SB Nation - Mark Brunell

Saints @ Falcons: Time to go from Sprint Mode to Marathon Mode?

saints-nation — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:00:18 -0000

by Rob Carr - AP

10 days ago: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees throws a pass against the Washington Redskins during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Landover, Md. The Saints won 33-30 in overtime. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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Before I even touch on this matchup, I just want to say how crazy of a week it's been. After that improbable and ridiculous Redskins win we somehow managed to pull off (I'm still not quite sure how), the aftermath has been comical. By now you've all seen the TV Shot to Death video that's been circulating, and you've also seen the rise in popularity to celebrity status that The Uknown Who Dat has gotten. Funny, this "news" has been courtesy of the fan base almost entirely as the national media, relatively speaking, continues to ignore us (though the Brees appearance on Leno was nice to see). Add all these strangely funny things happening this week to the laughable underperforming play of Charles Grant, and you've got yourself the trifecta of hilarity.

Anyway, I digress, and as the Saints enter this weekend's clash against the Falcons it's time, in my opinion, to shift gears from sprint mode to marathon mode.

Saints vs Falcons coverage

Don't confuse my title for saying that I don't think the Saints should go for 16-0. I'll settle that by coming out and saying the following: If the Saints are 15-0 going into Carolina in week 17, I think Drew Brees should start the game. What I am saying is this: The ultimate goal of the Saints is winning the Super Bowl, and the less risks we take to ensure that the ultimate goal has the best chance of happening, the better.

There's a fine line between what you can and can't do when you're seeking perfection at 16-0 and winning a Super Bowl, but at this point with the division sealed up, being one win away from a first round playoff bye and having a two game lead on home field advantage with four games left, I think a slight tweak in approach is called for.There is nothing I would have changed from the approach the Saints had throughout the Redskins game. It was close, sloppy, and it saw the Saints go down two scores multiple times. They had to go for the win and give it their all. Should the same scenario happen this week at Atlanta, then they shouldn't change the approach there either.

That said, it's entirely possible with both Michael Turner and Matt Ryan likely out Sunday that the Saints could have a three posession lead in the third quarter. Yes, they had trouble against a struggling Redskins team; Yes, the defensive backfield is in shambles; Any given Sunday, that's why they play the game yada, yada, etc... I get all that. But they're also capable of blowing them out. If that happens, I saw some things in the Patriots game I would not want repeated.

At this point it's not one game at a time anymore. You have to consider what's best long term now. After Bill Belicheck quit on the Saints down 38-17, I remember thinking to myself as Mike Bell took the clock running carries: "Why not run Lynell Hamilton here. He's active..." Sure enough, Bell went limping to the sidelines and had me cursing, "You idiots!"

And who came in for Bell but Pierre Thomas. Ok, fine, Bell is the closer and you don't want to give the Patriots any new signs of life because of their pedigree. At this point, though, I would argue we have too much to lose. Kyle Eckel was about to be cut, for God's sake. Throw him to the wolves and let him run the football. If we happen to be up 21 points in the third quarter against Atlanta on Sunday, I not only want Lynell Hamilton running the ball, I want Mark Brunell handing the ball off and I want him running behind Zach Strief, Jamar Nesbit, Nick Leckey and Darnell Dinkins. I also want Usama Young, Pierson Prioleau, Marcus McCauley and Chris Reis in the defensive backfield. Yes, the Saints would potentially be exposed to a comeback but they can always put their starters back in without risking them during that potential comeback run.

I'm not saying we don't go for 16-0, but I'm saying the Saints have to be smarter about how they try to do it, and it can't be a guns blazing effort. No one here wants to see the Saints get 16-0 at the expense of the ultimate prize. Over the next four games I'm sure we'll see the Saints build a big lead at least a time or two, and I'm hopeful they've learned their lesson from how the game ended against New England. It's not one game at a time anymore, because they've clinched a playoff birth and they're about to clinch a first round bye. The Saints are now in the full blown marathon discussion, and some pacing would be smart.

Do you guys think I'm being too cautious? I'm sure there's some of you that are thinking 16-0 at all cost. I know you can't play worrying about injuries, but isn't there a difference between being scared and being smart?

Hogs Haven Chats with Canal Street Chronicles

KevinE — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:00:17 -0000

I had a chance to chat with Dave, the lead editor of the Saints' SB Nation site, Canal Street Chronicles. Below is our transcript, which covers: the Saints ability to adjust to cold weather for the first time this year, the short week, how to stop Drew Brees, and Mark Brunell. I copied/pasted pretty much as is so if there's a few typos in there, keep in mind it was a back/forth IM:

Hogs Haven: Still partying from Monday night?

Canal St Chronicles: Haha. I think I've finally come down. I did buy my NFC Championship Game tix today. Pretty exciting.

Hogs Haven: Why would you pay money to see Eagles @ Vikings?

Canal St Chronicles: Ha! Funny.

Hogs Haven: So, I think the Skins can cover (with a chance for an upset)...one of my points is that the forecast for Sunday is a HIGH of 43 degrees....last time the Saints played in cold weather they lost to the Bears week 15 last year....you think cold weather will be an issue?

Canal St Chronicles: It's definitely a concern. The Saints are a Dome team and they don't do too well in poor conditions. This years team is different, however, and one reason I think it will affect the Saints less this Sunday is the presence of a great running game they can rely on. In years past, the offense has mostly centered around Drew Brees and cold weather doesn't lend itself to the aerial attack. Now the Saints have a cold-weather run game. Besides, mentally I think this team is incredibly focused right now and Sean Payton can get them all to believe they're really playing in Palm Springs if need be.

Hogs Haven: That's my next question, they certainly have been focused, but now the win over the Pats, plus the short week, plus travelling..only means 2 days of on-field practice...can they be 100% focused?

Canal St Chronicles: Yeah. That's not something I'm really worried about. The Saints are in uncharted territory here and I don't think anyone wants to be the guy responsible for screwing it up. The players are having fun out there but they are extremely focused. Payton comes from the Parcells/Belichick school of coaching. He's also focused heavily on keeping only players with good character.

Hogs Haven: So does that mean Payton told Reggie Bush to break up with kim Kardashian?

Canal St Chronicles: They're back together. Don't you read Perez Hilton. Geez.

