Saints Ask For Cooperation From Fans at Louis Armstrong International Airport

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:34:51 GMT

Saints and Bucs Injury Report

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:01:09 GMT

New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Sunday, November 22, 2009

FINAL INJURY REPORT
Friday, November 20, 2009

Tampa Bay
WR Antonio Bryant (knee) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable
QB Byron Leftwich (right elbow) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable
CB Aqib Talib (hamstring) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable
RB Carnell Williams (knee) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable
TE Kellen Winslow (knee) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable
CB Elbert Mack (ankle) Limited Participation...Game Status: Questionable
CB Torrie Cox (Not Injury Related) Did Not Participate...Game Status: Probable

New Orleans
RB Reggie Bush (knee) Did Not Participate...Game Status: Questionable
C Jonathan Goodwin (ankle) Did Not Participate...Game Status: Probable
CB Jabari Greer (groin) Did Not Participate...Game Status: Out
WR Lance Moore (ankle) Did Not Participate...Game Status: Out
CB Tracy Porter (knee) Did Not Participate...Game Status: Out
TE Dave Thomas (knee) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable
DT Sedrick Ellis (knee) Limited Participation...Game Status: Questionable
S Darren Sharper (knee) Full Participation...Game Status: Probable

Brees Joins President Obama in Encouraging Americans to Help Improve the Lives of Children

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:07:04 GMT

NFL JOINS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN ENCOURAGING AMERICANS TO HELP IMPROVE THE LIVES OF CHILDREN THIS THANKSGIVING

Brees, Polamalu and Ware Star in PSA Filmed at White House

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA will join Saints quarterback DREW BREES, Steelers safety TROY POLAMALU and Cowboys linebacker DEMARCUS WARE in a special public service announcement debuting during each of the three NFL games played on Thanksgiving. The 90-second PSA is a joint effort of the NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign, a leaguewide effort to fight childhood obesity by getting kids active for 60 minutes a day, and United We Serve, the President’s initiative encouraging all Americans to participate in community service. The PSA also will air during the Sunday and Monday Night Football games on Thanksgiving Weekend and continue airing throughout the rest of the season in a shorter format.

Joined by children from the Washington, DC area, the President and players come together for a friendly game of touch football, reminding fans about the importance of being active as part of NFL PLAY 60, the league’s youth health and fitness campaign. Filmed on the White House lawn earlier this month by NFL Films, the PSA also encourages viewers to get involved in their communities and remember the importance of service. [A photo from the PSA filming is attached. Links to the spot are posted on www.nfl.com/thanksgiving and www.serve.gov.]

“Through United We Serve, I have challenged all Americans to roll up their sleeves and engage in sustained service to strengthen our communities,” President Obama said. “For some of us that means volunteering at a soup kitchen or cleaning up a local park. For others, it means taking time to build a playground or volunteering your time to improve the life of a child. No matter how we serve, we find common purpose when we dedicate ourselves to helping others. This holiday season, I am asking all Americans to find their own way to give back to their communities.”

“Thanksgiving is a time when families come together, and it is also a perfect time to focus on the importance of keeping kids healthy and active,” said Brees, a PLAY 60 spokesman. “I was honored to spend time with the President on an issue that is clearly important to him. I was also impressed by his wide receiver skills.”

Designed to tackle childhood obesity, NFL PLAY 60 brings together the NFL’s long-standing commitment to health and fitness with partner organizations. Since the program was launched in 2007, the NFL has committed $200 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for PSAs.

President Obama launched United We Serve to challenge all Americans—young and old, from every background across the country—to create meaningful change in their communities by engaging in service that is sustained and focuses on impact. When volunteers commit to long-term service projects in their communities, they build expertise and strengthen the community’s capacity to meet its challenges. To learn more about United We Serve or find service projects in specific communities, the President is encouraging everyone to visit www.serve.gov.

In support of NFL PLAY 60, all Thanksgiving weekend games will raise awareness of the childhood obesity epidemic and showcase the NFL and its clubs’ commitment to help reverse this trend. Beginning on Thanksgiving Day and continuing throughout Weeks 12-14, teams will designate a home game as an ‘NFL PLAY 60’ game. On-field elements will include PLAY 60 field stencils, banners and goal post wraps. Teams also will invite ‘NFL PLAY 60 youth ambassadors’ to run on-field and stand alongside players for the National Anthem. These youngsters were selected by each team for their commitment to being healthy, through programs like NFL Punt, Pass & Kick, NFL FLAG Football and through participation in the NFL-American Heart Association PLAY 60 Challenge.

Fans can visit NFLRUSH.com/Play60 or Serve.gov to learn about volunteer opportunities and how they can get involved.

Saints at Bucs Things to Look For

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:27:12 GMT

MILESTONE WATCH

If the Saints beat Tampa Bay, it would improve their record in the series to 21-14. A win would also be their first at Raymond James Stadium against their NFC South rivals since the 2006 season.
QB Drew Brees has 28,817 passing yards to ranked 37th all-time on the NFL’s all-time passing list. With 239 yards he will move past former Buccaneers signal caller Brad Johnson into 36th place.
With 187 touchdown passes, Brees is tied for 39th all-time with Sammy Baugh. One touchdown throw would put him in sole possession of 39th.
RB Reggie Bush and WR Marques Colston are tied for seventh on the club’s all-time list with 30 touchdowns with FB Wayne Wilson. With one more TD, either of them will move into sole possession of seventh place.
Bush has 17 rushing TDs to rank ninth. With one more TD, he will move into a tie for eighth place with QB Archie Manning.
G Jahri Evans has started every game at RG since being drafted by the Saints in 2006. He will make his 58th consecutive start on Sunday, putting him past T William Roaf for the most consecutive games started by a Saints offensive lineman to open a career. The games started streak will be fourth in club history.

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES STARTED BY A SAINTS OFFENSIVE LINEMAN TO OPEN A CAREER

Player	Pos.	Games	Years	How Acquired
William Roaf	T	57	1993-96	D1, 1993
Jahri Evans	G	57	2006-	D4, 2006
Don Morrison	T	42	1971-73	D4e-1971
J.T. Thomas	T	38	1978-80	D2-1978
Brad Edelman	G	31	1982-84	D2-1982

MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES STARTED BY A SAINT TO OPEN A CAREER

Player	Pos.	Games	Years	How Acquired
Rickey Jackson	LB	91	1981-87	D2b-1981
Bob Pollard	DT	78	1971-76	D11-1971
William Roaf	T	57	1993-96	D1-1993
Jahri Evans	G	57	2006-	D4-2006

DE Charles Grant will start the 100th game of his career Sunday. With 45.5 sacks, Grant is tied for seventh all-time with Jim Wilks in the club record books. With his next takedown, Grant will move into sole possession of seventh place on the list.

PAYTON’S PLACE: Since he was named head coach in 2006, the New Orleans Saints have enjoyed a significant turnaround under Sean Payton. During this period, New Orleans has posted a 34-23 (.597) regular season record, the best winning percentage among the four NFC South teams. This mark is tied for the seventh-best in the NFL and ranked third best in the NFC.

Payton has the top winning percentage for a Saints head coach. His 16-12 mark (.571) on the road and 18- 11 (.621) home record are both the club’s top winning percentages. Payton has recorded a 26-16 (.619) mark vs. NFC opponents. New Orleans’ 11-9 record in division play during this period is the second-best in the competitive NFC South.

IN THE NFC SOUTH
Under Payton, the Saints have enjoyed the top record among NFC South teams since 2006:

Team	W	L	Pct.
New Orleans Saints	34	23	.597
Carolina Panthers	31	26	.544
Atlanta Falcons	27	30	.474
Tampa Bay Buccaneers	23	34	.404

SAINTS HEAD COACHES

Payton has the highest regular season winning percentage among the 14 head coaches in Saints history with a regular season winning percentage of 59.7%.

Top 5 Coaches In Saints History By Winning Percentage

Head Coach	Seasons	W	L	Pct.
Sean Payton	2006-	34	23	.597
Jim Mora	1988-96	93	74	.557
Jim Haslett	2000-05	45	51	.469
Bum Phillips	1981-85	27	42	.391
Dick Nolan	1978-80	15	29	.341

NFL POINTS PER GAME LEADERS IN 2009

Rank	Team	Points	Points per Game Avg.
1.	New Orleans Saints	331	36.8
2.	Minnesota Vikings	271	30.1
3.	New England Patriots	259	28.8
4.	Indianapolis Colts	252	28.0
5.	Philadelphia Eagles	242	26.9

Since 2006, the Saints have been the NFL’s top ranked offense in net yardage, averaging 393.9 yards per game. In the past three seasons, they were ranked first twice, and are again in 2009, averaging 426.1 yards per game. In a display of balance, the Saints are the only NFL team to be ranked in the top five in both passing and rushing.

NFL TOTAL OFFENSE LEADERS SINCE 2006

Rank	Team	Yards	Yards per Game Avg.
1.	New Orleans Saints	22,450	393.9
2.	New England Patriots	21,547	378.0
3.	Indianapolis Colts	20,787	364.7
4.	Dallas Cowboys	20,649	362.3
5.	Philadelphia Eagles	20,610	361.6

NFL TOTAL OFFENSE LEADERS IN 2009

Rank	Team	Yards	Yards per Game Avg.
1.	New Orleans Saints	3,835	426.1
2.	New England Patriots	3,751	416.8
3.	Indianapolis Colts	3,610	401.1
4.	Dallas Cowboys	3,514	390.4
5.	New York Giants	3,399	377.7

DID YOU KNOW? IN THE RED ZONE

After finishing ranked third in the NFC and fifth in the NFL in 2008 in red zone touchdown percentage with a 61.3 percent effectiveness rate, the New Orleans offense has found the end zone on 27 of their 44 opportunities (61.4 percent) inside the 20 yard line in 2009 to rank third among teams in the NFC and sixth in the NFL.

LEAST SACKS ALLOWED BY NFL TEAMS FROM (2006-PRESENT)

Rank	Team	Sacks Allowed
1.	Indianapolis Colts	60
2.	New Orleans Saints	65
3.	Tennessee Titans	78
4.	Denver Broncos	91
5.	New York Giants	96

LEAST SACKS ALLOWED BY NFL TEAMS IN 2009

Rank	Team	Sacks Allowed
1.	Tennessee Titans	7
2.	Indianapolis Colts	8
3t.	Atlanta Falcons	12
3t.	New England Patriots	12
5.	New Orleans Saints	13

POINTS PER GAME

After finishing the 2008 season ranked 26th in scoring defense, surrendering an average of 24.5 points per game, the Saints have moved up in the NFL rankings. New Orleans is ranked 17th in the NFL, surrendering an average of 21.9 points per game.

IN THE RED ZONE
The Saints finished fourth in the NFC and ninth in the NFL in opponent red zone touchdown percentage (48.3) in 2008, allowing TDs on only 29 of 60 possessions inside the 20-yard line. The defense has continued stopping opponents inside the 20 in 2009, allowing only 13 touchdowns on 30 red zone possessions (40.6%) to rank third in the NFC and sixth in the NFL.

NFL OPPONENT TOUCHDOWN PERCENTAGE INSIDE THE 20 LEADERS IN 2009

Rank	Team	Poss.	TD Allowed	Pct.
1.	Washington Redskins	19	3	31.6%
2.	Minnesota Vikings	24	9	37.5%
3.	Cincinnati Bengals	23	9	39.1%
4t.	New York Jets	20	8	40.0%
4t.	Pittsburgh Steelers	20	8	40.0%
6.	New Orleans Saints	32	13	40.6%

Saints at Bucs Preview

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:49:08 GMT

Following a 28-23 victory at the St. Louis Rams on Sunday that was aided by a combination of key plays on offense, defense and special teams, the New Orleans Saints will attempt to win ten games in a row for the first time in franchise history and, at the least, maintain their four-game NFC South division lead when they travel to Raymond James Stadium to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Noon (CT).

After escaping with a win from the Edward Jones Dome in a contest that wasn’t in hand until the final play, the Saints are now riding the third nine-game winning streak in franchise history, and their first since the 1991 season. The Saints and the Indianapolis Colts are the only unbeaten NFL teams remaining entering week 11.

RB Reggie Bush enjoyed his most productive contest of the season, as he rushed six times for a team-leading 83 yards (13.8 avg.) with one touchdown and also had a 15-yard scoring reception. Bush also ripped off a career-long 55-yard rush in the third quarter. Overall, the Saints running game, powered by the three-headed trio of Bush, Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas enjoyed one of their most productive days of the season, as they ran for 203 yards for a 7.0 average. QB Drew Brees was 18-of-26 passing for 223 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for an 89.1 passer rating.

WR Robert Meachem also made a pair of big plays in both the running and passing games, a 41-yard gain on an end-around and a fourth quarter 27-yard TD reception from Brees.

With the score knotted at 14-14 gong into halftime thanks to Bush’s two scores, WR Courtney Roby took the opening kickoff of the second half 97 yards for a touchdown to give the Saints a lead they would not relinquish.

The New Orleans defense would surrender only 38 yards on the ground in the contest’s final two quarters. DE Will Smith continued his dominant play in the month of November with seven tackles, one sack and a forced fumble. After being hobbled by a sports hernia injury in 2008, Smith has enjoyed a return to form as one of the NFL’s top pass rushers. He leads the club and is among league leaders with 7.5 sacks and three forced fumbles. Five of the takedowns have come in the last three weeks.

S Usama Young, who started in place of an injured Darren Sharper, had a first quarter pick that helped prevent a potential St. Louis score.

While Tampa Bay goes into Sunday’s contest with a 1-8 record and the Saints have a 20-14 all-time record in the series, the Buccaneers have given the Saints some recent difficulties. Tampa Bay has won three of the last four meetings between the two clubs, including the last two contests played at their home stadium.

After starting 0-7, the Buccaneers have received a spark at the quarterback position from 2009 first round draft pick Josh Freeman, who guided them to their first victory and was thwarted from leading them to their second consecutive win in Miami by a Dolphins field goal with ten seconds remaining.

WORTH NOTING: The Saints will be looking to win ten games in a row for the first time in franchise history on Sunday and to improve to 3-0 in the NFC South…With Sunday’s win over the Rams, the Saints have won five straight road games...New Orleans ranks first in the NFL in offense, fifth rushing and fourth passing the ball...New Orleans is ranked 21st defensively, 20th against the run and tied for 19th versus the pass…The Buccaneers are ranked 28th offensively, 26th rushing and 23rd passing...Tampa Bay is ranked 29th defensively, 30th against the run and 14th against the pass...Sunday afternoon’s contest will be regionally televised on the FOX network (WVUE-Fox 8 locally) with Sam Rosen handling play-by-play and Tim Ryan serving as color analyst...The game can heard regionally on the Saints Radio Network (WWL 870 AM and 105.3
FM locally) with Jim Henderson handling play-by-play, Hokie Gajan serving as color analyst and Kristian Garic reporting from the Saints sidelines...A Spanish language broadcast can be heard on WFNO 830 AM with Emilio Peralta handling play-by-play and Marco Garcia serving as color analyst.

SERIES HISTORY: The Saints and Buccaneers first met in 1977, a year after Tampa Bay’s inaugural season. New Orleans has posted a 20-14 record against the Bucs, the club’s best winning percentage (.588) vs. an NFL opponent. The series is defined by tight, hard-fought games. The two clubs split their two meetings in 2008. 15 of the last 18 games have been decided by a touchdown or less - including six by a field goal since 2002. The Saints hold an 8-7 advantage in games played in Tampa and are 4-4 at Raymond James Stadium. Since Sean Payton became head coach in 2006, the series is tied 3-3.

