NEW ORLEANS -- If it takes a master to recognize a masterpiece, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who at 37 is having perhaps the most explosive season of his 16-year NFL career, sees nothing but beauty and the beast when he analyzes the Seattle Seahawks defense he will try to decipher Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome (1 p.m. ET, FOX).They really invented that scheme that a lot of people are trying to replicate, but its hard to do when you dont have the personnel, Brees said of the Seattle defense, responsible for an epic 6-6 tie last Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, the first NFL game to end in a tie since 2014. Theyre so good in so many areas, from the front four to the linebacking corps to the secondary.There is really not a weak link in the defense. You just have to be your absolute best when it comes to execution and put yourself in favorable positions as an offense, making sure youre in third-and-manageable situations and youre understanding the pressure and just making sure you get positive plays.Despite the Saints 2-4 start, Brees is defying NFL actuarial tables, completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 17 touchdowns against five interceptions. He is averaging a career-best 350 passing yards a game, and in a 27-21 loss at Kansas City last week, he recorded his league-record 100th 300-yard game.They are getting a lot of explosive plays, said Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman, who fought off severe fatigue and cramping to help the 4-1-1 Seahawks escape with the overtime tie against Arizona. They are getting the ball down the field and scoring points. Theyre doing a great job.Seattle coach Pete Carroll said of the New Orleans offense, Theyre really tough, like theyve been in the past, so effective throwing the football and attacking people. Between Sean (Payton) and Drew putting it together, it makes it very difficult. They have good weapons, and they use them really well.Since Payton took over as the Saints coach in 2006, New Orleans is 2-1 in the regular season against Seattle but 0-2 in the playoffs. The Seahawks have won the past three meetings, however, holding New Orleans to just 22 total points in the two most recent victories.When you watch the tape, there are two things (that stand out), Payton said. Theyre very talented, and I would say they have outstanding technique. Theyre playing a little man-to-man, but you see a lot of zone coverage. It forces you to come underneath with throws. That combination of coverage and then what theyre able to do with their rush plans make it extremely challenging.This will be the first time former Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, traded before the 2015 season to Seattle, will play in the Superdome against his old team. Graham is still feeling his way back from a knee injury, but he is second on the team in receptions (27 catches for 408 yards) with one touchdown.Its going to be weird, obviously, Brees said about facing his former teammate. We had a lot of good years here with Jimmy. We hated to see him go. We were close, and he was close with a lot of guys. We all loved Jimmy, and we understand things like that happen in this league. Im sure hes going to be pretty amped up to be back, but I know our fan base loved him and loved what he did for New Orleans and did for our team. There is a lot of love there.Carroll said Graham struggled last season before he sustained the knee injury, but he likes the growing relationship between Graham and quarterback Russell Wilson.Russell and Jimmy have really connected, and it took some time to develop that chemistry, Carroll said. Jimmys been great since hes gotten back and has his legs underneath him after coming back from the amazing rehab that he had to go through. They hit their stride, and hes been really effective, and hes off to a great year.The Seahawks are struggling to rush the ball, averaging just 3.1 yards a carry. They are scoring just 18.5 points per game, but that has been good enough with a defense that is allowing only 14 points a game.Both teams enter the game with questions at left tackle. Saints tackle Terron Armstead returned to practice Wednesday but has been in an out of the lineup. Seattle tackle Bradley Sowell sprained his knee last week and probably will not play. Starting New Orleans cornerback Delvin Breaux (broken leg) probably is at least another week away from returning. Custom Boston Red Sox Jerseys . It was just business as usual for the Thunder at home. Durant scored 32 points and the Thunder beat the Bulls 107-95 on Thursday night for their eighth straight win. Custom San Diego Padres Jerseys . It says Pocklingtons lawyer filed the appeal Friday in a California court. CTV Edmonton also says Pocklington gave a $100,000 cash deposit as part of the conditions of his bail, and that he will be out on bail until his appeal is heard. http://www.customjerseysbaseball.com/custom-arizona-diamondbacks-jerseys-74x.html . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. Custom San Francisco Giants Jerseys . Woodson said during a radio interview Thursday that the Knicks Carmelo Anthony doesnt get the same calls as other superstars. Custom Baltimore Orioles Jerseys . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Fabian Cancellara rolled back the years to win a second Olympic time trial gold on Wednesday as Chris Froome had to settle for bronze in Rio.Froome was bidding to emulate Sir Bradley Wiggins by winning the Tour and Olympic gold in the same year, after taking time trial bronze behind his compatriot four years ago.Wiggins won London 2012 gold 10 days after becoming the first British winner of the Tour, while Froome was in action 17 days after riding into Paris in the yellow jersey for a third time.But Cancellara, in his final season and winner of Olympic gold in Beijing eight years ago, had other ideas.The 35-year-old Swiss, who won the last of his four world titles in 2010, completed the 54.5-kilometres course in one hour 12 minutes 15.42 seconds.Froome finished in 1hr 13mins 17.54secs to place third, behind Tom Dumoulin of Holland, who took silver in 1:13:02.83.Froome had taken the sole British place, until Gerraint Thomas late inclusion following a spate of crashes in last Saturdays road race prompted the withdrawals of Australias Richie Porte and Vincenzo Nibali of Italy.dddddddddddd Thomas finished ninth in 1:14:52.85.Dumoulin, who won two stages of the Tour, but also suffered a fractured wrist, quit the road race almost as soon as it had started to save himself for the time-trial. Rohan Dennis of Australia was another contender.The course, featuring two laps of the undulating Grumari circuit, was a challenging one which was expected to suit Froome.But Cancellara had other ideas, storming to a farewell gold by 47 seconds from Dumoulin, with Froome more than a minute behind.It was a day for veterans as Kristin Armstrong, who is 43 on Thursday, won the womens time-trial for a third time. ' ' '