Hogs Haven: which is why I guess reggie bush doesn't play anymore.

Canal St Chronicles: Oh man, you're gonna make me talk about Reggie, huh?

Hogs Haven: The question of the hour...how do we stop Drew Brees?

Canal St Chronicles: I would try to gameplan an incredibly aggressive pass rush.I tell this to bloggers every week:

Bring pressure early, often and always. Teams have got to bring constant pressure on Drew Brees. From all different angles. Confuse the hell out of him and always keep your hands up at the line. And lastly, do it for the full sixty minutes. Don't quit. That was exactly what wound up being the downfall of the 2007 Patriots but it took a while for teams to figure it out. Sooner or later some coach is actually going to listen to me and it's going to work. You watch.

Hogs Haven: Seriously, is anyone worried that Brunell is your only backup?

Canal St Chronicles: Nobody is really worried. And honestly, during his pre-season work Brunell has looked surprisingly competent.

Hogs Haven: Oh man, Hogs Haven is gonna love that quote. He couldn't throw the ball over 25 yards by the time he left...but he will forever be a hero for his miracle in Dallas on MNF.

Hogs Haven: Anything the Skins can exploit in your defense?

Canal St Chronicles: I think offenses can exploit the inside running game as you said earlier. The Saints did get back their starting defensive tackle, Sedrick Ellis, so they should play better from here on out. But the Skins will need to continue to attack the inside, which becomes tough if the team is playing from behind. You definitely don't want to get behind the Saints.

Hogs Haven: I haven't talked to a Lousiania native in awhile, how is the Katrina recovery? Is it in a "best it will ever get stage" or are things still progressing?

Canal St Chronicles: It's pretty good. I think the city will be better off in the long run. Of course there are still little reminders or issues that people are still dealing with but for the most part, it's now in the past.

What do you think? The best way to keep the Saints from running up the score is by keeping the offense on the field. Running Rock and Gainther up the middle will be very important.

One thing is clear, when I watch the game Sunday, the Redskins D-line better have their hands in the air every passing play. Drew Brees is not a tall guy, so Phillip Daniels, Hanyesworth, and Andre Carter have a lot of opportunities to tip some balls.

The Future of Matt Hasselbeck is the Future of the Seattle Seahawks, Pt. 1

John Morgan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:47:55 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Wheeler - AP

Every plan has risk. Investing in Matt Hasselbeck is the quickest path towards competing again. It also risks the longest, most painful path towards competing again.

Browse more photos »

Last post for a few days. Enjoy the holiday if you celebrate. I know I can't count my blessings with every bone in a newborn baby's body.

This is the first in a multipart series examining how Seattle can determine its future by determining its quarterback of the future. The second part should be up on black Friday.

The Matt Hasselbeck Plan

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Matt Hasselbeck started the season 25 of 36 for 279 yards. He wasn't well ahead or living on RAC. He wasn't Admiral Checkdown commanding the Y-wings to martyr themselves against the turrets of the opposing defense's Death Star. Hasselbeck was a capable quarterback, leading his team back from his own blunders to a shutout slaying of the St. Louis Rams.

Then Hasselbeck dropped his deflector shields and threw himself bodily down the 49ers exhaust shaft and towards the team's reactor core. He was stopped short by Patrick Willis' superlaser elbow smash.

Everything that has followed has sucked. Broken down Hasselbeck is not much more valuable than General Sack-Himself, Seneca Wallace. Hasselbeck has had broken ribs, and still suffers from a throwing-shoulder injury of unknown origin. The injuries, we must conclude, have taken their toll.

When Shaun Alexander slowed, his decline was inexorable. The smartest, most skilled back in the world can not overcome zero burst and swampfooted cutting ability. Hasselbeck and his fans are enduring a more complicated but no less painful decline. Unlike Alexander, Hasselbeck is not cooked, done, debilitated and embarrassing himself.

Matt Hasselbeck could recover and be a good quarterback again. His marginal arm strength is likely to decline, but not so badly he can no longer make his bread and butter mid-range throws. Hasselbeck can not do that today, but when he's healthy, he can.

In this plan, Seattle accepts what it has and does not have at quarterback. It sticks with Hasselbeck and attempts to build itself around what he can do. It improves the line and run game to keep Hasselbeck healthy and keep Hasselbeck viable when he is inevitably injured. Tim Ruskell continues to build the defense towards elite.

The plan might be enacted thus:

Rework and extend Hasselbeck's contract in the offseason. This will free immediate cap dollars and preempt a quarterback controversy.

Cut Patrick Kerney and Walter Jones.

Be players in free agency and in the trade market. Target undervalued backs from teams with depth, and attempt to buy elite free agents like Julius Peppers, Elvis Dumervil, Carlos Rogers and Richard Seymour. Seattle is no longer an attractive destination for players that want to win, but Paul Allen's money is no less green.

Approach the draft from a best talent available standpoint, but understand the need for talent at offensive line, running back and potentially wide receiver.

Tap Mike Teel as the long term replacement, or acquire young talent to contest him for the position.

How it works: Hasselbeck regains arm strength as his health improves, but, more importantly, Hasselbeck the signal caller comes to fore as Hasselbeck the quarterback recedes. The team builds around Hasselbeck's intelligence at the position and compensates for his deteriorating tools.

The Seahawks continue to redefine themselves as a defense-minded team. It doesn't panic and pour resources into the offense, attempting to remake an elite offense around a quarterback not capable of helming such an attack, but buttresses the offense and improves and stabilizes the offensive line. The Seahawks young talent gels, perhaps pushed over the top by a Peppers, Berry or Dunlap, and begins a run of dominance over a still very weak NFC West. If things break right, one February night in the coming decade, Robert dies of joy. We spread his ashes accross Qwest hiding our barely stifled smiles.

How it fails: Hasselbeck is never fully free of routine football abuse and therefore never free of debilitating injuries. The team invests in Matt Hasselbeck's skills and leadership and get Trent Green, Jake Delhomme, Mark Brunell, etc: A once very good quarterback at his body's end. The discord on offense prevents major gains by a talented defense, or, what gains are made, are wasted because of the Seahawks untenably bad offense.

Having invested in Hasselbeck and otherwise ignored the quarterback position, the team is stuck between stations, improving on defense as the offense crumbles--seasons away from any chance of renewal. Seattle spends its coming seasons betwixt good and bad, often settling into mediocre, but never a true contender. The upshot: The Seahawks can't collapse enough to rebuild.

