SB Nation - Lance Moore

Saints @ Falcons: Official Wednesday Injury Report

Saintsational — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:37:02 -0000

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Practice Report
	DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	LB Scott Fujita (knee), CB Jabari Greer (groin), LB Marvin Mitchell (hamstring), CB Tracy Porter (knee)

	LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	RB Mike Bell (knee), RB Reggie Bush (knee), T Jermon Bushrod (thumb), TE Darnell Dinkins (foot), DT Sedrick Ellis (knee), G Jahri Evans (toe), CB Randall Gay (hamstring), C Jonathan Goodwin (ankle), RB Lynell Hamilton (shoulder), DE Bobby McCray (knee), WR Lance Moore (ankle, hamstring), RB Pierre Thomas (quadricep), LB Jonathan Vilma (knee), S Usama Young (hip, calf)

ATLANTA FALCONS

Practice Report
	DID NOT PARTICIPATE IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	G Harvey Dahl (ankle), CB Chris Houston (hamstring), C Todd McClure (knee), TE Justin Peelle (head), QB Matt Ryan (toe), RB Michael Turner (ankle)

	LIMITED PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	DT Jonathan Babineaux (shoulder), T Sam Baker (elbow), WR Michael Jenkins (ankle), T Will Svitek (ankle), WR Roddy White (knee)

	FULL PARTICIPATION IN PRACTICE
	Wednesday	CB Christopher Owens (shoulder)

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades vs. Patriots

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

by Bill Feig - AP

10 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?

Saints at Rams injury report

VanRam — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:01:23 -0000

by Tom Gannam - AP

Raise your hand if your ankle hurts.

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For the St. Louis Rams, the injury report is refreshingly short. Only RG Richie Incognito will be out this week because of injury, a foot injury to be a little more specific. Spagnuolo favorite, DE C.J. Ah You, is questionable with an ankle injury. The injury report for the New Orleans Saints is a bit longer, and could give the Rams a break.

The Saints will be without starting CB Jabari Greer, a key part of their turnover happy pass defense. Also out is DT Sedrick Ellis and WR Lance Moore.

Another Saints injury to keep an eye on that would be a huge break for the Rams is S Darren Sharper. He was limited at practice on Friday. Listed as questionable, Saints coach Sean Payton expects him to play. Sharper is dealing with a knee injury. LB Scott Fujita will suit up after missing his last 2+ games.

Saints Mid-Season Offensive Player Grades; Jahri Evans Awarded MVP

saints-nation — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:30 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

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Below are the Grade Point Averages of each player that's played significant time in the New Orleans Saints' offense through the first eight games of the 2009 season, ordered from highest GPA to lowest:

Jahri Evans 3.29 (8 games graded)

Pierre Thomas 3.22 (6 games graded)

Jeremy Shockey 3.21 (8 games graded)

Heath Evans 3.11 (6 games graded)

Drew Brees 3.09 (8 games graded)

Jonathan Goodwin 3.04 (8 games graded)

Carl Nicks 3.00 (8 games graded)

Mike Bell 2.95 (6 games graded)

Marques Colston 2.92 (8 games graded)

Jon Stinchcomb 2.88 (8 games graded)

Robert Meachem 2.83 (6 games graded)

Jermon Bushrod 2.81 (7 games graded)

Zach Strief 2.52 (7 games graded)

Lance Moore 2.50 (4 games graded)

Reggie Bush 2.42 (8 games graded)

David Thomas 1.89 (5 games graded)

Darnell Dinkins 1.67 (1 game graded)

Kyle Eckel 1.67 (1 game graded)

Below are the number of Offensive Player of the Game awards handed out in my Player Grades posts (note I gave Shockey and Bell a tie one week):

Marques Colston 2

Drew Brees 2

Pierre Thomas 2

Robert Meachem 1

Jeremy Shockey 0.5

Mike Bell 0.5

Based on the numbers alone, I'm choosing Jahri Evans as the Mid-Season Offensive MVP. That might not be the most popular pick but in my estimation, he's performed the most consistently in the eight games of any Saint on the offensive side of the ball. What do you think?

Check back tomorrow for the mid-season defensive and special teams GPA's.

Poll

Which Saints offensive player do you think performed the best during the first half of the 2009 season?

Jahri Evans

74 votes

Pierre Thomas

91 votes

Jeremy Shockey

41 votes

Heath Evans

12 votes

Drew Brees

264 votes

Mike Bell

22 votes

Marques Colston

35 votes

539 votes | Poll has closed

FANTASY WEEKEND REPORT by Craig T

Niko Houllis — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:00:20 -0000

Craig T's FFH (we lied about the year established. Stolen via Google search. How's that for honesty.

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Our good buddy Craig T has his internet down, let me guess, Brighthouse? Remember when Brighthouse tried to make everyone think the NFL Network was the bad guy? Now BH is the only one that Doesnt have it. Heck, I get NFL Network on a sprint phone for goodness sake!! " You carry 8 shopping channels, but no NFL Network!!!"

Anyways..This message brought to you by Verizon's Fios. JK, ....

Take it away Craig T...

Welcome, BucEm fans, to what will be our weekly look at some fantasy football help some of you might be musing over. With 8 weeks down and 5 to go, many of you are likely jockeying for playoff berths, so let's get down to it...

