SB Nation - Deuce McAllister

The Ten from The Last Ten - 4, 3, 2, and 1

The Ghost of Jay Cutler — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:39:08 -0000

The list kicks off here. She continues here. And now, she will come to her glorious end. Numbers four through one are pretty predictable, so I'll cut the intro short and dive right in.

NUMBER FOUR

Dexter McCluster - APB - Still on roster- Do you remember Dexter McCluster's first game? I do. He scored our first touchdown of the 2006 season on a Hugh Freeze classic gadget play. He tallied 268 all-purpose yards--fourth all time in school history for a single game. He lined up at halfback, wideout, punt returner and kick returner. And he did it all as a scrawny, mildly-recruited true freshman out of Largo, Florida. From that game on, I knew Dexter McCluster would do great things for our football team, but I never imagined him being as unstoppable as he can be at times.

In our four SEC wins from this season, only one--Vanderbilt--didn't see a offensive Dexplosion (get it?). It is hard to argue that, without Dexter McCluster, we would have defeated Arkansas, Tennessee, or LSU. Over those three games, he had 777 offensive yards. The Rebels, as a team, had 1,471. Crunchify those numbers and you'll see that the three biggest wins of this season saw Dexter McCluster personally account for 53% of the Ole Miss offense.

After seeing what he has done this season and what he was able to accomplish last season, I posit that there isn't another Ole Miss Rebel more responsible for our first back-to-back traditional New Years Day bowl appearance than Dex.

Oh, and he's a great guy, to boot. Anyone who has met Dexter McCluster can attest to his positive attitude, friendly demeanor, and pure love for the sport of college football. He is one of those guys who truly makes you proud to be an Ole Miss Rebel fan.

NUMBER THREE

Deuce McAllister - HB - 2001 - Deuce McAllister is a ballertron. Even though he was a two-time pro bowl selection in the NFL, casual NFL fans will never know just how good McAllister was at his prime. Deuce finished his college career at Ole Miss with 616 carries for 3,060 yards and 36 rushing touchdowns. He is also the only Rebel to score a touchdown five different ways: rushing, receiving, passing, returning a punt, and returning a kick. But even all of that doesn't really tell the story. Before Deuce's knee(s) went out, he was impossible to bring down and super-fast. After his knees went out, he was just impossible to bring down. If only we had seen the NFL career of a completely healthy Deuce McAllister, the nation would know just how good he was.

Maybe more than his immediate impact, Deuce carried our program on his shoulders, to some extent. He and Romaro Miller, in terms of skill players, were the two players that brought Ole Miss out of probation and onto a real stage. Deuce McAllister got people to talk about our program and school at a time when we could have completely fallen off the face of the college football landscape. Sure, we're no powerhouse now, but we're also not Kentucky. If Deuce hadn't injured himself his senior year, he would have been a serious candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

He is also a fantastic individual who, through his entrepreneurial efforts and philanthropy, does an excellent job representing his alma mater and home state.

For all of that, Deuce McAllister deserves this #3 spot. He's the greatest running back to play for Ole Miss in the modern era.

NUMBER TWO

Eli Manning - QB - 2004 - I remember when Eli Manning signed with Ole Miss. I wasn't anywhere near an avid fan of Ole Miss at the time, but I remember it. Immediately, Ole Miss fans had visions of Peyton Manning 2.0, since Eli was supposed to have all the skill with a stronger arm. Opposing fans pointed to the fact that Eli played at a small private school and wouldn't be anywhere near Peyton's ability (ed: an argument which makes no sense--all of the Manning boys went to Isadore Newman, right?).

In many ways, both parties were wrong. Obviously, Eli Manning was a phenomenal college quarterback, but he never lived up to the Peyton Manning level of hype. He had a solid impact on our program, but he wasn't even able to get us to Atlanta, despite staying until he was a fifth year senior. Still, Eli holds every significant passing record at Ole Miss, and I would guess that most of his records will stick for quite some time. The impact he had on our program was also phenomenal. Because of him, Cutcliffe was able to recruit a fantastic offensive line, serviceable receivers, and running backs just good enough to give Eli a decent threat on the ground. He brought the most media attention our school had gotten in decades, and was even a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.

I remember watching Eli Manning in the Cotton Bowl of 2004 against a creative Oklahoma State defense. Over and over again, they would disguise blitzes until there were five or six seconds left on the playclock only to see Manning audible or pick up a hot route to completely dissect what the defense was sending. That was a special performance to watch which, although one of many, is one I will always remember.

As you all know, Eli is currently the starting quarterback for the New York Giants. He's done some good things for them.

NUMBER ONE

Patrick Willis - MLB - 2007 - I know that Eli, Deuce, and Dex likely did more for Ole Miss in terms of wins and losses. I also realize that Eli, Deuce, and Dex also have done more for our program with regards to national sports media spotlight and perception. But, I do not think that those factors serve as enough to usurp Patrick Willis from this number one spot.

There has perhaps never been an Ole Miss Rebel which perfectly embodied his position as well as Patrick Willis did. He is big. He is strong. He is fast. He has incredible football instincts and fundamentals. He is effective on the blitz or back in coverage. He never takes a play off. He is damn near flawless. Even despite having a broken hand, a tweaked knee, and a nagging foot injury during various points in his career, he was an effective tackler.

The reason that folks will be so quick to throw Eli, Deuce, or Dex above Patrick Willis on a list like this is simply because the only winning season Willis experienced was his freshman campaign--a season in which David Cutcliffe's foolish seniority-based depth chart kept PWillie on special teams and in a reserve role. No, he didn't play on defenses which won many games, but the fact that he brought some national attention to our program, became a consensus All-American, and won the Butkis trophy all while playing for an absolutely horrible football team says more about him than stats or anecdotes ever will.

