2009 Schedule Preview: Week 5 vs. NY Giants

Saintsational — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 11:00:10 -0000

The Saints finally finish up their run of three straight New York-based opponents when they take on the Giants in the Superdome during week five of the season. Since last facing each other, the Giants went and won themselves a Super Bowl and became a perennial contender. To be sure, the G-Men will provide a tough test for the Saints, in particular, their agressive defense. Hopefully, the results of this years clash will closely mirror those of the last meeting between these two teams. Something tells me it won't.

Giants Offense

New Orleans native Eli Manning is still running the show in New York but the team around him has seen some change. To offset the loss of their two big receivers, Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer, the Giants used their first round pick to take Hakeem Nicks in this years draft. They also selected receiver Ramses Barden and tight end Travis Beckum for added depth. Steve Smith (not that one), who led the team in receptions last year, will remain one of Manning's favorite targets while Domenik Hixon should develop quite nicely this season.

On the ground, Brandon Jacobs will certainly continue to be the main man for the G-Men, who led the league in rushing last season, but they've lost Derrick Ward, their 1,000-yard backup. Yes, that's right...backup. Ahmad Bradshaw should step up and fill that role in 2009 while a slew of other young backs like Danny Ware, Andre Brown, Allen Patrick and Dwayne Wright all fight for a spot in camp.

This is going to be a tough challenge for the Saints defense but certainly not impossible, especially if improvement really has been made.

Giants Defense

Two years ago the Giants defense was so good they were credited with taking down the almighty and undefeated New England Patriots. So good, in fact, that the Saints used them as a model for getting pressure on the quarterback last season. It didn't really work for the Saints but the Giants kept on rolling with 42 sacks and finished 2008 with the leagues fifth best defense. And all of this without Osi Umenyiora. Now Umenyiora is back and the team has also added defensive tackles Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty to further make their defensive line just scary good.

To help upgrade their linebacking corp, possibly the weakest aspect of their defense, the Giants have added Michael Boley and stole first round prospect Clint Sintim in the second round of this years draft to help veteran Antonio Pierce. This should definitely be an area of improvement in 2009.

In the pass defense department, New York has lost cornerbacks R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison as well as safeties Sammy Knight and James Butler. The team is hoping that late round draft picks DeAndrew Wright and Stony Woodson along with safety C.C. Brown will offer depth behind Corey Webster, Kenny Phillips and Michael Johnson.

New Yorks defense definitely poses a legitimate threat to the Saints powerful offense. Not good.

Giants 2008 Season

12-4 Record

Last Meeting

December 24th, 2006

Week 16	1	2	3	4	OT	F
Saints	3	10	7	10	--	30
Giants	7	0	0	0	--	7

Why the Saints Can Win

They Saints have been known to shut down very talented running backs.

Why the Saints Can Lose

The Giants defense may be too much to handle.

Prediction

Saints 17 - Giants 15

Newly Acquired

TE George Wrighster

DT Chris Canty

DT Rocky Bernard

OLB Michael Boley

S C.C. Brown

2009 Draft Class

WR Hakeem Nicks

OLB Clint Sintim

OT William Beatty

WR Ramses Barden

TE Travis Beckum

RB Andre Brown

QB Rhett Bomar

CB DeAndre Wright

CB Stoney Woodson

Key Losses

RB Derrick Ward

RB Reuben Droughns

WR Plaxico Burress

WR Amani Toomer

TE Darcy Johnson

TE Martrez Milner

OT Shane Olivea

C Grey Ruegamer

DE Jerome McDougle

CB R.W. McQuarters

CB Sam Madison

S James Butler

S Sammy Knight

K John Carney

Linkage

Big Blue View

SB Nation Giants Coverage

Giants @ Saints Coverage

Giants Roster

Giants Transactions

Poll

What worries you more?

The Giants running game

38 votes

New York's defensive line

88 votes

Both of them

101 votes

Neither of them

38 votes

265 votes | Poll has closed

CSC All-Time Saints Team Nominations: Strong Safety

Saintsational — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:00:29 -0000

More all-time Saints team talk. Today we're discussing safeties of Saints past. Below is a list of players I've researched and deemed worthy of inclusion in our discussion of great Saints safeties. As usual I will leave it up to you guys, the readers, to nominate any other players you feel should be included.

The poll will open at 6am Central on Tuesday morning and will be open for exactly 48 hours, ending on Thursday, July 23rd.

I now open it up for any other nominations or players that you just can't believe I missed. There very well may be a glaring omission. Talk it out in the comment section. I would also love to hear some personal rumination from our readers who've actually watched these guys plays.

Year Games Int. Yards Avg. TD

2002 16 5 36 7.2 0

2001 16 6 114 19.0 0

2000 16 5 68 13.6 2

1999 16 1 0 0.0 0

1998 14 6 175 28.5 2

1997 16 5 75 15.0 0

Total 94 28 468 16.7 4

Sammy Knight

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 215

D.O.B.: 9/10/1975

College: USC

NFL Experience: 12 Seasons

Seasons with Saints: 1997-2002

Notables: One-time Pro-Bowler (2001)

Year	Games	Int.	Yards	Avg.	TD
1993	16	3	59	19.7	0
1992	16	3	0	0.0	0
1991	16	5	198	39.6	0
1990	16	2	15	7.5	0
1989	14	1	-2	-2.0	0
1988	16	4	41	10.5	0
1987	13	3	12	4.0	0
Total	107	21	323	15.4	0

Gene Atkins

Height: 5'11"

Weight: 201

D.O.B.: 11/22/1964

College: Florida A&M

NFL Experience: 10 Seasons

Seasons with Saints: 1987-1993

Year	Games	Int.	Yards	Avg.	TD
1981	16	2	70	35.0	0
1980	16	5	96	19.2	0
1979	15	7	127	18.1	1
1978	16	6	167	27.8	1
1977	12	1	2	2.0	0
1976	14	1	0	0.0	0
1975	9	5	83	16.6	0
1974	12	3	43	14.3	0
1973	13	3	33	11.0	0
1972	13	3	0	0.0	0
Total	136	36	621	17.25	2

Tommy Myers