SB Nation - Leigh Torrence

Redskins IR list isn't the Worst in the NFL; Cerrato Still Making Mistakes

KevinE — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:36:08 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

Another Redskins OL...let's add a practice squad guy!

The Redskins are obviously decimated by injuries, but I couldn't help but think. Is it really just bad luck? Of course not.

I reviewed the Injury reports for all 32 teams, which I included after the jump. The majority of the NFL has between 2-5 players on their IR, while the Redskins are tied with 3 other teams that have 9 shelved. Amazingly, there are 3 teams with more IR injuries, one of which being the UNDEFEATED Saints. So what's the big difference? Cerrato prefers to plug holes with practice squad players while the Saints add veterans.

The Saints have been crushed with secondary injuries, including: Tracy Porter, Jabari Greer, Randall Gay, and Leigh Torrence. With the additions of Mike McKenzie and Chris McAllister the last two weeks, the Saints continue marching on. It helps their offense is #1 in the league, but let's be real. Their defense did an excellent job of shutting down the Pats and the D has had to carry their weight in a couple games (Rams most notably).

So what does this have to do with anything? Well, when the Redskins take on injuries, the Front Office starts nabbing other teams' practice squad, journey men players (usually undrafted free agents). The Saints on the other hand pick up veterans who have played the game and can be productive immediately. Take a look at the Redskins Offensive Line roster from the beginning of THIS year. There are STILL two OL that the Redskins grabbed from other practice squads in December of 2008 when Samuels went down (D'Anthony Batiste and Will Montgomery) . Vinny, this is your idea of building an OLine? I mean, what talent can be left in December of a season from all the teams hitting the practice squad pools?

OK, back to 2009. Levi Jones has been playing well, but I start to think to myself, why wasn't Pete Kendall brought back in? Why not a Jon Runyan on the right side? These practice squad players are going to get Jason Campbell killed and their mistakes (false starts/blown blocks) have cost numerous drives and games.

The argument can be made: "Well, the majority of the Redskins injuries are pro-bowlers: Chris Samuels, Chris Cooley, Randy Thomas, and Clinton Portis."

This argument is ridiculous because as fans we knew it was more likely than not these players wouldn't make it all season (save for Cooley). The fans, who are not the ones at Redskins Park EVERY day evaluating our own talent, knew these players wouldn't make it all season, yet the front office refused to build depth where it was most needed.

Undrafted rookie free agents, not veterans, are now being asked to protect the Quarterback. It's so ass backwards. Mr. Snyder, please do the right thing and give your Executive VP of Football Operations and former ND scout the same fate Charlie Weis just faced.

Team	Injured Reserve*	Other **	Total
Detroit Lions	12	7	19
Tampa Bay Bucs	11	3	14
New Orleans Saints	10	9	19
Washington Redskins	9	7	16
Cleveland Browns	9	5	14
Green Bay Packers	9	3	12
Baltimore Ravens	9	3	12
Carolina Panthers	8	7	15
Buffalo Bills	7	8	15
Houston Texans	7	2	9

Philly Eagles	5	10	15
NY Giants	4	5	9
Dallas Cowboys	3	4	7

TEN Titans	1 (Punter)	3	4
MIN Vikings	0	2	2

* IR: Includes IR, Out for Season
**Other: Includes Probable, Questionable, Doubtful, Out Indefinitely

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.

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

saints-nation — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:00:24 -0000

by Chris O'Meara - AP

View full size photo »

Below are the grades for the defense and special teams @ Tampa Bay. Some terrific play all around.

Saints vs Buccaneers coverage

Saints vs Buccaneers recap

Saints vs Buccaneers boxscore

Will Smith: B+ (2.83) Smith finished with 3 tackles and a sack. He did a reasonably good job of putting pressure on Josh Freeman, and was able to waltz in untouched for an easy sack on a missed blocking assignment. It was nice to see Smith help against the run on a number of occasions, too.

Charles Grant: C (2.37) Grant finished with just 2 tackles, and he knocked Freeman down once on a pass rush. His pass rushing was mediocre, and his run defense was mediocre... so he gets a mediocre grade to go with his mediocre GPA.

Bobby McCray: D+ (1.89) What happened to this guy? He was a very solid pass rusher last year, but his reps get lessened each week mostly due to his complete lack of production. At one point in training camp they were talking about installing packages that would include McCray blitzing from the linebacker slot. Whatever happened to that? No tackles for McCray in this game despite a decent number of snaps. He was complete neutralized on pass downs, too.

Anthony Hargrove: B- (2.44) Just one tackle for Hargrove, but he did a good job getting push on passing plays up the middle, and he recovered a CRUCIAL fumble that broke Tampa Bay's back.

Remi Ayodele: B (2.19) Ayodele plugged up the middle much better than usual and forced the Tampa backs to often bounce their runs outside, allowing the Saints' linebackers to make plays. He finished with 3 tackles and also showed more effort than what I've seen in the past. The main problem I've had with Ayodele is he has a lazy streak where he won't play to the whistle, but I didn't see that in this game.

