SB Nation - Marques Colston

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades vs. Cowboys

saints-nation — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:00:16 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

3 days ago: New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod sits on the bench in the closing minutes of the Saints 24 - 17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Needless to say, these are a lot more fun to do after a win. If you're still feeling bad, though, consider that you didn't have to sit through re-watching the first three quarters of that game. Quite frankly the Saints deserved to lose that game.

Cowboys vs Saints boxscore

Cowboys vs Saints coverage

Cowboys vs Saints recap

Drew Brees: C- (3.17) It wasn't all on him, but Brees just didn't play that well. Granted, while he fumbled twice he was under constant pressure all day long. If not for his pocket presence and awareness he would have been sacked way more than 4 times. His interception was just a bad read and an even worse throw. He did not do a good job of making throws on third down. A subpar game for the Saints' superstar, and his MVP push may have taken a hit. He made some nice throws late on the rally, but the Saints were in too big of a hole to climb out. He finished 29-45 for 298 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. He rushed twice for 8 yards, lost two fumbles, and caught a batted pass of his before getting tackled for a 4 yard loss.

Reggie Bush: B- (2.61) Hard to give him a full grade because he left with an injury and didn't return. Too bad, he was playing pretty well before he left. His one run was a beautiful 29 yard sprint down the left sideline. He also caught 2 passes for 17 yards, one of which had significant real estate if he hadn't come up gimpy. Give him credit also for running forward on his lone punt return. Ultimately, he didn't see enough action to make a difference.

Mike Bell: C+ (2.73) Bell never really got a chance to get going. He was stuffed on his first attempt. He had a couple of nice runs early in the 4th quarter, including a touchdown run, but he finished with just 8 yards on 4 carries. Not enough opportunity.

Pierre Thomas: C+ (3.05) Thomas was unusually quiet, other than a screen pass he took for 29 yards late. He never really got going in the running game, and the Saints abandoned it to catch up. He did a decent job as a security valve in the passing game. He had just 20 yards on 6 carries, and 50 yards on 5 receptions.

Marques Colston: B (2.95) Colston, to me, didn't seem to get that open. He has great hands and a nice frame to make some impressive grabs, but I felt like he never got much separation from the Dallas defense. Fortunately, Brees went to him in tight windows and it seemed to work. He finished with a pretty decent game, 5 catches for 86 yards.

Lance Moore: B- (2.54) Again, hard to grade him because Brees never really looked his way and he didn't play all that much. He filled in on punt return duties when Bush left, and got hit hard on one where he should have called for a fair catch. Moore did get a touchdown on a screen pass, though, which also included nice blocking by Meachem and Colston. That was his lone catch, but it gave the Superdome new life as it brought the game within striking distance.

Devery Henderson: D+ (2.83) Henderson was covered by Mike Jenkins all night like a blanket. On the interception, Jenkins was step for step with him. There were several other plays where Brees would try to get Henderson involved and he was just not open. On a terribly underthrown ball by Brees in the end zone at one point, Henderson was covered but did a nice job adjusting to the pass. Unfortunately on that play, he dropped an easy touchdown catch. Devery Henderson and "drops" have been becoming all too synonymous lately. He finished with just 2 catches for 22 yards, but did a good job of breaking a tackle and getting out of bounds late to at least give the Saints a chance.

Robert Meachem: B- (3.17) 5 catches for 43 yards in the game. Nothing great, nothing terrible.

David Thomas: A- (2.47) Thomas was by far the most used weapon in the passing game. He stepped in for an injured Shockey and did a great job of showing soft hands and ability after the catch. He finished with an impressive 8 catches for 77 yards. Good thing I picked him up and started him in my fantasy league right as I heard Shockey was out for the game. Thomas also threw two monster lead blocks for Mike Bell on the first touchdown drive, and he also sprung the Reggie Bush run free with a nice seal. Shockey is a big part of what the Saints do, but I can't really say there was any dropoff with Thomas in the game.

Jermon Bushrod: D- (2.54) I long considered giving him my second F of the season. He definitely deserves an F for his play, but I think Bushrod shows effort and he at least threw a beautiful block on Bush's run. In pass protection, he was a disaster. Dallas finished with 4 sacks, all coming from the left side. One of those was on Pierre Thomas, but the fact that Anthony Spencer went twice to hit Brees untouched was inexcusable. Anytime DeMarcus Ware was in the game, he beat Bushrod like a red headed step child. If it wasn't for Brees' pocket awareness, Bushrod would have been responsible for many more atrocious offensive plays. As the NFL Network crew pointed out, his footwork and balance were terrible. Maybe it's time to give Zach Strief another go. Whether it was using speed, power, or anything at all, Ware made Bushrod look like he was out of high school. Embarassing performance by the left tackle.

Carl Nicks: C (3.03) Nicks just didn't get it done. He didn't help Bushrod, he didn't get his usual push in the running game, and his pass protection was nothing special. Granted, he never really got a chance to show what he could do in either situation because the Saints hardly ran the ball and Bushrod was getting beat much faster than anyone else on the line.

Jonathan Goodwin: B (3.17) Goodwin showed nice toughness bouncing back from an injury and he played overall pretty well. He made most of his assignments, created running lanes, and did a good job of letting Brees step up in the pocket with constant outside pressure.

Jahri Evans: C+ (3.24) Evans had a holding penalty and he didn't have his best game in pass protection. At times he manhandled his man, but at others his play was average. Overall the whole line deserves criticism for the poor job running the ball and the horrendous job protecting Brees.

Jon Stinchcomb: C (2.81) Stinchcomb was fortunate to get an illegal contact call on the Cowboys on the same play that he was completely beat and allowed his man to sack Brees within about a second of the ball getting snapped. I'm not sure Stinchcomb even laid a finger on the defender on that play. He was beaten around the edge several times, but he was bailed out often by Brees' feet and/or Bushrod's superior awfulness.

My Offensive Player of the Game: David Thomas

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

Fantasy Nightmare

GrantC — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 19:39:20 -0000

My 12 team fantasy football league has been whittled down to the final four, which includes my "Big Boys" squad slotted in the third position. I got lucky last night as the guy I'm pitted against has ridden Drew Brees all season to the top total points in the league, so him not going for 430 yards and 5 TD's and ending this nerve racking weekend before it really got started was quite a 'relief' - I guess. Instead, I now have to nurse my hangover frantically refreshing my 'Matchup' page waiting for the terrible news that TO (my opponents flex position WR) has caught a 99 yard TD or that Chris Johnson (clearly my workhorse RB this season) has twisted his knee and is sitting out the second half.

However, I've realized that the thing that makes me the most furious is seeing guys sitting on my bench putting up big numbers. For example, I started Antonio Bryant in the second WR spot over Braylon Edwards - a ridiculously long pros & cons list went into this decision, particularly that I didn't Rex Ryan to actually let Sanchez air it out a lot in his first game back - but through the first half of the Jets game Edwards has 2 grabs for 73 yards and a TD, which is good for 15 pts in my league and about 3 more points than I am hoping to get from Bryant for the full game later today. Somehow its that decision not to play Edwards that has me more PO'd than Mike Sims-Walker (my opponents 2nd WR) going for 18 pts on Thurs night against the best team in the NFL. Which in retrospect is plain silly - heck Bryant could end up netting me way more than Edwards, but still when i checked the matchup page and saw the 15 show up I let out an audible "Oh no!", as if someone had just run over my wife's cat.