Pour Some Sugar On Me - Roger Goodell Establishes What the Fine Will Be If Dan Snyder Does Not Fire Vinny Cerrato

Sugar — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:45:10 -0000

In case you missed it, the Tennessee Titans owner was filmed giving Buffalo Bills fans the ol' bird from his perch on Sunday. If you aren't a Bills player, fan or employee--or Roger Goodell--you probably laughed your ass off. Goodell dropped a $250,000 fine on Bud Adams today...which leads me to my headline...because if Snyder does not fire Cerrato, he will be essentially flipping the entire Redskins fanbase the middle finger, and should be fined at least the same $250,000 amount.

Ten Yard Fight - 10 Chances To Make One Good Point

It's Dallas Week, so this week, instead of covering the league, I got 10 great memories of involving the hated Cowgirls. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it any particular order. Feel free to add to this collection in the comments section below.

1) Darryl Grant's catch of a Dexter Manley tipped ball and subsequent touchdown in the NFC Championship game in 1982. It is one of my earliest memories of watching the Redskins period. I was barely 5 years old. The win over the despicable Cowgirls put us in the Super Bowl and the television images of RFK rocking are burned into my brain. Box score here.

2) Lavar Arrington tracking down Troy Aikman and sending him to the broadcasting booth. I admit this is kind of a macabre memory to love, but this one is great for multiple reasons. First, after so many Sundays of getting burned by Aikman over the years, it was satisfying (and fitting) that it be the Redskins that ended his career. Guys like him would and could play forever but they usually get knocked out of the league. Troy made the right decision to retire and as it turns out, he is one hell of a television broadcaster. He is generally fair and even-handed when he calls Redskins games, though since he is on the "A" team for Fox, we have rarely gotten him over the years.

3) Darrell Green's last game as a Redskin. The miserable Cowgirls were in complete disarray that week. Dave Campo's job was in question and the players on his sideline had completely phoned it in. We probably had no business beating that team but they were so obviously out of sorts it was hardly a contest. Both teams finished with losing records that year, but the going away present everyone wanted to give Darrell was a home victory over the pitiful Cowgirls. Box score here.

4) Brunell to Moss twice in the 4th quarter on Monday Night Football. I sat in stunned silence as the seconds ticked away in a loss that most likely was going to cost us the season. I was at a bar in Bethesda and as some of my buddies were ready to roll, I told them I kind of had to watch the end of this one. I had to witness the final whistle on my hopes for the season. The first touchdown to Moss was fun, but that feeling in my stomach that it was too little, too late was impossible to ignore. Then...no way...a seconddeep ball to Moss? With the lead in hand now, I was left to ponder the sick joke being played on us all that night: we come all the way back in the last minute only to lose to a field goal at the last second. The ensuing defensive stop was awesome, and everyone went crazy. Every car on the street was honking and every passerby was high-fiving. Box score here.

5) I would like to take this moment to remember a few moments from the pathetic Cowgirls' history that did not involve the Skins. Both were playoff games, and both put BIG smiles on my face. The first was back in 1998, in a playoff game against the Cardinals. Jake "The Snake" Plummer led the Cards to a huge win over Dallas. I might be mistaken, but it could have been their first playoff victory. Have the Cowgirls won a playoff game since then? Maybe they have, but I am not so sure. The second moment was more recent. When the Cowgirls had the game in hand against the Seahawks in the 2006-2007 playoffs, Romo was set to hold for a game-winning field goal. The rest is not only history, it created a whole new vocabulary. In prison, they now say, "Don't 'Romo' the soap!" I tell my two year old not to "Romo" his bottle. Cell phone users hate it when their calls are "Romo'ed".

6) The blocked field goal/Sean Taylor return a few years ago. It was a pretty classic slugfest but with the score tied 19-19, we found ourselves on defense with the low-life Cowgirls driving to put it away on the leg of Mike Vanderjagt. I remember it all too well...Jason Witten absolutely abusing Adam Archuleta for a huge gainer to set up the last-second kick. Once again, I found myself sitting in my seat awaiting the inevitable. I did not have the best angle to see the block, and once that ball was loose, it was tough to tell who had the ball. But then there was #21, making his way for the game-winner. Everyone was going nuts...but even within the moment, I knew it was overtime, since the clock was ticking down to zero during the play. Sean Taylor's head-whip was visible from my seat. It was an obvious call. When the referee announced we were going to have one more play from the end of the penalty, it was as if he actually announced, "Everyone is going to get laid." Nick Novak...47 yards...ball game. Box score here.

7) Darrell Green chasing down Tony Dorsett on Monday Night Football. This one I did not see live. I have seen it a million times though and it always makes me gawk. Forget the game itself...in one moment, one of the greatest running backs in the league was shown to be very mortal, and an unknown, undersized cornerback put himself on the map forever.

8) Jason Buck pushing the center into Troy Aikman, forcing the fumble and the ensuing Emmitt Smith gaffe that led to the Danny Copeland touchdown. I believe it was the season opener, on Monday Night Football with Mark Rypien under center for the Skins. I was a hot pretzel vendor at RFKstadium in high school and I had a knack for making sure I was selling pretzels in a section with the best view of the action on the field. On this play, I was actually behind the end zone that the Cowgirls were playing out of, and I saw the whole thing unfold. Jason Buck lined up over the Dallas center and on the snap, he bullrushed the dude right into Troy Aikman who never had a chance. Emmitt Smith made a huge bonehead error by not covering the ball (did he try and throw it or just muff it?) and we recovered for the touchdown. Only thing is, the refs never saw any of it. Danny Copeland, who had recovered the ball for the touchdown, had run almost to midfield celebrating. The refs were still looking in the pile of linemen for the ball. Everyone was yelling and pointing at Copeland, who then ran back and showed the refs the ball. I remember thinking, "Are they just going to take his word in this?" We beat the sad-sack Cowgirls handily, but that was pretty much the end of the "good old days" era. I think that was Richie Petitbon's debut? Box score here.

