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METAIRIE, La. -- Every week, New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton likes to come up with a point of emphasis that he drills into his team. It’s not hard to guess what his message will be this week as the 4-0 Saints travel to face the 3-1 Chicago Bears: Protect the ball.

The Bears lead the NFL again this year with 14 takeaways after leading the league with a whopping 44 of them last year. They even led the league with 14 takeaways in the preseason. It’s something the Bears have always done well, even while switching coaches and personnel.

“In the last however many years you want to go back, they’ve taken the ball away better than anyone,” Saints coach Sean Payton said Tuesday. “It’s kind of one of those things that become somewhat tradition or become somewhat expected of a group. And that’s a credit to the players, it’s a credit to (new coach Marc Trestman) and his staff, those guys on defense. They feed off of that. And it’s been a formula for them. They’ve been exceptional.

“And then you’ve got guys like (cornerback Charles) Tillman who have an unusual, or a very high amount of forced fumbles. There’s a skill set involved in that, and then there’s also just a simple effort involved in that and kind of a ‘want to.’ It’s something that doesn’t happen by accident. To have the numbers that they have, it’s obviously emphasized and worked on.”

Tillman’s 39 forced fumbles are the most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2003. He also has 35 career interceptions and nine career defensive touchdowns.

Cornerback Tim Jennings had nine interceptions last year and one this year. Safety Major Wright had four picks last year and two this year. Dynamic defensive end Julius Peppers just had a sack-fumble this past Sunday against the Detroit Lions and has eight forced fumbles in his four years with the Bears.

As a team, Chicago has scored three defensive touchdowns this year and leads the NFL with 55 points off turnovers. Last year, the Bears scored nine defensive touchdowns, tied for the second most in NFL history.

Even Trestman, who has carried on the tradition that was started under former Bears coach Lovie Smith, has marveled at what he’s seen.

“We’ve done it by punching it out, we’ve done it by scooping and scoring, we’ve done it by literally just grabbing it out of guys’ hands,” Trestman said last week of the Bears’ stolen fumbles (now a league-high eight of them). “The (six) interceptions are a little more the norm. You get a good pass rush, you get a hand in a guy’s face, you disguise a coverage, you’re going to get a turnover that way. Teams do that. But it’s the other things that are around that; the strips, the punching out. The way they’ve done it in terms of technique-wise, it’s terribly unique.”

The Saints’ players had a part-time schedule on Tuesday, following their 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night. So they haven’t started in fully yet on studying the Bears. But receiver Marques Colston said Tuesday that he’s well aware of the Bears’ opportunistic ways.

And he’s fully expecting that to be a point of emphasis by Payton this week.

“You hit it on the head,” Colston said when asked if he expects that from Payton. “It’s gonna be protecting the ball. You know, we say it time and time again, it’s the No. 1 stat in football. So going on the road against an opportunistic defense, we’ve definitely gotta protect the ball on offense. ... You can tell just watching the film it’s a point of emphasis for them.”

The Saints have done a good job of protecting the ball this year. They have just five giveaways, tied for fifth best in the NFL.

A weekly examination of the Saints’ ESPN.com Power Ranking:

Preseason: 14 | Last Week: 3 | ESPN.com Power Ranking since 2002

Technically, the Saints (4-0) stayed put at No. 3. But it feels like they moved into that upper tier with the No. 1 Denver Broncos and No. 2 Seattle Seahawks after a dominant 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Monday night.

That’s because the Saints’ prolific passing offense truly exploded for the first time this season, with quarterback Drew Brees throwing for 413 yards and four touchdowns (96 or more yards for Darren Sproles, Jimmy Graham and Marques Colston). The Dolphins looked lost trying to cover all of those matchup nightmares. That’s what the Saints’ passing offense looked like in 2011 (a 13-3 season), when Brees shattered Dan Marino’s NFL record with 5,476 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes.

The Saints' run game remained grounded Monday, but they still had offensive balance with short passes to Sproles and Pierre Thomas. And the revamped Saints defense continued to play a huge role with four turnovers and four sacks.

With that combo, the Saints are once again bona fide Super Bowl contenders. But so far, we’ve mostly seen them picking on teams on their home turf. We’ll learn even more about them on the road over the next two weeks at the No. 9 Chicago Bears (3-1) and No. 4 New England Patriots (4-0).