Scott Fujita: A- (2.72) Fujita is back and playing at a high level. This was arguably his best game of the season. He was making terrific reads and had a very impressive play getting in the backfield and hitting the Bucs' runner for a loss. His tackles were sure and he showed no ill effects from the calf injury that slowed him down. His biggest play was a blitz off the backside where he sacked Freeman and knocked the ball loose, leading to Hargrove's big recovery. Nice to see Fujita making plays, he's been missed. He was a major reason the Bucs struggled to move the ball after that first drive.

Scott Shanle: C+ (2.77) Quiet day for Shanle, who really didn't do much until the second half. There were no major mistakes, but some of the bigger runs early in the game were plays going right at him where he didn't absorb the blocks very well.He was solid in coverage and ended with 2 tackles.

Jonathan Vilma: A- (3.00) Vilma was all over the field, looked fast and was steady. He finished with 6 tackles, a defended pass, a knockdown on a blitz, and an interception. When he gets a clean look at stopping a rusher he almost always makes the play. I don't think he's playing at quite the level he was a season ago, but he clearly makes everyone around him better. Nice to see him get that pick, he made a fantastic catch covering a tough customer in Kellen Winslow Jr.

Randall Gay: C (2.59) Gay was pretty solid in coverage before leaving early with a tweaked hamstring. From what I've heard it sounds unlikely he'll be back in time for the Monday Night game.

Malcolm Jenkins: A- (3.07) Jenkins made a terrific interception, the first of his career, going to the ground to come up with a low pass. He benefited from Antonio Bryant slipping, but still jumped the route well and showed terrific hands. He led the team with 7 tackles on the day and 2 defended passes. He held a very good receiver in Antonio Bryant to just 3 catches. Bryant did have a 21 yard reception against Jenkins at one point, but the coverage was picture perfect and Bryant just made a ridiculous catch on his outside shoulder - not much you can blame the rookie for there. He really stepped in and did not miss a beat.

Roman Harper: B (3.23) Harper dropped an easy interception, jumping a route well but failing to come up with the catch. If there's one thing I've learned from watching Harper all the years is the guy has the worst set of hands I've almost ever seen. He finished with just 3 tackles, but was sent blitzing a number of times. He was able to register a half sack, and he also knocked Freeman to the ground two other times.

Darren Sharper: B- (3.15) Sharper was fine. No real chances to get a pick this time. The few times he was in a good position, the ball by Freeman was so poorly thrown that Sharper had no chance. He finished with 5 tackles and was especially helpful against the run. His grade suffers because of yet another personal foul 15 yard penalty. He's had at least 4 or 5 this year. It was a blatant facemask penalty, and there really was no need for him to do that.

Jo-Lonn Dunbar: C+ (2.73) Dunbar finished with 3 tackles and played in spot duty late in the game at linebacker. He was aggressive and did ok. He over-pursued twice but with the game so far out of reach it's hard to grade him. I'll give him some love for doing a great job on special teams, though.

DeMario Pressley: B- (2.78) This guy deserves to start alongside Sedrick Ellis. There, I said it. I know there's a love affair going on with just about any avid Saints watcher and Anthony Hargrove, and the coaching staff seems enamored with Ayodele, but Pressley has been the tackle performing most consistently. I see him sometimes get pushed off the line of scrimmage, but once when that happen he bounced back up the middle and ended up making the tackle. Even when he's beat he plays to the whistle and shows terrific effort. He finished with 3 tackles and did a decent job rushing the passer.

Pierson Prioleau: B- (2.67) He finished with 3 tackles and did a fairly good job in coverage. With the Saints depleted at corner thanks to the injuries to Torrence and Gay, he stepped in and helped hold down the fort.

Usama Young: B (3.17) Young also lent a helping hand at corner with the Saints shorthanded by injury. He was pretty good, especially helping in run support. He finished with 2 tackles. His grade gets a boost, too, from 2 spectacular special teams plays. First he forced a deep punt to be fair caught inside the 20 with terrific downfield coverage, then he dove on a ball and downed it at the 1 yard line after another great punt by Morstead.

Leigh Torrence: C (2.00) Torrence was placed on IR, I'm told, and that's too bad. The guy was finally getting some playing time. Sure, he wasn't the best corner but you can't argue with the guy's toughness. He separated his shoulder and came back in the game to play and make a tackle due to the Saints' injury problems. He finished with 4 tackles and teamed up with Harper to get the other half of a sack on Freeman. He was also responsible for the touchdown pass to Michael Clayton, though, and I feel like his coverage was spotty enough that a better quarterback could have made him pay. I'm surprised as far as he was playing off receivers that Freeman didn't take advantage of the short routes in front of him.

John Carney: A- (2.77) Carney did his job, so it's hard to give him a worse grade. He hit a big 38 yard field goal to break a 7-7 tie, and at the time it was important. He also hit all 5 of his extra points, but once again got one or two barely inside the upright.

