Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

MICHEL MARTIN, host: We’re going to switch gears now. Last night, President Obama presented his much anticipated jobs plan to Congress and the country. It’s called the American Jobs Act. The president said the plan, which has been price tagged at $447 billion, is necessary to address what he called the country’s economic crisis, especially the 9.1 percent unemployment rate. He urged Congress to approve the plan right away.

Here’s a short clip from the speech, detailing a few of the proposals.

President BARACK OBAMA: Pass this jobs bill and starting tomorrow small businesses will get a tax cut if they hire new workers or if they raise workers’ wages. Pass this jobs bill and all small business owners will also see their payroll taxes cut in half next year. If you have 50 employees making an average salary, that’s an $80,000 tax cut and all businesses will be able to continue writing off the investments they make in 2012.

MARTIN: In addition to cutting taxes for businesses that hire new employees, the plan would also reform the unemployment insurance system and boost government spending on schools and infrastructure. The Barber Shop guys will weigh in later, of course.

But first, we decided to get reaction from two people who actually spent a lot of time thinking about how jobs actually get created. Marc Morial is the president of the National Urban League. The group is considered a civil rights organization, but most of the organization’s programs are actually aimed at improving employment opportunities for minorities. And Mr. Morial, in addition to being a past president – I’m sorry, a past mayor of New Orleans, actually has owned and operated several small businesses himself.

Also with us once again, Andy Shallal. He is a successful small businessman. He owns the Eatonville Restaurant and the Busboys and Poets Restaurant chain in the Washington, DC area.

Welcome back to you both. Thank you both so much for joining us.

MARC MORIAL: Great to be with you.

ANDY SHALLAL: Thank you, Michel.

MARTIN: And I’m going to start with you because so of much of the speech seemed to be aimed at small businesses. What was your reaction to it?

SHALLAL: I really liked the substance of the speech. I think the speech was a little too long. I thought the venue was the wrong venue, but other than that, I thought it was a great speech for small business.

MARTIN: What proposals particularly stood out for you? And the real question is, do you think it will actually matter? Do you think it actually is the kind of thing that would encourage somebody like you, for example to hire someone else?

SHALLAL: It would matter very much to me. You know, it’s up to – it’s cutting the payroll tax by half, up to $5 million in payroll, which means $155,000. That’s huge. That’s maybe three jobs and it’s jobs that I would otherwise not hire, possibly. It’s jobs. For example, in my business, we’re looking at sort of deepening our administrative sort of angle or our administrative department.

And we’ve been looking, you know, weighing the options. Should we hire more of this or should we hire more of that? Do we need to hire another manager or do we need to hire another administrator? This will push me to hire the administrator right away without even thinking about it at this point.

MARTIN: Interesting. Marc, your organization, as you mentioned, serves communities of color, particularly. Many African-American leaders, particularly members of the Black Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, have been particularly critical right now, feeling that there just isn’t enough being done to address the concerns of minorities who are suffering disproportionately from unemployment.

Did you hear anything in the speech that you think will be of particular help to the constituency that you are most dedicated to serving?

MORIAL: Well, I heard the president embrace three ideas that the Urban League actually recommended to he and his team as long ago as early 2010. One is the idea of an infrastructure bank. The second is the expansion of summer jobs, which no doubt will assist the black teen unemployment rate, which is nearly 50 percent. The third is direct job creation, through which state and local governments will be given assistance to hire teachers and also to hire first responders.

My sense, though, is that we have to push for an expansion of the plan. Infrastructure is good. It’s important. We need to rebuild roads and bridges, but we also need to rebuild schools, parks, playgrounds, urban sewer systems, and we need a component containing a plan which trains people in urban communities, in black communities, in Latino communities, in inner city communities for the jobs that would be created in infrastructure.

With respect to summer jobs, I think it’s great. I’m looking forward to seeing the specifics in terms of how large this commitment is. And with direct job creation, I fully support and the Urban League fully supports supporting first responders and teachers, but thinks that direct job creation ought to even go further than that which the president proposed.