QBs TO START (excluding weekly automatic starts P. Manning, Brady, Roethlisberger, Brees, B. Favre, A. Rodgers, and K. Warner)

1. Tony Romo @ PHI. 8 TDs, 0 INTs in last 3 and seeing field as well as anyone.

2. Matt Hasselbeck vs DET. Weak SEA running game + weak DET defense = big bounceback game for Hasselbeck.

3. Donovan McNabb vs. DAL. Like Romo, also seeing field well in what should be a game filled w points.

4. Philip Rivers @ NYG. Clicking V-Jack lately and has passed for not less than 249 yds this season. NYG defense still not right.

5. Matt Schaub @ IND. First time he and Andre Johnson have been on the field together vs IND since 2007.

Sleeper: Jason Campbell @ ATL. Yes, ugh, I know, but WAS is coming off a bye and ATL can't stop anybody through the air. Look for a solid, if not great, game from Campbell Sunday.

QBs TO SIT

1. Eli Manning vs SD. He's just not trustworthy since injuring his heel.

2. Matt Ryan vs WAS. Roddy White is iffy for the game and WAS pass defense has been solid this season. If you have a 2nd option, consider it.

3. Jake Delhomme @ NO. If you were considering Jake as a bye-week replacement, dig deeper for an option, such as Alex Smith or Campbell. Delhomme vs a turnover-minded defense like NO is a nightmare.

4. Jay Cutler vs ARI. Has hit 3 PaTDs only once since week one.

5. Kyle Orton vs PIT. Steeler D boosted by return of Polamalu.

RBs TO START (excluding C. Johnson, Gore, MJ-D, Turner, LT, SJax, AP, Forte, Ronnie Brown, B. Jacobs)

1. Ryan Grant @ TB. Duh.

2. Joseph Addai vs. HOU. Comeback player of year candidate has scored in 4 straight.

3. Ray Rice @ CIN. Now the guy in BAL, should be key piece of offense in a close game.

4. Marion Barber @ PHI. With trio of RBs, no longer an auto start, but still gets majority of carries and goalline touches and should be started when DAL offense is clicking like it is.

5. Pierre Thomas vs. CAR. Still the main guy in the backfield of the most explosive offense in football.

Sleeper: Jamaal Charles @ JAX. Did you see what Johnson and Titans did to this run defense last week? Charles will get majority of carries and should have a good chance to score.

RBs TO SIT

1. LeSean McCoy vs DAL. Westbrook back and Cowboys have been strong against the run.

2. Laurence Maroney vs MIA. Sammy Morris' return clouds backfield picture and MIA also solid vs run.

3. Cadillac Williams vs GB. GB ranks near the top of the NFL in rushing YPGA. Certainly you've got a better option.

4. Rashard Mendenhall @ DEN.

Denver ranks 3rd against run and Willie Parker to get some work as well.

5. Beanie Wells @ CHI. Still splitting 50/50 w/Hightower, and appears not to be getting majority of goalline carries. Maybe a flex play, but not RB2 material.

WRs TO START (excluding R. Wayne, A. Johnson, L. Fitzgerald, M. Colston, R. Moss, W. Welker, Desean Jackson, R. White, Calvin Johnson, H. Ward, Vincent Jackson, D. Bowe, B. Marshall, Ochocinco)

1. Santana Moss @ ATL. Falcons giving up yards in droves to opposing number 1 WRs. Moss on Grimes' backup should be a mismatch.

2. Miles Austin @ PHI. Ride him til he bucks ya.

3. Nate Burleson vs DET. Hasselbeck's main target should cash in Sunday.

4. Donald Driver @ TB. Bucs' secondary will get a stiff test Sunday, and Driver has been Rodgers' go to guy. Jennings also a solid play.

5. Kevin Walter @ IND. Should have more one on one matchups than Johnson and targets should increase with loss of Owen Daniels.

Sleeper: Steve Breaston @ CHI. In line for solid number of targets with Boldin re-aggravating his ankle.

WRs TO SIT

1. Ted Ginn, Jr @ NE. Don't be fooled by his 2 KRTD performance against NYJ... He still hasn't earned his starting WR spot back yet from Hartline/Bess.

2. Roy E. Williams @ PHI. I don't care that he scored last week. He stinks and doesn't have trust of his QB.

3. Eddie Royal vs PIT. Only receiver worth trusting right now is B. Marshall. Gaffney stealing some of Royal's targets.

4. Lance Moore vs CAR. Gimpy, may be a GTD. With Meachem and Henderson likely to get targets, consider better alternatives over Moore if you can.

5. Mario Manningham vs. SD. Manning spreading around the targets and is having a tough time throwing an accurate deep ball, which hurts a big play WR like double M.

TEs TO START (excluding Witten, Gates, Clark, V. Davis, Shockey, T. Gonzalez)

1. Brent Celek vs DAL. Even though DAL has been great at holding down opposing TEs, he's too valuable to this offense lately to sit.

2. Kevin Boss vs SD. Great underneath option for Manning, who's struggling to step up and make deep throws.

3. Fred Davis @ ATL. TE is a big part of WAS passing game, and Davis has the athletic ability of a WR.

4. Donald Lee vs. TB. Rodgers looks at TE in red zone often and matchup problems exist for Buccaneers. Sub in Jermichael Finley here if he's cleared to play.

