Saints All-Pro defensive end Cameron Jordan grinned playfully as he glanced up at a bottle of red wine in the top shelf of his locker and asked if anyone knew Carolina quarterback Cam Newton’s address.

A bottle with the name ”Jordan” on the label – even if it isn’t made by the Saints star’s family – might be the last thing Newton wants right now.

Drew Brees and his receiving corps came through when Carolina stifled New Orleans’ prolific backfield [url=http://www.bengalscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-sam-hubbard-jersey]Sam Hubbard Jersey[/url] , and a relentless Jordan spearheaded a late defensive stand to seal a 31-26 an NFC wild-card round victory on Sunday.

”You can’t be more happy about the way we played in terms of how we finished the game,” Jordan said. ”We almost let them back in the game, but here I am standing as winner. Here I am, as a Cam Jordan, sending Cam Newton a bottle of Jordan wine.”

Brees passed for 376 yards and two touchdowns, but one more completion would have considerably lowered the stress level on the Saints’ sideline. Coach Sean Payton kept the offense on the field on fourth-and-short with two minutes remaining and Carolina out of timeouts, hoping for one more first down that would have allowed New Orleans to run out the clock.

But Brees couldn’t find an open receiver, was flushed out of the pocket and decided his best option was to throw it up for grabs. It was intercepted by safety Mike Adams, which turned out better for New Orleans than an incompletion because it meant the Panthers had to start from their own 31 instead of mid-field.

Still, Newton completed three straight passes to move the Panthers to the Saints 26-yard line with 58 seconds left before New Orleans’ resistance stiffened.

”I’m frustrated,” Newton said. ”I hate that I couldn’t do enough to get a win today for a lot of guys that I think so highly of.

”I just have to be better,” he added. ”I’m not going to take the cowardly way and point somebody else out.”

The comeback bid began to fizzle when Jordan induced an intentional grounding penalty on Newton, making it third-and-25 on the Saints 34 and a requiring 10-second runoff that left 20 seconds on the clock.

After an incompletion in the end zone, Vonn Bell sacked Newton on a safety blitz  [url=http://www.jaguarscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-malik-jackson-jersey]Malik Jackson Jersey[/url] , ensuring the Saints (12-5) swept all three meetings with Carolina (11-6) this season, in addition to winning the first postseason game they’ve played in four seasons.

”The coaches wanted to get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands fast,” Bell said. ”They dialed it up and I said, `Go make a play.”’

Brees’ touchdowns went for 80-yards to Ted Ginn and 9 yards to tight end Josh Hill. Fullback Zach line and running back Alvin Kamara each ran for short touchdowns, the latter set up by Michael Thomas’ 46-yard reception .

”What we’ve shown offensively is we have a lot of ways to be effective,” Brees said, mentioning clutch first-down catches by Brandon Coleman and Willie Snead in addition to the big plays by Ginn and Thomas. ”The ball was spread around quite a bit and guys were making plays when they had the chances.”

Thomas caught eight passes for 131 yards on a day when the Saints needed the passing game to compensate for a ground game that struggled to get going. Thomas said when he noticed the Panthers playing with one safety deep instead of their usual two, ”you’re licking your chops with a quarterback like Drew Brees and the talent we have. We knew what we had to do and it was on the receivers.”

Ginn, a former Panthers receiver, celebrated the sweep of his former team by holding up a broom in the locker room.

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Helped by the presence of tight end Greg Olsen – who did not play in the teams’ previous two meetings – Newton marched Carolina into Saints territory more often than not. But the Panthers stalled four times inside the New Orleans 25 in the first three quarters. They settled for four field goal attempts on those drives, one of which kicker Graham Gano surprisingly missed from 25-yards.

Jordan called the Saints’ red-zone stops ”huge.”

”Had half of those been touchdowns, we’d be sitting in a different spot,” Jordan said.

KEY STATS

Olsen had eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Newton finished 24 of 40 passing for 349 yards and two touchdowns, including a 56-yard scoring strike to Christian McCaffrey that pulled the Panthers within a touchdown with 4:09 left.

