SB Nation - Chris McAlister

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades @ Redskins

saints-nation — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:00:15 -0000

by Gerald Herbert - AP

Brace yourselves because it isn't pretty. I know I sometimes get criticized for being too harsh in my grading of certain players, and if you're one of the people that generally complains about that you will not be happy with some of these grades. As always I'm interested and looking forward to your feedback. Below are the player grades for defense and special teams at Washington. The letter grade represents the player's performance in the game and the GPA represents the player's cumulative effort on the season.

Saints vs Redskins coverage

Saints vs Redskins recap

Saints vs Redskins boxscore

Will Smith: B- (2.86) Smith fought through constant double teams and struggled to put much pressure on Campbell. He was very helpful against the run and did a good job there, finishing with 4 tackles. He was able to hit Campbell hard twice as the ball was released, but he saved his grade mostly for his performance against the run.

Charles Grant: D (2.14) Charles Grant finished with 2 tackles, both coming late in the contest. Otherwise, he was utterly and completely invisible. On most running plays, he was either blown completely off the ball and out of the play, or he overpursued the edge leaving massive running lanes for the Redskins to take advantage of. He really had a horrible, horrible game and at one point I considered giving him an F. If he hadn't registered a tackle, I would have given it to him. Grant has been undisciplined in his play, lazy, and overall bad as of late. I'd rather Bobby McCray get more snaps at the position at this point.

Bobby McCray: B- (2.06) McCray's lone tackle was on a running play where he blew the Redskins up for a big loss. Once again he surprised me by playing the run better and I think that part of his game has come a long way. His pass rushing skills have suffered a little from that improvement, but I can deal. He did get upfield a couple of times and force a quick release, but the bottom line is Campbell was getting the ball out too fast to wide open targets to get much of a pass rush. McCray doesn't get nearly enough playing time, and based on Grant's recent performances I'd like to see him start at Atlanta. Who knows if that'll happen, but a man can hope.

Anthony Hargrove: C- (2.36) The love affair with Hargrove for most continues despite him struggling to do much of anything in games. I'd say at this point he's played 2-3 good games, but the guy is a defensive end to me. The switch to defensive tackle hasn't worked out that well and he hasn't played the run with any inspiration. He finished with 1 tackle and was seen knocked off the ball repeatedly.

Sedrick Ellis: B- (2.71) Ellis finished with 6 tackles, including 1 for a loss. He's slowly getting back to his pre-injury level of play. He did allow a few players to slip out of his grasp by not wrapping up properly and showing poor tackling technique, but the effort and pursuit was always there. The Redskins only rushed for 88 yards and a 3.5 average per carry, so while it would seem like everything the Redskins did worked, the Saints were actually very good against the run.

Remi Ayodele: B+ (2.24) BY FAR, in my opinion, Ayodele's best game as a Saint. For me this was his coming out party. I've been hard on this guy all season and I've constantly complained about how this guy can be in the mix, but now I understand why. He was pushing the pile constantly, FANTASTIC against the run, and came up big on several third and short plays. The Redskins had no answer for his push up front, and as the game wore on the Redskins essentially gave up on running the ball because it wasn't really working and the pass yardage was coming so easy. He finished with 6 tackles, including one for a loss, and anytime a player was in his grasp he wasn't getting away.

Scott Shanle: B- (2.67) I heard rumblings that some fans were unhappy with Shanle's play, but I actually thought he was ok. On one running play he absorbed a strong block, opened his shoulder and was able to stop a run for no gain dead in it's tracks. Impressive play there, and overall Shanle used the lanes Ayodele and Ellis provided him to be effective stopping the run. He finished with 4 tackles, but he did miss a tackle or two. The major liability, for me, came in his pass coverage. He did a poor job on Fred Davis. Suprising because Shanle usually does a good job covering but he just couldn't run with Davis. Shanle got good pressure on the Vilma interception blitzing, forcing a quick release and bad pass from Campbell.

Jonathan Vilma: B- (2.92) Vilma finished with 5 tackles, but I thought he had a mediocre game overall. He wasn't aggressive and shooting gaps like he normally does. As I screamed at the TV for the defense to make a play, every time I'd notice Vilma pursue a play and get blocked out of contention. He saved his grade with a BIG interception with about 30 seconds left in regulation. That pick stopped a Redskins drive that could have given them a shot at a game winning field goal.

Malcolm Jenkins: D (2.76) The good: he had 9 tackles and was able to knock Campbell down on a blitz from the edge. The bad: those 9 tackles were a product of him getting beat repeatedly, and he dropped the easiest interception he'll ever get which would have killed a Redskins drive late in the red zone. The ugly: he looked like a rookie that was completely lost out there. He took horrendous angles on ball carriers, he bit badly on any fakes and double moves, he was often beat deep, and the "lack of speed" that many pre-draft gurus warned teams about before selecting Jenkins was exposed BIG TIME. He still tackled well, and he's just learning so I don't feel like we should all take the sky is falling approach by any means. Jenkins is still a good young player that will only get better... but this was a really bad showing for him. Hopefully he'll learn from it.

Roman Harper: D (3.03) Harper played his worst game of the season, hands down. We all know he's usually terrific in the box in run support, and we all know he's somewhat of a liability in coverage (especially downfield). Well, in this game he was bad in the box, and he was laughable against the pass. ESPN currently claims he had 4 tackles, whereas NFL.com has him listed as having as 2 tackles. So I don't know which one is accurate. What I did see was that Harper missed a repeated amount of opportunities to tackle someone, and his help over the top on pass plays downfield was late and pathetic. He gets a D instead of a D- for saving a touchdown on a kick return by Devin Thomas.

Darren Sharper: C (3.09) Sharper finished with 5 tackles. His lack of speed was an issue. On Fred Davis' first touchdown he took a bad angle and was beat to the corner. He was late bringing help over the top, like Harper. That said, Sharper was many times the security blanket, and he at least did a good job of limiting the damage. I felt like there were a few plays that were just "bad" instead of "disastrous" because Sharper was there to end them. Give him credit for coming up with a HUGE stop on 3rd and short right before Shaun Suisham's miracle miss.

Troy Evans: D+ (1.55) Evans did finish with 5 tackles, but he was bad in pass coverage and bad in run defense. Twice I caught Sean Payton laying into him on the sidelines for missing assignments. He was third in line to play the position, but had to play with the starting unit once Scott Fujita was made inactive and Jo-Lonn Dunbar got injured early (looked like a hamstring pull). I hear Fujita may be out for a while after he had emergency surgery following a bursa sac rupture in his knee that caused a staph infection. I don't know if that means he's out for the year or what, but we're in MASSIVE trouble if we can't get Fujita back. Too bad, he was playing at a high level. Evans, however, was not. Hopefully Dunbar can get back on the field because he's a much more palatable option.

Pierson Prioleau: C- (2.50) He was ok in coverage, actually, except for one play where he played too far off his receiver and allowed a first down in front of him. He finished with 3 tackles. He'd get a better grade, but he came up with a real boneheaded facemask penalty late that gave the Redskins a chance to win the game.

Usama Young: B- (3.00) He got some reps again at corner in dime packages after McKenzie went out with an injury. His coverage was good and he handled himself fine. He didn't really have anything memorable to write about, but no mistakes either. His biggest play came on special teams when he recovered a fumble right before halftime to give the Saints good field position after they had been stopped down 17-10.

Mike McKenzie: D- (2.17) As good as he was last week, it was back down to earth for Mike McKenzie. McKenzie just couldn't seem to do anything right whatsoever. He was beat deep routinely. He blew just about every open field tackle he had a chance at making. He gave receivers way too much cushion, and yet they would still blow right past him. At one point he took a terrible angle, and Sharper made the tackle behind him and gave him a death stare and screamed letting him not it's not ok to mess up plays like that. At times he seemed disinterested in being out there. At one point he was beat deep, the receiver then fell down, and McKenzie didn't even bother hustling to touch him down. He did finished with 4 tackles, but probably could have had about 10-15 with the number of plays being run right at him. The injury he suffered in the game is unknown, but I was glad it took him out of the game. He flirted with an F for large portions of the game.

Chris McAlister: C+ (2.50) McAlister, like Jenkins and McKenzie, was getting beat routinely and did a poor job of tackling the screen receiver pass the Redskins ran all day. He gave a lot of cushion to his man as well, inciting the Redskins to continuously use that play. He finished with 3 tackles. McAlister, though, came up with arguably the biggest play of the game. He hit Mike Sellers and managed to jar the ball loose in overtime, and had the good sense to recover the fumble as the whistle was being blown and Sellers was called down. The replay showed the head referee that it was indeed a fumble (not sure about that call, but I'll take it), and McAlister single handedly got the Saints the ball in overtime. Ultimately, they would turn that turnover into the game winning 3 points.

