Willkommen » We learned during the 2018 season that offense

NASHVILLE Zach Brown Jersey , Tenn. (AP) — is beloved by NFL teams (and fans). We also learned that defense, as performed by the Patriots in the Super Bowl, carries away the Lombardi Trophy.This year’s draft, which begins Thursday night, is stocked with defenders who can be difference-makers. Many of them play up front and will go very high in the proceedings.Here’s one view of the first round, presuming no trades — something extremely unlikely.1. Arizona — You don’t hire a new coach out of college who plays a specific system and then not give him what he considers the perfect player to run that scheme. So Kliff Kingsbury gets …KYLER MURRAY, QB, OKLAHOMA2. San Francisco — Pedigree means plenty with this pick, even if the Niners‘ choice missed much of 2018 while injured. Yet another D-line early pick for San Francisco.NICK BOSA, DE, OHIO STATE3.New York Jets — The Jets easily could trade out of this spot. Staying put, they’ll put into their new uniforms a dynamic guy for the trenches.QUINNEN WILLIAMS, DL, ALABAMA4.Oakland — With the first of three picks in the opening round as the rebuild begins in earnest, the Raiders fill the chasm created by their trading of Khalil Mack last summer.JOSH ALLEN, LB, KENTUCKY5.Tampa Bay — Lots of holes here for Bruce Arians to get filled, and he’s an offensive-first guy. Still, there are too many studs on the other side of the ball to pass on one of them.DEVIN WHITE, LB, LSU6.New York Giants — Around the Big Apple, fans are salivating about the Giants taking Eli Manning’s successor at quarterback in this spot. Sorry, New Yorkers, you’ll have to wait. Defense first, if that sounds familiar in this draft.MONTEZ SWEAT, LB-DE, MISSISSIPPI STATE7.Jacksonville — Tom Coughlin stays in-state for a protector for his new QB, Nick Foles.JAWAAN TAYLOR, OT, FLORIDA8. Detroit — Another team staying within state boundaries for its choice. Matt Patricia’s strength is defense and he adds to the building process with …RASHAN GARY, DL, MICHIGAN9.Buffalo — Did we mention this is a defense-first draft?ED OLIVER, DL, HOUSTON10. Denver — Big decision time for John Elway, who loves drafting quarterbacks and is staring at one who threw for 50 TDs last year. But Elway also traded for Joe Flacco, who isn’t on his last legs. So …BRIAN BURNS, LB-DE, FLORIDA STATE11. Cincinnati — Now the decision on that QB belongs to Cincinnati, which has seen attendance drop as the team flounders. Another in-state pick, this one a gamble and not for an immediate need.DWAYNE HASKINS Kyler Murray Jersey , QB, OHIO STATE12. Green Bay — Replace (sort of) LB Clay Matthews or replace (sort of) WR Randall Cobb or help (sort of) TE Jimmy Graham?This is high for a tight end, but there are two worthy of first-round status.T.J. HOCKENSON, TE, IOWA13. Miami — Las Vegas odds-makers see the Dolphins as the worst team in 2019. If they are right, how much does it matter which player they choose here?CLELIN FERRELL, DE, CLEMSON14. Atlanta — Although help up front is a most crunching need, the Falcons see the top cornerback in this crop on the board and grab him.GREEDY WILLIAMS, CB, LSU15. Washington — If he wasn’t a quarterback, he wouldn’t have cracked the top half of the first round — or maybe gone in the entire opening round. But he is a QB, so …DANIEL JONES, QB, DUKE16. Carolina — Another team that is looking for a developmental passer. With several likely available later on, the Panthers grab something more pressing.JONAH WILLIAMS, OT, ALABAMA17. New York Giants (from Cleveland) — CRUSHED! New York figured it could get Jones here, and considering he’s been coached by the same guy who handled Eli and Peyton Manning in college, he was a perfect fit. Sorry, Big Blue.DEVIN BUSH, LB, MICHIGAN18. Minnesota — If they go by need, the Vikings have their choice of blockers to fill a major void.CODY FORD, OL, OKLAHOMA19. Tennessee — The Titans’ temptation could be taking a tight end or wideout. They also could use help on both lines. Time to boost the excitement quotient.D.K. METCALF, WR, MISSISSIPPI20. Pittsburgh — An offseason of turmoil and sea change has placed added emphasis and attention on this pick. Strange to see Pittsburgh with so many holes.BYRON MURPHY, CB, WASHINGTON21. Seattle — Few teams have the wise front offices and coaching staff that can retool and still be successful. That success continues with …DEXTER LAWRENCE, DT, CLEMSON22. Baltimore — Metcalf would have been a nice fit here, but he’s in Music City. The Ravens could go defense, but the offensive line needs bolstering.ANDRE DILLARD, OL, WASHINGTON STATE23. Houston — Dillard was in their sights, and the Texans‘ blocking needs fortifying. Sticking with that approach, they get …DALTON RISNER, OT, KANSAS STATE24. Oakland (from Chicago)— Jon Gruden has made it clear how much he adores tight ends who can block and catch the ball. He’ll get one.NOAH FANT Byron Murphy Jersey , TE, IOWA25. Philadelphia — Eagles boss Howie Roseman rubs his eyes in disbelief and takes little time to select a college champion he couldn’t imagine would fall to Philly.CHRISTIAN WILKINS, DL, CLEMSON26. Indianapolis — Never doubt GM Chris Ballard’s selections after pulling off one of the great drafts of recent years in 2018. He begins this one with …DEANDRE BAKER, CB, GEORGIA27. Oakland (from Dallas) — Gruden would have loved Baker in his secondary. He is tempted to stick with that position, then goes for the other backfield and a do-everything RB.JOSH JACOBS, RB, ALABAMA28. Los Angeles Chargers — This comes down to if the Chargers want to wait for DT Jeffery Simmons to recover from a major knee injury, or play it safer.JEFFERY SIMMONS, DT, MISSISSIPPI STATE29. Seattle — Defense is a