Saints running backs Mark Ingram and Alvin Kamara [url=http://www.ramscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-john-sullivan-jersey]John Sullivan Jersey[/url] , who combined for more than 3,000 yards from scrimmage this season, were held to 68 total yards.

RUSHING THE PASSSER

Newton was sacked four times, once each by Bell, Jordan, Jonathan Freeney, and David Onyemata. The sack by Onyemata came as Newton tried to spin away from Tyeler Davison and slammed his head into Onyemata’s chest. Newton appeared to be checked for a concussion, but missed only one play before returning to the game on Carolina’s next possession

Newton sat on the field near the sideline after the play, and while a new NFL rule calls for players to be taken to the locker room to be evaluated for concussions if they appear to be struggling to stand, Newton said part of his helmet got pushed into his eyelid. Panthers coach Ron Rivera offered a similar explanation and added that Newton only sat down to give backup Derek Anderson more time to warm up.

The NFL said it planned to discuss the matter with the Panthers medical staff before commenting further.

INJURIES

Panthers: Cornerback Dary If it was up to Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, his training camp debut would have happened before Thursday.

The Chargers decided to be cautious with their first-round draft pick as he recovered from a minor hamstring strain and delayed James’ first workout in pads.

”I feel like I was ready Monday, but you know it’s an ongoing process.” James said. ”You never know with those soft tissue injuries, so I know they got my back. They only want what’s best.”

James sustained the injury one week prior to the start of training camp while working out on his own, but there was no hint the former Florida State standout was limited in any way. During a position drill [url=http://www.billscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-phillip-gaines-jersey]Phillip Gaines Jersey[/url] , James even joined his fellow defensive backs in an impromptu dance party.

In the team period, James was smooth and explosive in limited repetitions to earn praise from head coach Anthony Lynn.

”He looks good,” Lynn said. ”He looks good in his uniform. I mean, he’s a good-looking safety, but it’s just good to see him back out there because he had such a good offseason.”

The decision to be cautious with James was understandable after cornerback Jason Verrett sustained a torn Achilles tendon during a conditioning test last week before the start of training camp. Trevor Williams, a possible replacement for Verrett, sustained an ankle injury on Tuesday, but Lynn said it was not a high-ankle sprain and that Williams could return in a week.

James acknowledged some frustration at missing the start of his first training camp, but recognized why the Chargers would not want to risk having the injury linger into the regular season. Instead, he is focused on making the most of his time going forward.

”They know what I can do,” James said. ”They drafted me in the first round for a reason. Just really come out here and become a master of my craft, learn my movements and be where I’m supposed to be on the field.”

With James on the field, the Chargers can start to figure out their safety pairings in earnest. Tre Boston started 15 games last season, but was not re-signed in free agency. James was drafted No. 17 overall to fill that vacancy and play next to incumbent Jahleel Addae.

James is learning how to play as both a free safety and a strong safety right now [url=http://www.ramscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-michael-brockers-jersey]Michael Brockers Jersey[/url] , but Addae said differentiating between the two positions can be overblown in coordinator Gus Bradley’s 4-3 defense.

”Coach always says it best,” Addae said. ”We don’t have no strong safety, we don’t have no free safety. We just have safeties. All of us are interchangeable.”

James credited Addae and the other Chargers defensive backs with helping him adjust quickly to the NFL.

”I sit right behind him in the meeting room and I try to pick his brain, and he don’t mind helping me,” James said. ”He’s a great guy. Adrian Phillips, he helps me. Our whole DB room and our coaches that we have are great people to be around, and they only want what’s best.”

Still, James compared the learning process to feeding a baby.

”They give me a little spoonful, and then I got to wait a little bit, and they give me some more,” James said.

NOTES: The Chargers signed receiver Marcus Peterson and cornerback Channing Stribling on Thursday after placing Verrett and tight end Austin Roberts (torn ACL) on injured reserve.

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