The moral of the story is that the real life team owners, GM's, coaches, etc that question their own decisions (or have them questioned by others) when things don't work out at least have the luxury of not knowing how it would have gone otherwise - while us fantasy owners are stuck staring at the screen and looking at a guy on your own bench ruining your Sunday... Hopefully when our team takes the field, I wont spend the entire game looking at the guy on the end of the bench and wondering if he's got a homerun in him just waiting to jump out.

My personal 'Fantasy' - Braylon Edwards with 8 drops today

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints: Game Preview

Saintsational — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:45 -0000

DALLAS COWBOYS (8-5) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (13-0)

SERIES

	COWBOYS	SAINTS
SERIES LEADER	14-8
STREAKS		Past 5
COACHES VS. OPP.	Phillips: 1-1	Payton: 1-0
LAST WEEK	L 20-17 vs. Chargers	W 26-23 at Falcons
LAST GAME	12/10/06: Saints 42 at Cowboys 17. New Orleans QB Drew Brees passes for 384 yards & 5 TDs as Saints tally 536 yards of offense in road win vs. Cowboys.
LAST GAME AT SITE	12/28/03: Saints 13, Cowboys 7. New Orleans WR Donte' Stallworth catches 76-yard TD pass & K John Carney adds 2 FGs as New Orleans defeats Dallas in 2003 season finale.
BROADCAST	NFLN (7:20 PM CT): Bob Papa, Matt Millen. Westwood One Radio: Howard David, Randy Cross, Kevin Kiley (Field reporter). SIRIUS: 124 (WW1), 126 (Dal.), 125 (NO). XM: 124 (WW1), 103 (Dal.), 102 (NO).

STATS

PASSING	Romo: 276-444-3,574 (3C)-22-7-97.4	Brees: 302-432-3,832 (1C)-32 (1L)-10-112.3 (1L)
RUSHING	Barber: 166-716-4.3-4	P. Thomas: 135-713-5.3-5
RECEIVING	Witten (TE): 77 (3C)-793-10.3-1	Colston: 56-908-16.2-9
OFFENSE	391.1 (3L)	426.1 (1L)
TAKE/GIVE	-1	+16 (2L)
DEFENSE	329.4	347.6
SACKS	Ware: 9	Smith: 10
INTs	Jenkins: 4	Sharper: 8 (T1C)
PUNTING	McBriar: 44.9	Morstead (R): 42.7
KICKING	Folk: 84 (33/33 PAT: 17/26 FG)	Carney: 89 (50/52 PAT; 13/17 FG)

NOTES

COWBOYS: QB TONY ROMO aims for 4th in row with 100+ rating. Has 7 TDs, 0 INTs & 114.3 rating in past 3. Team is 24-5 (.828) when he starts & has 100+ rating...RB MARION BARBER has 35 rush TDs since 2006, 2nd most in NFC. RB-KR FELIX JONES averages 42.5 yards per TD in career...WR MILES AUSTIN ties for NFL lead with 7 rec. TDs of 20+ yards. Has 999 yards, 17.2 avg. & 10 rec. TDs & can become 1st Cowboy since 1979 (TONY HILL) with 1,000+ yards, 17+ avg. & 10+ rec. TDs. TE JASON WITTEN has 254 receptions & 2,890 yards since 2007, both 2nd most among NFL TEs. WR ROY WILLIAMS had 4 catches for 111 yards (27.8 avg.) in only meeting (12/24/05 with Det.)...LB DE MARCUS WARE has 43 sacks since 2007, most in NFL. Has 9 sacks in past 9. Had sack in last meeting. CB TERENCE NEWMAN had INT last week...

SAINTS: Are 13-0 for 1st time in team history. Lead NFL with 35.8 scoring avg. Head coach SEAN PAYTON was asst. with Dal. from 2003-05...QB DREW BREEScompleted 26 of 38 (68.4 pct.) for 384 yards with 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 140.8 rating in last meeting. Is 6-0 at home with 131 rating, completing 136 of 187 (72.7 pct.) for 1,926 yards (321 per game) with 18 TDs vs. 3 INTs. Needs 168 yards for 4th consecutive 4,000-yard season...RB REGGIE BUSH had 6 catches for 125 yards (20.8 avg.) & TD in last meeting. Had 2 rec. TDs last week. RB PIERRE THOMAS has 4 TDs (2 rush, 2 rec.) in past 3 at home...WR MARQUES COLSTON has 11 rec. TDs in past 10 Dec. games. WR ROBERT MEACHEM has TD in 5 of past 6 (7 TDs). In last meeting, WR DEVERY HENDERSON had catches of 50 & 42 (TD) yards...DE WILL SMITH has 3 sacks & FF in 2 meetings. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Dal. with sack. Has 7.5 sacks in past 7. S DARREN SHARPER has 57 INTs, 1,309 yards & 9 INT-TDs since 2000, most in NFL.

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Falcons

saints-nation — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 18:00:17 -0000

by Paul Abell - AP

9 days ago: New Orleans Saints running back Reggie Bush (25) dives into the end zone in front of Atlanta Falcons linebacker Mike Peterson, right, during an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Atlanta. New Orleans won 26-23. (AP Photo/Paul Abell)

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Below are the grades for the Saints' offensive players for the game at Atlanta. Overall you'll notice very good grades across the board, but I will say the offense's inability to get the ball in the end zone at times kept the game closer than it should have been. The letter grade represents the player's individual performance and the GPA represents the player's cumulative effort over the course of the season. Don't worry if you think I'm being too nice, just wait for the defensive grades. They are horrendous.

Saints vs Falcons coverage

Saints vs Falcons recap

Saints vs Falcons boxscore

Drew Brees: A (3.28) Another fine and masterful performance by Brees. He's gotten his GPA dangerously close to Jahri Evans' with this string flawless games. It should be fun down the stretch to see who wins my team MVP based on highest GPA. He missed a couple of throws under pressure, but how can you complain with the game he had? Once again he wasn't sacked despite dropping back to pass 40 times. He finished 31 of 40 for 296 yards, 3 touchdowns and no turnovers. My only complaint is that he burned two timeouts with poor play clock management, and he could've been more precise in the red zone.

Reggie Bush: A- (2.61) Where did this performance come from? Bush came back in a big way, running the ball well, catching it effectively, and, brace yourselves, he even returned a punt well. The speed he showed on the screen pass was impressive. That touchdown 21 yard reception on a 3rd and 18 play, catching the Falcons in an all out blitz. He finished with 33 yards on 6 carries, 6 catches for 46 yards, 2 touchdowns receiving and a punt return for 23 yards. Give Bush credit for making one hard cut every time he touched the ball and then running with authority ahead. Amazing how much more effective he is when he's not "dancing". You all know what I'm talking about. He also bounced a 3rd and 1 play outside and ripped off a good run for a necessary conversion. Way to go Reggie.