From my standpoint, the important thing is that the president was strong, resolute, engaged, and had a sense of passion that I hope is going to continue, because this is a battle. This is a fight to create jobs for this nation.

MARTIN: Andy, I’m curious about what you said. You said you thought it was the wrong audience. How come?

SHALLAL: Yeah. I think the audience is the American people and I think they have been so disengaged from Congress and seeing the bickering and the bipartisanship that’s been taking place. The way that I see it is he’s throwing this in the middle. They’re going to tear it apart. One side’s going to, you know, want this part of it. The other side’s going to oppose to that, and you’re going to end up with business as usual.

I think the American people want to be able to move the ball forward and I think they’ve seen Congress as really an obstruction to advancing the economy, to advancing this country.

MARTIN: But aren’t they the ones who have to move? So he has to talk to them at some point. Right?

SHALLAL: Yeah. Absolutely. But the American people have to talk to them. It’s not the president that needs to talk to the Congress. He needs to mobilize his base so that they can put pressure on Congress to be able to move this forward.

If they see it this way, it’s the president, who’s a Democrat, he’s coming in to tell them what to do, half of them – I mean, a lot of them didn’t even show up, you know, let alone if they’re going to play. So that’s, I think, the problem.

MARTIN: Well, Marc, you know, interesting. To that point, you know, some of the reaction has been interesting so far. Many people were expecting, perhaps, a more vigorous response from the Republicans, but so far they seem to be saying, well, we’ll wait and take a look at it.

But one argument that a number of them have made is that, you know, the president’s already tried this stuff and it hasn’t worked, so why should they try more of the same? What would you say to that?

MORIAL: I’d say to them, where’s your plan? I mean, the idea is that the president’s placed a plan on the table and it’s easy to stand in the gallery and criticize and obstruct and tear down. It’s more difficult – and the important thing, I think, that the president – point that the president made that I have reaffirmed and I’ve been loud and strong on this all year, is that we’re in a crisis of immense proportions.

So it’s not a temporary crisis. It’s a longstanding crisis of jobs and economic growth and it’s going to require a combination of the government and the private sector, not the government versus the private sector, to create, incent and compel the types of jobs that we need in this nation.

So I think those who oppose the president should have their own plan, their own ideas, not a set of talking points. And I think we can’t wait for an election to confront the deep problems of unemployment that affect this nation, particularly urban communities.

MARTIN: Well, he certainly said that. He said that last night.

MORIAL: The president’s going to have to take this to the people consistently and aggressively over the next several months, and I hope that he’ll stay on the road, he’ll visit big and large communities, inner city communities, rural communities, suburban communities, go be a witness and also go tell people how this plan is going to affect and impact them.

From our standpoint we’ll be – certainly we support what he’s planned, but we’re also going to be encouraging expansions and modifications because we think that there’s got to be a sharp focus on those parts of the nation where the unemployment is highest.

MARTIN: Okay. We’re going to have to leave it there for now. And just I do want to mention that – we do understand we will be hearing from the Republican leadership next week.

Marc Morial is the president and CEO of the National Urban League. He was with us on the phone from New York. Here with us in Washington, DC, in our studios in Washington, once again, Andy Shallal, the owner of the Eatonville Restaurant and the Busboys and Poets restaurant chain in the DC area. To be continued.

Thank you both so much for speaking with us.

MORIAL: Thank you, Michel.

SHALLAL: Thank you. It’s been a pleasure.

Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR’s prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio.

• Add comment
• Email
• Print
• Aa
• Tweet

Originally published: September 9, 2011 7:40 PM
Updated: September 9, 2011 10:00 PM

By The Associated Press
 BRETT MARTEL (AP Sports Writer)

Quick ReadPerson familiar with situation: Saints WR Colston out 4 weeks with broken collar bone

Photo credit: AP | New Orleans Saints‘ Marques Colston (12) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Green Bay Packers‘ Nick Collins (36) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

(AP) — Saints receiver Marques Colston could miss about four weeks with a broken collar bone, a person familiar with the situation said Friday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Saints have declined to release specifics of the injury.