Garrett Hartley: A- (3.67) Surprise move to see Sean Payton go with Hartley for this game instead of John Carney. Chris Berman on ESPN said at one point that Carney was hurt, but I think he's misinformed. I think this move was strictly performance based, though I could be wrong. Regardless, Hartley was excellent. All of his kicks were right down the middle. He was 4 for 5 on field goals with a long of 34 yards. His miss was a 58 yarder as time expired, so it's hard to blame him for that miss. Extra points might not be a big deal, either, but Carney has been shaky on that all season long and Hartley did tie the game at 30 with his PAT after Meachem's touchdown. He also hit the game winning 18 yarder, twice, as the first was called back by a Zorn timeout. I don't think there's any way Carney kicks next week and this could mean the end of the veteran's reunion run with the Saints. Hartley was impressive with his accuracy.

Thomas Morstead: C (3.00) Morstead's kickoff depth was much shorter than usual. To be expected given the weather and field temperatue. He did manage to get one about half way into the end zone in overtime, which was an important time to do so. His punts were largely poor, as he averaged 33.3 yards on 3 punts. He did manage to pin one inside the 20, though. One of his punts was so short, it hit an unsuspecting Redskins' blocker in the back, resulting in a turnover for the Saints. The punt was bad, but the end result was magnificent.

Courtney Roby: B+ (3.00) Roby was routinely getting past the 30 on kickoff returns, and almost broke one big on a couple of occassions. Per usual his returns were impressive. He also made a nice tackle on special teams as a gunner.

My Defensive Player of the Game: Remi Ayodele

My Special Teams Player of the Game: Garrett Hartley

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game @ Washington?

Remi Ayodele

17 votes

Sedrick Ellis

21 votes

Darren Sharper

7 votes

Jonathan Vilma

54 votes

Chris McAlister

16 votes

The Defense Was So Collectively Bad, I'd Rather Click Here and Not Pick Anyone

74 votes

No one on defense impressed me, so Garrett Hartley gets the vote

65 votes

* BY REQUEST * Robert Meachem, for his "defensive" touchdown

352 votes

606 votes | Poll has closed

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades vs. Patriots

saints-nation — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:15 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

21 days ago: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sits on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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You know the drill by now, below are the grades.

Patriots vs Saints coverage

Patriots vs Saints recap

Patriots vs Saints boxscore

Will Smith: B+ (2.88) Early in the game, Laurence Maroney ripped off a 22 yard run, and Will Smith had a clear shot at him around the line of scrimmage. Sometimes I feel like he's focused on improving his sack total and his run defense has suffered from it. That said, he did a good job of staying in Brady's face despite double teams for a good portion of the game. He finished with 4 tackles, hit Brady 3 times, and ended with 1.5 sacks. He was the beneficiary of a stat padding sack at the end of the game, and that sack gave him 10 for the season. It's been a while since we've had a double digit sack guy, so that's nice to see 11 games into the season. After having a lower GPA early in the season, Smith's grades have been rising steadily and he continues to pile up consistent performances.

Charles Grant: D (2.24) For an extended portion of the game, Grant was nowhere to be found. He was manhandled anytime a play came his way, and he was unable to get any pressure whatsoever on Brady. On an end around to Welker at one point, Grant showed ZERO pursuit or effort. I was pretty disheartened to see on tape what I concluded was a lazy performance. He did finally get good pressure on a 3rd down play in 4th quarter, though, hitting Brady as he released the ball. It was tough sledding for the Saints' pass rushers though, as they dropped most players they had and often rushed only 4 or sometimes even 3. He finished with 2 tackles.

Sedrick Ellis: C+ (2.71) Nice to have the big man back, and his presence against the run game was felt. He was rusty, though, so I'll expect better things as he gets more reps. I'm sure everyone remembers the fumble fiasco. Hey Sedrick, YOU ARE A DEFENSIVE TACKLE. Fall on the ball already. The fact that he picked up the ball and tried to shimmy his way to the open field like Barry Sanders was laughable. I give him credit for a good all around effort, though. He was sloppy in his tackling at times, but he was also disruptive. He had a terrific tackle at the line of scrimmage at one point on Kevin Faulk. On the Darren Sharper interception, Ellis put nice pressure on Brady to force a bad pass. He finished with 4 tackles.

Remi Ayodele: C- (2.14) Ayodele really didn't play much, surprisingly. When he did, I thought he did an ok job of congesting the middle and forcing Maroney outside. The Saints spent a large part of the game either with a 3 man front, or using Hargrove more because of his superior pass rushing ability and the decreasing threat that the Patriots would run.

Anthony Hargrove: C+ (2.43) As much as Hargrove played he was rather quiet, but he did show terrific effort and a good motor. The plays just didn't really come his way. He finished with 2 tackles, and he did get a chance to force an incompletion by poppin' Brady pretty good right as he released the ball.

Bobby McCray: B (2.00) Finally I saw McCray come in and show me some of those pass rushing skills. Finally! McCray got the other half of the sack with Will Smith, but I felt McCray got the better pressure on that play. He was often coming off the edge and drawing either a double team or a chip block. On one play he absolutely CRUSHED Brady as he released the ball. He also had very good pressure on the long pass to Moss and almost got a sack but Brady evaded him before getting rid of the ball off his back foot. He finished with just 1 tackle, but given the limited help he got rushing the passer I thought his performance was much improved.

Scott Fujita: B+ (2.81) Fujita played MUCH better in the second half. In the first half he was mostly quiet, and I saw him stand out on a play he got beat with on pass play over middle. In the second half, Fujita was dominant. He made a terrific play to force the fumble that Ellis recovered, and he got terrific penetration on that same drive to nail Sammy Morris in the backfield. Kevin Faulk did beat him to the outside on one run, but he was very aggressive and all over the field. He finished with 7 tackles.

Scott Shanle: C- (2.67) Pretty forgettable performance from Shanle who is losing his early season form. He was burned badly by Kevin Faulk on the opening drive of the gain to convert a 3rd down. Then, he was blown up on the 4th down touchdown run by Maroney. He had an absolutely miserable first half. As the game progressed he got more involved and absorbed blocks better, but he was unusually mediocre in pass coverage. He finished with just 3 tackles.

Jonathan Vilma: C+ (2.94) Vilma was up and down during the game. He had 9 tackles, which would lead you to believe he was active and all over the field, but he was also involved in way too many negative plays. Vilma was blown up on first run of the game. Later, he whiffed on Maroney badly to allow the back to get big yardarge. On a pass to Welker, Vilma showed poor awareness. While Welker wasn't his assignment, he had a chance to jump that throw and break up the play or maybe intercept the ball. Instead it was a completion. Like Shanle, his first half was by and large dismal. He did get good pressure on Brady a couple of times blitzing right up the middle. He made up for a shaky start when he BLEW UP Maroney in backfield shooting the gap in the second half. Just when he got on my good side again, though, there was that moronic late hit on Welker out of bounds to give the Patriots 15 free yards. He did get better as game progressed.

Malcolm Jenkins: B (3.06) He was often lined up against Wes Welker and he did an admirable job. He was very physical with Welker, sometimes getting away with possible penalties, and you could tell Welker got frustrated by it. He was PHENOMENAL with tackling all day long, and any time he had a shot at Welker he made sure the slippery receiver went down. He was caught holding twice, once negating an intentional grounding by Brady and another time giving the Patriots a first down - but that was all part of him roughing up Welker. Great job, and I'm glad we have him. Did I already mention he's a terrific tackler?

Chris McAlister: B- (2.67) McAlister was pretty solid all day in coverage, especially in the first half. Despite being matched up against Randy Moss, he didn't allow the future hall of famer to catch a ball until very late in the second quarter. He was however responsible for the long pass to Moss in the second half, and he was fortunate that Brady overthrew a long ball intended for Aiken because McAlister was beaten badly and it would have been a touchdown. He finished with just 1 tackle and he didn't offer much support against the run. Give him credit though, he's only been with the Saints 2 weeks and his he's obviously still capable of covering elite receivers.

