New Orleans Saints 25, San Francisco 49ers 22

Garrett Hartley's 37-yard field goal as time expired improved the Saints' record to 2-0...High winds at Candlestick affected the Saints' ability to throw downfield.

Communication was not among the 49ers' problems on Monday night...49ers quarterback Alex Smith came up big in the final offensive drive.

NFL News & Notes

Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips vows that changes are coming.

New York Giants tight end Kevin Boss hopes to return to practice this week.

Starting Kevin Kolb is the only choice for Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, writes John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Washington Redskins corerback DeAngelo Hall wants to cover the opponents' top receiver.

Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox has named rookie Jimmy Clausen the starting quarterback.

Atlanta Falcons left tackle Sam Baker's four holding calls in two games may be due to the new positioning of the umpire.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman is impressing with his decision-making, reports Rick Stroud of the St. Petersburg Times.

Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz isn't pleased with the play of his linebackers and secondary.

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice feels he's ready to shed the crutches he's been on since late August, reports Jeremy Fowler of the Pioneer Press.

Green Bay Packers first-round offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga will likely make his first NFL start next Monday night against the Bears.

Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Mike Martz may not be in the Windy City long, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune.

St. Louis Rams tight ends Daniel Fells and Billy Bajema suffered MCL injuries on Sunday.

Seattle Seahawks first-round offensive tackle Russell Okung hopes to return to practice next week, which means he'll be out this Sunday against San Diego.

Arizona Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes regrets one of the two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that got him ejected on Sunday.

San Diego Chargers first-round running back Ryan Mathews is expected to play on Sunday vs. the Seahawks.

Oakland Raiders head coach Tom Cable will make a quarterback decision by Wednesday, reports Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Tragically, Denver Broncos wide receiver Kenny McKinley took his own life on Monday.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley isn't pinning the struggles of the team's passing game on any one player, writes Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star.

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson is day-to-day with a mild ankle sprain.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Luke McCown will miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his right knee.

Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher expects Vince Young to respond positively to his benching on Sunday.

Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star writes that the Indianapolis Colts used their running game smartly on Sunday night.

Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey named Ryan Fitzpatrick the starting quarterback against New England.

New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski can't identify the reason for his 1-for-4 start to the 2010 season.

New York Jets linebacker Calvin Pace is ahead of schedule in his recovery from foot surgery, won't be ready to return for Sunday night's game against the Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins are concerned about the lack of touchdowns from the offense, writes David Neal of the Miami Herald.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh defended his struggling quarterback on Monday.

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon will likely miss two weeks with torn lateral meniscus in his knee.

Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack accuses Chiefs end Shaun Smith of grabbing his junk during Sunday's game.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer was pleased with the defense's performance on Sunday against Baltimore.

Today's NFL birthdays: Panthers second-round quarterback Jimmy Clausen (23) and defensive tackle Derek Landri (27), Bears practice squad linebacker Marcus Buggs (25), Bengals safety Reggie Nelson (27), Cowboys quarterback Jon Kitna (38), Lions offensive tackle Jeff Backus (33), Packers wide receiver Greg Jennings (27) and linebacker Brady Poppinga (31), Chiefs wide receivers Dwayne Bowe (26) and Quinten Lawrence (26), Rams center Hank Fraley (33), Buccaneers tight end John Gilmore (31), free agent cornerback Fakhir Brown (33), defensive end Kevin Carter (37), wide receivers Tim Carters (31), Derek Hagan (26) and Trent Shelton (26), tight end Steve Heiden (34), offensive lineman Ryan McDonald (25) and Darnell Stapleton (25), and defensive tackle Steve Williams (29).