SB Nation - Lynell Hamilton

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Falcons

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

by Paul Abell - AP

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

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

Saints vs Falcons coverage

Saints vs Falcons recap

Saints vs Falcons boxscore

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My Offensive Player of the Game: Drew Brees

Poll

Who Was Your Offensive Player of the Game?

Saints @ Falcons: Time to go from Sprint Mode to Marathon Mode?

saints-nation — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:00:18 -0000

by Rob Carr - AP

12 days ago: New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees throws a pass against the Washington Redskins during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2009, in Landover, Md. The Saints won 33-30 in overtime. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

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Before I even touch on this matchup, I just want to say how crazy of a week it's been. After that improbable and ridiculous Redskins win we somehow managed to pull off (I'm still not quite sure how), the aftermath has been comical. By now you've all seen the TV Shot to Death video that's been circulating, and you've also seen the rise in popularity to celebrity status that The Uknown Who Dat has gotten. Funny, this "news" has been courtesy of the fan base almost entirely as the national media, relatively speaking, continues to ignore us (though the Brees appearance on Leno was nice to see). Add all these strangely funny things happening this week to the laughable underperforming play of Charles Grant, and you've got yourself the trifecta of hilarity.

Anyway, I digress, and as the Saints enter this weekend's clash against the Falcons it's time, in my opinion, to shift gears from sprint mode to marathon mode.

Saints vs Falcons coverage

Don't confuse my title for saying that I don't think the Saints should go for 16-0. I'll settle that by coming out and saying the following: If the Saints are 15-0 going into Carolina in week 17, I think Drew Brees should start the game. What I am saying is this: The ultimate goal of the Saints is winning the Super Bowl, and the less risks we take to ensure that the ultimate goal has the best chance of happening, the better.

There's a fine line between what you can and can't do when you're seeking perfection at 16-0 and winning a Super Bowl, but at this point with the division sealed up, being one win away from a first round playoff bye and having a two game lead on home field advantage with four games left, I think a slight tweak in approach is called for.There is nothing I would have changed from the approach the Saints had throughout the Redskins game. It was close, sloppy, and it saw the Saints go down two scores multiple times. They had to go for the win and give it their all. Should the same scenario happen this week at Atlanta, then they shouldn't change the approach there either.

That said, it's entirely possible with both Michael Turner and Matt Ryan likely out Sunday that the Saints could have a three posession lead in the third quarter. Yes, they had trouble against a struggling Redskins team; Yes, the defensive backfield is in shambles; Any given Sunday, that's why they play the game yada, yada, etc... I get all that. But they're also capable of blowing them out. If that happens, I saw some things in the Patriots game I would not want repeated.

At this point it's not one game at a time anymore. You have to consider what's best long term now. After Bill Belicheck quit on the Saints down 38-17, I remember thinking to myself as Mike Bell took the clock running carries: "Why not run Lynell Hamilton here. He's active..." Sure enough, Bell went limping to the sidelines and had me cursing, "You idiots!"

And who came in for Bell but Pierre Thomas. Ok, fine, Bell is the closer and you don't want to give the Patriots any new signs of life because of their pedigree. At this point, though, I would argue we have too much to lose. Kyle Eckel was about to be cut, for God's sake. Throw him to the wolves and let him run the football. If we happen to be up 21 points in the third quarter against Atlanta on Sunday, I not only want Lynell Hamilton running the ball, I want Mark Brunell handing the ball off and I want him running behind Zach Strief, Jamar Nesbit, Nick Leckey and Darnell Dinkins. I also want Usama Young, Pierson Prioleau, Marcus McCauley and Chris Reis in the defensive backfield. Yes, the Saints would potentially be exposed to a comeback but they can always put their starters back in without risking them during that potential comeback run.

I'm not saying we don't go for 16-0, but I'm saying the Saints have to be smarter about how they try to do it, and it can't be a guns blazing effort. No one here wants to see the Saints get 16-0 at the expense of the ultimate prize. Over the next four games I'm sure we'll see the Saints build a big lead at least a time or two, and I'm hopeful they've learned their lesson from how the game ended against New England. It's not one game at a time anymore, because they've clinched a playoff birth and they're about to clinch a first round bye. The Saints are now in the full blown marathon discussion, and some pacing would be smart.

Do you guys think I'm being too cautious? I'm sure there's some of you that are thinking 16-0 at all cost. I know you can't play worrying about injuries, but isn't there a difference between being scared and being smart?

New Orleans Saints' Defensive and Special Teams Player Grades vs. Patriots

saints-nation — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 12:00:15 -0000

by Dave Martin - AP

18 days ago: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady sits on the sidelines during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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You know the drill by now, below are the grades.

Patriots vs Saints coverage

Patriots vs Saints recap

Patriots vs Saints boxscore

Will Smith: B+ (2.88) Early in the game, Laurence Maroney ripped off a 22 yard run, and Will Smith had a clear shot at him around the line of scrimmage. Sometimes I feel like he's focused on improving his sack total and his run defense has suffered from it. That said, he did a good job of staying in Brady's face despite double teams for a good portion of the game. He finished with 4 tackles, hit Brady 3 times, and ended with 1.5 sacks. He was the beneficiary of a stat padding sack at the end of the game, and that sack gave him 10 for the season. It's been a while since we've had a double digit sack guy, so that's nice to see 11 games into the season. After having a lower GPA early in the season, Smith's grades have been rising steadily and he continues to pile up consistent performances.

