SB Nation - Zach Strief

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Redskins

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

by Nick Wass - AP

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

Saints vs Redskins coverage

Saints vs Redskins recap

Saints vs Redskins boxscore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Offensive Player of the Game: Robert Meachem

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades vs. Patriots

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

by Bill Feig - AP

9 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?

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Bucs

saints-nation — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:00:21 -0000

by Chris O'Meara - AP

18 days ago: New Orleans Saints running back Mike Bell (21) hugs teammate Carl Nicks (77) after scoring a third quarter touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during an NFL football game Sunday Nov. 22, 2009 in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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Check out below the player grades for the Saints' offense at Tampa. The letter grade represents the player's performance in the game, and the GPA represents the cumulative performance for the season.

Saints vs Buccaneers coverage

Saints vs Buccaneers recap

Saints vs Buccaneers boxscore

Drew Brees: A- (3.04) Brees wasn't flawless, but considering the amount of pressure the Bucs got with their four man front, it was impressive he managed to go the whole game without turning the ball over. He was also never sacked despite getting knocked to the ground 5 times. There were a couple of close calls, but Brees' final stat line was impressive enough: 19-29, 187 yds, 3 TD's and 0 INT's. Brees was victimized by a couple of drops on 3rd down passes, and got his best results throwing to Marques Colston and David Thomas.

Mike Bell: A- (2.92) Bell ran with his usual aggression and authority. At one point in the game my wife said to me "I don't think I've ever seen him go backwards." She's right, the guy is a human wrecking ball. In fact, I think that should be his new nickname. Anytime he gets a full head of steam behind him (or any steam for that matter), there is no way you are hitting him for a loss. Bell got in the end zone twice and finished with 75 yards on 13 carries. He also caught a 5 yard pass where Ronde Barber popped him pretty good and it looked like Bell aggravated the knee he's had problems with. Luckily he was able to come back and be very effective.

Pierre Thomas: B+ (3.12) Thomas somehow ran the ball over better than Bell. I remember watching the game thinking Bell had grossly outperformed him, but Thomas ended with 92 yards on just 11 carries (8.4 yard average). Thomas also caught 3 passes for 11 yards. He helped the Saints move the chains constantly and was tough to bring down. Only negative: he did slip and fall on a 3rd and 1 early in the game, forcing the Saints to punt.

Lynell Hamilton: C+ (2.67) Hamilton came in for mop up duty and converted on a 3rd and short, and ran with authority. Keep in mind he was playing behind mostly backups and the Bucs knew the run was coming. Still, he was able to move the chains once. He finished with 19 yards on 9 carries. He also have a nice carry in the second quarter that went for 4 yards.

Marques Colston: B+ (2.80) Most of Colston's stats came on three consecutive plays on the Saints' last drive before halftime. They were all big plays as the Saints moved within scoring distance, and ended the drive by taking a 17-7 lead before halftime. It was nice to see Colston back to his old form. He made nice catches and proved tough to tackle. 5 catches for 74 yards.

Devery Henderson: D (2.93) Henderson was invisible all game. He finished with just 1 catch for -2 yards. On that play, Meachem completely whiffed on Ronde Barber which allowed the veteran to make a tackle before Devery had any room to run. Hard to blame Devery for that one. Otherwise, Brees didn't look his way at all. His grade could have been an F or a D-, but I had to give Henderson some love for throwing good blocks downfield at the second level.

Robert Meachem: B+ (2.96) Meachem, per usual, is making the most of his touches. Just 2 catches for 10 yards, but he scored both times. Meachem did have the terrible block aforementioned, but he also had a great block on a Pierre Thomas scamper in the second half to make up for it. He was also interfered with on a long pass downfield. The side judged threw a flag, but it was somehow mysteriously waved off even though the replay clearly showed contact. The refs get that call right and the Saints could have put it out of reach sooner.

Jeremy Shockey: C (2.97) Just 2 catches for 17 yards for Shockey today, who was targeted much less than backup David Thomas. In fact, Thomas has been more targeted for two weeks now. He was uncharacteristically quiet compared to what we're all used to seeing. He seemed tweak his ankle on his second reception, and I know he's been struggling with ankle problems, so it's entirely possible Shockey isn't operating at 100%. That would explain his limited snaps. Though Ronde Barber broke up a 3rd down pass intended for Shockey, it looked as though Shockey could have still come up with that ball.

