked punt, or a great punt down inside the 10, or a defensive stop, or the defense getting a turnover, or offensively possessing the ball and going and getting points and giving us the lead, everyone has contributed. And it’s good to feel like, man, battle tested,” Brees continued.“And regardless of the scenario or circumstances we encounter for the rest of the year or any given game, we always have a chance. We always have hope and we’re confident.”The Saints currently average 32.8 points, which ranks second in the NFL. They are also 12-2 and one victory away from clinching the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. But they have fallen from the league lead in scoring because in 10 of their past 12 quarters, they’ve struggled to sustain drives and score, and have been beset by a relative rash of turnovers and penalties.The Saints scored just 10 points in a loss at Dallas in Week 13, had only three points at halftime of a 28-14 win at Tampa Bay the following week, and are coming off a 12-9 victory at Carolina on Monday night.Brees said the Saints’ 64-yard Jahlani Tavai Jersey , fourth-quarter drive at Carolina that consumed 7:07 illustrated why his confidence in New Orleans’ offense hasn’t wavered, even though the possession ended with no points when Tommylee Lewis fumbled through the end zone for a touchback.“We convert a couple third downs, a fourth down,” Brees said. “We got the ball with 8:51 left, right? And really had a chance to run the clock out if we get that last first down.“It’s those types of drives that I’m talking about that can really help the team when we need it.”Meanwhile, two veteran offensive starters are close to returning from injury.Receiver Ted Ginn, who went on injured reserve following arthroscopic knee surgery in Week 6, returned to practice on Wednesday and said he could be ready to play as soon as Sunday, when New Orleans hosts Pittsburgh. Left tackle Terron Armstead said he is close to returning from a torn pectoral muscle, but stopped short of predicting whether he’d play this weekend.Saints coach Sean Payton said his offense has been hindered by “things that tangibly we can look at and clean up,” such as New Orleans’ nine penalties for 80 yards at Carolina.“This past week, we shot ourselves in the foot quite a bit,” Payton said. “On the road at Dallas, that’s a good defense and we felt it was going to be a low-scoring game.”Steelers coach Mike Tomlin hardly sounded inclined to acknowledge New Orleans’ recent anemia on offense.“It seems like every week Drew is breaking a new record,” Tomlin said, adding that Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram “are awesome both in the running and passing game.”“They are formidable for all of those reasons and others,” Tomlin said.Saints right guard Larry Warford said he senses that recent slippage on offense stems more from miscues and missed assignments than anything opposing defenses have done.“You kind of lose focus with that stuff sometimes,” Warford said. “But having these last three games, being able to look at it, we know now it’s just like, ‘All right, we’ve got to get our fundamentals back together because we’re slacking on the simple stuff Will Harris Jersey , and it’s the easy stuff that we can control.’“We’re not worried about what people are saying about defenses figuring it out.”A return to the Superdome, where the Saints are 5-1 and averaging 38 points per game, also could help.“You always have that advantage at home — familiar place, familiar crowd. You get better communication, especially throughout the offensive line,” Warford said.“We’re looking forward to getting back to the dome and trying to light it up.” JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP)Sitting in the front row with his wife and two young daughters, Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny got blind-sided like never before in his NFL career.A guy known for his meticulous preparation wasn’t ready for teammate Telvin Smith’s heartwarming speech.So Posluszny started to cry as soon as Smith paused to collect himself. A few minutes later, both of them had tears rolling down their cheeks.It was an emotional farewell – for them and just about everyone else in the room.Posluszny formally and reluctantly retired Monday after 11 seasons in the league, including the last seven in Jacksonville. He finished his career with 1,381 tackles, 41 pass breakups, 16 sacks, 15 interceptions and eight forced fumbles.He explained his decision in detail during a ceremony inside EverBank Field, saying he started contemplating walking away late last season.”I don’t want to do this,” said Posluszny, who enjoyed one winning season during his time in Buffalo and Jacksonville.”I don’t want to retire right now. I want to keep playing. But what was more important for me was I didn’t want to go back on the field and be a step too slow or miss a play. If I’m out on the field with Telvin and Myles (Jack) and they expect me to do something and I miss that play because I held on a year too long, I don’t know how I look at them.”That was unacceptable to me. … I know that’s right around the corner, and once it hits, it hits. You don’t stop it. Avoiding that was the most important thing.”It’s my time. I love the game too much and I respect it too much to not be able to physically do everything that I’ve done in years past. And if that’s a year too early, maybe I’m going to regret it. But I’d rather be a year too early than one play too late.”The Jaguars played highlights of Posluszny’s time in Jacksonville during the celebration. It included interceptions against Peyton Manning, Russell Wilson Austin Bryant Jersey , Andrew Luck and Joe Flacco.It featured Posluszny playing with a bloodied face from a gash on the bridge of his nose. And it showed him making several plays with a cast on his right hand.Smith stole the show, though, with his tearful introduction.”Forever and ever and ever his legacy will live on through what he’s done here,” Smith said.”I love him. I appreciate him. … Just know, I never met a better man than you. I’ve never had a better teammate than you. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to say someone loved me who I didn’t do something for than you. And I promise you – I promise you, I promise you – I won’t let you down.”And I feel like that last game we let you down, so I dedicate this next season to you and I promise you we’re going to head down and give everything I got because of you and the legacy you left.”Posluszny announced March 13 that the 2017 season would be his last . He waited until Monday, the day players returned for their voluntary, offseason conditioning program, to make it official.Coaches, front office personnel and teammates, including a few from back in the day, were on hand for the festivities.Posluszny thanked most of them and later said he wants to attend graduate school and get a second degree, possibly a Masters of Business Administration or something in the aerospace field.Whatever he chooses, he hopes it can fill a void created by losing being around his teammates.”The great fear of mine is I don’t know where to find that in the rest of society or what occupation – I’m sure they’re out there – where you can be in that type of environment where it doesn’t matter where you’re from and you can work with Telvin Smith every day or you can work with Myles Jack every day and be in a room together and learn together and grow together,” Posluszny said.”That’s the best part of the NFL: Your teammates and the environment that you create in that locker room where you know that … I’m going to play as hard as I can so that (a teammate) has success so that we win as a group.”To me, that’s priceless. That’s the most important thing, and I know that’s what I’m going to miss the most, hands down.”—