Mike McKenzie: A- (3.67) Per Jon Gruden on Monday Night Football "he has guts". I thought that described McKenzie best. He gambled and occasionally lost, but his aggressiveness and fire was instrumental in the win. It was clear the Patriots were going to attack him, and he responded present. It was almost like he never missed a beat from his peak performances 2 years ago. His interception was a HUGE momentum changing play. Later in the game, he had a 3rd down tackle short of 1st down, forcing the Patriots to punt. At one point, beaten by Moss, he dove to make the tackle and somehow jarred the ball loose for a forced fumbled. It was a suspect play, but he saved the Saints from Moss getting major yardage after the catch. He did give too much cushion at times, and was beat on a 3rd and 9 throw curl route to Aiken. The Patriots tried to run that same play soon after and McKenzie jumped the route and almost had another pick. He allowed a first down late by missing a tackle I've seen him make countless times, but he redeemed himself moments later by killing the game with a BIG 4th down play breakup on a pass intended for Moss. He finished with 3 tackles, an interception and 3 defended passes. It's nothing short of incredible that this guy could play at this level after being out of football for a year. The Saints are very fortunate he was available. The welcome back party was in full effect for #34.

Pierson Prioleau: B- (2.67) Prioleau was used as the dime back on some passing downs, and had awesome coverage on a deep pass to Ben Watson down the seam for a breakup. He did a pretty good job in coverage when he was in.

Roman Harper: B (3.21) I have no earthly idea how Harper totaled 10 tackles. He seemed to have a very quiet game, but somehow Harper gets his nose in a lot of plays. He was quiet about his business, but I did notice a big hit he put on Wes Welker on a crossing route early that slowed the receiver down just enough to allow Malcolm Jenkins to knock him down and force the Patriots to kick a field goal. He did get flagged for an illegal contact on a 3rd down to give the Patriots an easy 1st down, which was stupid and negated a good pass rush by Bobby McCray.

Darren Sharper: A- (3.20) Sharper seemed more interested in laying the wood early than getting himself another pick. It seemed like there were passes out there he could have tried to make a play on, but he was focused on crushing anyone that came over the middle. I liked the change in philosophy because he knew he had corners that needed help and he let Pats know early, you go over middle, you pay. Specifically he had a DISGUSTING hit on Faulk that I'm not quite sure how the LSU product got up from. He was very solid all day in coverage and he was a good security blanket limiting the damage when a play would break open. He finished with 6 tackles and was rewarded for his good play with an interception late on a gift wrapped terrible pass by Tom Brady.

Jeff Charleston: C+ (2.33) Not a ton to say, but he played a good amount and was decent pass rushing and decent against the run. He finished with 2 tackles.

John Carney: D (2.61) He was awful. His first field goal hit the upright, and he was fortunate to give the Saints a 3-0 lead when his 30 yard kick bounced in. With the game out of reach he also missed a 36 yarder. So you're thinking, "he was 1 for 2 on field goals, not that bad". True enough, but once again his extra points were VERY dicey. At least three of his point after touchdowns barley made it just inside the right upright. He's already missed 2 this year, and lately it's felt like an adventure with him out there. Not impressed with the guy lately, but I also know he's capable of bouncing back from a bad performance. That said, this extra point thing is nothing new. He's been shaky on those all season long. I've mentioned this before, but I wonder if Brunell being left handed isn't part of the problem? Or maybe the new snapper?

Thomas Morstead: A- (3.09) Every single kickoff he booted went in the end zone, and over half were downed for touchbacks. I mean the guy is just awesome on kickoffs. On punts, it wasn't his fault Welker ripped that big return. He had a nice high and deep punt that the coverage unit should have covered better. He did manage to get another punt inside the 20.

Courtney Roby: B+ (2.97) Roby's best kick return was his first one, which went back to the 35. Two other times he had a shot at getting nice gains but he slipped. As usual he was good and dangerous. He made his grade covering kicks this time. First he caught Welker from behind on that long punt return showing amazing speed. If he doesn't make that play Welker is gone for a touchdown, and McKenzie doesn't come up with a pick on the next play. He also had terrific coverage on a punt to force a fair catch by Welker.

I also need to give props to Lynell Hamilton. He gets an incomplete grade based on limited playing time - but he had a punishing closeline tackle on kick return, and he was a decoy on the touchdown pass to Dinkins.

My Defensive Player of the Game: Mike McKenzie

My Special Teams Player of the Game: Thomas Morstead

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game vs. the Patriots?

Darren Sharper

45 votes

Malcolm Jenkins

41 votes

Mike McKenzie

602 votes

Will Smith

8 votes

Roman Harper

6 votes

Scott Fujita

6 votes

708 votes | Poll has closed

MNF Patriots @ Saints: Malcolm Jenkins' Baptismal by Fire

saints-nation — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 12:00:14 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

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I hope rookie first-round draft choice and cornerback Malcolm Jenkins enjoyed the first start of his career, covering a tough receiver in Antonio Bryant and facing a raw and mistake-prone rookie quarterback in Josh Freeman. His second start is about the get a lot harder. Coming into the Dome will be Tom Brady, a first ballot Hall of Famer who probably has a claim as the best quarterback in the league and top ten of all time. He's quarterbacked his team to three Super Bowl victories and a Super Bowl loss on the heals of the first 16-0 season in NFL history. Oh yeah, and one of his receivers happens to be one of the best of all time, too, in Randy Moss. For the Saints' sake, I hope Jabari Greer can make it back in time for this game healthy. He's their best cover corner and the Saints are depleted enough with Tracy Porter assuredly out and Randall Gay probably out as well. If Greer can go, that probably leaves Jenkins to cover Wes Welker. Welker leads the Patriots with 79 receptions and has had over 110 receptions in each of the last two seasons. If Greer can't go, then Jenkins will probably have to man up on Mr. Randy Moss. I'm not going to lie, my first thought is: YIKES. Welcome to the NFL, Malcolm. Either way, it's going to be an enormous challenge for the rookie to take on; one that will likely see him fail a few times.

Patriots vs Saints coverage

There's really no way of knowing what the Saints corner rotation is going to look like Sunday until we see it on the field. The only thing at this point that's certain is that Malcolm Jenkins will start, and Malcolm Jenkins will have his hands full. Beyond that, the following are questions we can ask ourselves:

1. Is there any chance Randall Gay will play? Any at all? Probably not, right?

2. If Jabari Greer can't go, who starts next to Jenkins? Chris McAlister? Usama Young?

3. How much action does Young even see at corner now that McAlister and McKenzie are in the mix? Are the Saints more confident right now in Young, who was converted to safety in training camp, or the veterans they signed?

4. Will McKenzie even be active, regardless of whether Jabari Greer plays or not?

5. If Greer plays, but is still sore, can he even run with Moss? Is a Greer at 90% covering Moss better than anything else we have?

My head is spinning, and part of the problem is that Sean Payton won't reveal how injured his players are or what his rotation plans will be. Nor should he, but that doesn't mean I am capable of sitting and waiting. By God I am going to speculate.

The wild cards in the equation are Pierson Prioleau and Usama Young. We've seen both come in to cover slot receivers in passing down packages. In Young's case last week, he even had to match up against outside receivers because the Saints were so short-handed. I think Chris McAlister is a given active this week. With Mike McKenzie, I'm going to say there's a 40% chance he's active. Hopefully the starters will be Greer and Jenkins. If Greer doesn't play, that's where the equation really gets dicey. I think it's fair to say that whatever rotation the Saints go with, their offense will have to score a lot of points to give them a chance.

So since Jenkins is the only real given, how do you think he'll do? He'll face Moss or Welker, and either way he's in for arguably the biggest challenge he'll ever face in his career. How does he fare?

Q & A with Canal Street Chronicles

MaPatsFan — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:00:19 -0000

Yes sir, ladies and gentlemen. This coming Monday, we have one heck of a matchup. The undefeated New Orleans Saints host our very own New England Patriots in the Big Easy, Nawlins', home of gumbo, Dixieland, and Drew Brees. However, there's more to this team than the incredibly talented quarterback who seems to have firmly planted himself in any discussion about top quarterbacks in the NFL.

The New Orleans Saints are loaded with talent, the type of talent us Patriots fans are used to having on our own team. Very few are tops at their position, but they excel at playing as a team, a formula Coach Sean Payton is not shy about crediting the Patriots for:

"You look to duplicate, or try to duplicate," Payton said. "You spend more time talking about doing all the right things and trying to pay close attention to what New England has done as an organization. Certainly, they have been at the forefront of our league. If you were in business, it would be silly not to pay attention to how they’ve been successful, their formula and their recipe.

Leading up to what purports to be an awesome matchup, the Canal Street Chronicles "head coach" Saintsational and I exchanged questions with each other. Without further delay, our Q & A after the jump.