While not nearly as well known as Michael Oher's, Patrick Willis' "rags to riches" story is just as revealing to the extent of the young man's character. Born and raised in hardscrabble, rural west Tennessee to drug addicted and abusive parents, Patrick Willis could have easily been yet another young life wasted. But it was not to be. Essentially raising his siblings on his own, Patrick worked odd jobs, bounced among several foster homes, and stayed in school until he was finally taken in by his high school basketball coach. He stuck through the hard times off the field with an endurance, patience, and demeanor few of us could ever possess.

And, as with many folks on this list, nobody who ever met Patrick Willis had an ill word towards him. He is a hard worker in everything he does, polite, respectful, and humble. He is that all-too-rare combination of stellar athleticism and fantastic personality.

Currently, Patrick Willis is terrorizing the NFC West as the starting Middle Linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers. During his rookie season, he led the NFL in tackles, was named the Defensive ROY, and punched his ticket to Honolulu as a member of the NFC's Pro Bowl team. Yeah, it's safe to say that the guy hasn't skipped a beat.

So while he may not have the wins and losses other people on this list may have, Patrick Willis is, as we see it, the single greatest football player to wear an Ole Miss uniform in the past ten years, if not ever.

You're makin' all of us proud, PWillie.

Prospective Seahawks General Managers: Randy Mueller

John Morgan — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:13:53 -0000

by Don Wright - AP

Randy Mueller traded Chris Chambers to San Diego for a second round pick. Chambers was recently released by the Chargers.

View full size photo »

I am saving Sunday's tape analysis for the offseason. Just like last offseason and the two that preceded it, I will scout every important player on the Seahawks roster, cite specific plays from the season that exemplified that player's strengths and weaknesses and project their future within the organization.

Yesterday was filled with so much defeat, complete, non-competitive, Brett Favre benched in the second half, defeat, Seahawks fans deserve a respite. Let us escape from our escape through our escape.

The Tim Ruskell-Mike Holmgren dichotomy is media created foolishness. Holmgren wants back in football. A smaller team, a team that needs the recycled hype and distraction, that is mired in failure and needs anyone, anything to steal the headline from griping and finger pointing, will hire Holmgren.

Paul Allen is a progressive and invested owner. That doesn't put him beyond hiring a general manager he is comfortable with. That is why I start this series with a former Seahawk, Randy Mueller.

Randy Mueller

Mueller cut his teeth with Seattle, working his way up from pro personnel assistant, 1983, to player personnel director, 1990, and finally Vice President of Football Operation in 1995. The signing of Holmgren signaled the departure of Mueller. The two worked together on the disastrous 1999 draft before Mueller became the general manager of the New Orleans Saints.

Mueller drafted Joey Galloway, Shawn Springs, Pete Kendall, Phillip Daniels, Walter Jones, Anthony Simmons and Ahman Green for the Seahawks. He was integral in Seattle escaping Rick Mirer. Mueller traded Mirer to Chicago for a first round pick in 1997.

He went on to work for the Saints starting in 2000. There he helped clean up another coach-executed disaster, flipping Ricky Williams to the Miami Dolphins for two first round picks in 2002. In three season with the Saints, Mueller drafted Marc Bulger, Darren Howard, Kevin Houser, Deuce McAllister, Moran Norris, Donte Stallworth, Charles Grant and LeCharles Bentley.

From 2002 to 2005, Mueller worked for ESPN as an analyst. He signed with the Dolphins in 2005, but then-coach Nick Saban was in charge of personnel decisions. Mueller was in charge for the short period between Saban's resignation January 3, 2007 and Bill Parcells appointment December 19, 2007. The 2007 Dolphins finished 1-15 and Mueller was fired December 31, 2007.

His larger record speaks better of him than his recent work. Mueller might best be described as a fixer. He helps teams escape bad situations and has succeeded at turning high round picks into successful players. He traded Chris Chambers for a second round pick, Wes Welker for a second and seventh round pick (when Welker was a return specialist and part time receiver) and, as mentioned, freed the Seahawks from Mirer and the Saints from Williams. Mueller does not have much experience picking quarterbacks. He did find Marc Bulger in the sixth, and acquired Trent Green for a fifth round pick. Before a brain scrambling hit essentially ended his career, Green was a serviceable quarterback in 2007.

If Seattle is looking to blow up the roster and exchange some of its more valuable players for picks, Mueller is the right guy to dismantle and liquidate. He isn't young, but he is connected. He isn't fresh or sexy, but his record is pretty strong. Mueller is a bridge, and I would think, appeals most to fans that think the Seahawks are not close, not rebuilding, but collapsing; years from contention.

NY Giants @ New Orleans Saints: Game Preview

Saintsational — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:00:24 -0000

NEW YORK GIANTS (5-0) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-0)

SERIES

	GIANTS	SAINTS
SERIES LEADER	14-10
STREAKS		2 of past 3
COACHES VS. OPP.	Coughlin: 2-2	Payton: 1-0
LAST WEEK	W 44-7 vs. Raiders	Bye (Week 4: W 24-10 vs. Jets)
LAST GAME	12/24/06: Saints 30 at Giants 7. New Orleans has 2 100-yard rushers (Deuce McAllister & Reggie Bush), & defense allows just 6 first downs & 142 total yards in late-season road win.
LAST GAME AT SITE	9/19/05: Giants 27, Saints 10 (in Giants Stadium). Originally scheduled for NO, game moved to NY as part of NFL Hurricane Relief Weekend to generate donations for Hurricane Katrina victims. Last game in New Orleans, 12/14/03: Saints 45, Giants 7.
BROADCAST	FOX (12:00 PM CT): Thom Brennaman, Troy Aikman, Pam Oliver (Field reporter). Westwood One: Howard David, Dan Reeves. SIRIUS: 127 (NYG), 157 (NO). XM: 104 (NYG).