Pierre Thomas: B+ (3.12) Thomas was used fairly often in the passing game, and had mixed results in the running game. As the game progressed he was more effective rushing, but I think the Saints could have used him more. At one point he looked banged up which is why the Saints may have abandoned their usual commitment to the run. He had 6 receptions for 53 yards, and 13 carries for 47 yards. He made no mistakes and showed great effort and toughness finishing off runs.

Lynell Hamilton: B- (2.67) Hamilton had limited reps, but he came in and gave the Saints a spark. I can't imagine there's many 4th string tailbacks in the NFL that are better. He had 13 yards on 4 carries and showed good force and physicality through the hole. He did have a nice run get called back by a holding call. He gets a B- because, let's face it, it's not like he made a huge impact on the game.

Marques Colston: B+ (2.95) Colston finished with 6 catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. It wasn't one of his dominant chain moving performances, but he made plays out there and he was solid. He made a catch on the opening drive showing off his freakish reach and reeling in a pass with his fingertips. He made it look easy, but that was a sick catch.

Devery Henderson: C- (2.95) Devery had some receptions and was dangerous after the catch, finishing with 3 catches for 31 yards. He also had two very bad drops. I worry after seeing him drop a few the past 3 weeks that he's reverting back to his old inconsistent ways. This was a mediocre performance. He got his hands on a ball in the end zone and couldn't secure it as he got hit, which was disappointing, but his second drop was an easy sideline pass that he flat out dropped. Unacceptable there, you've got to catch that one. He also got flagged on a holding call on a wide receiver screen to Meachem.

Robert Meachem: B+ (3.21) Meachem had another very solid performance. He finished with 4 catches for 57 yards, most on short routes. He also caught a 42 yard bomb downfield, and converted a 3rd and short on a 4 yard reverse. Based on the GPAs, Meachem has been the best Saints' receiver this season.

Jeremy Shockey: B (2.87) Shockey is pretty banged up. The Saints don't use him on clear running downs, and they avoid putting him in the game when they feel like they can manage without him. You've got to give the guy props for going out there on a bum ankle and showing some grit. Shockey was pretty effective in the passing game, finishing with 4 catches for 46 yards. Shockey has been clutch all season on 3rd down plays, and you can tell he's most often the primary option when the Saints really need a play. He did get caught for holding once, so that costs him the B+.

David Thomas: B- (2.36) Thomas finished with 2 catches for 9 yards. His role in the passing game has declined as he's been transformed into a fullback. I think it's safe to assume he'll be the lead blocker for the rest of the way, barring injury. It's no surprise the run game has been a little less effective given that Thomas isn't a natural fullback and that he's got major shoes to fill in Heath Evans'. He's done a pretty admirable job overall, though, and he'll get better. He does manage to still make contributions from time to time in the passing game, too.

Jermon Bushrod: B (2.70) Bushrod got pushed around early by John Abraham, and got help later to neutralize the dangerous pass rusher. Thank God this isn't the same Abraham as in his peak years, because I think Bushrod would have been eaten alive. None the less, Brees was never sacked and the running behind Bushrod was at times spectacular, and at other times average. He was pretty good overall. He fought hard.

Zach Strief: C+ (2.30) Strief was caught holding and had some miscues. He did fill in for Stinchcomb briefly at right tackle, though, and did a good job while he was in as a replacement there. The main issues he had were as an extra tight end on short plays, which is odd as it's been his calling card this year. Regardless, it's nice to have in Strief a guy who I feel is marginally inferior to both of our starting tackles. He can come in at any time and fill in and I don't think we miss that much of a beat. He's a nice reserve to have.

Carl Nicks: A- (3.10) Very solid in run and pass blocking. The majority of the runs came to the left side, and Nicks handled his man with ease. That said, why one earth is he primary option on a fake field goal? Why are we even running that play in that situation? Too bad Brunell didn't give him a chance because he was looking for an A+ if he scores a touchdown to put the game away.

Jonathan Goodwin: A- (3.18) Pretty solid game overall by Goodwin. On the Reggie Bush screen pass touchdown play, Colston did a pretty good job of blocking his man, but as Bush neared him around the 5 yard line, the defender was coming free to potentially take a shot at stopping Bush. Goodwin was pulling on the play and he absolutely blew up the defender, giving Bush an easy stroll into the end zone. Goodwin has a nice little nasty streak in him. I wish I was grading Jeff Faine on a per game basis because I'd love to see how his GPA would stack up to Goodwin's. I can't imagine there's any way it would be as good.

Jahri Evans: A- (3.31) Another textbook performances. I just didn't really feel like I could hand out A's despite the terrific pass blocking all day because the Saints finished with 95 yards rushing and a 3.7 average per carry. I did get a chance to watch Evans, mostly on passing plays, stand up his man and completely neutralize him. He would stand straight up and push his man back like he was playing with a 5 year old boy. Evans wasn't as nasty or powerful as Nicks/Goodwin in the running game for this one, but Brees would have had all day if it were one on one blocking drills. Seriously, go back and watch the tape. He completely shut down his man and rendered him useless on passing plays. It was almost like the defensive tackle gave up on rushing Brees and just decided he was going to do his best to limit the rushing plays by holding his ground.

Jon Stinchcomb: B+ (2.87) Stinchcomb banged up his leg (knee maybe?) and like Shockey he got a little band aid put on it, got the trainers to kiss it, and he was back out there. Just kidding, both guys should be applauded for shaking off injuries to go back out there and perform at a high level. I don't think anyone can question the character of Jon Stinchcomb. The guy is a very respected locker room influence and he lays it all on the line for the Saints. His mobility was a little hampered by the injury, but he was helped out by Brees' terrific pocket presence and footwork.

Darnell Dinkins: B (2.06) Going back to that ridiculous decision by Sean Payton to fake a field goal, Dinkins was the intended receiver. Seriously, Coach Sean, what were you thinking (said in Frank Caliendo doing Dr. Phil voice)? Anyway, Brunell bypassed Nicks, his primary target with non existent speed and zero flexibility and athleticism for his secondary target, Dinkins. Dinkins, mind you, is the blocking tight end who has a better chance of catching a ball with his feet. Dinkins not only wasn't able to keep his feet in bounds, he ran his route a good yard or two short of the first down anyway. Even if he comes down with that, it's a beyond stupid play made to look even more stupid by Dinkins' execution of it. Too bad, because I'd give the guy an A- if it wasn't for that. Finally he showed me some of his blocking skills and I can understand why the Saints kept him on the active roster injured early in the season. His blocking was masterful. He sealed the edge when he needed to, and he created huge lanes by using brute force. I have a feeling Mike Bell would have had a good day running behind him.

My Offensive Player of the Game: Drew Brees

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Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

Saturday News And Notes: The Saints Come Marching In

Dave the Falconer — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 13:00:18 -0000

More photos » AP

This is, in some ways, the face of the Atlanta Falcons this season. (AP Photo/Gwinnett County Police Dept.)

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It's a bruised, battered and desperate Falcons squad limping into the Georgia Dome this Sunday, which makes them equal parts dangerous against the Saints and in enormous trouble. When it rains, it pours, and right now the Falcons are getting plunked with meteorites. Insert your cliche here.

With that in mind, let's jump into some of the biggest stories leading into this game. Lord knows there's enough of them this time around.