9) Cooley's 3 TD performance in 2005 to propel us to the playoffs. Mark Brunell threw four total touchdown passes in a game where we absolutely dominated the detestable Cowgirls. It was one of the best games I have ever been to at FedEx. Drew Bledsoe threw three interceptions and Clinton Portis ran for 112 yards to go along with the studly performance from Cooley. Box score here.

10) I'll make this one last since I know that the wretched Cowgirls were barely trying, but in November of 2007, we grabbed the final NFC playoff spot by holding Marion Barber to -1 rushing yards and the entire team to only 1 yard rushing. They actually brought Tony Romo back out for a series in the second half but quickly removed him to prevent a certain injury. Our defense was incredibly nasty that day. Box score here.

On these, I certainly stand to be corrected on any facts I may have misstated. I am very aware of some of the older games played between the two teams that featured such greats as Ken Houston, Sonny Jurgensen, Charley Taylor...I am hopeful that those of you out there who saw these games firsthand will share your memories.

Give Me The Numbers, STAT!

PSSOM Notes...Well last week I pulled for Jim Zorn to be given another year and we had quite the lengthy discussion about it. Nothing quite as controversial about this week's edition I'm afraid. It seems though that some of my article titles are not getting through to folks. Seriously, the fact that even one person "corrected" the Animal House reference yesterday is embarrassing. Last week, one poor soul didn't get the Def Leppard reference in the title of this weekly piece (this marks the 14th edition of the PSSOM series.) We need to do better. Finally, we have to stay positive after the big win and prior to the showdown in Dallas, but we can't just forget altogether the joke of a front office we have. If we reserve all commentary on that subject for losing weeks we not only come off as whiners, we become no better than mindless kittens, distracted by the ball of yarn that is each win. I'll keep it simple and I'll keep the message on point. The following list represents a possible example of a good front office--do your own compare and contrast with Vinny Cerrato's reign of terror:

Notable First Round Draft Picks

1996 - T Jonathan Ogden
LB Ray Lewis
1997 - LB Peter Boulware
1999 - CB Chris McAllister
2000 - RB Jamal Lewis
2001 - TE Todd Heap
2002 - S Ed Reed
2003 - LB Terrell Suggs
QB Kyle Boller
2005 - WR Mark Clayton
2006 - DT Haloti Ngata
2007 - G Ben Grubbs
2008 - QB Joe Flacco
2009 - T Michael Oher

By the way, I counted and these men have combined for 39 Pro Bowls. That does not include any from Haloti Ngata, who will get his fair share I am sure. I don't particularly care for the Ravens, but Ozzie Newsome is simply a class act. Every pick may not be a Hall of Famer, but only one of these guys didn't pan out (Boller). You want to hear the worst part? They have a stated rule that every year they draft at least one offensive lineman. Now, I don't know how that has worked out each year, but holy crap is that a refreshing philosophy.

Image via www.shwiggie.com

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades @ Miami Dolphins

saints-nation — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:00:28 -0000

by J. Pat Carter - AP

View full size photo »

Below are the grades for the Saints' defensive players and special teams @ Miami. The grade represents the player's performance in the game, and the GPA represents the player's cumulative grade for the season.

Saints vs Dolphins recap

Saints vs Dolphins boxscore

Will Smith: C (2.56) Smith disrupted the Dolphins' passing attack on occasion with nice pass rushes, but he was quieter than usual. Facing off with emerging superstar Jake Long was no easy task. He finished with just 1 tackle and a tipped pass, but did knock down Chad Henne a couple times.

Charles Grant: C- (2.33) Grant regressed a little from his stellar form of late. Just 1 tackle in the game and he was mostly neutralized on passing downs. He did a good job of holding his ground on running plays, especially against the wildcat, but I didn't see the hustle from him that had become such a pleasant surprise this season.

Bobby McCray: D (2.07) When he played, he literally did nothing. He hasn't had the kind of pressure on passing downs that I hoped he would have this season. Hopefully he can have a breakout game soon because I know for a fact he is capable of better.

Anthony Hargrove: A- (2.40) Speaking of breakout games, it's sad to say it but the Saints almost benefited from Sedrick Ellis going down to injury. From the second Hargrove stepped into a full time role, he dominated. He registered two sacks, including one where he completely ran over the left guard and pushed his way into Henne. He also dropped Ronnie Brown for a loss on a running play and ended with 4 tackles. With Ellis injured, expect more playing time for Hargrove and hopefully more big plays.

Sedrick Ellis: B- (2.78) Too bad he went down with a sprained knee, he's a big part of what the Saints do defensively. He had 3 tackles and provided good push and pressure up the middle. Hopefully he can come back quickly, his injury does not sound like a season ender but could linger a while.

Remi Ayodele: B- (2.34) Pretty good game from Ayodele. At times he played the wildcat masterfully and at others he was pushed around by the Dolphins' line. He ended with 4 tackles and was present up the middle. The Dolphins did convert twice on 3rd and short, running right at Ayodele with fullback Lousaka Polite.

Scott Shanle: B+ (3.11) Shanle was blown up a couple times by a lead block on running plays and he was manhandled out of position on the 68 yard touchdown run by former Saint Ricky Williams. Other than those plays, he was his usual solid self in run support and pass defense, and tackled as good as always. He finished with 6 tackles, including one in the backfield for a loss. His biggest play was a HUGE fumble recovery before halftime that led to a big touchdown. That fumble recovery was the start of the big momentum shift.

Jonathan Vilma: A (2.95) Vilma was pretty much dominant throughout. He was constantly in the backfield and all over the field making tackles. This was by far Vilma's best game of the season and he ended with 10 tackles (3 for losses). He stopped a run on 3rd and short absorbing a big block and standing his ground before laying a vicious tackle, getting the Saints the ball back when they needed it badly. His tackling ability was stellar all day and he was on point. Great to see him play that way. After that long Ricky Williams touchdown run, you saw very few successful plays by the Dolphins on the ground and that was largely due to Vilma's presence.

Jabari Greer: B+ (3.61) Per usual, he was helpful in run support and very good in pass defense. He jumped a flag route beautifully but let a sure interception go through his hands. 4 tackles and 2 passes defended. Could Greer be inching close to the "lockdown corner" label? Maybe not, but at the least he's VERY good.