Charles Grant: D (2.24) For an extended portion of the game, Grant was nowhere to be found. He was manhandled anytime a play came his way, and he was unable to get any pressure whatsoever on Brady. On an end around to Welker at one point, Grant showed ZERO pursuit or effort. I was pretty disheartened to see on tape what I concluded was a lazy performance. He did finally get good pressure on a 3rd down play in 4th quarter, though, hitting Brady as he released the ball. It was tough sledding for the Saints' pass rushers though, as they dropped most players they had and often rushed only 4 or sometimes even 3. He finished with 2 tackles.

Sedrick Ellis: C+ (2.71) Nice to have the big man back, and his presence against the run game was felt. He was rusty, though, so I'll expect better things as he gets more reps. I'm sure everyone remembers the fumble fiasco. Hey Sedrick, YOU ARE A DEFENSIVE TACKLE. Fall on the ball already. The fact that he picked up the ball and tried to shimmy his way to the open field like Barry Sanders was laughable. I give him credit for a good all around effort, though. He was sloppy in his tackling at times, but he was also disruptive. He had a terrific tackle at the line of scrimmage at one point on Kevin Faulk. On the Darren Sharper interception, Ellis put nice pressure on Brady to force a bad pass. He finished with 4 tackles.

Remi Ayodele: C- (2.14) Ayodele really didn't play much, surprisingly. When he did, I thought he did an ok job of congesting the middle and forcing Maroney outside. The Saints spent a large part of the game either with a 3 man front, or using Hargrove more because of his superior pass rushing ability and the decreasing threat that the Patriots would run.

Anthony Hargrove: C+ (2.43) As much as Hargrove played he was rather quiet, but he did show terrific effort and a good motor. The plays just didn't really come his way. He finished with 2 tackles, and he did get a chance to force an incompletion by poppin' Brady pretty good right as he released the ball.

Bobby McCray: B (2.00) Finally I saw McCray come in and show me some of those pass rushing skills. Finally! McCray got the other half of the sack with Will Smith, but I felt McCray got the better pressure on that play. He was often coming off the edge and drawing either a double team or a chip block. On one play he absolutely CRUSHED Brady as he released the ball. He also had very good pressure on the long pass to Moss and almost got a sack but Brady evaded him before getting rid of the ball off his back foot. He finished with just 1 tackle, but given the limited help he got rushing the passer I thought his performance was much improved.

Scott Fujita: B+ (2.81) Fujita played MUCH better in the second half. In the first half he was mostly quiet, and I saw him stand out on a play he got beat with on pass play over middle. In the second half, Fujita was dominant. He made a terrific play to force the fumble that Ellis recovered, and he got terrific penetration on that same drive to nail Sammy Morris in the backfield. Kevin Faulk did beat him to the outside on one run, but he was very aggressive and all over the field. He finished with 7 tackles.

Scott Shanle: C- (2.67) Pretty forgettable performance from Shanle who is losing his early season form. He was burned badly by Kevin Faulk on the opening drive of the gain to convert a 3rd down. Then, he was blown up on the 4th down touchdown run by Maroney. He had an absolutely miserable first half. As the game progressed he got more involved and absorbed blocks better, but he was unusually mediocre in pass coverage. He finished with just 3 tackles.

Jonathan Vilma: C+ (2.94) Vilma was up and down during the game. He had 9 tackles, which would lead you to believe he was active and all over the field, but he was also involved in way too many negative plays. Vilma was blown up on first run of the game. Later, he whiffed on Maroney badly to allow the back to get big yardarge. On a pass to Welker, Vilma showed poor awareness. While Welker wasn't his assignment, he had a chance to jump that throw and break up the play or maybe intercept the ball. Instead it was a completion. Like Shanle, his first half was by and large dismal. He did get good pressure on Brady a couple of times blitzing right up the middle. He made up for a shaky start when he BLEW UP Maroney in backfield shooting the gap in the second half. Just when he got on my good side again, though, there was that moronic late hit on Welker out of bounds to give the Patriots 15 free yards. He did get better as game progressed.

Malcolm Jenkins: B (3.06) He was often lined up against Wes Welker and he did an admirable job. He was very physical with Welker, sometimes getting away with possible penalties, and you could tell Welker got frustrated by it. He was PHENOMENAL with tackling all day long, and any time he had a shot at Welker he made sure the slippery receiver went down. He was caught holding twice, once negating an intentional grounding by Brady and another time giving the Patriots a first down - but that was all part of him roughing up Welker. Great job, and I'm glad we have him. Did I already mention he's a terrific tackler?

Chris McAlister: B- (2.67) McAlister was pretty solid all day in coverage, especially in the first half. Despite being matched up against Randy Moss, he didn't allow the future hall of famer to catch a ball until very late in the second quarter. He was however responsible for the long pass to Moss in the second half, and he was fortunate that Brady overthrew a long ball intended for Aiken because McAlister was beaten badly and it would have been a touchdown. He finished with just 1 tackle and he didn't offer much support against the run. Give him credit though, he's only been with the Saints 2 weeks and his he's obviously still capable of covering elite receivers.

Mike McKenzie: A- (3.67) Per Jon Gruden on Monday Night Football "he has guts". I thought that described McKenzie best. He gambled and occasionally lost, but his aggressiveness and fire was instrumental in the win. It was clear the Patriots were going to attack him, and he responded present. It was almost like he never missed a beat from his peak performances 2 years ago. His interception was a HUGE momentum changing play. Later in the game, he had a 3rd down tackle short of 1st down, forcing the Patriots to punt. At one point, beaten by Moss, he dove to make the tackle and somehow jarred the ball loose for a forced fumbled. It was a suspect play, but he saved the Saints from Moss getting major yardage after the catch. He did give too much cushion at times, and was beat on a 3rd and 9 throw curl route to Aiken. The Patriots tried to run that same play soon after and McKenzie jumped the route and almost had another pick. He allowed a first down late by missing a tackle I've seen him make countless times, but he redeemed himself moments later by killing the game with a BIG 4th down play breakup on a pass intended for Moss. He finished with 3 tackles, an interception and 3 defended passes. It's nothing short of incredible that this guy could play at this level after being out of football for a year. The Saints are very fortunate he was available. The welcome back party was in full effect for #34.