STATS

PASSING	Manning: 87-135-1,212 (2C)-10 (1C)-2-111.7 (1C)	Brees: 87-129-1,031-9 (T2C)-2-108.4 (3L)
RUSHING	Bradshaw: 58-375 (3C)-6.5-2	Bell: 45-229-5.1-1
RECEIVING	Smith: 37 (1L)-481 (1L)-13.0-4 (T1L)	Shockey (TE): 18-162-9.0-2
OFFENSE	417.4 (2L)	414.3 (3L)
TAKE/GIVE	+6	+7 (T2L)
DEFENSE	210.6 (1L)	295.3
SACKS	Tuck: 3.5	Grant: 4
INTs	3 tied: 1	Sharper: 5 (1L)
PUNTING	Feagles: 41.0	Morstead (R): 43.7
KICKING	Tynes: 55 (1L) (16/16 PAT; 13/16 FG)	Carney: 36 (18/18 PAT; 6/7 FG)

NOTES

GIANTS: Aim for 1st 6-0 start since 1990 when team won SB XXV…QB ELI MANNING grew up in NO. Is 31-9 (.775) in past 40 starts (incl. playoffs). Is 6-1 as starter indoors (incl. SB XLII)…RB BRANDON JACOBS had TD run in his last game vs. NO. When Jacobs has 10+ carries (incl. playoffs), Giants are 30-6 (.833). When he has 100+ rush yards, team is 8-1. RB AHMAD BRADSHAW rushed for 110 yards (10 avg.) & 2 TDs last week…WR STEVE SMITH has 31 catches for 401 yards (100.3 per game) & 4 TDs in past 4. WR MARIO MANNINGHAM has 3 rec. TDs, all for 20+ yards. Rookie WR HAKEEM NICKS aims for 3rd in row with TD…In past 23 (incl. SB XLII), DE JUSTIN TUCK has 17.5 sacks. When Tuck has sack (incl. playoffs), team is 15-3 (.833). Have won 10 in row when Tuck has 1+ sack (incl. SB XLII). DE OSI UMENYIORA has 3 sacks in past 2 meetings & aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with sack. DE MATHIAS KIWANUKA aims for 3rd in row with sack…

SAINTS: Average 36 points per game, most in NFL. Head coach SEAN PAYTON was asst. with NYG (1999-2002)…QB DREW BREES has won 8 of past 10 at home with 3,182 yards (318.2 per game), 29 TDs & 115.8 rating. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 14,941 pass yards…RB-PR REGGIE BUSH had 126 rush yards & TD in last meeting. Has 25 career TDs (13 rush, 8 rec, 4 PR) & is only Saint to score via rush, rec. & PR. RB PIERRE THOMAS has rushed for 212 yards (106 per game) & 3 TDs in past 2. Has 12 TDs (9 rush) in past 9…WR MARQUES COLSTON has 7 TDs in past 7. TE JEREMY SHOCKEY spent 6 seasons (2002-07) with NYG & earned 4 Pro Bowl selections. Has 439 receptions since 2002, 3rd most in NFL among TEs…S DARREN SHARPER had 2 INTs in Wk. 4, incl. 99-yard INT-TD. Has 10 INT-TDs, 2nd most all-time. Has 97- & 99-yard INT-TD this year, only player in history with 2 95+ yard INT-TDs in season. Has 6 INTs (2 INT-TDs) in past 5 vs. NYG. DT REMI AYODELE had FR-TD in Wk. 4.

This comes directly from the NFL. I did NOT write this.

GIANTS (5-0) VISIT SAINTS (4-0) IN BATTLE OF UNBEATENS

"This is certainly the game of the week," says NFL Network analyst STEVE MARIUCCI of this Sunday’s showdown between the 5-0 New York Giants and 4-0 New Orleans Saints. "It’s a battle of undefeated teams and it could be a preview of what’s to come in the playoffs. These two clubs will probably meet at some point in the postseason."

The Giants, who are 5-0 for the third time in team history, are coming off an impressive 44-7 win against Oakland. New York is 3-0 on the road and boasts the league’s top-ranked defense (210.6) and second-ranked offense (417.4).

"The Giants, to me, are the most complete team in the NFL," says Mariucci. "They rank first in defense and second in offense. That’s unheard of. This team has so much depth. I’m really impressed with how this team has been put together. They do a great job of adding players and improving their depth."

The Saints, who had a bye in Week 5, have combined a high-scoring offense – a league-high 36 points per game – with an aggressive defense – an NFL-best 13 takeaways – to give the club its third 4-0 start in franchise history.

"The offense has been really good for a while," says Mariucci, "but the difference this year is that the Saints are playing good defense. New Orleans can move the ball on offense against anybody. But (defensive coordinator) GREGG WILLIAMS and his defense is the area of most improvement."

	NEW YORK GIANTS	NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
	Stat (NFL Rank)	Stat (NFL Rank)
Points Per Game	30.2 (4th)	36.0 (1st)
Scoring Differential	+80 (1st)	+78 (2nd)
Total Offense	417.4 (2nd)	414.3 (3rd)
Total Defense	210.6 (1st)	295.3 (6th)
Takeaways	11 (T4th)	13 (1st)

"I’m excited about this game," says Giants quarterback ELI MANNING, who will play in his hometown of New Orleans for the first time. "It’s always fun to go home and play a game, especially since I was a Saints fan growing up. I’m excited about the opportunity to play in the Superdome and I expect a good game from the Saints. They are playing extremely well this year. It’s going to be a great atmosphere down there. These are the games that are fun to play."

Manning, who is second in the league with a 111.7 passer rating, will lead the NFL’s No. 2 ranked offense, which features a strong running game and a group of talented young receivers.

"The Giants have a very well-balanced offense," says Mariucci. "They have a two-headed monster at running back. BRANDON JACOBS is a house. He’s a powerful runner. AndAHMAD BRADSHAW, who scored two touchdowns (11 carries, 110 yards) last week, is a change of pace back who is great out of the backfield catching the ball.

"Their receivers have been lighting it up. There’s good depth there. Eli can throw the ball to so many options and the young guys like STEVE SMITH, MARIO MANNINGHAM and rookie HAKEEM NICKS have stepped up."