Tracy Porter: B+ (3.11) Porter had a couple egregious plays overshadowed by his tremendous plays. He had 9 tackles and was picked on often with mixed results. He defended 3 passes, including a deep ball that was played perfectly and a tipped pass into the hands of Darren Sharper that set up a 42 yard touchdown return. Porter took a horrible angle on Ricky Williams' long touchdown run and he played a slant route poorly that resulted in a 67 yard pass to Brian Hartline. Porter did show impressive aggression on his hits and impressive speed catching up to Hartline at the Saints' 5 yard line. Ultimately his most memorable play was the game sealing 54 yard interception return for a touchdown. The Saints are lucky to have such a good young corner.

Randall Gay: B- (3.09) Randall Gay was victimized on the Dolphins' first third down conversion pass of the game covering Davone Bess. While it was clear on the replay that Bess dropped the pass, the replay booth magically "malfunctioned" during the Saints' challenge. Suspect at best. Gay had 3 tackles. Nothing special, no big mistakes.

Roman Harper: B- (3.17) Harper laid some big hits but over-pursued a lot. He didn't play the wildcat perfectly, but he was active. He finished with 4 tackles, but misplayed two of the short touchdown runs. His grade could have been worse, but he forced the fumble before halftime that Shanle recovered.

Darren Sharper: A- (3.28) Sharper stepped up and made some plays in the running game, and had yet another interception run back for a touchdown. That's 6 interceptions in 6 games, and 3 touchdowns. That guy is incredible, and he's having a Pro Bowl season. He finished with 4 tackles including a terrific open field tackle on Ronnie Brown. The one bad play was a bad angle on the long pass play to Hartline, but overall Sharper was solid.

Troy Evans: C (1.67) Evans filled in for Fujita and was attacked on running plays often. Luckily, Vilma moved well sideline to sideline and helped the Saints defense immensely. Evans finished with 2 tackles and he was quiet. He seemed a little lost at times in the Saints' complex defense, but didn't have any serious errors.

Jo-Lonn Dunbar: C+ (2.33) Dunbar was subbed in often for Evans in the second half and did some nice things, especially in pass coverage. On Ronnie Brown's pass to Fasano he laid a nice hit to make sure the ball fell incomplete once Fasano bobbled it. He had 2 tackles as well, and I'm thinking he might be a better option than Evans if Fujita needs to miss another game. Ultimately Dunbar didn't play enough or do enough to earn a better grade.

John Carney: B- (2.72) I was really impressed by the 46 yarder that Carney hit early on. It was right down the middle and had some distance. I thought to myself, "he's going to get an A today". He missed from 50 later on just a little wide, but had nice distance on the kick - hard to blame him for that one. He missed an extra point but it was largely Mark Brunell's fault for bobbling the snap. Still, 2 missed extra points in 6 games is inexcusable. The Saints need to get that rectified immediately because it left them up 6 points late in the game and potentially exposed to a loss if the Dolphins had gotten into the end zone. He did bounce back to hit a chip shot that extended the lead to 6.

Thomas Morstead: A- (3.22)
Morstead had a bad punt early that went 35 yards and still got a 14 yard return from Davone Bess. Besides that weak effort he was very solid, including a big 53 yarder from the end zone to get his team out of trouble that was aided by a terrific Courtney Roby tackle. He averaged 45.7 yards per punt on 3 punts, and the Saints yielded 8.7 yards per return on 3 returns. Most importantly he gave the Dolphins no chance at a kickoff return late with 3 straight kickoffs for touchbacks. He did have a kickoff out of bounds, but I'll give him a pass on that since the game was out of reach after the Porter touchdown.

Courtney Roby: B+ (2.67) Roby finally broke a kick return free, returning it 87 yards. While that was a big play that got the Saints right back into the game after going down 7-0, he was caught from behind and he spiked the ball resulting in a 5 yard penalty. Overall his returning the rest of the way was perfectible. The punt coverage play mentioned above where he hit Ted Ginn Jr. for a 2 yard loss following a 53 yard punt was one of the better kick coverage plays of the season.

Defensive Player of the Game: Jonathan Vilma
Special Teams Player of the Game: Thomas Morstead

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game?

Jonathan Vilma

303 votes

Tracy Porter

35 votes

Darren Sharper

135 votes

Anthony Hargrove

52 votes

Jabari Greer

18 votes

Scott Shanle

5 votes

548 votes | Poll has closed

Canal Street Chronicles: Fleur-di-Links 8.12.09

Saintsational — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:00:29 -0000

Twitter

reggie_bush Ok I bowled terrible today I'm embarrassed to even put my scores up. 100 and 175...first game was a warm up! Lol! I think?

Harp41 Bowling was fun!

CPT23 Hard day of hitting today - I'm ready to hit another team! Who's with me? Who Dat!

NFLprguy We r going 2 announce tmrw plans 2 kick off NFL season 9/10 in Pittsburgh w/ huge free concert b4 game and other events

jeffduncantp An addendum to earlier posts about D. Brooks. He's in town tonight, will work out tomorrow. I predict he signs & is at practice tomorrow.

SupaFreak69 Gettin ready for the Bengals to come in town...why must people shout loudly bout wat they know not....I tell ya what I Love training camp.

jeffduncantp FYI: Saints are $4.9 million under the salary cap so signing Brooks won't be a money issue.

jeffduncantp My guess: He'll take Simoneau's spot. Reserve WLB/MLB in 4-3, w/1st unit inside in 3-4. @BigandEasy Jeff, will Brooks start?

GregBensel afternoon practice, originally scheduled for outside and open to fans has been moved indoors and is closed; roy jones jr will visit camp

Linkage

Derrick Brooks would be a good fit for the New Orleans Saints - Times-Pic

New Orleans Saints' Reggie Bush has time to turn career around - Sports Illustrated

Notes from New Orleans Saints practice Tuesday - Times-Pic

PLAY OF THE DAY

After dropping a beautifully thrown pass from Harrington, who laid it over tight coverage from a cornerback, veteran tight end Billy Miller made a circus catch on a pass thrown by Mark Brunell. Miller made a diving grab against linebacker Anthony Waters for a 22-yard completion.

New Orleans Saints left tackle Jammal Brown wants to improve on run blocking - Times-Pic

"Face it: he has the toughest job on the offensive line," Saints line coach Aaron Kromer said. "We just threw for 5,000 yards and he plays left tackle. We drop back and throw the football a lot, and sometimes we were down by a couple touchdowns and everybody knew it, and they took off pass-rushing.

