NEW ORLEANS -- Sean Payton handed over control of his team to Joe Vitt once before and the Saints have decided to do it again. cheap nfl jerseys . The Saints Thursday named Paytons trusted second-in-command their interim coach, despite the fact that Vitt will miss a third of the season for his role in New Orleans bounty system. For his part, Payton received a season-long suspension -- which begins Monday; Vitt, who takes over Monday, was handed a six-game suspension. Saints general manager Mickey Loomis said in his announcement that the team will address at a later time how to divvy up Vitts responsibilities during his six-week absence. "It is important that we keep Sean Paytons philosophy front and centre during this season," Loomis said. "Sean has been the driving force behind the tremendous success our team has enjoyed during the past six years, his leadership will be missed. But we need to set a course of action that gives us the best chance to win this season without our head coach. "We considered a number of great options to handle Paytons duties both internally and externally, but believe this will provide the most seamless transition for our players and our coaching staff, allowing our offensive and defensive staffs to remain intact with the fewest changes," Loomis continued. "This is the same structure we used last season during Seans knee injury." Vitt, who carries the titles of assistant head coach and linebackers coach, briefly stepped in as acting head coach last season when Payton broke his leg. Vitt also was interim coach with St. Louis in 2005 before joining New Orleans as part of Paytons very first staff in 2006. Vitt will be able to oversee the off-season training program and training camp before stepping aside for the first six weeks of the regular season. The NFL played no role in the decision-making process. "Its the Saints decision," NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said, adding the team did not have to get approval from the league to make Vitt the interim coach. Loomis said the Saints expect to have a plan laid out for Vitts absence by training camp. "We are fortunate to have a great veteran coaching staff well equipped to handle this challenge," Loomis said. "Joe and Sean have worked closely together to build our program, one of the most successful in the NFL in the past six years, and I have the fullest confidence that Joe will continue that success that Sean has brought us." The Saints assistants who can pick up the slack during Vitts absence include: offensive co-ordinator Pete Carmichael, offensive line coach Aaron Kromer and new defensive co-ordinator Steve Spagnuolo. -- Carmichael joined the Saints in 2006, began calling plays after Paytons injury last season. Payton allowed Carmichael to continue calling plays through the final 10 regular season games of 2011 as the Saints went 9-1 and broke numerous NFL offensive records. -- Kromer oversees the running game, will be entering his fifth season in New Orleans and like Carmichael has been mentioned as an up-and-coming head coaching candidate around the NFL. -- Spagnuolo was a head coach in St. Louis the past three seasons and defensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants 2007-08 Super Bowl winning team. The decision gives Saints players a measure of certainty and direction as the Monday opening of the off-season training program approaches. Still looming, however, are possible punishments for between 22 and 27 current and former Saints defenders that the NFL says participated in the crunch-for-cash bounty system that disgraced former Saints defensive co-ordinator has apologized for running for the previous three seasons. The leagues investigation found that Williams bounty system offered off-the-books cash payments of $1,500 for "knockouts," in which an opposing player was knocked out of a game, or $1,000 for "cart-offs," in which an opponent needed help off the field. The league has said the bounty pool grew as large as $50,000. The investigation also found that Payton initially lied about the existence of a bounty program and instructed his defensive assistants to do the same. Loomis received an eight-game suspension for failing to ensure the program was stopped after the NFL first asked him to do so in early 2010. The franchise, meanwhile, was fined $500,000 and docked second-round draft choices this year and next, although NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said he may lessen the 2013 penalty by modifying which pick the Saints lose if the club co-operates with the NFLs ongoing probe. Williams, who was hired as defensive co-ordinator in St. Louis after last season, has been suspended indefinitely. His penalty will be up for review after next season. wholesale nfl jerseys . The thunderous cheers quickly changed to an appreciative chant: "Ma-son! Ma-son! Ma-son! Headed to New York with new life, Mason sure earned this curtain call. wholesale jerseys . "Its huge," Casey said of Torontos matchup with the fifth-place Hawks, who sit 1.5 games