allowing 429 total yards to Arkansas, a number that was

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Two teams almost certainly headed nowhere collide in the desert Sunday.The New Orleans Saints (5-8) and Arizona Cardinals (5-7-1) are in the homestretch of disappointing seasons.There are some far-fetched scenarios that have either team reaching the playoffs. The New York Times put the chances of New Orleans making the postseason at 1 percent, Arizona at 2 percent.So most everyone involved with this game is resigned that the season will end in three weeks.Just being real, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said.That doesnt mean the game is meaningless.Thats what were paid to do. Were paid to play games, Arizona center A.Q. Shipley said. We have to go out and perform to the highest level. Some of us are playing for futures. Some of us are playing for right now.The Saints have to win out to avoid a third consecutive losing season. But coach Sean Payton said this is a different team than those two 7-9 squads and hes encouraged by its progress.Im encouraged with young guys we had a chance to play through injury, he said. Weve overcome some, tough, hard-fought games. ... Its going to be important that this team finishes well though.One more loss and the Cardinals will have their first losing season in Arians four years as coach.New Orleans has lost three in a row in Arizona, most recently a 31-19 defeat in last years season opener. Drew Brees completed 30 of 48 passes for 355 yards, but had only one touchdown with one interception.We havent played real well when weve played there, so I think thats another challenge for us -- turning that streak around, Brees said. We need to go to a place like that, a hostile environment, and be able to play well on the road.Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer will try to survive behind a makeshift offensive line. Tackle D.J. Humphries is out with a concussion, so the lineup will include John Wetzel at left tackle, Taylor Boggs at right guard (in his first NFL start) and Earl Watford at right tackle.Here are some things to consider when New Orleans meets the Cardinals:JOHNSON MARCHES ON: Arizonas David Johnson can set an NFL record if he amasses 100 yards from scrimmage again Sunday. He would be the first player to top that mark in each of the first 14 games of a season. Right now he and Edgerrin James are tied at 13 in a row.Johnson has his eyes on an even more impressive stat. He needs 255 yards receiving to join Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk as the only players to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in a single season.NO FLOYD: Wide receiver Michael Floyd was released by Arizona on Wednesday, two days after police say he was found unconscious behind the wheel of a running vehicle at a Scottsdale intersection. Floyd was charged with driving under the influence and failure to obey a police officer.He signed with New England on Thursday.The abrupt departure of the teams 2012 first-round draft pick should mean even more action for the Cardinals diminutive wide receiver J.J. Nelson, who caught two TD passes in last Sundays loss at Miami.After Larry Fitzgerald and Nelson, a bunch of guys will fill in for Floyd, Arians said. One of them is John Brown, who has been slowed by fatigue related to a diagnosis of a sickle cell trait.OFFENSE VS DEFENSE: The Saints have the No. 1-ranked offense in the league at 418 yards per game. The Cardinals have the No. 1 defense, giving up 298 yards per game.So something has to give.I guess thats kind of exciting, isnt it? Brees said.New Orleans offense ranks first in passing, too, at 314 yards per game. The Cardinals are second in pass defense, giving up 202 yards per contest.OFFENSIVE WASTE: While the Saints are ranked No. 1 on offense, their inability to reach the end zone during the past two games helped their playoff hopes fade to black. New Orleans has scored just one touchdown in the past two games against Detroit and Tampa Bay. Five drives during that span have ended with field goals and six with interceptions.IMPROVING D: Five weeks into the season, the Saints allowed four opponents to score 34 or more points and ranked 31st in the NFL on defense. Since then, theyve held five opponents to 23 or fewer points and have climbed seven spots in the defensive rankings to 24th.Some of that has to do with players returning from injuries. And its evidence that chemistry across the defense and players understanding of coordinator Dennis Allens scheme have improved.---AP Sports Writer Brett Martel in New Orleans contributed to this report.