Do you feel like the 10-0 Saints aren't getting the respect they deserve for an undefeated team? If so, is it the media driving this lack of respect?

Well, first I think we should define the term "respect" in this situation. If we're talking about respect from the general football fan, I think the Saints get plenty. Everything I've read on Canal Street Chronicles from other teams fans proves they acknowledge the talent. Furthermore, I've had a lot of people tell me the Saints are their second favorite team behind their own and that they're rooting for us.

But if we're discussing respect in terms of media coverage, I don't think they get as equal a share as other teams like the Cowboys, Patriots and Colts, even when they're playing just as good or better football. But I understand the reasoning behind it. The Saints have shown brilliance before but never been able to sustain it. That just doesn't compare to ten solid years of success like the Colts and Pats have had. I think there is a hesitance by most people to start heaping praise for fear that the Saints are just a flash in the pan. I think much of the media still needs a little more proof. I'm hoping the Saints have it in them.

Educate us Patriots fans. We know all about Drew Brees, but who are the "other guys" you would consider at the top of their game, the guys making Drew (and the Saints) successful?

The offensive line is first and foremost. Without them doing an excellent job of protecting Drew and keeping him clean, he wouldn't be able to do the amazing things he does. Guards Jahri Evans and Carl Nicks are having superb seasons and Jermon Bushrod has stepped up big time protecting Drew's blind side, filling in for starting left tackle Jammal Brown.

Give credit also the the gaggle of talented receivers the Saints have collected like trophies over the past couple of years. Each and every one is a threat and with so many, game planning is a headache. Probably most at the top of his game right now is third year receiver Robert Meachem out of Tennessee. Sean Payton said himself that good things just happen when Meachem gets the ball.

Finally, the emergence of a running attack and a more balanced offense has a lot to do with the success of Drew and the Saints. With a trio of running backs to hand the ball off to, the Saints just haven't had to rely on Brees and the passing game as much this year. That's very important.

Talk a bit about the Saints' cornerback situation. Veteran Mike McKenzie was brought back after being released in March, a move that makes the Saints look a little thin at corner. Is that your perception? Is that a spot you worry about or do you feel NO is capable of compensating?

The Saints are definitely a little banged up at the cornerback position. Before signing Mike McKenzie this week, the Saints also signed former Ravens Pro-Bowler Chris McAlister. With starting cornerback Tracy Porter out a few more weeks and backup Leigh Torrence placed on IR, these signings were necessary from a depth standpoint. I don't expect either McKenzie or McAlister to start on Monday but I do believe they will be called in to help cover Randy Moss, Wes Welker and company as part of the Saints game plan.

Most importantly will be the status of starting cornerback Jabari Greer. If he's healthy enough to return on Monday night, then the cause for concern is significantly reduced.

Where do you think the Saints will have the most trouble with the Patriots? Conversely, in what area do you think New Orleans has a clear advantage?

First and foremost, I think both of these teams are very talented, very well coached and match up well.

I'm definitely worried about the Patriots passing attack. Brady is obviously a supremely talented quarterback and he's got quite a few weapons at his disposal, all of whom can spread the field. With a banged up secondary, I'm afraid the Saints will need to play conservative defense for fear of giving up the big play, which won't allow for an aggressive pass rush on Brady and will allow him to take all day with his throws.

I think the Saints have an advantage on offense because of their balance. We all know Drew Brees and the passing attack is extremely potent but so is the Saints running game. They have the ability to keep defenses guessing, wear them down and go with whatever's working.

I also think Sean Payton is at the top of his coaching game right now.

Which Patriots player(s) do you feel are the most dangerous, the players Sean Payton will key on the most? What will be the matchups to watch?

Randy Moss is the obvious answer which is why the status of starting cornerback Jabari Greer is important. Having played for Buffalo and against the Patriots twice every year, he's the Saints best option to cover Moss. I also expect the Saints to bring in extra help for him.

Because of the attention Moss will demand and his ability to stretch the field vertically, I think Wes Welker becomes equally dangerous. He's a great receiver with great hands and a knack for finding open field. Brady and Welker have a certain chemistry and I worry about a lot of short, quick strikes that eat up clock and wear down the Saints defense.

A big shoutout to Saintsational for answering my questions. Don't forget to checkout Canal Street Chronicles for my answers to his questions.

Transcripts, Baby!

Saintsational — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:30:29 -0000

Who loves ya!?

Sean Payton

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Opening Statement:

"A couple of notes in regards to the injury report, Jonathan Goodwin (ankle) did not practice;Lance Moore (ankle) did not practice; Jabari Greer (groin) did not practice; Darren Sharper (knee) was limited; David Thomas (knee) did not practice; Reggie Bush (knee) did not practice; Tracy Porter (knee) did not practice; Sedrick Ellis (knee) was limited. We signed cornerback Chris McAlister and waived quarterback Chase Daniel."

What do you foresee McAlister's role being?

"A lot of it will be based on the health of a couple of guys in front of him. But he's a veteran player that understands defense and is someone that we think can come in and help us. We worked him out yesterday and we signed him this morning."

How encouraging is it to have Sedrick Ellis back on the field?

"Anytime you're able to get a starter back - a guy that has been a good player for you at the three-technique and at the nose - it certainly helps. At the same time, we're still repping the other guys through in the rotation. Today he felt better and that was encouraging."

In Reggie's case, were you just resting the knee?

"Yes. In the game, a couple of these guys got nicked up. In his case, we backed off of it today and held him and held David Thomas for that reason."

Is punt return an area you're looking to improve?

"It's an area we have talked about and obviously it's an area we need to improve on. We had a decent return last week with a holding call that brought it back, but we're playing a real good team this week in special teams. They have a returner that is first in a lot of categories and when you look at it, that's an area that we have to do a good job with and emphasize. Those are field position, hidden yardage statistics that will be important in this game."

Why Chris McAlister and not some other players who were available?

"We had gone through our pro personnel reports and our grades, and he worked out yesterday and did a good job. A lot of it is based on how we grade and how we stack players that are available."

Did he come in with many other players to work out?

"It was he and another player. He did a good job."

Is there a chance he could help you out at safety or would it just be at cornerback?

"That's a good question. We're looking at him now and certainly he's a guy that has experience in the secondary and his role right now would be as a corner."

Was there any thought of moving Usama Young back to cornerback to help out?

"He's a guy that can do both, but nothing specific right now."

Was the signing also based on how Randall Gay played on Sunday?

"No. It was based on the injury to Tracy Porter."

How did Randall Gay grade out on Sunday?

"He graded out better than you would have thought. The one was a Cover-zero look on third-and-long; it was a full-blitz look and the quarterback had a half-second longer than you would like to throw it and the receiver did a good job. That's a tough coverage for a corner to be in. The next play was really a play above his head. But we have a lot of confidence in Randall Gay. Those were two good plays by St. Louis."

Is it good to be facing a rookie quarterback this week?

"We spend most of our time just on the game plan and getting ourselves ready to have a good week of practice and prepare. He's a guy that has a big arm. We've seen some other young quarterbacks this year. He has given them a spark. When you look at the tape and the way they played against Miami a week ago and their win against Green Bay, I think the players around him have responded and he's playing with confidence. Certainly we understand the strengths and weaknesses of when you play a younger player, but that being said, he's a guy that's elusive, can scramble to run and has a big arm. Especially after a couple of weeks now, we'll have a challenge."

Do you feel like you're getting Tampa Bay at the wrong time? Are they a team you would've liked to have played earlier in the year?

"You get the schedule and you play it. Certainly they're playing well right now. St. Louis was playing better and we caught them after a bye. Again, the focus for us starts with ourselves. Certainly we have to be mindful of the type of offense and defense and return game we're seeing and prepare accordingly on the film study, but they're playing better."

Was Tampa's more of a substantial rebuilding project than you'll normally see in the league?

"I don't know. I think you could make a comparison to a few other clubs that would be similar and there would be some others that wouldn't be as significant. They had a roster that they felt like they were going to move some players and begin to move on and start developing younger guys. Whenever there's a change like that at the top, you see a lot of different changes that go along with it. I don't think it's very uncommon in our league."

Do you see a completely different team on film than the Bucs from years past?

"There are a lot of differences and there are some similarities. They run well on defense. They're playing with confidence on defense. The return game is outstanding. You see some changes offensively with certainly a new coordinator and a little bit of new personnel, but it's a line that has been together for a while. The good thing is that you have a good portion of the season of film to be thorough and study and look at and get the nuances of what they're doing differently in all three areas."

