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Drew Brees completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to David Patten to cap a 99-yard touchdown drive, but Chris Redman answered with a scoring pass to Roddy White and the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons were tied 7-7 after one quarter on Monday night. A 68-yard punt by Atlanta’s Michael Koenen bounced out of bounds…

Coach Scott Linehan won’t lose his job because of the St. Louis Rams’ 3-10 record. Team president John Shaw told Linehan on Monday it would be unfair to judge his performance this season, given the team’s lengthy injury list. Later in the day, Linehan said he was looking forward to an end-of-season meeting in early…

Another quarterback switch for the floundering Chicago Bears. Kyle Orton, who started 15 games as a rookie in 2005, returned to the role ahead of veteran Brian Griese on Monday. Orton, who hasn’t played since the season finale two years ago, will start next Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings in the Metrodome.

Broncos punter Todd Sauerbrun faces an assault charge for an incident outside a restaurant, a case that could bring more discipline from the NFL. Sauerbrun, the fourth-leading punter in the NFL, was suspended for the first month of last season after using a banned dietary supplement. Upon his reinstatement, the Broncos and Sauerbrun split ways…

Tampa Bay Lightning center Brad Richards left Monday night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an apparent injury to his left leg injury. Richards crashed into the corner boards behind the Leafs’ net at 7:32 of the second period, after lunging at a loose puck, and was unable to get back up. He was…

Eric Gagne is getting another chance to be a closer. Gagne and the Brewers finalized a $10 million, one-year contract on Monday, giving the Brewers a potential replacement for All-Star reliever Francisco Cordero. The 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner, Gagne finished last season with the World Series champion Boston Red Sox.

Randy Wolf will get a nice payday if he can make 30 starts and pitch 200 innings for the San Diego Padres. The left-hander, coming off shoulder surgery in September, finalized a one-year deal on Monday with the Padres that will top out at $9 million if he reaches all his incentives. “My shoulder’s doing…

Paul Lo Duca and the Washington Nationals agreed to a one-year contract pending a physical, according to several reports Monday. Lo Duca, a free-agent catcher who played for the New York Mets the past two seasons, would give the Nationals a veteran to replace Brian Schneider behind the plate. Washington traded Schneider and outfielder Ryan…

The players’ association filed a grievance Monday to overturn the 15-day suspension given to Kansas City Royals outfielder Jose Guillen for violating baseball’s drug program. Guillen and Baltimore’s Jay Gibbons were suspended last Thursday by commissioner Bud Selig following media reports that they received human growth hormone after January 2005, when it was banned by…

It’s easy to predict much of what George Mitchell will say: Baseball ignored performance-enhancing drugs for more than a decade, and his investigation repeatedly was slowed by the players’ union. The names Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi are sure to be included in the report, which could be released Thursday, from Mitchell’s 20-month…

Outfielder Milton Bradley and the Texas Rangers reached a preliminary agreement Sunday on a one-year contract worth just over $5 million. Bradley, who also had considered re-signing with the San Diego Padres, could play outfield or be a designated hitter with the Rangers. His deal also contains performance bonuses.

Moving to shore up their weak middle relief, the New York Yankees reached a preliminary agreement on a $3.75 million, one-year contract with right-hander LaTroy Hawkins. Hawkins’ deal is subject to him passing a physical, a baseball official familiar with the negotiations said Sunday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the contract has not been…