5. Heath Miller @ DEN. With Denver's defense so tough against the run and in the red zone, Big Ben's go to guy in the red zone should get some scoring looks.

Sleeper: Ben Watson vs MIA. Scored in 2 of last 3 games.

TEs TO SIT

1. Brandon Pettigrew @ SEA. If you're looking for a bye-week filler, look elsewhere. Without Stafford healthy, Pettigrew is a forgotten part of the offense.

2. Kellen Winslow vs TB. Yea yea, Freeman's gotta throw it to somebody, but who can really tell who he'll connect with? If you've got another solid option, consider it until we see how he connects with K2.

3. Bo Scaife @ SF. Niners 3-4 defense matches up their athletic LBs very well with opposing TEs.

4. Todd Heap @ CIN. Good for 3 catches, 40-50 yds, and that is all.

5. Tony Scheffler vs PIT. Except for his big game against SD a few weeks ago, has done nothing this year.

5 KICKERS TO START:

1. Shaun Suisham @ ATL

2. David Akers @ DAL

3. Nate Kaeding @ NYG

4. Kris Brown @ IND

5. Shayne Graham vs BAL

5 KICKERS TO SIT:

1. Dan Carpenter @ NE

2. Jason Elam vs WAS

3. Olindo Mare vs DET

4. Robbie Gould vs ARI

5. John Kasay @ NO

5 DEFENSES WITH GOOD MATCHUPS:

1. PIT @ DEN

2. SEA vs DET

3. NO vs CAR

4. JAX vs KC

5. SF vs TEN

5 DEFENSES WITH TOUGH MATCHUPS:

1. DAL @ PHI

2. NYG vs SD

3. PHI vs DAL

4. MIA @ NE

5. ATL vs WAS

New Orleans Saints Offensive Player Grades vs. Falcons

saints-nation — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:00:46 -0000

More photos » by Bill Feig - AP

about 1 month ago: New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas (23) and tight end Jeremy Shockey (88) celebrate Thomas' touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the first half of an NFL football game in New Orleans, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)

Browse more photos »

See below for the grades of the Saints offensive players vs. Falcons. The grade represents the player's individual performance in the game, the GPA behind it in parentheses represents the player's cumulative performance for the season.

Drew Brees: B (3.14) If you looked at his stat line you'd think he was mostly masterful, but Brees struggled at times. He had a period in the second half where he was uncharacteristically inaccurate, he underthrew a wide open Devery Henderson on the interception, and held on to the ball too long on the sack and fumble that cost his team 7 points. He was bailed out by a shady defensive holding call on 3rd down on the Saints' last touchdown drive. Still, he made the plays when it counted and put his playmakers in a position to excel. Brees was 25 for 33 for 308 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception and a lost fumble.

Reggie Bush: B- (2.29) The two things that stuck out for me with Bush today was he put his head down and fought for extra yards instead of finding refuge in the sideline, and late in the game he helped his teammate Marques Colston who was being tackled by four Falcons. He's starting to understand he's not a superstar and he's playing his role on the team. He had a decent punt return, for once, but it was negated by a penalty. His stats were pathetic: 2 rushes for 3 yards and a touchdown, 2 catches for 11 yards and 1 punt return for 1 yard. That said, he had a 9 yard punt return and a nice run both called back for penalties. Still, I thought Bush played an ok game and he found the end zone.

Mike Bell: C- (3.07) Bell's grade plummeted as the game wore on. In the first half he was his usual bruising self, finishing runs hard and gaining lots of positive yardage. In the second half, though, he was stuffed on almost every running opportunity. His fumble at the end of the game was inexcusable. Like the MNF crew said, the only responsibility in that scenario is ball security. Just 49 yards despite 17 carries for Bell. One thing I haven't liked about Bell is that every time he is in the game the Saints run the ball. That's more the staff's fault for predictable play calling, but it would be nice to see them run a play action with Bell just to keep the defenses honest.

Pierre Thomas: B+ (3.20) Take his fumble away, which was also inexcusable, and he had a great game. He finished with 14 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown, and redeemed himself the drive after the fumble with a 1 yard touchdown reception that sealed the victory. He ran with very impressive speed, which was a little surprising, and he also showed off his customary shiftiness, balance and grit. Give him credit for the number of tackles he broke on a 3rd down run that ended up resulting in a 22 yard touchdown run.

Marques Colston: A- (3.14) Colston made some of his more impressive grabs in traffic of the season. His touchdown was a thing of beauty where he used his massive size and leaping skills to outplay two Falcons to the ball. He finished with 6 catches for 85 yards and a touchdown. His catches were always at useful times and he showed excellent body control and soft hands throughout the contest. This guy may be destined for a 2009 trip to the Pro Bowl.

Lance Moore: C- (2.50) Another quiet day for Moore, just 2 catches for 11 yards. He's not playing as many snaps and it just doesn't seem like he's as useful with the other targets performing.