The biggest news right now is obviously Jonathan Babineaux's recent arrest, which officially tipped the balance of the Falcons' season from depressing to absurd. We are all inside a William Faulkner novel right now, full of typing and emoticons, but signifying nothing. Which really kind of sucks, if you think about it.

But back on point. Babineaux is going to play this Sunday, so the Falcons at least have a chance to contain the Saints up front. That's the good news. The bad news is that this was a really, really stupid incident, one that Arthur Blank isn't going to approve of, and the league could take action to suspend him in the future. That's definitely going to hurt the team, and the pattern of behavior could lead the team to seek alternatives to Babineaux at DT. Obviously, I'd prefer this was the last we ever heard of any legal issues and he could continue to provide great value at the position, but at this point we're in a bad spot.
The Falcons are about as clear about injuries as the Horsehead Nebula, so it's little surprise that they've once again listed most of their roster as questionable. Matt Ryan shouldn't play and probably isn't going to, and the same for Michael Turner, but they're both listed with a Q next to their names. Even though the team desperately needs both back, it's not worth aggravating existing injuries in a game that promises to be difficult no matter what happens. Apparently, that rumor about Ryan's status depending on who is available to play the offensive line is false.
The rumor flying around is that Brent Grimes and Chris Owens are going to be our two top cornerbacks on Sunday. Based on talent, I'm not opposed to this, but even Grimes and his considerable athletic talent probably aren't going to be enough to keep up with Marques Colston, who is an absolutely filthy receiver. I pray for us all.
When Mike Smith says, "we're all ornery," you have to expect a much better all-around effort against the Saints this week. The Falcons are as angry as we all are about the way the season's turned out, this game could make or break the season and fans should show up in droves to support the team. I still think the Falcons have a good shot to win this one, even though talent-wise we're pretty well boned.
Drew Brees is among those that want the Saints to chase history. Even though the team has the division sewn up, they're going to be playing to destroy us this weekend. That's...that's not good.
Our best shot against the Saints would be to eviscerate their defense, and thankfully they'll be missing top LB Scott Fujita and CB Jabari Greer, while CB Tracy Porter is doubtful. That can only help.

Talking Saints With Canal Street Chronicles: The Sequel

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:00:29 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

Happ-i-ness? What's that? (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Grizzled veterans of this site will remember earlier in aught-nine, when I talked to Saintsational of Canal Street Chronicles about Chinese food and hubris. That feature now makes its triumphant return, with my black-and-gold friend and I riffing on snow, fortune cookies and his overwhelming urge to marry another man. No, seriously.

Follow along after the jump, and you might just learn something.

Saintsational: Alright. Let's get this started.

Dave the Falconer: Indeed.

Saintsational: I'm sure you want to ask me what it's like being the fan of such an awesome team.

Dave the Falconer: Well, first I'd have to ask why you switched to being a Falcons fan. Seems pretty disloyal to me. But for the sake of humoring you, what's it like to be a Saints fan right now?

Saintsational: Well, the Saints are kind of a big deal right now. Seriously though, I can't really say enough. It's hard to express in words.. This is something we've all been waiting for years to happen. I told you earlier that it's like everyone in the city drops ecstacy on Sunday and the high lasts all week.

Dave the Falconer: I certainly am envious of the success this season.

Saintsational: Did you see Drew on Jay Leno earlier tonight?

Dave the Falconer: No, I was busy driving through what we New Englanders like to call "a minor inconvenience."

Saintsational: Inconvenience? Is that traffic? Or snow?

Dave the Falconer: Big ol' snowstorm.

Saintsational: Oh, well, your loss dude.

Dave the Falconer: Is Drew a rock star-type figure in New Orleans at this point?

Saintsational: I don't know about rock star. Maybe more like Tiger Woods before his multiple extramarital affairs.

Dave the Falconer: So a cello star, maybe?

Saintsational: I will say this...we're having an election for mayor here in New Orleans next year. If he ran, he would win. Hands down. Wouldn't even need a run-off.

Dave the Falconer: He's probably also most qualified.

Saintsational: Haha. I'm laughing because it's true. I'm also crying...because it's true.

Dave the Falconer: You should probably see a therapist.

Saintsational: Drew's not as popular in New Orleans as Michael Vick is in Atlanta apparently. What's up with that?

Dave the Falconer: That's a cheap shot, my friend.

Saintsational: Door was open. Wiiiiiiiiiiiide open.

Dave the Falconer: There's still a large and vocal contingent of fans who I would say are equally or more attached to Vick than they are to the Falcons. You saw the results last Sunday.

Saintsational: Why? Matt Ryan is pretty darn good.

Dave the Falconer: I'm not licensed to psychoanalyze an entire fan base. So I'll just say...

Dave the Falconer: Hey! Look over there! :O

Saintsational: Where? I don't see anything...

Saintsational: Oh well, let's move on. Are the Saints going to have the good fortune of not seeing Matt Ryan on Sunday? Please answer Magic-8 ball style.

Dave the Falconer: Outlook hazy. Try again.

Saintsational: Damnit. I hate these things...Are the Saints going to have the good fortune of not seeing Matt Ryan on Sunday?

Dave the Falconer: Outlook good. Instead, you'll face off against the awesome might of Chris Redman.

Saintsational: Seriously? No Matt Ryan?

Dave the Falconer: Seriously. The coaching staff is saying they won't play Ryan without injured linemen Sam Baker and Harvey Dahl. Something about not getting him killed. I'm a bit hazy on the details.

Saintsational: Really? That's pretty interesting. It's funny, because that means they don't give a flying you know what about Redman. That must make him feel good.

Dave the Falconer: He used to sell insurance. I'm presuming he has some.

Saintsational: Ha! Alright, more injury questions. What about Turner? Please answer this one fortune cookie style.

Dave the Falconer: Michael Turner are find true love only in playing field. Lucky Numbers: 4 775 33 666. Learn To Speak Chinese: *&@#*$& is Boat.

Saintsational: You've outdone yourself with that one. So you think he'll play?

Dave the Falconer: Actually, I'm doubtful he will. Damn fortune cookie format. I think the coaching staff has to take it easy on him, especially because Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood are good options.

Dave the Falconer: I noticed that Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Reggie Bush were all limited in practice. Who among them will play this weekend? Please answer as if you were Alex Trebek.

Saintsational: To be sure, the answer we were looking for was, "They will all probably dress this Sunday." We would have also accepted, "The Roaring Twenties will roar on."

Dave the Falconer: Haha. We would also have accepted "Potent Potables."

Saintsational: The Penis Mightier for $27,000, Trebek!

Dave the Falconer: I'll take The Rapist for $200. That's therapist, Mr. Connery!

Saintsational: Ohhhh, that's good stuff.

Dave the Falconer: Almost as good as the game that will be played this Sunday! Speaking of which...How does Robert Meachem keep scoring? It seems as though Marques Colston is the target on a lot of tough passes, but Meachem finds his way into the end zone frequently. How do we stop him?

Saintsational: You can't stop him. You can only hope to contain him. I love Robert Meachem.

Dave the Falconer: If you love him so much, why don't you marry him? Aside from the fact that it's not legal in Louisiana?

Saintsational: I would. Dave, if loving Robert Meachem is wrong, I don't want to be right.

Dave the Falconer: This took an unexpected turn.