Saints coach Sean Payton on Friday acknowledged that Colston was banged up in the final seconds of New Orleans…

At the end of every NFL practice week we’ll meet up here and go through the bumps and bruises. Let’s start Week 1′s edition with the two big stories, and then we’ll collect the rest of the bullets you need to know about.

I’m not expecting much from Arian Foster(notes) (hamstring), who missed the full week of practice. He’s officially called a game-time decision for Sunday’s opener but you have to wonder if the Texans will risk him against an opponent they should beat (the Manning-less Colts). Derrick Ward(notes) and Ben Tate(notes) are capable backs, and Houston has an excellent offensive line. At least Foster’s owners get a break with the starting time — it’s an early game for Sunday — but I’d be surprised if Foster played.

Time to shuffle up the New Orleans receivers: Marques Colston(notes) suffered a broken collarbone in Thursday’s loss at Green Bay. It’s at least a four-week injury, and 6-8 weeks seems more likely. Lance Moore(notes) would be in a great spot if his groin injury heals quickly, but obviously he wasn’t on the field for the opener. Robert Meachem(notes) is worth adding in most pools right away, and Devery Henderson(notes) and Jimmy Graham(notes) should see more targets with Colston out of the mix. I’m not downgrading Drew Brees(notes) in any way: he has enough weapons (don’t forget about Darren Sproles(notes)) and enough smarts to make do with what’s left over.

Now let’s hit on everyone else, starting with the quarterbacks:

• Matt Cassel(notes) (rib) had a full week of practice and is considered probable for the opener against Buffalo. I’m not bullish on him this week or this season, but his presence at least helps the rest of the offense — it’s a significant drop down to backup Tyler Palko(notes).

• Donovan McNabb(notes) (wrist) is a little dinged up but he’s fully expected to play at San Diego.

• Marion Barber(notes) (calf) won’t make his Chicago debut this week. More work for Matt Forte(notes).

• Daniel Thomas(notes) (hamstring) might not go Monday against New England, which is one reason why Larry Johnson(notes) was re-signed.

• Javon Ringer(notes) (back) hasn’t practiced all week and is listed as questionable. Perhaps Chris Johnson will see a heavy workload right out of the box at Jacksonville.

• Roddy White(notes) (thigh) worked all week and should be fine at Chicago. He’s officially listed as probable.

• Miles Austin(notes) (hamstring) is listed as probable, if you want to give him a run against the Jets secondary. He had a limited workout Friday.

• Santonio Holmes(notes) (illness) had a full day Friday and is listed as probable. He’ll be on the field for the prime-time opener, along with Plaxico Burress(notes) (ankle). New York’s passing attack should have some good matchups, as the Cowboys won’t have cornerbacks Terence Newman(notes) (groin) and Mike Jenkins(notes) (knee).

• Sidney Rice(notes) (shoulder) isn’t expected to play at San Francisco. Mike Williams and Ben Obomanu(notes) should get a few more looks with Rice out.

• You’re probably not relying much on the Cleveland passing game, but if you wanted to know, Joshua Cribbs(notes) (hamstring) and Mohamed Massaquoi(notes) (foot) are listed as probable and had full practice weeks.

• Steve Breaston(notes) (hamstring) missed some reps Friday but is still considered probable. Jonathan Baldwin(notes) (thumb) is out.

• Michael Crabtree(notes) (foot) should be in uniform Sunday, but there’s no way I’d use him on any of my teams. He didn’t see much work during training camp.

• The Colts call Austin Collie(notes) (foot) questionable, which is their favorite word on the injury report. Oh, those tricky Colts. There’s no way I’d risk Collie in Week 1, nicked up and tied to an uncertain Kerry Collins(notes).

• Philadelphia’s Steve Smith (knee) had a full week of participation and is listed as probable. I hope you don’t have to look this deep, though.

• Benjamin Watson(notes) (hip) had a full practice Friday and should be able to play against Cincinnati.

