Wilkommen bei den Schatten » confirmed he will be unavailable for th

NEW ORLEANS -- Just because Drew Brees always speaks respectfully about even the Saints lowliest opponents doesnt mean hes being insincere when pumps up the Raiders.Oakland hasnt had a winning season since 2002, but Raiders coach Jack Del Rio has a team that appears to be sprinkled with up-and-coming stars who are trending up.They are extremely talented and they have a great quarterback, who I think we all look at and say this guy will be one of the best quarterbacks in the league, Brees said, referring to Oaklands Derek Carr. Defensively, they have some playmakers.Carr didnt quite put up Brees-like numbers last season -- 3,987 yards passing and 32 TDs -- but the talented 25-year-old seems headed in that direction as he enters his third NFL season.It helps to have targets such as second-year former Alabama star Amari Cooper, whose 72 catches for 1,070 led all rookies last season.Then theres Oakland pass rusher Khalil Mack, who had 15 sacks and 23 tackles for losses last season and will face a New Orleans offensive line that struggled throughout the preseason.Khalil Mack is one of the best, if not the best pass rusher in the league -- a guy that you have to a have a plan for and you have to know where he is, Brees said.Del Rio is going into his second season and thinks itll only help to have a staff that remained largely stable in the offseason.You have cohesiveness, you have a group that worked together for a year, Del Rio said. The time and the relationships are important. We work hard at the relationships and I think having that and having that with our staff and having this staff with the players, I think there is value in it.The Saints, meanwhile, are coming off consecutive 7-9 seasons and have a roster heavy on youth and relative inexperience, particularly in the secondary. But that doesnt mean New Orleans cant return to the ranks of NFC contenders, Brees said, particularly if the Saints are able to put up confidence-building victories early on.Id say weve got a great group, and a really tight group, too, Brees said. Now, you want that to translate to wins and success. I know its important for us to start fast. Theres a great sense of urgency there. In years that we have been really good here, we have started fast. That is definitely something that is being talked about.Here are some key story lines heading into the Raiders-Saints matchup:ROSTER SHUFFLE: The Saints will have several key players in Week 1 who werent with the club at all this preseason. Starting defensive end Paul Kruger agreed to join the Saints last week, shortly after his release from Cleveland, but didnt officially join the team until after the preseason finale. This week, New Orleans brought back right guard Jahri Evans and brought in rookie kicker Wil Lutz and veteran cornerback Sterling Moore.RUNNING HELP: Latavius Murray rushed for more than 1,000 yards and made the Pro Bowl as an alternate in his first full season as a starter in 2015. But Oakland wants to be a better running team after struggling for consistency a year ago. Powerful guard Kelechi Osemele was signed in free agency to bolster the line, and Oakland added a couple of rookie backs to ease Murrays load in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard.NEW TARGETS: Veteran tight end Coby Fleener, lured away from Indianapolis as a free agent, and second-round pick Michael Thomas, a standout receiver from Ohio State who is Keyshawn Johnsons nephew, make their regular-season debuts in a passing game that led the NFL last season.DEFENDING DREW: The Raiders placed a premium on upgrading their secondary this offseason by signing big-ticket free-agent cornerback Sean Smith, safety Reggie Nelson, and using a first-round pick on safety Karl Joseph. That revamped unit will get an intriguing early test. Ever since his early days in San Diego, Brees has feasted on the Raiders, completing 67.5 percent of his passes with 19 TDs in 10 starts.Sometimes he knows the defense better than the defenses, safety Nate Allen said of Brees. We have to give him some different looks and hopefully capitalize on mistakes.REUNION TIME: The Raiders will run into an old friend Sunday when they face New Orleans defensive coordinator Dennis Allen for the first time since he was fired as head coach in Oakland in 2014. Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie were brought in to rebuild the Raiders following the death of longtime owner Al Davis. Allen was fired four games into his third season with an 8-28 record, but a handful of players he helped bring in remain in key spots, most notably Carr and Mack.---AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow in Oakland contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org Jordan 13 Retro Ireland . Despite dominating possession, Schalke needed an own goal from Nicolas Hoefler for the breakthrough a minute before the interval. The Freiburg midfielder misjudged Jefferson Farfans corner and bundled the ball into his own net. Air Jordan 13 Retro Cheap .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. http://www.airjordan13ireland.com/ . Still, Brewers manager Ron Roenicke thought taking him out before the fifth inning was an unusual move. "Im looking up at the board and hes got two hits given up and one run, and Im taking him out after the fourth inning," Roenicke said. Jordan Retro 13 Wholesale . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. Jordan Retro 13 For Sale Cheap .C. -- Glenn Howard needed an extra end to move into the Masters Grand Slam of Curling final. Angelo Mathews calf tear has ruled him out of the remainder of Australias tour, while allrounder Thisara Perera and left-arm wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan have been released from the Sri Lanka squad for the fifth ODI. In place of these three players, Sri Lanka have drafted in batsmen Upul Tharanga and Niroshan Dickwella, as well as seam-bowling allrounder Dasun Shanaka.Mathews has not undergone a CT scan for the injury he sustained during the fourth ODI, but the team management has already confirmed he will be unavailable for the remaining ODI and two T20Is. Mathews had hobbled off the field during his innings on Wednesday and, though he returned to bat towards the end of the innings, had been substantially hampered by the injury.Perera had played all four ODIs as the primary seamer but, although he claimed 3 for 33 in Sri Lankas sole win, at Khettarama, he has since been less effective. Perera had also been droppped for the England tour, following a long stretch of modest returns.dddddddddddd He is effectively being replaced by Shanaka, who had some success in that tour of England and Ireland - he claimed three wickets in the first innings of Test at Headingley, and also took a five-wicket haul in an ODI against Ireland, in Dublin.Tharanga had also been somewhat effective in England, making a 53 not out and 40 from the lower middle order. Following Dilshans retirement, the selectors may wish to bat him at the top of the order again, though Dickwella is also a candidate for the opening spot. In his last three List A innings, against England Lions and Pakistan A, Dickwella hit 51, 44, and 60.Sri Lanka have already lost the ODI series. The final match is set to be played in Pallekele, on Sunday. ' ' '