bleak for us." -Joffrey Lupul, following the loss to Detroit. Up Next C

NEW ORLEANS - Drew Brees made his latest claim to the moniker of Mr. Wholesale Tigers Jerseys . Monday Night. He also gave the Miami Dolphins another reason to regret not making a harder push to sign him when they had the chance seven years ago. Brees passed for 413 yards and four touchdowns, and the New Orleans Saints turned a clash of unbeaten teams into a lopsided affair, beating Miami 38-17 on Monday night. "I felt like we found our rhythm," Brees said. "Every time we touched the ball, it felt like we were going to go down and score points." Two of Brees touchdowns went to Jimmy Graham for 27 and 43 yards as the tight end had at least 100 yards receiving for the third straight game. Brees other scoring strikes went to Benjamin Watson and Darren Sproles, who also rushed for a touchdown. "He plays out of this world," Graham said. "This team is so dynamic, we have so many weapons and Drew knows exactly where to go with the ball." Sproles 5-yard scoring run on the games opening series gave the Saints a lead they would not relinquish en route to their first 4-0 start since their Super Bowl championship season of 2009. It also further accentuated what a turnaround the Saints have made since coach Sean Payton served his bounty ban last season, which New Orleans opened with four losses. "We like this a lot better," Brees said of the 4-0 start. "Everything that could have gone wrong for us went wrong. Fortunately were having the ball bounce our way this year. Were playing good football." Ryan Tannehill passed for 249 yards and a touchdown to Charles Clay, but his four turnovers on a fumble and three interceptions hurt Miami (3-1). "Were not happy. Obviously you dont want to come out and perform like that," Tannehill said. "But you look at it and there are things you can correct." The Saints have won their last nine Monday night games, all with Brees at quarterback and often putting on some of his most memorable performances. There was his 307-yard, four-TD performance against Atlanta late in the 2011 season, the same game in which he broke Dan Marinos 27-year-old record for yards passing in a season. Earlier that same season, Brees threw for 363 yards and four scores in a 49-24 Monday night win over the New York Giants. The Saints Super Bowl campaign was highlighted by Brees 371 yards and five touchdowns in New Orleans stunning 38-17 rout of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Now his 10th career 400-yard outing has delivered a sobering blow to a Miami team that came in riding a surprising start. "Well find out a lot about the team we have by the way we come back tomorrow," Miami coach Joe Philbin said. When Brees was a free agent in 2006, he drew the most interest from New Orleans and Miami, but the Dolphins, fearful of the effects of reconstructive surgery on Brees throwing shoulder, did not pursue the quarterback as enthusiastically as then-Saints rookie coach Sean Payton. Since then, Brees has become one of the most prolific quarterbacks in NFL history. During New Orleans opening drive, Brees became only the seventh quarterback to pass for more than 47,000 yards. He ended the drive with 47,030, surpassing Fran Tarkentons 47,003 for sixth most yards passing all-time. Later, Brees eighth completion gave him 4,124 in his career, one more than John Elway for fourth all-time in that category. Brees was 30 of 39 against Miami without an interception. Sproles caught seven passes for 114 yards. Marques Colston had seven catches for 96 yards. Miamis Lamar Miller had 62 yards rushing on 11 carries, including a 5-yard scoring run late in the second quarter that made it 14-10, but the Saints began to run away with the game after that, and as they did, they turned up their pass rush. Tannehill was sacked four times in the second half, once each by Junior Galette, Martez Wilson, Cameron Jordan and Tyrunn Walker. "I just dont feel that team was as good as everybody was saying they were," Galette said of Miami. "We just abused the offensive line all game." New Orleans defence, worst in the league last season but resurgent under new co-ordinator Rob Ryan, also allowed fewer than 20 points for the fourth time in as many games. Miami was driving for a potential go-ahead score in the second quarter when Tannehill tried to scramble up the middle and was stripped by linebacker Curtis Lofton. Safety Rafael Bush recovered on the New Orleans 38. That set up a drive that ended with Grahams leaping, juggling catch as three defenders converged on him. Later in the half, Jabari Greer intercepted a pass intended for Brian Hartline and returned it 22 yards to the Miami 23. Several plays later, Sproles made a catch along the left sideline, spun away from a converging defender and scored his second touchdown with 55 seconds left in the half to make it 21-10. Notes: Miamis 79 Monday night games are the most by any team. The Dolphins fell to 40-39 in those games. ... Payton has now coached in 100 regular season games, going 66-34 (71-37 including playoffs). Travis Demeritte Jersey . City has reached new heights under manager Manuel Pellegrini as they transition from big spending/immediate impact to perennial contender. Yaya Toures seeming discontent Tuesday may complicate that, as does the little issue of Financial Fair Play. Lance Parrish Jersey . