dates as good -- but none better -- had they looked elsewhere. He also insisted Renteria would be the right man to lead the team

NEW ORLEANS -- Sean Payton had a surprise in store for a Seattle defense that thrives on harassing quarterbacks and physically intimidating receivers.The Saints coach dialed back New Orleans prolific passing game and challenged his running backs and offensive line to deliver as much punishment to Seahawks defenders as they could.Drew Brees wound up well short of his typical passing numbers in the Superdome -- 265 yards and one touchdown -- but the Saints (3-4) pulled out a 25-20 victory they sorely needed to improve their prospects for climbing back into the NFC playoff picture.It doesnt really have to be aesthetically pleasing to be effective, Payton asserted. The key is winning.The victory wasnt assured until the New Orleans much-maligned defense, which entered the game ranked 29th in the NFL, came up with a stop on the Seahawks final drive, which started on the Seattle 32 with 1:50 left. Russell Wilson took the Seahawks (4-2-1) to the New Orleans 10, where he had one final play. He lofted a pass toward the corner of the end zone, where Jermaine Kearse caught the ball, but landed out of bounds.It was close. I tried to give him a shot, Wilson said of his last throw to Kearse, adding that cornerback B.W. Webb did a good job of trying to drive him out of bounds. I think he got one (foot) in and was trying to get the second one down. The last drive was a testament to our resilience.The Saints rushed 35 times and passed 35 times -- certainly not the M.O. for a team that entered the game with a second-ranked passing offense and 28th-ranked running game. But it was effective. New Orleans gained 123 yards on the ground with Tim Hightower gaining 102, making him the first Saint this season to rush for 100. New Orleans also kept possession for 36:12 to Seattles 23:48.We knew coming in here it was going to be a physical game, Hightower said. In that fourth quarter, I looked over on their sideline and saw a couple of those guys on their knees and I said, `This is exactly where we want them.Wilson finished with 253 yards passing and was intercepted once by linebacker Nathan Stupar, whose diving snag set up the Saints first TD on Brees 1-yard dive over a pile of players. Brees lone touchdown pass went to Brandin Cooks on a 2-yard slant , which gave the Saints the lead for good early in the fourth quarter.Wil Lutz kicked field goals of 22, 53, 21 and 41 yards for the Saints, the latter coming with under two minutes left to put Seattle down by more than a field goal.MINI SLUMP: Seattle has gone two straight games without a win, having tied Arizona last week, but the Seahawks hardly seem concerned.The great thing is we have all the players, we have the right system, we have the right guys, Wilson said. We are going to be able to do it. This is nothing that we havent faced before.MISLEADING STATS: While the Saints held numerous statistical advantages in several categories, big plays on both sides of the ball helped Seattle lead 14-13 at halftime and keep it close throughout.Seattle defensive end Cliff Avril forced Mark Ingrams fumble in the first quarter. It popped straight to safety Earl Thomas, who sprinted into the open field for a 34-yard touchdown.A trick play set up Seattles second score. Wilson threw a backward screen to his left to receiver Tanner McEvoy, who then threw deep back across the field for a 43-yard completion to running back C.J. Prosise to the Saints 2. That set up Christine Michaels TD run, making it 14-3.Seattles defense also forced a field goal in the third quarter after the Saints had a first-and-goal on the 1 and thwarted a Saints 2-point conversion attempt after Cooks TD.BENCHED: Ingram was benched after his fumble on this third carry of the game. It was his second fumble in two weeks while trying to fight for extra yards after contact. A week earlier, Ingrams fumble inside the Kansas City 10 contributed to a six-point loss.Sometimes those things happen and I know hes going to bounce back, Brees said of Ingram. Ive got so much trust, great confidence in him as does this whole offense, so I wouldnt look into that any further.GRAHAMS RETURN: Jimmy Graham was silent about his return to the place where his NFL career started, avoiding media all week. He had a relatively quiet game as well, finishing with three catches for 34 yards. Graham did speak to media after the game, walking from the locker room to the stadium exit wearing headphones and ignoring several reporters questions.BREES AT HOME: Brees now has a TD pass in 58 consecutive home games, extending his NFL-record streak.UP NEXT: Seattle hosts Buffalo in the Week 9 Monday night game, while the Saints travel to meet San Francisco next Sunday.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Marquinhos Jersey . Tuesdays surgery at Atlantas Piedmont Hospital was performed by Dr. Xavier Duralde and Hawks team physician Dr. Michael Bernot. Danilo Brazil Jersey . The visitors took a deserved lead in the 16th minute with midfielder Yohan Cabaye curling the ball beyond Adrian from inside the penalty area. http://www.soccerbrazilonline.com/Fabinho-Copa-America-Jersey/ .