latest bout with key injuries undermine his club's Super Bowl aspirations.A pair of starting defensive linemen who are both former first-round draft choices — end Marcus Davenport and tackle Sheldon Rankins — left last week's loss to San Francisco with what turned out to be season-ending injuries.But as the Saints (10-3) prepare to meet Indianapolis (6-7) on Monday night White Josh Gordon Jerseys , they do so having already demonstrated how resilient they can be without prominent players in the lineup.The Saints went 5-0 while record-setting quarterback Drew Brees was out with a thumb injury early this season. Star running back Alvin Kamara, top receiving tight end Jared Cook, left tackle Terron Armstead, left guard Andrus Peat, top cornerback Marshon Lattimore and return specialist Deonte Harris have missed games with injuries this season as well. Rankins also sat out the season's first three games while finishing up his recovery from an Achilles tendon tear in last season's playoff opener.Yet by Thanksgiving, the Saints were NFC South Division title holders for a third season running and are still in contention to capture one of the top two playoff seeds in the conference.“It’s been a little bit more than we’re used to,” Payton said of the injuries to top contributors. “You start with Drew, but it is what it is. You learn as you get older that there are certain things you can control. Those are the things you spend more time focusing on than the things you can’t.”The Saints are somewhat fortunate that they entered this season emphasizing depth on the defensive line. They still have experienced, productive players across their defensive front — just fewer of them. And they will be tested against Indy's sixth-ranked running game, featuring Marlon Mack.“One of the things this year that we felt was beneficial was our depth at the defensive line position, carrying eight each game and getting into a rotation." Payton said. “So that when you lose two starters, the depth helps you.”The Colts could use a break, having lost five of six. They're now one loss from playoff elimination as they meet a Saints squad that odds makers have favored by more than a touchdown.Indianapolis coach Frank Reich doesn't expect New Orleans' normally stout defensive front to crumble.“They’re rotating guys who substitute that are good players. I’m sure they feel like us and most teams do, these backups are going to step in and do a good job Josh Gordon Jerseys 2019 ,” Reich said. "We certainly know we are going up against a good front.”QUIET KAMARADynamic Saints running back Alvin Kamara is coming off a relatively quite game by his prolific standards, with just 25 yards rushing and 18 receiving against San Francisco. That marked his second straight game with fewer than 100 yards from scrimmage, and third in the last five.But Brees doesn't sound worried about Kamara, who needs just 38 yards receiving to become third player in NFL history with at least 500 yards receiving and 500 yards rushing in each of first three seasons.“There's just only so many balls to go around,” Brees said. "Alvin is one of our playmakers. We want to get on the ball. We want to give him opportunities.”FOURTH-QUARTER WOESThe Colts have blown second-half leads each of the past three weeks, putting their playoff hopes in peril.Indy has slid from the top of the AFC South to third place, and the reason is simple. Houston, Tennessee and Tampa Bay have outscored the Colts 31-0 in the fourth quarter."Very frustrating," tight end Jack Doyle said, but added that he believes the Colts "have the right group of guys" to bounce back.JUMPING INRookie Parris Campbell became the fifth Colts receiver to land on injured reserve this season when he broke his foot last week.Indy filled his spot by bringing back a familiar name, Dontrelle Inman.The Virginia alum was one of the Colts' midseason acquisitions last season, finishing with 28 receptions 304 yards and three TD catches in nine games. But the Colts and Inman couldn't agree to terms during the offseason. He wound up playing four games for the Los Angeles Chargers before returning to Indy.He'll try to take pressure off of four-time Pro Bowler T.Y. Hilton, who has missed five of the last six games with an injured calf and was limited in practice this week.ROSTER MOVESThe Saints moved quickly to add a pair of free-agent veterans — tackle T.Y. McGill and end Noah Spence — but it remains to be seen how they perform in New Orleans' scheme.