• Chris Cooley(notes) (knee) had a limited week of practice and is listed as questionable for Sunday. You should have several better tight-end options at your disposal.

———

Images courtesy Associated Press

Related: Fantasy Football, Tip Drill

Enlarge Image

New Orleans Saints’ Marques Colston (12) fumbles the ball as he is hit by Green Bay Packers’ Nick Collins (36) during the first half of an NFL football game Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers recovered the fumble. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)

METAIRIE, La. – Saints receiver Marques Colston could miss about four weeks with a broken collar bone, a person familiar with the situation said Friday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Saints have declined to release specifics of the injury.

Saints coach Sean Payton on Friday acknowledged that Colston was banged up in the final seconds of New Orleans 42-34 loss at Green Bay on Thursday night. However, Payton said he would not provide details until the Saints’ next injury report is due on Wednesday.

Colston’s injury raises the prospect that New Orleans could be without two key receivers against Chicago on Sept. 18. Lance Moore did not play against Green Bay because of a sore right groin and his status for the Bears game is unclear.

Colston had six catches for 81 yards against the Packers, but also fumbled, setting up Green Bay’s second touchdown.

Colston’s final catch was a diving grab in the waning seconds in which he landed hard on his right shoulder. The reception helped the Saints get within a yard away of a potential game-tying score before Green Bay ultimately held on.

Now in his sixth season out of Hofstra, the 6-foot-4 Colston has been among the Saints’ top receivers since he joined the club as a seventh-round draft choice in 2006.

Last season, his 1,023 yards receiving led the Saints and marked his fourth season with 1,000 or more yards. Only injuries that limited him to 11 games in 2008 held him below the 1,000-yard mark that season, when he finished with 760.

“Contagion,” the new viral thriller from director Steven Soderburgh, has garnered a healthy dose of buzz with its bold, “Psycho”-like dispatching of star Gwyneth Paltrow’s character in the movie’s opening minutes (as shown in the trailer). The film, written by Scott Z. Burns and featuring an ensemble cast (including Matt Damon, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard) ventures into grim territory from there. And while any movie with such a staggering toll is unlikely to be beloved, exactly, critics do seem to agree that “Contagion” is compelling stuff.

The Times’ Kenneth Turan says the film “tells a story for our time, a story of raging menace and out of control fear. It offers us thirty-something days in the life of a global pandemic, a lethal virus that travels like the wind and kills without a trace of mercy. This may not fit any conventional definition of entertainment, but it certainly keeps your eyes on the screen.”

By Betsy McKay

Whats it like to watch your day job — or Hollywoods version of it – unfold on the big screen?

Employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention got the chance to find out Thursday night at a special screening of “Contagion”, the new bio-thriller in which the federal agency plays a prominent role.

Fortified with bags of buttery popcorn, bathtub-sized sodas, and other munchies the CDC normally warns the public to shun, employees watched Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, and the rest of a star-studded cast race to quell a lethal virus — dubbed MEV-1 — that spreads around the world in a matter of days.

The Health Blog tagged along for the show, popcorn in hand (to be fair to all, what else can you get to eat at the movies?).

To some employees, it almost felt like another day at the office — or at the high-security pathogen lab, at least, albeit with high-wattage celebrities and (spoiler alert!) a gory autopsy of Gwyneth Paltrows brain.

Reviewers have praised the film thus far for its scientific accuracy, and the CDC experts we queried at the screening seemed to agree.

“Its a good depiction of the role of the CDC in a global pandemic, said Rear Admiral Ali Khan, who, as the CDCs chief of public health preparedness and response ought to know. Khan talked with Winslet about epidemiology to help prepare the actress for her role as a CDC disease detective. (Khan was also in charge of the CDC’s famous zombie apocalypse campaign from earlier this year.)

The fictional virus, a Nipah-like pathogen originating in bats, and its symptoms werent terribly far-fetched, CDC experts said — though a few eyes rolled when victim after victim crumpled to the ground in rapid fashion early on in the film.