NEW ORLEANS -- An examination of four hot issues from the New Orleans Saints' 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins:

Feeling it: Saints quarterback Drew Brees insisted that the Saints still haven’t played their best game and still have plenty of work to do. At the same time, he was willing to admit that the Saints (4-0) are feeling some similarities to their Super Bowl season of 2009, when they started 13-0. In both cases, the Saints were eager to bounce back after missing the playoffs. And in both cases, they were starting fresh with a fiery new defensive coordinator (this time Rob Ryan).

"I'd say there's some similarities in regards to the type of offseason we’ve had, as competitive as it was," Brees said. "Just that feeling: 'Man, we can’t wait to get on the field and then show ourselves, show people what we're about' and continue to gain confidence and continue to get a little bit better each and every game, too."

ESPN columnist Ashley Fox chronicled how much it has meant to have coach Sean Payton back from his season-long suspension.

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham also referenced that passion Brees described, saying that a lot of players came into this season with chips on their shoulders. "Or bricks, you could say," Graham said.

Tough road ahead: Just as quickly, though, Brees pointed out that it doesn’t get any easier for the Saints over the next two weeks. They have a quick turnaround game at the Chicago Bears (3-1) on Sunday, followed by another road game at the New England Patriots (4-0).

"We've got a tough road ahead," Brees said. "We’re at Chicago here on a short week, and they’re coming off a tough loss [to the Detroit Lions]. They're gonna be ready to play us, no doubt. And we've struggled there, to be honest with you [three straight losses in the 2006 playoffs and ’07 and ’08 regular seasons]."

Defense stays strong: The Saints offense took center stage Monday night, but the revamped defense continued to come up big. Cornerback Jabari Greer's interception and linebacker Curtis Lofton's forced fumble in the first half were two of the biggest plays of the game. Rookie defensive tackle John Jenkins made a big-time run stuff on third-and-1 to force Miami to settle for an early field goal. And in the second half, the Saints' defense decimated the Dolphins while they were trying to play from way behind (four sacks and two more interceptions).

The Saints gave up more yards than usual in the first half in the run game and allowed an underneath throw to turn into a 50-yard gain. But once again, they didn't let deep balls get over their heads.

Run game still weak: Once again, the Saints ran nowhere in the first half, when their running backs had a total of 5 yards on seven carries. Neither Pierre Thomas nor Khiry Robinson was immune when they tried to run up the middle. Thomas lost 2 yards on second-and-10 and lost 3 yards on second-and-1. And Robinson lost 3 yards on first-and-10.

The Saints adapted with draw plays and screen passes, etc. -- always their most effective change-of-pace plays. But they need to find a way to make the traditional power runs work.

NEW ORLEANS -- For the first 21 minutes of Monday night’s game, the Miami Dolphins did something that no other defense had been able to do against the New Orleans Saints all season. They contained tight end Jimmy Graham, holding him without a single catch.

The only problem? The Dolphins allowed Saints running back Darren Sproles to rack up more than 100 receiving yards during that span.

Then when Miami finally started focusing on Sproles, Graham wound up with 100 receiving yards of his own as the Saints’ offense exploded in a 38-17 victory inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns, while the Saints moved to 4-0 on the season -- a far cry from their 0-4 start in 2012.

“Well, 0-4 to 4-0, this feels a lot better,” Brees deadpanned afterward. “But still we haven’t played our best football, and it feels good to say that. We left some opportunities out there tonight. We scored 38, but it should’ve been more.”

Believe it or not, Brees is probably right. The Saints’ passing offense is starting to show signs of finding the same rhythm it had in 2011, when Brees shattered Dan Marino’s passing mark with 5,476 yards and 46 touchdown passes.

The Saints still need to find a running game; that has been practically nonexistent this year. But clearly they’ve rediscovered the nearly-indefensible combination of Graham and Sproles (not to mention receiver Marques Colston and several other weapons in their versatile attack).

“We tried a variety of different coverages. We tried zone. We tried man. We tried some pressures,” Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said of the unique matchup problems the Saints present.

Sure, the Saints had those same weapons last year. But Graham and Sproles both battled injuries. And their symphony was missing its conductor.

When asked what’s different now, Sproles didn’t hesitate.

“Coach [Sean] Payton’s back,” he said.

And what specifically has Payton brought?

“He’s a genius,” Sproles said.

Sproles then expanded his answer to say that Payton is great at being able to move his pieces around and figure out where a defense is most vulnerable.

“He knows how to call the plays,” Sproles said. “He knows what he’s seeing.”