Pierson Prioleau: B- (2.67) Prioleau was used as the dime back on some passing downs, and had awesome coverage on a deep pass to Ben Watson down the seam for a breakup. He did a pretty good job in coverage when he was in.

Roman Harper: B (3.21) I have no earthly idea how Harper totaled 10 tackles. He seemed to have a very quiet game, but somehow Harper gets his nose in a lot of plays. He was quiet about his business, but I did notice a big hit he put on Wes Welker on a crossing route early that slowed the receiver down just enough to allow Malcolm Jenkins to knock him down and force the Patriots to kick a field goal. He did get flagged for an illegal contact on a 3rd down to give the Patriots an easy 1st down, which was stupid and negated a good pass rush by Bobby McCray.

Darren Sharper: A- (3.20) Sharper seemed more interested in laying the wood early than getting himself another pick. It seemed like there were passes out there he could have tried to make a play on, but he was focused on crushing anyone that came over the middle. I liked the change in philosophy because he knew he had corners that needed help and he let Pats know early, you go over middle, you pay. Specifically he had a DISGUSTING hit on Faulk that I'm not quite sure how the LSU product got up from. He was very solid all day in coverage and he was a good security blanket limiting the damage when a play would break open. He finished with 6 tackles and was rewarded for his good play with an interception late on a gift wrapped terrible pass by Tom Brady.

Jeff Charleston: C+ (2.33) Not a ton to say, but he played a good amount and was decent pass rushing and decent against the run. He finished with 2 tackles.

John Carney: D (2.61) He was awful. His first field goal hit the upright, and he was fortunate to give the Saints a 3-0 lead when his 30 yard kick bounced in. With the game out of reach he also missed a 36 yarder. So you're thinking, "he was 1 for 2 on field goals, not that bad". True enough, but once again his extra points were VERY dicey. At least three of his point after touchdowns barley made it just inside the right upright. He's already missed 2 this year, and lately it's felt like an adventure with him out there. Not impressed with the guy lately, but I also know he's capable of bouncing back from a bad performance. That said, this extra point thing is nothing new. He's been shaky on those all season long. I've mentioned this before, but I wonder if Brunell being left handed isn't part of the problem? Or maybe the new snapper?

Thomas Morstead: A- (3.09) Every single kickoff he booted went in the end zone, and over half were downed for touchbacks. I mean the guy is just awesome on kickoffs. On punts, it wasn't his fault Welker ripped that big return. He had a nice high and deep punt that the coverage unit should have covered better. He did manage to get another punt inside the 20.

Courtney Roby: B+ (2.97) Roby's best kick return was his first one, which went back to the 35. Two other times he had a shot at getting nice gains but he slipped. As usual he was good and dangerous. He made his grade covering kicks this time. First he caught Welker from behind on that long punt return showing amazing speed. If he doesn't make that play Welker is gone for a touchdown, and McKenzie doesn't come up with a pick on the next play. He also had terrific coverage on a punt to force a fair catch by Welker.

I also need to give props to Lynell Hamilton. He gets an incomplete grade based on limited playing time - but he had a punishing closeline tackle on kick return, and he was a decoy on the touchdown pass to Dinkins.

My Defensive Player of the Game: Mike McKenzie

My Special Teams Player of the Game: Thomas Morstead

Poll

Who Was Your Defensive Player of the Game vs. the Patriots?

Darren Sharper

45 votes

Malcolm Jenkins

41 votes

Mike McKenzie

602 votes

Will Smith

8 votes

Roman Harper

6 votes

Scott Fujita

6 votes

708 votes | Poll has closed

New Orleans Saints' Offensive Player Grades @ Bucs

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

by Chris O'Meara - AP

26 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

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

John B — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:15:18 -0000

More photos » by Mike Groll - AP

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Drew Brees and the passing game get most of the hype, but the Saints are surprisingly balanced in their play calling. They run it about as often as they throw it. They also run it really well, a 5 yard clip per carry. Former Bronco Mike Bell has been hitting his holes hard, running at a 5.1 yards per carry clip, but he's out with a knee injury. Pierre Thomas, returning from an injury of his own, will likely start in his place. He's shiftier than Bell. Lynell Hamilton will also see carries behind Thomas. Hamilton is a bruising runner with a good burst.

Reggie Bush will get his share of touches out of the backfield as well. Bush doesn't scare me as a runner like he does as a receiver. He has no vision or patience. He tries to bounce everything to the outside and hit a homerun. The Jets still do need to keep an eye on him at all times, perhaps dedicate a player to him because he is deadly once he gets into space.

I like the way the Jets match up with the Saints on the ground. Part of the reason New Orleans has such a successful run game is opponents play conservatively, fearful of the big play. That opens up a lot of running room. The Jets will not take that approach. They will attack and dare the Saints to make big plays. It's not going to be as easy.

The Saints also haven't had to deal with Kris Jenkins up front. We'll see if they run as effectively against a force like Kris. If they can, they'll win. They'll deserve to also.

Five Questions With Canal Street Chronicles

John B — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:00:23 -0000

More photos » by Bill Haber - AP

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Our friends at SB Nation's Saints blog, Canal Street Chronicles, were kind enough to field five questions about their team.