David Thomas: A- (2.33) Back to back stellar performances by Thomas after starting off the season a little slow. He finished with 4 catches for 66 yards and his first touchdown as a Saint. He had a key 37 yard reception on the Saints' first scoring drive which would later tie the game at 7. More impressive than his stats, though, were the repeated terrific blocks on the edge and at the second level which aided the running game significantly.

Jermon Bushrod: C- (2.71) Bushrod was benched in favor of Zach Strief, but oddly came in for a couple of series at left tackle in the first half. While he was in the Saints ran the ball poorly to his side, and he was abused at least once by Stylez White which forced an incomplete pass. Based on the limited action it's hard to give Bushrod much worse of a grade, and he did come in for mop up duty and handle himself fine.

Zach Strief: C- (2.42) I was excited to hear that Strief got the start over Bushrod because I actually think he's a better option at left tackle. From what I understand the Saints decided to give Strief a shot because of the recent spike in turnovers, many that were coming due to a breakdown on the left side of the line (ahem, Bushrod). I was also a little sad for Jermon, though, because I felt like he actually handled himself admirably overall. Anyway, Strief struggled more than I've ever seen him struggle in pass protection. He was bailed out by Brees' uncanny pocket awareness. How Brees feels pressure from his blind side like that I'll never understand, but he does a great job of making his left tackle look good by avoiding the rusher that beats Strief/Bushrod on the edge. Still, Stylez White hit Brees four times, and at least 3 of those were due to Strief getting beat severely. His run blocking was pretty good in the second half, but the pressure from the left side was constant all day.

Carl Nicks: A (3.10) I was happy to hear the announcer give Nicks props at one point in the game, because he was absolutely destroying anyone that came in his path. I encourage any of you to watch the game over and pay particular attention to Nicks. Pardon my language, but he was putting guys on their ass all day long. Of particular note was a mauling lead on Bell's first touchdown run, and a pull on Bell's second run where he created a lane for Bell to jump over the goal line. For a 350 pound guy, Nicks actually moves pretty well too. I don't think he's ever going to beat Reggie Bush in a foot race, but he gets out there on pulls and shows some agility and quickness. As far as pass protection, forget about it. Anytime Brees stepped up from the annoying rush he was getting off the edge, he was comfortable knowing that no one would be in his face.

Jonathan Goodwin: A (3.13) Goodwin was particularly awesome in this game, as well. Numerous of the big runs the Saints had were not only a result of Goodwin's initial blocks, but his ability to follow the progression of the play and finish it off. He was picture perfect for most of the day. Had a nice pull block on a screen pass, his calling card. He also got tremendous push on short yardage plays, including both of Mike Bell's touchdowns. Yes, Jeff Faine is and was a terrific player, but Goodwin is making me forget all about him with the season he is having. Meanwhile, Jeff is stuck on the 1-9 team we just obliterated. I hope the contract was worth it.

Jahri Evans: A- (3.37) While he didn't stand out like Goodwin and Nicks, he was his usual, reliable, and sound playing self. No mistakes, which rarely ever happen with him. Can any of you even remember a time this season when penalty has been called on big Jahri? Maybe one? He was solid in both run and pass blocking. It would be criminal if he doesn't get a Pro Bowl invite based on the season he's having.

Jon Stinchcomb: B (2.97) Perhaps a harsh grade given how well he played run blocking. Just one negative play from Stinchcomb that I can remember, but it made me hold me breath and could give me nightmares. I just can't shake the memory of his poor block on Roy Miller which allowed the rushing Buc to absolutely drill Brees as the Saints' QB was releasing the ball. Brees was hit so hard I thought he might not get up. Luckily he was fine, but I can't imagine that Brees will feel too good today. Stinchcomb gave up less heat from his edge, but there were times where pressure would come from his side and Brees would casually step up in the pocket to nullify any threat. I want to again emphasize that Stinchcomb was terrific run blocking.

Darnell Dinkins: C (1.56) He was targeted on one pass and grossly overthrown. I don't think Dinkins and Brees are on the same page, given that Dinkins missed all of preseason and most of the beginning of the regular season. His run blocking was fine when he came in. Nothing much to comment on.