Payton has been seeing even more opportunities to exploit defenses over his past two seasons as New Orleans coach.

The Saints' offense has been outstanding ever since Payton and Brees first arrived in 2006. But they became a whole different monster in 2011, when Graham and Sproles emerged as their two most dynamic weapons (Graham as a second-year player at the time, and Sproles as a free-agent acquisition from the San Diego Chargers).

Graham and Sproles create two of the most unique matchup challenges in the NFL. And they’re downright deadly under the direction of Payton’s scheming and Brees’ on-field decision-making.

Graham said it’s also made a big difference that Brees was around during the offseason. He was gone last summer while working out his new contract. Graham pointed out this is actually the first time in his career that he and Brees have been together for an entire offseason.

“And I feel like the first four games, it’s showing,” said Graham, who now has 458 receiving yards and six touchdowns through just four games.

“It feels great,” Graham said after catching four passes for 100 yards and two scores on Monday night. “This offense is so dynamic, and in the first half [the Dolphins] were doing some things differently, especially when I was split out, with safeties and corners. And that leaves Sproles one-on-one. And he’s terrifying from the backfield. He’s just a dynamic player.

“And this team is so dynamic. We have so many weapons. And Drew knows exactly where to go with the ball. There’s no hesitation in his game at all.”

Case in point (A): On Brees’ first touchdown pass to Graham in the second quarter, he fired the ball up high for Graham to go up and get it between three defenders for a 27-yard score. And when asked later if he was “surprised” Graham came down with it, Brees said, “No. We have pretty high expectations for ourselves. ... And there’s certain places where I know I can put the ball where it’s Jimmy or nobody.”

Case in point (B): Sproles was actually Brees’ third option on a 13-yard touchdown pass before halftime. But as Brees described it, “We had Jimmy and Marques running up on that side as well. So I think there was a lot of attention put on those guys, and Sproles just kind of snuck out to the sideline.”

Obviously, it’s not just a two-man show in New Orleans. As ESPN analyst KC Joyner said Monday night, Colston is an awfully dangerous “third” option in a passing attack. Colston also had zero catches in the first half before the Dolphins picked a different poison. And he wound up with seven catches for 96 yards in the second half.

Even more impressively, the Saints did this without injured receiver Lance Moore, who had a 1,000-yard season last year. Rookie receiver Kenny Stills caught four passes for 38 yards. Second-year pro Nick Toon caught his first NFL pass for 18 yards on a still-critical third-and-12 play in the first half. And veteran tight end Benjamin Watson caught his first touchdown pass as a Saint in the third quarter.

“You know, we move ‘em around so much and we do so many different things with ‘em that I think it’s hard for defenses to get a key on exactly where they’re gonna be,” Brees said. “We’ve had a lot of time to practice it, so we’ll continue to find ways to do that and keep defenses off balance.”

The Saints offense just getting warmed up? A scary thought.

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NEW ORLEANS -- Observed in the locker room after the New Orleans Saints' 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins:

Don’t eat the cheese: One of Sean Payton’s favorite mantras was heard often from players this week: “Don’t eat the cheese.” In other words, don’t fall into the trap of overconfidence. Clearly, it still applies -- at least with Drew Brees, who wasn’t satisfied with his performance. Brees said the Saints' offense still missed too many opportunities and hasn’t played its best game yet.

Jersey swap: A cool moment postgame when Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis and Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace swapped their game jerseys on the field as souvenirs. It was the first time these two lifelong friends from New Orleans played against each other as opponents.

Injury watch: Lewis was in and out of the game with a leg strain but insisted it’s nothing major. Meanwhile, receiver Lance Moore admitted it was tough to miss out on the offensive fireworks with a hand injury. He didn’t specify how long he’ll be out but said it just needs time to heal and hopes it’s sooner rather than later.

Galette unimpressed: The Saints torched Miami’s offensive line with four second-half sacks. Then the onslaught continued postgame, with Saints linebacker Junior Galette's harsh words. “I wish we could play them again so I could tee off on them again,” said the always-animated Galette, who said he was fired up because the Dolphins’ linemen were talking trash even while they were down big. “I didn’t think that team was as good as everybody was saying. ... I think we know who the real 3-0 team was.”

NEW ORLEANS -- A few thoughts on the New Orleans Saints' 38-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins, which moved the Saints to 4-0.