1. The Saints look like world beaters on offense. Since Drew Brees came aboard in 2006, what have successful opponents done to slow him down?

Well, not many teams have been able to shut him down so there is such a small pool of examples to pull from but I'll try my best. The knock on Drew is that he's small and there have been times when he's had trouble throwing over the line. Making sure your big defensive lineman are in Drew's face always with their hands in the air, batting down and tipping balls at the line is a definite must. Also, if you could somehow make it rain or snow; that would help.

2. What kind of role will we see Reggie Bush play?

You will continue to see guys like Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell (injured) and Lynell Hamilton get a bulk of the standard running back carries. The key is not to put Reggie in that same category. His role does include a little bit of the standard running back stuff, but it also includes so much more than that. His mere presence on the roster forces opposing teams to game plan and spend a lot of time figuring out how to deal with him, leaving a lot of opportunity for the rest of the play makers on this offense.

It seems the coaching staff has resigned themselves to giving Bush a certain number of touches every game, but each of those touches comes in a variety of different forms. Every now and then he might take an inside hand off, but most of the time he's utilized on swings, screens and pitches. He'll even line up out wide. All of this on top of returning punts. Getting him into space so that he can use his athletic ability and speed to beat guys one on one is when he's most dangerous, and what the Saints try to focus on. If he's not getting the ball, he's being used as an ever-important but under-appreciated decoy. Without him, this offense might not be able to execute the way it does, even if Reggie never touches the ball.

3. The defense looks a lot better than a year ago. Discuss the impact of new coordinator Gregg Williams. What has been more instrumental in the defensive turnaround, the new coach or player acquisitions?

As cliche as it sounds, Gregg Williams has completely changed the culture of defense in New Orleans and that change is for the better. Williams' influence has added more depth in play calling and formation, created a heavy focus on turnovers and shown the ability to adjust to an opponents offense.

I think it's safe to say Williams has been the major difference maker. It's early but the Saints currently have a top ten defense, an accolade they would have never achieved at any point of the year in seasons past.

I definitely don't want to downplay the significance of off-season additions like Jabari Greer and Darren Sharper - they're the ones out on the field - but perhaps Williams deserves some credit for choosing the right players. He also seems to be getting more out of players already on the roster.

4. Give me keys to a Saints victory.

1. Good adjustments at half time

2. A good balance of run and pass for the Saints offense

3. Winning the turnover battle

4. Shutting down the run.

5. Something that would surprise Jets fans about the Saints is...

Great question. Ummm...Head coach Sean Payton wrote a script for a movie called "The XBox Kid" which was inspired by his son and is about a boy who starts controlling the outcome of NFL games through a refurbished Xbox given to him by his grandfather following a devastating hurricane. It is currently being shopped around to movie studios. Is that surprising?

Bills Fantasy Friday: Week 3 Start 'Em/Sit 'Em

Kurupt — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:30:15 -0000

Welcome back to Fantasy Football Friday here at Buffalo Rumblings. We're quickly nearing the end of September and the time when most fantasy squads begin proving whether they are contenders or not. It's about the time when we start learning whether all those pre-season fantasy projections and rankings were legit, or just random hopes.

The Buffalo Bills will be facing the New Orleans Saints this Sunday in a game that will be rich in fantasy starters. It's a great matchup for the Bills players who are fantasy-worthy - one of the best they'll have all season. Can they live up to our hopes for a big statistical performance and victory? Let's dive into this week's individual fantasy players of note for the Bills and Saints, and my random advice, after the jump.

Quarterbacks
Drew Brees - If ever there was an every-week starter, Drew Brees is it. I can't imagine anybody ever sitting Brees unless you lose points for success. Brees is the best QB in fantasy right now, and unfortunately, there's no reason to believe the Bills will shut down Brees this week. Unless you're one of those Bills fans who never starts an opposing player on your fantasy roster, Brees will be there piling up points for you this week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Trent Edwards - Edwards has a juicy matchup this week with New Orleans' 29th-ranked passing defense. Normally, I'm not one who would ever consider starting Edwards in a non-bye week or non-injury fill-in, but if I owned him I'd probably be getting ready to move him into the starting lineup. If the Bills get down early or get down big, Edwards will be throwing to make the game closer. If they control the clock and sustain drives, there should be plenty of opportunities to put a couple balls in the end zone. The Saints will bend all day and aren't an intimidating defense. After seeing the way our RB has chewed up chunks of yards this season, I'm guessing the Saints will be daring Edwards to beat them. He should do a good job of that and is in line for some gaudy stats this week. Whether that will be good enough for a Bills victory, who knows, but that's irrelevant for this discussion. Donovan McNabb owners should be happy to have Trent as their backup this week. The only thing that should hold owners back from starting Edwards this week are the matchups the top QBs face this week. Of those normally ranked ahead of him, only Kurt Warner (vs Ind), Tony Romo (vs Car) and Matt Ryan (@NE) face defenses ranked in the top half of the league in defending the pass. Warner might be the only one I'd consider benching for sure, but even then, that game is likely to be a shootout. Edwards may not get many starts simply because of the other matchups around the league. Verdict: Start 'Em in deep leagues and two-QB leagues.