Thomas Morstead: A+ (3.03) He was booming the ball all day long. I tip my cap to you, Mr. Morstead, and I can't tell you how glad I am the Saints kept you over Glenn Pakulak. He was, in a word, fantastic. Every kickoff he booted went into the end zone, and as the game progressed they kept getting deeper and deeper (I believe his last 3 were touchbacks). Clifton Smith is known for being one of the most dangerous returners in the NFC, and Morstead completely neutralized him. He also blasted 4 punts for a 48.8 average, and pinned two inside the 20 (one of those at the 1). He only had one of his punts returned for 11 yards, so he ends up with an extremely impressive net average of a little over 46 yards. Without question his best game as a Saint.

Courtney Roby: B+ (2.93) Roby was pretty good returning kickoffs. No standout plays but he returned 2 kicks for a 25.5 average. His coverage skills, however, are what earned him his grade this time. The play that Usama Young made at the one was only thanks to a great athletic and head's up play by Roby, as he dove into the end zone and tipped the ball back into the field. For some reason the Bucs challenged that play, too, which had to be one of the dumbest challenges of all time.

My Defensive Player of the Game: Malcolm Jenkins
My Special Teams Player of the Game: Thomas Morstead

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game?

Malcolm Jenkins

200 votes

Scott Fujita

113 votes

Jonathan Vilma

111 votes

Chris Reis (didn't play enough to get a grade, but I'll give him props for his pick)

17 votes

441 votes | Poll has closed

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

saints-nation — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:15:20 -0000

by Jeff Roberson - AP

about 1 month ago: St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) is stopped by New Orleans Saints defensive end Charles Grant (94) as Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, left, looks on during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009, in St. Louis. The Saints won 28-23. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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Below are the grades for the Saints' Defense and Special Teams @ the Rams.

Saints vs Rams boxscore

Saints vs Rams coverage

Saints vs Rams recap

Will Smith: B- (2.78) Smith registered yet another sack which also forced the ball loose, but unfortunately the Saints weren't able to recover. The Rams ended up scoring on the next play on a long pass to Avery. He's been getting better and better this season rushing the passer. Against the run he was mediocre. He finished with just 2 tackles.

Charles Grant: B+ (2.41) Grant was terrific against the run for the second straight week. He finished with 5 tackles and was present on many of the stops the defense made against the run in the second half. 2 of his tackles were plays where he beat his blocker and was able to meet Steven Jackson in the backfield for a loss. His play was aggressive and his tackles were hard to break. He even had a couple of decent pass rushes, and I felt he deserved a half sack on the sack given to Ayodele.

Bobby McCray: B- (1.96) McCray showed some nice ability against the run for once, and this time he got more pressure on the quarterback. Just one tackle for McCray in the game, but I at least saw him involved, active, and always in pursuit. A promising performance given how invisible he's been.

Anthony Hargrove: C (2.42) Hargrove did finish with 4 tackles, and his pressure on Marc Bulger was good, but he's still a little light to play the run effectively. He was pushed out of the way often and mauled on several of Jackson's big runs.

Remi Ayodele: C (2.09) Ayodele got a coverage sack, and just 1 tackle. He was surprisingly pretty good rushing the passer and he pancaked Bulger on another play just as Bulger released his pass. Otherwise, he was eaten alive on running plays and did a poor job of playing at the point of attack. Sedrick Ellis needs to get back in the lineup healthy because the last three weeks watching the Saints attempt to stop the run have been painful.

Scott Fujita: C- (2.53) Fujita was feeling things out early and he seemed rusty in his first game back from a calf injury. He was juked a couple of times by Jackson and allowed him to run through weak arm tackles at other times. As the game wore on, though, he seemed to get better and better as he adjusted back to the game speed. He was in the right place for most of the game and played well in coverage. He finished with 4 tackles, and I hope he'll play more like he did in the second half for all of next week.

Scott Shanle: B (2.81) Nice to see Shanle bounce back and play a pretty solid game. Like Fujita, he was pushed around a little early and seemed to be too tentative in his reads. He did make a couple of terrific open field tackles on a very hard to bring down Steven Jackson, though, and those plays could have been massive gainers if Shanle doesn't come up with the tackle. His tackling technique is very sound, and it's nice to have a linebacker you can trust. True to form he also did a good job in coverage. He finished with 6 tackles including one for a loss.

Jonathan Vilma: B- (2.93) Mixed bag for Vilma. He did have 8 tackles and seemed to get better as the game wore on, but he also had a number of opportunities to make plays where Jackson made him look like a backup. Vilma did a good job on a blitz of hitting Bulger, and almost got a sack at one point but Bulger released the pass as he was going down. Vilma also missed a couple of assignments in the passing game, allowing Daniel Fells to make plays.

Marvin Mitchell: B- (2.45) Mitchell had 2 tackles, including one which was a vicious hit. Overall he didn't make mistakes and looked good against the run and pass in limited duty.

