There’s no place like home for the Saints

The Louisiana Superdome will be ready for some football Sunday, and the Saints say they’re looking forward to celebrating the end of a stressful week with their storm-weary fans.

Forced to flee to Indianapolis ahead of Hurricane Gustav, the Saints will be able to open their regular season at home as scheduled against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team announced Tuesday.

The Saints had announced Monday night, soon after Gustav had passed over the city, that their hope was to keep their season-opening home date as a means to uplift the spirits of a fan base that had been ridden with anxiety that all the rebuilding done in the three years since Hurricane Katrina could be wiped out.

Louisiana and team officials hoped the dome, a poignant symbol of suffering during Katrina, and a symbol of rebirth after being rebuilt in 2006, would now be a symbol of strength in a place where residents care too much about the unique way of life in their historic city to give up on it.

The Superdome was not used as a refuge during Gustav as it was during Katrina. It did not sustain any structural or interior damage and never lost power.

Jaguar critical after shooting

Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Richard Collier was shot and critically wounded outside an apartment building in Jacksonville, Fla. early Tuesday as he and a former teammate waited for two women they had met at a nightclub.

Collier, 26, and former Jaguars defensive end Kenneth Pettway were waiting in a Cadillac Escalade when a gunman fired into the vehicle, said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Ken Jefferson. Collier was shot several times, but it wasn’t clear where he was hit.

Collier was in critical condition at Shands Jacksonville Medical Center.

NFL to honor Upshaw

The NFL will honor the late Gene Upshaw with his initials and his uniform number stenciled on the field for all 16 games this opening weekend.

The league had announced that all NFL players would wear a patch all season with the initials “GU” and the number 63, his former uniform number to honor the Hall of Fame guard and longtime union leader, who died two weeks ago.

Around the league

Green Bay Packers center Scott Wells had a setback with his injured lower back after returning to practice Monday, putting his availability in doubt for the season opener against Minnesota. … Rudi Johnson, who was waived by the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, officially signed with the Detroit Lions. Johnson will join rookie Kevin Smith as the featured backs in Detroit’s new run-oriented offense.