Running Backs
Pierre Thomas - It's looking more and more like Thomas will start this week after missing the first week and only playing special teams last week. His knee is not yet 100%, but it's darn close. He's looking to wear a smaller, less bulky brace, and has practiced all week. My guess is he starts and gets 12-15 touches. He's been productive whenever he's been in the lineup, so if by Sunday he's a definite go, then he'll likely be a solid RB2 this week. I would definitely start him as a flex option this week. If his status is still up in the air, or the Saints don't plan on working him too much, keep him on the bench. Verdict: Start 'Em if he's a definite go, RB2/flex

Reggie Bush - I really hate Reggie Bush as a running back. Every time I watch the Saints, I wonder why they don't just call him a WR. He lines up enough in the slot and he runs the ball exactly how you'd expect a WR to take a handoff. Expect him to get his normal 7-10 carries and another 5-7 receptions. As always, Bush is a much better option in PPR leagues and as a flex. Going up against Bills LBs Kawika Mitchell and Keith Ellison in coverage - a group that has allowed RBs to catch 18 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown in two games this season - Bush will be plenty active and have a chance to put up better-than-usual numbers. Verdict: Start 'Em in PPR leagues or as a flex

Mike Bell - Bell is currently 4th in the NFL in rushing yards with 229 on 45 carries. However, he's probably not going to play after spraining his MCL. He would have lost touches to Thomas anyways. Keep him stashed on your bench and hope he gets a shot again when he's healthy. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Lynell Hamilton - Unless you're a Saints fan, you're probably saying..."who?" With Bell likely out and Thomas still a bit iffy, Hamilton is next in line for touches. More on him later. Verdict: Pick him up, and keep an eye on Thomas

Fred Jackson - Jackson has been one of the biggest surprises in all of fantasy football so far this year. He's currently second in the NFL in total yards behind Tennessee's Chris Johnson, averaging 164 yards per game thus far. Freddy also leads the Bills in receiving with 11 receptions for 108 yards. Expect another heavy workload this week as the Bills try to control the ball. Look for the screen pass to make its presence felt again. I don't think the Saints' LBs can cover him at all. Jackson is looking like one of the best starts in the league this week; I just wish I had him on my teams. Verdict: Start 'Em

Wide Receivers
Marques Colston - I think Colston is one of the most underrated wide receivers in the league. He's big, strong, has great hands and makes plays. What more can you ask for? Oh yeah, he scores a ton of touchdowns too. He's an every-week starter, even with Brees spreading the ball around more than fantasy owners would like. I bet he finishes as a Top 5 WR this season, and maybe even No. 1, if he remains healthy for the whole year. He should see plenty of opportunities against the Bills' mediocre pass defense. Verdict: Start 'Em

Lance Moore - During a slow start this season (just 2 receptions), Moore has been battling a hamstring injury he suffered early in last week's game against Philadelphia. He might not even play this week, having missed practice again on Thursday. He's a guy that will produce this season; he just needs to get healthy first. Look elsewhere this week. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Devery Henderson - Henderson is one of those fantasy players that flashes big time potential from time to time, but never puts it together on a consistent basis. He seems to start fast every year, then disappear for long stretches. He's got shaky hands and isn't much of a threat to catch more than a handful of passes each week. He is one of the better deep threats in the league, and Brees loves going downfield to him. The Bills' defense has done a rather good job of avoiding big plays for a couple of years now, so expect them to be keying on Henderson deep. He's got boom or bust potential every week, which is why you should never rely on him. However, with Moore probably missing the game, Henderson will have plenty of opportunities. He's a decent WR3 this week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Robert Meachem - The 2007 Round 1 pick has just 15 career catches after missing his rookie year to a knee injury. He's another big play receiver, as he's averaged over 23 yards per reception on those 15 catches, and scored four times. With Moore likely out, Meachem will see plenty of playing time, but hasn't proven enough to rely on. He should have his best game of the season to date this week, but I'm not sure I'd risk starting him. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Terrell Owens - After spending more time dropping passes than making plays, T.O. was able to get into the end zone in the fourth quarter last week. Hopefully, that's the play that really gets him going. His targets aren't where he wants them to be, and not where we want them to be either. At some point, Alex Van Pelt and Edwards need to find ways to get Owens the ball more. The reverse last week was a good start, but now the underneath looks need to start coming. Derek Schouman has done a good job controlling the underneath passing game for Edwards thus far, but now that he's out for the season, Owens and company need to step up their games. That means stop dropping touchdowns! One of these games, T.O. is going to have a monster game. This week is a good opportunity. Verdict: Start 'Em

Lee Evans - Like Owens, Evans needs more looks, but he also needs to step up his game. He dropped a touchdown last week as well, though it wasn't as easy of a ball that Owens dropped. Edwards started looking downfield more last week, and I expect that to continue as the offense gets more comfortable. Evans will get his chances to make some big plays this week, but the rest of his fantasy game is always so questionable. I think he'll have a nice game this week, and this is probably one of the last times I suggest starting him all year. I'm going against what I'd normally do with Evans, and would start him this week. Verdict: Start 'Em

Josh Reed, Roscoe Parrish, Steve Johnson - Don't bother. Reed has the most value, but isn't worth starting even if a potential passing contest.

Tight Ends
Jeremy Shockey - I think he's been one of the most overrated players in the league since he was drafted. His hands will always remain a question mark to me, and his inconsistencies and injury history are too much for me to bother with him on a weekly basis. The Bills' defense has given up a ton of points to tight ends this year. In fact, they've given up the most fantasy points in the league to that position. Yuck. With that said, I still don't like Shockey. I think the Bills will do a good job on him this week, and would guess that most fantasy teams have him as their second TE anyhow. I'd be going with the other, but understand if you roll with Shockey. Verdict: Toss up, but I say Sit 'Em

