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ATLANTA (AP) — Two years before the labor agreement with the NFL runs out http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-diontae-johnson-jersey , the players’ union is gathering a war chest it hopes it doesn’t need.Union leaders, however, expect a work stoppage in 2021, while not exactly inevitable, will be difficult to avoid.“We feel good where we are, the lines we can draw,” NFL Players Association President Eric Winston said Thursday. “We feel good about the direction we have.”Added DeMaurice Smith, who soon will mark 10 years as the union’s executive director: “It’s our job to prepare for wars we don’t want to fight.”The league and union agreed on a 10-year deal in 2011 after a lockout lasted from mid-March until early August. The NFL reportedly is squirreling away funds from its broadcast deals in anticipation of a labor stalemate in 2021, and the NFLPA is using money from its highly profitable NFL Players Inc. arm to do the same.“There are a limited number of options,” Smith said, “All of them except renegotiating a new deal are a pretty tough option.”Winston, who after 12 seasons did not play in 2018 while attending the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, admitted he didn’t know much of the ins and outs of NFL labor eight years ago. He and the NFLPA’s executive board have made it a priority to instruct the current crop of players on being prepared for not collecting paychecks.“Same as always to prepare guys, educated them and make sure they know what they are up against, understand the tactics used against them,” he said.He mentioned financial literacy instruction — “you need to save money all the time” — and understanding the past, back beyond 2011 to other collective bargaining agreements and players’ strikes.“We know almost everyone in 2021 were not in the league the last time (of a lockout). I think every player will believe us when we tell them they’re going to be locked out.”No one in the union is closing the door on an early agreement, but optimism would not be applicable. Smith pointed to the 32 teams reworking coaches’ contracts to provide for a 2021 lockout. Winston mentioned such issues as legalized gambling, technology and injury reports as upcoming points of discussion.The sides aren’t close to opening talks, particularly with no opt-out clause in this CBA. Nobody on the union side is sure when concrete negotiations might begin, so preparing for the possibility of a lockout or strike is paramount for the NFLPA and its members.Asked about a provision in a new labor agreement for guaranteed contracts for players, Smith explained that’s not how things work in pro sports. Rather, individual players and their agents negotiate such stipulations in their deals.Quarterback Kirk Cousins got such a deal from Minnesota last offseason as a free agent. The players hope it’s a harbinger Justin Layne Jersey , but it’s more likely a one-off.“We would like to get to the point of much more standardization of player contracts,” Winston said. “None of those poison pills to steal away a player.”Winston did indicate not every matter necessarily will be contentious as the two sides seek what he termed “a global solution.”“Money always will be a major point,” he said, then sarcastically noted “we want 99 percent and they want us to have 0.1 percent. Where do we meet?“But there might not be as big a bridge to build,” as in 2011. “But they look at the world one way, we look at the world another way. When people are ready they will get in a room and figure this thing out.” LOS ANGELES RAMS (14-3) at NEW ORLEANS (14-3)Sunday, 3:05 p.m. ET, FoxOPENING LINE — Saints by 3½Article continues below ...RECORD VS. SPREAD — Los Angeles 8-7-2, New Orleans 10-7SERIES RECORD — Rams lead 41-34LAST MEETING — Saints beat Rams 45-35, Nov. 4, 2018LAST WEEK — Rams beat Cowboys 30-22; Saints beat Eagles 20-14RAMS OFFENSE — OVERALL (2), RUSH (3), PASS (5)RAMS DEFENSE — OVERALL (19), RUSH (23), PASS (14)SAINTS OFFENSE — OVERALL (8), RUSH (6), PASS (12)SAINTS DEFENSE — OVERALL (14), RUSH (2), PASS (29)STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Saints have won two of past three overall and only previous playoff meeting in Superdome in wild-card round of 2000 season. … Both teams have won their divisions two straight times. … Rams’ 421.1 yards and 32.9 points per game led NFC. … Rams had four players voted to Pro Bowl: QB Jared Goff, LB Cory Littleton, and two AP All-Pros, DT Aaron Donald http://www.steelersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-benny-snell-jr.-jersey , RB Todd Gurley. Donald was only unanimous All-Pro. … Goff’s 4,688 yards passing in regular season ranked fourth in NFL. He completed 28 of 40for 391 yards, three TDs and INT in Week 9 loss at New Orleans. Goff completed 15 of 28 for 186 yards in playoff win over Cowboys. … Gurley led NFL with 21 scrimmage TDs. ranked fourth with 1,831 scrimmage yards in regular season. He rushed for 115 yards, TD last week, and has 100-plus yards rushing in each of previous two playoff games. … RB C.J. Anderson rushed for 123 yards, two TDs last week. He has four TDs rushing in past four playoff games. … Rams WR Brandin Cooks was Saints’ 2014 first-round draft choice. Cooks played first three NFL seasons with Saints, catching 215 passes for 2,861 yards and 20 TDs. He advanced to Super Bowl with Patriots last season. Cooks had 80 catches for 1,204 yards with Rams in 2018, his fourth season with at least 1,000 yards receiving. … He had six catches for 114 yards, TD in Week 9 meeting. … WR Robert Woods led Rams with career highs of 86 receptions for 1,219 yards. He had six catches for 69 yards last week. … Donald led NFL with 20 ½ sacks and became 11th player since 1982 with 20-plus sacks in single season. Donald ranked first in NFL with 25 tackles for loss. … Littleton led Rams with career-high 125 tackles. … CB Aqib Talib had seven tackles, forced fumble last week. He did not play in previous meeting. … Saints have won last seven home playoff games, starting with win over Rams under previous coach Jim Haslett. They are 6-0 in home playoff games since coach Sean Payton and QB Drew Brees joined Saints in 2006. … Payton has 8-5 playoff record, including 2010 Super Bowl win. … Saints had five players voted to 2019 Pro Bowl: T Terron Armstead, Brees, DE Cam Jordan, WR Michael Thomas, an All-Pro, and C Max Unger. … Saints’ 31.5 points per game ranked third in NFL, one of three teams to average 30-plus points. … Brees had NFL single-season record 74.4 completion percentage (364 of 489) and led league with 115.7 rating in 2018. Brees Zach Gentry Jersey , who turned 40 on Tuesday, completed 28 of 38 (73.7 percent) for 301 yards, two TDs, INT in divisional playoff win over Eagles. He’s averaged 322.1 yards passing in 14 career postseason games with 31 TDs, 10 INTs. …RB Alvin Kamara ranked second in NFL with 18 scrimmage TDs (14 rushing, 4 receiving) and ranked seventh with 1,592 scrimmage yards in 2018. He had 106 scrimmage yards (71 rushing, 35 receiving) last week. … Thomas led NFL with 125 catches and had franchise single-season record 1,405 yards receiving, surpassing Joe Horn’s 1,399 yards in 2004. Thomas had 12 receptions for 171 yards, TD last week, and had 12 catches for 211 yards, 72-yard TD in last meeting with Rams. … Saints’ defense ranked second against run, allowing 80.2 yards per game in 2018, but lost top DT Sheldon Rankins to Achilles tendon injury last week. Rankins also was second on team with eight sacks. … Jordan had 12 sacks in 2018, his fourth season with 10-plus sacks since Saints drafted him in 2011. He has 3½sacks, three batted passes in his past five postseason games. … LB Demario Davis led Saints with 110 tackles in first season with club, his second consecutive season with 100-plus tackles. Davis led Saints with eight tackles last week. … CB Marshon Lattimore had two INTs last week, his firstcareer playoff INTs.