Saintsational: Seriously, everybody has a man-thing for Drew but I think Robert Meachem is winning some admirers.Seriously, though, it's like Payton said a couple of weeks ago...he just has a knack for making things happen and Payton has resigned himself to incorporating Meachem more. If he's available in your fantasy league, pick him up. And with Colston in the mix as well, it's tough for teams to cover. Not only that, there's Devery Henderson and Jeremy Shockey to account for. Meachem has been the beneficiary of all that depth lately.

Dave the Falconer: He's been stealing touchdowns from Colston for me. So I think they should call him Robber Filchem. That's just me, though.

Saintsational: My favorite nickname for him is Pontchartrain Meach. That's a reference to old school New Orleans.

Dave the Falconer: Whoa...Whoa.

Saintsational: I was going to ask you before...how do you expect the Falcons to be able to beat the Saints without Ryan and Turner?

Dave the Falconer: Simple. Run the ball frequently. Wear down your defense. And count on Redman to deliver short passes that carve up your secondary. Either that or bar the door out of the locker room.

Saintsational: We're talking about Chris Redman?

Dave the Falconer: Yup.

Dave the Falconer: Or as I like to call him...Cristobal Rojohombre.

Saintsational: Ha. That's funny 'cause it's a different language.

Dave the Falconer: I knew you'd get it.

Saintsational: Over on The Falcoholic you've got this game listed as a "Season Definer" and list it as "Serious Business." Are you still hopeful for a playoff berth?

Dave the Falconer: I'm hopeful. But I don't think it's particularly realistic at this point. A winning season is still within our grasp, however.

Dave the Falconer: What do you think of the possibility of an undefeated season? Should the Saints go for it? And I just died a little inside typing that.

Saintsational: Yes, I think they should go for it. And they will go for it. Payton has said so and Brees has said so. They are going for it and I couldn't be happier. It's getting really exciting. Now that it's so close and a real possibility, I really want them to get it. That's why last weeks game was such a heartpounder. Every game they win makes that first eventual loss that much worse.

Dave the Falconer: It should be a good game, then. We played you guys reasonably tough earlier in the season.

Saintsational: Yeah, I'm definitely concerned. Mainly because of the Saints defense.

Dave the Falconer: Why, does your defense have more problems than a mathematician's diary? More "Ohnos" than Yoko's family?

Saintsational: Last week against the Redskins they looked like last years defense.. I'm affraid it's getting slightly overlooked because of all the success of the team but with starting cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter out for a little bit, their absence is becoming evident. I'm hoping Greer returns this week. But they won't get very far looking like they did last week. That's why I am glad Redman is getting the start.

Dave the Falconer: Oh yeah? Well.... >:-(

Saintsational: With all of the Falcons injuries, has any player stepped up and surprised fans? Any insider fantasy tips?

Dave the Falconer: Gonzo's always a good choice. And so is Roddy White. Beyond that, there aren't any surprises that are worthwhile from a fantasy perspective. We all love Eric "Special" Weems. He's a great kick returner.

Saintsational: No players that have stepped up and surprised?

Dave the Falconer: Not in recent weeks. Did you see the Eagles game?

Dave the Falconer: Yeesh.

Saintsational: Yeah, that's true. Sorry, you're still sensitive.

Dave the Falconer: I'm a Falcons fan. I was born sensitive.

Saintsational: Tell Saints fans something surprising/interesting about the Falcons that we probably don't know.

Dave the Falconer: Our points for and points against averages are both 23.3, and we're 6-6. So if nothing else, we're remarkably consistent.

Dave the Falconer: Same question, but for the Saints.

Saintsational: Sean Payton and Drew Brees are members of the same fraternity.

Saintsational: I guess we'll end it as we usually do...with a prediction. This will not count toward your three predictions in our weekly prediction contest this friday.

Dave the Falconer: Gosh darnit. I predict (foolishly) a 27-24 Falcons win. Based on nothing but gumption. You?

Saintsational: I think it will be close but the Saints will be on top. Let's go with 35-32 Saints.

Dolphins vs Jaguars: Three Key Matchups

Matty I — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 05:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Lynne Sladky - AP

From the "phrases I never thought I'd say" file: I love me some VD!

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On Sunday the Dolphins play what is essentially their second consecutive playoff game when they travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars. In reality, every game from here on out is a playoff game for the Dolphins. One slip up and their playoff chances take a serious hit.

So with that said, let's talk about three critical matchups for Sunday's game:

Mike Sims-Walker/Torry Holt vs Vontae Davis/Sean Smith
Every single week it seems like I start off this post by highlighting our two rookie corners. So why stop now?

Truth be told, this is a very interesting matchup. Why? Because this will be an excellent measuring stick to see how far Vontae Davis and Sean Smith have come. They've had to go up against some of the game's best receivers over the past two months (Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Steve Smith, Marques Colston, etc...). But this week they get to face an up-and-coming star, Mike Sims-Walker, and an aging but crafty veteran, Torry Holt - which should make for some interesting moments.

Last week we saw Vontae Davis really play well. Yes, he was burnt on that early first quarter bomb from Tom Brady to Moss. But he showed how resilient he is by bouncing back and really defending Moss well from that point on. Davis shadowed Randy wherever he lined up - a first for the young corner - and he held Moss to just one more reception - for only eight yards - the rest of the game. And who could forget his huge interception in the endzone?

Meanwhile, Smith didn't have such a great day himself. He let Sam Aiken out-jump or out-wrestle a ball away from him, resulting in an 81 yard touchdown for the young receiver. He let Aiken get about five yards in front of him late in the game as well but lucked out when Brady just overthrew the open receiver. And then on that final Patriot possession, Aiken again narrowly missed a big reception when he beat Smith and got two hands on the ball only to not bring in the tough catch.

With that said, though, I'm still not worried about Smith. I'm every bit as confident in him as I was before the draft when I highlighted him as the number one guy on my wishlist. And I expect a bounce back performance on Sunday out of Smith - who has tweeted how excited he is for this game on Sunday.

It'll be very interesting to see how the coaching staff decides to match up our young corners. Which one gets the 6'2 Sins-Walker, who is quietly having a big season? And which one gets the 6'0 Holt, who remains a factor even at the age of 33?

Jaguars offensive line vs Dolphins front seven
One of the things I've been most impressed with this season has been the play of Jacksonville's two rookie tackles. That's right - they start rookies at both left and right tackle. Not too often you see that.

But from the games I've watched - which, truth be told, is not too many - Eugene Monroe and Eben Britton have been playing some good football. And that is part of the reason why the Jaguars have the 7th ranked rushing offense in the NFL. Of course, the biggest reason for that is the explosive Maurice Jones-Drew. Jones-Drew is having an outstanding season in his first year as the full-time back in Jacksonville. He's fourth in the NFL in rushing yards, leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns, and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry. Not too shabby.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, have been struggling of late against the run. Earlier this season, the Dolphins were one of the best in stopping the run. But thanks to many factors - injuries included - the Dolphins have fallen to 14th in the league against the run. And in their past 5 games, the Dolphins have allowed 127 yards per game on the ground and are surrendering 4.9 yards per carry. Not good.