Shawn Nelson, Derek Fine - With Schouman done, those looks will have to go somewhere. Expect the WRs to start seeing more passes, but Edwards still needs a security blanket underneath. Nelson still doesn't look ready for a full-time workload, so don't expect him to be that guy. I don't think his role will change all that much, yet. By default, Fine could be in line for decent production going forward. He'll be a solid option for Edwards, but not much of a fantasy option. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Kickers
John Carney - Carney is tied for second among kickers in points scored so far this season. Being the placekicker for the most prolific offense in the league will do that for a guy. Despite being limited with range on longer field goals, Carney will have plenty of chances to put points on the board each week. If you get extra points for longer field goals, you might want to look into a kicker who will get more FG opportunities, but Carney is a kicker that should be started in every league based on the number of points he'll likely score. Verdict: Start 'Em

Rian Lindell - Guess who's tied with Carney for points scored thus far? Since we're talking about Lindell here, I'm guessing you should be able to figure it out (even you, Saints fans!). The Bills have done a good job of putting points on the board, and that should continue this week. Normally, I wouldn't consider LIndell a starting kicker for fantasy teams, but this week he looks like a good bet. Verdict: Start 'Em

Defense/Special Team
New Orleans - The Saints have been a pretty opportunistic defense thus far with 7 turnovers forced, two sacks and a touchdown, but that was done against a pair of quarterbacks making their first career starts. They need to prove it over the long haul, or play the Rams, before I consider starting them, though. Verdict: Sit 'Em

Buffalo - Against the Saints? Are you crazy? Verdict: Sit 'Em

Sleepers
Lynell Hamilton - If Pierre Thomas were to be limited again this week, I'd expect Hamilton to get a good chunk of the carries, and perhaps even the majority of them. He's big (235 pounds) and has taken many of the first team reps in practice this week. At the very least, he could be a solid goal line option for the Saints this week. If you are in a deep league, go pick him up and see how the next couple of days plays out. He could be a good option by the time 4PM Sunday rolls around.

Shawn Nelson - I'm not really sure the Bills have any real sleeper options available, but Nelson could surprise if given more snaps. The team will likely be looking to increase his role in the passing game as the season progresses. With Schouman out, that time frame may have been sped up a bit. He's going to be a red zone option all season for this team, but if he starts getting more looks between the 20s, he might be a solid option going forward. Don't expect huge numbers, but he'll always be a threat for a touchdown with his size.

*****

This could be a fun one for fantasy teams this week. Hopefully, the Saints' offensive players disappoint! As always, use this post as your fantasy open thread. Good luck everyone!

Seattle Seahawks Practice Squad Odds & Ends

John Morgan — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 19:54:13 -0000

by John Froschauer - AP

Devin Moore, a couple flashy moments aside, struggled against Oakland's terrible second-string run defense.

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It's Labor Day and I want to honor my former and forever brothers at Teamsters Local 162. Bend those knees! Field Gulls will be fully active again tomorrow, but today some light writing, barbecue and beer.

Seattle will announce its practice squad sometime this afternoon. When it's up I'll post it with all due commentary. Some names are confirmed. Logan Payne and Mike Hass made it. Payne has some small upside, but I wonder when that Biletnikoff sheen will come off Hass. He hasn't done anything as a pro since being drafted. He has eight receptions for 101 yards in 12 preseason games, and his production in the preseason has dropped three straight seasons.

Jamar Adams is in. It's good Seattle hasn't given up on his potential entirely, but he hasn't developed. Adams is quickly becoming an afterthought.

The final notable name of those announced is Devin Moore. Moore took my criticism of being a routine all-speed and no-size non-drafted free agent running back and turned it into 75 yards...on 22 carries. Eh. Buried in the hoopla of a couple nice cuts was that Moore ran eight times for no gain or negative yards. Oakland has had one of the worst rush defenses in the NFL for the last two seasons. Years of bad drafting has left their depth as thin as Al Davis' patience. Moore struggled against one of the worst rush defenses in professional football. Today he is a Seahawk, but he's no Lynell Hamilton.

Cincinnati Bengals @ New Orleans Saints: The View from Section 140

Saintsational — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Bill Feig - AP

4 months ago: New Orleans Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma (51) intercepts a pass in front of Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Andre Caldwell (87) in the first half of their NFL preseason football game in New Orleans, Friday, Aug. 14, 2009. (AP Photo/Bill Feig)

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Bittersweet.

That's what tonight was for me. Not so much because of the Saints on-field performance, though it did leave a bit to be desired, but because of the location of my new season tickets. While I was excited about being closer to mid-field this year and on the Saints side of the Dome, I was a little nervous about just how low and close to the field I was actually going to be. As it turns out, my fears were well founded.

After arriving late, being held up at the gate by the Ticket Fiasco of '09 (see below) and losing my friend I hurried through the concourse and rushed to my seats making it in time just to see the first series begin. I was both elated and pissed when I discovered that I would spending the season in the second row. Sure, it sounds awesome to be sitting only two rows back and with the team so close I can spit on them. I also think I'm surrounded by friends and family of the players. But it's a double-edged sword my friend. The damn players block my view of the field! And if it's not the players, it's the down markers or the television crane. Son of a...

I spent most of the game brooding and trying to rationalize this most recent turn of events in an effort to make myself feel better about the situation. Fortunately, I did realize two things. First of all, the Dome will be undergoing major renovations over the next two years and I thought I had remembered them saying the Plaza Level seats would be upgraded. Just checked the Superdome's webpage and my suspicion proved correct:

New Sideline Seating--Complete replacement of the Plaza Level (lower bowl) sideline seats, moving them closer to the action, resulting in improved sightlines,

Perfect. I also remembered that this was pre-season and there are 80 players standing around. Once the season starts there will be 27 less people obstructing my view. Sweet.