Tracy Porter: C (3.11) Before Porter left the game with an injury, he was having a forgettable game. Assigned for a large part of the game to cover rookie Brandon Gibson, who had no catches on the season going into this game, he was beat all too often. On the play he was injured, he was not only beat but completely blew the tackle. Porter finished with 2 tackles. The news that his injury is only a strain is huge, though. The Saints need him desperately, and the fact the he should be back in time for the stretch run and the playoffs is crucial.

Randall Gay: D- (2.67) Gay was beat on two touchdown passes to Donnie Avery and the Rams in general picked on him all day. He looked slow and despite good coverage on the second touchdown he showed terrible ball skills. Gay did finish with 4 tackles on the day. Gay in my estimation is best used in the slot as a physical corner. I know the Saints were short handed, but matching him up against a burner like Donnie Avery was a terrible matchup. I heard whispers of Jason David comparisons (ahem, Saintsational) and that is going a little too far. Just because he can't run with Donnie Avery it doesn't mean he has no clue out there. Gay will be fine, just a rough day for him lined up against a receiver that is as fast as just about anyone. Next week against Antonio Bryant and Michael Clayton I think Gay will look better.

Malcolm Jenkins: C+ (2.92) He was ok, not great. He finished with 2 tackles and put nice pressure on a couple of blitzes. He did have one devastating hit on Bulger that the Rams' quarterback barely got up from. He also had a big "defended pass" late in the game, where he ran with Avery before getting hit in the back with the ball. One thing I was impressed by was a running play where it was Jackson, a blocker and Jenkins, and Jenkins did a good job of sticking his head in there and trying to take out Jackson's legs. He slowed Jackson down enough to make it an easy tackle for his teammates. Malcolm is pretty physical for a corner.

Roman Harper: B+ (3.26) Another solid game from Harper. He's becoming a pretty steady performer for the Saints, and brace yourselves because he actually looked good against the pass. He was around the box a good amount, especially in the second half, and finished with 8 tackles. He did a good job, mostly, of limiting Jackson's effectiveness at the second level. He had a key pass breakup late in the third quarter on a 3rd down in the red zone forcing a Rams' field goal, and he was involved on the hail mary attempt breakup.

DeMario Pressley: B (2.84) He was pretty good against the run. Sure he was pushed around at times and somewhat responsible for the yardage Jackson amassed, but he looked aggressive and I liked his hustle. Given the fact that Pressley is essentially a red shirt rookie that's only in his second game as a pro, he's performed admirably. He had 5 tackles including 2 for losses.

Pierson Prioleau: C+ (2.67) Prioleau gave up a couple of passes but also laid some nice hits. He finished with 3 tackles and helped the Saints out when they were so thin on the final drive in dime coverage.

Usama Young: B+ (3.33) At times Young looked like a harder hitting, faster version of Darren Sharper. He had a terrific break on the ball on his interception, and he also defended another pass showing nice anticipation. He finished with 4 tackles and had some nice hits. His grade could be better, but he took a couple of bad angles on Jackson at the second level and did a bad job of wrapping up at other times which allowed the Rams to gain more yardage.

Leigh Torrence: C (2.00) Torrence did finish with 4 tackles, and showed pretty good coverage specifically on a deep ball late in the game, but in general he played too far off his man allowing easy throws underneath. He was beat at least twice on slants. He was responsible for Gibson once Porter left with an injury and he did very little to slow him down.

John Carney B- (2.67) No field goal attempts and Carney finished 4 for 4 on extra points. I'm sure some of you are thinking: well, he did everything we asked him to do, why doesn't he get an A or an A-? Well, first off, the best I'd give him for that minimal of a contribution is MAYBE a B+, but couple that with the fact that the Saints were forced to punt once and go for it another time on 4th down because Carney's leg strength was unreliable and there you have it. As much as I like Carney and trust his accuracy, it's a bummer that we don't have an option we currently trust with the game on the line and the ball at our opponent's 35 yard line.

Thomas Morstead D+ (2.89) Morstead didn't have any touchbacks on kickoffs, but his depth was ok. His punting performance was actually pretty dismal. He averaged just 37.3 yards on 3 punts, and netted just 20.6 per punt if you count 2 touchbacks and a 10 yard punt return. On his last punt he blasted it out of the end zone, but it sounded like there was a coaching mix up and he was just following instructions.

Courtney Roby A (2.88) Roby took one to the house to open the second half and break a 14-14 tie. His speed hitting the hole on that return was impressive and no Ram ever had a chance at him. I'm happy to see Roby solidify his standing as the team's returner. I also liked that on a deep kickoff later in the game, he didn't let the big play go to his head and he downed it for a touchback. He also came close to making a nice play as a gunner on a punt that bounced inside the 5, but punt returner blew him up before he had a chance to down the ball prior to it going in the end zone. Glad he didn't get hurt on that play, it was a vicious hit and we need him.

Jo-Lonn Dunbar: B (2.83) Dunbar threw an awesome block on Roby's return, and he was credited with a tackle as a gunner. I could have SWORN I remember him making two tackles, though. None the less, he was involved downfield and had a good day on special teams, so I thought I'd give him his props.

