The New Orleans Saints couldn’t have looked any better beating the Atlanta Falcons in the first game to be played in the Superdome since Hurricane Katrina. New Head Coach Sean Payton must be some sort of genius, leading a traditionally underachieving team to three straight wins and for the time being, the pole position in the NFC South. Apparently the newly acquired Drew Brees provides just the stable guidance that the Saints have lacked at quarterback for years. And who could scoff at the infinitely dynamic running back tandem of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush? But by far, the biggest surprise has come from the defensive unit, currently ranked fifth in the NFL by yielding a mere 267 yards per game. A completely revamped corps of linebackers sets the tone as no longer can opposing teams simply run up the gut of the Saints defense with little to no resistance.

I have to admit the Cowboys had me worried for a while there. For a few quarters, the Titans were looking like an actual threat. Not only was Vince Young getting his first NFL start, the game was in Nashville, and LenDale White was even guaranteed some playing time. That was all Dallas needed going into the game – two hungry rookies fighting for respect and position in front of a home crowd – especially this week, after the unique public relations dilemma that was that one guy who did some things. You may remember it from the front page of every newspaper in the state.

Mario Williams had his coming-out party this Sunday at Reliant Stadium as the Texans narrowly defeated the Dolphins 17-15. Williams tallied his first career sack and then was credited with another half-sack on the following play as the crowd in Reliant Stadium went nuts. It was as if the Texans had secured a playoff spot or it was announced that there was free beer at the concession stand. I'm not sure who was more relieved, the fans or Williams himself. Mario also tipped RB Ronnie Brown's pass on Miami's trick-play two-point conversion that sealed the game for the Texans. Resplendent in his purple suit and alligator-skin shoes following the game, Williams acknowledged his progress while still admitting to the long road ahead of him before he becomes a pro-bowl-caliber defensive lineman.

Some other strong performances for the 1-3 Texans came from WR Andre Johnson and MLB Demeco Ryans ...

After the fold below are some text-message exchanges between a family member – one of the many St. Louis Cardinals fans I happen to be friendly with, as I was born and raised in that city and live and die with its team’s fortunes – and me during the past few days of baseball. To give you some idea of our state of mind, the transcript culminates with my pathetically paraphrasing St. Francis of Assisi's Serenity Prayer. We’ll start with those concerning Sunday night’s game at Minute Maid, which the Houston Astronauts won 7-3 to complete what now appears to be a sweep so deep that its impact is less broom cleaning floor than sword nicking several thoracic organs. We – this family member and I – suffered ourselves at that gimmicky monstrosity on Friday and Saturday.

Here it is the last week in September and, although the chances they'll miss the playoffs for the first time since 2003 are still pretty good, the Astros are playing meaningful games for the fourth year in a row. That sentence is as bizarre to write as it was to consider even two weeks ago. Then came the eight straight wins, including a four-game sweep of the division-leading Cardinals; six of those victories, like Wednesday night's 15-inning 7-6 squeaker over the Pirates, came after the Astros trailed. Three in their final at-bat, something they'd hardly done all year.

Bonzi Wells, the prize of the late free-agent pool, agreed on Wednesday to a two-year, $5-million deal with the Houston Rockets.

Wells, a ninth-year swingman out of Ball State, turned down the Sacramento Kings' five-year, $36-million offer earlier this summer, apparently finding it insufficient compensation for his 23 and 12 performance against the mighty San Antonio Spurs during the first round of last year's playoffs. But Wells has a history of moodiness, recalcitrance, and volatility. He's been suspended at least three times during his career, once for cursing at a coach, once for spitting on another player, and once for his involvement in a post-game brawl with the Golden State Warriors. So, although several teams, including Detroit, Minnesota, and Charlotte, expressed interest, they apparently found the combination of Wells' bad attitude and his overvalued sense of self-worth (he was fishing for $50 million over five years) unwelcoming.

Enter Tracy McGrady ...

Madden 2007
EA Sports
Xbox 360
$59.95 EA Sports is reportedly a video game sweatshop, pushing programmers to churn out next year's title before the current game hits shelves, working hard to ensure each new Madden offers more than just improved graphics and roster updates. The work shows. This is the best looking Madden ever, and the roster is so awesomely current it makes last year's roster look ridiculous. Come on, Madden 2006: Edgerrin James on the Colts? LaVar Arrington on the Redskins? What is this, an episode of VH1's I Love 2005?

The Lady Longhorns have two big home games this weekend: Oklahoma State at 7pm Friday, and Oklahoma at 1pm Sunday. The Sooners are the big rivalry game, of course, but OSU is the better team this year – they expect to challenge UT and A&M for the Big 12 title. Both games are at Myers Stadium; $7, but see Bevo's Bargains for coupons that'll get you in for $1. Last weekend, the Horns opened Big 12 play with two road wins, 2-0 over Texas Tech, and 2-1 over Baylor. Carrie Schmit got both goals against Tech; Amy Burlingham got the game-winner in Waco in the 76th minute, off a 75-yard pass from goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger, her second assist of the year. Champions League game day two this Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was another huge week for the Brits, as all four EPL teams won (as did Glasgow Celtic). Arsenal and Manchester United both handled good Portuguese teams, while Didier Drogba got a hat trick to lead Chelsea over Levski Sofia in Bulgaria, and Liverpool held off Galatasaray Merseyside. All four teams lead their groups, a third of the way through; AC Milan, Lyon, Valencia, and Bayern Munich lead the other groups. There was one significant "upset": Italian champ Inter Milan had a disastrous second half – two red cards and two goals allowed – in falling at home to Bayern. Click below for full results.

Program note: NBC’s Friday Night Lights, filmed in Pflugerville and based on the Buzz Bissinger book and Peter Berg film (and not, sadly, this column), premieres 7pm Tuesday, Oct. 3 on KXAN. UT head coach Mack Brown has a cameo in the pilot. (See "TV Eye" for more.)

Meanwhile, most area high schools open district play this week, but the pick matches are a pair of nondistrict affairs: undefeated Blanco, ranked No. 10 in 2A by TexasHSFootball.com, visits Hyde Park Baptist, and Liberty Hill (3-1) pays a call on defending 3A Division I champs Wimberley.