“There’s a vision with each one relative to what they do well and how we would use them. They are in good football shape and I’m anxious to see how they do.”McGill was a teammate of Colts QB Jacoby Brissett at North Carolina State. He wasn't allowed to touch Brissett in practice, but now might get his first chance to sack him.ARE YOU READY?Indy is making its first Monday appearance since October 2016.That might be a bigger deal for some than Colts 2018 All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard White Jonathan Jones Jerseys , who enjoyed watching pro wrestling as a kid."I'm not going to lie, I watched Monday Night Raw," the reigning defensive rookie of the year said. “But it's really special when you know the whole world is watching.”AP Sports Writer Michael Marot in Indianapolis contributed to this report.Follow Brett Martel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/brettmartel DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — When Brian Flores was asked how he celebrated winning the Super Bowl, he paused for several seconds and laughed."I kissed my wife on the field," Flores said.Then it was on to the next challenge, and a big one — fixing the Miami Dolphins. Flores, the New England Patriots‘ linebackers coach and defensive play-caller, was hired Monday as Miami's head coach. He accepted the job hours after helping the Patriots shut down the high-scoring Los Angeles Rams for a 13-3 victory in the title game Sunday night in Atlanta."It has been a whirlwind 24 hours," Flores said with a smile at a news conference that drew two dozen cameras."Looking at this crowd here, you'd think we won the Super Bowl," Miami owner Stephen Ross said. "I've never seen this many people in this room. … To me, you start an organization by signing a great leader. I believe we've found that leader."Flores was the first person the Dolphins interviewed after they fired coach Adam Gase on Dec. 31. They decided on Jan. 11 to offer the job to Flores but had to wait until New England's season ended to complete an agreement."I wasn't in a rush to become a head coach," said Flores Jonathan Jones Jerseys 2019 , 37. "I had a good job in New England."Flores said the job with the Patriots' longtime AFC East foil was appealing because he shared a vision with general manager Chris Grier on how to build a winner.While preparing for the Super Bowl, Flores also began to hire a Miami staff. The group is expected to include former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell as assistant head coach, Patriots receivers coach Chad O'Shea as offensive coordinator and Packers assistant Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator.The son of Honduran immigrants, Flores grew up in Brooklyn and has spent his entire coaching career with the Patriots. He joined them in 2004 and became their de facto defensive coordinator a year ago after Matt Patricia left to join the Lions as their head coach.Flores is the ninth former assistant to Bill Belichick to become a head coach."I think he'll be awesome," Patriots cornerback Devin McCourty said. "But he's in the division, so I told him he can't win too many games."Flores becomes the NFL's fourth minority head coach for 2019, which is half the total of last season. Diversity advocates have questioned the effectiveness of the Rooney Rule requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for any head coach or general manager vacancy.A former Boston College linebacker, Flores also coached offense and special teams with New England. He has a long relationship with Grier, who took charge of football operations in the recent organizational shake-up.Both started as scouts for the Patriots, the Dolphins' longtime nemeses in the AFC East. Flores will report to Grier under the team's new, more streamlined leadership structure.Among those attending the news conference were Flores' wife, Jennifer, their three children and his high school coach. Also on hand was the last quarterback to lead Miami to a Super Bowl, Dan Marino White Ja’Whaun Bentley Jersey , in 1984, and the last quarterback to help the Dolphins win one, Bob Griese, in 1973.Flores is leaving a team that won its sixth Super Bowl since 2002 to join a franchise that has not won a playoff game since 2000 and plans to rebuild after another dismal season.The Dolphins went 7-9 in 2018 to miss the playoffs for the 15th time in 17 years. They allowed 6,257 yards, the most in franchise history, and the offense was also among the league's worst, finishing ranked 31st.One win came at home against New England, when the Dolphins scored a miraculous touchdown with a pass and double lateral on the final play. The Patriots had expected a Hail Mary pass, and second-guessers complained that their secondary included lumbering 6-foot-6 Rob Gronkowski."My last memory here wasn't a great one," Flores said with a chuckle.That improbable finish couldn't save Gase. Ross fired him, ordered a roster overhaul and acknowledged it may take several seasons to build a winner. The revamp is likely to include the departure of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has been with Miami since 2012 but has never taken a postseason snap.Flores becomes Miami's 10th head coach since 2004, including three interim coaches. Grier noted that two of Flores' predecessors Ja’Whaun Bentley Jersey 2019 , Gase and Tony Sparano, reached the playoffs in their first season before the team backslid, so Miami will try a more patient approach."We want to build this where it's long term and you can win for many years, instead of trying to go year to year," Grier said.Flores is braced for the frustrations that come with rebuilding."That's part of leadership — dealing with adversity," he said. "There's going to be some pain. There's pain for every team."As for his curtailed Super Bowl celebration, he wasn't complaining."No, this is not getting cheated at all," Flores said. "That was a great experience, but I guess I've always been this way — I look forward."