NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One way or another http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/renell … rsey-cheap , the NFC Championship between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints will be won by a coach named Sean — with an Irish surname — who designs and calls plays for one of the most innovative and productive offenses in the NFL. McVay go well beyond a shared name.“We both cut our teeth in this league under Jon Gruden,” Payton said. “That (Rams) staff — there’s a ton of guys that we’re friendly with and that we know on that staff. Guys who we have worked with, and Sean and I have a real good relationship. He is an engaging guy, a fun guy to be around.”Article continues below ...Gruden, the current Oakland Raiders coach, was the offensive coordinator with the Eagles in 1997 when Payton was hired as quarterbacks. In 2008, Gruden was the head coach in Tampa Bay when he hired McVay as a receivers coach.During the past two seasons Payton and McVay have led their teams to the playoffs with one of the best offenses in football, thanks in part to elite quarterbacks — Drew Brees with New Orleans (14-3) and Jared Goff of Los Angeles (14-3).Both coaches have acknowledged they watch each other’s offensive film nearly every week — not just because of the possibility of playing against one another; they’re looking for good ideas.And then there are some connections on the roster and coaching staff. One of the Rams’ top receivers, Brandin Cooks, was Payton’s first-round draft choice in 2014. Los Angeles’ running game coordinator is Aaron Kromer, a former running backs and offensive line coach under Payton, including on the 2009 Super Bowl-winning squad.Players on both teams praise their coach’s intangible feel for how a game is developing.Saints Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead extoled Payton’s “fearlessness” in his play calling and said the coach has “so much believe and confidence in us and the system that we can go out and make a play no matter the down and distance.”Goff mentioned how McVay sends in plays “with confidence and having a good feel for everything.”“There’s certain moments in games where being a good play caller — you can’t teach it — but there’s certain moments where you have to go for that dagger or you have to pull back a little bit,” Goff continued. “There’s just different ebbs and flows in games. I think he’s got a great feel for that.”The main thing that separates the two is age and experience. The 55-year-old Payton got his first head coaching job 13 years ago, is coaching in his third NFC title game and trying win his second Super Bowl. In his second season as a head coach, McVay, 32 Michael Jordan Jersey , is preparing for his first NFC title game.The same goes for their QBs: the record-setting Brees turned 40 on Tuesday and Goff is 24.“He’s been doing it at really high level for a lot longer than I have,” McVay said of Payton. “He’s an outstanding coach — clearly referenced by the way that his team is playing this year, how they’ve played over the course of his career when he’s been leading the Saints. So, I don’t think we’re in that category yet. We’ve got to do things for a lot longer to be able to be mentioned in that same breath.”Getting to a Super Bowl by winning Sunday would be a good start for McVay and the Rams, whose first loss this season came when they last visited the Superdome on Nov. 4 and fell 45-35.Here are some other story lines surrounding the high-stakes rematch:LOST LEADERNew Orleans placed top defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins on injured reserve this week after he tore his Achilles last Sunday against Philadelphia . Not only was the 2016 first-round draft choice the anchor of a defensive front that helped the Saints rank No. 2 in the NFL in stopping the run, but he also ranked second on the club with eight sacks. Without his trademark mix of quick spin moves, powerful bull rushes, and ability to draw double-teams, the Saints will rely more on tackles David Onyemata and Tyeler Davison, along with rookie Taylor Stallworth and recently signed veteran Tyrunn Walker.RAMS REINFORCEMENTSBrees carved up the Rams’ defense for 346 yards passing and four TDs in the teams’ first meeting, but the Rams have reason to believe they can do better this time. Star cornerback Aqib Talib was injured and missed the game in November, but he is back in uniform. Los Angeles typically doesn’t line up cornerbacks against specific receivers, but defensive coordinator Wade Phillips could consider it to get Talib against Michael Thomas, who had 211 yards receiving largely against Marcus Peters in the last meeting. Phillips also has two additional months of experience using edge rusher Dante Fowler, who had just arrived in a trade with Jacksonville for the last meeting.DOME ADVANTAGESince Payton and Brees joined forces in 2006, the Saints have gone 6-0 in playoff games in the Superdome http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/a … row-jersey , including two wins the season they won the Super Bowl. Payton suggested that the environment in the dome — while not an overwhelming factor — is nonetheless a factor that can influence an opposing offense in particular.“What’s important for our fan base is understanding when that crowd noise needs to begin differently this week than normal weeks,” he said. “That crowd noise needs to begin just as that last play finished. You get 65, 70 snaps of that crowd noise earlier than normal and louder than normal, it’s difficult.”WHIT’S HOMECOMINGWhile most of the Rams haven’t had much success at the Superdome, left tackle Andrew Whitworth made his share of fond memories there. The West Monroe, Louisiana, native won three high school state championships in the arena, and then he added a national championship with LSU when the Tigers won the Sugar Bowl over Oklahoma in January 2004. The 37-year-old Whitworth, a versatile blocker and locker-room leader, has been a major key to the Rams’ offensive success over the past two years. One week after getting his first career playoff victory , he’ll try to reach his first Super Bowl. Joey Votto hit a grand slam and celebrated with a flap, honoring the bird that prolonged his at-bat.