What it means: The Saints were off to a great start even before their potent passing offense really got going. Then they exploded Monday night against the previously-unbeaten Dolphins. The Saints still need to find their run game, but it sure looks like quarterback Drew Brees and dynamic playmakers Jimmy Graham, Darren Sproles and Marques Colston are in peak form, which makes the Saints bona fide Super Bowl contenders again. The Dolphins have a solid defense, but they couldn’t figure out how to contain all of those guys.

Brees adds to legacy: Brees completed 30 of 39 passes for 413 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. In the process, he passed Fran Tarkenton for sixth place on the NFL’s all-time passing yardage list (now with 47,353). Brees also tied his own NFL record with nine consecutive 300-yard passing games. And he continued a ridiculous run of “Monday Night Football” dominance. He and the Saints now have a nine-game MNF win streak in which he’s thrown 28 touchdown passes and just five interceptions.

Stock watch: Sproles was a monster Monday, with seven catches for 114 yards, four runs for 28 yards and two touchdowns (though he ended on a low note with a late fourth-quarter fumble). Sproles was contained a bit in 2012 by injuries and constant bracket coverage from opposing defenses. But he offered the Dolphins a painful reminder that they can’t leave him in single coverage. While Miami was focused on containing Graham at tight end, Sproles got all 114 receiving yards and both of his TDs before halftime.

Defensive assist: For the first time this season, the Saints’ revamped defense took a back seat to the offense -- but only barely. Two huge first-half turnovers helped New Orleans break the game open (a forced fumble by linebacker Curtis Lofton and an interception by cornerback Jabari Greer). Both led to touchdowns. A first-quarter third-and-1 run stuff by defensive tackle John Jenkins was also big. And in the second half, the Saints started piling on the sacks.

What’s next: The Saints leave the comfort of home the next two weeks with treacherous road games at the Chicago Bears (3-1) and the New England Patriots (4-0). The Saints struggled in their only other road game this year, at Tampa Bay in Week 2. These next two games will tell a lot about their makeup -- and could help determine if they get to play at home during the playoffs.

Join our ESPN.com NFL experts for the "Monday Night Football" match up of the undefeateds, the Miami Dolphins at New Orleans Saints.

Contribute your thoughts and questions beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET. See you there.

For the first time in 15 years, two teams with records of 3-0 or better will meet on "Monday Night Football" when the New Orleans Saints (3-0) host the Miami Dolphins (3-0). Here’s what to watch for tonight:

Containing Graham: The Saints have a ton of offensive weapons, but contraining tight end Jimmy Graham has to be priority No. 1 for the Dolphins. Three of the four touchdown passes the Dolphins have allowed this year have gone to tight ends, and Graham brings that threat to a whole other level.

Graham has been on an absolute tear this year, catching 23 passes for 358 yards and four touchdowns. Heading into this week, his 19 receptions for first downs led the NFL.

“His production over the last two weeks has been off the charts,” Miami coach Joe Philbin said. “He obviously has great size and weight. He seems to be a natural running down the field and going up and catching the ball. He can catch the ball in traffic. He can catch the ball when he gets hit. He has excellent concentration and hands. His size and length are an issue, and it’s a concern when you go play him. He has done a great job.”

Brotherly battle: The lifelong friendship of Dolphins receiver Mike Wallace and Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis makes for a great backstory. The two New Orleans-area natives, who describe each other as “brothers” will go head to head as opponents for the first time since they were kids. But there’s much more on the line than just their personal rivalry. Their matchup will be one of the most critical elements of the game for both teams.

The Dolphins signed Wallace to give them the big-play threat they needed, and the Saints signed Lewis to help prevent the big plays that tormented them last year. So far, the Saints’ secondary has done an outstanding job of preventing deep balls this year, but Wallace and receiver Brian Hartline will test them tonight.

Wake up? The Dolphins’ top pass-rusher (and arguably their top player overall), Cameron Wake, will be a game-time decision with a knee injury. Even if he plays, he might be limited. That’s a tough break for a Miami defense that would prefer to be at full strength against an offense as potent as the Saints. Wake’s 45.5 sacks are the third most in the NFL since the start of the 2009 season (including 2.5 this year). And the Dolphins led all NFL teams in quarterback pressure through the first three weeks, according to ESPN Stats & Information (putting QBs under duress on 35 percent of dropbacks).

The Saints’ offensive line, meanwhile, should be getting healthier with All-Pro right guard Jahri Evans expected to return from a hamstring injury tonight. The Saints have allowed an uncharacteristic 10 sacks so far this season, in large part because of Evans’ health issues.