Devery Henderson: B (3.09) Henderson hauled in a circus catch down near the goaline and he showed terrific hands all game. It's been so cool to watch his transformation as a player. He's gone from having the stonehands with speed label, to being a truly complete receiver. His blocking skills should also be commended. He ended with 4 catches for 46 yards, and had a nice tough grab down to the 1 which set up the game winning touchdown. Too bad on the interception that Brees underthrew the pass because Henderson was wide open and it would have been a touchdown.

Robert Meachem: B- (2.87) Meachem made the most of a couple touches. That's been his calling card, making plays the few times he's called upon. 2 catches for 47 yards.

Jeremy Shockey: A- (3.43) Shockey performed once again at a very high level. He gets a pass for his drop because the Saints got an offsides penalty on the play. He finished with 5 catches for 72 yards, none bigger than the ridiculous one handed catch he made downfield on an overthrown ball by Brees late in the game. It didn't matter who was covering him, they couldn't stop him. He should have been targeted more.

David Thomas: C+ (2.00) He had a bad drop, but he also looked pretty good on his 2 catches for 27 yards. All in all, whether it was bad passes or good coverage, Brees looked his way entirely too much for my taste. He was terrific run blocking, including blocking downfield on a couple of Pierre Thomas' longer runs. His grade is hurt because he gave Atlanta a chance to come back late by muffing the onsides kick attempt and allowing the Falcons a chance to recover the ball.

Jermon Bushrod: C+ (2.67) Average game for Bushrod. To be expected, Abraham is about as tough of an assignment as you can get. He was caught holding once, and he was allowing pressure to come from his side often. Brees was hit numerous times from the blindside after releasing the football. His run blocking was hit or miss.

Zach Strief: C- (2.52) He came in a few times on running downs to give the Saints more size off the edge. In past games it's been successful, but the Saints ran the ball poorly when he was in the game. Again, I think it's a dead giveaway when he's in the game that the Saints are running. Atlanta sold out to stop the run, and so plays with Strief in the game were less successful. I'd like to see the Saints be a little less predictable.

Carl Nicks: C (3.00) Nicks was quite poor in pass blocking. He'd gotten off to such a hot start this year, we've seen him regress a little the past two games. Both sacks Atlanta got, including the forced Brees fumble/TD came from his side. Run blocking was fine.

Jonathan Goodwin: B (3.05) When he can get a full steam ahead of him pulling lead blocks, he's fun to watch. He was able to do that a couple of times on Thomas runs, and on a Thomas screen pass play. Goodwin did a good job blocking on the interior, too, when Brees would step up in the pocket. Hopefully his injury isn't serious because the Saints need him.

Jahri Evans: B (3.38) The Saints had their best rushes mostly from the right side of the field. A quieter game than usual from Evans, but he did well.

Jon Stinchcomb: A- (2.95) This was, in my opinion, by far Stinchcomb's best game of the season. Brees saw literally zero pressure from Stinchcomb's side for the entirety of the game, and he was solid run blocking. When he doesn't have to face a speed rusher with tremendous quickness, Stinchcomb really gets a chance to show off his superior technique and skill. It was on full display. He may not be the most powerful tackle, but he's a reliable and sound player.

Darnell Dinkins: C- (1.67) For a "blocking tight end", his blocking was pretty average in this game. Dinkins was involved a lot in the second half with the amount of running plays the Saints called, and that was when they had the least success. Can't say I saw what kept him on the active roster all those weeks he was hurt. He was also flagged for a penalty.

Kyle Eckel: C- (1.67) Eckel didn't really play enough to merit much of a review, but I noticed he just didn't have the authority in his blocks that Evans had. The Saints tried many scenarios at fullback, with mixed results. Nothing stuck out as excellent.

Offensive Player of the Game: Marques Colston

Poll

Who was your pick as offensive player of the game?

Drew Brees

74 votes

Pierre Thomas

130 votes

Marques Colston

274 votes

Jeremy Shockey

179 votes

657 votes | Poll has closed

Talking Saints With Canal Street Chronicles, Part One

Dave the Falconer — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:00:33 -0000

by Bill Haber - AP

How dare you point at me! (AP Photo/Bill Haber)

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Now, we've done the question and answer thing before. We've cross-FanPosted before. That's good stuff, but it's not new stuff. New stuff is good, so here's a new feature!

This is the first half of a discussion with Saintsational, the head blogger over at Canal Street Chronicles. We spent about an hour the other night talking about the Falcons, the Saints and Chinese food, and I'm sure you'll learn a lot from this compelling dialogue. Batteries not included. Participation void where prohibited. Check it out after the jump.

Saintsational: Alright, let's start off with Tony Gonzalez. Pretty nice off-season pickup. Is he benefiting from having Matt Ryan as his quarterback?

Dave the Falconer: Well, it's a hell of a lot better than Matt Cassel, wouldn't you say? I think he's benefitted more from having Roddy White to take some of the attention off of him, really.

Saintsational: What does Roddy White do that benefits Gonzalez?

Dave the Falconer: He's just good enough to draw attention away from Gonzalez. With the Chiefs, he was far and away the best option on the field, so defenses always went out of their way to account for him. In Atlanta, he's option 1B. or maybe even 2, which gives him a little more flexibility..

Saintsational: Give us a quick little breakdown of Atlanta's other notable receivers other than Gonzalez.