The New Orleans defense, which allowed 339.5 yards per game and ranked No. 23 last year, is currently sixth in the NFL at 295.3 yards per game. The Saints have forced 13 turnovers, including an NFL-best 10 interceptions. Safety DARREN SHARPER leads the NFL with five interceptions, including two touchdowns (97 and 99 yards). He is the first player in NFL history to record two 95+ yard interception-return touchdowns in season.

"Darren’s a good player, who obviously prepares and makes plays," says Manning about Sharper, who has intercepted him four times in his career. "It seems like I’m keeping him in the Pro Bowl every year. When the ball is thrown to him, he makes the catches and he makes good plays. You have to know where he is on the field."

The Saints have used a balanced offense to rack up 144 points in four games. Quarterback DREW BREES, who ranks third in the NFL with a 108.4 passer rating, leads the aerial attack, which has four different players with at least 14 catches – TE JEREMY SHOCKEY (18), WRs MARQUES COLSTON (17) and DEVERY HENDERSON (14) and RB REGGIE BUSH (14). The rushing game, which is second in the league averaging 166.3 yards per game, features three running backs with at least 30 carries – MIKE BELL (45 att., 229 yards), PIERRE THOMAS (33, 212) and Bush (36, 148).

"Everybody loves Drew Brees," says Mariucci. "He’s having another great year. He’s had so much success since coming to New Orleans in 2006. And the offense has been really good, just like it has been over the years. Brees threw for over 5,000 yards last year and this team can throw the ball against anybody."

Defensively, the top-ranked Giants will look to shut down the potent New Orleans offense.

"The Giants lead the league in defense and pass defense," says Mariucci. "They play good, fast defense. It all starts up front with that pass rush. (Defensive line coach) MIKE WAUFLE has those guys playing hard. Guys like JUSTIN TUCK and OSI UMENYIORA can make life tough on any quarterback. That pass rush really applies pressure and helps out the secondary."

So, with two well-balanced teams on offense and defense, the stage is set for an exciting showdown between two unbeatens on Sunday afternoon.

"The more you prepare for games like this, the more comfortable you become in this type of situation," says Brees. "When you have a team that knows the formula and becomes comfortable preparing for these types of big games, that just helps you down the road in the long run. The games only get bigger, especially as you near the playoffs and beyond."

2009 Saints Off-Season: A Nostalgic Look Back

Saintsational — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:00:28 -0000

Tomorrow is the official beginning of the 2009 Saints season, which means today is the official end of their 2009 off-season. The Saints have come a long way since Drew's final record-breaking pass attempt hit the Superdome turf and it's been a wild ride with lots of ups and downs. I figured what better way to say our final goodbye to the long, cold, lonely months of off-season action than to reminisce one last time and take a final look at how we've gotten to today, as seen through Canal Street Chronicles.

After the jump you'll find a timeline of memorable events, good and bad, from the past eight months for both the Saints organization and for us here at CSC. I had fun putting this together and I hope you have as much fun reading it and taking that quick trip down memory lane. Feel free to share any of your memories about these events or even add your own memorable moments.

Gary Gibbs is gone - January 7, 2009

One of the first but still probably the biggest and best moves of the entire off-season. The perfect start. We'll all remember where we were when we heard the wonderful news. Only Jessie Spano could properly express my emotions the next morning.

Gregg Williams is in - January 15, 2009

It didn't take long for the Saints to find a replacement for Gibbs. Less than a week after I urged the Saints to take their time finding a new defensive coordinator, they hire Gregg Williams. Probably because Williams was Payton's top choice, so much so that he was willing to give up a quarter of a million dollars of his own salary just to make sure Gregg came to New Orleans.

Dan Morgan unretires and re-joins Saints - January 22, 2009

Pro Football Talk broke the news that Dan Morgan would be giving it another shot. Sure, he's old but it's got to be worth a shot right? I like where this is heading.

Deuce McAllister is let go - February 17, 2009

The news wasn't surprising but it was certainly depressing. We still miss you Deuce.

Tomlinson to New Orleans? - February 28, 2009

It didn't take long after the release of Deuce for the talking heads to start throwing around rumors about a possible LT signing to fill the gap. It never seemed likely but still, it was a fun couple of days while it lasted.

Saints sign Jabari Greer - March 4, 2009

I'm planning on Jabari being the savior for the Saints secondary woes. If football doesn't work out, though, he can always try to get a job on SNL. I was shocked when I found these clips on YouTube...

Bears sign Bullocks - March 11, 2009

It was great news already when the Saints refused to bring back Josh Bullocks for another season but even better news when we found out the Bears had picked him up. If only the Saints were playing the Bears this year!

Welcome Darren Sharper - March 18, 2009

The Saints make one of their biggest signings of the off-season when they snag veteran Darren Sharper. Things are really starting to look up.

Mike McKenzie bites the dust - March 19, 2009

Another fairly predictable move by the Saints. Still, it's never easy to watch your teams best cornerback leave.

Jonathan Vilma's Condo Location of Double Murder - March 31, 2009

Obviously Vilma had nothing to do with it but what ever happened with this?

Jeff Duncan vs. Saints Nation - April 7, 2009

In the internet sports world, the people are served by two separate yet equally important groups: the reporters, who are paid professionals, and bloggers, who claim they're getting ripped off. This is their story.

NYSaint becomes YouTube star - April 25, 2009

Speaking of Law & Order...I just had to find some way to include this in a post one more time.

Saints draft Malcolm Jenkins - April 25, 2009

Most Saints fans agree: This was a good pick.

Hap Glaudi rocks CSC - April 29, 2009

I think we can all laugh about it now, but when Hap made her debut here on Da Chronic, she turned quite a few heads and caused a massive uproar. Now we'll never look at Thomas Morstead, or cats for that matter, the same way again. After some damage control, I think CSC it's only made CSC stronger.