Ready to run? So far this season, both teams have thrived despite their struggles in the run game. The Saints rank 22nd in the NFL at 85.7 yards per game and the Dolphins rank 27th at 70.3. Both teams want to be more balanced, but they’ve also shown that they won’t beat their heads against the wall trying to make that happen when the passing game is working. It will be interesting to see if either team can successfully run the ball early -- and how long they'll keep trying if the run game starts slowly.

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints' defense is operating out of a base 3-4 scheme this year. But it’s been hard to tell that by watching them.

For one thing, the Saints have spent most of this season in nickel and dime packages (five or more defensive backs). So they’re rarely in a seven-man front anyway, whether it be a 3-4 or a 4-3.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Saints have lined up in a nickel or dime personnel grouping on 128 out of 165 snaps this season (77.5 percent). Pro Football Focus has a slightly lower figure (124 out of 165 snaps).

When it comes to how many players have actually lined up on the line of scrimmage, according to Pro Football Focus, the Saints have used a four-man front on 113 snaps and a three-man front on 52 snaps. (There have been 10 other snaps where the Saints have used less or more).

It’s a subtle difference, though. It mostly depends on where outside linebacker/defensive end Junior Galette lines up. But he’s essentially used in the same role regardless, primarily as a pass-rusher.

“I think 4-3 or 3-4, they all add up to seven, I think,” cracked Saints defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. “We’re just a multiple group. We’ve got some guys who can play end and outside 'backer. So we kind of move ‘em around.

“But we pride ourselves on being multiple, giving some different looks. So however we’re typed as a 3-4 team or a 4-3 team, at the end of the day we just want to play hard and fast and get better every week.”

It would stand to reason that the Saints have adapted their defense this summer in the wake of all the injuries they suffered at the outside linebacker and defensive line positions.

But Ryan said they “absolutely” would have been using a heavy dose of nickel and dime packages regardless. Even before the injuries started to occur during summer practices, the Saints were installing multiple packages with three and four safeties on the field together.

“We’re playing a lot of sub defense, but that’s how the game is played now,” Ryan said, pointing out some of the two-tailback and four-receiver looks they’ve seen from offenses this season. “So our thing is whatever they put out, it’s not the position of ‘em, it’s the disposition.”

It certainly helps that no matter what alignment the Saints have been in, they’ve been getting consistent production from a pretty traditional four-man pass rush (with Galette and end Cameron Jordan lining up on the edges).

Both Jordan and Galette have repeatedly said they don’t have any problem mixing up their alignments. They both pride themselves on being versatile enough to produce out of any front.

“Jack linebacker, defensive end, all that,” Galette said. “Whatever position they put me in to get to the quarterback.”

Former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams was also known for being multiple and versatile, so Ryan’s approach is familiar in that sense. But Williams felt like he had to depend heavily on blitzing to generate a pass rush with the Saints’ personnel, which limited his options somewhat.

Ryan hasn’t needed to blitz nearly as much this year. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Saints have sent five or more pass-rushers on only 36 snaps this year, which ranks 23^rd in the NFL.

But the season is still young, and there’s no doubt Ryan and his new defense will continue to evolve.

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham stressed again Saturday that he is not concerned about his contract situation and is strictly focused on football -- something that has been working awfully well for the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

The topic of Graham’s contract came up again because of a report by Pro Football Talk earlier in the week that said the Saints had made an offer at some unspecified point but Graham’s camp had not responded.

“I’m not really sure where all of these rumors are coming from, but for me, that whole situation isn’t important to me right now,” said Graham, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. “I know I’m going to keep going out and do what I do. Every Sunday and Monday, I’m going to go out and play football and play to the best of my abilities. The rest will take care of itself.”

When asked about how it’s become an increasingly hot topic among fans, who scream or tweet, “Pay him!” every time he does well, Graham laughed.

“You know, that comment is funny," Graham said. "I get paid every two weeks here. I’m not really sure what everybody is talking about."

“For me, it really is all football,” Graham added. “I’m a very hungry player right now. I feel like I have a lot to show. I’m going to try to do all I can to put the team in the best situation to win. So all the comments and the things that people say doesn’t faze me or get to me. I’m going to go out on Sunday and give all I have.”