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Cheap Vans Sk8 Hi Shoes . But what about the officials? Every sport has officials and they also have stories about hard work and sacrifice but their accomplishments are seldom recognized by anyone outside their inner circle. Vans Sk8 Hi Leather . The 17-year-old native of Marystown, N.L., pulled out of Skate Canada International last month in Saint John, N.B., with the same problem. http://www.vansshoesclearancesale.com/ . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. Vans Old Skool Black . Ronaldo produced a spectacular individual performance on Tuesday, scoring all three goals and guiding Portugal into the next years World Cup in Brazil with a 3-2 victory in Sweden. The Real Madrid forward has scored 66 goals in 2013, but the last three may be the boost he needs to upstage Messi after FIFA unexpectedly extended the voting period for the Ballon dOr to Nov. Vans Shoes Sale . "Thank you for the warm welcome," Beckham said on an 80-degree February morning. In this case, it was soccer weather. The sport moved a step closer to returning to South Florida on Wednesday, when Beckham confirmed he has exercised his option to purchase a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in Miami. FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Bret Bielema did his best to remind anyone who was listening throughout the week that Arkansas only losses this season were to No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Texas A&M.That included the No. 22 Razorbacks, who clearly took their coachs message to heart in a 34-30 win over No. 12 Mississippi on Saturday night.The win didnt have quite the suspense of Arkansas (5-2, 1-2 Southeastern Conference) thrilling overtime win over the Rebels (3-3, 1-2) a year ago, but it was every bit as important -- especially following a deflating 49-30 loss at home to the Crimson Tide a week ago.I told the guys, `Lets do whatever we have to do to protect this house, Bielema said. They never wavered and needed help from the crowd, and they delivered.Austin Allen was at his usual best on Saturday night, completing 19 of 32 passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. The junior now has an SEC-best 18 touchdown passes for the season, and he had plenty of help in the form of Rawleigh Williams career-best 180 rushing yards on 27 carries.Despite the dynamic run-pass combination, the Razorbacks didnt secure the win until Jared Cornelius 6-yard touchdown scamper on second-and-goal late in the fourth quarter.The offensive line kind of stretched, the defense jumped to the outside, I stuck my foot in the ground and the hole opened up like the Red Sea, Cornelius said.The win was the third in a row for the Razorbacks over Ole Miss, which has now lost three of its first six games a season after winning the Sugar Bowl.Chad Kelly accounted for 342 yards of total offense for the Rebels, throwing for 253 yards and rushing for 89 more. The senior also threw for a touchdown and ran for two more, but he fumbled while scrambling on a fourth-and-16 to put an end to Ole Miss two-game winningg streak.ddddddddddddEvan Engram led the Rebels with seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown.The two teams entered Saturday with the two most efficient quarterbacks in the SEC, and neither Kelly nor Allen disappointed. The duo combined for 571 yards of total offense.It was Cornelius, however, who had the final say with his 6-yard touchdown run with 2:20 remaining.Were in the games and competing, Rebels coach Hugh Freeze said. Weve got to see the big picture, even though its hard to right now, sitting here.THE TAKEAWAYOle Miss: The Rebels entered the game 102nd in the country in total defense, allowing 449.4 yards per game. They once again struggled on Saturday by allowing 429 total yards to Arkansas, a number that was more than 450 before the Razorbacks purposely took several large losses while running out the clock on the games final drive.Arkansas: The Razorbacks still have offensive line concerns after allowing three more sacks of Allen, but they moved the ball consistently through the air and on the ground. That gives them renewed hope with only SEC games left on the schedule this season.POLL IMPLICATIONSArkansas was in danger of falling out of the rankings, but now its likely to once again push its way into the top 20 , perhaps even surpassing the Rebels. The Razorbacks only losses this season are to No. 1 Alabama and No. 6 Texas A&M.UP NEXTOle Miss: The Rebels are on the road for the second straight week, traveling to Baton Rouge to face LSU.Arkansas: The Razorbacks play for the eighth straight week to open the season, traveling to No. 23 Auburn next week.---More AP college football: http://www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' '