Players have said recently that they seem to be getting opponents' "A-game" every week now. Do you feel like there's a bull's-eye on your back now?

"When you're playing good football, I think there certainly is a respect level from the opponent you play. But that's part of the challenge of winning each week in this league. You hope that you create a program and a team that is in that situation more often than the other."

Does the diverse attack that you have on offense help to neutralize the playmakers they might have in their defense?

"The one thing that you see on film is that these guys have good ball skills. Ronde Barber, looking at a veteran who is a smart player, Tenard Jackson, Sabby Piscitelli, Aqib Talib - all these guys catch the ball well. So it really forces you to be good with your location, your exactness in the routes in what you're trying to do. And if you're off a little bit, these guys contest throws very well. You can see that on film; they're athletic and they do a good job of defending the pass."

Talib has had some off-field issues. To what degree is the Saints' success due to not having to deal with players and off-field issues this year?

"I can't speak on behalf of a player for Tampa. We try to focus on improving and focus on getting guys that are able to do the right thing. We try to provide that structure. But he's an extremely talented player and he's having a good season."

Would you consider trading a seventh-round pick for David Thomas a steal?

"I think when you acquire a player, you're hopeful and you have a vision for the player and it isn't until three or four years down the road that you can put a grade or determine if it was a good acquisition or not. Certainly you hope to have more of those that fit what you're looking for and less that end up not being that and you understand that it's not an exact science. He has obviously filled a role for us and with the injury to Heath Evans, his role to some degree has expanded and we've been fortunate that way."

Were you surprised that you were able to get him that cheap though?

"It's all in just finding the right match with another team that was interested in a trade. Bill (Belichick) and those guys have done a great job of acquiring picks and drafting. Where one team might have depth and another team might have a need, generally there's a chance to begin discussions of acquiring a player. I don't think it was anything unusual."

Based on the injuries that you have on defense, how concerned are you with your defense being able to hold up until you get everyone back?

"I think that the key is preparing the guys during the week. I've said before that you're not going to go through a season where all 22 guys that start the season are going to finish and play every game that way. Already at this point we've had a number of guys step in that weren't opening day starters and I think that's fairly common. You could just go on and on with the players; if you started on offense, you'd look at Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief and Kyle Eckel, who is a fullback that has played more and Darnell Dinkins' role has expanded. We've had some receivers who have filled in with Lance Moore's injury. Defensively you can go through the numbers there with the DeMario Pressleys and the guys in the secondary. I think it's the nature of a long year. When you play 16 regular season and four preseason games, that's a lot of football and I think that you're always in the process - we're always in the process - of developing all of our players; not just the starters. It's a challenge each week and that's what makes it interesting. And that's why you have to play each week and understand that there are changes happening with your opponent as well; guys are getting healthy, guys have been injured and you just hope to be on the lighter end of the injury note than the heavier end."

Based on what's going on in your secondary, do you think that teams will try to attack you through the air more?

"I don't know. We've had injuries in the front as well. How they approach us, I wouldn't know. You try to prepare for each opponent. When you're thin at a position or when there's a new corner on the field, certainly those guys understand that they'll get tested. We'd do the same thing on offense."

In regards to Chris McAlister, do you get him ready to play a game or do you get him ready for the rest of the season?

"We're getting him ready to play a game."

What has made you confident that your secondary will be able to handle this test of its depth?

"I think we're deeper from a health standpoint in the secondary. We have a number of guys with playing experience and some young guys like Malcolm Jenkins who got some more experience last week. We're at a point where we're not early in the year now. We're heading into the 10th game and the 11th week. Whoever we line up out there in the base and in the nickel will have had a lot of practice snaps and a lot of work this week in preparation for this game. I think they understand the scheme well. It's different from a year ago. And I think that their play is often tied to the play of the front and their ability to hurry a quarterback and get pressure on a quarterback. I think it all goes together."

Tampa has reportedly been working some on the Wildcat formation. How surprised would you be to see them line up in that formation?

"There's nothing really that surprises you each week. You prepare for your calls and adjustments and you get ready for things that take place during a game that you may not have seen. Each week there's a twist that you see; whether it's on offense or on defense and you just have to be prepared to adjust."

Drew Brees

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Q: How much of the recent turnovers can be attributed to an aggressive mentality on offense?

A: "We've been able to overcome them, but that's really in large part because our defense has gotten quite a few, as well and then offensively, the drives we're not turning it over we're going out and getting points. It's not a good habit to get into. We are aggressive. There's being aggressive and there's being reckless and reckless is not what we want to be. I don't think we are. We just need to continue to make an emphasis on taking care of the football, because it is without a doubt the biggest statistic in football. If we keep going at the pace we're going then it will get us beat at some point, not once, but again and again. We need to fix the problem. I'm confident we will because we're making it a big emphasis. We're doing things to combat it. The first five games of the season we were very good in that regard. It's really been just the last four games. We know how to do it. It's just a matter off getting back to the fundamentals and that type of thing."

Q: It has been said before that turnovers on both sides come in bushels. Is the unit in a possible funk where you are turning it over in bushels right now?

A: "I think sometimes that happens. It will just kind of happen in spurts, just like a baseball player that hits a slump. You kind of hit a slump for a few games where you're 0-for-something. It could be similar to turning it over a few too many times before you kind of make the adjustments, do whatever you have to do to change it and get it on the right track and you kind of get on that roll of a couple of games where you're not turning it over. You're doing a great job of taking care of it. At times it comes in spurts."

Q: Are there specific drills you possibly do to combat them?

A: "Ball security drills. It's the way you practice too, just making an emphasis of the defense trying to take it away from our guys offensively. We're making sure it's tucked away and know that guys are coming to get it just like they would in a game, definitely just conscious when you're talking about fundamentals, how you're carrying the football, how I'm holding the football in the pocket and just being good with it when I'm getting pressure, all those things, all those little things."

Q: Are you guys getting different looks the last four games as opposed to the first five?

A: "Well, no. I think everything we've seen the last four weeks is pretty standard as far as nothing similar to what we saw in the first five games. Really the Jets were the only team that was very different from the rest in the schemes and the things they did, but really everybody else, as far as the turnovers go, I think that's probably what you're getting at. It's not what the defenses are doing to us necessarily; it's just the fact that we've had a little bit of lapse in concentration in regards to that."

Q: Whom do you credit for leading the NFL in Pro Bowl voting right now?

A: "I'd probably say (credit) the Saints fans. If they're as passionate and diehard about that as they are in the way they scream at the games and the way that they travel and support us on the road and the way that they are at the airport for us after we get home from road games then I'm sure they're the same way about the voting, going online and just hitting enter, enter, enter, which is a good thing that you have fans like that."

Q: Do you believe in motivational tactics and have any examples?

A: "This is one of the things that I think is one of Sean's (Payton) great strengths. He has many great strengths, the ability to motivate guys in ways that is either humorous, like he might just make a comment to you that will make everyone else around you laugh and will make you even laugh and then you kind of walk away and say I think he was taking a jab at me. I think he was challenging me, which gets some response out of you. I think he does a great job of knowing what motivates different guys and everybody's a little different. Some guys you might yell at, i.e. poor Billy Miller to get the best out of them sometimes and then other times it's pulling a guy aside. Whatever it might be, different forms of leadership in that regard, but also, I think in regards to each week, each game, so different. How do you find a way and it's one of the biggest challenges in the NFL to make sure your team is ready to play 16 weeks. It's a long season. It's a marathon. How do you make it to where your team is always concentrated and never having a mental lapse and you have to continue to find a chip to put on your shoulder, a motivational tactic of some kind that will get guys to simplify, because sometimes you sit up there and look at the stats between you and the team you're playing and sometimes all that stuff gets overwhelming. Sometimes you say how can I narrow this down? Sean does a great job, for example after today (he said), these are the three things we need to do to win this game. That simplifies it. Offense do this. Defense do this. Special teams do this. We'll win the game. That's a great way to handle it."

Q: Was Sean's example last week of discussing winning percentages of teams coming off the bye week a great example?

A: "Yes, 62 percent winner. Of all the things, that's the perfect example."

Q: Is it a coincidence that one week Sean mentioned how it would be a challenge for Darren Sharper to not only get interceptions, but return one for a touchdown?

A: "Exactly, that's just another one of those examples. That gets everybody laughing. It's funny. It's humorous, but I guarantee you Sharper, being the competitive guy he is, walks to his locker and is like ‘I have to prove that I can take one back' and he's taken three back, but it's just little ways to motivate you."

Q: Is part of Sean's effectiveness as a play caller related to that he seems to get the ball to a lot of different guys?