Kyle Eckel: B- (2.11) Eckel was pretty good operating as a lead blocker on the sets where he saw action. He threw some nice lead blocks and the Saints have mixed success running behind him.

My Offensive Player of the Game: Carl Nicks

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game @ Tampa Bay?

Robert Meachem

79 votes

Drew Brees

84 votes

Carl Nicks

62 votes

Mike Bell

111 votes

David Thomas

79 votes

415 votes | Poll has closed

Panthers vs. Saints: Blogger Q&A

Jaxon — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:19:36 -0000

Welcome Panther fans to this weeks' edition of Bogger Q&A. We have Saintsational from Canal Street Chronicles answering our questions today. As always be sure to check my answers to his questions over at his site. Feel free to provide your own questions or comments in the comment thread and we will see if Saintsational or one of his readers can provide the answer.

Question 1: For all the focus on the Saints offense I've been more impressed with the defense. What is more responsible for the improved play, DC Greg Williams defensive scheme or the free agent additions?

Saintsational: Most of it really does have to do with Gregg Williams. He has completely changed the culture of this defense as a whole and has already gotten so much more out of mostly the same players from previous years. Williams' defense emphasizes blitzing, turnovers and populating the ball; all in an aggressive manner. Former defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs ran a very plain scheme but Williams has proven these guys are capable of so much more.

That's not to say the off-season acquisition of players like Darren Sharper and Jabari Greer haven't proved to be genius. Those two alone have made a huge difference. But I still think the coaching and culture change is the more overriding factor.

So a key for the Panther offense will be how QB Jake Delhomme handles the pressure that is sure to come in those 3rd and long situations.

Question 2: It would appear the Saints are running the ball better this season using the trio of Bush, Thomas and Bell. Is there any one of these guys that is more important for the Panthers to stop than the others? If so, how should they do that? What's the Saints bread and butter running play?

Saintsational: Well, I think Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell deserve most of the credit for the success of the running game. Reggie Bush is a valuable player but he contributes is so many other ways and not so much with the typical running attack.

Between Bell and Thomas however, they have both proven to be equally important and at this point I'm not so sure I could pick between the two. Bell is a straight-ahead runner whose legs are always churning while Pierre is more versatile, catching more screen and dump passes. I think what makes the running game so dangerous is that Payton uses them well and they can each spell each other when tired.

I'm not sure exactly how to stop it but I would definitely try and do it early. If Payton get's frustrated that the Saints can't run the ball, there's a chance he'll just try to get it done through the air with his best friend Drew Brees.

I'm more worried about the dump off passes then the straight runs. The Saints are going to have to prove they can run through the middle of our line before I will believe it.

Question 3: Panthers DE Julius Peppers has been lining up on both sides of the line this season in an attempt to disrupt blocking schemes. If you were advising Panthers DC Ron Meeks which side would Peppers line up on for most of the game and why?

Saintsational: A versatile Julius Peppers? That's sounds scary. I think the Panthers would want Peppers to line up more often on the right side of the defensive line, matching up against the Saints left tackle. Starting left tackle, Jammal Brown, is out for the season so Jermon Bushrod is playing in his stead. Zach Strief also checks into the game on for help on certain downs. While Bushrod has filled in admirably, reliable veteran Jon Stinchcomb - and the better tackle of the two - is on the right side. Also, Bushrod is a little dinged up...but who isn't?

So it would seem our rejuvenated De Julius Peppers should have another nice match-up on the right side. I'm expecting big things.

Question 4: I saw Saints DT Sedrick Ellis is out with an injury this week. Who will fill his shoes and do you think it will change the way the Saints defend the Panthers running attack?

Saintsational: Ellis also missed Monday night's game against the Falcons. In that game the Saints allowed Michael Turner to run wild for over 140 yards so one could make a case that the run defense has suffered at least slightly. Ellis has been replaced by free-agent acquisition and fan favorite, Anthony Hargrove, who impressed his way onto this team during training camp. Unfortunately, Hargrove's skills are best suited for taking down quarterbacks and not so much at stopping the run. To defend against the Panthers two-headed rushing attack I definitely think Gregg Williams will find a way to compensate and fill the box.

Hargrove is a former GT man who played DE if I remember correctly but he left school early which I think hurt him when he made the jump. He is definitely more of a pass rusher than a run stopper.