My Defensive Player of the Game: Roman Harper
My Special Teams Player of the Game: Courtney Roby

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game?

Usama Young

108 votes

Jonathan Vilma

20 votes

Roman Harper

102 votes

Charles Grant

55 votes

285 votes | Poll has closed

A Few Words On the Early Eve of Training Camp

Saintsational — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:00:19 -0000

I think Steven Tyler said it best when he sang...

"Football season's a journey, not a destination."

I might have mixed up a couple of words, so don't quote me on that, but his point was still the same. Yet, as fans, it feels like we've already reached the destination now that the off-season is behind us. The hard part is finally over. We've braved the long, lonely, informationless off-season and now that training camp has finally arrived; we have reached the end of the road. A collective sigh of relief has been breathed.

Can you feel that we're getting close? The talking heads have all come back from their vacations and started pushing out training camp related articles at a feverish pace. The players have started heading back to town from whatever corner of the world they were inhabiting during their last free moments. Courtney Roby and Chip Vaughn, respectively, on Twitter...

"Headed back to tha NOLA...back on tha grind!"

"On the way back to Nawlins"

Even things right here on Da Chronic have begun picking up a bit. The FanPost section has started to see more action, traffic is up and comments are getting heated. Hell, Stu is back.

But Steven Tyler was on to something when he waxed philosophic about the NFL. This isn't the end. Oh no, my friend. Not by any means. In fact, it's only just beginning for the players we've pinned all of our hopes on. Well, you've pinned your hopes on them; I'm still cautiously optimistic. A successful season certainly is a journey; A long one. Not a destination. The players know what they need to do and are excited to begin that trek. Drew Brees and Billy Miller, respectively, per Twitter...

"Training camp starts tomorrow. Making some last minute, late night preparations. Can't sleep. Too excited. Here we go!"

"I am ready now for camp! Let's get it and bring a championship to the state of New Orleans. Haters keep haten we play better that way!!!"

It's also just the beginning for us as Saints fans, even though the end of the off-season brings much relief. This is the moment we've all be waiting for. We've analyzed every player, evaluated every position, studied every move and considered every trade. It's time now to follow through on our duty as team supporters and transcend to a higher level of fan consciousness. So now I ask you the same question Al Pacino asks his players as he ends his speech in Any Given Sunday..."What are you gonna do?"

As far as Canal Street Chronicles is concerned, we'll be shaking off the dust and bumping it up a notch as we head into season mode. Our all-time Saints team will be put on the backburner and be replaced by lots of links, news, videos and coverage throughout the day, as I will be constantly monitoring the web and keeping CSC updated often. True, I do a damn good job of that already but I'll be doing it more so now. The Times-Pic has promised plenty of coverage and with training camp right here in Metairie, the information should be abundantly flowing. I also plan on attending training camp myself at least a few days, twittering live and offering my own personal insight and scouting reports. You won't want to log off. You guys can step it up too. If you think you'd like to contribute here on a regular basis, perhaps weekly, shoot me an email and let me know. If you've been abstaining from Da Chronic for a while during the off-season or laying low in the weeds and not commenting...come back. We miss you and it's that time again to unite. If you haven't gone anywhere, keep up the great work, keep the FanShots coming and be sure to comment often.

I would like to leave you now with the words of my favorite current Saints running back and obvious Aerosmith fan, Pierre Thomas, per his Twitter account...

"One more day and the journey begins - Saints '09 WHO DAT!!"

Goodluck to the 2009 New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans Saints Minicamp: The View from the Middle of the Top Metal Bleacher

Saintsational — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:00:32 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

6 months ago: New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey (88) reacts while waiting for his next repetition during afternoon football practice at the team's training facility in Metairie, La., Friday, June 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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You may not believe this but my off-season cautious optimism just took a big shot in the arm today and has now dropped all the way down to just slightly optimistic. Baby steps here people. Truth be told, it didn't really matter what happened out there on the field today I was just glad to see some Saints football. Any Who Dat would have been excited.

But seriously folks, there was a lot to be happy about yesterday afternoon and it was for obvious reasons. I'm about to say something you've been hearing quite a lot this off-season but that doesn't make it any less true: this defense is different. And it's a good different.

I know, I know. I sound like a broken mainstream media record but it's true. Probably the most interesting observation of the day was what I saw from the guys wearing black. They showed a few different looks, one or two of which had Shanle and sometimes Fujita up at the line and Vilma dropping back into coverage. Not surprising given what we learned about Gregg Williams and his schemes. The defense was also employing some unique blitz packages utilizing cornerbacks and safeties, one of which led to what would have surely been a Joey Harrington sack by a DB (maybe Chris Reis). Pretty complex stuff for minicamp! The stench of Gary Gibbs is definitely long gone.

Something else I wasn't used to seeing from the Saints defense that impressed me was their seeming ability to better get in position. More than once was a defender - Roman Harper is coming to mind - in the right place at the right time and ready to snuff out the play or end it quickly with a well-timed hit. Some of those offensive guys are lucky yesterday's practice was no contact. It's that last point, however, that brings me back to reality. These guys were just wearing shorts so I take everything yesterday with a grain of salt. Finishing the play is a whole other issue but it's great to see that everything appears to at least be on the right track.