Dave the Falconer: Well, everyone probably knows a little about Roddy White by now. Still plagued by the occasional drop, but he's got elite separation skills and really makes things happen after the catch.

Dave the Falconer: Then there's Michael Jenkins, who is a big target and our best blocking wide receiver. I expect he won't break the game open or anything.

Dave the Falconer: And from there it's Brian Finneran (who is decent), Marty Booker (who is decent) and Eric Weems (who has mostly been used as a kick and punt returner).

Saintsational: Last year I never would have thought I would be asking this question, but is there any fear about the Saints secondary being so good?

Dave the Falconer: I think it's a concern, but because White and Gonzalez are so good, I'm more concerned about what's happening with Matt Ryan.

Dave the Falconer: If your pass rush is any good, you could make life really difficult for us.

Dave the Falconer: Do you foresee the Saints using the ground game early, or is going to be all Drew Brees in the beginning?

Saintsational: The Saints just seem to be a pass first team. As long as it's working, I'm okay with that. You always hear about teams using the run to set up the pass. I think the Saints do the opposite. I think they pass to set up the run later in the game. The nice part is that with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, they can always get fresh legs in the game. We're loving it right now here in New Orleans.

Saintsational: Options, baby!

Dave the Falconer: We'll see about that!

Dave the Falconer: Alright. Now tell us about the guys who are catching those passes from Brees? Are they any good? Not that I care.

Saintsational: Wait, before I answer your question, what will the Falcons do to try and stop the Saints running game and who will be a big part in that?

Dave the Falconer: I expect we'll bring help to the edges to counter Bush and Thomas. For the more up the middle runs, say hello to Jamaal Anderson. Dude's been a monster against the run since we converted him from his bust-tastic position of defensive end on in to defensive tackle.

Saintsational: The Falcons are currently ranked 23rd in the league against the run, giving up 117 yards a game. I'm not that scared.

Dave the Falconer: Well...

Dave the Falconer: :-(

Saintsational: But let's, for a minute, assume the Falcons do manage to stop the run. The Saints still have the best wide receiving corp in the league. Allow me to answer your previous question by telling you a little bit about them.

Dave the Falconer: Please do!

Dave the Falconer: If it's taking this long for you to type it, chances are I'm not going to like your answer.

Saintsational: Marques Colston has been a man on fire lately. Still the Saints number one guy and still Drew's favorite target. Next is Devery Henderson, the speedy deep threat. Now that he's cured his stone hands, he's a dangerous weapon. Shockey needs no introduction and played a big part in the Saints comeback on Sunday. Lance Moore has continued to be great when he gets involved. Robert Meachem makes an appearance whenever he's needed.

Dave the Falconer: That's solid top to bottom. But I really fear Colston.

Saintsational: As you should. Hofstra has an elite program.

Saintsational: Who will the Falcons have covering all that talent? It's got to create some mismatches.

Dave the Falconer: That would our cornerbacking corps.

Dave the Falconer: Chris Houston, who has performed above expectations but still has a knack for at least one excruciating play a game. Brent Grimes, who has played very well but whose height (or lack thereof) creates some mismatches.

Dave the Falconer: And the pupu platter.

Saintsational: Sounds like Colston and Meachem would do well to match up against Grimes.

Saintsational: I love the pupu platter.

Dave the Falconer: Especially the spare ribs.

Saintsational: Yes!

Saintsational: Mmmmm...pupu.

Saintsational: Anyway, what is the pupu platter?

Dave the Falconer: That'd be second year corner Chevis Jackson. Rookie corner Chris Owens. And fallen first round pick Tye Hill, who has barely seen the field.

Saintsational: : Ahhh, Chevis Jackson. A local product from LSU.

Dave the Falconer: Yeah, he escaped from hell.

Dave the Falconer: I mean, Louisiana.

Saintsational: So which one of them is the spare ribs?

Dave the Falconer: Probably Chevis Jackson.

Dave the Falconer: He's got sweet, tangy coverage skills, but his starting experience isn't very robust thus far.

Saintsational: Haha. Can you give us any more pupu platter metaphors for Owens and/or Hill?

Dave the Falconer: Hmm...

Dave the Falconer: Hill is the golden chicken.

Dave the Falconer: He looks like a cornerback on the outside.

Dave the Falconer: But on the inside.

Dave the Falconer: It's just chicken..

Dave the Falconer: I'm not sure that even works.

Saintsational: It sounds like you're saying Tye Hill is stuffed with chicken. Is that correct?

Dave the Falconer: ....Close enough.

Saintsational: This conversation has taken quite an interesting turn.

It sure has! Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion later this afternoon!

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Miami Dolphins

saints-nation — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:00:39 -0000

by J Pat Carter - AP

about 1 month ago: After defeating the Miami Dolphins 46-34 the New Orleans Saints celebrate with fans after NFL football action Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 in Miami. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

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See below for the grades of the Saints' offensive players. We saw lots of mistakes and lots of pressure on Drew Brees, but they still managed to amass yards, put up points, and most importantly, get the win. Remember the letter grade represents the performance in the Miami game and the GPA behind it represents the cumulative performance on the season.