Practice squad players arrested and cut - May 3, 2009

Kolo Kapanui and Biren Ealy were relieved of their duties after they were caught relieving themselves in a parking lot and exposing themselves to a woman.

Canal Street Chronicles brings back Kenny Wilkerson - May 21, 2009

It had been over a year since Kenny Wilkerson was involved with the Saints reporting scene and his whereabouts were becoming the stuff of local lore. Fortunately for us, he chose Canal Street Chronicles to make his triumphant return when he broke his silence and granted us an in-depth interview.

Dan Morgan retires...again - June 8, 2009

You're not experiencing Deja Vu. It was fun while it lasted. I hope Dan's restaurant is doing alright.

Saintsational ties the knot - June 27, 2009

This has absolutely nothing to do with the Saints or the blog really, other than my sweet wedding cake.

The tax credit fiasco - July 2, 2009

After being the point man on a film studio investment and losing the money of quite a few Saints players and coaches, Kevin Houser was let go. The timing, however, was purely coincidental since Payton was already looking to improve on the infallible play of the veteran long snapper. Houser landed on his feet, though, when he signed with the Seahawks at the end of July. CSC was the first in the world with that news.

Twitter takes over - July 9, 2009

I think the first time we realized how important a role Twitter would play in following the tea, came when Shockey aired out his emotions about "Chad" Houser via a tweet. Now, it's mandatory reading for all Who Dats. Even PayDiddy has an account!

Goodbye Jason David - August 17, 2009

The Saints most maligned player was finally shown the door. As if letting go of Gibbs and Bullocks weren't wonderful enough. You've got to admit, the front office was very good to us this year. And to think, I actually thought things might be different for David this season.

Canal Street Chronicles hits 1,000 - August 20, 2009

It took CSC only five months after reaching the 500 member mark to double that feat and reach 1,000 members. Thanks to everyone who reads everyday. It's nothing without all of you. Looking forward to another season.

Sign Selvin Young

John Morgan — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:53:40 -0000

...or at least bring him in for a physical.

Michael Lombardi speculates Seattle is interested in adding another running back. Without a named source, under the line "things I heard around the NFL last week" and phrased as it was -

"had internal discussions about possibly being interested in adding another running back"

- speculate is the right verb there. However, whatever the validity, it makes for an interesting discussion. Most of the available free agents are an entirely different player than their name would suggest: Edgerrin James, Warrick Dunn, Deuce McAllister, Ahman Green...and then there's Selvin Young.

Young is a former seventh round pick that played last season for Denver before being cut by the blighted Josh McDaniels regime. Young is in the Justin Forsett mold. A highly productive college rusher without the size or speed to impress NFL scouts. He was an effective rusher and receiver at Texas and most importantly, a dangerous return man. He retired his return shoes after an injury kept him out for most of the 2004 season, but in 2002 and 2003, he returned seven punts for 147 yards and two touchdowns. He hasn't returned as a professional, but he's worth a look.

That phrase defines Young. He has averaged over 5 yards per carry, adds something as a receiver, can compete with Justin Forsett for third downs, could dramatically improve Seattle's ailing punt return team, is not a pure boom or bust back, is experienced in a zone system and doesn't appear anywhere in the sports tabloids. He was cut by the Broncos because of a herniated disc in his neck. Young has earned an injury prone tag, but played 49 games at Texas, and at a salary approaching the league minimum, is minimally risky.

Young might not pass his physical, but bring him, talk to him, make the connection, and if he passes sign him and drop an extraneous linebacker, wide receiver, defensive back etc. If he doesn't, keep him on tabs should he ever. He's a young player with upside that can be had for nothing and should improve an immediate need at punt returner.

Which running games were good at what? (2008)

shake n bake — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:00:10 -0000

Looking at the Colts running game through the last 15 years in terms of consistency, explosiveness, power and ball security interested me and went over well with all of you, so now I'm wondering about the whole league. Which teams were good in which areas. Do running games thought of as elite have weak points? Do some generally poor running games have redeeming features?

Jump for sortable ranks in totals, YPC, consistency, explosiveness, power and ball security stats for the 2008 season.

Table Notes:

Back A is the back with the highest % of team carries, Back B is any other back with over 25% of team carries.
Success Rate is the average of all the teams backs with 100+ carries, weighted by attempts.
Success Rate unavailable for Broncos since none of their 7 RBs reached 100 carries.

