NEW ORLEANS -- Drew Brees pulled himself up in the end zone after his diving touchdown scramble and held both arms high, basking in the cheers pouring forth from the rollicking Superdome crowd. It has only been a year since the Saints were 0-3, shrouded in scandal and going nowhere. It might as well have been a lifetime ago. Brees passed for three touchdowns to go with his scoring run and the Saints beat the Arizona Cardinals 31-7 on Sunday to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2009, when they won the Super Bowl. "Hopefully we can just continue to get a little bit better, and gain confidence and momentum and keep the train rolling," said Brees, who connected twice with tight end Jimmy Graham for scores and once with Robert Meachem. "Im very happy to be 3-0, 2-0 in the (NFC South) division, 3-0 in the NFC. All those things are significant." Defensively, New Orleans couldnt ask for much more. The Saints allowed a single-season record 7,042 yards a year ago. This season under new co-ordinator Rob Ryan, New Orleans has allowed four TDs in the first three games. The unit produced four sacks and two interceptions of Arizonas Carson Palmer. Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan sacked Palmer twice. Outside linebacker Junior Galette added another, as did rookie defensive end Glenn Foster. "It was all just pressure everywhere," said Jordan, who exchanged high-fives with fellow defensive lineman Akiem Hicks in the locker room afterward. "When youre part of a D-line like that, I mean, its a party." First-round draft choice safety Kenny Vaccaro made his first career interception, and Keenan Lewis, acquired in free agency last off-season, had his first interception with the Saints. Coach Sean Payton, who looks to be building another contender after returning from last seasons bounty ban, summed it up as a "really good afternoon." "We finished this game the way we like to," Payton said. "Im proud of our guys." Arizona (1-2) had a 7-0 lead after driving 80 yards on the games opening possession, with Alfonso Smith scoring on a 3-yard run. After that, the Cardinals didnt score. "They can rush the passer. Theres two really good pass rushers that people dont know a lot about," said Palmer, who was 18 of 35 for 187 yards. "Cameron Jordan is really good. He showed that today. Junior Galette is really good. They are physical guys. They stop the run. They rush the passer and are a really good combination." Brees was 29 of 46 for 342 yards. He was intercepted once by New Orleans native and former LSU star Tyrann Mathieu. That ended a scoring threat, but only delayed the inevitable on a day when Arizonas short-handed defence was little match for the prolific Saints passing attack. Arizona, whose defence was missing four starters by early in the second half, had no answer for the 6-foot-7 Graham, who caught nine passes for 134 yards, one week after catching 10 passes for 179 yards in Tampa Bay. "We had critical injuries, and some young guys had to chip in and play," Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said. "They didnt handle it as well as I hoped." The Saints responded quickly to the Cardinals opening score with Brees pinpoint 27-yard pass to Meachem. New Orleans took the lead in the second quarter on Brees 16-yard, back-shoulder throw to Graham, who went up high and twisted to make a grab that safety Yeremiah Bell was powerless to stop. "Its just run, jump and get it," said Graham, a former college basketball power forward. "Thats just what we do." Brees TD scramble made it a three-score game early in the fourth. Vaccaros interception thwarted the next drive and started the series that culminated with Grahams second TD on a quick 7-yard pass over the middle. "Today was a huge step for us," said Saints middle linebacker Curtis Lofton, who joined New Orleans as a free agent in 2012, only to be part of the first Saints team to miss the playoffs in three seasons. "Last year, I dont know what that was, but this year is what I definitely expected. I love being here." NOTES: Cardinals starting NT Dan Williams was excused for the death of his father in a car accident. OLB Lorenzo Alexander (right foot) and S Rashad Johnson went out in the first half, and OLB Sam Acho (left ankle) went down in the third quarter. ... Saints WR Lance Moore left the game in the second half and the Saints did not provide an update on his condition. Howie Morenz Jersey Black Friday . No. 13-seeded John Isner and No. 21 Philipp Kohlschreiber were among six players who dropped out of the tournament on Tuesday, joining No. 12 seed Tommy Haas and two other players who withdrew on Monday. Washington Capitals Jersey Black Friday . MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez also will attend the session, which was announced Monday. The league has discussed placing its next two expansion teams in Miami and Atlanta. http://www... . Isner, ranked No. 14, won his eighth career singles title and took the title in New Zealand for the second time after his victory in 2010. The match was similar to Isners quarterfinal victory over fifth-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber which went to three sets, all tiebreaks and contained no breaks of serve. [url=http://www.hockeygo.net/montreal-canadiens/]Montreal Canadiens Jersey Black Friday .Y. -- Sabres forward Drew Stafford has witnessed plenty of turmoil during his eight seasons in Buffalo. Antti Niemi Jersey Black Friday . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Having played six seasons with the Kings, Kevin Martin is very comfortable at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento. He showed it again Saturday night, scoring 26 points to help the Minnesota Timberwolves reach .500 with a 108-97 win over the Kings. Returning after missing Minnesotas last seven games with a broken left thumb, Martin fell into a groove from the start, making his first four shots and scoring 19 first-half points. "I feel like basketball is the easy part," said Martin, who is 5-0 in games at Sacramento since being traded to Houston in the 2009-10 season. "I remember getting hurt before and coming right back with good games, so this didnt surprise me." Martin was a late first-round draft pick who blossomed with the Kings. His first head coach was Rick Adelman, now Minnesotas coach. The time spent in Sacramento is something Martin savors. "I take pride in coming back here and trying to play well. Sacramento is like my second home," he said. "The fans here saw me grow from a guy who played 10 minutes a game as a rookie and is now a 10-year veteran." It was the second straight win and fifth in six games for the Timberwolves (29-29). Trailing by three points at the half, Minnesota outscored the Kings 31-17 in the third quarter, opening the frame with nine straight points and never relinquishing the lead. Kevin Love added 22 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for Minnesota, and Nikola Pekovic had 20 points and nine rebounds. Corey Brewer scored 13. DeMarcus Cousins had 21 points and 17 rebounds for the Kings in his return from a one-game suspension. Rudy Gay had 22 of his 24 points in the opening half and Isaiah Thomas had 22 points and eight assists in Sacramentos third straight loss. The Kings committed 19 turnovers, including six in the third quarter that led to numerous fast-break opportunities for the Timberwolves. "For whatever reason we just continue to beat ourselves," Kings coach Michael Malone said. "Nineteen tturnovers and 27 points? Good teams dont beat themselves.dddddddddddd. So its very hard in the same game to beat your opponents and yourself and we did that tonight." It was a rare off night for Love, who averaged 34 points and 14 rebounds in seven February games. He shot 4 of 12, but converted 12 of 14 free throws. But Love received plenty of help from Martin and Pekovic, who sat out the last 13 with a right foot he injured Jan. 27 at Chicago. "It was way more than I expected," Pekovic said of his 28 minutes. "I was trying to be productive and had to push myself. Im told the (ankle) pain will be there all the time." Cousins was suspended one game for punching Houston Rockets guard Patrick Beverley on Tuesday and fined $20,000 as part of the incident in which he verbally abused official Courtney Kirkland and failed to leave the court in a timely manner. Cousins leads the NBA with 15 technicals this season. One more and he will be suspended for one game under NBA rules. The Kings are winless in the 10 games Cousins has missed this season. "My biggest disappointment is the first quarter and the third quarter," Cousins said. "We let them get a hot start in the first quarter and the same thing with the third. Coming out of that third we had to dig ourselves out of ditch." Thomas made consecutive baskets to get the Kings within 97-95 with 2:09 remaining. But Pekovic converted two free throws and Rubio hit a 3 to give the Timberwolves some breathing room at 102-95 with 53.4 seconds left and Minnesota closed it out from the free throw line. NOTES: Kings reserve forward Carl Landry missed his second straight game with a sore right knee. ... Sacramento shot 70 per cent in the first quarter and led 31-30. ... Adelman was head coach for eight seasons with the Kings and his teams made the playoffs every year. Sacramento hasnt made the playoffs since Adelman was fired following the 2005-06 season. ... 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