However, two rookie bookend tackles does mean that the Jaguars are prone to surrendering sacks. The Jags have allowed 34 sacks this season - the 5th highest total in the league. Of course, the Dolphins didn't exactly do a great job of getting to Tom Brady last week. But Cameron Wake did make a play with under a minute left to force that errant throw by Brady that landed in Channing Crowder's arms. But outside of that play, Brady was pretty well protected.

What I'm hoping here is for Paul Pasqualoni to dial up some blitz packages designed to confuse these rookie tackles, keeping David Garrard uncomfortable all game long.

Dolphins wide receivers vs Jaguars cornerbacks
Last week the Dolphins went into that game against the Patriots with every intention of letting Chad Henne air it out. Against the NFL's 13th ranked pass defense (statistically speaking), Miami's receivers did an excellent job of giving Henne places to go with the football.

On Sunday, the Dolphins will face the NFL's 23rd ranked pass defense - a unit allowing 242 yards per game through the air and letting opponents complete over 65% of their passes. They will still be without their top corner - Rashean Mathis - meaning Tyron Brackenridge will get the start again opposite of Derek Cox. Neither of those two corners are very good. Cox is allowing 64% of the passes thrown his way to be completed while Brackenridge allows over 15 yards per reception.

Let's see if this group of receivers can again come up big in a big game and put some points on the board in Jacksonville.

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Redskins

saints-nation — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 18:00:22 -0000

by Nick Wass - AP

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Below are the player grades on offense for the game at Washington. You'll notice the passing game was largely exceptional, while the run game was largely lacking in performance. The letter grade represents the player's performance in the game and the GPA behind it represents the player's cumulative performance for the season.

Saints vs Redskins coverage

Saints vs Redskins recap

Saints vs Redskins boxscore

Drew Brees: A (3.22) Brees was shaky at times, hanging on to the ball longer than we're accustomed to and having his height limitations more pronounced than usual with the batted passes, but overall Brees was once again masterful. He finished 35 of 49 for 419 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. The minute Shaun Suisham missed that short field goal, there was almost no question Brees would go down and tie the game at 30. I have to give personal credit to my cousin, Chris, who proclaimed the second the field goal missed that the score would be 30-30 within minutes. The bottom line was on a day where the defense couldn't seem to do anything right, Brees somehow kept the Saints within striking distance, and he led them to victory in the closing moments.

Reggie Bush: C- (2.50) Bush had limited action in the game but had a satisfactory day as a receiver. He had 4 catches for 28 yards. Rushing wise, his lone carry was a 3rd and 1 run to the left side where he was hit for a no gain. I'm not sure why he would ever be used as a short yardage back. His punt returning was once again embarassing. He ran backwards, per usual, and lost 2 yards on his only return. Because of his antics a block in the back was also added to the play. At what point do the Saints decide that Bush is a terrible punt returner? I remember the Vikings game last year like everyone else, but a blind squirrel could look at his punt returns numbers on the year and realize it's time to look for a viable alternative.

Mike Bell: C- (2.77) Bell was mediocre, and was often stacked up in short yardage situations. Typically he's tough to bring down, but he went down all too easy in this game. He finished with 16 carries for 34 yards, for just a 2.1 yard average. He did a good job running the football in overtime, but that was about it.

Pierre Thomas: C+ (3.10) The Saints ran the screen pass to Thomas more times than I cared to remember. That play was the staple of the Saints' offense in this game. Thomas was effective wielding through blockers and tackles, finishing with 8 catches for 64 yards. Unfortunately, his rushing attempts weren't nearly as impressive, as he finished with 18 yards on 6 carries. Thomas does deserve credit for throwing some terrific blocks on blitz pickups to keep his quarterback clean. Ultimately, the Saints were incapable of running the ball all day and Thomas never really got going.

Marques Colston: B (2.92) Colston was pretty quiet, and he was targeted by Brees with no success in a tight window a couple of times (including once in the end zone). That said, his only two catches were crucial plays. His first was a nice route that resulted in an easy, wide open 40 yard touchdown catch. His second catch was a 6 yard out that converted an important 3rd and 5 in overtime. He was targeted too many times, though, to come up with just 2 catches. He didn't get open nearly enough, but given his 40 yard TD catch I couldn't give him an uglier grade.

Devery Henderson: B+ (3.05) Henderson was brutalized by bone crushing hits on a number of occasions, most times delivered by LSU product LaRon Landry. To his credit, he was able to hang on to two big first down conversions despite huge hits he was barely able to get up from. Henderson had one bad drop that was reminiscent of his inconsistent performances of the past, but otherwise he was a go to target when the Saints needed plays. He finished with 6 catches for 61 yards. It did look like he might have dropped one of those receptions, but the Redskins never challenged his reception.

Robert Meachem: A+ (3.20) Meachem was the Saints' offensive player of the game. No poll, no debate, period. He was THE reason the Saints won the game. He's quickly becoming the prime target for Brees and the most dangerous playmaker on the team. He had 8 catches for 142 yards, including a 53 yard touchdown reception with 1:19 left to tie the game at 30. Right before halftime he stripped Kareem Moore of the Redskins after an interception. Meachem was able to make one of the more head's up plays I've ever seen, recovering the fumble after jarring it lose and racing 40 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 17. That play was, in a word, unbelievable. He did not make one single mistake through the game, and he was reliable in his route running, catching, and ability to make plays throughout the game.

Jeremy Shockey: B (2.86) It was nice to see Shockey rebound after a few quiet games in succession. With the game on the line and the Saints down a couple of scores, Shockey was relied on heavily in the 2 minute offense. He was found in the middle of the field on numerous plays, and he showed soft hands. He had an offensive pass interference call that I never fully understood. He finished with 4 catches for 47 yards. Interesting to see him used sparingly on rushing plays.

David Thomas: B- (2.33) Thomas did a poor job as a lead blocker despite getting numerous reps out of the fullback position. He did a nice job receiving, though, finishing with 3 catches for 31 yards, including a nice route where he smoked a Washington linebacker for a 21 yard gain.

Jermon Bushrod: C- (2.67) Bushrod was bad. He did a horrendous job run blocking, and a number of the running plays that went behind him were blown up. Specifically, Bush's 3rd and 1 carry and a couple of Bell's 3rd and shorts were stuffed based on poor blocking by Bushrod. His pass blocking was only marginally better as he got Brees hit and pressured on a number of plays. Veteran Andre Carter made him look silly, especially early, on a number of running plays. Give him credit, though, for making the tackle downfield after the missed field goal in regulation by Garrett Hartley.

Zach Strief: D (2.30) Strief is supposed to be the blocking specialist in short yardage situations, and quite simply, whenever he came in the game the Saints were stuffed short of the yardage they needed.

Carl Nicks: C (3.06) Nicks had an up and down game. On any and every short yardage situation the Saints had, they went behind Nicks pulling. He whiffed twice on tacklers, allowing Bell to get stacked up in the backfield. He did a poor job specifically on an important 4th and 1, which turned the ball back over to the Skins with the Saints down 20-17. Nicks did have some nice blocks and decent pass protection, but overall he had his hands full with Albert Haynesworth. I realize Nicks faced one of the best in the business, but the bottom line is he was mostly dominated.