Votto ended a long homer drought with his third career grand slam Tuesday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a 9-5 victory that ended the Detroit Tigers‘ longest winning streak in two years.

Votto came to bat with the bases loaded in the third inning of a scoreless game. A black bird wandered between the plate and the pitcher’s mound, prompting Votto to call time so he could try to shoo it away. The bird stayed in the middle of the infield.

”He was in the line of vision and I was going to try to swat it away,” Votto said. ”I was thinking, `Make sure to hit the ball in the air’ and `Don’t hit it on the ground up the middle.’ I was taking care of the bird.”

Votto’s high fly ball to right field off Matthew Boyd (4-5) had just enough to avoid the outstretched glove of Nicholas Castellanos Zach Brown Jersey , who reached over the wall and barely missed it. Votto flapped his arms in tribute to the bird when he crossed the plate on his first homer since May 13, ending a 30-game drought.

Votto’s last homer at Great American Ball Park was May 6. He has seven homers after hitting 36 last season, one shy of his career high.

”I would like to think it’s all part of the season,” Votto said. ”I felt good. I have felt good. I’ve been swinging the bat well.”

Sal Romano (4-7) had a second straight solid outing, limiting the Tigers to four singles over seven shutout innings. Billy Hamilton also homered as the Reds pulled away to a 9-0 lead.

The Tigers had won five straight and moved within a game of .500. They haven’t been to the break-even mark since they were a season-best 4-4 on April 8. They’ve wasted five chances to get back.

Romano was coming off perhaps his best performance in the majors. He went a career-high eight innings and gave up one run during a 5-1 win at Kansas City on Tuesday.

Trailing 9-0, Detroit finally broke through in the ninth when Wandy Peralta walked home a run and Leonys Martin followed with a double.

Boyd walked three batters in four innings – all of them scored – and gave up a season-high five runs. He was most upset with the two walks that set up the first grand slam he’s allowed in his career.

”Walks will kill you,” Boyd said. ”Things like that (grand slam) are going to happen in this ballpark, especially when the wind is blowing out.”

INTERLEAGUE

The Reds are 12-11 against the Tigers all-time. This season, the Tigers are 1-6 in interleague play. The Reds are 5-1.

BIRD IS THE WORD

The bird that wandered onto the field during Votto’s at-bat didn’t go away. It made a mound visit and later explored other parts of the field. Fans cheered when it was shown on the video board.

INTERESTING DESIGN

The outfield grass showed the effects of a concert at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, when high heat and the field covering left yellow patterns in the stressed grass.

STATS

Martin reached in all five plate appearances, going 3 for 3 with two walks. … Cincinnati’s Tucker Barnhart also reached in all five plate appearances, going 3 for 3 with a walk. He also was hit by a pitch. … Eugenio Suarez singled to extend his hitting streak to nine games, the longest active streak on the Reds and one shy of his career high.

REDS MOVE

The Reds called up RH reliever Jackson Stephens and optioned RH reliever Austin Brice to Triple-A Louisville. Stephens was 0-0 with a 4.20 ERA in nine appearances for the Reds earlier this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: Reliever Drew VerHagen left the game in the seventh after getting hit in the face with a throw while covering first base. He broke his nose and had it reset. Manager Ron Gardenhire said the Tigers were working on bringing up another reliever.

Reds: RH Homer Bailey will be re-examined on Tuesday. He’s been sidelined since June 2 with a sore right knee.

UP NEXT

Tigers: Michael Fulmer (2-5) has gone seven innings and allowed one run in each of his last two starts. He’s never faced the Reds.

Reds: Tyler Mahle (5-6) is 2-0 with a 1.10 ERA in three starts in June, allowing two runs in 16 1/3 innings. He’s never faced the Tigers.

—