Question 5: Tell me about a future Saints Pro Bowler-in-the-making. What young Saints players do think will be future Pro Bowlers and why?

Saintsational: I'm gonna go with starting cornerback Tracy Porter on this one. He is in his sophomore year and has showed signs of continuous improvement with every game. If he continues to work under defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, I see potential for him to be an elite shut-down corner.

My guess is Greer will draw the one-on-one with Steve Smith who probably won't bite on the Smoke-n-Go like DRC did last week. Still I'm curious to see this Saints secondary in action.

Bonus question: How about a prediction?

Saintsational: This is the second division game in a row for the Saints and we know they're rarely easy. I think the Panthers keep it close but the Saints still come out on top. 30-17 Saints.

Well at least he thinks we will hold them to 30 points.

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)

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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

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

NY Giants @ New Orleans Saints: Front Four Matchups are the Key

saints-nation — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:15:23 -0000

Make no mistake about it, the game on Sunday is the toughest test the Saints will experience at this point in the young season (Giants vs Saints coverage). Throwing out the two undefeated records for a second, this is the most complete team the Saints have faced by a significant margin. The Giants represent both the best offense and the best defense the Saints have seen, hands down. The most important matchup of Sunday's game, in my opinion, is the Saints' ability to get pressure with their front four and the Saints' ability to block the Giants' front four.

Saints front four:

With Eli Manning's ability, the Saints would be taking a big risk if they blitzed as much as they have early in the season. While they've had success doing so in their first four games, the first four quarterbacks they've faced lack the experience, quick decision making skills and accuracy of an Eli Manning. While Charles Grant and Will Smith have looked healthy and inspired of late, getting to the quarterback without the luxury of blitz help will be of utmost importance for them. I anticipate Gregg Williams asking his four man front to create more pressure this week on their own. If you look at game tape against Matt Stafford and Kevin Kolb especially, there were plays where the Saints blitzed and left their coverage on an island against receivers, potentially exposing themselves to huge pass gains. Luckily on most of those plays the accuracy of the passes thrown were way off, largely due to the amount of pressure the defense was bringing. Granted, that was a comfortable risk to take given the opposition. The difference is Eli Manning will make those throws more consistently, and can make the Saints pay for taking such risks. The duty lies on Smith, Grant, Bobby McCray, Sedrick Ellis, Anthony Hargrove and company to show they can get in Eli's face. The Giants have given up just three sacks in five games coming into New Orleans, while the Saints have generated ten sacks in four games (eight by the front four).

Saints blocking the Giant's front four:

The Giants have generated fourteen sacks in just five games, eleven of which were made by a member of their front four. Their ability to create pressure without blitzing is flat out scary, led by the devastating bookend combination of Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora. Take a look at how quarterbacks have done against them so far this season:

Jason Campbell: 19-26, 211yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, 2 fumbles - sacked 3 times

Tony Romo: 13-29, 127yds, 1 TD, 3 INTs, - sacked 0 times

Byron Leftwich: 7-16, 22yds, O TDs, 1 INT - sacked 0 times

Matt Cassel: 15-32, 127yds, 2 TDs, 0 INT, 3 fumbles - sacked 5 times

JaMarcus Russell: 8-13, 100 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs, 3 fumbles - sacked 6 times

Those performances aren't just bad, they're flat out embarassing. As evidence by Romo and Leftwich's numbers, even when these quarterbacks are getting the ball out quick enough, they're still performing terribly. Granted none of these guys are Drew Brees, but it is worth noting how badly they've all played. The Saints' offensive line has given up four sacks in four games, but this game they'll have a replacement left tackle going up against the NFL's finest. Whether that's Jermon Bushrod or Zach Strief, they better be ready to play the game of their life and Brees better be ready to get the ball out in a hurry.

The matchups in these areas are about as tough as it gets. When the Saints are on defense, the home crowd's influence will need to be the x factor that can help them. When the Saints are on offense, I believe the key ingredients to success are threefold: the performance of the Saints at left tackle, Reggie Bush and Jeremy Shockey. Bush and Shockey will both offer Brees the most dangerous short passing checkdown options. When Brees wants to get rid of the ball in a hurry, these two players will be available and targeted often. Expect both of these guys to get many opportunities as Brees won't always have the time to attack the perimeter. We'll see if they can deliver when called upon. Sidenote: Bush and Shockey are killer fantasy plays this week, ESPECIALLY in leagues where you get points for receptions.