The diseases rapid spread, and the roadblocks, empty airports, looting of pharmacies and other breakdowns that ensue are scenarios public-health officials imagined and prepared for during the outbreaks of SARS as well as H5N1 (avian) and H1N1 (swine) flu.

Public-health advocates are hoping the movie will draw new attention and dollars — to preparation and response to pandemics or other public health disasters. The CDCs budget for preparedness and response has fallen more than $350 million since 2005 to about $832 million in fiscal 2011, challenging the CDCs ability to respond to a pandemic as it did in the film, Khan said.

One thing that didnt ring true: Winslets character, Dr. Erin Mears, was dispatched alone to investigate the outbreak. The CDC normally sends entire teams. “We wouldnt send Kate Winslet all by herself to solve the outbreak,” Khan said.

Then he laughed. If the CDCs budget is cut further, he said, “we might not be able to afford to send anyone else.”

Photo: Everett Collection

By Betsy McKay

Whats it like to watch your day job — or Hollywoods version of it – unfold on the big screen?

Employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention got the chance to find out Thursday night at a special screening of “Contagion”, the new bio-thriller in which the federal agency plays a prominent role.

Fortified with bags of buttery popcorn, bathtub-sized sodas, and other munchies the CDC normally warns the public to shun, employees watched Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, and the rest of a star-studded cast race to quell a lethal virus — dubbed MEV-1 — that spreads around the world in a matter of days.

The Health Blog tagged along for the show, popcorn in hand (to be fair to all, what else can you get to eat at the movies?).

To some employees, it almost felt like another day at the office — or at the high-security pathogen lab, at least, albeit with high-wattage celebrities and (spoiler alert!) a gory autopsy of Gwyneth Paltrows brain.

Reviewers have praised the film thus far for its scientific accuracy, and the CDC experts we queried at the screening seemed to agree.

“Its a good depiction of the role of the CDC in a global pandemic, said Rear Admiral Ali Khan, who, as the CDCs chief of public health preparedness and response ought to know. Khan talked with Winslet about epidemiology to help prepare the actress for her role as a CDC disease detective. (Khan was also in charge of the CDC’s famous zombie apocalypse campaign from earlier this year.)

The fictional virus, a Nipah-like pathogen originating in bats, and its symptoms werent terribly far-fetched, CDC experts said — though a few eyes rolled when victim after victim crumpled to the ground in rapid fashion early on in the film.

The diseases rapid spread, and the roadblocks, empty airports, looting of pharmacies and other breakdowns that ensue are scenarios public-health officials imagined and prepared for during the outbreaks of SARS as well as H5N1 (avian) and H1N1 (swine) flu.

Public-health advocates are hoping the movie will draw new attention and dollars — to preparation and response to pandemics or other public health disasters. The CDCs budget for preparedness and response has fallen more than $350 million since 2005 to about $832 million in fiscal 2011, challenging the CDCs ability to respond to a pandemic as it did in the film, Khan said.

One thing that didnt ring true: Winslets character, Dr. Erin Mears, was dispatched alone to investigate the outbreak. The CDC normally sends entire teams. “We wouldnt send Kate Winslet all by herself to solve the outbreak,” Khan said.

Then he laughed. If the CDCs budget is cut further, he said, “we might not be able to afford to send anyone else.”

Photo: Everett Collection

U.S. officials tell ABC News they do not have names or physical description for three terrorists allegedly plotting an a terror attack to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11 , and that so far, there have been no matches made in the first analysis of flight records into the U.S.

No significant new information has come in to authorities Friday that adds to the threat picture, according to administration, law enforcement and intelligence officials.

Still, with the anniversary less than 48 hours away, officials say they have no choice but to act as if the threat is real and the clock is ticking.

“Al Qaeda again is seeking to harm Americans and in particular to target New York and Washington,” said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in New York Friday. “We are taking this threat seriously. Federal, state and local authorities are taking all steps to address it.”

It was only two days ago, on Wednesday in Pakistan, according to officials, that the CIA developed the information about a possible al Qaeda terror plot targeting the U.S.