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. https://www.cheaptigers.com/939z-schoolboy-rowe-jersey-tigers.html . I kept my eyes focused up on the camera during each approach. I just tried to stay focused on my form, as I didnt know what the ball reaction was. I was quite emotional at the end. I did not actually see any of the shots in the game until I got home and watched the video.TORONTO – The bubble has just about burst and whatever remained of the Maple Leafs sinking playoff hopes is probably just on life support. A game they had to have Saturday fell apart like so many others during a losing skid that now numbers eight games. And a season, promising as recently as two weeks ago, has unraveled into a collapse that mirrors, if not eclipses, the infamous 18-wheeler of 2012. "I cant describe it right now," said a befuddled Joffrey Lupul following a 4-2 loss to Detroit, the Red Wings jumping two points ahead of the Leafs with two games still in hand. "This is probably the first time, after this game, that things are probably looking a little bleak for us." The scene was cheery in the visitors dressing room at Staples Center in Los Angeles after a resilient win over the Kings on March 13. The Leafs had stomped through the deathly California triangle with a pair of victories and had their sights set on claiming second spot in the Atlantic Division, a berth in the postseason all but assumed following their 15th win in a remarkable stretch of 22 games. They havent gotten a point since, losing eight straight in regulation for the first time in more than 25 years. It was more of the same in defeat against the Red Wings, still playing without their two best players in Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. There was the stunning and all too familiar inconsistency. At once energetic, sharp and urgent in the opening period, the Leafs sputtered with errors in the second, spewing three goals in less than eight minutes. Troubling defensive breakdowns continued in that middle period meltdown. Detroit approached double-figures in odd-man opportunities for the evening, scoring three of their four goals in such situations, including two in that disastrous eight-minute stretch. "Its a very tough time," Dion Phaneuf said after the defeat, the third to the Red Wings this season. "This loss is the most disappointing out of the eight. Theres no hiding that." Perplexed Leafs like Phaneuf were struggling to comprehend how it could unravel so quickly, how a season filled with so much promise could deteriorate in a manner of a couple weeks. "Sometimes, its just been poor execution," Lupul said. "Sometimes, its been defensive lapses. Other times, the other teams played really well, but its our job to win hockey games and we havent been able to do it." Technically still alive, the Leafs would need to find an unbelievable and unlikely winning streak to revive their playoff hopes along with plenty of help from the likes of Columbus, Detroit, and even Washington. Up three points on Montreal after that win in L.A., Toronto now trails the Habs by 13, an incredible and hurried reversal rarely seen. "We went from a position where we were in control of our own destiny now to sitting at home cheering against other teams," Lupul said. "That part of its very frustrating." And now, or perhaps very soon, come the difficult questions for general manager Dave Nonis and his management team. What should the future hold for head coach Randy Carlyle? How much of what took place this season falls on his shoulders? Are the teams constant defensive failings a matter of coaching or are certain segments of the roster simply too flawed? How much of the collapse, for that matter, is the roster? Is it both the coaching staff and roster that need adjusting? Does a core featuring Kessel, van Riemsdyk, Lupul, Phaneuf, Kadri, Clarkson, Bernier and Rielly need serious tweaking? Are these the foundations of a team that can eventually win the ultimate prize? Where and what improvements can be attained? Where does the club go from here? A collapse of this magnitude should throw everyone and everything into question. Ron Wilson got the axe during the 2012 meltdown