NFL Notebook : Bush takes blame for recent woes

Reggie Bush paced back and forth near a crowd of reporters after Thursday’s practice at Metairie, La., looking uncharacteristically eager to talk while he waited for coach Sean Payton to finish taking questions.

Maligned recently for his mistakes on the field and his avoidance of the media off of it, the New Orleans Saints star calmly stepped in front of the microphones and opened up about his disappointment with himself.

“Nobody in this world has higher expectations than I do for myself, and the fact I haven’t been as successful as I would have liked early on in my career has been a little tough to deal with,” Bush said. “I can improve on running the ball. I can improve on pass-blocking. I can improve on catching the ball, route running … securing the ball when I’m running the ball, not fumbling as much.”

The Saints’ fall-from-ahead loss at home in a crucial NFC South clash against Tampa Bay last Sunday was a low point for Bush in the former Heisman Trophy winner’s second NFL season.

He isolated himself at the end of the bench after his misfired toss on a botched reverse set up the Buccaneers’ winning touchdown in the final minutes, then avoided opportunities to comment on the fateful mistake both after the game and the following day at the team’s training headquarters.

Viewers love Patriots

The largest cable audience in history. The highest rating for a regular-season Sunday afternoon game in more than a decade.

Seems every time the undefeated New England Patriots pull out a tight win, viewers tune in at a record pace.

“At this point, with the body of work they’ve put up, now people watch and say, ‘I don’t want to miss it when they lose,’ ” said “Monday Night Football” announcer Mike Tirico.

Good teams will always attract a lot of attention, but rarely to this extent.

Jim Nantz, the CBS announcer for the NFL (and golf), calls it “the Tiger Woods factor.”

“People understand they may be watching something they’ll never see again in their lifetimes,” Nantz said.

“The Patriots have their own guarantee: They’d never guarantee a victory like Pittsburgh’s Anthony Smith did.

Some of them can’t even guarantee they’d recognize him.

“I know Aaron Smith,” Patriots defensive end Ty Warren said. “I don’t know Anthony Smith.”

Aaron Smith is in his ninth season with the Steelers, a standout defensive end who made the 2005 Pro Bowl and will pressure Tom Brady on Sunday when the NFL’s best team meets the league’s top-rated defense. Anthony Smith is a free safety in his second pro season.

He’s also the guy who may be too sure of himself.

“We’re going to win,” he said Wednesday. “Yeah, I can guarantee a win. As long as we come out and do what we got to do. Both sides of the ball are rolling, and if our special teams come through for us, we’ve got a good chance to win.”

Falcons turn to Redman

The Atlanta Falcons knew it would be tough to find a replacement at quarterback for Michael Vick. With a month to go in a miserable season, they’re still looking.

Chris Redman, who was out of the league the last three seasons, became the third starter of the post-Vick era, getting the nod after a strong performance in relief of Joey Harrington.

With Byron Leftwich hurting and Harrington clearly not the answer, the Falcons (3-9) had little choice except to go with a QB – who was selling insurance a year ago – for their upcoming Monday night game against New Orleans.

Notes

Suspended NFL player Adam “Pacman” Jones pleaded no contest to a reduced charge in a Las Vegas strip club melee which preceded a triple shooting that left a man paralyzed. The Tennessee cornerback appeared in Clark County District Court to take a plea deal that officials said will get him probation in return for his testimony about the gunman who opened fire outside the club at the end of NBA All-Star weekend in February. … Dallas cornerback Terence Newman has been put on notice by the NFL after indicating his desire for revenge on Detroit quarterback Jon Kitna. Kitna threw four touchdown passes in the regular-season finale in Dallas last year. In an interview the following week with a radio station in Seattle, where the Cowboys had to go for the playoffs, Kitna called out the Dallas defense, notably Newman and linebacker Bradie James. … Backup running back Anthony Thomas was placed on injured reserve by Buffalo, two weeks after he tore a calf muscle at Jacksonville. Starter Marshawn Lynch, however, could be ready to return after missing the past three games with a sprained left ankle. … St. Louis kick returner Dante Hall, who has been hobbled by a high ankle sprain, was put on injured reserve.