So I'm willing to stick it out and see what happens. These things usually turn out alright for me. Regardless, this season is going to be interesting from the bottom of Section 140 and I genuinely think that the proximity of my seats to the Saints sidelines will completely change my perspective of the team. Though I may not have the best view of every down, I will be able to see the emotions and interactions betweens players and coaches as each play unfolds throughout the course of a game. Surely this will remain an eye-opening experience.

Enough about my own personal tribulations, let's get down to what we all came here to talk about: The game. After the jump are my initial notes in no particular order, personal pictures from the game and the open thread roll call. Remember that I haven't watched the game again on television and with the crummy new view from my seats, I could really be off base on some of these observations. Make sure to click the picture for all of the AP's photos from last nights game.

The Ticket Fiasco of '09. For the last few years the Saints have printed their season tickets in booklets, with each page being it's own ticket. This year they went all cheap and put the entire seasons tickets on one big perforated sheet. Each individual ticket, however, has two perforations; one that separates each ticket from the next and one that separates the stub of the ticket that contains the barcode. Apparently, a lot of fans didn't look too carefully when ripping their game ticket from the whole sheet and failed to rip the entire ticket, leaving the barcoded section at home. This led to mass confusion, holdups at the gate and separate accommodations being made.
We've been expecting Jonathan Vilma to play a huge role in Williams' new defense and to be the "quarterback" on that side of the ball but this was a hell of a start. It almost makes you think that Williams knows what he's doing and is actually getting the results he wants. Crazy notion. If you're pissed off about the fumble at the end of Vilma's run, don't be. Dude had to be tired. Besides, the end result of the play pushed the Bengals all the way back to their four yard line. That would never have even happened last year and Cincinnati would still have been in Saints territory so it's a step in the right direction.
How fitting that the Saints defense starts their season off with a big turnover thanks to Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma, who play the two key positions in Williams' defense. Two turnovers from Vilma is great and they followed through on that "scoop and score" mentality we've heard so much about about. Overall, the Saints won the turnover battle +1. Good signs and a step in the right direction. So if the defense is fixed, what aspect of the team will begin to break down and lead to failure?
The answer to the above question could very well be the running game. I didn't see anything worth writing about. They're still having problems with short yardage. Last night seemed to be Lynell Hamilton's chance to show what he's made of but I certainly wasn't impressed. I wasn't impressed by anyone in fact. And you cannot put the ball on the ground three times. Not good at all. Pierre barely touched the ball, though, so that should count for something.
Robert Meachem looked pretty good and saw a lot of playing time. Still, his touchdown catch was against Cincinnati's second team so I'm not so sure that's a completely accurate gauge. Got a little nervous when he took his time getting up after that one play.
Malcolm Jenkins wasn't given a chance to play until late in the game but he used his time wisely and was responsible for causing the Casillas interception. Not a bad start. I would like to see him get more time with the second and even first team.
When I got back home I quickly scanned the game thread and was glad to see that everyone else seemed to agree with me. Jason David is done. He really needed to shine tonight and prove that he could thrive in Gregg Williams' new system but he did just the opposite. Rather, he kept doing the things that made everyone hate him in the first place and it felt like old times in the Dome last night with everyone cursing David's name.
While we're on the subject of cornerbacks, I'm still not sold on Randall Gay. I never was, not even last year, and I really don't understand why some people continue to think he's good enough to start. He's not. Certainly not now. Your starters are Greer and Porter. End of discussion.
Congratulations to Jeremy Shockey for getting his first touchdown as a Saint and getting that monkey off his back early. Hopefully, this is a sign of great things to come. We know how dangerous a good tight end can be in Payton's system.
They were advertising on the jumbotron for a local television show called, "The Sean Payton Show" that will begin this fall. I have know idea what the format will be but my interest in piqued. I'll keep you updated.
I've got to be honest, Garrett Hartley's missed field goal really had me nervous. Like a bad omen. But he made up for it with the 54-yarder so I'm not as worried anymore.
I caught a brief glimpse of one of those remote controlled stadium blimps at the start of halftime but as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Probably malfunctioning. Anyway, look out for that this season if you're attending the game.
I think Skyler Green can kiss his job goodbye. I know he gets the local love every year, being from LSU, but I just don't think he can cut it.
Brunell was solid and clearly better than Harrington. No surprise. We learned last year how good of a backup Brunell is.
It looked like Morstead was the better punter. Pakulak kicked a short one out of bounds. Morstead pinned a very nice one inside the 10-yard line and another mediocre one.
Charles Grant may have looked fast while running after Ochocinco but he also pulled up with a limp while chasing down Carson Palmer. All he was doing was running and minutes later he's got ice on his knee. That, to me, seems like a sign of poor conditioning and I don't like the look of it.
Rod Harper has got to be the surprise of the game. He looked pretty decent last night, making two big receptions. He also shined during the Black & Gold scrimmage last week. If any of the young guys are actually going to crack the wide receiver lineup, Harper seems to be it.
Darren Sharper looked good. He was responsible for causing the first fumble. And how about that big hit over the middle on the attempted pass? To quote Borat, "Vary niiiice."
Actually attending pre-season games sucks. Now I know why season ticket holders usually give them away every year or just don't use them. It's just not the same. There is no energy.

The Dome at dusk.

I've already had my lawyers contact their lawyers regarding naming rights. They're gonna pay for this.

The stadium was nowhere near full.

Gumbo close up.

Shockey interacting with the crowd. He really is a ham.

Mike Nabors doing his thing.

For the single guys.

More for the single guys.

The new defense.

I can barely see the damn field.

Lovely. Couldn't have found a better place for that thing.

What I wish the view looked like.

Just some game action.

Hartley keeping fresh.

The offensive line.

Reggie icing up the knee.