with only minor roster adjustments that summer (Luke Schenn notably traded). Mikhail Grabovski, Clarke MacArthur and Matt Frattin were among the jettisoned following the Game 7 unraveling last spring. What comes next this time around? Six games do still remain, but hope has been drained from these Leafs and a once (and perhaps still) bright future has suddenly become muddled with questions. The bubble has just about burst. "These are the tough days in sports when you dont get the job done," said Carlyle. Five Points 1. Nothing Quitte Like This Formerly with the mostly dominant Kings, Jonathan Bernier said hed never been through something quite like this. Brad Ausmus Jersey. . "Probably not," Bernier said. "Having a long losing streak like that, especially close to the end of the season, never happened to me before." Others like Cody Franson were forced to reflect on the horrors of 2012, which saw the Leafs lose 19 of 24 games en route to another absence from the postseason. "I dont think it brings back memories of that," he said. "We havent thought about that stretch back then. I thought weve come out with a lot of good efforts and theyre ending up on the wrong side of the stick. Its not like were playing bad hockey, its just one of those things where every mistake that we do make ends up [in the net]." "The try is there, [but] we didnt get the job done," said Lupul. "We have to deal with that now." Losers in nine of the past 10, the Leafs lost 10 of 11 before Wilson was dismissed in March of 2012. 2. Bernier Back-to-Back Probably still not at 100 per cent, Bernier nonetheless started both ends of a back-to-back for just the second time in his NHL career. Facing a slew of odd-man rush opportunities, the 25-year-old gave up four goals for the third consecutive game. "I felt really good tonight," he said. Darren Helm scored three of the four on Bernier. The first saw him pick off Jake Gardiner at the offensive blue-line shorthanded before eventually outmaneuvering Torontos power-play unit for a backhand marker. Helm would add a second on a redirection - he was all alone in front - the third and final dagger on a breakaway. Gustav Nyquist notched the other Detroit goal, beating Bernier five-hole after Johan Franzens shot attempt ricocheted off the skate of Phaneuf moving in reverse. In three starts upon returning a groin injury that kept him out five games, Bernier has allowed 12 goals on 105 shots for an off-kilter .886 save percentage. Considering his earlier theatrics this season, its worth wondering just how healthy he really is. 3. Kadri Benched Nazem Kadri was on the ice for back-to-back goals on consecutive shifts in the middle frame and was eventually benched for it. The 23-year-old was casual on the back-check on the sequence that led to the second Wings goal from Nyquist, out-muscled by Joakim Andersson in a one-on-one battle that resulted in the third marker from Helm. Kadri began the third frame on the fourth line, joined by Jay McClement and Troy Bodie. He totaled just four shifts and less than four minutes in the period, finishing with just over 14 minutes on the evening. The London, Ontario native has just one goal and four points in the past 11 games. 4. Kessel 40-Goal Chase Rightfully lost in the Leafs collapse, but still a point of intrigue, is Phil Kessels chase for 40 goals. The 26-year-old posted a career-high of 37 back in the 2011-12 season, but remains stuck on 36 this year with just six games to play. The teams leading scorer finished March with four goals and 10 points in 15 games. Stung on the foot by a James van Riemsdyk pass attempt in the second frame, Kessel was seen limping around the underbelly of the ACC afterward. Carlyle had no update on his status. 5. Gardiner Revival With two assists in defeat on Saturday, Jake Gardiner finished March with 11 points and a share of the team lead (Tyler Bozak). The 23-year-old is up to 28 points on the year, third on the defence behind Dion Phaneuf (31) and Cody Franson (30). He led the Leafs with more than 23 minutes on Saturday. Franson, who scored the first Toronto goal, set a career-high with his 30th point of the year, eclipsing the 29 he posted last season. Stats-Pack 1-9-0 – Leafs record in the past 10 games. 11 – Points in the past 12 games for Jake Gardiner. 30 – Points this season for Cody Franson, a new career-high. .886 – Save percentage for Jonathan Bernier in three starts after return from a groin injury. Special Teams Capsule PP: 0-2Season: 20.4% (6th) PK: 3-3Season: 78.4 (28th) Quote of the Night "I cant describe it right now. This is probably the first time after this game that things are probably looking a little bleak for us." -Joffrey Lupul, following the loss to Detroit. Up Next Calgary visits the ACC on Tuesday evening. ' ' '