METAIRIE, La. (AP) — Saints safety Jairus Byrd is certain New Orleans’ defense has corrected costly early season errors.
If he’s wrong, the Saints could be in for a long Sunday night against a Dallas offense driven by Tony Romo, Dez Bryant, Jason Witten and DeMarco Murray.
Byrd says proof of New Orleans’ defensive improvement “showed up” on coaches’ video of the Saints’ Week 3 victory over Minnesota, even though the Vikings’ offense was undermanned.
Byrd says it’s clear the Saints have eliminated tackling and communication problems that plagued them in Weeks 1 and 2.
Jerry Jones
DALLAS (AP) — An Oklahoma woman accuses Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in a lawsuit of paying her for at least four years to keep her from reporting an alleged sexual assault.
An updated lawsuit filed Monday by Jana Weckerly’s attorney accuses Jones of forcibly touching Weckerly and kissing her on the lips without her consent more than five years ago — then bullying her into not reporting the alleged attack. The lawsuit seeks more than $1 million in damages.
Jones has denied Weckerly’s allegations. The Cowboys have cited an earlier statement from a Jones attorney calling the claims “completely false.”
Weckerly’s lawsuit says Jones and the Cowboys sent her money from 2009 until at least July 2013.
A hearing on whether the lawsuit should be dismissed is scheduled for Friday in Dallas.
Bills
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Mario Williams is focused more on bouncing back from a loss, than on the Buffalo Bills’ next opponent.
The star pass-rushing defensive end had little time or interest on Wednesday in talking about the Bills (2-1) facing the Houston Texans (2-1), his former team, on Sunday.
Williams says he doesn’t care what reception he might get in his second trip to Houston in three seasons since signing a six-year $100 million contract with the Bills.
What matters is how Buffalo’s defense regains its passrushing swagger a week after being picked apart by quarterback Philip Rivers in a 22-10 loss to the San Diego Chargers.
Colts
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Ahmad Bradshaw feels like he’s back.
He already has rushed for 150 yards and leads the Indianapolis Colts with three touchdown receptions, doubling his previous career total.
After being hobbled by a foot injury most of the 2012 season and missing all but three games in 2013, Bradshaw has re-emerged as a major playmaker in the Colts offense.
A year ago, it seemed none of this would be possible when he went down with a season-ending neck injury. While he recovered from the fusion of two vertebrae in his neck, Bradshaw seriously contemplated retirement before deciding against it.
Steelers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — James Harrison returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday to a locker room that looks different than the one he left two years ago.
While the five-time Pro Bowl linebacker was able to get his familiar No. 92 from teammate Daniel McCullers, Harrison’s old locker has been taken over by wide receiver Antonio Brown.
Once a vital cog to one of the NFL’s top defenses, Harrison will be a role player most Sundays. The Steelers have undergone a youth movement in his absence, particularly at linebacker.
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