Here is the roll call for last nights open thread. Thanks to everyone who stopped by. It was great to see so many names on there.

Total Users: 34

Total Posts: 463

Total Threads: 1

Name	# of Posts
satchmo26	74
nanvinnie	51
Monkey Poop Battle	35
Just Some Guy	32
fruly	30
carolinasaintsfan	27
Norml912	26
knucklesmalone	23
FriarBob	20
vicvega26	18
SaintBevo	18
N_O_1saintfan	17
FuSoYa	13
skinnykinney	12
FrenchFreak	8
Steve the fan	7
HansDat	6
dell00	5
AKAY47	5
DaymanCometh	5
BayouRebel	5
nosaints8700	5
MtnExile	4
TonyChachere	4
SBookerSaintsFan	3
YESSaints	2
saintsfan77	1
ShadowFlash	1
Realsaint	1
GSO Saints Fan	1
Ditka'sGhost	1
janepriceestrada	1
pukenbowl	1
Philinwood	1

Poll

Are you satisfied with yesterdays performance?

Very much

53 votes

A little

149 votes

Not really

32 votes

Not at all

8 votes

242 votes | Poll has closed

2009 Saints Minicamp: What Have we Learned?

Saintsational — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:00:24 -0000

I hope you all got your fill of New Orleans Saints football for the time being because that's it. It's over. You won't be seeing anymore until training camp gets underway later next month. The team has just a couple of weeks of OTA's remaining, all of which are closed to the public, before they get some final vacation time. As we say goodbye to this three day tease they call minicamp I wanted to recap some of the major (and not-so major) themes I think are most important and open this bad boy up for one last discussion.

Shockey's Back

You know how I know Jeremy Shockey is going to return to form and have a great season on the field in 2009? Because off the field he has become the attention-grabbing, media magnet that all NFL fans have come to know and love. Shockey has done a pretty good job of staying out of the spotlight since coming to New Orleans. Unfortunately, he's also done a fine job of staying out of the end zone too. But The Shockmeister has made a return to national headlines with this most recent incident in Vegas. And wouldn't you know it - he had a damn good minicamp weekend too. I'm starting to think the off-field controversy and on-field production go hand it hand. Regardless, Shockey is creating a buzz and as of now it's the good kind. Don't kill my buzz.

Secondary No Longer Primary Concern

If Who Dat Nation wasn't talking about Shockey this weekend than they were talking about the ridiculously upgraded secondary. Though nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Saints football, with so many new talented faces on this years team the odds just have to be in favor of improvement. And if the increased depth doesn't get you excited, the fact that the secondary actually looked good this weekend should. Sharper, Jenkins and Greer all made interceptions on Saturday while Harper, Porter, Torrence and Reis each knocked down passes. Even Danny Gorrer is stepping it up. If we learned absolutely anything this weekend it's that the secondary should be better in 2009. Comforting, I know.

Is Different Better?

It was my main point when I gave my report back from Friday's minicamp and it's been a major theme of this weekend. The Saints defense has been given an extreme makeover worthy of Fox's The Swan. We're seeing different fronts and blitz packages. Gregg Williams was even tinkering with the 3-4 this weekend. I caution everyone to try and curb their enthusiasm because different doesn't necessarily mean better. It does, however, raise a million questions about what to expect this season.

Mike Bell Running Away With It

The battle for that third running back position will be intense this year but given the nature of minicamp we didn't really get a good look at the competition. If I had to pick a front-runner, though, it would have to be Mike Bell. He seemed to garner the most attention and praise from the media this weekend, moreso than Lynell Hamilton, P.J. Hill and Herb Donaldson. Guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens in training camp

Injuries are Scary

There were some injury scares this weekend with regards to a couple of players. First was, who else, Dan Morgan who left practice Friday with a calf injury. Darnell Dinkins was out with an ankle. Then Sedrick Ellis tried to hack Pierre Thomas's wrist off and Jammal Brown did his best Shockey impression (dehydration). Don't forget Scott Shanle missed time with a calf injury as well. All of which should hauntingly remind us of last season. It's frustrating to be reminded how quickly the potential for a great season can come crashing to an end at the hand of injury but unfortunately it's part of the game. All we can do is hope for some better luck this season.

Sean Payton is the Next Steven Spielberg

I don't know about you but I thought the story about Payton shopping his "XBox Kid" movie script was the most interesting news of the weekend. I'm sure it will be just a shell of it's original self once Hollywood gets its hands on it, but learning about Payton's creative side was certainly the most shocking fact of the weekend.

Biggest Surprise Players

Mike Detillier says Danny Gorrer and Jermy Parnell have been impressive.

Why Didn't We Hear Much About...

Chip Vaughn? DeMario Pressley?

Whose Job is in Jeopardy?

Glenn Pakulak. Thomas Morstead drew praise for his big leg and his hang time.

Who Picked Up Right Where They Left Off?

Billy Miller. He continues to be underrated and a fan favorite.

Quote of the Weekend

Billy Miller again...

"If Jeremy Shockey is at the best of his ability, Billy Miller in year 11 is going to win a Super Bowl," Miller said. "And that's all that matters. Nothing else really matters at my age but winning. Not money, not any of that. Just winning ball games.

"Jeremy Shockey was brought in to be the starting tight end and to provide me with a nice shiny ring."

Popular Minicamp Trend

The Times-Pic reports that Courtney Roby, Roman Harper, Jason David, Skyler Green and Anthony Waters all have mohawks.

Completely Stupid Random Fact

There are three players on the current roster with the last name Evans. Jahri, Heath and Troy.

Feel free to now discuss anything else you think I've missed and offer your final thoughts on Saints minicamp.