The Sports Xchange

METAIRIE, La. — The New Orleans Saints may be 0-3 and quarterback Drew Brees is sidelined for the time being with a bruised rotator cuff in his throwing shoulder, but they remain adamant that they’ll keep their chins up in the tough times.

The bottom line, quarterback Luke McCown said one day after almost steering his team to a big road upset before dropping a 27-22 decision to the Carolina Panthers, is the Saints had a chance to win all three games.

McCown said the Saints, who may or may not have Brees back for a Sunday night matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, have to keep looking at the positives and tune out the negatives coming from outside team headquarters.

“We’re very close,” McCown said Monday. “Literally, two plays each of the last three games and we’re 3-0. We have to know that as a team. If we listen to the outside noise too much about how we’re 0-3 and so far back in the division, then it’ll pile on.

“If we bow our chest up a little bit and (say), ‘We’re not that far away, we need to make one or two more plays and it’s all different for us,'” he said. “I think we’ll do that here.”

The Saints’ most recent loss certainly wasn’t McCown’s fault. In his first start since 2011, McCown performed admirably in going 31-of-38 for 310 yards with one interception. That came on a throw to the end zone that came up inches short of landing in the hands of wide receiver Brandin Cooks.

While they’re certainly disappointed that they’re winless and already are three games behind the NFC South co-leaders — the Panthers and Atlanta Falcons — the Saints remain hopeful with 13 games to turn things around.

“You’ve seen the games, right?” McCown asked. “It’s come down to the last two minutes of the game the last three weeks.”