behind the Raptors for third place in the Eastern Conference. "Its not like in the past where games dont matter. In the past we were building, getting guys experience.NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers first game after they secured a playoff berth went a lot smoother than the two before they got in. Brad Richards scored twice on New Yorks previously anemic power play, Martin St. Louis had three assists in his best game since joining the Rangers last month, and Henrik Lundqvist kept the Carolina Hurricanes at bay in a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night. The Rangers qualified for the playoffs on Monday when New Jersey lost. New York was 0-1-1 in its previous two games after a 7-1 spurt vaulted them to second place in the Metropolitan Division. If the Rangers, who have two games left, hold off Philadelphia and Columbus they will have home-ice advantage against one of those teams in the first round. "You want to get good habits, and you want to play the game you want to play next week," said Lundqvist, who made 27 saves. "You cant take any shortcuts. You need to focus the same way and take each game as an important game. "Who knows? It can play a huge part in the end." Philadelphia and Columbus, third and fourth respectively in the Metropolitan, also won Tuesday. Philadelphia trails New York by two points, and Columbus is four points behind. Those clubs both have three games remaining. "We talked before the game that we have been playing good hockey for a long time, and we want to go into the playoffs feeling good about our game," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "For the most part, thats what we did." Richards scored in the first period to tie it and then stretched New Yorks lead to two goals in the second with his 20th of the season -- the 10th time he has reached the mark in the NHL. Benoit Pouliot and Derek Stepan also scored as the Rangers beat the Hurricanes for the 11th time in 12 games. Patrick Dwyer scored for Carolina, and Cam Ward made 32 saves in just his second start in seven games. The Hurricanes are out of the playoff picture. "I thought three of the four goals that they scored were too easy," Ward said. "It was almost like we gave them to them." Lundqvist kept the Rangers in the game during the first when each team had 10 shots and numerous scoring chances. Carolina connected 3:22 in, after Ward made a big save. The Hurricanes dug the puck out of the corner to Lundqvists left, and Brett Bellemore brought it behind the Rangers net. He spotted Dwyer in front and fed a quick pass to him for his eeighth goal. cheap jerseys from china. Lundqvist was sharp the rest of the way, turning aside Alexander Semins slow breakaway with 8 minutes left, catching Jeff Skinners hard shot from the right circle after he knocked the puck up in the air with his glove with 6:33 remaining, and a shot and rebound in tight by defenceman Jay Harrison. That allowed the Rangers to get even on Richards first. Just 9 seconds after Semin went off for hooking, Richards took a pass in the left circle from St. Louis, paused for a moment, and then slapped a shot past Ward with 4:16 to go in the first. New York had scored just four goals on its previous 47 power plays over 15 games. The Rangers nearly went in front with 1:39 left in the period, but Mats Zuccarello banged the puck off the right post at the goal line, and then had the carom stopped by Harrison at the left post. However, they wasted little time in grabbing the lead just 50 seconds into the middle period, making it 2-1 on Pouliots 14th goal. "We just werent ready to go in the second period," Ward said. "The puck dropped and they immediately attacked us." Zuccarello wound up for a big drive in the high slot, but instead of shooting the puck he slapped a pass to Pouliot, who cut in on left wing and scored. The Rangers pushed the lead to 3-1 and made it 2 for 2 on the power play when Richards -- in the middle of a triangle passing play with St. Louis and Dan Girardi -- took a feed from Girardi and slapped another drive that eluded Ward with 6:24 left in the second. "The turning point was getting scored on the first shift of the second period," Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said. "We just had a tough time getting things going after that." Stepan finished the scoring 4:38 into the third when he steered a pass from St. Louis in at the left post for his 17th goal. St. Louis had just one goal and three assists before Tuesday in 17 games since joining the Rangers. "I definitely have felt a lot better the past six or seven games," St. Louis said. "Its nice to get rewarded on so many plays. Just keep looking to build it up and keep getting better." NOTES: Injured Rangers defenceman Ryan McDonagh (shoulder) and forward Chris Kreider (hand) both participated in the morning skate, but sat out the game. It isnt known if either will play in New Yorks final two regular-season games. ... It was Dwyers first goal in 10 games. cheap jerseyscheap jerseys from china ' ' '