Saints vs Dolphins coverage

Saints vs Dolphins recap

Saints vs Dolphins boxscore

Drew Brees: B- (3.17) I struggled with this grade. Part of me wanted to give him a worse grade because he turned the ball over 4 times, including 3 interceptions. While the first interception was a terrible throw and a bad mistake, the other two were defensible. The other part of me saw Brees showing grit when he scored on 2 touchdown runs, and he should be applauded for talking Sean Payton into going for the touchdown before halftime. From what I remember Brees has NEVER led the Saints to a 4th quarter come from behind win. Check that stat off his list. He made the plays when the game was on the line and finished 22 of 38 for 298 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 interceptions, 2 fumbles (1 lost), and 2 rushing touchdowns. It was a mix bag, but pressure was in his face constantly. His stature limitation was also evident, leading to a few batted passes at the line of scrimmage. Give him props for a great block on Bush's touchdown run.

Reggie Bush: C (2.22) I struggled with this grade, too. Bush was honestly in line for a D- until he made one of the most athletic and incredible plays I've seen this season. His touchdown leap was an absolute thing of beauty, and it single handedly saves his grade. He also converted a HUGE 3rd down play by shedding a tackle late and tip toeing the sidelines before turning upfield. Those plays came with the game in the balance, so give him credit. His punt returning was once again an atrocity, and his stats were forgettable: 3 carries, 10 yards, 3 catches for 16 yards. He had a touchdown and he also fell down for a loss with no defender in sight earlier in the game. He also had a terrible block on a blitz pickup that allowed Brees to get sacked.

Mike Bell: A- (3.42) Bell didn't play in the 1st half, but ripped a monstrous 35 yard gasher on his first carry in the 2nd half. He ran with brutal authority, and continues to have that violence about him that always get extra yards at the end of his carries. He did everything the Saints asked of him and finished with 12 carries for 80 yards. Give him credit for milking some clock as the Saints had the lead late. The only regret was him not scoring on a couple goal line carries inside the 5, but Heath Evans was banged up so he didn't have a true lead blocker.

Pierre Thomas: C+ (3.17) Not Thomas' best game, as he ended with 8 carries for 30 yards. Bell's second half emergence kept Thomas benched for the latter parts of the game. Thomas turned a 3rd and 16 play early into a 14 yard screen pass, just shy of a 1st down. The only reproach I really have was a play he tried to bounce outside that turned into a loss - it was very reminiscent of Bush's trademark screw ups.

Heath Evans: B- (3.11) Evans was blown up for a 5 yard loss on one screen pass and he made a nice first down play on another 8 yard screen. He had 1 carry for 2 yards to give the Saints breathing room outside of their own end zone. The running game was mediocre early, so hard to give Evans a better grade. Give him credit for Bell's emergence. He left the game with what looked like a sprained ankle. Knowing the kind of guy he is I'm sure he'll be ready to go next week.

Marques Colston: B- (3.06) If you look at his stats you'd think he played pretty well. Colston was the most targeted player ending with 5 catches for 72 yards and a touchdown. Colston did have a couple drops, though, and he should have hauled in a pass that was stolen away from him at the goal line for an interception. Colston did make some impressive plays downfield, though.

Lance Moore: C- (2.78) Very quiet day for Lance Moore. Almost too quiet. 2 catches for 18 yards.

Devery Henderson: B+ (3.11) Devery was his usual self making plays for the Saints in the passing game. He ended with 4 catches for 71 yards, none bigger than a 37 yarder downfield as the Saints were mounting their improbable comeback. He also showed off his terrific speed taking an end around for 13 yards.

Jeremy Shockey: A- (3.39) Shockey was very quiet for a long stretch in this game, but he made some of the biggest plays when it counted. His most memorable was a 66 yard reception where he broke a tackle, then stiffed armed his way down to about the 10 yard line setting up a touchdown. Brees looked for Shockey often in the 2nd half, and Shockey ended with 4 catches for 105 yards. As always he showed terrific and reliable hands.

David Thomas: D+ (1.92) Poor blocking and poor catching day for the Wendy's founder namesake. A bad game overall for the Saints' backup tight end. The one pass he did haul in was a screen that went for a yard loss.

Jermon Bushrod: C- (2.74) Bushrod gave Brees some time late and did an effective job run blocking; otherwise, he almost got Brees killed. He gave up 2 sacks to Jason Taylor, allowed Joey Porter to knock Brees down a couple times and overall just didn't pass protect the way he had to this point in the season. The Saints really missed Jammal Brown in this game. He also had a bad false start inside the Saints' 5. He needs to improve if the Saints want to win the ultimate prize. He also missed assignments on blitz pickups.

Zach Strief: C- (2.67) Didn't make a difference run blocking like he normally does.

Carl Nicks: C+ (3.17) Pass blocking was overall pretty suspect for Nicks against Miami. When Brees would step up in the pocket his man would typically get some contact on the Saints' quarterback. He failed to help Bushrod on a couple plays and he wasn't his usual dominant self run blocking.

Jonathan Goodwin: C (3.06) He's typically terrific at pulling on screen passes and springing them free, but he missed his assignment on screens to both David Thomas and Heath Evans that resulted in lost yardage. A very average performance from the Saints' center.