CONNECTIONS

New Orleans Saints Offensive line/running game coach Aaron Kromer served on former Bucs Head Coach Jon Gruden’s staff from 2005-2007.
DE Bobby McCray played at the University of Florida from 2001- 2003.
Tampa Bay C Jeff Faine served as New Orleans’ starter from 2006-2007.
K John Carney played for Tampa Bay from 1987-1989.
DL Anthony Hargrove prepped at Port Charlotte High School in southwest Florida.
Saints Director of player programs Fred McAfee played for Tampa Bay in 1999.
Buccaneers WR Michael Clayton attended Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge. WR Devery Henderson and Clayton formed one of the school’s top receiver duos at LSU, and were key contributors on the their 2003 National Championship team. CB Randall Gay was also their college teammate.
Tampa Bay LB Matt McCoy played for the Saints in 2007.
QB Drew Brees was tutored by Buccaneers offensive coordinator coach Greg Olson at Purdue from 1997- 2000.
K Garrett Hartley and Tampa Bay G Davin Joseph were teammates at the University of Oklahoma.
Buccaneers coordinator of pro scouting Doug Williams is a Zachary native who starred at Grambling and later served as head coach.
Tampa Bay DE Stylez White competed for a roster spot with the Saints in
2003.
Defensive line coach Bill Johnson, Buccaneers defensive coordinator Jim Bates and defensive backs coach Joe Baker served on the same staff with the Denver Broncos.
Bates coached the Southern Mississippi freshman in 1972.
Baker served on the Saints staff from 2000-2004.
Tampa Bay assistant to the head coach Jay Kaiser served as WR Lance Moore’s position coach at Toledo in 2001.
Buccaneers offensive line coach Pete Mangurian played at LSU from 1975-78 and coached the Tigers line from 1984-87.
Johnson, secondary coach Dennis Allen and Mangurian served on the same staff in Atlanta.
Mangurian tutored TE Dave Thomas in New England from 2006-08.

Q&A with Bucs QB Josh Freeman

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:02:54 GMT

Q: What have you learned over the course of two NFL starts?

A: I’ve learned a lot. Whether it be learning about myself, what defenses are trying to do to me, speeding up my game to make it a little even, because sometimes there are instances like last week where I was scrambling and I felt like I had more time. Some of those d linemen ended up closing on me pretty fast and ended up stripping it out.

Q: What have you learned about yourself?

A: My preparation week to week, just what it takes to give your team a chance to win.

Q: Does Will Smith stand out to you at all?

A: Yes. They have a lot of guys that that stand out. They play a really aggressive style. They have a lot of standouts. We haven’t really gotten into a ton of personnel. There’s a whole lot of schemes and looking at the pressures.

Q: Did everyone seem to be on board with the rebuilding effort?

A: I guess. You have to go along with it. Everybody wants to be successful. That’s the way the management is going along with it. Everybody’s bought in and going in the same direction.

Q: Was it hard for the club to go through the start to the season?

A: Yes. It’s always miserable when you’re not winning. For me in particular, not being in the game, being on the bench and having your team lose is really tough.

Q: What have you seen in the growth of Raheem Morris as a head coach?

A: Coach Morris has done a good job. He demands respect from the team. They team respects him and everybody plays hard for him. He’s found a way to be player’s coach, but at the same time maintain the respect he has for everyone.

Q: Have you noticed growth in him from week one to week ten in how he goes about things?

A: I don’t know. I don’t really know what being a head coach all entails, but from what I’ve seen he’s been doing a great job.

Q: What additional things do you want to get better at after your first two starts?

A: I definitely say fumbling. Versus Green bay we had a fumbled snap. This week we had one where I fumbled and one where I dropped a shotgun snap. It’s definitely being more ball secure.

Q: How long did you expect to wait before playing? Did you expect to not play this season or expect to get a chance?

A: I really didn’t know at first going through camp because Luke McCown and Byron Leftwich, they were the showcase competition. They ended up trading Luke and moving Josh Johnson to second string. At that point, I was thinking I might get to play. Then they made the switch to Josh, played me at second string. That’s when I really felt like I would get an opportunity at some point this year.

Q: Was it everything you hoped for?

A: It’s definitely very emotional for me, not necessarily because it’s the NFL, but because it’s the thrill of competition, always trying to find a way to win and putting all you have into it.

Saints QB Drew Brees Talks About Getting Ready for the Bucs

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:09:10 GMT

Q: How much of the recent turnovers can be attributed to an aggressive mentality on offense?

A: “We’ve been able to overcome them, but that’s really in large part because our defense has gotten quite a few, as well and then offensively, the drives we’re not turning it over we’re going out and getting points. It’s not a good habit to get into. We are aggressive. There’s being aggressive and there’s being reckless and reckless is not what we want to be. I don’t think we are. We just need to continue to make an emphasis on taking care of the football, because it is without a doubt the biggest statistic in football. If we keep going at the pace we’re going then it will get us beat at some point, not once, but again and again. We need to fix the problem. I’m confident we will because we’re making it a big emphasis. We’re doing things to combat it. The first five games of the season we were very good in that regard. It’s really been just the last four games. We know how to do it. It’s just a matter off getting back to the fundamentals and that type of thing.”

Q: It has been said before that turnovers on both sides come in bushels. Is the unit in a possible funk where you are turning it over in bushels right now?

A: “I think sometimes that happens. It will just kind of happen in spurts, just like a baseball player that hits a slump. You kind of hit a slump for a few games where you’re 0-for-something. It could be similar to turning it over a few too many times before you kind of make the adjustments, do whatever you have to do to change it and get it on the right track and you kind of get on that roll of a couple of games where you’re not turning it over. You’re doing a great job of taking care of it. At times it comes in spurts.”

Q: Are there specific drills you possibly do to combat them?

A: “Ball security drills. It’s the way you practice too, just making an emphasis of the defense trying to take it away from our guys offensively. We’re making sure it’s tucked away and know that guys are coming to get it just like they would in a game, definitely just conscious when you’re talking about fundamentals, how you’re carrying the football, how I’m holding the football in the pocket and just being good with it when I’m getting pressure, all those things, all those little things.”

Q: Are you guys getting different looks the last four games as opposed to the first five?

A: “Well, no. I think everything we’ve seen the last four weeks is pretty standard as far as nothing similar to what we saw in the first five games. Really the Jets were the only team that was very different from the rest in the schemes and the things they did, but really everybody else, as far as the turnovers go, I think that’s probably what you’re getting at. It’s not what the defenses are doing to us necessarily; it’s just the fact that we’ve had a little bit of lapse in concentration in regards to that.”

Q: Whom do you credit for leading the NFL in Pro Bowl voting right now?

A: “I’d probably say (credit) the Saints fans. If they’re as passionate and diehard about that as they are in the way they scream at the games and the way that they travel and support us on the road and the way that they are at the airport for us after we get home from road games then I’m sure they’re the same way about the voting, going online and just hitting enter, enter, enter, which is a good thing that you have fans like that.”

Q: Do you believe in motivational tactics and have any examples?

A: “This is one of the things that I think is one of Sean’s (Payton) great strengths. He has many great strengths, the ability to motivate guys in ways that is either humorous, like he might just make a comment to you that will make everyone else around you laugh and will make you even laugh and then you kind of walk away and say I think he was taking a jab at me. I think he was challenging me, which gets some response out of you. I think he does a great job of knowing what motivates different guys and everybody’s a little different. Some guys you might yell at, i.e. poor Billy Miller to get the best out of them sometimes and then other times it’s pulling a guy aside. Whatever it might be, different forms of leadership in that regard, but also, I think in regards to each week, each game, so different. How do you find a way and it’s one of the biggest challenges in the NFL to make sure your team is ready to play 16 weeks. It’s a long season. It’s a marathon. How do you make it to where your team is always concentrated and never having a mental lapse and you have to continue to find a chip to put on your shoulder, a motivational tactic of some kind that will get guys to simplify, because sometimes you sit up there and look at the stats between you and the team you’re playing and sometimes all that stuff gets overwhelming. Sometimes you say how can I narrow this down? Sean does a great job, for example after today (he said), these are the three things we need to do to win this game. That simplifies it. Offense do this. Defense do this. Special teams do this. We’ll win the game. That’s a great way to handle it.”

Q: Was Sean’s example last week of discussing winning percentages of teams coming off the bye week a great example?

A: “Yes, 62 percent winner. Of all the things, that’s the perfect example.”

Q: Is it a coincidence that one week Sean mentioned how it would be a challenge for Darren Sharper to not only get interceptions, but return one for a touchdown?

A: “Exactly, that’s just another one of those examples. That gets everybody laughing. It’s funny. It’s humorous, but I guarantee you Sharper, being the competitive guy he is, walks to his locker and is like ‘I have to prove that I can take one back’ and he’s taken three back, but it’s just little ways to motivate you.”

Q: Is part of Sean’s effectiveness as a play caller related to that he seems to get the ball to a lot of different guys?

A: “I think that too, because he’s able to take your strengths as a player and accentuate that within the system or give you the opportunities, put you in the positions to succeed. He’s not going to ask you to do something that you’re not comfortable with or you’re not necessarily the best at. That’s why you continue to see us just plug guys in and to their credit, they work extremely hard and we’ve brought in the right type of guys, but Sean puts them in a position to succeed. That makes guys play hard for you too, because you understand that everyone of us has opportunities. Every one of us plays a role in this offense. We’re all a big part of it.”

Q: You guys have run through quite a few tight ends since 2006. Can you talk about David Thomas?

A: “You talk about a great (trade) and obviously if Billy Miller doesn’t get hurt it probably doesn’t happen, obviously. What he’s been able to do especially with Heath (Evans) getting hurt a couple weeks back, his ability to be so versatile and play multiple tight end positions as well as fullback position. We ask him to block out of the backfield, block as an in-line tight end. We ask him to do a lot in protection in the backfield. We ask him to run routes from the tight end position as well as split them out and have them run routes. He caught a few in the game last week basically as a split out and then check downs out of the backfield, he had a couple of big third down conversions. He’s as versatile as they come. He’s so smart and he gets it. He picks it up very quickly. He works at it and he’s been a great, great addition.”

Q: You guys don’t pay attention to how guys were acquired, but do you consider acquiring him for a seventh round pick a good transaction?

A: “Absolutely, if you basically say we drafted this guy in the second round, would we be happy right now? Yes. It’s like finding (Marques) Colston in the seventh round a couple years back, just a guy who can do so many different things, play at a high level, great in the locker room, just everything you want in a teammate and a player.”

Q: How hard is it to switch from being the hunter to the hunted?

A: “We’re still very much the hunter, but I know what you’re saying. The fact is we’re going to get everybody’s best game, but that doesn’t change our mentality as far as being aggressive and going out with a lot of confidence and swagger, but just understanding that especially early on in games and especially on the road, you’re going to get a team’s best punch and there’s times where things maybe don’t go your way and you have to weather the storm a bit like we had to at Miami, Monday night at home against Atlanta, and then Carolina and then even last week a little bit, but yet you know that when it comes time for that fourth quarter to finish strong that’s something we’ve proven we can do and hopefully we can continue to do.”

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton Talks About Getting Ready for the Bucs

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:35:38 GMT

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Opening Statement:

“A couple of notes in regards to the injury report, Jonathan Goodwin (ankle) did not practice; Lance Moore (ankle) did not practice; Jabari Greer (groin) did not practice; Darren Sharper (knee) was limited; David Thomas (knee) did not practice; Reggie Bush (knee) did not practice; Tracy Porter (knee) did not practice; Sedrick Ellis (knee) was limited. We signed cornerback Chris McAlister and waived quarterback Chase Daniel.”

What do you foresee McAlister’s role being?

“A lot of it will be based on the health of a couple of guys in front of him. But he’s a veteran player that understands defense and is someone that we think can come in and help us. We worked him out yesterday and we signed him this morning.”

How encouraging is it to have Sedrick Ellis back on the field?

“Anytime you’re able to get a starter back – a guy that has been a good player for you at the three-technique and at the nose – it certainly helps. At the same time, we’re still repping the other guys through in the rotation. Today he felt better and that was encouraging.”

In Reggie’s case, were you just resting the knee?

“Yes. In the game, a couple of these guys got nicked up. In his case, we backed off of it today and held him and held David Thomas for that reason.”

Is punt return an area you’re looking to improve?

“It’s an area we have talked about and obviously it’s an area we need to improve on. We had a decent return last week with a holding call that brought it back, but we’re playing a real good team this week in special teams. They have a returner that is first in a lot of categories and when you look at it, that’s an area that we have to do a good job with and emphasize. Those are field position, hidden yardage statistics that will be important in this game.”

Why Chris McAlister and not some other players who were available?

“We had gone through our pro personnel reports and our grades, and he worked out yesterday and did a good job. A lot of it is based on how we grade and how we stack players that are available.”

Did he come in with many other players to work out?

“It was he and another player. He did a good job.”

Is there a chance he could help you out at safety or would it just be at cornerback?

“That’s a good question. We’re looking at him now and certainly he’s a guy that has experience in the secondary and his role right now would be as a corner.”

Was there any thought of moving Usama Young back to cornerback to help out?

“He’s a guy that can do both, but nothing specific right now.”

Was the signing also based on how Randall Gay played on Sunday?

“No. It was based on the injury to Tracy Porter.”

How did Randall Gay grade out on Sunday?

“He graded out better than you would have thought. The one was a Cover-zero look on third-and-long; it was a full-blitz look and the quarterback had a half-second longer than you would like to throw it and the receiver did a good job. That’s a tough coverage for a corner to be in. The next play was really a play above his head. But we have a lot of confidence in Randall Gay. Those were two good plays by St. Louis.”

Is it good to be facing a rookie quarterback this week?

“We spend most of our time just on the game plan and getting ourselves ready to have a good week of practice and prepare. He’s a guy that has a big arm. We’ve seen some other young quarterbacks this year. He has given them a spark. When you look at the tape and the way they played against Miami a week ago and their win against Green Bay, I think the players around him have responded and he’s playing with confidence. Certainly we understand the strengths and weaknesses of when you play a younger player, but that being said, he’s a guy that’s elusive, can scramble to run and has a big arm. Especially after a couple of weeks now, we’ll have a challenge.”

Do you feel like you’re getting Tampa Bay at the wrong time? Are they a team you would’ve liked to have played earlier in the year?

“You get the schedule and you play it. Certainly they’re playing well right now. St. Louis was playing better and we caught them after a bye. Again, the focus for us starts with ourselves. Certainly we have to be mindful of the type of offense and defense and return game we’re seeing and prepare accordingly on the film study, but they’re playing better.”

Was Tampa’s more of a substantial rebuilding project than you’ll normally see in the league?

“I don’t know. I think you could make a comparison to a few other clubs that would be similar and there would be some others that wouldn’t be as significant. They had a roster that they felt like they were going to move some players and begin to move on and start developing younger guys. Whenever there’s a change like that at the top, you see a lot of different changes that go along with it. I don’t think it’s very uncommon in our league.”

Do you see a completely different team on film than the Bucs from years past?