Team	Back A	Back B	Total Rushing	YPC	Success Rate	10+ run	20+ run	Power Success	Fumble
Giants	Brandon Jacobs	Derrick Ward	2,518	5.02	51%	25%	4.78%	62%	1.39%
Falcons	Micheal Turner	None	2,443	4.36	48%	23%	2.86%	70%	1.43%
Panthers	DeAngelo Williams	Jonathan Stewart	2,437	4.84	46.2%	27%	4.76%	79%	0.79%
Ravens	LeRon McClain	Willis McGahee	2,376	4.01	47.4%	16%	1.86%	76%	1.86%
Vikings	Adrian Peterson	Chester Taylor	2,338	4.50	45.3%	25%	4.43%	73%	2.50%
Patriots	Sammie Morris	None	2,278	4.44	49%	16%	2.14%	70%	0.78%
Titans	Chris Johnson	LenDale White	2,199	4.33	48.4%	24%	2.95%	61%	1.18%
Redskins	Clinton Portis	None	2,095	4.38	48%	13%	3.56%	69%	1.05%
Jets	Thomas Jones	None	2,004	4.75	54%	20%	2.61%	61%	2.13%
Raiders	Justin Fargas	Darren McFadden	1,987	4.33	40.6%	17%	2.61%	62%	2.40%
Dolphins	Ronnie Brown	Ricky Williams	1,897	4.23	48.6%	17%	2.46%	76%	1.34%
Broncos	Micheal Pittman	None	1,846	4.81	Unavailable	17%	2.07%	70%	2.07%
Texans	Steve Slaton	None	1,842	4.27	44%	24%	3.01%	70%	2.08%
Bills	Marshawn Lynch	Fred Jackson	1,837	4.20	48.4%	16%	2.05%	62%	1.59%
Buccaneers	Warrick Dunn	Ernest Graham	1,810	4.07	46.8%	18%	1.77%	65%	1.33%
Chiefs	Larry Johnson	None	1,810	4.78	45%	25%	3.96%	58%	2.90%
Packers	Ryan Grant	None	1,805	4.13	46%	21%	2.39%	74%	2.52%
Jaguars	Maurice Jones-Drew	Fred Taylor	1,774	4.16	43.9%	17%	2.58%	76%	1.17%
Seahawks	Julius Jones	Maurice Morris	1,768	4.24	41.7%	20%	3.12%	76%	1.68%
Chargers	LaDainian Tomlinson	None	1,726	4.10	45%	17%	2.61%	78%	0.71%
Cowboys	Marion Barber III	None	1,723	4.30	41%	22%	2.99%	68%	2.24%
Eagles	Bryan Westbrook	None	1,697	3.97	48%	17%	2.58%	55%	0.94%
Steelers	Willie Parker	Mewelde Moore	1,690	3.67	45%	15%	1.74%	64%	0.87%
Bears	Matt Forte	None	1,673	3.85	43%	17%	2.30%	63%	0.92%
Rams	Stephen Jackson	None	1,649	3.95	46%	16%	2.16%	66%	1.92%
Browns	Jamal Lewis	None	1,605	3.92	40%	15%	1.71%	59%	1.96%
49ers	Frank Gore	None	1,599	4.03	47%	13%	2.33%	52%	3.78%
Saints	Pierre Thomas	Reggie Bush/Deuce McAllister	1,594	4.01	55.8%	15%	2.26%	64%	2.01%
Bengals	Cedric Benson	Chris Perry	1,520	3.62	36.4%	12%	1.67%	56%	2.38%
Lions	Kevin Smith	None	1,332	3.78	44%	19%	2.56%	71%	2.27%
Colts	Joseph Addai	Dominic Rhodes	1,274	3.44	48.5%	09%	1.35%	62%	1.08%
Cardinals	Tim Hightower	Edgerrin James	1,178	3.46	40.4%	15%	1.47%	58%	1.47%

Shockingly the Colts running game was actually good at a few things. Dom and Addai gave the O a very good number of managable down and distances and rarely coughed up the football. The issues with the run game? Laughably little explosiveness and mediocre performance in power situations.

Looking at the outliers,

The Niners had serious issues holding onto the football, weren't good in power situations and didn't show much explosiveness. For a team led by a big name back they didn't do well.

The Panthers run game was dominant. Best power team, one of the top two most explosive along with the Giants and rarely fumbled.

Speaking of the Giants, they have a surprising breakdown. A RB stable led by the massive Brandon Jacobs had it's weakest point in the power game. They were a very consistent running game and had excellent explosiveness.

Baltimore Ravens Reportedly Contacting WR Joe Horn

Bruce Raffel — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:42:06 -0000

You can add another name to the list of wide receivers that the Baltimore Ravens' are going to take a look at this week, prior to the rookies and select veterans (which interestingly includes Willis McGahee) reporting on Monday. Former New Orleans Saints and most recently Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Joe Horn (originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs) has been reportedly contacted by the Ravens regarding their looking at adding a wideout (or two) to the receiving corps. Horn, who has not played since 2007, is a 13 year NFL veteran, with over 600 receptions and 8,700 yards, with 58 touchdown catches. However, his last NFL season as a Falcon was insignificant and his last three overall showed a significant decline in production.

Here are the stats from his last four years:

Joe Horn: Age: 37; 6'1", 211 lbs.; Experience-13th season

Year Team Rec. Yards Avg. TD's

2007 Atlanta 27 243 9.0 1

2006 New Orleans 37 679 18.4 4

2005 New Orleans 49 654 13.3 1

2004 New Orleans 94 1,399 14.9 11

While he put up great numbers in the earlier years alongside his teammate on the Saints, Dante Stallworth, they had a pass-first offense even with Deuce McAllister at running back. At the same time, missing of the entire 2008 season along with his diminished production over the past few years, puts him in the same boat as D.J. Hackett and Drew Bennett. Furthermore, there is every reason to believe that the Ravens younger receivers will only improve with game exerience, while these guys are on the downward slopes, even spirals of their careers.

I'll take potential over experience, especially with ther higher risk of injury along with their poor recent numbers.

Sean Payton and Reggie Bush Press Conference Transcripts from Day Two of Saints Minicamp

Saintsational — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:21:33 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

6 months ago: New Orleans Saints defensive back Malcolm Jenkins (27) goes through a drill during morning football practice at the team's training facility in Metairie, La., Saturday, June 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Sean Payton

From the Times-Pic

Opening statement from New Orleans Saints Coach Sean Payton on Saturday:

"Just a couple notes: Malcolm Jenkins obviously had his first practice; Thomas Morstead had his first practice. With Dan Campbell, I mentioned yesterday that he's going to have surgery done on Monday morning. With Darnell Dinkins, it's an ankle sprain, and with Dan Morgan, it's a calf strain. We'll go from there."

How much better can this offense be with a healthy Jeremy Shockey?

"Certainly he's a guy both in the running game and in the passing game that we feel like is an asset to what we're trying to do. When you're at your full depth, obviously you have a chance to be more efficient so that's one aspect of it. We're looking forward to training camp where he'll be a year removed from both of the injuries that he's had. I think that definitely can help us."

What will Heath Evans add to your offense? Is he a contender to be a short-yardage back for you?

"I mentioned right after the draft that the primary focal point for him is as a fullback, both in the running game and in the passing game. I'm sure there will be some situations where we'll decide to hand him the ball. He's certainly a factor for us as a blocker and also as a receiver. I wouldn't go as far ahead as to say that he's going to be the short-yardage back - I wouldn't say that. He's probably going to be in a lot of short-yardage situations as the blocker. We'll see week by week."