Jahri Evans: B (3.45) Evans was by far the most solid Saints' offensive lineman on the day. Given how much Brees was hit all day it's hard to give anyone on the line better than a B, but Evans handled his man throughout the game and sprung some nice runs on his side. Bell's longest run was set up by a terrific seal job on Evans' part, and many of the hard nose medium running gains the Saints had were behind big Jahri.

Jon Stinchcomb: B- (2.83) Stinchcomb had at least one penalty that I can remember, and was quite frankly playing a miserable game getting beat on the edge and doing a poor job of run blocking. Then a weird thing happened. He seemed to go down with an injury, but he returned on the next drive and was lights out for the rest of the game. His run blocking was effective, and I never saw pressure again come from his side. He finished out the game very nicely.

My Offensive Player of the Game: Jeremy Shockey and Mike Bell (tie)

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game for the Saints?

Jeremy Shockey

322 votes

Mike Bell

154 votes

Marques Colston

17 votes

Drew Brees

270 votes

763 votes | Poll has closed

Saints Offensive Player Grades vs. Giants

saints-nation — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:00:25 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

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See below for my player grades for the Giants game. Remember, the letter grade represents the grade for the game and the GPA in parentheses represents the player's cumulative GPA for the season.

Giants vs Saints coverage

Giants vs Saints recap

Giants vs Saints boxscore

OFFENSE:

Drew Brees: A+ (3.27)

Brees receives the second A+ I've given out this season. What can you say negative about his performance? It was simply flawless. He threw for 369 yards, 4 touchdowns, no interceptions and he wasn't sacked. He threw the ball at will to whoever he wanted, and was unstoppable.

Pierre Thomas: B- (3.45)

Decent game by Thomas. He finished with 72 yards on 15 carries, though 25 came on a run late. He was stacked up on 4th and inches from the goal line on a play where it seemed like he could have made a better effort to finish off the run. That play could have hurt the Saints if the defense hadn't given the offense a second chance with a forced turnover before halftime. Overall he ran with authority and kept the chains moving.

Mike Bell: B- (3.34)

Mixed bag from Bell. Right before the 4th down Pierre Thomas run mentioned previously, he was stopped on 3rd and short from the goal line. He also converted a crucial 4th and 1 from the 2 yard line for a touchdown on the game's opening drive. He seemed to get stacked up late, but showed impressive power on some plays. He finished with 15 carries for 34 yards and a touchdown. He did have a nice run along the sideline for a touchdown which was called back by a holding penalty.

Reggie Bush: B- (2.27)

Bush had 6 carries for 17 yards and a touchdown, 1 catch for 7 yards and 2 punt returns for 0 yards. His punt returning was atrocious as always. He had a couple nifty runs, including a 9 yard run around the edge and beautiful 7 yard touchdown run. He also had his trademark "dancing" rushing attempts. Brees bypassed him wide open a couple times in the passing game.

Heath Evans: B (3.20)

Evans capped off the Saints' final scoring drive with a 2 yard touchdown run. Otherwise, he threw devastating blocks at times when the Saints needed it the most. He negated a Mike Bell touchdown run with a holding penalty which prevents him from receiving a better grade. He also caught a screen pass for 5 yards.

Marques Colston: A+ (3.13)

Colston receives the 3rd A+ of the season. He was Brees' favorite target all day and completely torched the Giants. They had no answer for his frame and hands. He made tough grabs in traffic, grabs downfield, ran terrific routes and showed good ability after the catch. Colston finished with 8 catches for 166 yards and 1 touchdown.

Lance Moore: A (3.34)

It was nice to see Moore's number called, and he responded in a big way. On the opening drive he was targeted several times, and he had a juggling reception that converted a crucial 3rd and 7 for a first down. Nice to see Moore back to his old form from a season ago. He had 6 grabs, 78 yards and a touchdown.

Robert Meachem: A- (2.92)

Just two catches for Meachem all game, but they were both huge. He finished with 2 catches for 70 yards and a touchdown, and his 36 yard TD from Brees was the best grab of the day over two defenders. His other catch went down to the 1 yard line and he would have scored but the ball by Brees was slightly underthrown. He also rushed for 2 yards on a reverse that went down to the Giants' 1 yard line.

Devery Henderson: C+ (3.06)

Just 1 catch for 6 yards on the day for Henderson who was very quiet on a day where everyone else was anything but. Henderson did beat his man deep on a throw that could have been a touchdown, but Brees underthrew the ball because he was hit by Justin Tuck as he released the pass. Give Henderson credit for a terrific block around the edge that sprung Bush's 9 yard run.

Jeremy Shockey: B+ (3.33)

Shockey blocked well on running plays, and he was used often in the first half. He kind of disappeared in the second half, but with the Saints successfully spreading the offense out, you can't really complain about Shockey's performance. It was nice to see him score against his old team. He made a nice grab and did a good job holding onto the football going down. Shockey, true to form, ran crisp routes and showed sure hands. He finished with 4 catches for 37 yards and 1 touchdown.

David Thomas: D (2.11)

Thomas did a poor job blocking on a couple plays, which allowed his man to get into the backfield. He also didn't catch a pass and he had a false start on 3rd and 7 which resulted in the Saints getting pushed back 5 yards further. Quiet day for the backup tight end.