“There are a lot of differences and there are some similarities. They run well on defense. They’re playing with confidence on defense. The return game is outstanding. You see some changes offensively with certainly a new coordinator and a little bit of new personnel, but it’s a line that has been together for a while. The good thing is that you have a good portion of the season of film to be thorough and study and look at and get the nuances of what they’re doing differently in all three areas.”

Players have said recently that they seem to be getting opponents’ “A-game” every week now. Do you feel like there’s a bull’s-eye on your back now?

“When you’re playing good football, I think there certainly is a respect level from the opponent you play. But that’s part of the challenge of winning each week in this league. You hope that you create a program and a team that is in that situation more often than the other.”

Does the diverse attack that you have on offense help to neutralize the playmakers they might have in their defense?

“The one thing that you see on film is that these guys have good ball skills. Ronde Barber, looking at a veteran who is a smart player, Tenard Jackson, Sabby Piscitelli, Aqib Talib – all these guys catch the ball well. So it really forces you to be good with your location, your exactness in the routes in what you’re trying to do. And if you’re off a little bit, these guys contest throws very well. You can see that on film; they’re athletic and they do a good job of defending the pass.”

Talib has had some off-field issues. To what degree is the Saints’ success due to not having to deal with players and off-field issues this year?

“I can’t speak on behalf of a player for Tampa. We try to focus on improving and focus on getting guys that are able to do the right thing. We try to provide that structure. But he’s an extremely talented player and he’s having a good season.”

Would you consider trading a seventh-round pick for David Thomas a steal?

“I think when you acquire a player, you’re hopeful and you have a vision for the player and it isn’t until three or four years down the road that you can put a grade or determine if it was a good acquisition or not. Certainly you hope to have more of those that fit what you’re looking for and less that end up not being that and you understand that it’s not an exact science. He has obviously filled a role for us and with the injury to Heath Evans, his role to some degree has expanded and we’ve been fortunate that way.”

Were you surprised that you were able to get him that cheap though?

“It’s all in just finding the right match with another team that was interested in a trade. Bill (Belichick) and those guys have done a great job of acquiring picks and drafting. Where one team might have depth and another team might have a need, generally there’s a chance to begin discussions of acquiring a player. I don’t think it was anything unusual.”

Based on the injuries that you have on defense, how concerned are you with your defense being able to hold up until you get everyone back?

“I think that the key is preparing the guys during the week. I’ve said before that you’re not going to go through a season where all 22 guys that start the season are going to finish and play every game that way. Already at this point we’ve had a number of guys step in that weren’t opening day starters and I think that’s fairly common. You could just go on and on with the players; if you started on offense, you’d look at Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief and Kyle Eckel, who is a fullback that has played more and Darnell Dinkins’ role has expanded. We’ve had some receivers who have filled in with Lance Moore’s injury. Defensively you can go through the numbers there with the DeMario Pressleys and the guys in the secondary. I think it’s the nature of a long year. When you play 16 regular season and four preseason games, that’s a lot of football and I think that you’re always in the process – we’re always in the process – of developing all of our players; not just the starters. It’s a challenge each week and that’s what makes it interesting. And that’s why you have to play each week and understand that there are changes happening with your opponent as well; guys are getting healthy, guys have been injured and you just hope to be on the lighter end of the injury note than the heavier end.”

Based on what’s going on in your secondary, do you think that teams will try to attack you through the air more?

“I don’t know. We’ve had injuries in the front as well. How they approach us, I wouldn’t know. You try to prepare for each opponent. When you’re thin at a position or when there’s a new corner on the field, certainly those guys understand that they’ll get tested. We’d do the same thing on offense.”

In regards to Chris McAlister, do you get him ready to play a game or do you get him ready for the rest of the season?

“We’re getting him ready to play a game.”

What has made you confident that your secondary will be able to handle this test of its depth?

“I think we’re deeper from a health standpoint in the secondary. We have a number of guys with playing experience and some young guys like Malcolm Jenkins who got some more experience last week. We’re at a point where we’re not early in the year now. We’re heading into the 10th game and the 11th week. Whoever we line up out there in the base and in the nickel will have had a lot of practice snaps and a lot of work this week in preparation for this game. I think they understand the scheme well. It’s different from a year ago. And I think that their play is often tied to the play of the front and their ability to hurry a quarterback and get pressure on a quarterback. I think it all goes together.”

Tampa has reportedly been working some on the Wildcat formation. How surprised would you be to see them line up in that formation?

“There’s nothing really that surprises you each week. You prepare for your calls and adjustments and you get ready for things that take place during a game that you may not have seen. Each week there’s a twist that you see; whether it’s on offense or on defense and you just have to be prepared to adjust.”

McAlister Hits The Ground Running

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:15:24 GMT

Freshly signed cornerback Chris McAlister has put the “new” in New Orleans Saints.

The rangy and gifted 32-year old McAlister arrived in New Orleans yesterday for a workout, signed a contract this morning upon arriving at the team’s facility and quickly set about acclimating himself to his new teammates with the Saints.

It’s not the only thing he has to acclimatize himself with, as he is wearing a new uniform number (#29), as opposed to the #21 he wore while with the Ravens. But most importantly, McAlister first must learn defensive coordinator Gregg Williams’ playbook and will certainly be putting in extra time with defensive backs coach Dennis Allen and assistant secondary coach Tony Oden.

“I came in here yesterday and had a good workout, now it’s time to ready to help out any way I can,” McAlister said following his first practice as a member of the Saints.

“The thing I picked up as soon as I got here and got around the rest of the team was the feeling of ‘Team.’ You hear guys around here talking about ‘we’ and nobody talking is talking about themselves,” McAlister said of his initial impression of the Saints. “The players have been very helpful and welcoming. I only have played for one other team, Baltimore, so I don’t know what it’s like to be in another locker room.”

The cornerback said that he's working hard studying the playbook and spending time with the other players and coaching staff to gain an understanding of the defensive concepts. “Everything has a new name, so that’s an adjustment,” he said. “But at the end of the day, playing cornerback is about making plays and trying to stop the other team. This week, that’s the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. How or if I will be used will be determined during the week and into the game. Everything leading up to that is getting ready for if and when my number is called.”

The 6-1, 206 pound product of the University of Arizona was the tenth pick of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Ravens and went on to earn three Pro Bowl appearances during his career in Baltimore, while also being a stalwart on the Ravens’ Super Bowl XXXV championship squad. Known as a physical and playmaking cornerback throughout his career, McAlister has quickly embraced his opportunity with the Saints, as they prepare to take on the Bucs this Sunday at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium.

“I didn’t want to sign with any team just to play,” McAlister said. “I wanted to join a winning team and a winning organization, unfortunately a couple guys got nicked up. But when the Saints called, I was ready. I have kept in shape and knew that I could come in and show them that I still can play and obviously I did that during my workout. I’m looking forward to helping out.”

“He’s a veteran player that understands different defenses and we feel he can come in here and help us out,” Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said this afternoon. "We'll just see how he does picking things up and where the other guys are as far as their continued rehabilitation."

Payton was asked of the possibility of moving S Usama Young back to a cornerback spot and inserting McAlister in at safety was a possibility, and Payton said that was not the coaching staff’s inclination at the present time. “Chris is a cornerback and that’s what we brought him in here to do. Certainly Usama has experience playing cornerback, and that’s something we are mindful of, but for now, Chris is going to be looked at as a corner and Usama will stay at safety.”

With 26 interceptions and 339 tackles during his Ravens career, McAlister’s learning curve of the Saints’ defense is expected to be a relatively smooth one, as he has long had the reputation of being an excellent cover corner who has played against many of the top wide receivers in the NFL over the course of the last decade. How much McAlister plays will likely be determined by two major factors, the first being the health of the team’s current cornerback corps, as regular starters Jabari Greer (groin) and Tracy Porter (knee) are mending from injuries suffered during the Saints’ two recent victories.

Quarterback Drew Brees, who has played against McAlister in the past, said of his newly signed teammate, “He’s an aggressive player who has made a lot of big plays during his career. He has a knack for making plays and getting his hands on the football. I know from playing against him that you don’t want to just throw the ball up around him because he will go get and it and come down with it. The one thing you see right off the bat is how athletic he is.”

“This is nothing new for him,” Brees said of McAlister’s first day of practice. “Sure it’s a new team, but at the end of the day, he knows what’s he’s doing out there and he’ll get himself ready to play.”

NOTE: SUCCESS ON THE ROAD: Four teams have started the 2009 season with 4-0 road records: Arizona, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and New Orleans. All four of those clubs are in first place in their respective divisions and each will put its undefeated road record on the line in Week 11.

This Sunday, the Cardinals visit St. Louis, the Colts travel to Baltimore, the Bengals head to Oakland and the Saints will take a trip across the Gulf to face Tampa Bay.

If all four 4-0 teams win, 2009 will be the first season in history in which four clubs started 5-0 on the road. If three of the four win, this season will tie for the most 5-0 road teams ever, which has occurred three times in NFL annals (1983, 2001, 2007).

QA with Bucs Head Coach Raheem Morris

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:49:52 GMT

Q: When you put on film of the Saints this year, does number 91 stands out on defense?

A: On defense, what’s impressive is how much movement you get from everybody and how active they are on defense. 91 is playing well. Charles Grant is playing well. They are all playing well up front. With that improved secondary, Tracy Porter unfortunately got hurt, a guy that I know really well and a guy that I like a lot. I don’t know if it was unfortunate for me, but it was unfortunate for the Saints, but he’s out and whatever happened to him I hope he gets back fast, but just the speed of the whole defense and the continuity they’re playing with is just impressive.

Q: Did you guys install Josh Freeman as the starting quarterback because it’s part of a rebuilding effort or because you thought he gave you guys the best chance to win right away.

A: He gives us the best chance to win. We knew that. It was his time. It was time. We went through Byron Leftwich. We didn’t get a win. Byron Leftwich did a great job for us when he was out there. There were some other factors involved and then also we went to Josh Johnson. Josh gave us a chance to win at the time. Our offensive line was a little banged up and he gave us a chance to move around with his feet. Now we’re back up to full strength with our o-line and we have those guys out there and with Josh Johnson in the pocket, there would be some balls on the field. We’ve had a little bit more success on offense, especially in the fourth quarter with the young man out there. He’s doing a good job. There are going to be some growing pains. We have to be patient. We have to go through all that with him.

Q: Did his insertion add an element and something for the team to get excited about?

A: I wouldn’t really use any ploys. It’s Josh Freeman’s team. Once we drafted him in the first round, we knew that would be the case. It was just time to unleash him and let him learn how to play this game. It was a great opportunity to get him out there to go against five games in his division that has traditionally been a great one, throughout the whole process.

Q: Can you use the word rebuilding and not offend fans?

A: I really haven't used the word rebuilding. We had a makeshift deal in the beginning here. We had a wholesale wipeout, went to a youth movement. We really wanted to win. We wanted to come out and win every week. We really felt like we could still go win against some quality and good teams like we did against Green Bay. We have to come up with those kinds of efforts every week and we put ourselves in a position last week against Miami to win. Unfortunately it didn’t come out that way. We’ll come out and give our best effort against a really good New Orleans Saints team.

Q: What do you know about Chris McAlister?

A: He was a great corner in Baltimore. I don’t know what he’s been doing recently, but I’m sure when you have that kind of background and you understand defense and understand what you want to do, he’ll help the football team right away. He’ll give his best effort and we look forward to seeing him coming out there and doing that.

Q: What do you know about Drew Brees? Have you been encouraged by some of his recent turnovers?

A: Are you kidding me? He doesn’t make mistakes. He gives his players opportunities to catch the ball. They either catch them for him or they don’t. He’s the ultimate quarterback. He’s kind of like a robo-quarterback so to speak. He gets the job done. He has a bunch of good guys around him like Marques Colston, who’s from Hofstra, Lance Moore, some of those other guys, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem that’s come along this year that’s really been the guy standing out from the receiver corps, because he’s the one guy I haven’t seen as much due to injuries the last couple years, but he’s been stepping it up this year. Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas has really carried the load as far as some of the running plays that Deuce McAllister used to do for you guys and some of the guys in the past. That offense just in general has been lights out. Everything’s going the way it should go and I would expect nothing less from a Sean Payton coached football team.

Q: What would beating the Saints mean to your first year program?

A: That’s really what we’re trying to do. We’re really trying to be out there as spoilers to everybody else. We were given, I don’t know what the rankings were, top four in schedule if you want to talk about it being hard and those things. It’s been fun. Now we have a chance to play all the best teams because at one point in this league, if you want to be good enough to compete against anybody in this league and when you can go out there and get an opportunity to play against some of these guys and get some confidence against guys like the Saints and go out there and play well, we’re going to try to win the football game of course, but we want to get out there and give our best efforts enough to perform well enough to win and go out there and be our best self.

Q: Has it been a hard sell to get everybody on board or has there been a lot of enthusiasm?

A: There’s been a lot of enthusiasm. I have a tough football team. Mentally tough and physically tough as well. I don’t know if you watched it on tape, but these guys played hard and we haven’t come out and won a lot, but they’re a hard playing football team. We were really outmatched one game against the New York Giants. That was the one game where I don’t feel like we competed as well as we could, but for the most after that, it has been really competitive, intense games. We just haven’t come out on top as much as we’d like to. The last two weeks have been signs of where we can go and signs of what we can be. These guys are starting to buy in and do some of the positive things to do to compete at this level.

Q: Have you changed much of your defense from the previous regime?

A: The previous regime we worked with we tried to transform it a little bit to this package we’re in right now. We just transformed over to it. There’s not much difference. There’s a lot of the same coverages, little different verbiage, different teachings and some more understanding of different things we may not have talked about before. We have all the stuff we had before. We’ve just added some things we needed to add from before and now we're just putting it all together. We have a bunch of young guys that have to buy into it and grow into it together and see where we can go.

Q: They say that once a rookie has made it through a number of games he’s not a rookie anymore. Are you still a rookie head coach?

A: I don’t’ know. You have to ask my team that. I’m getting better and better every day as well. If there’s something…There’s no handbook for head coaching. You go into the job, you have to be your best self. What I’m doing is going out there and trying to lead men and that’s my job. My job is to lead men to come in here and give our best effort and put them in a position to win.

Q: Are there any surprises to the job?

A: Not really surprises. The only thing that’s different is the amount of media presentation that you have to deal with. Other than that, it’s been like leading a big DB room. That’s how we take it and that’s how we approach. All those guys feel that way.

Q: Are there any plans to use the Wildcat against the Saints?

A: I haven’t shown any wildcat on tape yet. I don’t think we have any plans to use the wildcat. If we do, I’m not telling Sean Payton anyway.

Saints at Bucs Capsule

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:14:34 GMT

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (9-0) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-8)

SERIES

SERIES LEADER: The New Orleans Saints lead the all-time series between the two franchises, 20-14.
STREAKS: The Buccaneers have won three-of-the-last-four games in the series.
COACHES VS. OPP.: New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton owns a 3-3 record against the Bucs. Tampa Bay Head Coach Raheem Morris will be coaching against the Saints for the first time ever in the series.
LAST WEEK: The Saints traveled to St. Louis and defeated the Rams, 28-23. The Bucs fell to the Dolphins in Miami, 25-23, on a last second field goal by Dan Carpenter.
LAST GAME: 11/30/08: Saints 20 at Buccaneers 23. Tampa Bay K Matt Bryant kicked a game-winning 37-yard FG with 1:55 remaining. The Buccaneers' defense registered two interceptions in final minutes of win.
BROADCAST: FOX (12:00 PM CT): Sam Rosen, Tim Ryan. SIRIUS: 126 (NO), 158 (TB). XM: 103 (NO). The game can heard regionally on the Saints Radio Network (WWL 870 AM and 105.3 FM locally) with Jim Henderson handling play-by-play, Hokie Gajan serving as color analyst and Kristian Garic reporting from the Saints sidelines. A Spanish language broadcast can be heard on WFNO 830 AM with Emilio Peralta handling play-by-play and Marco Garcia serving as color analyst.