"And to be honest, Jammal Brown did a really nice job of pass protecting, and that's what you're asking your left tackle to do."

-Aaron Kromer

"Of course if you make the Pro Bowl one time, then anything less than that is not as good as you had," Brown said. "So I think my situation, once you reach that high bar, you've got to get back to that, but personally you've got goals, and my goals are for sure playoffs first, and then get to a Super Bowl. Then personal things fall after that."

-Jammal Brown

"Look at what we did that year," Brown said. "We came in after the hurricane year, and were one game away (from the Super Bowl). That playoff game against the Eagles was what, the first win or the second win ever? So that's special to the fans here and the city and to us, so I'd say that's been the proudest of my years."

-Jammal Brown

"He's absolutely one of the top guys in the league, athletic-wise, and strength-wise, he's getting there," Smith said. "And he's a well-conditioned guy. You know, I love going up against him because I know not too many guys I'm going to play against on Sunday are actually going to have that much energy and that much quickness like him."

-Will Smith

"You can get on him and tell him exactly what you want, and he can take it right to the field," Payton said. "He's more of a quiet leader. I think he's got the respect of his teammates because of how he plays, but he's not necessarily going to be the guy up in front of the group talking all the time."

-Sean Payton

Video

Audio

Sports Talk...Unplugged with Kenny Wilkerson

Quarterback Competition Heats Up

Saintsational — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

4 months ago: New Orleans Saints quarterback Mark Brunell (11) passes during a scrimmage at the club's NFL football training camp in Metairie, La., Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009. The Saints held an afternoon scripted scrimmage. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

Browse more photos »

While Drew Brees was out of town this weekend dealing with the recent death of this mother, Saints fans got an all too realistic look (not literally) during the Black & Gold scrimmage of what life might be like without the greatest quarterback in the league. I shudder just thinking about it, really. The truth is as long as Brees is healthy, the battle for the spot behind him is fairly meaningless. But in the event of what would be a worst case scenario - a season-ending injury to Drew - who will be considered...[Dr. Evil voice] Number Two?

The great news is that both Mark Brunell and Joey Harrington are capable options. Harrington has plenty of experience as a starting quarterback in the NFL, though much of his play could be considered sub-par. However, an argument could be made that his lack of on-field success is due to the poor talent around him. Mark Brunell, on the other hand, is a proven veteran with three Pro-Bowls and nine seasons as a starter. Though the retiring of Brett Favre (finally!) makes Brunell the oldest active quarterback in the league, he's still got what it takes to lead an offense.

So far the news from training camp regarding both quarterbacks has been positive. They each took advantage of Drew's absence during Saturdays Black & Gold scrimmage, Brunell in particular, while Harrington was the star of Friday mornings practice. So who will be deemed worthy of being Drew Brees' Number Two? Brunell is currently running with the second team during practice and I personally feel that's the way it should and will remain. His experience and track record of success make him the obvious choice as second in command. But does Harrington have a chance to beat out Brunell this summer? Who do you think should be taking snaps in the absence of Brees? Will the Saints even keep three quarterbacks? Let's hear your thoughts. Talk it out.

Poll

Who do you think should be the Saints second in command?

Mark Brunell

357 votes

Joey Harrington

214 votes

571 votes | Poll has closed

Saints Training Camp Update: Black and Gold Scrimmage

Saintsational — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:54:02 -0000

News from the Black & Gold Scrimmage is beginning to trickle in. Here is all of your linkage, video, twittering and what not. It ought to keep you satisfied for the rest of the evening.

Twitter

LastMango1 Black and Gold going indoors...

SupaFreak69 Gettn haircut...then scrimmage aftawards. Why is the weather lik fla

CPT23 On that dailiy grind and loving it!

JeremyShockey on my way to the B&G scrimmage give you update later twitts.... enjoy your saturday...

jeffduncantp No progress in Jenkins talks. Both sides dug in. Don't expect a breakthrough anytime soon. Brian Allee-Walsh will file report in Sunday T-P

jeffduncantp Simoneau (right elbow) is lone injury from scrimmage. Chip Vaughn has minor meniscus tear in knee. Further test, evals needed on both

SupaFreak69 oh my....my first week bak in pads...not too bad..gotta learn to be poise. My energy can be a negative..gotta stay onsides...but was gud

SupaFreak69 Oh yeah i luv new orleans. We goin all da way:-)

Linkage

Saints Wrap Up Week with Black and Gold Scrimmage - New Orleans Saints official website

"It was good to get out there and get in a game type situation," said Colston. "Mark made some nice throws and I was able to make some plays, so that feels good."

-Marques Colston

Black and Gold Notes - New Orleans Saints official website

Unofficial statistics, recap from New Orleans Saints' Black and Gold Scrimmage - Times-Pic

Injury report from New Orleans Saints Black and Gold scrimmage - Times-Pic

Offense strikes first, but defense strikes back in New Orleans Saints' Black and Gold Scrimmage - Times-Pic

Colston, turnovers highlight Black & Gold scrimmage - NewOrleans.com

"You just want to make as many big plays as you can. That's what the receiver group is out here to do," said Colston. "There was a lot of effort on the field. That's first and foremost. We've got to clean up some technique things. That's why we are out here practicing every day. I think we got better today,"

-Marques Colston

"It's definitely good to line up and change things up, to have an opportunity to get competitive reps. It was a good scrimmage,"

-Marques Colston

Video

Jeff Duncan's New Orleans Saints training camp video log, Day 10 (Aug. 10, 2009)

Sean Payton Press Conference Transcript

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Opening Statement:

"We held Reggie Bush out, Adrian Arrington, Lance Moore, Stanley Arnoux, Dan Campbell,Randall Gay, Darren Sharper, Chip Vaughn - those are the people we held out. Drew Brees was excused for a family matter. Mark Simoneau dinged his elbow and we'll take a look at it. He was really the only injury that came up today during the scrimmage. We'll have a chance to examine it and see where he's at. Reggie is fully healthy and would've been ready to go; we just held him out and looked at some of these other backs. Adrian Arrington is getting close; Lance Moore is certainly close; Arnoux we know about; Dan Campbell - we're still waiting to see when that swelling can calm down some; Randall Gay should be practicing on Monday; Darren Sharper will be practicing on Monday; Chip Vaughn - we're waiting to see on this. He has a little meniscus tear. It's not real big but it has caused some swelling and some knee pain and we'll have to examine it further."