So it all boils down to getting pressure with our front four, and limiting their front four's pressure. Sounds simple but much easier said than done. So what are your thoughts? Do you guys think Smith and Grant have turned a corner and can have big games this weekend when the Saints need them the most? Do you think Strief/Bushrod/Stinchcomb can realistically slow down Tuck/Umenyiora?

Tuesdays with Saintsational: Week 3 Wrap Up

Saintsational — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:00:59 -0000

What a Differential a Year Makes

The Saints lead the entire league in a pretty cool and pretty important stat: Point Differential. A high point differential doesn't necessarily equal wins - the Saints finished last season ranked an impressive 10th - but it definitely bodes well. The five teams just below the Saints so far this year, in order, are the Ravens, Broncos, Giants, Vikings and Jets. All of those teams are also undefeated so far. Coincidence? I think not. Does that make the Saints the best of all the undefeated teams? You might be able to make that argument.

What's also funny is that the Saints have the number one offense in the league, as we all know, but it's the running game pulling all the weight. The Saints actually have the second ranked rushing attack, averaging 170.7 yards a game, and only the sixth best passing offense with 267.3 yards a game. Who would have thought?

But the most impressive numerical fact worthy of note is that the Saints are currently the owners of a top ten defense. I won't say I saw it coming. Through three weeks of the 2009 NFL season the Saints defense has given up an average of 312.3 yards per game, good enough to earn them the title of tenth best in the league. They are ranked fifth best at stopping the run, making their 22nd ranked pass defense the weak link of the unit yet again. That last stat could be deceiving, however, because the Saints took an early lead against Detroit and sat back in prevent a majority of the time.

Like many of you, all I've ever wanted to know was how good the Saints could be with an actual defense behind their powerful offense and thanks to the Gregg Williams experiment, I've finally got my answer. That's what I love most about this season. Even if it all goes to hell from this point on, Saints fans will know that much more about exactly what this team needs to win and when it's failing miserably.

And just in case you are planning on racing down to the comment section so you can tell me that they're only three games into the season and there isn't enough data yet, let me be the first to say: I am aware and I don't care. Numbers don't lie and until the Saints prove otherwise, they're a damn good football team.

Shutdown Corner

I should have included Greer's name as a candidate for player of the game against Buffalo on Sunday because I thought he did an excellent job against his old team. Like some Saints fans, I made the mistake of overlooking him. But he played a large part in shutting out Terrell Owens this weekend, the first game Owens has not caught a pass in thirteen years. That's gotta say something, certainly about Greer and even Tracy Porter, but also about the defense as a unit. Darren Sharper seems to be getting a majority of the attention as this off-seasons biggest free agent pick up, due in large part to his interceptions but like I've said before, I think Jabari Greer deserves that honor.

Pundit Poo Poo

Why are all Saints fans so concerned about what the national media guys think? I understand it's frustrating to feel like nobody gives any recognition to just how good our team is; I feel the same way. But we've all been following these guys for a long time and knew the possibilities for this season even before it began so we're not surprised, more affirmed. This just happens to be the year it looks like we actually got it right. So you can't expect every commentator from every major network or publication to start chanting "Who Dat!?" and proclaiming the Saints are a dynasty, no matter how accurate that statement may be. If I may borrow a quote from Dana Carvey doing his George W. Bush Sr. impression: "Wouldn't be prudent." So let's all chill out a little bit and let the Saints keep winning games. The praise from the big boys will come when it's truly deserved. And then you won't want it anyway.

Domecoming

Here's some uplifting news: Four out of the next five games for the Saints will be at home in the dome with a bye week stuck in the middle to rest up and get healthy. That's good, especially given that the schedule is about to get a little tougher with those games being against the Jets, Giants and Falcons as well as an important division matchup against the Panthers. The Saints will want to stockpile those wins at home while they can because then the tables will be turned and their next five will consist of four road contests.

Cause for Concern?

M-E mentioned this in a comment on another thread but I felt it was worth mentioning right here on the front page. Jammal Brown is already out for a couple more weeks and his replacement, Jermon Bushrod, continues to get nicked up. That leaves only Jon Stinchcomb and Zach Strief officially on the roster at offensive tackle and nobody technically backing them up. Shouldn't this be a concern? With the best quarterback in the league world galaxy universe, offensive tackle is not a position to be taken lightly. It's pretty damn important. What if Stinchcomb or Strief gets injured? Apparently, coach Payton is not nearly as concerned as I am.

