NFC South: Big Win Lifts Spirits In Carolina

SAINTS: Who would have thought Reggie Bush would be missed this much for the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints?

Out with a fractured fibula suffered in a Week 2 win at San Francisco, Bush is eyeing a return to the field Sunday versus the tough Pittsburgh Steelers at the Louisiana Superdome. With Pierre Thomas banged up with an ankle issue and possibly in head coach Sean Payton's doghouse, the Saints have just Chris Ivory to literally run the show.

That show unfortunately seemed to be just a pilot after Ivory was held to 48 yards on 15 carries for a New Orleans ground attack that registered just 58 yards. Being down by a 20-3 margin usually calls for more pass plays and that's exactly what happened in Sunday's 30-17 home loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns. With Pierre and Bush still out, Payton will have to turn to Ivory again against the Steelers.

Payton added that there hasn't been an issue with Pierre's rehab either.

"There hasn't been any tiff," he said. "Certainly we're all frustrated with the progress of Pierre's rehab. Anything specific in that matter would be between Pierre and I and the club."

What's out in the open is how badly the offense was on Sunday, notably All-Pro quarterback Drew Brees. Brees had to battle back and finished with 356 yards on 37-of-56 passing, two touchdowns and a season-high four interceptions. Brees hadn't been intercepted four times in a game since the 2007 campaign against Tennessee. He said after Sunday's loss to the Browns that he was also disappointed in third-down efficiency (5-for-15) and the turnovers.

"Whenever you throw a pick, you are going to be upset about it," Brees said after the game. "Anytime you throw two, you are really upset. Anytime you throw three, you are really, really upset. Four, I don't have days like that. I have had one of those days in my entire career."

On a more positive note, Brees became the second quarterback in franchise history to surpass 20,000 passing yards. The former Purdue star and San Diego Charger now has 20,327 passing yards in 70 games with New Orleans, which had an eight-game winning streak against AFC teams stopped. The Saints will try to start a new streak against the opposing conference Sunday versus Pittsburgh.