As a veteran, what kind of locker room presence does he bring?

"He's a guy that has won a lot of games and any time that you can get a player from a successful organization, I think it adds to your team chemistry. He's a good leader and he's a guy that works hard. He does all the little things right. I think that's all a plus."

Is he an upgrade over Mike Karney as a blocker?

"We feel so. That's one of the big reasons that we ended up making this move. We felt like we needed to be more consistent at the point of attack as a blocker in that position and we feel like he does that well, talking about Heath. He has good athleticism to find the linebackers or the safeties at the second level; some of the things that we're asking the fullback to do in the running game. He's also versatile enough to where he's a guy that you can throw the ball to as well."

How will Darren Sharper's experience help the young guys in the secondary?

"His experience from the amount of games that he has played in this league is an asset, not only for himself but for the players that are watching film with him in the film room. You don't ever know exactly the type of leadership roles that veteran players that come in from other teams are going to have and we don't try to force those roles on any player. A lot of it comes from what they're doing on the field. Certainly there is competition too and we think we have a lot of new faces in the secondary that are going to help us, both at safety and corner."

Do you like the collection of talent that you have in the secondary?

"I like our spots."

Do you feel like you've made a big upgrade there?

"You just go through it and you can talk about the addition of a Jabari Greer, the additions of Darren Sharper, the addition of Malcolm Jenkins, Tracy Porter I look at as an addition because he's coming back off an injury. Those are a lot of new faces right off the bat before we get to Pierson Prioleau and some of the other players. To answer your question, yes."

After seeing Jenkins in action some, is he the same player you expected when you drafted him?

"Yes. When we drafted him, we felt like we were getting a guy who is physical, who is smart, who is disciplined, a guy that plays the run as well as he plays the pass. He has long levers and he has good size for the position. We're excited about him and we're excited that he was able to get out here earlier than we had anticipated having graduated."

Is it too early to tell if he's been in his playbook and doing his homework since the rookie camp?

"I think he's pretty smart. For all the new players there is a learning curve, but I would say that his ability to learn is a strength for him. I think he's a pretty smart player and he has handled the bulk of what we're doing now - especially in this veteran camp - pretty well."

Did Tracy Porter surprise you with how quickly he adjusted and played before his injury last year?

"There was a period of time in training camp, if you recall he pulled a hamstring and on the same play he and Devery Henderson both went down, and that kind of slowed him. He was able to come back before the start of the regular season and get healthy and we felt like he was on track and was playing at a very high level. Having him back is a big plus for us, a huge plus."

Do you expect Joey Harrington to compete for the number two spot now that he's here for a full offseason?

"Yes. I've talked to Joey about it and certainly Mark (Brunell) understands that each year you're competing for that position. It's something where each day they come out and take these reps. You may only get 28 team reps and I think both of those guys value those reps and understand the importance of being consistent. We'll continue - like we do with all of these positions at this time of year - to mix up the lineups and try to move guys in and out of spots. But certainly he's competing for that position and I think he understands that."

Will Reggie Bush work this afternoon?

"We'll see. Yesterday he got two (practices) in and I wanted to back off of him this morning. I want to see how he feels. I know if he doesn't go this afternoon, he'll work tomorrow morning."

Are there any positions right now where you see a great deal of competition?

"You look at some of the positions where there has been more turnover. We talked about the secondary and there are a lot of guys there competing for spots - at the corner position and at the safety position. There's a lot of competition I think at running back. We're certainly seeing some new guys on the defensive line and I think when we get through this offseason portion of the calendar and get into training camp, ultimately you start grading the preseason games and see how they handle everything."

Is it safe to say that the guys that are in camp right now are going to be your running backs this year?

"Yes. We feel pretty good about this group. The key is just developing and keeping these guys in tune to what we're doing. We have good depth. We have some good young prospects and we're excited about it."

Did you guys tell Pierre Thomas to bulk up?

"I don't know that he has bulked up so much. I've heard that but I think you're going to see him at a similar weight that he was a year ago. You have to be careful at that position. Especially at the running back and receiver positions, bigger isn't always necessarily better. The right weight is what's most important; the weight he's most comfortable carrying. He's probably three or four pounds heavier today than he was last season. I would anticipate his playing weight to be similar to what it was last season."

What was his playing weight?

"Probably in the (2)20s range; (2)24, (2)25."

Have you seen any loss of agility or speed in him?

"I just haven't seen that much of a change to begin to look at it. Mike Bell and I talked yesterday about his weight. He has played halfback before at about (2)18 or (2)17. He's probably (2)28 now. He's a guy that's a little bit heavier than what he's used to playing halfback at. Before these guys leave here in three weeks, we'll spend a lot of time assigning the reporting weights to these players. That's a pretty important topic because it's something that you want to be on with. You don't want to be too low or too high with the specific player's body type. Their body fat and how their body is made up is important in determining that."

What are your thoughts on the big crowd that has been out here for the two open practices?

"I think it's easy to feel the fans' excitement year-in and year-out here. I've said before that it's a fan base that is unique to any other that I've been a part of and I've been in some pretty big cities with pretty good football traditions in Dallas, New York and Philadelphia. But there is a uniqueness here and it's great that they have an opportunity to see some practices at this time of the year when they're all anxiously awaiting the season. It's good to see them out here."

Reggie Bush

From the New Orleans Saints official website

Q: Do you think you have a good overall group of running backs?

A: I think we definitely have a good core group of running backs. Everybody here that we have here right now are fully capable of stepping in and getting the job done. We're very confident about our group of running backs we have right now.

Q: What does Heath Evans bring to the table with veterans like Mike Karney and Deuce McAllister having left as far as a leadership role?