Which knee is it on Vaughn?

"It's his left knee."

Is Tracy Porter alright?

"He should be fine. He just had a tight hamstring, but he went through most of the day."

What did you think of the quarterback play out there today?

"Both of those guys kept rolling with the ones, the twos and the threes and I think they did a good job of getting in and out of the huddle."

Was that the first time you've used Carl Nicks at tackle?

"At the very end, we wanted to give him about five snaps just to see how he would do. You're always trying to look for another position for these linemen. When you go into a game and you're dressing seven or eight offensive lineman, you have to have a couple guys that can swing. He played left tackle in college so we gave him about five snaps of work, maybe a little bit more. We'll see how he did on the film."

Were you pleased with the turnovers forced by the defense?

"I'm anxious to look at the tape. It's a two-fold deal when you ask the head coach - when we put it on the ground, you're disappointed offensively but you took it away defensively and that's a positive. The fumble by Mike Bell was discouraging because it looked like he just didn't have it put away cleanly. But I thought we made some plays on the ball defensively, which was encouraging."

How do you feel about this team after the first 10 days of camp?

"I'm pleased with the progress but we have a long way to go."

Do you think you've made a lot of improvement defensively?

"Yes, I think we're making improvement. We'll get a chance to see. That's the beauty of playing these games - we're going to get a chance to see this week against Cincinnati, we're going to get a chance to see each week. But I do think we're improving. I think we have a little bit more depth at some of the key spots and we've talked about that already. I'm encouraged about what I'm seeing."

Are you reaching that point where you need to play against someone else besides yourself to see what the flaws are?

"I don't know that we're in the dog days of training camp now. We're just into it a week now. We've had a good balance of being outside and coming in here. The guys are fighting through some of the nicks and I think they have handled the installation so far. We have a lot of work ahead of us and I think our players understand that as well. It's a day by day thing and we haven't even gotten into the preseason schedule. I think our players are looking forward to a little time here - really half-a-day. We'll watch this film with them tomorrow, we'll grade it, we'll meet tomorrow evening, and then we'll go back at it Monday with two practices."

What did you think of Mark Brunell today?

"Both he and Joey Harrington did a good job. It was good to get them a lot of work and I thought that both of them handled it well."

How do you think P.J. Hill and Herb Donaldson did today?

"I've said there are about three guys that not a lot of people know about that we really like. Herb and P.J. are guys that we signed and Lynell Hamilton is a guy that we've had who was in their place a year ago. I like what I've seen from the running back group as a whole this whole camp. I'm pleased with that position group. We'll just keep evaluating the tape, looking at the good things and correcting the mistakes, but I thought those guys ran hard."

Can you assess how the defensive backs played?

"I'll have to see the tape. I'm paying more attention to the offense initially as I'm calling it. We got our hands on some balls. Roman Harper made a nice play on the ball. Outside at corner, we got our hands on a few balls. I thought that was encouraging."

Is it important to score in a scrimmage like this?

"You get competitive and you saw towards the end there even with the third group - both offensively and defensively - the players were getting into it and they wanted to see a stop defensively or a touchdown offensively. To some degree, I think it is. It's a game of winners and losers. It's not a game of ‘let's all go home - it was equal.' You're constantly measuring your success or your failure and that's the game."

Chris Reis seems like he can make plays rushing the passer. Is he more than a special teams player?

"He's obviously a guy who has been a core special teams player for us, but he's also a safety and I think he's probably had his best camp since he's been here as a safety. He has a pretty good grasp of what they're doing. He does a pretty good job with his disguise in coverage. He's done some real good things. I know collectively you see it on tape. I'm encouraged with a player like that who gives you versatility and given you glimpses of it on tape."

Will Mark Simoneau get an X-ray or MRI?

"Yes, they'll MRI his elbow."

Do you have any idea what the injury might be specifically yet?

"No. It's sore and they'll have to take a look at it."

Will Reggie Bush get a certain amount of snaps in the preseason?

"He'll get a measured amount. We'll be smart. He'll get some carries. I want to keep looking at these other guys behind him, but he'll get some snaps. How much, we'll see."

Are you concerned with Reggie's health right now?

"No, I feel pretty good about his health right now. I feel real good about the camp he's having. I want to continue to feel that way. I'm encouraged about where he's at right now. He's fine. You watch him out here at practice when he's out there and you watch him run. I feel positive about it, but just want to monitor it."

Can you talk about the day Garrett Hartley had?

"He had a good day today. The key is the snap-hold timing. I think Jason's (Kyle) doing a good job of that, getting acclimated along with the cadence to whoever's holding, whether it's Mark (Brunell) or Joey (Harrington). That's encouraging."

How did you think Marques Colston played?

"Early on he got his hands on about three touches and about three balls. He did a good job of coming up with the catch and getting his hands on the ball."

Can you talk about working with the officials? Did they call it like they would in a game?

"I told them to call it if it's something they see and let's watch it on film and get it corrected and not ignore it. There are some things that we can clean up. I think it was a good three days for our guys. It always is. Oftentimes, you have a lot of questions. I thought it went pretty smooth."

Are the players off tomorrow?

"They have a meeting in the afternoon and meetings again later at night. We have two practices on Monday and two on Tuesday."

Are they off tonight?

"Yes."

Will Drew Brees be back Monday?

"We'll see. I really don't want to speculate on it. It's a family matter and I think we'll know shortly."

Is he one guy who can afford to miss some time because he's been so sharp?

"He's done well."

Camp Battle 2009: Quarterbacks (and a comment on Michael Vick)

Jonathan Loesche — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:25:05 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

Todd Bouman is currently the Jaguars back up quarterback. If Garrard goes down, can he be counted on to lead the Jaguars or should the team look to bring in another arm for camp?

Browse more photos »

It wouldn't be the post-Mark Brunell Jaguars if questions about the quarterback position weren't being asked heading into training camp. The 2009 Jaguars have to answer them in bunches this year. Is David Garrard a one hit wonder? Can Todd Bouman be asked to do more than hand off to MJD in the event Garrard gets hurt? Will either Paul Smith or Todd Boeckman be more than practice squad caliber? Should the Jaguars bring in Michael Vick?