So what's the bottom line? This years defense will certainly be more exciting and fun to watch so get ready. But better? Still too early to tell.

You know I like to roll bullet-style so why change a good thing. Here are the rest of my notes:

I was surprised to see so many people in attendance especially given it was the middle of a weekday. All seats were filled and latecomers had to stand. Getting their early was definitely wise.
I'm not sure why but I was surprised to see food (and alcohol), merchandise and solicitation tents lined up for business. It was like a miniature outdoor version of the Superdome concourse.
Notice you didn't hear any of the traditional "I can't believe how hot it is" cliches from the media and players. The weather was perfect. Just perfect.
Meachem drew the first reaction from the crowd when he dropped an easy pass in the wide open flat. There were grumblings.
One thing we can't see during these no-pads practices is tackling. Still no idea whether or not these ankle biters have improved in the weak tackling department.
Shockey looked pretty good out there. A leaping catch over the middle followed by a tuck and roll drew applause from the crowd. A lot of people in the audience were discussing "Dehydrationgate."
Not much to see from Colston or Moore yesterday.
There was a quick little scrap following a play during offense vs. defense work. Couldn't tell who it was.
I think it's a bit hard to really tell how well the running backs looked. They may be breaking through the line but with no tackling it's too far from actual game situations.
The cornerback mix was interesting. Gay and Greer were getting reps with the first team today. Greer I understand but Gay I don't. Tracy Porter and Leigh Torrence were with the second team. Jason David the third team. Don't forget that Malcolm Jenkins will be added to the mix as well. Very cool.
Garrett Hartley only saw a minute or so of action but he was perfect every time.
Colston and Henderson botched the exchange on a double reverse that illicited a reaction from the crowd. Other than that play Henderson caught everything else thrown his way.
Colston is a tall dude. Fujita is a big dude. Jason David...not so much.
Apparently injuries are still something Saints fans need to worry about. I didn't see it but Dan Morgan left early with with a calf injury and Dan Campbell missed practice with a knee injury.

Sorry to say I have to work tomorrow so I won't be able to make it out there for round two. To make up for it, I have included the rest of my pictures from yesterday's minicamp after the jump. Enjoy, then discuss. You must discuss.

Meal ticket.

No fun!

The grounds.

I guess you would call this a fieldhouse? Maybe?

Always a merch tent.

The crowd.

Even more crowd.

Roster handout. Alphabetically on one side, numerically on the other. In case you were wondering.

Food and beer. They think of everything!

The eye in the sky. Seriously, that thing was up there.

One on one.

Robert Meachem vs. Jabari Greer

Robert Meachem.

Reggie Bush.

Not sure. I think Devery Henderson.

A light jog.

Footwork.

Defense stretch.

Now offense stretch.

Reggie Bush and Heath Evans.

The Accused.

The media.

Pierre Thomas.

Meachem missing a diving catch.

Hartley like it's his job. Oh wait.

The boss man making sure everyone is having a good time.

Scott Fujita vs. Anthony Waters in one on one drills.

The receiving corp.

Rita gave me a closeup.

Jonathan Goodwin and Carl Nicks. This is a multimillion dollar organization, can't we get these guys some jersey's that fit.

Jonathan Vilma.

Jeremy Shockey was a real jokester the whole time.

Jammal Brown.

Adrian Arrington.

Lots of Pictures from OTA's!

Saintsational — Sat, 23 May 2009 17:22:50 -0000

Make the jump for a ridiculous amount of awesome photos. All of these pictures come courtesy of Newscom.

Saints 2009 Position Battles: Cornerback

Saintsational — Mon, 11 May 2009 11:00:13 -0000

The battle for cornerback will probably be the most watched and most interesting competition taking place during Saints training camp this season. With so many additions made to the position this off-season, fans are sure to see an improvement in the Saints pass coverage. But which players will be the ones to bring about that change?

Let's meet our lovely contestants, shall we?:

Player	Height	Weight	Age	Experience
Jabari Greer	5'11"	180	27	6
Tracy Porter	5'11"	186	22	2
Malcolm Jenkins	6'0"	204	21	R
Randall Gay	5'11"	190	27	6
Jason David	5'8"	180	26	6
Leigh Torrence	5'11"	179	27	4
Reggie Jones	6'0"	193	23	R
Danny Gorrer	6'0"	186	22	R

The first thing you may notice is the absence of Usama Young's name from this list. Young was included earlier in our look at safeties and I think that's where he belongs. The Saints seem to have given up on Young as a cornerback and making the team as a safety may be his last chance.

We will assume that the Saints are going to keep five of these players. But injuries wreaked havoc on this position last season and with Gregg Williams' new defensive system and an abundance of special teams contributors, the Saints may keep even more. It should also be noted that even though two players will earn starting roles, Williams will probably utilize many different nickel and dime packages that will require more than just two corners on the field at one time.