Three men, including at least one American citizen, had allegedly travelled to the U.S. in mid- August, from Pakistan through Dubai, assigned to attack New York or Washington with a vehicle bomb on Sept 10, 11 or 12.

Officials call the source credible, and the information very specific, but still unconfirmed.

Late Wednesday night, the intelligence was relayed to Washington and CIA headquarters.

Early Thursday, at the White House, the President and the Vice President received the first of several briefings on the threat.

Around 7 pm. Thursday, as the President arrived to address Congress, the FBI and the CIA were in high gear.

“You use all the resources that we have, people are working 24/7 on this issue,” said Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D. – Maryland, ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee, who was among the members of Congress briefed on the alleged threat. “Any time you get a reliable source and you’re attempting to corroborate it or confirm it, you use all the resources that we have. People are working 24/7 on this issue.”

Late last night, the FBI and Homeland Security issued a bulletin to 18,000 law enforcement agencies detailing the threat, including explosives, small arms and poisons.

At first light this morning, police in New York set up roadblocks and traffic checks throughout the city. Trucks passed through a cordon of officers and cars with radiation monitors and other sensors, backing up traffic for miles. Heavily armed police and national guardsmen carried out a highly publicized drill at New York’s Grand Central Station.

It was the high quality of the initial information that triggered the massive rapid police response in Washington and New York, and the all hands intelligence community and law enforcement manhunt, according to one senior official who spoke with ABC News.

“What’s striking about this particular information is its clarity. Usually intelligence comes in bits and pieces and officials have to connect dots. Here, I’m told, there were no dots to connect, there was so much detail in one place at one time. It was all laid out. If it’s a plot it is well-planned and there’s an intention to go forward with it. If it turns out not to be real then it’s definitely not. There is no middle ground.”

Click Here for the Blotter Homepage.

U.S. officials tell ABC News they do not have names or physical description for three terrorists allegedly plotting an a terror attack to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11 , and that so far, there have been no matches made in the first analysis of flight records into the U.S.

No significant new information has come in to authorities Friday that adds to the threat picture, according to administration, law enforcement and intelligence officials.

Still, with the anniversary less than 48 hours away, officials say they have no choice but to act as if the threat is real and the clock is ticking.

“Al Qaeda again is seeking to harm Americans and in particular to target New York and Washington,” said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in New York Friday. “We are taking this threat seriously. Federal, state and local authorities are taking all steps to address it.”

It was only two days ago, on Wednesday in Pakistan, according to officials, that the CIA developed the information about a possible al Qaeda terror plot targeting the U.S.

Three men, including at least one American citizen, had allegedly travelled to the U.S. in mid- August, from Pakistan through Dubai, assigned to attack New York or Washington with a vehicle bomb on Sept 10, 11 or 12.

Officials call the source credible, and the information very specific, but still unconfirmed.

Late Wednesday night, the intelligence was relayed to Washington and CIA headquarters.

Early Thursday, at the White House, the President and the Vice President received the first of several briefings on the threat.

Around 7 pm. Thursday, as the President arrived to address Congress, the FBI and the CIA were in high gear.

“You use all the resources that we have, people are working 24/7 on this issue,” said Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D. – Maryland, ranking minority member of the House Intelligence Committee, who was among the members of Congress briefed on the alleged threat. “Any time you get a reliable source and you’re attempting to corroborate it or confirm it, you use all the resources that we have. People are working 24/7 on this issue.”

Late last night, the FBI and Homeland Security issued a bulletin to 18,000 law enforcement agencies detailing the threat, including explosives, small arms and poisons.

At first light this morning, police in New York set up roadblocks and traffic checks throughout the city. Trucks passed through a cordon of officers and cars with radiation monitors and other sensors, backing up traffic for miles. Heavily armed police and national guardsmen carried out a highly publicized drill at New York’s Grand Central Station.

It was the high quality of the initial information that triggered the massive rapid police response in Washington and New York, and the all hands intelligence community and law enforcement manhunt, according to one senior official who spoke with ABC News.

