NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees is arguably playing better than he ever has. The New Orleans Saints cannot say the same as a team, and thats becoming a source of consternation in the locker room.Losing is bad enough. Squandering that most precious of NFL commodities -- elite quarterback play -- makes it worse, particularly when the quarterback is 37 years old and under contract for only one more season after this.Brees became the first to pass for more than 300 yards in a game 100 times in an NFL career during last weekends loss at Kansas City, which dropped the Saints to 2-4 and into third place in the NFC South. It doesnt get any easier this Sunday, when NFC West-leading Seattle (4-1-1) visits the Superdome.When you have accolades, accomplishments or records broken with a loss, it kind of takes that joy away, Saints receiver Brandin Cooks said of Brees performances this season. Knowing him, he would rather win in those situations than anything, so you just want to help him get a win so he can enjoy those.The Saints havent been to the playoffs since 2013, when they were eliminated by a Super Bowl-bound Seahawks squad featuring many of the same players invading the Superdome on Sunday. New Orleans has finished below .500 since. Brees seems to be doing everything he can to right the ship, passing for a league-high 350.2 yards per game, which puts him on pace to break Peyton Mannings 2013 single-season record of 5,477 yards by more than 100 yards. Brees 17 TDs put him on pace to threaten his own career high of 46 in 2011.What does Brees think of all this?At this stage in my career, I really do not care about anything else other than how do you find ways to win, get in the playoffs and put ourselves in position to win a championship, Brees said. At the end of the day, thats how Im going to measure myself. Thats what I am focused on.Whetever Brees focus, the Seahawks expect their sixth-ranked defense to face one of its most challenging tests as they try to stop Brees from connecting with flourishing young receivers Cooks, Willie Snead and Michael Thomas.They are getting a lot of explosive plays. They are getting the ball down the field and scoring points, Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman said. It is going to be really tough.Some other things to know about Seahawks-Saints:GRAHAMS RETURN: The game marks the first time Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham will play against the team that drafted him in 2010 and developed him into a star before trading him in 2015 to Seattle for center Max Unger and first-round draft choice (used to select linebacker Stephone Anthony). Graham was a fan favorite in the Superdome, where he often jumped into the crowd after his touchdowns.Im sure hes going to be pretty amped up to be back, but I know our fan base loved him and loved what he did for New Orleans and did for our team, Brees said. There is a lot of love there.CHANGE OF SCENERY: Brees said the Seahawks defense of recent seasons might be the best he has ever faced in his nearly 16-year career. Certainly, the Seahawks were able to shut down Brees in regular season and playoff games played in Seattle in 2013. But the Superdome is where Brees has been his best. The crowd lets him communicate. The field is fast and dry and there are no weather conditions to compromise his renowned accuracy. Twice this season, Brees has passed for more than 400 yards at home.SACK SURGE: Led by Cliff Avril, the Seahawks are finding ways to get to the quarterback. Avril has 6 + sacks, tied for the NFC lead, most of them coming in the past three games. Avril had two sacks against Atlanta two weeks ago and 2 + sacks of Arizonas Carson Palmer last week. Seattle has 20 sacks through six games, tied for third in the NFL.TAKING THE BLAME: Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro says New Orleans defense must accept responsibility for Brees squandered production.Weve been in the bottom of the league, Vaccaro said, referring to his units ranking of 31st the past two seasons and 29th this season. Weve got to play better. If we were just in the middle of the league, wed be in the playoffs every year.RUN SOMEWHERE: Seattles run game is shockingly still at the bottom of the NFL. The Seahawks rank 27th, averaging 82.7 yards per game rushing. They have one 100-yard rusher this season, Christine Michael in Week 3. Wilson has not been a threat to run because hes been hampered by knee and ankle injuries. Maybe playing New Orleans will help. The Saints rank 23rd against the run, giving up almost 117 yards per game.---AP Sports Writer Tim Booth in Seattle contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Duane Causwell Jersey . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. Mike Woodson Jersey . Miller finished in two minutes, 6.09 seconds, one day before the first medal race on the Alpine schedule. The 36-year-old American also turned in the top time in Thursdays opening training session. https://www.cheapkingsbasketball.com/ .Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. Brad Miller Jersey .In my heart and mind Im competing for India, luge competitor Shiva Keshavan told The Associated Press in an email interview. Every day Im flooded with messages from Indians all over the world telling me they are supporting me. LaSalle Thompson Jersey . - After leading the Saints to a fourth playoff appearance in five seasons, Drew Brees expressed confidence in the direction of his team and, perhaps more importantly, showed a willingness to listen to contract proposals if the team needs his help getting under the NFLs salary cap. PULLMAN, Wash. -- Given the same set of circumstances a year ago, San Jose State coach Dave Wojcik figured his team would have let the game slip away.Ryan Welage tallied 20 points, including three 3-pointers, and 11 boards and four Spartans scored in double figures to lift San Jose State over Washington State 88-76 on Sunday.This year we showed some maturity and finished it off, Wojcik said. We did a good job all the way around. Thats what youve got to do to beat a Pac-12 team.The Spartans outrebounded the Cougars 50-39.Brandon Clarke finished with 12 points and 11 boards on 6-of-10 shooting for the Spartans.SJSU (2-3) led by six at intermission and jumped out to a 10-point advantage with two quick baskets to begin the second half. Washington State called a timeout to regroup, but never closed the gap.Even though the building was empty and there wasnt a lot of energy in the building, I thought they showed great composure, Washington State coach Ernie Kent said.Each time the Cougars (3-3) began chipping away at the deficit, the Spartans answered with more buckets.Down seven, Washington State accrued five consecutive misses in one possession and grabbed three offensive boards in a row. But Clarke turned Josh Hawkinsons last miss into a 3 by Jalen James at the other end, and pushed the Spartan lead back to 10.We just lacked urgency the whole time, Washington State guard Malachi Flynn said.Welage hit a deep 3-pointer with 8:30 remaining, which lifted San Jose State up 13 points -- its largest lead was 16.Were always talking to (Welage) about defending and rebounding, Wojcik said. He has a double-double. . thats what Im most prouud of.dddddddddddd He made some big shots, its a hell of a night for him.In the early going, the teams traded leads.Hawkinson scored a quick seven points, including a corner 3-pointer, putting Washington State up 12-9, with 13:57 left in the opening half. He led WSU with 19 points and 12 boards.Weve just got to get back to playing our kind of basketball, were not there right now, Kent said. Its not Xs and Os. Its a sense of togetherness, bonding, passion -- all of those things.Flynn tied his season-high with 18 points and Ike Iroegbu had 15 for the Cougars.The Spartans beat the Cougars for the first time since 1990. Washington State had won the past five meetings.BIG PICTUREWashington State: The Cougars took their lumps in the Paradise Jam, with losses to No. 22 Creighton and Loyola-Chicago, and flopped in their first game back home. After finishing at the bottom of the Pac-12 last season, WSU is still searching for early momentum before Pac-12 play begins.San Jose State: The Spartans, picked to finish last in the Mountain West, pick up a big first road win of the season against a Pac-12 opponent.UP NEXTWashington State plays Utah Valley on Wednesday in Pullman, the second of a four-game homestand that also includes games against New Orleans and Idaho. The Cougars also face Big 12 opponent Kansas State on Dec. 7.San Jose State heads eight miles east to face Idaho on Tuesday. It will be the last of a three-game road trip before returning home Dec. 3 to face Northern California neighbor Santa Clara. ' ' '