Jabari Greer is the Saints big off-season pick up this year and could possibly be the best player of the bunch. The Saints were aggressive in acquiring Greer who comes in as a highly touted man-to-man cover corner; something the Saints need desperately. Not only should he definitely make this team but he could and should be starting.

First round draft pick Malcolm Jenkins also finds himself right in the thick of the cornerback competition. Early reports from rookie mini-camp were positive and despite the knocks on his speed, Jenkins is positioned very nicely to start contributing early. He's definitely going to make this team the only questions will be where he falls on the depth chart and at what position.

The much anticipated return of sophomore cornerback Tracy Porter brings the hope of a greatly improved secondary this season. Porter earned a starting spot last year and now looks to defend that position in training camp. Jabari Greer should have one of the starting spots locked up so the battle for that second starting spot should be between Jenkins and Porter. Either way, Porter is making this team.

Randall Gay rounds out the top four leading candidates to make the team at cornerback. Gay is arguably the most physical of the cornerback candidates but I'm not sure he has what it takes to start over Greer, Porter or Jenkins. Regardless, the local LSU product should have what it takes when push comes to shove.

Reggie Jones and Danny Gorrer are the two undrafted rookies coming into camp this year trying to crack the lineup. We don't know enough about their play to really adequately grade them and with such an improved cornerback squad, it would seem these two have very little chance of making this team. Also on the outside looking in is returning cornerback Leigh Torrence. The Saints brought him in last year when things started getting rough. Torrence was given the chance to contribute, particularly on special teams but with all of the upgrades in the secondary this off-season, things aren't looking good for Torrence.

All of this means that Jason David is now on the bubble and may finally be on the way out. Music to Who Dat's ears. David's saving grace, however, could be defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' new system. If Double G can find a way to better utilize David in his coverage schemes and in a way that better suites David's style of play then fans could see a whole other side of the cornerback. Otherwise it's bye-bye for JD and his fat contract.

All eyes will be on these guys when training camp opens this summer. At first glance there would appear to be no possible way not to see an improvement but stranger things have happened. How will this battle play out over the course of training camp? What are your thoughts?

Poll

Will Jason David make the 2009 Saints?

I am happy to say: yes.

142 votes

I am happy to say: no.

269 votes

I am sad to say: yes.

149 votes

I am sad to say: no.

64 votes

624 votes | Poll has closed

Saints Free Agent Review - Linebacker and Secondary

Saintsational — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:00:09 -0000

The next big happening of the NFL off-season will be the beginning of the free agency signing period on February 27th. With that in mind, I figured we could take a look at all of Saints players who will become free agents this year. The coaching staff definitely has some tough decisions ahead of them. Let's try to put our finger on what the organization might have in store for these players.

First, a little briefing on the different levels of free agency, courtesy of the official NFLPA website.

Free agency rights depend on the number of "accrued seasons" the player has at the time his contract expires. An accrued season is a season in which the player has been on "full pay status" for six (6) or more regular season games. There are three categories of free agents:

1. Unrestricted: In a capped year, a player with four or more accrued seasons has unrestricted free agency rights. Five or more accrued seasons are required for unrestricted free agency in an uncapped year (1993 or the last year of the CBA). An unrestricted free agent may sign with any team. If the unrestricted free agent is not signed by June 1, his old club may offer him a contract with a 10% raise over his prior year's salary, and thereby obtain the exclusive right to re-sign him after July 15 if he has not signed elsewhere by then.

2. Restricted: A player with three but less than four accrued seasons (four but less than five in an uncapped year) can seek offers from other clubs after his contract expires, but he has only 60 days to do so (from around March 1 to mid-April). If he gets an offer, his old club must choose between matching it and retaining him, or letting him go to the new club in return for draft choice compensation. The draft choice compensation varies depending upon the offer the old club gives the player prior to becoming a restricted free agent.

3. Exclusive Rights: A player with an expiring contract who has less than three accrued seasons can only sign with his old club, provided that he is offered a one-year contract at the minimum salary for the upcoming year. If the exclusive rights free agent gets no such offer, he is completely free.

The first group of players we'll take a look at our the linebackers and secondary. The biggest priority on this list is, of course, Jonathan Vilma. But it's our secondary that needs help the most and quite a few players will have a chance at new deals. Let's see who will probably be around next season and who might be leaving the Saints when free agency begins.

Linebackers

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Marvin Mitchell

ERFA

As an exclusive rights free agent, the Saints only need to offer Mitchell the minimum salary to keep him on the payroll in 2009. Mitchell is still young and has upside so at that price I expect to see him around next year to compete for a spot.

CSC says: Keep him!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Jonathan Vilma

UFA

I will cancel my season tickets and shut down CSC if Vilma is not re-signed within the first five minutes of the free agency period. There is no need to go at length on this topic. Vilma is the leader of this defense. Gregg Williams is in love with him. Only because of loop holes surrounding his trade does Vilma not already have a contract. This one is a lock.