STATS

PASSING: Saints-Drew Brees: 199-291-2,559 (1C)-19 (1C)-9-104.6 (2L); Bucs-Josh Freeman (R): 32-63-417-4-2-79.9
RUSHING: Saints- Pierre Thomas: 94-492-5.2-5; Bucs-Cadillac Williams: 106-418-3.9-3
RECEIVING: Saints-Marques Colston: 39-613-15.7-6; Bucs-kellen Winslow, Jr. (TE): 42-454-10.8-5
OFFENSE: Saints- 426.1 (1L); Bucs- 276.3
TAKE/GIVE: Saints +6 (3C); Bucs Even (0)
DEFENSE: Saints- 343.0 yards per game; Bucs- 379.2 yards per game
SACKS: Saints-DE Will Smith: 7.5 (T3C); Bucs- DE Jimmy Wilkerson: 5.5
INTs: Saints-S Darren Sharper: 7 (1C); Bucs-CB Aqib Talib: 5 (T3L)
PUNTING: Saints-Thomas Morstead (R): 43.0; Bucs- Dirk Johnson: 41.4
KICKING: Saints- John Carney: 73 (40/42 PAT; 11/14 FG); Bucs- Connor Barth: 17 (5/5 PAT; 4/5 FG)

NOTES
SAINTS: Are 9-0 for 1st time in team history. Average 36.8 points per game, most in NFL…QB DREW BREES aims for 4th in row vs. division with 300+ yards. In past 3 vs. division, has 1,024 yards, 7 TDs, 3 INTs & 104.1 rating. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 16,469 pass yards. Has 2,636 yards (329.5 per game), 24 TDs, 7 INTs & 118.9 rating in past 8 vs. NFC…RB-PR REGGIE BUSH had rush & rec. TD last week. Has 2 TDs vs. TB (65-yard PR-TD & 42-yard rec. TD). Has 30 career TDs (17 rush, 9 rec, 4 PR) & is only Saint to score via rush, rec. & PR. RB PIERRE THOMAS aims for 4th in row vs. division with rush TD. Had 20-yard TD catch in last meeting…WR MARQUES COLSTON had 6 catches for 106 yards in last meeting. Has 10 TDs in past 12. WR ROBERT MEACHEM aims for 3rd in row with TD. TE JEREMY SHOCKEY has 458 receptions since 2002, 3rd most in NFL by TE. KR COURTNEY ROBY had 97-yard KR-TD last week, his 1st TD since 2005…DE WILL SMITH has 5 sacks in past 3 & aims for 4th in row with sack. S DARREN SHARPER has INT in 2 of past 3 vs. TB, incl. 88-yard INT-TD. LB JONATHAN VILMA had sack in last meeting.

BUCCANEERS: QB JOSH FREEMAN has 4 TDs in 1st 2 NFL starts…Team is 10-0 when RB CADILLAC WILLIAMS has 22+ carries. Has 3 rush TDs in past 2 meetings. Rushed for TD last week. RB-KR CLIFTON SMITH is 2nd in NFL with 30.1 KR avg…WR ANTONIO BRYANT has rec. TD in 2 of past 3 vs. NO (48 & 39 yards). Has 19 catches for 345 yards (115 per game) & 3 TDs in past 3 division games. WR MAURICE STOVALL had 33-yard TD reception last week. TE KELLEN WINSLOW had 7 catches for 102 yards last week, 2nd 100-yard game of season. Since 2006, ranks 3rd among TEs with 256 catches. WR SAMMIE STROUGHTER is tied for 3rd among NFC rookies with 15 1st down receptions…Defense has 198 INTs since 2000, 2nd most in NFL. S TANARD JACKSON has 3 INTs in past 4, incl. 2 INT-TDs. CB RONDE BARBER has posted 3 INTs in game 2 times, both vs. NO. Has 13 career return TDs. Is 1 of 4 players all-time with 20+ sacks (24) & 30+ INTs (37). CB AQIB TALIB has 5 INTs in past 6. LB QUINCY BLACK had 1st career INT last week…K CONNOR BARTH became 4th player in NFL history with 3 50+ yard FGs in game last week.

Saints Unleash Powerful Rushing Attack as They Wear Down the Bills and Improve to 3-0

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:54 GMT

Orchard Park, NY – It was hardly a secret that the New Orleans Saints owned the most dangerous passing attack in the NFL entering today’s game. Today they proved they can run it with the best of them and play defense, as well. The Saints improved to 3-0 on the season with a 27-7 win over the Bills in Orchard Park and now stand alone atop the NFC South standings with a clean 3-0 record. The Saints scored 20 unanswered points today and improved their fourth quarter scoring to 38-2 in the team’s favor, a large reason behind the unblemished record.

“I’m pleased,” said Head Coach Sean Payton. “I’m not into style points, I care that we won the game.”

RB Pierre Thomas, who did not have a carry in the first half of the game, came on in the second half and erupted for a career-high 126 yards on the ground with two rushing touchdowns and the Saints’ defense didn’t allow the Bills inside the 25 yard line, with the exception of a well-executed fake field goal that marked the Bills’ only scoring of the afternoon. The Saints’ defense stymied the Bills’ offense all afternoon, particularly on third down (2-of-13; none in the second, third or fourth quarters), and held dangerous WR Terrell Owen to zero receptions on the day. Owens said simply after the game, “We didn’t win the game.” When pressed whether he was frustrated at not being involved enough, he continually repeated, “I’m just running the plays that are called,” a mantra he repeated over and over when pressed by reporters.

The mood was clearly different across the hall in the Saints’ locker room, as the team saw their record on the road improve to 2-0, which equaled the number of wins the team captured away from the Superdome last season. The Saints return home next week when they host the also undefeated New York Jets (3-0).

“It felt great to get out there and help the team,” Thomas understatedly remarked after the game. “The Bills were playing great defense and the game was tight, but we didn’t panic and just stayed with what we knew we could do, and that’s run it. Give the credit to our offensive line, they just came up huge and were knocking guys backwards there and I just followed the blocks.”

Payton was equally as pleased with the running game, and said the team has faith in all the team’s running backs, faith that was rewarded when Thomas erupted in the second half. “Pierre really ran hard and broke some tackles and made guys miss, he came up huge for us, that was big,” Payton said.

Bills head coach Dick Jauron said after the game, “Boy, they are a good football team. The are good, talented and they mix things up on you all the time. We hung in there with them and battled, we fought hard, but they earned it. I give credit to them.”

New Orleans, with 382 yards of offense, broke open the tight affair in the second half, largely on the heels of a powerful running game led by Thomas, who missed the season opener and played only sparingly last week. Today, in the second half, he announced his arrival in a big way.

RB Lynell Hamilton, making his first career start, capped the Saints’ opening drive of the game with a one-yard run behind left guard Carl Nicks to put New Orleans ahead 7-0. He became the ninth different player to score a touchdown for the Black-and-Gold over the course of the first three games.

Buffalo scored a rather unconventional touchdown early in the second quarter on a fake field goal, as holder Brian Moorman scampered out of the pocket and hit DE Ryan Denney for a 25-yard touchdown pass against the Saints’ field goal block unit, which tied the game at 7-7.

New Orleans took advantage of a big play on special teams from rookie CB Malcolm Jenkins, who stripped and recovered the football from Roscoe Parrish at the Bills’ 33, which then set up a John Carney 27-yard field goal by John Carney that put the Saints back on top, 10-7.

Thomas added a 34-yard scoring run down the Saints’ sideline early in the fourth quarter to cap a three play, 65 yard drive that gave the Saints a 17-7 lead over the Bills. Carney added a 35-yard field goal in the fourth quarter and Thomas salted the game away with a 19-yard touchdown run that made the score 27-7 in the Saints’ favor.

The Saints accepted the opening kickoff after the Bills deferred their possession to begin the second half. Hamilton started the drive with a four-yard carry, and the Saints picked up momentum on a third down completion between Drew Brees and Marques Colston for a gain of 12 yards. The duo then hooked up on the next play for a 32-yard completion after Brees neatly pumped faked a defender while Colston slipped by him along the sideline for the reception. Two plays later Brees, in the face of backside pressure from DE Aaron Schobel, found Devery Henderson behind the linebackers for a gain of 20 yards, taking the ball to the Buffalo 12. The Saints once again converted a key third down when Brees hit Colston for a completion in traffic to the one-yard line; on the next play Hamilton bulled his way in from the one for his first career touchdown.

The Bills began their initial drive of the game at their 11 yard-line and converted a third down and six with a 14-yard completion between Trent Edwards and former LSU standout Josh Reed. The two hooked up on the next for a nine yard gain, but four plays later the Saints got the Bills in a third-and-long situation, which they tried to convert on a screen pass, but Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma snuffed it out and clobbered RB Fred Jackson with a thunderous hit shy of the first down sticks and the Bills were forced to punt.

The Saints began their second drive of the afternoon at their own 25 yard-line with Brees hitting Jeremy Shockey for a 21-yard gain, then the two hooked up for a four-yard gain. Reggie Bush took an end around for a gain of 14 yards to the Buffalo 36, but the Saints were beset with by a 10-yard illegal block in the back penalty on the next play. But Bush ripped off a 17-yard run and Hamilton managed a yard on second down, but the Saints couldn’t convert a third and two Brees’ pass was incomplete. With the ball on the 28, the Saints elected to go for it on fourth down, but the play faltered immediately when Brees stumbled after taking the snap and threw an off-balance pass to Bush in the flat, but the play was diagnosed by veteran Kawika Mitchell for no gain and the Bills took possession at their own 28.

Buffalo ended the first quarter after marching to the Saints’ 25 yard-line, compliments of some completions between Trent Edwards and Reed and a 15-yard penalty on the Saints’ DT Anthony Hargrove for a personal foul roughing the passer call after he made contact with Edwards’ helmet with his hand. The Bills faced a third-and-six from the Saints’ 25 on the first play of the second quarter but the Bills were unable to connect on a pass intended for TE Derek Fine, as LB Scott Shanle. The Bills, though, had a trick up their sleeve on a fake field goal as holder Brian Moorman slipped out of the pocket after taking the snap and in the face of heavy pressure from Vilma, lofted a pass to DE Ryan Denney down the sideline and he jogged the final few yards into the end zone to knot the game at 7-7 after the extra point.

Buffalo tried a pooch kickoff after their first touchdown, but an alert play by DE Jeff Charleston witnessed the 6-4, 265 defensive end come up and make the catch at the Saints’ 46 before absorbing a hard hit shortly after catching the football. The Saints, facing the hostile and energized home crowd, mixed the run and the pass, including a 10-yard run on a third down by Brees (his longest rush since Dec. 23, 2006 when he had a 16-yard run against the 49ers, took to the ball down to the Bills’ 32. The Saints’ drive, though, stalled when Brees was sacked and stripped of the ball by DE Aaron Schobel, who also recovered the loose ball at the Bills’ 38.

Three consecutive runs by Fred Jackson took the ball into Saints’ territory but a key third down stop by Saints defensive end Will Smith on Jackson forced the Bills to punt and try to pin the Black-and-Gold deep in their own territory, but Moorman’s second punt of the day bounced into the Saints’ end zone and the Saints took control of the football at their 20 with 7:58 left in the first half. The Saints could not pick up a first down after a tripping penalty put them in a third and long situation. The Saints called on P Thomas Morstead to bail then out and the rookie from Southern Methodist hit a high hanging 49-yard punt to WR Roscoe Parrish.

Saints rookie CB Malcolm Jenkins, who had a forced fumble on a kickoff team last week at Philadelphia, jabbed the football loose from Parrish and recovered the ball at the Buffalo 33. The Saints drove to the Bills’ 13, but could not punch it into the end zone and settled for a John Carney 27-yard field goal that once again gave the Saints the lead, 10-7.

New Orleans’ defense, nursing a 10-7 lead late in the first half, pushed the Bills backward for 14 yards, including a key sack by DE Charles Grant, his first of the season, that forced the Bills to punt and the Saints took possession at their own 27 with just over three minutes to go. New Orleans, though, was stymied by the aggressive Bills’ defense and were forced to punt. Morstead hit another big 47 yard punt that was aided by an illegal block in the back penalty on the Bills and the home team took over at their own 24. Buffalo picked up 11 yards on a pass from Edwards to Reeds and 11 more yards on an Edwards scamper. The Bills called their first timeout with :51 left on the clock and the ball resting inches into Saints’ territory. A big blitz from Scott Fujita and Sedrick Ellis caused Edwards to throw the ball away and he ended up being docked for a 13-yard intentional grounding penalty, which brought about a third-and-18 from the Bills’ 38. The Saints gave a short completion up to WR Lee Evans and called a timeout with :36 left in the first half. Bush nearly popped a long return but was tripped up at the last instant by a Bills coverage team member and the Saints took a knee and the 10-7 lead at the half.

Buffalo began the second half at their own 24 yard-line and received a six-yard gain from Jackson off the left side of his offensive line and took the ball to the 40 on the next play with an 11 yard carry. Jabari Greer pressured Edwards into an incompletion on first down and a second down deep pass intended for Terrell Owens was mistimed and a third down pass to Derek Fine lost two yards after LB Scott Shanle drilled Bills’ tight end Derek Fine.

The Saints were forced to start their first possession of the second half at their own three-yard line after Moorman’s punt was downed deep in Saints territory. Pierre Thomas, who didn’t have a carry in the first half, took the Saints out of the shadow of their own end zone with three straight carries of one yard, 19 yards and 13 yards. Reggie Bush then picked up the next 9 yards and the Saints faced a fourth-and-one at the 45, and Brees snuck around the corner for a two-yard gain and the first down. The Saints could advance no further than the Bills’ 34 and Morstead chipped a perfect punt that was downed by CB Leigh Torrence at the Bills’ three yard-line with 6:26 left in the third quarter.

Jackson picked up a quick four yards, then Edwards found Evan over the middle for an 11-yard gain but the Bills were awarded 15 more yards after Darren Sharper was charged with a late hit penalty. The Bills picked up another 15 yards when Hargrove was docked for a spearing infraction on an Edwards scramble and the Bills were in Saints’ territory at their Black-and-Gold’s 26. On a third-and-three Edwards tried to hit Terrell Owens over the middle, but Greer deflected the pass back towards the line of scrimmage and Will Smith jumped up to make his first career interception at the Saints’ 23 and killed the Bills’ drive.

New Orleans was once again hampered by a critical penalty on their final drive of the third quarter, as a second down illegal motion took the Saints from a second-and-seven to a second-and-twelve. The Saints picked up eight of the 12 yards, but opened the fourth quarter up with a punt from their own 29 yard-line and with the wind at their back. Morstead banged a 44-yard punt and the Bills were flagged for personal foul penalty on rookie defensive back Jairus Byrd, which put the ball on the Bills’ 13.

