LSU can prepare for Saban Bowl III with a little more swagger. Brandon LaFell caught two touchdown passes, moving him into second on LSU's career list, and the ninth-ranked Tigers shut out Tulane for the first time since 1969, 42-0 on Saturday night.

Darren Sharper takes some good-natured ribbing from teammates about his age and his supposed declining ability. When asked about Sharper's three touchdowns on interception returns this season, Saints strong safety Roman Harper deadpanned, "It's taken a lot of blocking to get him there."

The New Orleans Media meets with the head coach and one player from the Saints opposition each week. This week all we wanted to talk about was "The wild cat."  What makes it tick?  What makes it so hard to defend? Why did the Dolphins decide to start running it?

Call it a meeting of the masterminds in New Orleans. The Jets' Rex Ryan has made a career of creating aggressive, unpredictable defenses that keep opposing coaches guessing. The Saints' Sean Payton has done the same with his air-it-out offenses, putting up tons of yards and points in every way imaginable.

Chad Jones had a tough choice.

The Houston Astros had drafted him out of high school, a thrill for a kid who made no secret of his love for baseball. Yet, he was an excellent football player and LSU was prepared to let him play both sports, meaning he'd get to line up on the gridiron with his brother, Rahim Alem.

LSU head coach Les Miles is trying to be fair. Miles doesn't like the inconsistency with which the Tigers have played, but he doesn't want to be too critical of a squad that is 4-0 and ranked fourth in the nation, either. "We have played four games and we have four victories," Miles said Monday. "We certainly are where we want to be. But, we certainly want to improve along the way."

The New Orleans Saints won the first two games of the season with their offense, Sunday showed they could win with defense. The Buffalo Bills failed to score an offensive touchdown as the Black and Gold won 27 to 7. The Saints defense held Buffalo to 243 total yards. Controversial wide receiver Terrell Owens didn't catch a pass. Running Back Fred Jackson, who had 163 yards last week, only had 71 yards. The defense also had four sacks. 

LSU coach Les Miles' words were the kind no football player wants to hear. Especially after a win. "The team better show up at home on Monday ready to work," Miles said. Sure, the Tigers beat Mississippi State 30-26, remained undefeated and jumped from seventh to No. 4 in the Top 25. But it was the kind of game that leaves a coach worried his team could be the next contender to lose.

The LSU Tigers figure to move into the ranks of the top 5 teams in the college football. LSU was #7 in both major polls last week.  The Tigers won Saturday, beating Mississippi State 30 to 26.

The New Orleans Saints' offense has certainly been the NFL's most impressive through the season's first two weeks, but the Buffalo Bills may have the league's most surprising unit. As a result, Sunday's interconference matchup at Ralph Wilson Stadium has the makings of a potential shootout, but the Bills will face a tall task trying to slow down Drew Brees and the unbeaten Saints' high-powered attack.

The NFL says that Saints defensive ends Charles Grant and Will Smith will not face suspensions "at the present time." Both have been fighting four game suspensions for violations of the NFL banned substances policy.

The New Orleans Saints have added return man Courtney Roby to roster after last week's troubles on special teams. Roby had been waived after training camp.