“What’s striking about this particular information is its clarity. Usually intelligence comes in bits and pieces and officials have to connect dots. Here, I’m told, there were no dots to connect, there was so much detail in one place at one time. It was all laid out. If it’s a plot it is well-planned and there’s an intention to go forward with it. If it turns out not to be real then it’s definitely not. There is no middle ground.”

Click Here for the Blotter Homepage.

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — A.J. Hawk was sure he had just made a big play to preserve a victory for the Green Bay Packers.

With the Saints on the Packers’ 9-yard line, three seconds left on the clock and New Orleans needing a touchdown and two-point conversion to tie, Drew Brees threw a dart to Darren Sproles. Hawk broke on the ball, leaped high in the air and reached over Sproles’ right shoulder to poke the ball away. If Hawk made any significant contact with Sproles, it appeared to come after he tipped the ball.

Still, Hawk was flagged for pass interference.

It was that kind of night for the Packers defense. While they gave up too many big plays and a jaw-dropping 477 net yards of offense — including 419 yards passing by Drew Brees — the Packers got the stops when they needed them most to secure a 42-34 victory Thursday night.

No stop was bigger than the play that followed Hawk’s interference call.

Hawk said he “kind of lost it” for a moment, yet the game still had to be won: Time had expired but the penalty meant there would be one last play for the Saints to try to score from the 1-yard line.

New Orleans gave the ball to Mark Ingram, a rookie running back already establishing a reputation for being able to make hard yards inside — but not this time. Led by Clay Matthews and safety Morgan Burnett, the Packers defense swarmed Ingram and stopped him short of the goal line to preserve the win.

“Jeez, I knew we were there because of me, so I wanted to stop him more than anybody,” Hawk said. “Me and ‘Bish’ (Desmond Bishop) went over the top and the D-line did an excellent job of getting a ton of push at the line of scrimmage. The whole team was in on that.”

The Packers’ defense has some kinks to work out, and more than a week to do so; their next game is at Carolina on Sept. 18.

“That’s too many points allowed,” Matthews said. “We take pride in how many points we give up. I’m not sure how many touchdowns we gave up, but it’s too many. Obviously, they’re a fantastic offense, Drew’s a fantastic quarterback, their offensive play calling, but there’s no excuse. If we want to be a top five defense, we have to be able to shut down powerful teams like that. We came away with the victory, we made the plays when we needed to, but there’s a lot of stuff to learn and we still need to improve.”

Packers defensive lineman Ryan Pickett said defensive statistics are a secondary concern, especially when facing a high-powered offense.

“It comes down to the defense coming through,” Pickett said. “We’ve got time to worry about our defensive stats later on. In the game, the big thing about our defense, we made plays when we had to. That’s been the story of our defense the last few years. When it comes down to the wire and we have to make a play, we make it. Yeah, they threw the ball down the field and got a lot of yards and put up some points, but in the end we were strong.”

Two of Brees’ touchdown passes were for 31 and 29 yards, but the Saints weren’t so hot when they were closer to the goal line. New Orleans was 1-for-5 in the red zone.

“If you talk to any defense, they always talk about bend-but-don’t-break,” Hawk said. “That’s kind of what we were trying to do tonight. We let them get in the red zone a lot, but if you can get stops in the red zone and hold them to field goals, you’re going to have a good chance of winning.”

Watching film and making corrections is easier when it comes after a victory, and Hawk said what the Packers did Thursday night is a sign of good things to come later in the season.

“Obviously as a defense we look at all the different categories – yards, touchdowns – but you’ve got to find a way to win the game, you’ve got to find a way to get the big stops,” Hawk said. “When you get into big games later in the year, if you’re not getting those stops when you have to, you’re not going to have a chance. I think last year kind of proved that. We got some key stops at key times, and I guess we got some experience in doing that. So that’s a good thing.”

___

Connect with AP Sports Writer Chris Jenkins: www.twitter.com/ByChrisJenkins