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Lucas Lima Jersey . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Rafinha Jersey . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. CHICAGO -- Rick Renteria is getting a second chance to manage in Chicago, this time on the South Side.The White Sox promoted Renteria from bench coach to replace Robin Ventura on Monday, hoping he can help turn around a struggling franchise.Renteria takes over a team with one playoff appearance since the 2005 championship year. And he gets another opportunity after the Cubs unceremoniously let him go after the 2014 season so they could hire Joe Maddon.Im extremely excited, Renteria said. Its a little bittersweet because I became good friends with Robin.The White Sox noted that Renteria is the only Latino manager in the majors and touted his ability to communicate in English and Spanish.General manager Rick Hahn said the organization might have found candidates as good -- but none better -- had they looked elsewhere. He also insisted Renteria would be the right man to lead the team whether it is undergoing a major overhaul or trying to contend. To that end, Hahn said the White Sox know which way they want to go; he just wasnt about to reveal it.Regardless of the direction, we think hes capable of winning a World Series with the right personnel behind him, he said. Even if we do go to the extreme of tearing this thing down, so to speak, our goal is to get ourselves back to the World Series, and our hope is to do it with this manager.Hahn said Ventura first told him just over a month ago that he thought it was time for the organization to make a change in the dugout. Hahn said there were personal reasons behind it and added that Ventura spoke highly of Renteria.Hahn said he did not try to persuade Ventura -- who had an expiring contract -- to return next season. And when asked if he could have returned if he wanted, Hahn said, Thats a hypothetical that we never got to.Ventura announced Sunday after the final game against Minnesota that he would not return, insisting the decision was his and he wasnt pushed out despite five seasons without a playoff appearance.The White Sox went 375-435 but finished with losing records the past four years after an 85-77 debut in 2012. They finished fourth in the AL Central at 78-84 despite a 23-10 start that gave them a six-game lead in the AL Central on May 9. They went 55-74 the rest of the way thanks to injuries, a slumping offense and struggling bullpen.There were also some strange incidents this year, starting with Adam LaRoches abrupt retirement in spring training after executive vice president Ken Williams banned his son from the clubhouse.dddddddddddd Ace Chris Sale ripped Williams at the time, and Sale was suspended for five days in July for cutting up collared throwback jerseys he didnt want to wear for a start. He later criticized Ventura for not sticking up for him in his dispute with the marketing staff.The 54-year-old Renteria led the Cubs to a 73-89 record in his lone year and drew praise for his work with their young players. But his tenure ended with an awkward dismissal, with management reversing course once Maddon became available and letting him go after announcing he would return for a second season. Renteria and Hall-of-Famer Johnny Evers are the only managers in history to manage games for both the White Sox and the Cubs (Evers managed the White Sox in 1924 and the Cubs in 1913 and 1921).When the White Sox hired Renteria last November, he was seen as a potential candidate to take over as manager. The change on the bench is the first move in what figures to be a busy offseason. The question is how far the White Sox go in rebuilding.The goal is to put us in position to win multiple championships as quickly as possible, Hahn said. The exact path were going to follow over the next few months is not one that were going to reveal today.Hahn acknowledged the potential for a strong sellers trade market with a thin free agent pool.Sale and fellow All-Star Jose Quintana would figure to bring back a high return if they are dealt, particularly since their contracts dont expire anytime soon. Slugger Jose Abreu, Todd Frazier, Melky Cabrera, David Robertson and Adam Eaton might be attractive to other teams.A full overhaul would be a departure for an organization that has tried to contend in recent seasons by bringing in high profile players such as Adam Dunn, Jeff Samardzija, Robertson, Cabrera, Eaton, Frazier and LaRoche, only to come up short. The teams struggles have coincided with a resurgence brought on by a major overhaul on the North Side, where the Cubs drew over three million fans -- compared to 1.75 million on the South Side.When I look at not just the players in uniform but the entire organization, we could do better, Hahn said. And thats why we underachieved. ' ' '