KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs and Saints have more in common than their 0-2 starts: Both have offenses ranked in the top 5 of the NFL heading into their Week 3 game at the Superdome. Most of the offense has been wasted, though, or come when the outcome is already decided. The Chiefs have been spanked by Atlanta and Buffalo to start the year, while New Orleans has had to play from behind in games against Washington and Carolina. So while Saints quarterback Drew Brees has put up some decent numbers, and Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has made some nice grabs, it’s mostly been for nothing. Perhaps something will give when the teams meet Sunday.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pinch hitter Carlos Beltran snapped a sixth-inning tie with a two-run double and Allen Craig hit a three-run home run, powering the St. Louis Cardinals to a 5-4 victory Thursday that completed a season sweep at home over the Houston Astros. Beltran’s double put St. Louis up 5-3, rewarding Jaime Garcia (5-7) for keeping it close and putting the Cardinals 2½ games up for the second NL wild card with 12 games remaining. They took care of business against the lowly Astros, who absorbed their 102nd loss. The Cardinals were 6-0 at home against Houston, their first season series sweep in St. Louis since 1996. Bud Norris (5-13) allowed five runs on five hits and five walks in 5 1-3 innings for Houston.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa State’s program has come to be defined by the fiery, passionate persona of coach Paul Rhoads. The on-field identity of the Cyclones has been forged by seniors Jake Knott and A.J. Klein, a pair of once-overlooked linebackers who’ve blossomed into one of the top defensive duos in the country. The Cyclones are off to their second straight 3-0 start behind a defense that’s been better than most expected. They’re 13th in the nation in scoring defense at 10.7 points allowed per game and they haven’t allowed a touchdown in two weeks. The performance of Iowa State’s defense so far has only solidified Knott and Klein’s reputation as program changers.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It’s only two weeks into the season and already Romeo Crennel is answering questions about whether he can handle the Chiefs’ head coaching duties along with being defensive coordinator. Crennel was elevated from defensive coordinator to interim coach when Todd Haley was fired last year, and took over the job on a full-time basis this season. But rather than hire a new coach to coordinate the defense, Crennel has chosen to handle both jobs himself. The results haven’t been good so far. Kansas City was routed by Atlanta and Buffalo, and now heads to New Orleans for a Sunday showdown between winless teams. Crennel says he’s not considering whether to give up the coordinator job.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Suspended Iowa State basketball player Bubu Palo has pleaded not guilty to one charge of sexual abuse. Palo was suspended Sept. 7 after being charged with sexually abusing a woman he was driving home earlier this year. Online court records say Palo’s attorney, Matthew Boles, filed a written plea of not guilty on Tuesday. Palo and another man, 21-year-old Spencer Cruise, of Ames, were charged with second-degree sexual abuse. The criminal complaint says the men offered to give a woman a ride home on May 18, but instead drove her to a home owned by Cruise’s family and “committed a sex act by force against the victim’s will.” Online records show that Cruise hasn’t entered a plea. Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg has suspended Palo, a reserve guard.