The Saints’ defense held the Bills to a three-and-out and picked up a huge play on third-and-short when Will Smith dropped Edwards for a loss of three yards and forced the Bills to punt. The Saints took over at their own 38 with 13:33 left in the game and clinging to a 10-7 lead. A Thomas rush for no yards started the drive and a second down incompletion brought up a third and ten but Brees didn’t see anything that he liked and threw the ball away along the sideline. Morstead hit a 41-yard punt to the Buffalo 20 with 12:38 left in the contest and the Bills in control of the football. Jackson started the drive with a four-yard gain and Edwards then completed a short pass to Evans, which brought up a third-and-three from the 28. Edwards overthrew Owens as the Saints had three defenders in the area and the Bills were once again forced to punt, with New Orleans taking over at their own 35 with 11:01 remaining.

Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush combined to march the Saints 65 yards in three plays. First Thomas picked up five yards and was dragged down by his facemask by former Saints Bryan Scott, which took the ball to the Bills’ 46. Brees then hit Bush in the flat and the fourth-year man put a deft deke on a defender to the Bills’ 34. One the next play Thomas ran left and made a decisive cut up the sideline, picking up several huge blocks, especially on a lead block by FB Heath Evans and hurdled his way down the sideline for a touchdown, his first of the season, the 10th different player to score for the Saints this season and extend the Saints’ lead to 17-7 with 9:39 remaining after John Carney’s extra point.

The Bills started at their 19 after a massive hit on Parrish by Lynell Hamilton and the Bills then were guilty of two five yards penalties and the Boo-Birds came out. The Bills were forced to attack a third-and-ten, but could manage a nine-yard completion to Evans. The Bills appeared like they were going to challenge the spot by the officials but elected to save their timeouts with 7:22 left in the game.

From the Saints’ 34, Brees tried to break the game wide open with a deep pass to Robert Meachem, but the Saints was just beyond the receiver’s reach. Thomas then picked up a hard yard inside and a third down and long was converted with a bullet pass into the guy of Devery Henderson for a 13-yard gain and a first down. LB Kawika Mitchell was flagged for a 15-yard personal foul penalty and the ball was moved to the Bills’ 37. Thomas somehow found a narrow gap and picked up nine yards and the Saints ran the clock down to 5:14 before calling their first timeout of the second half with the football resting on the Buffalo 27. Thomas then went over the 100-yard mark for the second half with a 14-yard gain to the Bills’ 13. The Saints went over the 200-yard rushing mark in a single game for the first time since December 24, 2006 when the Saints had 236 yards against the New York Giants.

The Saints’ drive continued to grind time off of the clock and with 3:25 from the Bills’ 17, John Carney came on to attempt a 35-yard field goal, which he drilled right through the uprights to widen the Saints’ lead to 20-7.

Sedrick Ellis and Charles Grant each racked up sacks on the Bills’ next possession and the Saints made it ten straight Bills possessions without a third down conversion.

NOTES: The following players were inactive for the Saints: QB Chase Daniel (third quarterback), WR Rod Harper, WR Lance Moore, RB Mike Bell, LB Robert Meachem/Jo-Lonn Dunbar.aspx">Jo-Lonn Dunbar, T Jammal Brown, DT Will Smith/Kendrick Clancy.aspx">Kendrick Clancy and TE Darnell Dinkins.

For the Bills, Gibran Hamdan (third quarterback), WR Justin Jenkins, DB Ellis Lankster, LB Paul Posluszny, OL Jamon Meredith, TE Shawn Nelson, DE Chris Ellis and DT John McCargo.

In terms of starting lineup changes, DT Remi Ayodele received the starting nod for the second week in a row at nose tackle in place of Clancy.

The Bills won the opening coin toss and elected to defer the opening possession of the game to the Saints.

DEBUTS: Rookie free agent LB Jonathan Casillas made regular season debut, while RB Lynell Hamilton also saw his first career regular season action and was in the starting lineup.

At halftime the Saints held the edge in total yards gained, 187 to 162.

CAPTAINS: QB Drew Brees, CB Jabari Greer, LB Jonathan Vilma and LB Troy Evans.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton Sept 30

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:54 GMT

NOTICE FROM THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: The New Orleans Saints organization is encouraging fans to arrive at the Louisiana Superdome this Sunday earlier than normal due to increased security measures being implemented at stadiums league-wide. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00 pm CT.

In addition, the Saints organization is also encouraging ticket holders to utilize the Ticket Exchange program at www.neworleanssaints.com if you are unable to attend the game. The team is aiming for 100% attendance and will be target reducing the number of no-shows each week.

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Opening Statement:

“Going through the injury list, Will Smith/Kendrick Clancy.aspx">Kendrick Clancy (right knee) did not practice; Darnell Dinkins (left foot) did not practice; Mike Bell (right knee) did not practice; Jermon Bushrod (right knee/right ankle) did not practice; Malcolm Jenkins (left ankle) did not practice; Jason Kyle (right knee/right ankle) did not practice; Bobby McCray (back) did not practice; Lance Moore (right hamstring) was limited; Rod Harper (left foot) was limited. Yesterday we put Jammal Brown on injured reserve and we signed center Nick Leckey. We also added a practice squad player today, Renardo Foster, who took Chase Daniel’s practice squad spot from a week ago. Most of the work today was on base, first and second down.”

When did Jenkins and Kyle get injured?

“Jenkins was during the game in Buffalo and Kyle the same way. We’ll just keep treating those guys and see where they’re at as the week goes on.”

Do you have a back-up plan at long snapper?

“We’ll have a contingency plan; but I think Kyle will be able to go, though.”

Do you have someone on the team that could do it if he got hurt during a game?

“We have two other guys that will practice with it. Today Troy Evans took a bunch of reps at it and Chris Reis is someone that also can do it.”

Can you talk about the decision to put Jammal Brown on injured reserve?

“The sports hernia was one thing, but ultimately it was the hip surgery and the prognosis from the doctor that did the surgery in New York was looking more like 12 weeks and that puts you right at that gray area where you begin to weigh the pros and cons of the time away and when he would be able to come back healthy. Ultimately, we made the decision yesterday that we felt like we had to put him on IR to free up a roster spot.”

Was it a follow-up appointment or did the doctors always think it would be about 12 weeks?

“He had the sports hernia and then he had the hip surgery, and after the hip surgery the length of time for the rehab was leaning more towards 12 than it was towards seven or eight and that was the concern.”

When did he originally suffer that injury?

“That’s a good question. It really didn’t come up on the MRI until we did the second MRI. But if you asked when the symptoms were discovered, it was the week of the Houston Texans practices.”

How fortunate are you to have two guys like Jermon Bushrod and Zach Strief who have some experience and can fill in for him?

“Those guys have been here and we’ve worked with them and developed them. Both of them have played now in important games and I think that both of them will be ready this week. Both of them played last week in Buffalo, so they both have experience.”

What strikes you about the chaos that a Rex Ryan defense produces?

“There are a lot of multiple looks. They’re playing real hard; they’re doing a great job and they’re always challenging. When you look at his defenses from the past, this one is buying into that scheme, and when you watch them on film, they’re doing an outstanding job. They present a lot of challenges in regards to your protections and then the coverages and trying to get guys out into the pattern and not having everyone in blocking.”

What has impressed you about Mark Sanchez?

“He has poise. He’s a guy that understands how to win. I think he has done a good job of transitioning quickly as a rookie and playing as well as he has played. You saw that on his college tape and you’re seeing it now in New York. Those guys are doing a great job with him and with their plans, and he’s playing with more and more confidence each week.”

Was Sunday one of Sedrick Ellis’ better games that he has played?

“I think so. He was a guy that was active and made a lot of plays for us. We were encouraged with the way he played, looking at the tape especially.”

Are you pleased with the way the defense has stepped up and matched the performance of the offense?

“When you go back and look at these first three games, we’re taking the ball away, which is encouraging. Those turnovers are big and we’re limiting the big plays. Each week takes on a new challenge, but last week as that game unfolded, we started really playing the field position and being smart and our defense responded. As you watched the second half of that game, it was real impressive. That’s real positive.”

If you were an offensive coach getting ready to face your defense, what challenges would you face?

“It’s the multiple looks again. We’re talking about a lot of different looks and you only get so many practice snaps today, tomorrow and Friday. Much like the challenges we’re seeing from New York and trying to get the walkthrough snaps in regards to the protection assignments and you know that it will be something different that you haven’t seen that you have to get coached up on the sidelines. All those things become tedious and it forces you offensively to spend time and devote time to all those different looks. Regardless of whether you’re going to see them all in a game, you have to prepare for them.”

Can you recall a player you lobbied harder to get than Jeremy Shockey? Is that desire to get him paying off now?

“He’s healthy now. Last season he struggled with the sports hernia. Early on the season, he had some good games but the positive is that he has come back in real good shape with the offseason program and then through training camp. That has been a big plus for us, especially at that position.”

What has been the impact of Jonathan Vilma on this defense?

“We were able to get Jon in a trade and this is his second season with this system and his second season being fully healthy and he has been a big addition to what we do defensively and a leader for what we do defensively.”

With Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas, do you approach that as one position with two different guys or is it more two separate play-calls depending on which one of them is in there?

“There are a lot of these plays – run and pass – that we feel like are interchangeable with our runners, and then there are some specific ones that we might lean towards one of those guys or Reggie, depending on the game plan. They provide flexibility and the key is that they’re running with ball security and they’re running with good pad level and those are the things that we keep preaching.”

When you made the decision to go with Bushrod during training camp, had he done things in the offseason to move ahead of Strief?

“The work that he had had was primarily at left tackle and the work that Zach had been getting had been at right, and we felt like he practiced well during training camp and even the week of the Texans scrimmages and practices, he had done a good job. We feel like both of those guys are guys that are certainly capable of starting and playing and we’re going to need both of those guys.”

Does the amount of pressure that the Jets get on the quarterback force your hand a little as far as keeping extra guys in to block?

“You have to be careful because when you choose to go that direction, then the quarterback ends up holding the ball with no one open. I think you have to have routes where you’re getting guys out into the pattern and Drew is someone that gets rid of the ball pretty quick and processes the information pretty quickly. I think you have to be careful about keeping everyone in. They do a good job of disguising of giving you an illusion of pressure and then all of a sudden they’re playing a double coverage or a trap coverage. Those are the challenges.”

Is the ability to get five or six yards on first down even bigger against a defense like this?

“I think it’s big each week. If you find yourself in a lot of third-and-longs, you’re probably in for a long day. Playing well on those early downs is important every week.”

Do you appreciate the fascination of this match-up between your offense and Rex Ryan’s defense?

“I think it’s really more about two 3-0 teams that are playing well; that’s the interest level. If these two teams were sitting here at 1-2, I don’t think you’d have the same interest level. It really boils down to the fact that you have two teams that have played really well to start the first three games of the season and that’s what piques the interest of the fan base.”

How is your relationship with Shockey different now than when you coached him as a rookie?

“We’re both older. He’s someone that plays with passion and each week you try to put things in that are suited for his strengths. David Thomas is another tight end that we acquired from New England. The key with all these players is just trying to find the right packages and the things that they do well. Certainly, I have a familiarity with Jeremy, just from being in New York with him in the early part of his career and just knowing him only helps.”

Can his enthusiasm for the game sometimes being a distraction?

“I’d rather have a player that’s passionate about what he’s doing. He comes here in the morning and it’s all football. Bring me a bunch of those guys.”

Do you have a sense of Rex Ryan’s style as a coach?

“I’ve never worked with Rex. Certainly I have a lot of respect for what he has done in his first opportunity. You can see the personality of a coach and his staff with the way the players play, and you see that with this Jets team – not just defensively, but as a team in general. They present a lot of challenges.”

Saints Down Tough Rams, 28-23, in St. Louis

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:54 GMT

St. Louis, MO – The New Orleans Saints improved to 9-0, matching their longest winning streak in team history, and started a season for the first time ever with a 9-0 record by hanging onto a lead and downed the pugnacious St. Louis Rams, 28-23.

Reggie Bush scored two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving), Courtney Roby added a 97-yard touchdown via a kickoff return and Drew Brees hit Robert Meachem on a 27-yard scoring strike to account for the Saints’ scores.

Bush sparked the Saints’ running game with six carries for 83 yards, including a career-long 55-yard dash, and combined with Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas as the Saints pounded out 203 yards on the ground for a 7.0 average on 29 carries. QB Drew Brees was 18-of-26 passing for 223 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for an 89.1 passer rating. St. Louis was led by the powerful running of Steven Jackson, who rushed for 131 yards on 26 carries (though only gained 31 yards rushing in the second half) and QB Marc Bulger’s 298 yards passing on 40 pass attempts with 26 completions. Defensively the Saints depleted charges were led by eight tackles each from S Roman Harper and LB Jonathan Vilma, with LB Scott Shanle adding six stops while DT DeMario Pressley and DE Charles Grant each added five tackles. FS Usama Young intercepted his first pass of the season in place of the injured Darren Sharper, who was injured and inactive for the contest.

“I was pleased we got the win,” said Head Coach Sean Payton. “It was a closer finish than I would have liked. And the turnovers will come back to bite us. I think it goes without saying that your entire roster has to be ready to play. I was pleased with how they responded, particularly the secondary.”

CB Randall Gay, with four tackles, summed it up by saying, “A win is a win in this league. It’s tough to win any game, much less one on the road. It’s never easy. The records get thrown out when you line up. We just passed the halfway point of the season and there is still a lot of football to be played. We will stay focused on just taking it one game at a time. It’s worked for us so far.”

Linebacker Scott Fujita said, “Steven Jackson is a hell of a running back. It was clear they wanted to run on first and second downs and pass on thirds. But the thing to take out of the game is that we won and now we turn our attention to Tampa. Everyone is dangerous and it’s a division game next week.”

St. Louis won the coin toss and elected to receive. Saints LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar tracked down kickoff returner Danny Amendola down at the Rams’ 13 yard-line. After tight Saints coverage on first down, DE Charles Grant was flagged for lining up in the neutral zone, which moved the ball to the 18. RB Steven Jackson then found a hole off the right side of the Rams’ line and scampered 30 yards before being tracked down by DT Anthony Hargrove. Bulger then hit a quick slant to WR Brandon Gibson for a gain of eight yards, but the Rams were guilty of a second down illegal procedure call, which cost the home team five yards. Jackson picked up three yards on second down, but the Rams were halted at their own 49 when tight coverage and heavy pressure on Bulger by the Saints’ front four caused the quarterback to throw the ball away. Punter Donnie Jones hit a wobbly 21 yard punt out of bounds to the Saints’ 25.

Mike Bell took the initial carry of the game and picked up three yards, then RB Reggie Bush took a pitch off the right side of the line and bolted 16 yards to the Saints’ 44. Bush nearly broke a diving tackle attempt and broke into the clear but was stopped before he could do more damage. RB Pierre Thomas then took his turn off the right side and managed a gain of three yards to the 47. FS O.J. Atogwe picked off Brees’ first pass of the game, intended for TE Jeremy Shockey, after LB James Laurinaitis collided with Shockey on what appeared to be a fraction of an instant before the football arrived. Atogwe then returned the pass to the Saints’ 47 before being tackled by TE David Thomas.

