in the second quarter. Andrews was flagged and penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on the blindside hit.The hit left Poyer bent over on the grass for a few minutes before he was able to walk to the B

METAIRIE, La. -- Saints running back Tim Hightower isnt about to assume New Orleans ground game will return to its usual form in Tampa this week -- even if last weeks anemic performance looked more like an anomaly than a trend.You cant look at what you did three weeks ago or what you did a month ago or at the beginning of the season, Hightower said. You have to look at, `Hey, why didnt we get it done this (past) week. Weve got to figure out what we didnt do last week and get it corrected.Hightower and several other key members of the Saints offense echoed the same theory about what caused the drop-off in production on the ground in a 28-13 loss to the Detroit Lions last Sunday, when New Orleans rushed for only 50 yards.The problem wasnt so much an inability to execute blocks or read the defense, they said. It was about a lack of opportunity to establish a rhythm because of how poorly the Saints executed on third downs, whether they were passing or running.If we can learn anything for last week ... its so important and imperative for us to sustain drives, keep the momentum going, keep the ball control, Hightower said. Then youll get more runs. Youll get more favorable runs. But when were three-and-out, three-and-out, teams can just hold the ball and try to play keep away from us and its not going to work out well.The Saints, who boast the No. 1 offense in the NFL, currently rank 12th in rushing, averaging 109.3 yards per game. When the Saints have run well, theyve been tough to beat.In Week 8, when Hightower rushed for more than 100 yards, the Saints beat Seattle. In Week 9, Ingram gained 158 yards and Hightower 87 in a lopsided victory at San Francisco. Then in Week 11, Ingram gained 146 and Hightower 51 in a rout of the Rams.A good running game is a quarterbacks best friend because it makes the defense respect it, Buccaneers coach Dirk Koetter said. `Then when you go to play-action you get bigger windows (to throw). And Brees, his accuracy is off the charts.A few days after that victory over Los Angeles, Lions safety Glover Quin said he felt the key to stopping the Saints offense began with shutting down the running game. Ingram broke loose for one 22-yard gain against Detroit, but had only 15 yards on his six other carries. Hightower gained just 5 yards on two carries, one of which went for no gain on a drive-stalling third-and-1 play.We want to be balanced, obviously, right guard Jahri Evans said, adding that linemen dont particularly like back-peddling in pass protection all game. That essentially forces offensively linemen to play defensively against attacking pass rushers rather than firing off the line of scrimmage and inflicting physical punishment on defensive players.First, it comes with just having the opportunities, Evans said of getting the running game going again. Getting the opportunity means converting on third down.For the season, the Saints lead the NFL with a third-down conversion rate of 49.7 percent. They converted six of 13 third downs (46 percent) against Detroit, but also saw three drives stall on interceptions thrown by Drew Brees. The result: New Orleans ran 62 total plays on offense, about 11 below its average coming in. All but 23 of those plays were run in the second half, when New Orleans was behind and more inclined to throw.Brees said if the Saints can sustain long drives and dont fall behind by much, if at all, at Tampa Bay, that should set the stage for a resurgent ground game.We didnt get the number of plays, Brees said when asked for his take on why the running games production plummeted last week. If you dont sustain drives and you get behind, then all of a sudden youre in a position where it changes the game plan a little bit and you become a little more one-dimensional. You have to manufacture some bigger plays to get back in the game. That was the real reason for the lack of rushing attempts, and therefore production in yards.Game notes Three players missed practiced Wednesday: linebacker Craig Robertson (shoulder), receiver Michael Thomas (foot) and tight end Josh Hill (fibula). Those players listed as limited included Ingram (toe, knee), left tackle Terron Armstead (quadriceps, knee), center Max Unger (foot), right tackle Zach Strief (elbow), guard Senio Kelemete (hip) and running back Daniel Lasco (hamstring).---AP Sports Writer Fred Goodall contributed.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Mark Aguirre Jersey . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. Rolando Blackman Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. https://www.cheapmavericks.com/523l-roy-tarpley-jersey-mavericks.html . You can watch the game live on TSN at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City. Maxi Kleber Jersey . Tevez, who has had conflicts with coaches in the past, has not been called up since Sabella was named coach in 2011. Argentina boasts Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Ezequiel Lavezzi and Angel Di Maria. Mavericks Jerseys 2020 .05 million next season unless Graham and the Saints subsequently agree on a long-term deal. The designation was released Monday after the deadline passed for NFL teams to use franchise or transition tags on players becoming free agents. A miserable loss in Miami might be the least of the problems facing the Pittsburgh Steelers.Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger limped through the locker room after the 30-15 setback with his left knee aching following an awkward step in the second quarter.Though he returned to finish 19 of 34 for 189 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, Roethlisberger planned to undergo an MRI.I dont know how it happened, Roethlisberger said. I just felt something funny in my knee. Yeah, thats about it.Roethlisberger was scrambling to his right to escape pressure in the second quarter when he stepped out of a potential sack. He wound up throwing an interception on the play and left briefly in favor of backup Landry Jones.Hopefully well pray its just not too serious, Roethlisberger said.Roethlisberger missed four starts last season for various injuries, including a sprained left knee. Jones went 1-1 while filling in for Roethlisberger, though the Steelers face a significant test next weekend when Tom Brady and the New England Patriots visit Heinz Field.Baltimores injury-riddled and beleaguered secondary was dealt another blow when veteran Jimmy Smith left Sundays game against the New York Giants with a concussion.With Smith off the field in the second half, New York wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. went off against Baltimores Shareece Wright, Will Davis and Tavon Young, scoring two long touchdowns as the Giants held on for a 27-23 win.Thee most frightening injury of the day happened in Tennessee.dddddddddddd Cleveland defensive back Jordan Poyer went to the hospital with a lacerated kidney following a vicious blindside hit in the second quarter of the Browns 28-26 loss to the Titans.Poyer was hurt chasing down Titans returner Marc Mariani when Antonio Andrews hit him, knocking Poyer to the ground with 6:33 left in the second quarter. Andrews was flagged and penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct on the blindside hit.The hit left Poyer bent over on the grass for a few minutes before he was able to walk to the Browns sideline. He was evaluated, then put on a cart that took him to the locker room before Poyer was transported to a local hospital. He was evaluated at the hospital for a concussion and an abdomen injury, revealing the damage to his kidney.Asked about the hit, Browns coach Hue Jackson called it just football and doubted Andrews was doing anything more than just trying to block Poyer.Sometimes you aim at a spot and hit some other things, Jackson said.The Rams defense took another hit in a second straight loss, this time at Detroit. Defensive tackle Michael Brockers aggravated his hip injury and defensive back Lamarcus Joyner left with a forearm injury.---AP NFL website: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '