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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 12 • 22 Brees, Saints Lose Again New Orleans Saints Drew Brees passed for more than 400 yards for the 11th time in his career Sunday, but it wasn't enough as the Saints lost their third straight. TWIN CITY DODGE P R E S E N TS : B O I L E R M A K E R S I N T H E N F L BY KYLE CHARTERS KCharters@GoldandBlack.com D rew Brees' Saints are only 4-7 following their third straight loss, a 34-27 defeat at the Super Dome to Bal- timore on Monday night. Yet, they find themselves in a tie with Atlanta atop the below-average NFC South division. There are scenarios, albeit unlikely, in which the winner of the division wins only five games, yet makes the playoffs. Following the Monday night loss, Brees said Saints' fans "deserve better." "It's disappointing, it's really disappointing," quarterback Drew Brees told media, according to FoxSports.com. "It's certainly not what we're used to. It's not what we like to put out on the field, especially at home. Our fans deserve better than that." Brees played well, throwing for 420 yards and three touchdowns; it was his 11th career game of at least 400 yards. But he also had a pick-six that kept him from reach - ing another milestone. Brees has defeated 31 of the 32 NFL teams, with the only missing one being Baltimore. If Brees would have won, it would have put him with only Peyton Manning and Brett Favre as QBs who have beaten every team in the NFL. Fran Tarkenton beat 28 of 28 before retiring in 1978. Tom Brady has also beaten 31 of the 32, with the only exception being his own New England Pa- triots, for which he has spent his entire career. NINKOVICH GOING STRONG Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich is putting togeth- er another solid season, with six sacks. But Sunday, he did even more, playing every one of New England's 82 defensive snaps. "Rob's a tough Croatian, tough Croatian kid," coach Bill Belichick said during the Pats' Monday conference call. "He's strong, he's really strong for his size (and has) been durable. He's athletic, plays on his feet, runs well. He's able to definite- ly take care of himself out there and play in a lot of different situations. He's strong enough to play against bigger people and athletic enough to play in some space and coverage situations, whatever the requirements are. There are a lot of things that he can do." "… Rob gives us a consistent level of play and gives us a lot of toughness and a lot of versatility. I don't think anybody is looking to take him off the field." j