James Varney, The Times-Picayune

To hear New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams tell it, a good barometer of what happens in Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Rams will be found on one of his favorite spots on the field: One yard behind the center.

That roving mark is one Williams has long contended is a critical battlefield in football. The unit that controls it the most has the best chance of moving the football or thwarting said movement.

And while the Saints might not have the kind of gaudy stack stats put up by some defensive lines, they are dominating the space right behind the center and guards, which bottles up the quarterback and is the first domino in terms of stuffing the run.

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Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

The New Orleans Saints, at 9-3, have a much better record than the St. Louis Rams, who are 6-6. And many would argue the reigning Super Bowl champions are a much better team.

However, if the playoffs started today, this matchup would be taking place up north, with the fourth-seeded Rams hosting the fifth-seeded Saints in the wild-card round.

It might not seem fair, but it’s what the NFL teams have decided they want.

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James Varney, The Times-Picayune

After an unexpectedly lengthy, nine-game absence, New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas is slated to be back in action Sunday when the Saints host the St. Louis Rams.

Susan Poag/The Times-Picayune

“That’s the plan,” Coach Sean Payton said. Asked if that meant Thomas would play, Payton paused and replied, “that’s the plan.”

Thomas, for his part, clearly thinks he’ll be in the mix. He was all smiles at his locker room, and said he feels able to do all the things that made him both the team’s leading rusher in its championship 2009 season as well as a potent receiver coming out of the backfield.

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Nakia Hogan, The Times-Picayune

Chris Ivory walks about the New Orleans Saints‘ locker room with a bit more pep in his step. He talks with more confidence. He’s smiling more often.

It’s all a product of how he’s performing.

Ivory, an undrafted free agent running back, turned in his second 100-yard rushing game Sunday, gaining 117 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in the 34-30 win at Cincinnati.

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Nakia Hogan, The Times-Picayune

A week after he said he was “guarded” about the return of running back Pierre Thomas, New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton said Monday he is “cautiously optimistic” Thomas will return on Sunday against the St. Louis Rams.

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Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune

Cincinnati — The New Orleans Saints got a touchdown with less than a minute to play and beat the Cincinnati Bengals  34-30 at Paul Brown Stadium on Sunday.

David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Terrell Owens had a decent day,
but in the end, the New Orleans Saints got a win at chilly Paul Brown Stadium.

Drew Brees hit Robert Meachem for a 3-yard pass — one play after the Bengals jumped offsides on a fourth-and-2 — and the Saints, which blew a 14-point lead, improved to 9-3 on the season.

It got a little hairy after the touchdown as Bernard Scott returned the kickoff 47 yards to the 49 yard line.

But the Bengals couldn’t convert, and they dropped to 2-10 on the season.

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James Varney, TP

What are the chances today’s game between the New Orleans Saints and the Cincinnati Bengals is the one people expected?

That is, could the apparent mismatch between New Orleans (8-3) and Cincinnati (2-9) be something like what the NFL envisioned when the schedule was put together — an outdoor December battle between the defending Super Bowl and AFC North champions?

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Jeff Duncan, The Times-Picayune

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, especially in the American Midwest.

Eliot Kamenitz/The Times-Picayune
The New Orleans Saints might get their first game in the snow since the 2006 NFC Championship Game.

A huge winter storm is anticipated across Big Ten Country and into the Northeast. That, of course, includes Cincinnati, Ohio, where the New Orleans Saints will play the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at noon.

The latest forecast predicts a high of 36 with a 70 percent chance of snow.

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Mike Triplett, The Times-Picayune

The New Orleans Saints signed second-year linebacker Ramon Humber and released rookie quarterback Sean Canfield. Humber (5-11, 232) led the Indianapolis Colts with 17 special teams tackles last year, but he was placed on injured reserve by the Colts after suffering a broken hand two weeks into the season, then eventually released. Humber joined the Colts as an undrafted free agent from North Dakota State last year.

Canfield has bounced on and off the Saints’ practice squad all season long. He was signed to the active roster for the first time last week but was not activated for Thursday’s game at Dallas.

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