More Mare Misfortune

It's been great to finally see the Saints attain some quality and consistency at both kicking positions this season. Lord knows it's been a long road and taken a couple of draft picks. So don't tell me listening to Jim Mora, Jr. rip Olindo Mare a new one doesn't put at least a small smile on your face and make you wish those were really Sean Payton's words two years ago. I'm a sadistic person, I know. Good luck Seattle.

Panthers 33 @ Saints 31: Making the Grade

Saintsational — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:00:06 -0000

Quarterback

A-

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Passing					Rushing
	Comp	Att	Pct	Yds	TD	Rush	Yds	Avg	TD
Drew Brees	30	49	61.2	386	4

Here I am again trying to find more words to adequately express Drew Brees' greatness and here I am again, coming up short. You all voted him as the games MVP so he deservedly receives an A. But I have to drop it down a bit because of the interception. All in all though, this guy is the New Orleans Saints.

Running Back

C

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Rushing				Receiving
	Rush	Yards	Avg	TD	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Deuce McAllister	8	40	5.0	0	5	41	8.2	0

Deuce actually ran the ball well on the rare occasions he actually got the chance. I still haven't forgotten about that dropped pass though. But Payton was pretty much in pass-mode with Brees and never really got a ground game established. Certainly not enough to be a threat to the Panthers on Sunday so I can only give the running game a C here.

Receiving

B+

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Receiving
	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Marques Colston	7	123	17.6	1

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Receiving
	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD
Lance Moore	8	91	11.4	2

We have rarely seen big games from both of these guys on the same day but that's exactly what we got this weekend from Colston and Moore. It's also interesting to note that Brees spread the ball around to eight different receivers as is customary. Jake Delhomme, by comparison, only used three. I'm a tough critic and still think the drops are too prevalant so I only gave them a B+.

Offensive Line

Even though the line did a pretty good job holding off Julius Peppers and not letting him dominate, Brees get sacked twice and was hurried often - more than usual for this unit. Zach Strief came in often for support. Mediocre. Congrats to these guys though for breaking the franchise record for sacks allowed.

Defensive Line

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
	Solo	Ast	Total	Sacks	Yds	Int	Yds	IntTD
Will Smith	1	3	4	0	0	0	0	0

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
	Solo	Ast	Total	Sacks	Yds	Int	Yds	IntTD
Jeff Charleston	2	1	3	0	0	0	0	0

Pure crap. They got no pressure on Delhomme and left him an "inordinate amount of time" says Payton. The only sack of the day came from Scott Shanle...a linebacker. I know they are battling injury but these guys have to be better.

Linebackers

B+

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
	Solo	Ast	Total	Sacks	Yds	Int	Yds	IntTD
Jonathan Vilma	12	1	13	0	0	0	0	0

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
	Solo	Ast	Total	Sacks	Yds	Int	Yds	IntTD
Scott Fujita	4	2	6	0	0	0	0	0

As they have been all season, the Saints linebacking corp was the best and most consistent aspect of this defense. Vilma had an awesome game running all over the field. Scott Shanle made the Saints only sack of the game but it came at a great time.

Secondary

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
	Solo	Ast	Total	Sacks	Yds	Int	Yds	IntTD
Roman Harper	10	0	10	0	0	0	0	0

vs CAR / 12.28.08	Tackles			Sacks		Interceptions
	Solo	Ast	Total	Sacks	Yds	Int	Yds	IntTD
Randall Gay	8	0	8	0	0	0	0	0

Like the defensive line, these guys played like crap. Don't let the above stats fool you. The only reason Harper and Gay racked up so many tackles was because the Panther running backs got to the second level so often.

Special Teams

Sean Payton said himself in his press conference that Hartley didn't look great on kickoffs this Sunday. But it's Skyler Green's untimely fumble that really screwed the pooch for the special teams unit this week. That's why these guys get such a bad grade.

Poll

What grade would you give the Saints performance?

A

1 votes

B

13 votes

C

16 votes

D

7 votes

F

3 votes

40 votes | Poll has closed