LB Scott Shanle stopped Jackson for no gain on first down. On second down Bulger connected with Jackson for a gain of eight yards and the Rams converted the third down with a seven-yard completion to WR Donnie Avery. Jackson then made a big open field move and picked up 13 yards to the 19 and added an additional two yards on the next carry. On a second down and eight from the 17, Bulger tried to hit WR Keenan Burton in the end zone, but FS Usama Young glided over from the middle of the field and intercepted the pass and raced up the sideline for a 24 yard gain to the Saints’ 22. It was Young’s first interception of the season and the third of his career.

Brees’ first completion of the game came on a roll-out pass to TE David Thomas for three yards. Bush then picked up three yards on a second down carry. Shockey and Brees then hooked up for a completion of eight yards to the Saints’ 36. Bell picked up three yards, then Thomas added another three yards on consecutive running plays. On third and four Brees dropped back and found a wide-open Thomas for a gain of 18 yards to the Rams’ 40. The players then two connected on first down for a gain of one yard. Bush bounced a run back to the inside and picked up three yards to the 35. Brees found Henderson for a gain of 21 yards to the Rams' 14 on third down, with Henderson finding a gap in the Rams' zone coverage. Pierre Thomas picked up two yards on a rush off the right side before being brought down by the back of his shoulder pads. Bush then leaped over the middle of the Saints’ offense line for a gain of three yards to the St. Louis nine yard-line. It was the last play of the first quarter, with it also marking the first time this season the Saints have been involved in a scoreless first quarter. Brees found Thomas for a third down conversion for six yards over the middle of the field. On the next play Bush opened the scoring with a three-yard run up the middle to give the Saints a 6-0 lead, and after John Carney’s extra point, the Saints led 7-0 with 14:14 remaining in the first half.

The Rams began their third drive of the game at their 25 and picked up a 14 yard gain by Jackson, followed by a seven yard gain by the big running back out of Oregon State which was followed by a 19 yard completion from Bulger to TE Randy McMichael. Jackson then added an eight-yard carry before being replaced by reserve RB Samkon Gado , who took a handoff and gained three yards and a first down. Gado then was stopped by DE Will Smith for no gain on a pitch to the left side of the Rams' line. Smith then sacked Bulger and stripped him of the ball, but Jackson was able to recover the loose ball. On a third-and-15 from the 29, Bulger lofted a pass to the sideline in the end zone and WR Donnie Avery ran underneath the aerial and managed to tap both of his feet down for the game-tying touchdown with 9:23 left in the second quarter.

The Saints, following a 23-yard kickoff return by Courtney Roby, started their drive with the ball on the Saints’ 28. The Saints caught the Rams off guard when WR Robert Meachem took an end-around on first down and raced 41 yards down the sideline for the team’s longest run of the season to that points and Meachem’s longest career run. Thomas then picked up three yards to the Rams’ 28. Brees and Henderson hooked up again, this time for a gain of 13 yards to the 15. Brees’s pass attempt to Thomas was foiled due to backside pressure from second-year defensive end Chris Long and a second-down screen play was spoiled by the Rams’ defense. Brees, though, found Bush on a crossing route on third-and-ten and the speedster took the pass and bolted across the field and made a sharp cut and dove to the pylon for his second touchdown of the afternoon, which gave the Saints a 14-7 lead after Carney's second extra point of the game.

The Rams then started at their own 27 and picked up six yards on a pass from Bulger to Gibson. Saints DT Remi Ayodele jumped offsides and was flagged for a five-yard penalty, which gave the Rams a first down and the ball moved to the 38. Jackson smashed over the left side of the lone for a five-yard gain. On second down DE Charles Grant and Ayodele teamed up to split a sack of two yards on Bulger. Bulger then converted the third down with a 16-yard pass to Gibson along the sideline after CB Randall Gay slipped when making a cut. Jackson picked up two yards, then Bulger hit reserve TE Billy Bajema for a gain of 12 yards. DE Bobby McCray stopped Jackson for no gain to the Saints’ 29 and the Saints called their second timeout of the half with 3:00 left.

DT DeMario Pressley then stopped Jackson for a loss of one-yard on second and eight and on third down but the Rams crossed the Saints up with a draw to Jackson that picked up 13 yards to the Saints’ 15. Jackson then picked up two yards and the Saints called their final timeout, but Jackson picked up a first down on a cutback run to the five yard-line on an eight yard run. Jackson then added two yards and the Rams called a timeout. Jackson finished the 13-play, 73 yard drive with Jackson bulling his way into the end zone for a touchdown run that tied the game at 14 all with :55 left in the second quarter. The Saints were unable to pick up a first down against the Rams and elected to punt the football away with just seconds remaining in the half. The half ended following the punt that was returned for just 10 yards yards by Amendola with S Pierson Priloeau making the tackle for the Saints.

New Orleans accepted the opening kickoff to start the second half and received a shot in the arm when return man Courtney Roby sprinted up the middle, made one move to his left and raced 97-yards untouched for his first career kickoff return for a touchdown. It was the Saints’ first kickoff returned for a touchdown since the 2004 season when Michael Lewis accomplished the feat.

St. Louis began their first drive of the second half at their own 28 and picked up a 20 yard gain on a completion to Gibson. On the play Saints second-year CB Tracy Porter needed to be helped off of the field after colliding with Young. The Saints’ defense held, though, and forced a St. Louis punt that Bush fair caught at the Saints’ 16 yard-line.

Pierre Thomas slammed his way through a hole in the middle of the line for an 11-yard gain to the 27 to start the Saints’ drive. Brees then play-action faked and came out and hit a wide open Henderson over the middle for a gain of 26 yards the Rams’ 47. Thomas was stopped for no gain on the next play. On second down Brees tried to hit Shockey over the middle but S James Butler intercepted the overthrown pass and returned it 17 yards to the Rams’ 40 with 10:57 left in the third quarter.

Jackson managed a yard on a first down, but Bulger missed his intended target on second down. A third down pass to Gibson was converted into a first down for an 11-yard gain and on the ensuing first down Jackson picked up eight yards to the Saints’ 40. The Saints’ front appeared to have Bulger in trouble, but he stepped up in the pocket and found TE Daniel Fells for a 19-yard completion to the 21. CB Malcolm Jenkins then broke up a pass intended for Avery, but on second down Jackson slipped a tackle at the line of scrimmage and picked up seven yards to the 14. A third down pass intended for McMichael was broken up by SS Roman Harper and the Rams settled for K Josh Brown’s 32-yard field goal that closed the Saints’ lead to 21-17 with 7:08 left to play in the third quarter.

After a touchback the Saints started at their own 20 and Bell picked up two yards. Bush then took a handoff and bolted through a small hole for a 55-yard run, the Saints’ longest run of the season and the longest run from scrimmage of Bush' career. Thomas then added a gain of two yards and Colston took his first career carry on a six-yard end around to the Rams’ 17. Thomas then followed T Jon Stinchcomb around the right end for a gain of nine yards and a first down. Brees then hit Colston at the three yard-line and the big receiver attempted to vault into the end zone, but a timely hit by Atogwe jarred the ball loose and the football rolled out of the side of the end zone for a touchback.

The Rams, starting at their own 20 after Colston's fumble, started their next drive with 3:33 left in the third, but were guilty of an illegal formation call on the first play of the series. Jackson then was stopped by Grant for a loss of a yard back to the 14. On second and 16 Bulger hit Jackson out of the backfield but Harper immediately cut him down for a loss of a yard. The Saints surrendered a short completion and tackled Avery short of the first down sticks and forced Jones to punt.

Bush fielded Jones’ 43-yard punt and had a 13-yard return negated by a holding call on CB Leigh Torrence, thus the Saints started at their own 23. Thomas picked up six yards on a first down carry, and a second down completion between Brees and Henderson added 12 more yards to the Saints' totals. The third quarter ended with the football in the Saints possession and with the ball at the 41.

Brees then hit Pierre Thomas on a delayed pass out of the backfield for a gain of five yards to the Saints' 46. Backup tight end Darnell Dinkins was flagged for an illegal procedure call, which set the Saints back five yards, but Brees picked it right back up with a 16-yard completion to TE David Thomas, his fifth-reception of the day, which tied-his career-high for most receptions in a game. Brees then found Colston for a gain of nine yards over the middle of the field. FB Kyle Eckel picked up his first carry as a member of the Saints and bulled his way forward for a seven-yard gain and a first down. Brees then play-actioned faked and found Meachem behind the cornerback and safety on a post pattern and laid the ball right on his finger tips for a touchdown that gave the Saints a 28-17 lead with 12:15 left in the game.

After a touchback on a booming kickoff by Morstead, the Rams started at their own 20 and tried a handoff to Jackson that Grant stopped for a two-yard loss. LB Scott Fujita then stopped Jackson after a two-yard gain. A third down dump off pass to Jackson was halted by the Saints’ defense and the Rams once again were forced to punt. New Orleans took possession at their own 24 yard-line with 10:13 left in the contest and holding an 11-point lead.

Bell took a handoff and cut back inside for a gain of a yard. Brees then fired a deep sideline pass to Shockey for a gain of 25 yards that took the ball to midfield. St. Louis was then guilty of an encroachment infraction, and the Saints countered on their next play with a six-yard run by Bell to the Rams’ 39. Brees tried a roll-out pass to Henderson but the two could not connect as Brees was hurried and unable to set his feet properly. Bell then took a handoff around the left side of the line for a hard-earned gain of three yards. Brees tried to hit Pierre Thomas on a dump off pass but the ball was batted down by a Rams defensive lineman. Thomas Morstead was called into punt but was run into by Rams S Craig Dahl, which brought on a five-yard penalty and on fourth and two, the Saints tried to get the Rams to jump offsides, but the Rams wouldn’t take the bait and the Saints called timeout to regroup. Head Coach Sean Payton sent the Saints offense right back onto the field and tried a power run inside with Eckel, but he was stopped for a loss of a yard and the Rams took possession of the ball at their own 32 yard-line.

After a first down incompletion by Bulger, Jackson picked up a nine-yard gain to the 41. A third down pass intended for Amendola was dropped as he turned up field and was unable to secure the ball. The Rams elected to go for it on fourth down and the Saints returned the favor when Will Smith dropped Jackson for a loss of a yard at the St. Louis 40.

Mike Bell fought through a hole in the middle of the line for a gain of five yards to the St. Louis 35 on first down, and then Thomas went over the left side of the line for a gain of a yard. On a third-and-four at the 34 Brees was sacked by second-year man Chris Long for a six-yard loss. P Thomas Morstead’s effort sailed into the end zone for a touchback and the Rams took possession of the ball with 4:24 from their own 20. Vilma tackled Jackson for a loss on one-yard on a pass, and then Bulger hit Gibson for a 23-yard completion to the 42. Bulger then found Fells for a gain of nine yards to the Saints’ 42. Bulger continued to fire away, this time hitting Fells down the seam for a gain of 23 yards before being brought down by Harper at the Saints’ 19. Bulger, with 2:44, found Avery down the sideline for a touchdown pass/ The Rams went for the two-point conversion, but Harper broke up Bulger’s pass to Fells in the end zone. The score after the touchdown and failed conversion was 28-23 in the Saints’ favor.

The Rams attempted an onsides kick, but Colston coolly came out and recovered the kick and hit the turf at the Rams’ 42 with 2:43 left. Mike then Bell went over the right side of the line for a gain of six yards and Saints eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark for the second time this season in a game (the other time was at Buffalo in week three). St. Louis called their last and final timeout after Thomas picked up one yard to the Rams’ 35. Brees’ pass intended for Henderson was off the mark and Morstead came on to punt and sailed a kick into the end zone for a touchback.

Jackson picked up six yards to the 26 on the last play before the two-minute warning. Bulger then scrambled on second down for a gain of seven yards to the 33. A blitzing Malcolm Jenkins decked Bulger on a first down pass that was incomplete. A second pass dump off pass to Jackson picked up six yards and a third down pass attempt into the flat badly missed its mark with 1:21 left. On fourth-and-four Bulger fired a pass into the flat for Gibson that was ruled a catch, but appeared to skid off the ground. The officials ruled that the play needed to be reviewed by the replay booth and after a few minutes of review and tense moments on both sides of the ball, referee Gene Steratore ruled that the nine-yard completion stood and the ball was on the Rams’ 48 with 1:05 left.

Bulger then hit TE Randy McMichael for a gain of 11, then a reception for no yards to Jackson as the time ticked off the game clock. A second down pass attempt deep down the sideline hit Malcom Jenkins, who had tight coverage on Avery, in the back and fell incomplete. A third down dump off pass to Jackson ate up more valuable time but the Rams were able to get a final pass attempt into the end zone off, but the Saints broke the pass up with a gaggle of Saints defensive backs in the area and the Saints improved to 9-0.

Notes:

S Usama Young made his first start of the season in place of an injured Darren Sharper (knee) at free safety. Young, a third-year play out of Kent State, started two games for the Saints in 2008.
A surprisingly large contingent of Saints fans infiltrated the Edward Jones Dome and was vocal in their support of the Saints beginning when the team ran onto the field for pre-game warm-up. The Saints fans often drowned out the cheers for the hometown Rams. In addition, the black jerseys that the fans supporting the Saints wore stood out against the red and blue seats that surround the playing field.
St. Louis won the opening coin and elected to receive.
Rams LB Paris Lenon injured his ribs in the first quarter and was listed as a questionable to return, which he was able to do.
On Young’s first quarter interception intended for WR Keenan Burton injured his right leg and needed an air cast applied before being carted off of the field.
The scoreless first quarter was the first time this season that the Saints had been involved in a game without any points scored in the first quarter.
Bush’s touchdown in the first quarter was the 29th of his career, which tied him with Chuck Muncie for the ninth-most in team history. Bush moved into sole possession of ninth place via a 15-yard receiving touchdown later in the contest.
WR/KR Courtney Roby became the first Saints player since Michael Lewis (12/26/2004 vs. Atlanta to return a kickoff for a touchdown.
With a six-yard carry by RB Mike Bell in the fourth quarter, the Saints went over the 200-yard rushing mark for the second time this season. The other previous occasion is when the Saints pounded out 222 yards on the ground at Buffalo in week three.
New Orleans Saints Inactives: QB Chase Daniel (third quarterback), K Garrett Hartley, WR Lance Moore, RB Lynell Hamilton, CB Jabari Greer, S Darren Sharper, LB Jonathan Casillas and DT Sedrick Ellis.
St. Louis Rams Inactives: QB Keith Null (third quarterback), CB Danny Gorrer, LB Dominic Douglas, G Roger Allen, T Phil Trautwein, G Richie Incognito, DT Leger Douzable and WR Ruvell Martin.

Saints Busy at Work on Labor Day

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:54 GMT

While the streets and highways surrounding the Saints’ practice facility were generally filled with shoppers and people running errands on Labor Day, those inside the Saints’ complex were in “business-as-usual” mode today.

The Saints’ players arrived early at their practice facility, albeit with quite a few less players than last took to the practice field last week after the weekend roster cut-downs, and quickly got to work in preparing for Sunday’s opponent, the NFC North’s Detroit Lions.

Players began the day with special teams meetings, a team meeting and then broke up into offensive and defensive meetings and started to study the game-plans the Saints’ coaching staff has crafted. After a mid-morning period to get taped and any last minute medical attention, the team hit the practice field for a walk-through portion of practice, which is really an extension of the classroom as the players go through the plays at half speed in order to make sure they understand the plays being called.