Graham made no secret in the offseason about how determined he is to make up for what he considered a down year in 2012. Although he caught 85 passes for 982 yards and nine touchdowns last year, his performance wasn’t consistently up to his standard. He battled a wrist injury all year and led the NFL with 14 dropped passes, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

This year, he certainly appears to be back in peak form. Graham has 23 catches for 358 yards and four touchdowns. He leads the NFL with 19 catches for first downs, according to ESPN Stats & Information. He has been credited with two drops.

“You know, this season for me is everything about proving the type of player that I am,” Graham said. “I feel like I disappointed myself last year and I wasn’t able to do the things that I wanted to do. I mean, if you look at the stats, some people laugh at it because I had a decent year stat-wise. But as far as putting this team in the best opportunity to win and making the plays that I know I can make … so now I play with every emotion that I have in my body. I play because I feel like I have a lot to prove.”

Graham, who had wrist surgery immediately after last season, said his improved health has a lot to do with his improved play this year. He also said he and quarterback Drew Brees have seemed to lock in together well this year. And he said he’s been fortunate to wind up in single coverage in many situations.

“This offseason is the hardest that I’ve worked in, not only rehab but just on little things, you know, film room,” Graham said. “But I think more than anything, I’m playing with more emotion than I ever have.”

METAIRIE, La. -- New Orleans Saints receiver Lance Moore is officially listed as questionable for Monday night’s game against the Miami Dolphins. But his chances of playing appear slim after he did not practice all week with a hand injury.

The Saints officially ruled out two players on Saturday -- safety Roman Harper (knee) and defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley (calf).

Eight others are listed as questionable. But the three players in the most jeopardy of missing the game are Moore, tailback Mark Ingram (toe) and defensive end Tom Johnson (hamstring) after they missed practice all week.

The others listed as questionable were able to practice on a limited basis this week – guards Jahri Evans (hamstring) and Tim Lelito (calf), defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker (knee), cornerback Chris Carr (knee) and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus (ankle).

Evans – easily the most important player on the list – insisted this week that he’ll return to the lineup against the Dolphins after missing last Sunday’s game.

Moore will certainly be missed if he can’t play. But the Saints do have several other options they can turn to in the passing game. Obviously they’ll rely heavily on tight end Jimmy Graham, receiver Marques Colston and running back Darren Sproles, as always. Others who could see increased targets include receivers Kenny Stills, Robert Meachem and Nick Toon and tight end Benjamin Watson.

Stills might be the biggest beneficiary. The rookie fifth-round draft pick was a breakout player for the Saints in the preseason, but he’s played a limited role so far in the regular season with just three catches for 96 yards and no touchdowns.

“If [Moore] is not playing, then obviously somebody’s going to have to step up. And hopefully they trust me enough to get in there and make some plays,” said Stills, who said he has tried to prepare every week and every play like the ball’s coming his way.

That attribute has been very important to the various Saints receivers in this deep offense over the years. The ball gets spread around quite a bit, so players need to stay both patient and focused.

Stills said he’s heard that from several people, but Meachem in particular. In the past, Meachem admitted that was something he had to get used to as a first-round draft pick out of Tennessee. Now, Meachem is the wise veteran giving advice to young teammates.

“It’s something that all the guys talk about. But Meach, for sure, has always mentioned that to me,” Stills said. “‘Don’t worry about it, don’t stress about how many targets you’re getting, how many catches you’re getting. It’s a week-to-week thing in this offense, and your time will come.’”

METAIRIE, La. – The New Orleans Saints didn't plan to start a youth movement or some kind of extreme roster makeover on their defense this season. In fact, they worked hard to restructure the contracts of core veterans such as Will Smith, Jonathan Vilma and Roman Harper because they wanted them to be part of their revitalized defense.

But the Saints and new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan have been forced to continually adapt as six projected starters have gone down with injuries.

The result? The Saints are 3-0, and a defense that last season set the NFL record for most yards allowed now ranks as the fourth-toughest in the league (295.7 yards allowed per game).

Although no one around Saints camp is claiming they’re better off without those missing veterans, there is obviously some sort of mojo that has developed while dynamic young playmakers such as linemen Cameron Jordan and Akiem Hicks, outside linebacker Junior Galette and safety Kenny Vaccaro have started to emerge.

“I gotta start by saying it’s very unfortunate that we had so many pivotal parts of our defense go down. One guy that sits right next to me in this locker is Will Smith, and that’s something that can’t be replaced,” Hicks said. “But there’s definitely an energy, and we can use that. So it’s been working out.”