Jermon Bushrod: A- (3.00)

Bushrod had, in my opinion, his best game as a Saint. He completely shut down Osi Umenyiora's pass rushing ability. I'm starting to believe the Saints can feel safe with Bushrod holding down the left tackle spot for the rest of the season. You'll notice the Saints also attacked the left side of the field on rushing plays several times and Bushrod was effective.

Carl Nicks: A (3.34)

We know he's a mauler and we know that run blocking is his specialty. What was nice to see against the Giants was the pass blocking he exhibited. In helping Bushrod, he knocked Umenyiora flat on his back twice showing nice athleticism and incredible strength. This guy just keeps getting better and better. What a draft choice he was in the 5th round.

Jonathan Goodwin: B (3.27)

The Saints didn't run many screens, so we didn't get a chance to see Goodwin pull and throw the lead blocks off the edge which he excels at. That said, he played a solid game.

Jahri Evans: A- (3.53)

Another textbook performance by Evans, who was dominating on the interior. Once again, any time Brees felt pressure on the edges he would step up in the pocket and feel zero pressure because the interior blocking was so superior. Evans did a good job springing the 25 yard Thomas run, and he hustled downfield a few times to help finish off plays.

Jon Stinchcomb: B+ (2.87)

Facing arguably one of the most dangerous pass rushers in the entire league in Justin Tuck, Stinchcomb held his own very well. His run blocking wasn't perfect, and late in the game when Saints' running backs ran behind him they struggled. Stinchcomb did show good technique as always and played a very clean game. The fact that both tackles held Umenyiora and Tuck sackless is a big tribute to the way they played.

Zach Strief: C- (2.87)

I've given this guy praise all year for how he's done coming in as the extra tight end on blocking downs. He just didn't perform all that well today. Usually he comes in and uses his immense size to completely demolish the lighter ends as the running backs run behind him. He played a significant amount of plays in the Saints' last two drives, and that was when they struggled the most to run the ball.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE GAME: Drew Brees

Check back tomorrow for my defensive and special team grades.

Grades of past games:

Poll

How Would You Grade the Overall Offensive Performance of the Saints?

A

582 votes

B

29 votes

C

3 votes

D

1 votes

F

8 votes

623 votes | Poll has closed

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. New Orleans Saints Pass Offense

John B — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:15:12 -0000

More photos » by Bill Feig - AP

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This is not the kind of game where you want two of your top three cornerbacks out. That is just the challenge the Jets will face against the Saints. Lito Sheppard and Donald Strickland will both miss this one. That means plenty of Dwight Lowery and Drew Coleman. Darrelle Revis is probably going to be up against the leading receiver on New Orleans, Marques Colston. Colston's an excellent receiver. When all is said and done, he'll probably replace our own Wayne Chrebet as the greatest wideout ever to come out of Hofstra (if he's not there already). He's also not Andre Johnson or Randy Moss. There's a good chance the Jets can take him out of the game.

It's tough to say how eliminating the top target of the opposition will throw the Saints off. It's going to cause some sort of problems for the Saints. They have an excellent vertical target in Devry Henderson. It's not clear either Coleman or Lowery has the speed necessary to cover him one on one. To make matters worse, the slot man for the Saints, Lance Moore will be back. Lowery can stay with his man in a short burst. He's probably best to cover the slot. Coleman is very unrefined. I would give him safety help on Henderson's vertical routes and live with his struggles underneath.

Former Giant Jeremy Shockey is off to a fast start at tight end. Reggie Bush for all of his faults is a dynamic receiver out of the backfield. Eric Smith has been doing great work in subpackages underneath. I anticipate him playing plenty against both in coverage.

The most important task will be getting pressure to Brees. As we discussed two weeks ago, great quarterbacks will kill you if they get time. It's the job of the defense to make them uncomfortable. The Jets have a coach dedicated to getting to the quarterback. If the Saints block six, the Jets will send seven. If the Saints block seven, the Jets will send eight. If the Saints block eight, the Jets will send nine. Brees is going to get hit. The question is how consistently the Jets can get to him early. There's no room for error because this offense is a big play offense. The Jets will get to him, but if they don't get to him quickly enough, it's going to be a long day.

SB Nation - Lance Moore

Saints @ Falcons: Official Wednesday Injury Report

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

ATLANTA FALCONS

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades vs. Patriots

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

Saints at Rams injury report

Saints Mid-Season Offensive Player Grades; Jahri Evans Awarded MVP

Which Saints offensive player do you think performed the best during the first half of the 2009 season?

Jahri Evans

Pierre Thomas

Jeremy Shockey

Heath Evans

Drew Brees

Mike Bell

Marques Colston

FANTASY WEEKEND REPORT by Craig T

New Orleans Saints Offensive Player Grades vs. Falcons

Who was your pick as offensive player of the game?

Drew Brees

Pierre Thomas

Marques Colston

Jeremy Shockey

Talking Saints With Canal Street Chronicles, Part One

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Miami Dolphins

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game for the Saints?

Jeremy Shockey

Mike Bell

Marques Colston

Drew Brees

Saints Offensive Player Grades vs. Giants

OFFENSE:

How Would You Grade the Overall Offensive Performance of the Saints?

A

B

C

D

F

New York Jets Pass Defense vs. New Orleans Saints Pass Offense