All of these questions need to be answered at some point, and their answers may well have the biggest impact on the Jaguars not only this season, but down the line as well.

David Garrard

Were David Garrard's 4th down heroics in Pittsburgh simply the final note of his one hit wonder season?

I'll spare recapping 2007 and 2008; what we want to know is can Garrard lead this team back to the playoffs. The common complaint about Garrard was that he regressed in 2008 compared to 2007. What do the numbers say?

	Yards Per Game	Completions Per Game	Quarterback Rating	Interceptions
2007	209	17	102.4	4
2008	226	21	81.7	13

While Garrard's completions and yards went up, his QB rating took a huge hit. This can be explained because of the Jaguars lack of a running threat compared to last year. Garrard had to be a one man show in 2008, and he did an admirable job considering the receivers he was throwing to.In addition, Garrard was the most hit QB in the league last year. A product of the Jaguars O-line and having to throw constantly from behind, that is never a good indicator. Overall though, I don't think Garrard's 2008 was as bad as others are making it out to be.

Heading into 2009, Garrard has to have a career year for all of the right reasons. Early reports are the Garrard is already making Torry Holt is "Go to" guy for 2009. If he can get in a groove with Holt and get some protection, he'll have a good year regardless.

BCC 2009 Projections
Yards: 3,400
Touchdowns: 19

Interceptions:9

QB Rating:91.4

Todd Bouman

Bouman should have been the Jaguars back up quarterback last year. However, thanks to a Shack Harris special, he was cut in favor of high priced Cleo Lemon. What does Bouman bring to the table? Not much on paper. Bouman only has six starts in his career and hasn't done anything to instill any confidence he can be effective for a 2-3 game stretch. If nothing else, Bouman represents a known commodity that will entrench him at the #2 quarterback.

Todd Boeckman

An Ohio State product who lost his starting job to mega-recruit Terrell Pryor, Boeckman wasn't much more than a "Game Manager" at the college level. He'll provide another arm in camp and probably not much more. He'll be competiting with Paul Smith for a practice squad spot.

Paul Smith

A BCC favorite, Smith spent almost the entire season on the Jaguars practice squad. Smith was activated for the final game against Baltimore. Smith's knowledge of the system, and frankly, better skills than Boeckman should get him another round on the practice squad, if not a chance to get on the active roster.

The question of Michael Vick

When Michael Vick was reinstated by Commissioner Roger Goodell, the can of worms that opened on the possible teams that Vick would end up playing for. The Jaguars, despite the record of Clean Gene, have been mentioned as a likely landing spot.

As it's illegal to mention Michael Vick and not say something as to his crime, here is my position. He committed a heinous act and murdered living beings for nothing better than blood sport. That being said, I believe Vick has served his punishment and is now due for a chance at redemption.

Should the Jaguars try to sign Vick? He would bring the Jaguars immense publicity, both good and bad. However, he has had issues prior to the dog fighting charges, such as flipping off the fans following the game. It seems his time in jail has humbled Vick, and I'm sure he'll be hungry to prove he's worth more than the slightly more than minimum deal he will sign.

Do I think the Jaguars will sign him? No. Would I welcome and support the Jaguars signing Vick? Absolutely.

The State of the Position

Let's hope David Garrard doesn't get hurt this season. If Garrard goes down, or proves that he was a one hit wonder, then the Jaguars hopes of a successful season go down with him. While Bouman showed he could come in to relieve Garrard for a short period, I'm not convinced he could come in and lead the Jaguars in a 3 game stretch like Quinn Gray did in 2007.

Boeckman and Smith will fight over the third QB spot, and hopefully in their competition, one can distinguish them self enough to be put on the 53 man roster. Either way, at a minimum, expect a good deal of attention to free agent or rookie quarterbacks by the Jaguars next off season.

-Jonathan

Poll

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the QB position needs no improvement, 1 being the Jaguars might as well start a back up Arena League QB) how would you rate the Jaguars QB position going into camp?

10

10 votes

9

17 votes

8

72 votes

7

144 votes

6

78 votes

5

72 votes

4

35 votes

3

30 votes

2

11 votes

1

27 votes

496 votes | Poll has closed

Roy Williams Interview - Doesn't take Blame for Santana Moss TDs

KevinE — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:57:00 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Newly-signed free agent Cincinnati Bengals safety Roy Williams. Williams had gone to five pro bowls during his seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

Browse more photos »

The excellent writer over at fatpickled.com just posted an interview with former Cowboys Safety, Roy Williams. Some highlights:

FP: The "horse collar" rule is sometimes called the "Roy Williams" rule. Is that fair? Is it legal in your book...what's your take?

RW: The horse collar is a rule and I have to play within the rules. Is it fair? I'll just say this... I'm an old school player when it comes to football. I watch Jack Tatum, Ronnie Lott, Steve Atwater. And you're always taught to bring him down by any means necessary.

FP: OK, a couple questions for the Redskin fan in me. What players on the Skins did you enjoy playing against/admire the most? Did you get a chance to befriend Sean Taylor before his death?

RW: Redskins...yes I had a chance to meet and talk with Sean at the Pro Bowl, we've seen the bad boy image, on the football field, but he was actually a good guy, family man. I liked Sean a lot, sad to see him go. I actually had a sticker with his number on my shoulder pads...I think it's still on my shoulder pads.

FP: Week 2 of the 2005 season, the Cowboys are beating the Skins 13-0 with less than 4 minutes to go. Mark Brunell teams up with Santana Moss for 2 long bombs to win the game. What are your thoughts and comments looking back?

RW: As far as the Santana it's so in the past, and I would say this, it wasn't my man. I was playing the defense, how it was supposed to be played. And I caught the heat for it cause I was the safety, and people think it was my play to make and it wasn't. And that's the play people hold on to still to this day, saying I can't cover...not cool, but its life.

The horse collar reply is absurd. Players are tearing their knees on that play and you're still defending it as 'old school.' Give me a break.

The first of the 2 Santana Moss touchdowns Roy could be right, but the fact is he never even looked over to that side. The second touchdown he is chasing Tana...seems like a fail to me. I mean, you're holding a lead at the end of the game. What excuse can you POSSIBLY have for letting a wide receiver get behind you?