The Saints lost three projected starters to season-ending injuries this summer – outside linebackers Smith and Victor Butler and end Kenyon Coleman. Then inside linebacker Vilma was placed on short-term injured reserve after he had minor knee surgery in training camp (he could return at midseason). And in recent weeks, safety Harper and tackle Brodrick Bunkley have been sidelined by injuries, and nickel cornerback Patrick Robinson suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2.

Yet none of those injuries has seemed to faze the Saints. If anything, the circumstances have empowered some of the young players who are stepping into more prominent roles.

Coach Sean Payton said that kind of injection of youth and energy can benefit a team – but only if the players “earned those positions.”

“In other words, I don’t think by design you go out and say, ‘We’re going to keep all these young players and cut the veterans,’” Payton said. “One thing that we try to do is just keep the best players. And the young players that earned spots we felt like were players that earned spots. And the veteran players that made the roster we felt like earned those spots. So, like you said [when the question was posed], it wasn’t by design.”

It hasn't just been young players stepping up to fill the void. Veteran linebacker David Hawthorne has played well as a replacement for Vilma. And the Saints traded for veteran linebacker Parys Haralson to help replace Smith.

And the most important change the Saints made to their defense this offseason came on the coaching staff -- which was by design. Payton fired former defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo after just one year on the job and replaced him with Ryan -- whose versatile schemes and energetic personality clearly have resonated much better with Saints players.

“Anything but the old defense, I would have got excited regardless,” said Galette, who has never been shy about voicing his displeasure with Spagnuolo’s system, which he felt was too rigid and reactive rather than unpredictable and aggressive. “But Rob, just meeting him as a person off the field, his character and his personality just kind of sinks in with everybody else, and he still feels like he’s young and he brings a lot of energy himself.

“Anything but Spags would’ve been great. But Rob is just a plus.”

The players have been feeding off of each other as well. As veteran inside linebacker Curtis Lofton said, that amped-up energy level is especially noticeable along the defensive front, where young guys such as Jordan, Galette, Hicks, Martez Wilson, Tyrunn Walker, John Jenkins and Glenn Foster have taken turns rising to the challenge – and cranking up friendly rivalries among themselves.

For instance, when Galette (two sacks) was asked who’s having the better season so far between him and Jordan (three sacks), he said, “C’mon, are you serious right now? That’s not a serious question. Who do you think?”

“There’s no days off. We get to the film room, and it’s like, 'OK, I got off the ball faster than you.' You’re competing. And that’s that competitive nature that I feel like we lacked in past years,” Galette said – though he was quick to point out that he doesn't think the Saints are better off without their injured veterans.

“Obviously it would help if Will and Victor were here. But we can’t worry about that right now,” Galette said. “This is who we have right now, and this is what we’re gonna keep rolling with.”

It may not be how the Saints drew it up in the playbook, but sometimes the best thing a team can do is call an audible.

METAIRIE, La. -- It’s been well-chronicled that the Miami Dolphins missed out on quarterback Drew Brees when he was a free agent in 2006. The Dolphins might have wound up with tight end Jimmy Graham, too, if the New Orleans Saints hadn’t snagged him first in the 2010 NFL draft.

With Graham on another tear to start his fourth NFL season (23 catches for 358 yards and four touchdowns), Saints coach Sean Payton was asked Friday to think back to when the team took a chance on the converted basketball player with little college football experience. And Payton recalled the story of when his mentor Bill Parcells -- then an executive with the Dolphins -- called him “30 seconds after the selection” to applaud the pick.

The Saints took Graham late in the third round, and Parcells told Payton he was eyeing him in the fourth.

“I could tell that was someone he had targeted,” Payton said. “And that makes you feel good rather than him saying, you know, ‘What did you take him for?’”

To his credit, Payton didn’t try to claim that he knew something nobody else did about Graham three years ago. Payton was asked Friday if there’s ever any part of him that thinks back to the pick and says, “I knew it.”

“No, listen, that might happen occasionally. But it wouldn’t be the case with Jimmy -- to our scouts’ credit,” said Payton, who praised the scouts who spent time researching Graham for having a strong conviction on things like his work ethic and his desire to be a football player.

“There’s a part of you as a coach that’s skeptical at first, just because of the experience or maybe a lack of playing time,” said Payton. But he said all that faded away after the group meetings with scouts and coaches, to the point where the Saints ended up with a second- or third-round grade on Graham.