A: "I think that too, because he's able to take your strengths as a player and accentuate that within the system or give you the opportunities, put you in the positions to succeed. He's not going to ask you to do something that you're not comfortable with or you're not necessarily the best at. That's why you continue to see us just plug guys in and to their credit, they work extremely hard and we've brought in the right type of guys, but Sean puts them in a position to succeed. That makes guys play hard for you too, because you understand that everyone of us has opportunities. Every one of us plays a role in this offense. We're all a big part of it."

Q: You guys have run through quite a few tight ends since 2006. Can you talk about David Thomas?

A: "You talk about a great (trade) and obviously if Billy Miller doesn't get hurt it probably doesn't happen, obviously. What he's been able to do especially with Heath (Evans) getting hurt a couple weeks back, his ability to be so versatile and play multiple tight end positions as well as fullback position. We ask him to block out of the backfield, block as an in-line tight end. We ask him to do a lot in protection in the backfield. We ask him to run routes from the tight end position as well as split them out and have them run routes. He caught a few in the game last week basically as a split out and then check downs out of the backfield, he had a couple of big third down conversions. He's as versatile as they come. He's so smart and he gets it. He picks it up very quickly. He works at it and he's been a great, great addition."

Q: You guys don't pay attention to how guys were acquired, but do you consider acquiring him for a seventh round pick a good transaction?

A: "Absolutely, if you basically say we drafted this guy in the second round, would we be happy right now? Yes. It's like finding (Marques) Colston in the seventh round a couple years back, just a guy who can do so many different things, play at a high level, great in the locker room, just everything you want in a teammate and a player."

Q: How hard is it to switch from being the hunter to the hunted?

A: "We're still very much the hunter, but I know what you're saying. The fact is we're going to get everybody's best game, but that doesn't change our mentality as far as being aggressive and going out with a lot of confidence and swagger, but just understanding that especially early on in games and especially on the road, you're going to get a team's best punch and there's times where things maybe don't go your way and you have to weather the storm a bit like we had to at Miami, Monday night at home against Atlanta, and then Carolina and then even last week a little bit, but yet you know that when it comes time for that fourth quarter to finish strong that's something we've proven we can do and hopefully we can continue to do."

McAlister Hits The Ground Running - New Orleans Saints official website

"I came in here yesterday and had a good workout, now it’s time to ready to help out any way I can,"

-Chris McAlister

"The thing I picked up as soon as I got here and got around the rest of the team was the feeling of ‘Team.’ You hear guys around here talking about ‘we’ and nobody talking is talking about themselves," McAlister said of his initial impression of the Saints. "The players have been very helpful and welcoming. I only have played for one other team, Baltimore, so I don’t know what it’s like to be in another locker room."

-Chris McAlister

"Everything has a new name, so that’s an adjustment," he said. "But at the end of the day, playing cornerback is about making plays and trying to stop the other team. This week, that’s the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How or if I will be used will be determined during the week and into the game. Everything leading up to that is getting ready for if and when my number is called."

-Chris McAlister

"I didn’t want to sign with any team just to play," McAlister said. "I wanted to join a winning team and a winning organization, unfortunately a couple guys got nicked up. But when the Saints called, I was ready. I have kept in shape and knew that I could come in and show them that I still can play and obviously I did that during my workout. I’m looking forward to helping out."

-Chris McAlister

Raheem Morris

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Q: When you put on film of the Saints this year, does number 91 stands out on defense?

A: On defense, what's impressive is how much movement you get from everybody and how active they are on defense. 91 is playing well. Charles Grant is playing well. They are all playing well up front. With that improved secondary, Tracy Porter unfortunately got hurt, a guy that I know really well and a guy that I like a lot. I don't know if it was unfortunate for me, but it was unfortunate for the Saints, but he's out and whatever happened to him I hope he gets back fast, but just the speed of the whole defense and the continuity they're playing with is just impressive.

Q: Did you guys install Josh Freeman as the starting quarterback because it's part of a rebuilding effort or because you thought he gave you guys the best chance to win right away.

A: He gives us the best chance to win. We knew that. It was his time. It was time. We went through Byron Leftwich. We didn't get a win. Byron Leftwich did a great job for us when he was out there. There were some other factors involved and then also we went to Josh Johnson. Josh gave us a chance to win at the time. Our offensive line was a little banged up and he gave us a chance to move around with his feet. Now we're back up to full strength with our o-line and we have those guys out there and with Josh Johnson in the pocket, there would be some balls on the field. We've had a little bit more success on offense, especially in the fourth quarter with the young man out there. He's doing a good job. There are going to be some growing pains. We have to be patient. We have to go through all that with him.

Q: Did his insertion add an element and something for the team to get excited about?

A: I wouldn't really use any ploys. It's Josh Freeman's team. Once we drafted him in the first round, we knew that would be the case. It was just time to unleash him and let him learn how to play this game. It was a great opportunity to get him out there to go against five games in his division that has traditionally been a great one, throughout the whole process.

Q: Can you use the word rebuilding and not offend fans?

A: I really haven't used the word rebuilding. We had a makeshift deal in the beginning here. We had a wholesale wipeout, went to a youth movement. We really wanted to win. We wanted to come out and win every week. We really felt like we could still go win against some quality and good teams like we did against Green Bay. We have to come up with those kinds of efforts every week and we put ourselves in a position last week against Miami to win. Unfortunately it didn't come out that way. We'll come out and give our best effort against a really good New Orleans Saints team.

Q: What do you know about Chris McAlister?

A: He was a great corner in Baltimore. I don't know what he's been doing recently, but I'm sure when you have that kind of background and you understand defense and understand what you want to do, he'll help the football team right away. He'll give his best effort and we look forward to seeing him coming out there and doing that.

Q: What do you know about Drew Brees? Have you been encouraged by some of his recent turnovers?

A: Are you kidding me? He doesn't make mistakes. He gives his players opportunities to catch the ball. They either catch them for him or they don't. He's the ultimate quarterback. He's kind of like a robo-quarterback so to speak. He gets the job done. He has a bunch of good guys around him like Marques Colston, who's from Hofstra, Lance Moore, some of those other guys, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem that's come along this year that's really been the guy standing out from the receiver corps, because he's the one guy I haven't seen as much due to injuries the last couple years, but he's been stepping it up this year. Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas has really carried the load as far as some of the running plays that Deuce McAllister used to do for you guys and some of the guys in the past. That offense just in general has been lights out. Everything's going the way it should go and I would expect nothing less from a Sean Paytoncoached football team.

Q: What would beating the Saints mean to your first year program?

A: That's really what we're trying to do. We're really trying to be out there as spoilers to everybody else. We were given, I don't know what the rankings were, top four in schedule if you want to talk about it being hard and those things. It's been fun. Now we have a chance to play all the best teams because at one point in this league, if you want to be good enough to compete against anybody in this league and when you can go out there and get an opportunity to play against some of these guys and get some confidence against guys like the Saints and go out there and play well, we're going to try to win the football game of course, but we want to get out there and give our best efforts enough to perform well enough to win and go out there and be our best self.

Q: Has it been a hard sell to get everybody on board or has there been a lot of enthusiasm?

A: There's been a lot of enthusiasm. I have a tough football team. Mentally tough and physically tough as well. I don't know if you watched it on tape, but these guys played hard and we haven't come out and won a lot, but they're a hard playing football team. We were really outmatched one game against the New York Giants. That was the one game where I don't feel like we competed as well as we could, but for the most after that, it has been really competitive, intense games. We just haven't come out on top as much as we'd like to. The last two weeks have been signs of where we can go and signs of what we can be. These guys are starting to buy in and do some of the positive things to do to compete at this level.

Q: Have you changed much of your defense from the previous regime?

A: The previous regime we worked with we tried to transform it a little bit to this package we're in right now. We just transformed over to it. There's not much difference. There's a lot of the same coverages, little different verbiage, different teachings and some more understanding of different things we may not have talked about before. We have all the stuff we had before. We've just added some things we needed to add from before and now we're just putting it all together. We have a bunch of young guys that have to buy into it and grow into it together and see where we can go.

Q: They say that once a rookie has made it through a number of games he's not a rookie anymore. Are you still a rookie head coach?

A: I don't' know. You have to ask my team that. I'm getting better and better every day as well. If there's something...There's no handbook for head coaching. You go into the job, you have to be your best self. What I'm doing is going out there and trying to lead men and that's my job. My job is to lead men to come in here and give our best effort and put them in a position to win.

Q: Are there any surprises to the job?