must, as we saw in the AFC championship game. The Seahawks dealt front-line stud Frank Clark to KC for this spot.NASIR ADDERLEY, CB, DELAWARE30. Green Bay (from New Orleans) — After getting help for Aaron Rodgers earlier, the Packers try to fill a hole in their secondary yet again.JUSTIN LAYNE, CB, MICHIGAN STATE31. Los Angeles Rams — The most talented roster in the league adds to it up front.GARRETT BRADBURY, OL North Carolina State.32. New England — Predicting anything about the Patriots on draft day is like trying to figure out when (if?) Tom Brady will retire.A.J. BROWN, WR, MISSISSIPPI TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — The Buccaneers pulled off the biggest upset of the opening week of the NFL season, beating the Saints in a high-scoring shootout. Three months later, neither team is looking back.New Orleans (10-2) is on the verge of clinching another NFC South title. Tampa Bay (5-7) is trying to escape a deep hole and climb back into playoff contention.“It does feel like it’s been quite a while,” Saints coach Sean Payton said, reflecting on his team’s 48-40 loss to the Bucs in Week 1.“Obviously, a lot’s taken place since then. We will be seeing a different quarterback in this game,” Payton added. “I think there are some similarities relative to what the teams do scheme-wise and yet through the course of the season, there’s been injuries, new players playing at different positions for both sides and a big enough gap to where you’re watching a lot of other tape, not just the tape of your past game.”That’s life in the NFL, which doesn’t afford much time to dwell on wins or losses.When the division rivals meet again Sunday, the Saints will be eager to rebound from a 13-10 road loss to Dallas that stopped a 10-game winning streak.The Bucs beat Carolina 24-17 last week, improving to 2-0 since Jameis Winston regained Tampa Bay’s starting quarterback job.“You don’t win 10 straight in this league if you’re not pretty good,” Bucs coach Dirk Koetter said,cautioning against reading too much into New Orleans’ only loss since Ryan Fitzpatrick led Tampa Bay past the Saints on Sept. 9.“As we’ve said many times, this is a week-to-week league and there’s good players on both sides,” Koetter added. “I don’t think the Saints are going to be losing too much sleep over losing (and) being 10-2.”New Orleans can clinch its second straight NFC South title with a win Sunday or a Carolina loss or tie.The Bucs, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, have won the past two meetings in the division rivalry.“We’re playing for a lot Andy Isabella Jersey , in the position we’re in. I think our team knows that,” Payton said.“The bottom line is we control our destiny right now,” quarterback Drew Brees said. “We win this game, we win the division and that’s the first step, first goal that we set for ourselves this season. … Then, we’ll worry about the next goal.”Some things to know about the Bucs, who won two straight after a stretch in which they dropped seven of eight games, and Saints:PERSONAL RIVALRYTop Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore could be seeking a measure of redemption when he lines up against receiver Mike Evans.A year ago, Lattimore memorably frustrated Evans to the point that the big Bucs receiver leveled the cornerback along the Tampa Bay sideline as Winston and Lattimore exchanged words. Yet, in Week 1 of this season, Evans had a huge day in the Superdome against Lattimore, catching seven passes for 147 yards, highlighted by his 50-yard touchdown catch.But Lattimore, the 2017 defensive rookie of the year, has come back strong from that game and Payton was highly complimentary of his play this season while, to some extent, also excusing his Week 1 performance.“Marshon, we feel like, is one of the better corners in this league,” Payton said, “and I’m glad we have him.”IMPROVED PASS RUSHSince Week 7 when Tampa Bay fired defensive coordinator Mike Smith and promoted linebackers coach Mark Duffner as his replacement, the Bucs have the second-most sacks in the league with 24. The only team with more over that stretch is New Orleans with 25.RAIN READINESPayton tends to be very particular about reviewing weather forecasts for outdoor games and particularly so this week, where the forecast is calling for rain and some wind.“It doesn’t ‘look like’ it’s going to rain. It’s going to rain — 95 percent chance of rain. There’ll be some wind — 10 to 12 miles an hour. We know the direction; it’ll head from their locker room toward the pirate ship. I think the footing is going to be important relative to the shoes that we’re wearing.”To that end, the Saints were practicing outside Thursday, when Payton said their work included “wet ball drills, the whole 9 yards. It’s just understanding ball security, understanding the conditions.”Payton recalled that in September 2013, a Saints game at Tampa Bay was delayed by weather.“We’ve been there before when we were sent in … to go eat oranges for half an hour and then stretch and come back out and play,” he said.BALL SECURITYWinston, who sat out the season opener while serving a suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct penalty, has not turned the ball over since regaining his starting job two weeks ago. In his past three games, including starts vs. the 49ers and Panthers, the fourth-year pro completed 61 of 84 passes (72.6 percent) for 760 yards and six TDs vs. one interception for a 119.1rating. “He’s playing with a lot of confidence,” Payton said.“I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of turnovers. … (But) I think as long as Jameis continues to make good decisions, then he’s going to play good football,” Koetter said. “That’s really all we’re worried about.”