The Saints were even more confident that Graham would bounce back this year after a slightly-down year in 2012 (by Graham’s lofty standards, anyway). Graham battled a wrist injury all season and struggled with dropped passes (a league-high 14, according to ESPN Stats & Information). But after a postseason surgery, Graham came back and said he was "the hungriest I've ever been" to elevate his game.

After Payton returned from his suspension this offseason, he called Graham to let him know he holds him up to a high standard. But Payton said Graham didn’t need any extra prodding.

“He’s a tremendous worker. He really wants to please and it’s important to him -- along with the physical skill set and the ability. Those are all great combinations,” Payton said. “So there wasn’t any magical meeting or sit down. It was A, him getting healthy, and then getting ready for a good offseason and the work that he puts in, which is a credit to him. He goes really hard.”

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints' injury report got a little thinner Friday, but five players were still held out of team drills -- receiver Lance Moore (hand), safety Roman Harper (knee), tailback Mark Ingram (toe), defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley (calf) and defensive end Tom Johnson (hamstring).

Defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker (knee) and guard Tim Lelito (calf) returned to practice on a limited basis.

The Saints didn’t offer specific details on any of those injuries. But with each passing day that those players miss practice, their chances of playing Monday night against the Miami Dolphins decrease.

Harper, Ingram, Bunkley and Johnson all missed last Sunday’s game, as well. But the Saints demonstrated that they were deep enough at each of those position groups to absorb those losses in a 31-7 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

That should also be the case if Moore can’t play. Although Moore has been a huge part of the Saints’ offense for eight years, the Saints have great depth in the passing game.

They will obviously continue to feature veterans like receiver Marques Colston, tight end Jimmy Graham and tailback Darren Sproles. They can also lean more heavily on backup receivers Kenny Stills, Robert Meachem and Nick Toon and backup tight end Benjamin Watson.

Stills is a rookie, and this is Toon’s first NFL season after he spent his rookie year on injured reserve. But those two young receivers were among the team’s most productive players during the preseason, cementing their spots on the roster.

“We had a chance through the preseason to get a lot of guys repetitions. So we’ll be ready if (Moore) can or if he can’t (play),” coach Sean Payton said. “It’s one of the areas where we were able to get the younger players a lot of reps.”

Stills, a fifth-round draft pick out of Oklahoma, has just three catches for 96 yards this season. But he was arguably the Saints’ breakout offensive star of the preseason with nine catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

Stills is a fast, elusive receiver who can get open deep or slip through traffic -- similar to Moore in many ways. He and Meachem (a veteran deep threat) would likely see the biggest increase in snaps and targets if Moore can’t play.

Toon is a bigger receiver, more in the mold of Colston, with some deceptive speed of his own. He doesn’t have a catch yet this year after being inactive the past two weeks.

Four other Saints were limited in practice for the second straight day Friday: guard Jahri Evans, cornerback Jabari Greer, cornerback Chris Carr and safety Isa Abdul-Quddus. Starters Evans and Greer are likely to play against the Dolphins.

METAIRIE, La. -- Cornerback Brent Grimes is new to the Miami Dolphins -- a key offseason addition who has helped the Dolphins to their 3-0 start. But he’s a familiar foe to the New Orleans Saints. Grimes was an annual nemesis for them when he played for the division rival Atlanta Falcons from 2007-2012, including a Pro Bowl season in 2010.

“He is a tremendous athlete, and the two things that stand out (are) his ability to elevate and jump,” Saints coach Sean Payton said of Grimes, who did just that when he intercepted a pass in front of Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne in the end zone in Week 2 to help preserve a victory in the fourth quarter.

“He is explosive and has outstanding hands on the ball,” Payton continued. “He is a player that I know studies a lot of film. And when you watch him now this season, you see all the things you saw on a yearly basis twice during the year versus Atlanta. He is a great talented corner and very explosive.”

Grimes had two interceptions against Saints quarterback Drew Brees during his prime years with the Falcons from 2008-2011, among several other pass-breakups. But then his career hit a hurdle when he tore his Achilles in the 2012 season opener.

Grimes has made an impressive recovery since signing a one-year, $5.5 million contract with the Dolphins in free agency. He has an interception and five pass-breakups this season.

The Dolphins have five interceptions -- something Brees mentioned immediately when asked what stands out about Miami’s defense.

“I think that they are very opportunistic,” Brees said. “They’ve done a great job all year long of getting pressure on the quarterback and taking the ball away. When you think about what’s going to be the most important stat in this game, as it is in most games, is that turnover ratio.”