The team then went through a stretching period before going into individual position skill groups before moving to work in larger groups. The team portion of practice, which is closed to the media, lasted nearly an hour-and-a-half and wrapped up with Head Coach Sean Payton’s press conference in the team’s indoor practice facility. The players and coaches then took in a quick lunch and treatment breaks before heading back into meetings to conclude their workday. The coaching staff, as a rule, often stays very late into the evening working on different segments of their practice and game-planning duties and will once again be the last ones to leave the complex and the first ones to arrive in the mornings.

Preparing for this week’s opponent, the Lions, does offer some challenges for the Saints coaching staff and pro personnel department, however, as the Lions have been extremely active in the past 48 hours adding a handful of new players to their roster via the waiver wire. The Lions, based on their 0-16 record last season, get first crack at the players that must pass through the NFL’s waiver system, and in an effort to upgrade their overall talent level, have claimed and (subsequently) traded QB Kevin O’Connell to the Jets, acquired veteran S Ko Simpson from the Bills, claimed DE Copeland Bryant (Bills), CB Kevin Hobbs (Seahawks) and WR/return specialist Yamon Figurs (Ravens). With the constant roster re-shuffling, the Saints carefully will keep on eye on their opponent’s for any additional roster moves that they’ll make throughout the week and utilize their team’s extensive player data base in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of any late additions.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, when asked what challenges are associated when facing a new head coach in his inaugural regular season game said, “I think you have to go back and pay close attention to the things they have done in the preseason, but it has to be more than that, as well. You have to study and research the coaching staff and their philosophies and get an understanding of the types of things they like to do and the styles they like to employ.”

Detroit Head Coach Jim Schwartz has played it close to the vest throughout training camp regarding who will be the starting quarterback for the Lions this week. Although that changed this afternoon when it was announced that rookie Matthew Stafford will handle the assignment. It will be interesting to see how the rookie from the University of Georgia deals with what figures to be an enthusiastic Superdome crowd in full throat, but the product of the SEC certainly has ventured into hostile settings before and acclimated himself nicely.

Payton said that the recent trend of some teams starting rookie quarterbacks lends credence to the fact that coaching staffs are putting the players on the field that not only give them the best opportunity to win, but pave the way to better days ahead. “There seems to be quicker transitions these days,” Payton said. “We saw it last year with Matt Ryan in Atlanta and certainly he was up to the task. We spent time studying (Matthew) Stafford and were impressed with the things he did at Georgia. He has a big arm and I’m sure that they are thinking he gives them the best chance to win.”

With Stafford under center, the Saints’ defense will be forced to contend with two big, physical wide receivers in Calvin Johnson (1,331 yards in 2008) and former Cardinals first round draft choice Bryant Johnson (546 yards in 2008), as well as with dangerous running back Kevin Smith (over 1,000 yards from scrimmage last season). The Lions’ new look offensive line was reported to be gaining cohesiveness throughout the preseason and relies on the presence of veterans such as C Dominic Raiola and starting LT Jeff Backus. Rookie TE Brandon Pettigrew was one of the more-highly sought after tight ends in the 2009 NFL Draft and cold provide a sizeable intermediary target for either Detroit QB to get to ball to over the middle of the field.

Defensively the Lions feature many new faces to their 32-ranked defense from a year ago. The two highest additions to the team are former Steelers LB Larry Foote and former Seahawks OLB Julian Peterson. Both are attacking defenders with plenty of experience and possess the ability to make big plays in both the running game and in the passing game and should complement the hard-hitting OLB Ernie Sims, who racked up 113 tackles last season. Former Saint and Falcons massive defensive tackle Grady Jackson will likely be a mainstay on the Lions’ defensive front and running between the tackles always is a challenge against the 6-2, 345-pounder.

In the secondary a player the Saints know well from his days with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, CB Phillip Buchanon, will likely man one corner spot while former Cleveland Brown and Dallas Cowboy Anthony Henry will flank the other position. Henry is the bigger and more physical of the two, while Buchanon has top-end speed. At strong safety, Kalvin Pearson, yet another Tampa Bay Buccaneer, will help the deep patrol and be flanked by hard-hitting rookie Louis Delmas, one of the top safeties available in the draft this past spring.

Long-time kicker Jason Hanson, who missed quite a bit of time during training camp with an injury, appears to be ready to return to action for the opener, while punter Nick Harris had a busy season last year with 90 punts, but proved more than capable as his 43.9 punting average suggests.

Payton summed up his early week press conference by suggesting that the Lions are an entirely different sort of feline than the one the Saints defeated last season. “This is a whole new team that we’re looking at,” Payton said. “It’s a new coaching staff, a new front office and a new roster. It’s a whole new everything.”

Notes: Payton indicated that he has not heard anything new regarding the possible suspensions of defensive ends Will Smith or Charles Grant and that he and the coaching staff are proceeding forward under the assumption that they will be active this week Sunday. “Our focus is on playing them in this game until the league tell us differently,” Payton said. “We have contingency plans in place in the event we are notified otherwise.” … Payton said the scouting staff and coaching staff carefully examined the body of work of practice squad QB Chase Daniel before electing to sign him, but that they like the intangibles that he has and the decision-making skills he displayed during the preseason with the Redskins … Payton did not go into much detail regarding injuries, other than to mention that Pierre Thomas was rested today and that CB Randall Gay was working through a short illness. The Saints’ players are off tomorrow, the normal day off for NFL players, and will return to preparations on Wednesday.

Saints Head Coach Gets Set for Big Blue Invasion

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:53 GMT

New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Opening Statement:

“Let me first go through our injury report for today: Jahri Evans did not practice with a big toe; Leigh Torrence (hamstring) did not practice; Malcolm Jenkins (ankle) did not practice; Rod Harper (foot) did not practice; Pierre Thomas (hamstring) was limited; Will Smith/Kendrick Clancy.aspx">Kendrick Clancy (knee) was full; Darnell Dinkins (foot) was full; Mike Bell (knee) was full; Jermon Bushrod (knee and ankle) was full; Jason Kyle (knee and ankle) was full. Garrett Hartley is back with his suspension being lifted and we waived quarterback Chase Daniel and that leaves us with our correct number count. Mostly today was base for us with some third down.”

How will you handle the kicking situation going forward?

“We’ll see. Obviously we have two kickers and a punter now. We’ll see as the week goes on. John (Carney) has done a good job with location. We’re not announcing anything yet, but we feel good about the combination that we’ve been working with so we’ll see as this week progresses.”

What was Garrett doing during his suspension and what contact were you allowed to have with him?

“None really. I think he traveled some and stayed in shape and worked on his kicking, but that’s really on the player’s own time.”

What entered into your thought process to keep both kickers?

“Just with the way that John was performing, we felt that his consistency and Thomas (Morstead’s) kickoffs have been encouraging.”

With having your running backs all healthy now, will you work out a rotation before the game or kind of ride the hot hand?

“That’s a good question. Mike Bell is back and we want to see the progress of how he’s doing, and how Pierre (Thomas) is doing. Lynell Hamilton has been healthy and doing a good job. It’s unlikely that we’ll take four running backs into the game, yet this is the first week where all of them are healthy.”

Did Pierre Thomas’ hamstring injury come before the bye?

“He’s had it nagging for a little bit, but he got work today and he looked pretty good but we limited the amount of snaps that he had.”

When did Jahri Evans hurt his toe?

“His turf toe was from the Jets game. We’ll see where he’s at tomorrow. We held him out today.”

Is this going to be the best defense that you’ve faced this year?

“They’re certainly right up there. We played a good Jets defense last week and these guys have played real good football. We do a pretty extensive study on the opponent and when you look at all the categories that lend themselves to winning, this is a team that has done most of those things real well. This is a good challenge for us and a real good football team. Not only looking at the film and looking at all the numbers in all phases, they’re very well-coached and very talented.”

Is there any concern in coming off the bye week that the rhythm you had going could be interrupted?

“We haven’t done real well off the bye week so we tried to change the routine up a little bit. That being said, we had good work today and I think our players will be ready.”

What did you feel that you needed to do differently from previous bye weeks?

“Really the routine just changed up a little bit. We got a lot of film work done on ourselves and then we got an advance day on New York. Some of these guys needed to get healed up on some nicks and hopefully we’ve been able to do that. We probably practiced less than in years past.”

Do you see yourself having to possibly tone down Jeremy Shockey as he’s going against his former team?

“I think everyone gets excited to play each weekend. Every weekend with the way the rosters are now, there’s somebody who has been with the other team. Last week it was Jon Vilma with the Jets and the same thing takes place with the opponent. The rosters change so much now that it’s fairly common. It gets back really to the team thing and getting prepared and getting ready to play a good team and eliminating mistakes. That’s really the focal point.”

How can having two big games back to back like this help you out later on in the season?

“I’ve said before that in each week you play, they’re all big. You want to play well each week. The second week of the season after we played Detroit, the Philadelphia game was a big week and then last week against the Jets and hopefully there will be more games like this. I think the interest level is generated with two teams that haven’t lost a game yet, and I said the same thing a few weeks ago as it pertained to the Jets game. For us, it’s our fifth opportunity and that’s really how we’re looking at it.”

Would you consider the Giants one of the standard-bearers in the NFC? Could this game be a measuring stick for your team?

“Having come off a Super Bowl not too long ago, they’re certainly one of the teams and they have been a playoff team and a team that has had a lot of success when you look at their record from the last three or four years. It’s a real good challenge for us.”

What have your impressions been of Eli Manning, both early in his career and now?

“I think with any real good quarterback, there have always been growing pains. I think he’s playing at an extremely high level in the system now. He knows exactly what to do with his protections and what to do with his run checks. He does a great job of really orchestrating the offense. He’s very accurate and he does a great job as well in the two-minute. He’s had a lot of two-minute success. He has certainly established himself through a lot of hard work; you can just look at the numbers. The most important job for the quarterback is to win games and he has been able to do that as their starter.”

Would you say this is the most physical running team you’ve faced?

“They are certainly one of them. They take pride in running the football. It’s an offensive line that has been together for a long time and you can see a lot of cohesiveness in this group. The backs run hard and that’s something that has been part of their success, not only as a team but also offensively.”

How would you assess Shockey’s season so far?

“I the key is his health now. A year ago he had some nagging injuries with the sports hernia and then recovering from the injury he had when he arrived here. His health has been a plus for us and he’s a big part of what we do, not only as a receiver but as someone who blocks for us. Those are all pluses.”

Some fans view the team’s success as a metaphor for the city’s recovery. Is there any added pressure that it might feel like more than just a game you guys are playing out there?

“There has always been a unique relationship between the fan base here and this team. Following Katrina that attachment grew some. In a lot of NFL cities, there’s always a better Monday for people at work after their team wins a big game and certainly that’s the case here. I think our players understand that and they feed off that. Our support at home has been outstanding. The environment that we play in here is significant.”

How do you think Eli Manning will be treated in his first game here in his hometown as a pro quarterback?

“I think there will always be an attachment to the Manning family, starting with Archie’s success and then Peyton and Eli’s success. For a city like New Orleans, when one of their own goes on to have success, I think people take pride in that.”

Did you see anything from past bye weeks that you wanted to do differently this year?

“One difference is that it came after week four. So you have a limited amount and yet still enough to begin to look at yourself tendency-wise. We tried to focus on that and then get a jump-start on this game and then lastly get them away. Having four weeks – when opponents break you down, it’s generally off of three or possibly four games – and we tried to pay attention to those tendencies and find the ones that jumped out at us and then get some advance work done on New York.”

Did you get away at all?

“On the weekend. I just watched a little football and that was really about the extent of it.”

Are you seeing that the Giants are able to bring a lot of pressure with only a four-man rush?

“They do a good job of mixing in the pressure with more than four players and certainly their front is very active and very athletic. They’re a handful and that’s going to be an important part of this game. Both with a four-man rush and then with additional players in their pressure packages, we’ll have to do a good job with our protections and then do a good job with getting the ball out.”

Saints Unleash Fury In Second Half; Comeback from 24-3 hole to win 46-34

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:53 GMT

Miami Gardens, FL – Trailing 24-3 with :05 left in the first half, things looked awfully grim for the undefeated New Orleans Saints. Despite playing in perfect, albeit hot, weather, the Saints looked out of synch.

But a one-yard touchdown dive by Drew Brees gave the Saints life, hope and all sorts of momentum. The Saints scored 37 points in the second half, including two interception returns, one by Darren Sharper early in the fourth quarter and a late interception return by Tracy Porter iced the sixth win of the season for the Saints.

Drew Brees overcame three interceptions and a fumble to lead to the Saints to the largest comeback since 1987 when they also came back from a 24-3 hole. This time Brees and every Saint contributed mightily in the team’s thrilling, and un-probable victory. Brees was just two yards shy of a 300-yard game, but it was the Saints’ defense and rushing attack that saved the day for the Black-and-Gold.

“There were a lot of things that we didn’t do well in the first half,” said Head Coach Sean Payton. “But that’s because Miami did a lot of things and played very well in the first half. We talked at halftime about playing four quarters. I was proud of the way we responded.”

“It was the first chance for us to play from a deficit and I was encouraged with how we responded,” Payton added.

LB Scott Shanle, who had six tackles and a key fumble recovery in the second half, added “I think it’s a testament to the character of this team. We never quit, we just kept fighting and believed we could win the game. Things didn’t look good there but we kep battling. It’s a good win.”

RB Mike Bell was a catalyst in the second half, with 12 carries for 80 yards, while Jeremy Shockey had his biggest day as a Saint with four receptions for 105 yards. Brees added two rushing scores, Reggie Bush one and Marques Colston also had one for the Saints’ offense, while Darren Sharper and Tracy Porter each had one for the defense, and the Saints figured out the wildcat formation and forced Chad Henne into having to try to make plays to win for the Dolphins.

The Saints accepted the opening kickoff and despite starting the drive with a 14-yard completion from Brees to Marques Colston, the Saints’ drive stalled near midfield, in large part due to an illegal procedure infraction on a third down.

Miami started their initial drive with advantageous field position at their own 30. QB Chad Henne came out and connected on a six-yard pass to WR Ted Ginn. Roman Harper came up in run support on second down and met RB Ronnie Brown for no gain. Henne converted his first third down with an eight-yard completion to WR Davone Bess. The pass was ruled a completion directly in front of Saints Head Coach Sean Payton, who immediately challenged the ruling, saying that the football was moving as Bess landed on the field. Referee John Parry said the instant replay system was malfunctioning and thus the play could not be challenged despite replays that were shown in the stadium that clearly showed the football hitting the turf.

Miami employed the Wildcat formation on back-to-back downs and picked up nine yards, and converted a third-and-one on a short yardage run by FB Lousaka Polite. Henne hit RB Ricky Williams for a short completion in the flat before being slung out of bounds by LB Scott Shanle. Second and third down pass attempts were incomplete and the Dolphins were forced to punt.

The Saints started their second possession of the game at their own seven yard-line but were victimized by a false start infraction before they could even get started and then were hit with a delay of game penalty that moved the ball back to the Saints’ two yard-line. A first down pass to TE Dave Thomas didn’t connect and a second down run by FB Pierre Thomas/Heath Evans.aspx">Heath Evans picked up two yards. On a third-and-13 from the four Brees was intercepted by S Tyrone Culver, who returned the football 23 yards to the Saints’ 4.

On the next play, Williams, running out of the Wildcat formation, went over the right side of the Dolphins’ line for the opening score. The score marked the first time that the Saints trailed in 2009, a streak that lasted 307:40 minutes.