Jonathan Goodwin: C+ (3.14) Goodwin, per usual, did a nice job pulling on the Pierre Thomas screens to throw some nice lead blocks and give Thomas some real estate to run with. His pass protection was adequate, but the Saints often attacked the middle running the ball and Goodwin wasn't strong enough to push the point of attack. He didn't have a great day, but he was one of the better linemen on an otherwise lackluster performance by the Saints' blocking unit.

Jahri Evans: C (3.28) You all know how much I sing Evans' praise every week, but this was a forgettable performance. He was flagged for an ineligible man downfield call late in the game. A play that wasn't necessarily his fault as the play was a designed screen that Brees didn't get rid of fast enough. Evans was unable to assert his normally dominant technique and force. Despite the Saints continuously running to the right side and using Nick's pulling help, the sledding was tougher than ever. The few plays that worked running the ball were plays where the blocking broke down on the right side of the line, and a lane appeared cutting against the grain on the left side. Not a good sign.

Jon Stinchcomb: D+ (2.83) Stinchcomb was the weakest link against the Redskins on the offensive line. He was pushed around and bullied all day long. He wasn't able to accomplish much and he should have been flagged way more often than what he actually got. I did notice he was flagged for an illegal block in the back on what was a horrendous attempt on a 3rd and goal screen pass to Devery Henderson. His run blocking easily deserves an F. Do yourselves a favor and DO NOT watch the tape of his run blocking attempts. Play after play after play, he allows tremendous penetration. Pass blocking was marginally better.

Darnell Dinkins: D+ (1.87) When he came in, he blocked, and he blocked poorly.

My Offensive Player of the Game: Robert Meachem

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

Robert Meachem (Sorry, no other choices)

488 votes

488 votes | Poll has closed

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades vs. Patriots

saints-nation — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:00:43 -0000

by Bill Feig - AP

22 days ago: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees pumps his fist after his 20-yard touchdown pass to Marques Colston during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)

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Below are the offensive player grades for the game against the Patriots. The letter grade represents the player's performance for the game and the GPA represents the cumulative effort on the season.

Patriots vs Saints coverage

Patriots vs Saints recap

Patriots vs Saints boxscore

Drew Brees: A+ (3.15) How can words even describe his performance? 18 for 23, 371 yards and 5 touchdowns. No turnovers. The way he was playing, no one could have stopped him. Not even the NFC Pro Bowl defensive squad. Brees just put himself back in the MVP race in a big way with that game.

Pierre Thomas: A- (3.18) That first touchdown was all Thomas. He made a sick ankle breaking move, then twisted and welded his way to a touchdown on the screen pass. He finished with a solid 64 yards on 11 carries (5.8 yds per carry) and 23 yards on 3 catches. He showed tremendous vision, speed and toughness throughout.

Mike Bell: B- (2.89) Bell ran hard, as always. Never really broke one in this game, though, as his longest carry was just 6 yards. He finished with 50 yards on 13 carries and was banged up with a stinger and a knee tweak at different points in the game. I don't think either injury looked serious: he returned from the stinger and got to the sideline on his own after hurting his knee. We know he's been dealing with knee issues all season.

Marques Colston: A (2.91) Man, Colston looked FAST! Did you see him on that 69 yd pass? Making plays downfield was his calling card in this one. Even when the coverage was tight, Colston went out there and caught the ball in traffic and was most dangerous after the catch. He also made a nice move and ran after the catch later in the game. He finished with 4 catches for 121 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown came with him taking two tacklers into the end zone. Sick.

Devery Henderson: A (3.03) Henderson set the tone for the game making a deep reception on the very first play. He also had a back breaking 75 yard touchdown reception to give the Saints a 17-7 lead. On that play, he was so wide open that I'm confident any receiver in the NFL would have made that play. Still, give Henderson credit because 2-3 years ago he might have dropped that easy catch. He also did a terrific job of shedding a would be tackler for a 1st down. With Lance Moore and Reggie Bush out, he was also given punt return duties. He had one go 11 yards which was a pretty good return, a safe fair catch, and a terrible backwards running play that looked like he had gotten lessons from Reggie Bush. Henderson was also open for what could have been Brees' 6th TD pass, but the pass was overthrown right before Carney's missed field goal attempt. Henderson finished with 3 catches for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Robert Meachem: A (3.07) Typically it's Meachem and Henderson making the big plays, with Shockey and Colston moving the chains, but in this game Meachem was the one moving chains (while Henderson and Colston mostly made their plays downfield). At least three times Meachem was targeted going for a 3rd down conversion. On the screen pass to Pierre Thomas that scored, Meachem went in motion and ran a nice route to pull the entire defense in his direction. He was a big part of the reason Thomas had real estate to run with. Meachem's touchdown reception for 38 yards was a terrific play where Brees threw arguably his prettiest ball of the season. Meachem did a nice job on that play of shielding the ball with his back so the defender couldn't make a play - and he secured the ball nicely by reaching out with 2 hands. Beautiful play. Meachem also took a play out of Henderson's arsenal with a nice juke on a short throw to get 1st down, almost breaking Adalius Thomas' ankles in the process. He finished with 5 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown.

David Thomas: C (2.30) Thomas was basically the starting fullback in this game with Eckel inactive, and he was a mixed bag. He threw a bad block on a reverse to Devery Henderson which resulted in the play going nowhere. His only reception was a nice double pump fake by Brees where Thomas then got open down the seam and caught a 25 yard pass. He did a nice job running after the catch on that play. When the Saints were looking to ice the game in the 2nd half, he threw a pair of nice lead blocks for Bell. He was responsible, however, for a terrible pass blocking effort on Adalius Thomas that resulted in a sack, and he was flagged for a holding call late.

Jeremy Shockey: C- (2.85) Shockey ended up having just one reception for 15 yards, and he was blown up BIG TIME on the catch he made. Give him a lot of credit for hanging on to the ball, and for popping right back up after that hit. Otherwise, Brees just didn't look his way. I actually think Shockey is hurt. How else can you explain the amount of playing time both Thomas and Dinkins are seeing? On numerous routes he ran, he was completely covered. I think his ankle is bothering him, as we already know he sprained it earlier in the year. On running downs the Saints are not using him much. Give Shockey credit on the touchdown pass to Henderson for giving Brees time by doing a fantastic job of protecting Brees on a cornerback blitz pickup.

Jermon Bushrod: B+ (2.77) Bushrod did a fine job. Brees was getting the ball out SO EARLY all day, it was really hard to grade the pass protection in this one. Hard to grade either tackle running wise, either, because 99% of the Saints ground game came on attacks right up the middle. Still, Bushrod made no mistakes and played a good game.

Carl Nicks: A- (3.15) He was opening huge holes late for Mike Bell. I noticed him miss a block or two on running plays, but otherwise he was a mauler as always. One of the things I really look forward to is watching the game tape to grade the O-lineman's performance. Watching the game through the first time and trying to enjoy it, there's just no way you can accurately grade them. If you go back and watch the tape, though, Nicks is just fun to watch. The amount of push he gets right at the snap of the football is impressive. I realized as the game progressed that the Saints really had as a game plan to attack the very middle of the Patriots when they ran the ball. Interesting, considering Vince Wilfork plays nose tackle for the Pats and he's known as a massive body and premiere run stopper.