CSC says: Keep him!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Troy Evans

UFA

Evans contributed minimally last season at linebacker but he's valuable on special teams and that can sometimes be enough. It shouldn't cost too much to keep him around and I think he's one of those hard-working underdog types that coaches love. Definitely worth another look.

CSC says: Keep him!

Secondary

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Aaron Glenn

UFA

2009 needs to be the start of a new era for the Saints defense and an aging, injury-prone Glenn shouldn't fit into those plans. Other teams may not be interested either. It might be time for him to think about retiring to Florida and catching the early bird specials.

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Terrence Holt

UFA

If the Saints actually do draft a safety or two this year, it might get a little crowded in the backfield and Holt may be out of a job. Personally, I could care less about the future of Holt.

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Michael Lehan

UFA

Lehan was a late-season pick up to help fill a roster spot amid the Saints' ridiculous amount of injuries in 2008. I've never even seen this guy play. Have you?

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Leigh Torrence

RFA

Torrence is in the same boat as Lehan above. It won't cost much to keep him but I doubt he'll provide the much needed help this secondary craves so badly.

CSC says: See ya!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Chris Reis

ERFA

The hard hitting Reis impressed enough in camp last year to earn a spot on the roster. The Saints will probably offer him the minimum and let him try and impress them again. He's great on special teams and could make for a valuable backup.

CSC says: Keep him!

Player

Position

Years Exp.

FA Status

Evaluation

Josh Bullocks

UFA

You are the weakest link. Goodbye. In all seriousness, if the Saints want to make a real stab at improving their secondary, particularly the safety spot, Josh Bullocks must go. Consider it addition by subtraction.

CSC says: See ya!

Poll

Other than Jonathan Vilma, signing which one of these players should be the Saints top priority?

Chris Reis

18 votes

Troy Evans

14 votes

Aaron Glenn

3 votes

Marvin Mitchell

18 votes

None of the above

36 votes

89 votes | Poll has closed

Terrell Owens and DeAngelo Hall should be friends

Skin Patrol — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:31:52 -0000

Afterall, they have so much in common. They share spit, they talk:

After Terrell Owens spit in DeAngelo Hall's face in Saturday night's game, Hall insisted he'd have nothing to do with the Dallas receiver.

Owens, who was fined $35,000 by the NFL, kept trying to contact Hall, the Falcons' star cornerback. Former Atlanta and Dallas player Deion Sanders finally convinced Hall to take a three-way telephone call on Monday.

"We had a pretty good conversation," Hall said Wednesday. "As far as I'm concerned, it's over. We got it all out, cleared it all out. It's over."

They both face new depth chart challenges. In DeAngelo Hall's case, he joins a Redskins roster already set at CB and looks to be something like our 4th string guy (Leigh Torrence was cut to make room) behind Shawn Springs, Carlos Rogers, and Fred Smoot. Alternatively he could be 3rd CB if Springs is moved over to safety, a possibility voiced here. Terrell Owens probably isn't the #2 wide receiver just yet, but with Roy Williams about he's no longer the perpetually unquestioned alpha male of the Cowboys receiving unit.

And they're both having bad years. Hall was recently cut by the Raiders from a 7 year something like 70 million dollar contract to sign with Your Washington Redskins for a one year deal worth, ostensibly, much less cash. DeAngelo fell out of favor in Oakland in part because of his allegedly bad attitude, and in part because he flat out isn't playing very well:

"At the rate he's playing, I'm looking forward to a big day," Owens told the Associated Press at his book signing today in New York. "I'm no stranger to playing against him. I've had success against him just as much as everybody else has, so if he's out there, I'm looking forward to playing him."

T.O. speaks the truth. Hall, who was extremely overrated in Atlanta, has been horrible this season. Per Stats Inc., he gave up more yards (556 on 40-of-66 passing) than any other cornerback in the league during his brief stint as a Raider.

T.O. is apparently looking forward to playing against a corner that probably wouldn't be lined up against him anyways, as he's buried now much deeper on our depth chart than he would've been on the Raiders. As TORB points out:

This seems like an awfully roundabout way of saying “I hope the new guy is covering me, because the two guys they had on me last time really shut me down[.]”

And maybe that would be best for Owens, as he isn't having the best season of his career. While he's pretty square so far on touchdowns, with six in nine games, his yards are much lower than he's used to as are his yards per reception. If he maintains his 13.3 YPC throughout the rest of the year, that will end up being the third worst season of his career. He's averaging around 52 yards per game, which would be the lowest total of his career since his rookie year in 1996.

Football Outsiders is even meaner. They think he's just about the worst receiver in DYAR (only nine players with 30 or more passes are below him) with a miserable catch percentage of 48%. He has yet to gain 100 yards receiving this season.

And, finally, they'll be on the same field (though probably not often lining up against one another) this coming Sunday at FedEx Field. Given how the year is going for T.O., and his relatively (to his career, I mean, his 7 for 71 yards and a touchdown was probably one of the best games of this season) bad performance against us the last time around, in his house, I think Owens probably missed a perfect opportunity to shut up.

But we will see.