A: Experience. He also brings versatility to our group and that is really important for us at the fullback position, because that's going to just make us that more dangerous and enable us to create a lot of mismatches with defenses. On top of that the experience part is huge for us. The leadership role in terms of having been playing for championships and in a Super Bowl and coming from a winning organization brings an attitude that can only help us.

Q: Do you think there is a drop-off at fullback with the loss of Karney?

A: No, not at all.

Q: How can you guys improve offensively, even though your team was ranked number one?

A: We can always get better. We didn't make the playoffs last year so we can get better. It's not just about the offense or the defense, it's about us as a team collectively winning. Whether it's the number one offense or the number 15 offense, whatever it is, however it is collectively winning or not just individually or the offense doing well and the defense not doing as well. We want to collectively play well as a team.

Q: Do you think you guys will have problems in third and one situations this year and that you have the personnel to be successful in that situation?

A: I definitely feel like we have a chance to do that. I don't think that's ever a question for us. We're such a versatile offense we can line up or split five wides and get a first down. We're not that worried about first downs, third and ones or fourth and ones.

Q: Do you think you have a good overall group of running backs?

Q: What does Heath Evans bring to the table with veterans like Mike Karney and Deuce McAllister having left as far as a leadership role?

Q: Do you think there is a drop-off at fullback with the loss of Karney?

A: No, not at all.

Q: How can you guys improve offensively, even though your team was ranked number one?

Q: Do you think you guys will have problems in third and one situations this year and that you have the personnel to be successful in that situation?

Bird Droppings - Philadelphia Eagles links 6/05/09

JasonB — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:00:29 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

Philadelphia Eagles' Brandon Gibson, center, along with teamamtes Marcus Thigpen left, and Jeremy Maclin look on during football practice in Philadelphia, Wednesday, June 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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Chirpy Samuel helps enliven Eagles' practices | Philadelphia Inquirer | 06/05/2009
If Brian Dawkins was Wolverine, Asante Samuel has become the Eagles' Joker. The all-pro cornerback has been the most vocal player during this spring's minicamps, and even though he and his coach say it's nothing new, it's certainly more conspicuous now that Dawkins has taken his superhero act to Denver.

While Eagles wait on Westbrook, a couple of veteran free agents could be considered -- themorningcall.com
-- Veteran NFL running backs Edgerrin James , Deuce McAllister and Rudi Johnson were still free agents as the Eagles went to work Thursday for a third consecutive day without feature back Brian Westbrook.

Schwartz: Birds' Booker Ready to Be No. 2 Back
Lorenzo Booker sees himself as the primary backup to Westbrook and intends to prove it.

PhillyBurbs.com: Westbrook surgery is news to McCoy
It seems that Lesean McCoy was the last to know that Brian Westbrook would be having surgery.

T.O. keeps talking, and Cowboys owner is still listening | Philadelphia Daily News | 06/05/2009
Here's a shocker, TO is obsessed with talking about a team that cut him!

Boy, You've Gotta Carry that Weight (A Long Time)

Saintsational — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:00:21 -0000

Remember back in April, amidst "Golden Slumbers," when there was much ado about Vikings running back Adrian Peterson putting on ten to twelve more pounds this off-season in an effort to become more durable and more punishing? Peterson, who is 6'1", has been playing at 218 pounds but plans to get to 230 pounds by the start of 2009 training camp. Said the running back...

"I don't think too many guys would be excited to see me at 230 two times a year,"

You may also remember these plans were met with some skepticism by a number of people including his coach, Brad Childress, and other NFL running backs like LaDainian Tomlinson. You see, while adding weight so that you can better run over lineman sounds like an awesome idea, it often comes at a price. Speed, quickness and agility are all at risk of being sacrificed. Clinton Portis, who added significant weight to withstand the punishment he would face in the tough NFC East after being traded to Washington, has admitted to losing breakaway speed and says simply...

"You have trade-offs,"

Even worse, injury becomes a greater possiblity. More weight that a players body has to carry around equals more stress being placed on his knees, joints, everything. All of this leaves many to wonder if it's the right move for any running back.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch our very own Pierre Thomas, who is listed at 5'11", has had the same idea as Peterson.

"I've been trying to bulk up a little bit. I've got a little extra weight with me now," Thomas said. "I'm bouncing around now between 220, 225. I'm going to try to see if I can keep that."

Not to mention the fact that dude can now squat 675 pounds! That's the same as like one and a half Hollis Thomas'.

Yet nobody in Who Dat Nation has raised an eyebrow. Peterson says he's thinking about it and people around the league are all over it. Thomas actually does it and crickets chirp. So what gives? Why hasn't anyone expressed concern over Pierre Thomas' decision to add weight this off-season? Is Pierre's situation somehow different from Peterson's?

Wouldn't it be nice if Deuce were still here and could offer his advice on this situation? Turns out, he did have something to say when the topic first came up with regards to Adrian Peterson.

"You think you're going to be more durable, but injuries are still going to be there because of his [physical] running style," says former Saints back Deuce McAllister. "You say 10, 12 pounds is going to enable you to punish defenses, but the reward is not worth the risk."

McAllister played at about 220 as a rookie in 2001, then started putting on weight for the rigors of a full-time role after Ricky Williams was traded to Miami in '02. In '05 and '07 McAllister, who weighed 232 by then, sustained ACL tears without being hit. "I believe if I hadn't put on the weight, it wouldn't have happened," he says.

The fact is, we've all liked the idea of Pierre bulking up this off-season but perhaps we need to take a step back for a moment and re-evaluate the situation. Thomas has stayed pretty healthy throughout his short career so far and I would hate to see that change because of his desire to fix something that wasn't necessarily broken to begin with. And wouldn't it be typical Saints luck for PT to get injured the season he finally gets his chance to shine? While I love what Pierre has done this off-season and the promise that it brings, I will still remain cautiously optimistic about the 2009 season until "The End."

Poll

Do you worry that Pierre's added weight could affect his game?

Shaking in my tube socks

71 votes

I ain't scurred

197 votes

268 votes | Poll has closed