Jahri Evans: A- (3.40) Evans is more technically sound than Nicks, quicker, and more impressive holding his ground against any and all pass rushers - and he showed his usual skill in this game. What Nicks has over Evans, though, is sheer size and dominating power. In this game Evans was pulling all day and finishing off plays. The Saints ran the ball well all day, thanks to his efforts.

Jonathan Goodwin: A (3.21) To me, Goodwin was the best lineman for the Saints against the Patriots. He pulled hard on the few plays the Saints ran to the outside, and his pass blocking was impeccable. He was able at times to bypass the defensive line thanks to the monster work Nicks and Evans did inside, and he'd get to the second level and get a hat on the Patriots' linebackers. Every single big run the Saints had was a play led by Goodwin. He also gave both Bell and Thomas nice cutback lanes they took advantage of when the play was designed to go elsewhere. I don't remember Jeff Faine ever being as good as what I saw out of Goodwin on Monday night. Very impressive performance.

Zach Strief: B- (2.45) He didn't get to play much, but when he did he played big and solid. On the touchdown pass to Dinkins, his mere presence on the field told the Patriots that the play would be a run. Result: 3 different players were completely wide open. He got some action late on running plays and got pretty good push.

Jon Stinchcomb: B (2.97) It was a quiet and uneventful day for Stinchcomb. The only play that was really run behind him was a draw on 2nd and 14 that went for 2 yards. Why are we running the ball with our passing offense on 2nd and 14 anyway? Stinchcomb was solid pass blocking and had a fine day at the office.

Darnell Dinkins: B+ (2.00) I'm going to give Dinkins a little GPA boost here because I've been hard on him and he finally got his first catch, and touchdown, in this game. Otherwise, he did a great job blocking on running plays.

My Offensive Player of the Game: Drew Brees

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

Marques Colston

11 votes

Pierre Thomas

11 votes

Drew Brees

677 votes

Robert Meachem

16 votes

other

9 votes

724 votes | Poll has closed

New England Patriots Links 11/30/09 - Brady, Brees, Bayou: Be There

Marima — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:44:00 -0000

Site of tonight's epic matchup, the Louisiana Superdome. Good times.

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Christopher Price offers his Five Things to Watch For tonight.

The Patriots want to limit the amount of damage Drew Brees, Pierre Thomas, Marques Colston, Reggie Bush, Jeremy Shockey and the rest of the New Orleans offense can do. The best way to do that is to keep it off the field as long as possible through tried and true means. Controlling the ball, winning the time of possession battle and keeping your own offense on the field are all paramount when you’re facing the high-octane Saints offense, and that’s what New England will try and do Monday night in the Superdome.

"That’s important. Usually the best defense for a great offense is our offense keeping possession of it," Brady said when asked about the plan-of-attack against a team like the Saints. "It’s a dangerous team, and offensively, we’re going to have to possess the ball and be good on third down."

Peter King calls the production of Moss and Welker more impressive in some ways than it was in 2007.

Back in the spring, Belichick called Randy Moss, Wes Welker and Brady on the carpet for their comments -- Moss' and Welker's, really -- that the New England offense should be more explosive than in its 589-point 2007 season. Sounded far-fetched at the time, and even through the first month or so of this season. But the Patriots have averaged 37.2 points per game in their last five outings; the 2007 teams averaged 36.8. And though the passing game hasn't been as explosive (50 touchdown passes in 2007, 20 so far in 2009), the production of Moss and Welker has been in some ways more impressive. Tracking the averaged combined production of Moss and Welker through 10 games, compared to 2007:

2007: Receptions: 13.1, Yards: 166.8, Average: 12.7, TDs: 2.0

2009: Receptions: 14.2, Yards: 177.9, Average: 12.5. TDs: 1.2

TEAM TALK

Andy Hart offers his Saints Six-Pack.
Bill Belichick Saturday Press Conference. (15:41 min. video) Plus Transcript.
Locker Room Uncut: Saturday thoughts from the Pats. (3:09 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

Adam Kilgore says a victory over the dominant Saints tonight will fill the void the loss to the Colts left.
Karen Guregian calls tonight's matchup a statement game for the Patriots, where they need to rise up and beat the best to prove that they can.
Bob Ryan knows the Saints are pretty impressive on both sides of the ball, but says the song is the same for the Patriots.
Jim McBride offers his Patriots-Saints Scouting Report.
Shalise Manza Young presents her Patriots-Saints pregame analysis.
Boston Herald Scouting Report: Patriots at Saints.
Monique Walker focuses on the defenses, saying that's where the key to the game lies.
Albert Breer notes the Patriots have solidified the AFC East and are now in the race for the number 2 seed.
Mike Reiss reports Junior Seau's leadership is making an impact without him stepping on the field.
Jim Donaldson says this game against the Saints will be a defining moment.
Mike Reiss offers some quick-hit thoughts on the NFL and the Patriots.
Ron Borges observes the Colts now win the way the Patriots used to. They win in a way that leaves their opponents believing when the game is over that they should have won, could have won and surely will win next time - even though they shouldn’t, they couldn’t and they won’t.
Shalise Manza Young points out the Patriots would certainly like to put a chink in the Saints armor.
Mike Reiss notes that protecting their 2007 season isn't driving these Patriots.
Christopher Price reports the Patriots are a front-runner to land Charlie Weiss in 2010.
Shalise Manza Young gets up close with Ty Warren.
Jeff Howe notes the Patriots path to the post-season lies on a troublesome road.
Jim Donaldson tells his readers to chalk this game up in the loss column.

NATIONAL NEWS

Dennis Dillon (Sporting News) Patriots-Saints matchup a carnival of offense.
Jason La Confora (NFL.com) Separating the contenders (Titans) from the pretenders (Cowboys). Has the Patriots winning the Super Bowl.
Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) Colts, Vikings continue to steamroll towards playoffs. Week 12 Recap.
Don Banks (SI) Inside the NFL: Kubiak must go, the amazing Colts, coaching blunders and more.
Peter King (SI) MMQB: Tennessee's thrilling last-second TD trumped all in Week 12.
Dave Richard (CBS Sports) History lessons: Brady, Brees at their best?
Pat Yasinkas (ESPN) '09 Saints battling legend of '07 Pats.
Tim Graham (ESPN) Take your pick: '07 Pats or '09 Saints.
Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Sunday Rewind: Week 12.
Michael Lombardi (Nat'l Football Post) Sunday Sit Down: Bill Belichick Part 1 (4:14 min), Part 2 (4:33 min).
Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Colts do enough...unlike the playoffs.

VIEW FROM NEW ORLEANS

Sheldon Mickles (Baton Rouge Advocate) Saints aspire to reach Pats gold standard.
Les East (Baton Rouge Advocate) Drew Brees and Tom Brady: On top of their games.
James Varney (Times-Picayune) Kevin Faulk not nostalgic about returning to Superdome.
Nakia Hogan (Times-Picayune) Saints vs. Patriots: Inside the game.
Peter Finney (Times-Picayune) Monday Night Football's John Gruden "jazzed" about tonight's matchup.
Nakia Hogan (Times-Picayune) Patriots' Bill Belichick a master of subterfuge.
Jeff Duncan (Times-Picayune) Drew Brees' mantra contains winning formula for New Orleans Saints.