A: Not really surprises. The only thing that's different is the amount of media presentation that you have to deal with. Other than that, it's been like leading a big DB room. That's how we take it and that's how we approach. All those guys feel that way.

Q: Are there any plans to use the Wildcat against the Saints?

A: I haven't shown any wildcat on tape yet. I don't think we have any plans to use the wildcat. If we do, I'm not telling Sean Payton anyway.

Josh Freeman

From the Times-Pic

What have you learned over the course of two NFL starts?

"I've learned a lot. Whether it be learning about myself, what defenses are trying to do to me, speeding up my game to make it a little even, because sometimes there are instances like last week where I was scrambling and I felt like I had more time. Some of those d linemen ended up closing on me pretty fast and ended up stripping it out."

What have you learned about yourself?

"My preparation week to week, just what it takes to give your team a chance to win."

Does Will Smith stand out to you at all?

"Yes. They have a lot of guys that that stand out. They play a really aggressive style. They have a lot of standouts. We haven't really gotten into a ton of personnel. There's a whole lot of schemes and looking at the pressures."

Did everyone seem to be on board with the rebuilding effort?

"I guess. You have to go along with it. Everybody wants to be successful. That's the way the management is going along with it. Everybody's bought in and going in the same direction."

Was it hard for the club to go through the start to the season?

"Yes. It's always miserable when you're not winning. For me in particular, not being in the game, being on the bench and having your team lose is really tough."

What have you seen in the growth of Raheem Morris as a head coach?

"Coach Morris has done a good job. He demands respect from the team. The team respects him, and everybody plays hard for him. He's found a way to be a player's coach, but at the same time maintain the respect he has for everyone."

Have you noticed growth in him from week one to week ten in how he goes about things?

"I don't know. I don't really know what being a head coach all entails, but from what I've seen he's been doing a great job."

What additional things do you want to get better at after your first two starts?

"I definitely say fumbling. Versus Green Bay we had a fumbled snap. This week we had one where I fumbled and one where I dropped a shotgun snap. It's definitely being more ball secure."

How long did you expect to wait before playing? Did you expect to not play this season or expect to get a chance?

"I really didn't know at first going through camp because Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich, they were the showcase competition. They ended up trading Luke and moving Josh Johnson to second string. At that point, I was thinking I might get to play. Then they made the switch to Josh, played me at second string. That's when I really felt like I would get an opportunity at some point this year."

Was it everything you hoped for?

"It's definitely very emotional for me, not necessarily because it's the NFL, but because it's the thrill of competition, always trying to find a way to win and putting all you have into it."

Chris McAlister: A Baltimore Blogger's Perspective

Saintsational — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:17:47 -0000

Last night when I heard the news about the signing of cornerback Chris McAlister, I immediately shot an email to SB Nation's Ravens blogger, Bruce Raffel from Baltimore Beatdown, to try and get the inside scoop on the situation. Bruce has legitimate connections with the team, so I expect him to know his stuff. This is what he had to tell me:

Based on the problems the Ravens had a CB this year, a ton of fans around here were clamoring for his return. However the Ravens didn't want him, which should say a lot to other teams. He never bought into Coach John Harbaugh's leadership and was pretty much a distraction in the locker room, always late for practices, not following assignments and getting burned by the better WR's in the league going for the pump fake, always trying for the great pick rather than playing tight defense.

More importantly, was that he had a severe knee injury and was not thought to be healed enough to make the cuts necessary to cover. If he is healthy and in a better state of mind than he was at the end here in Baltimore, then you've got a big corner who can play real well. If not, well then you will see why no one else wanted him.

Plus I also heard he only wants to play safety and was holding out for the right money and team. Perhaps the Saints have both to offer. Good luck, we'll be watching closely.

Safety, eh? Vewy intewesting.

Saints Sign Cornerback Chris McAlister

Saintsational — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:27:08 -0000

In surprising news, the Saints signed ten-year veteran and three time Pro-Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister.

McAlister has previously played his entire NFL career in Baltimore. ESPN's John Clayton is responsible for breaking the story first, and not any of our fine local journalists right here in New Orleans who cover the team on a daily basis. Surprised?

Jeff Duncan of the Times-Pic, however, did say on Twitter that he believes Chase Daniel will be released to make room for the new cornerback.

Have heard they released Chase Daniel. We are trying to confirm

Personally, I love the move. After seeing how great the Saints can be with talented playmakers in the secondary, it's hard to go back to watching the likes of Randall Gay and Leigh Torrence. We've been spoiled. I believe this move also affirms what many of us were afraid of after watching last weeks near loss to the Rams: The Saints defense is about as good as last years without the talent of Greer, Porter and Sharper in the secondary. I think the coaching staff recognizes that and knows just how crucial it is to have a secondary that can be trusted when they want their defense to get aggressive. Glad to see that same all-or-nothing drive by the Saints front office to acquire players in a bid to finally win a Super Bowl is still alive and kicking, even in mid-season.

But just because McAlister wasn't currently playing for an NFL team doesn't mean he's already washed up. He was let go from Baltimore after having season-ending knee surgery last year but the Raven's decision to let him go also came down to money issues and cap space. We can only assume that his knee is in good shape and it's probably safe to conclude he's the better option over former Saints cornerback Mike McKenzie, also recovering from serious knee surgery. Fans should also be warned that McAlister has been known to be a bit of a bad boy, not the type of character the Saints seem to usually aim for. But, desperate times call for desperate measures by desperate teams and desperate players.

Now for the bad part. Does this mean the injuries to starting cornerbacks Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer are more serious than we believe?

Poll

The Chris McAlister signing: Good move or bad?

Great move!

609 votes

Good move.

589 votes

Bad move.

22 votes

Awful move.

8 votes

1228 votes | Poll has closed

Horse Tracks 9/18/09 - Champ & BDawk practice; Andra Davis faces his old team

Douglas A. Lee — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 11:26:22 -0000

DB - Week 2 - Thu: McDaniels - Broncos TV
Head Coach Josh McDaniels talks to the media before Thursday's practice.

DB - Spreading The Wealth - Chris Gentilviso
Kyle Orton hit 8 different receivers in Cincy; Champ and BDawk practiced yesterday.

UPDATE 9:42AM ET - DB - Thursday Injury Report - Broncos vs Browns

DPP - Moreno poised for a breakout - Jeff Legwold
Bobby Turner calls Knowshon a "complete package." The rookie RB says he's now 100% physically and has a lot to improve upon from his debut (obviously).

DPP - Marshall talks, sort of - Lindsay Jones
I just want to know how he's acting with his teammates. If he's showing up on time, practicing hard and treating his teammates and coaches with respect (I'm not declaring that he is; I have no idea), I don't care how he handles the press.

DB - Stokley Moving Forward - Zach Eisendrath

DPP - Guard Hochstein proves to be a quick study - Klis & Jones
Okay, sure. So he started despite being new to the team; but no mention of the sacks he allowed...

DPP - Q&A: Patience for hybrid running scheme - Jeff Legwold

CSG - Broncos' Marshall does end run on media questions - Frank Schwab
Whoever chose the accompanying photo has a great sense of humor (and no love for BMarsh).

AP - Marshall Talks But Doesn't Say Anything - Arnie Stapleton

KDVR - Broncos' Brandon Marshall talks, so what? - Chris Tanaka

CSG - Broncos likely to continue sharing on offense - Frank Schwab
Perhaps, but I don't think head coaches make very many honest statements midweek, mid-season.

DPP - Analysis: No love for the glove - Lindsay Jones

AP - Broncos' Davis Has Soft Spot For Browns - Tom Withers

LTC - Broncos move on from crazy win - Brian Howell

LTC - Finger shouldn’t bother Orton in Broncos’ home debut - Brian Howell

CR - McKinley grad Peterson coming into his own in Denver - Steve Doerschuk

MJ - Browns take on a familiar face in Andra Davis - Jeff Schudel

ABJ - Browns to have emotional reunion with Andra Davis - Marla Ridenour

CT - Broncos’ Davis still fond of former team - Scott Petrak

SHJ - Clemson product Dawkins adds fire to Denver defense - Eric Boynton

DPP - Spotlight: Wide receiver Eddie Royal

DPP - Numbers: Septembers to remember

DB - Telling the Stories - Gray Caldwell
A look at Jim Saccomano's newest book on the Broncos' history.

