Technik » ahead of Washington with the best record in the majors. Holding

METAIRIE, La. -- Finally, Saints coach Sean Payton gets to do what he loves the most. Nearly 19 months after he coached his last game, Payton will be back on the sideline when New Orleans plays the Kansas City Chiefs in an exhibition opener Friday night at the Superdome. It wont come close to matching the intensity of his last game, a pulsating, excruciating 36-32 loss at San Francisco in the divisional round of the 2011 playoffs. But the dome should be rocking for his return from an unprecedented year-long suspension for his role in the bounty scandal. "Just getting back to being out on the field in practice and having a chance to coach in a regular game, that part of it is exciting," Payton said. "The fans have been great. They get excited about our team, especially at the start of the season after everything that went on a year ago. I know our players are excited to play." Much has changed since Payton walked off the field at Candlestick Park on Jan. 14, 2012, ruing a heartbreaking end to the Saints season. In a game with four lead changes in the last 4:02, the 49ers won on a 14-yard touchdown reception with 9 seconds left. New Orleans, which was 9-0 at home, would have played host to the New York Giants in the NFC championship game the following week. Without Payton, the Saints slipped to 7-9 last year, losing their first four games en route to their first sub-.500 season since 2007. After setting an NFL record for most yards gained in 2011, New Orleans shattered the mark for most yards allowed in 2012. Then-defensive co-ordinator Steve Spagnuolo, hired by Payton before his suspension, was fired and replaced by Rob Ryan. The Saints have changed to a 3-4 alignment from a 4-3. Drew Brees, who threw for an NFL-record 5,476 yards in 2011, tied the NFL high with 19 interceptions in 2012. Chiefs quarterback Chase Daniel, slated to play the second quarter after spending the last three years with the Saints as Brees backup, had an inside view of the New Orleans locker room without Payton. "It was one of the toughest years professionally in my short career that Ive been through," Daniel said. "Its hard when you lose your rock and your head coach like Sean Payton is down there. I think Drew put a little extra pressure on himself to fill the player and the head coach void. " Daniel knows it will not be the normal preseason atmosphere at the dome. "Well, I talked to the ticket guy a couple days ago, and its sold out," he said. "Its Sean Paytons first game really in like two years. The New Orleans fans love their football and it doesnt matter if its preseason, off-season, Super Bowl, regular season. Theyre going to be out in full force, and its going to be loud." Paytons last game in the Superdome was a 45-28 win against Detroit on Jan. 7, 2012 in the NFC wild-card round. He will call plays for the first time since Nov. 6, 2011, when he tore his left MCL and broke his leg in a sideline collision during a game at Tampa Bay. He gave up the play calling to offensive co-ordinator Pete Carmichael for the rest of 2011, but has reclaimed that duty. Payton played down his emotions a bit Thursday, but his players anticipate a raucous atmosphere. "Its going to be live," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Its loud every time we go into the dome, and with Seans return and just the anticipation that seems to be buzzing around this season, everyone is going to be very excited." NOTES: Payton said the starters would play 14 to 16 snaps. After Brees leaves, Luke McCown will replace him, with undrafted rookie Ryan Griffin following McCown. Payton said Seneca Wallace, the other quarterback competing for the backup spot, likely would not play to rest a pulled groin. Eddie George Youth Jersey . 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CHICAGO -- A day after celebrating their NL Central title, the Chicago Cubs and Jake Arrieta were far from championship form.Ryan Braun went deep twice to reach 30 homers for the sixth time, Chris Carter hit a grand slam off the Wrigley Field video board and the Milwaukee Brewers routed the Cubs 11-3 on Saturday.Braun had five RBIs, including a pair of two-run homers. He reached 30 home runs for the first time since he had a career-high 41 in 2012, before his 65-game suspension for violations of baseballs drug agreement and labor contract.Carter hit his 35th homer, a drive off Spencer Patton that would have traveled 438 if it had landed unimpeded, according to MLBs Statcast. Domingo Santana added a solo shot and Scooter Gennett doubled twice.We missed locations on several pitches and give them credit, they did not miss the baseball, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.Arrieta (17-7), the 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner, gave up four runs -- three earned -- four hits and four walks in six innings. He is 3-2 with a 4.58 ERA and 21 walk in his last six starts.And in this one, the wind was blowing out on a warm day.Im a lot more excited to face Jake Arrieta than when the wind is blowing in, Braun said. This is as close as well get to a playoff atmosphere, obviously. So as a player, as a competitor, its a lot fun.Maddon and Arrieta said they believe the right-hander can polish his control in time for the postseason.Its fixable, I really believe that, Maddon said. If we can get him to get better command of his fastball over the next two starts, everything else will play off of that.Arrieta thinks his sinker is the starting point.I just need to find that comfort with the sinker in the strike zone, first pitch, he said. After that it opens up a lot of doors. ... Just have to be better early in the counts to prevent guuys from taking pitches and getting into 2-1, 3-1 counts.dddddddddddd Ive got a couple of starts before October and just to prepare for that. Thats the mindset.Chris Coghlan hit a two-run homer and Kris Bryant tripled in a run in the first. Maddon used a starting lineup of mostly reserves after the Cubs celebrated winning the division, a title they clinched late on Thursday night.Youre going to see a normal lineup out there tomorrow, Maddon said.Milwaukees Zach Davies (11-7) settled down after allowing three runs in the first, giving up seven hits in five innings. Four pitchers combined for one-hit relief.BEING THE BESTThe Cubs are six games ahead of Washington with the best record in the majors. Holding on would assure Chicago of home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs.Maddon pointed to last seasons NL Championship Series, when Chicago was swept by the New York Mets.We want to have the best record in baseball and we do want to have home-field advantage, Maddon said. Does it matter at the end of the day? Well find out.TRAINERS ROOMBrewers: RHP Junior Guerras season was ended because of an innings limit. ... Milwaukee recalled outfielder Michael Reed from Triple-A Colorado Springs to help fill a gap created by injuries to outfielders Keon Broxton (right wrist fracture) and Kirk Nieuwenhuis (abdominal strain). Broxton will miss the remainder of the season and Nieuwenhuis will be re-evaluated on Monday.UP NEXTRHP Wily Peralta (6-10, 5.42) is to start Sunday for the Brewers and NL ERA leader Kyle Hendricks (15-7, 2.03) for the Cubs. Hendricks, a right-hander who took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning Monday at St. Louis, is 11-1 with a 1.27 ERA in his last 16 outings. ' ' '