GLENDALE, Ariz. -- When the NFL schedule was first released, Sundays game against the Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints figured to be a Week 15 classic NFC matchup with plenty on the line for both franchises as the playoffs approached.Now?With each team out of the running -- the Cardinals limping along at 5-8-1 and the Saints at 5-8 in danger of their third straight losing season -- there isnt a whole lot on the line when the two clubs collide at University of Phoenix Stadium.It holds about as much drama as one of those throw-in bowl games in college football, the ones with the funky names and below-average teams.Unless, of course, you factor in this underlying little factoid: It will be a matchup of the NFLs top-ranked defense of the Cardinals, who are allowing just 285.5 yards per game, against the leagues No. 1-rated offense of the Saints, who are averaging 418.3 yards per game.I guess thats kind of exciting, isnt it? Saints quarterback Drew Brees said sarcastically.No, it will be a great challenge for us in a lot of different areas, our ability to execute. We look at the statistical categories of this defense, and theyre tops in the league in just about every category.When you look at that, you say, Wow, its a big challenge for us to run the football, its a big challenge for us to protect, to get open and to make plays and get points. At the end of the day, its our team against their team, but our offense against their defense just poses a great challenge for us.The Cardinals, NFC West champions a year ago when they went 13-3, have only won two of their last seven games (2-5-1) and not only have they been besieged by injuries to key personnel across the board but they also cut No. 2 wide receiver Michael Floyd this week, just two days after his arrest on suspicion of DUI.Floyds departure puts that much more pressure on veteran Larry Fitzgerald, who ranks second in the league with 91 receptions. It also means the Cardinals need more from J.J. Nelson and John Brown, the latter of whom has dealt with leg cramping issues most of the season brought on by complications from sickle-cell trait.Were not going to change, quarterback Carson Palmer said. Were not putting in new plays, taking out plays. Were running our stuff.So will the Saints, although it hasnt worked very well the past two weeks in back-to-back losses to the Lions and Buccaneers. Brees had zero touchdown and three interceptions in each of those games.Stafford last went two straight games without a touchdown in 2008 and never before in his career had he been intercepted three times in consecutive games. He did have two potential touchdown passes dropped during the loss to Tampa Bay, and the Saints were flagged 13 times for 104 yards.It was just like one thing after another, Brees said. All the bad things that could have happened, happened. Im a confident guy. I know how to correct things when they occur. A lot of its just with my process and how to prepare, and then how I take that to game day. I know Ive got to be better in certain ways. Ill do that.Saints head coach Sean Payton has no doubts about that. He knows his star quarterback, who turns 38 next month, will bounce back.I think hes one of those guys thats extremely competitive, Payton said. Just like we do as coaches, when you watch the tape, you feel like there are things that certainly we could do better and put him in better positions. It angers you. It frustrates you.To be at this stage of the season, you always want to be playing for something. I think that those are the things that drive the guys like him, and I think youll see that.Arizonas defense will be playing short-handed, as starting inside linebacker Deone Bucannon (ankle) and safety Tyvon Branch (groin) have both been placed on season-ending injured reserve. Safety Tyrann Mathieu, however, will play after missing four of the last five games because of a nagging shoulder injury.Still, the Cardinals know theyll have their hands full against Brees and a pass rush that could expose Arizonas patchwork offensive line, which seems to change from week to week.A loss would guarantee the Cardinals their first losing season in head coach Bruce Arians four years in Arizona. All the adversity his team has faced this year would seem to be a full plate for any coach, but Arians brushed it off.No, there are guys that have it a whole lot worse than I do, Arians said. Its just part of the job. You embrace it and you go on. Injuries or whatever it is, you have to get a game plan and go until the season is over.One of the consistent positives in the Cardinals disappointing season has been the continued production and versatility of running back David Johnson, who stands a chance to become only the third player in NFL history to finish with more than 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards.Johnson already has 1,085 rushing yards and hes 255 receiving yards from 1,000 with three games to play. Marshall Faulk (1999) and Roger Craig (1985) are the only players to accomplish the feat. Cheap Air Max 95 Free Shipping . Goals from Jerome Boateng, Franck Ribery and Thomas Mueller extended Bayerns unbeaten run to a record 37 matches. "This record is incredible," Bayern coach Pep Guardiola said. Fake Air Max 97 For Sale . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. http://www.fakeairmaxukoutlet.com/ . Following a lopsided 5-2 loss against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday night, Paul MacLean told reporters that "theres a lack of focus, theres a lack of leadership and theres a lack of preparation" with his struggling team. That came on the heels of Bryan Murray taking the unusual step of going into the locker room at the Prudential Center and addressing the players himself. Air Max 95 Wholesale Uk . Having already announced that the race will start May 9 with three stages in Northern Ireland and Ireland and finish in Trieste on June 1, the rest of the route was unveiled Monday. Buy Air Max 90 Uk .S. hockey team after paying his dues as an NHL general manager for more than three decades and giving up a lot of his free time to help USA Hockey.Gareth Bale will seize the chance to remind Premier League fans what he is capable of in the Champions League semi-final against Manchester City, according to former Real Madrid and Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes. Bale looks set for his first competitive start against an English side since leaving Tottenham to join Real Madrid in a world-record £85m deal in 2013, when Los Blancos visit the Etihad for the first leg on Tuesday. The Wales international is yet to score in the Champions League this season but Morientes is confident Bale will show his class over two legs against Manuel Pellegrinis side. This is a very good opportunity for him, the 46-cap Spain international told Sky Sports News HQ. Bale celebrates a goal with Real madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo The problem for Bale is that when teams play against Real Madrid its always slow. They play close to their own goalkeeper and there is not too much space and it is very difficult for him to play like this.But he is one of the best players in La Liga and he has a very good opportunity to play well. I know the Real Madrid supporters have a lot of confidence in him. Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in the Champions League quarter-final, second leg against Wolfsburg Bales team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo is the Champions Leagues all-time leading scorer with 93 goals, including 16 in this years competition, doubling the tally of nearest rivals Thomas Muller, Robert Lewandowski and Luis Suarez.Ronaldo spent six years playing for Citys bitter rivals United, but Morientes does not believe that will give the Portugal innternational any additional motivation on his return to Manchester.ddddddddddddristiano is always motivated in each game, said Morientes, a three-time Champions League winner with Real. Morientes (L) is a former team-mate of Real boss Zinedine Zidane He is the best player at Real Madrid. He always wants to win and he always wants to score a goal.Cristiano has a very strong mentality and he would be the same whether he played against Manchester City, Liverpool or even Manchester United. He always has the same mentality which is to score a goal and be the best.The only other meetings between the sides in Europes premier competition came in the 2012/13 group stages, with Manchester City drawing 1-1 at home before losing 3-2 in Madrid two months later.I think Real Madrid will be happy with the semi-final draw, Morientes added. Morientes was top scorer as he helped Monaco to the 2004 Champions League final The team they really wanted to avoid was Atletico Madrid because they have a different style of play but Manchester City have a style like Real Madrid. I think there could be a lot of goals in these two games. Both teams have very good players and I think it will be a very good Champions League semi-final. Morientes: City no extra motivation for Ronaldo Also See: Bale returns as a star Ronaldo, Benzema set to play Bale: No issues with Ronaldo Zidane hails phenomenal Bale ' ' '