DB - Happy Birthday to the NFL - Jim Saccomano

DI - Orton living the good life - Bret Greenberg

Cleveland Plain Dealer

CPD - Cleveland Browns' Jerome Harrison making progress - Tony Grossi

CPD - Denver's a rugged trip, but Andra Davis' kids say the Browns rock - Tony Grossi

CPD - Browns RB Harrison looks good in practice - Tony Grossi

CPD - Cleveland Browns: Eric Mangini Thursday press conference

CPD - Cleveland Browns' opponent Denver Broncos roundup: Worried about Joshua Cribbs

AFC West News

NFL - Chiefs’ Cassel ‘leaps and bounds’ ahead of last week

KCS - Cassel continues to make progress - Adam Teicher

KCS - Chiefs have to prevent Raiders from converting third-down plays - Kent Babb

NFL - Tomlinson among three Chargers starters to miss another practice

SDUT - Defense had chances, couldn't cash them in - Kevin Acee

SDUT - In games, Rivers' calls to Gates are nonverbal - Kevin Acee

SFG - Raiders Silver and Black Blog : McAlister a big maybe - David White
Jokeland is considering adding veteran CB Chris McAlister, possibly to play safety.

SFC - Signs of Russell as leader - David White

NFL News

NFL - Eagles still not ruling out injured QB McNabb vs. Saints

NFL - Colts WR Gonzalez could miss up to eight weeks; Baskett signs

NFL - Mayo spotted in Pats' locker room with crutches, brace on knee

NFL - Calf injury will keep Giants DL Canty out of game vs. Cowboys

Y! - Executives against concept of pick protection - Charles Robinson
I agree. Tough noogies...

NFL Opinion

NFP - Tavern talk: Three-step dots - Mike Lombardi
Quick thoughts from Lombardi around the league.

NFL - Belichick-Ryan a matchup of defensive coaches with different styles - Gil Brandt
Brandt looks forward to comparing Ryan Clady and Joe Thomas.

SI - No-nonsense NFL coaches like Singletary, Ryan off to strong starts - John P. Lopez

FOX - NFL Truths: McKelvin deserves Bills fans' boos - Jason Whitlock

SI - Regrets anyone? Six teams wonder what might have been with Peterson - Don Banks

PFW - Ten most intriguing players of Week Two - Pat Fitzmaurice
Knowshon makes the list.

NFP - Week 2 is not short on storylines - Matt Bowen

SI - Michael Crabtree's holdout from the 49ers makes him look sillier each passing day - Michael Rosenberg

NYT - Where Would Crabtree Fall in 2010 Draft? - Toni Monkovic

CSN Reports: Chris McAlister To Sign With The Raiders

saint — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 03:29:22 -0000

The little sports news updater on CSN has been running the line that Chris McAliste r is signing with the Oakland Raiders!

UPDATE: Thanks to LiveAdam for pointing this out: CSN's WEBSITE IS REPORTING:

Comcast SportsNet Bay Area has learned the Raiders will sign former Ravens cornerback Chris McAlister. McAlister may play on Sunday in Kansas City.

Talk about the rich getting richer...snark!

I mean, the Patriots, Cowboys and Giants seem to have the most pull when it comes to getting the best players at this time of the season to fill a hole or add depth to certain packages.

This year, it looks like the Oakland Raiders just may have convinced some players around the League that playing on a good team with, THE Best Players Owner in Football, Al Davis sound attractive enough to have, reportedly, lured Chris McAlister to the AFC West's most beloved, Oakland Raiders!

I was able to find that it is hearsay from "People close to him", from the Baltimore Sun Blog, and I think that playing him at Free safety with Nnamdi, Tyvon and Chris Johnson would give us one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL to go along with Seymour, Warren, Kelly and Ellis...Am I dreaming?

Profiling the Baltimore Ravens Defense: Part One

Matt Conner — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:16:25 -0000

More photos » by Rob Carr - AP

Browse more photos »

What a welcome to the 2009 NFL season if you're the Kansas City Chiefs. The Baltimore Ravens were fantastic last year, getting within a game of the Super Bowl. In last season's magical run, the Ravens went 11-5 in the regular season and knocked off both the surprising Dolphins and mighty Titans in back to back weeks before succumbing to Mike Tomlin's Steelers. And now they look even better.

On the outside, it might not seem that way. You hear about their losses and feel a bit optimistic. The exit of defensive genius Rex Ryan to the Jets also cost the team high-caliber linebacker Bart Scott and promising safety Jim Leonhard. Three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Chris McAlister was released and, surprisingly, is still a free agent. Dominant young center Jason Brown was a prize in this year's free agent crop and he quickly left for the Rams.

But the Ravens were ready for this. The best teams always are. Each year, the winners are looted by the losers, grabbing their coordinators on both sides and their impending free agents with much more money than the mother ship ever planned on offering. The Ravens knew they couldn't keep Ryan on their sidelines forever and that they had to choose between Ray Lewis and Bart Scott. And in their plans, they've been grooming the back-ups.

More analysis after the jump:

Yet even the back-ups don't matter nearly as much as the familiar face coming back to anchor the entire defense: DT Kelly Gregg. The longtime starter for most of this decade missed all of last season due to knee surgery, but his size (315 lbs.) and unrelenting motor make him one of this decades best interior defensive linemen and the unsung hero of this defense. He teams with Haloti Ngata, Justin Bannan and Brandon McKinney (360 lbs!) to absolutely stuff the middle.

And that doesn't even touch the linebacking corps - the unit that's served as the heart and soul of this team. Ray Lewis obviously steals the stage - and rightfully so - but Terrell Suggs changes a game with his ability to rush the passer and play some coverage. Jarret Johnson quietly had five sacks on a loud team around him and should enjoy more of this year's spotlight without Scott in his way. The hopes are also for Tavares Gooden to step up, yet if not, there's that rookie pass rusher named Paul Kruger - this year's second rounder - waiting in the wings to become the next great Raven defender.

Looking for the good news if you're a Chiefs fan? That would be the secondary. Of course, there's all-world Ed Reed ever-looming and that's no small feat to overcome. But it's not like I said this was a talentless bunch. It's just that there are more question marks in the secondary than anywhere else.

Need proof? After releasing McAlister, the Ravens are turning to (mostly) career back-up Domonique Foxworth to man the position. He's always had the tools, but has never quite put it all together to be a top cover corner. Safety Dawan Landry comes back from an injury plagued 2008. The other corner, Fabian Washington, won't make anyone adjust their game plan much around him.

Thus, it's Greg Mattison's turn to take over and see what he can do with such a strong core of players, both young and old. The ole' defensive coach served in the best trenches in college for over 35 years - from Michigan to Notre Dame to Florida's 2006 championship team before head coach John Harbaugh tapped him on the shoulder to lead their linebacking corps a year ago. That silver platter position now gives him his first NFL coordinator job at the age of 60.

My guess? He'll be just fine with on-field leaders like Lewis, Reed, Trevor Pryce and Suggs. The Chiefs will learn first-hand what it's like to face such a stout group and the Chiefs defense and front office personnel would do well to learn from a group like this and see what it's like to build such a talent base. With youngsters like Brandon Flowers and Glenn Dorsey and new linemen like Alex Magee and Tyson Jackson, the Chiefs seem on their way to doing just that.

In Part Two, coming tomorrow, we'll take a closer look at how the Ravens defense matched up last year against their opponents and how the Chiefs could best utilize their talent against them.

SB Nation - Chris McAlister

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades @ Redskins

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game @ Washington?

Remi Ayodele

Sedrick Ellis

Darren Sharper

Jonathan Vilma

Chris McAlister

The Defense Was So Collectively Bad, I'd Rather Click Here and Not Pick Anyone

No one on defense impressed me, so Garrett Hartley gets the vote

*** BY REQUEST *** Robert Meachem, for his "defensive" touchdown

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades vs. Patriots

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game vs. the Patriots?

Darren Sharper

Malcolm Jenkins

Mike McKenzie

Will Smith

Roman Harper

Scott Fujita

MNF Patriots @ Saints: Malcolm Jenkins' Baptismal by Fire

Q & A with Canal Street Chronicles

Transcripts, Baby!

Sean Payton

Drew Brees

Raheem Morris

Josh Freeman

Chris McAlister: A Baltimore Blogger's Perspective

Saints Sign Cornerback Chris McAlister

The Chris McAlister signing: Good move or bad?

Great move!

Good move.

Bad move.

Awful move.

Horse Tracks 9/18/09 - Champ & BDawk practice; Andra Davis faces his old team

CSN Reports: Chris McAlister To Sign With The Raiders

Profiling the Baltimore Ravens Defense: Part One

* BY REQUEST * Robert Meachem, for his "defensive" touchdown