Return man Courtney Roby ripped off an 87-yard kickoff return on the ensuing kickoff, very narrowly getting tripped up by a diving Dolphins special teammer. The Saints lost five yards on a screen pass to Evans on first down and Reggie Bush picked up two yards on second down trying the left side of the line. Brees was sacked by a blitzing Yeremiah Bell on third-and-long, which prompted John Carney to hit a 46-yard field goal. The field goal gave Carney 2,000 career points and he became just the fourth-player in NFL history to reach the milestone. The score at the time was 7-3.

Miami widened the lead to 14-3 when Williams took a toss over the left end and found a crease and raced 68 yards for a touchdown, the longest touchdown run of his Dolphins career. The first quarter concluded with the Dolphins in control of the football on the Saints’ 38 and with a first-and-ten. LB Jonathan Vilma raced into the backfield and dropped QB Pat White for a three-yard loss, but Henne came back and found WR Greg Camarillo for a 24-yard completion on second down. Vilma tackled Brown for a three-yard loss on first down, then a host of Saints defenders stopped Brown for another loss on second down and the Saints halted the Dolphins on third down and forced a 32-yard field goal attempt by Dan Carpenter, which he converted to increase Miami’s lead to 17-3 with 11:21 left in the second quarter.

The Saints again were victimized by a turnover when Brees’ third down pass from his own 22 with tipped and intercepted by LB Reggie Torbor at the Saints’ 19. Miami ran three consecutive plays and took a 24-3 lead on an eight-yard touchdown run over the right side of their line by RB Ronnie Brown.

The Saints picked up 15 yards combined by two runs by Pierre Thomas and then Brees found Colston for a gain of 24 yards, taking the ball into Miami territory. Brees, however, was sacked on a second down by DE/LB Jason Taylor, although C Jonathan Goodwin recovered the ball at Miami 41. Carney came on to try a 50-yard field goal but pulled it left and the Dolphins took possession at their own 40 with 5:13 left in the first half. The Saints defense stopped the Dolphins on three downs and forced the Dolphins to punt.

The Saints couldn’t do anything with the ball, once again succumbing to a safety blitz by Yeremiah Bell on third down that forced the Saints to punt. The Saints’ forced their first turnover of the game when Roman Harper stripped Bess of the ball and it was recovered by Scott Shanle at midfield.

Brees hit WR Lance Moore for a seven-yard gain on first down then picked up a first down with a quick out to Reggie Bush on third down. Brees then hit TE Jeremy Shockey on a crossing route for a gain of nine yards to the Miami 25, where they called their last timeout with :35 remaining in the half. On a third-and-six from the 21, Brees hit Colston at the goal line with :05 left for a gain of 20 yards and despite originally being ruled a touchdown by the side judge, instant replay said that the ball was down at half yard line. The Saints’ field goal unit was on the field prepared for the clock to be set and the Dolphins quickly called their final timeout. The Saints then sent their goal-line package into the game and Brees scored his first rushing touchdown since November 25, 2007 at Carolina for just his second rushing score as a member of the Saints. The score at the half was 24-10 in favor of the Dolphins.

Tracy Porter tipped a third down pass from Henne intended for Camillaro and Darren Sharper raced in to grab the ball out of the air and bolted down the sideline for a touchdown (42 yards return). The Dolphins’ coaching staff challenged whether Sharper retained possession of the ball as he crossed the goal-line. After the review the ruling on the field stood for Sharper’s 11th career interception return for a touchdown and the Saints were within seven points, 24-17, with 13:56 left in the third quarter. Sharper’s 42-yard interception was the sixth of the season for Sharper, his 60th career interception and moved him past Deion Sanders on the all-time interception return list.

The Saints, behind Hargrove’s second sack of the day, stopped the Dolphins on a three and out and forced the home team to punt, with the Saints taking over at their own 35. A run by Reggie Bush for three yards began the drive, then two plays later Brees found time to step up in the pocket and hit WR Devery Henderson for a 35-yard completion to the Miami 25. A first down incompletion and a loss of one yard brought up a third-and-11 and Brees appeared to find Colston at the goal-line, but a nifty play was turned in by CB Nathan Jones, who was able to strip the ball from Colston as the receiver was falling to the ground for a touchback and Miami started at their own 20.

The Saints snuffed out the Wildcat when Vilma and Grant stopped Brown on a third down and forced the Dolphins to once again punt. The Saints took over at their own 20 with 8:12 left in the third quarter, trailing 24-17.

Brees was sacked by a host of Dolphins defenders on second down and then was stripped of the ball on a third down scramble in the pocket which the Dolphins recovered at the Saints’ 16. The Saints defense didn’t allow a yard, though, and the Dolphins were forced to convert a 33-yard field goal by Carpenter that gave them a 27-17 lead with 5:59 left in the third quarter.

Mike Bell entered the game for the Saints and ripped off a 35-yard run, then followed it up with a hard-charging tackle breaking five yard run. Henderson took a end around for 13-yard to the Miami 29 and then Thomas picked up six yards behind left guard. Brees found Lance Moore in the flat for a gain of 11 yards to the Miami 12. Thomas then plied the middle of the line for a gain of two yards on first down and a pass to Bush on second down didn’t pick up a yard. On third down Brees rolled to his right and found Colston wide open in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, that brought the Saints to within a field goal, 27-24. The extra point by Carney moved him into sole possession of third place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list (2,003 points).

The Dolphins turned in a big play of their own when Henne found rookie WR Brian Hartline for a 67-yard completion on a quick slant and one play later Ricky Williams scored a touchdown from four-yards out. Following Carpenter’s extra point the Dolphins lead 34-24.

Brees hit Shockey for a 66-yard gain, as Shockey got into the open field and proceeded to stiff-arm a would be tackler down the numbers to the Dolphins 23. On the next play the Saints hit the Dolphins on a double-reverse with Bush taking the ball 10 yards into the end zone and closing the score to within 34-31 in the Dolphins’ favor.

The Saints’ defense stopped the Dolphins on a three-and-out after Bush’s score and forced a Miami punt. The Saints started at their own 40 with 12:52 left in the game, trailing by three points. Bell worked through the left side of the offensive line for a four-yard gain then came right back with a cutback run that picked up seven yards and a first down at the Dolphins’ 49. Brees then used a play-action fake to find Shockey over the middle for a gain of 16 yards and another first down at the Miami 33. Bell was stopped after a gain of two yards and on second down and long Brees found Shockey for a gain of 14 yards, which put Shockey over the 100-yard mark for the afternoon, his first 100-yard game as a Saint. Bell then picked up seven yards and Brees hit Pierre Thomas/Heath Evans.aspx">Heath Evans for a gain of eight yards to the Miami two and a first down. Evans was shaken up on the play and walked to the sideline gingerly. On the next play Brees, without a nose tackle, took the snap and dove into the end zone. Carney’s extra point was errant, as it appeared that Brunell had an issue getting the long snap down. The Saints led 37-34, their first lead of the game, with 8:35 left.

The Saints’ defense once again stopped the Dolphins on a three-and-out, with the Dolphins throwing three incompletions in a row. The home team punted the ball away, which Bush fielded and returned to the Saints’ 34 with 8:01 left in the game.

Bell burst through the middle for a gain of four yards, which LB Joey Porter helped out with by getting docked 15 yards for a personal foul penalty. Following another Bell run, Brees spotted Henderson in single coverage for a gain of 21 yards to the Miami 23. Bell then hammered it over the right side for a gain of six yards. A second down pass just nicked off of Shockey’s fingertips. On third down Brees was pressured and found Bush in the flat, who jitterbugged his way for an 11-yard gain to the six. On the next play Bell returned to action and pounded his way to the two for a four-yard gain. Bell was stacked up on the next play for no gain and the Saints let the clock tick down to 3:31 before calling their first timeout. Brees and Colston couldn’t quite connect on third down and the Saints called upon Carney to boot a 20-yard field goal that widened the Saints’ lead to 40-34 with 3:23 left.

Miami took over at their own 20 and picked up a third down conversion when Henne hit Camillaro for a 14-yard gain. On the next play Camillaro caught a pass and attempted to stop the clock by tossing the ball out of bounds as he was being tackled. He was docked five yards and a loss of down, and on second down Williams dropped a short pass in the flat. On third-and-nine from the 46 Dolphins C Jake Grove was flagged for illegal procedure which brought up a third and 14, which Henne overthrew. On fourth down Randall Gay blitzed Henne, who tossed it up and was intercepted by CB Tracy Porter, who raced down the sideline untouched 54-yards for a touchdown that put the Saints ahead 46-34 with 1:53. The Saints went for two but failed to convert it.

Notes: Saints tight end Darnell Dinkins made his debut this afternoon. Dinkins, a 6-4, 260 pounds, is an eighth-year veteran who was signed by the Saints as an unrestricted free agent this past off-season. Dinkins was injured with a foot injury the first month and a half of the season…RT Jon Stinchcomb needed some assistance in leaving the field in the second quarter but returned on the next series … DT Sedrick Ellis had his ankle rolled over in the second quarter and needed help from the Saints’ medical department in getting off the field. It was determined that Ellis suffered a sprain of his right knee and would not return to action this afternoon…DT Anthony Hargrove recorded his first sack as a Saint in the second quarter, tracking down Chad Henne for a seven-yard loss John Carney moved into a tie for third place on the NFL’s all-time scoring list with 2,002 points on the extra point following Darren Sharper’s interception return for a touchdown in the third quarter…Carney moved in sole possession of third place on the NFL’s record books in the third quarter, passing Blanda… Shockey’s 66-yard reception in the fourth quarter was his longest career reception.

The temperature at kickoff was 89 degrees with scattered clouds.

Inactives for the Saints: QB Chase Daniel, K Garrett Hartley, CB Leigh Torrence, CB Malcolm Jenkins, RB Lynell Hamilton, LB Scott Fujita, C Nick Leckey and DT Will Smith/Kendrick Clancy.aspx">Kendrick Clancy.

The inactive players for the Dolphins: QB Tyler Thigpen, RB Cory Sheets, T Andrew Gardner, DE Lionel Dotson, T Lydon Murtha, TE John Nalbone and LB Quentin Moses.

Saints Add Chase Daniel to Practice Squad

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:53 GMT

New Orleans Saints Executive Vice President/General Manager Mickey Loomis announced Sunday the club has agreed to terms with rookie quarterback Chase Daniel on a practice squad contract.

Daniel, a 6-foot, 225-pound quarterback, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Missouri, signing with the Washington Redskins in April. He played in two preseason games for Washington and completed 14 of 24 passes for 143 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 115.1. The Redskins waived him Saturday in their final preseason cuts.

A three-year starter at Missouri, Daniel led the Tigers to back-to-back Big 12 North Division championships and threw for 12,515 yards and 101 touchdowns. He was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy as a junior in 2007.

Through The Facemask with Drew Brees

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:06:52 GMT

New Orleans Saints Saints QB Drew Brees
Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Q: Can you talk about how you feel about this first game?

A: We’re all excited. It’s been a good and tough camp, very competitive, but that’s what you pay the price for to have the chance to go out there on Sundays during the regular season and play for keeps and play when it counts. This is what we’re waiting for.

Q: Can you discuss how Detroit is a different team than last year?

A: They got very much a makeover on defense, a lot of new personnel; a lot of veteran guys, the two corners are veteran guys, the linebackers. It’s a team that kind of made those changes and they’re playing well together right now. Obviously you play that first game and you have to expect anything and everything. We have a good game plan going in. It should be a good battle.

Q: Will you bring up to the team how the Saints had a big turnaround in 2006 from tough times?

A: Yes, we definitely all understand it. I guess heading into last year’s game obviously these guys had nothing to lose. They were going to be turning it loose and playing loose, but this year, obviously it’s a new season and new expectations for everybody. I feel like they have a new team and much better team than they had last year and I’d say they do. You look at the changes they’ve made. They have a new head coach. You come in and create a new attitude and culture. They seem to be playing with that.

Q: Do you think the fact that you have a veteran team saves you from a letdown?

A: The fact is this is the first game of the season, so everybody’s up, everybody’s hyped. There won’t be any letdown. Obviously the fact that it is the first game, every team is trying to find, somewhat of that identity for themselves and of the season and that sort of thing. Everybody’s in that boat right now.

Q: Do you see ways for you to be more productive this year?

A: The fact is at 8-8 there’s plenty of room for improvement. We need to win more games. Something we’ve talked about all offseason is finishing strong and really knowing the situation, always playing to the situation, because you look at all of our losses last year, whether it’s a point here, a point here, a play here, a play there. One week it might have been short yardage. The other week it might have been two minute offense, the next week it might have been two minute defense, so knowing the situation, understanding what’s at stake, developing a sense of confidence because you’ve put yourself in that situation so many times throughout the offseason in your mind and on the practice field that when you step into that situation again, you know you’re going to make the play that’s going to get us the victory.

Q: How tough is a quarterback’s first regular season start, especially for a rookie?

A: It’s different obviously. It’s something you get pretty jacked up for, kind of living the dream. I think that he’s (Matthew Stafford) a very talented guy or else he wouldn’t have been chosen number one. The story is still to be written about Matthew Stafford, but the fact is that it’s his first regular season start, I’m sure he’s preparing as best as he can.

Q: Since Jim Schwartz and Gregg Williams have worked together do you expect a Lions defense similar to the one you practice against?

A: Yes, maybe so. The thing about the first game is the only thing you have to really look at is preseason film. You might be able to track the coach back to his roots, where he came from, lineage, but you’re not 100 percent sure what he’s been working on in the offseason and preseason, because a lot of times, coaches hold things back. You figure in that first game, you could see just about anything.

Q: Are you sick of Chase Daniel yet?

A: No, Chase has been great. In a lot of ways he kind of reminds me of myself, being the fact that he’s a Texas kid, won a state championship in high school, wasn’t really highly recruited, had to go out of state to Missouri, turned the program around that hadn’t really been all that successful in previous years. They did some great things there and he did some great things, yet still you look at his size and his stature and you say a 5-11 quarterback or whatever he is can’t play in this league, but I think the guy’s talented. Obviously you look at his past history as the starter; everywhere he’s been he’s won. You can talk all you want about physical attributes, but the quarterback position’s played up here and I’ve only know him a couple days, but I think the similarities are there.

Q: What do you remember from your first start and how nervous are you?

A: Nervous, but I remember it like it was yesterday. It was at Cincinnati in 2002 from it being 34-3, obviously I hope that’s not his first start, but yes, just like anytime you do something for the first time, and it’s your first opportunity. Of course you’re going to have the butterflies, but I think the quarterback position, obviously you understand there’s a lot on your shoulders and you just try to go out there.

Q: How nice is it for you have all of your receiving weapons except for Billy Miller finally healthy?

A: It’s big. Plus the fact, (Jeremy) Shockey in particular, we’ve had a lot of time to spend together. Now we’re trying to get Dave Thomas up to speed. It was kind of a similar situation to what Shockey was in a year ago, throwing a bunch at him and seeing what kind of role he can play on offense. Obviously with Lance (Moore) being healthy and around, that’s great to see. I’m expecting big things from him, as well as really all the guys. I think everybody’s kind of slid into a role that they’re all comfortable in, utilizing everybody’s strengths. It allows us to do a lot offensively.

Q: Are you a little worried that Scott Shanle/Jammal Brown.aspx">Jammal Brown and Pierre Thomas might not be available and that Reggie Bush hasn’t played much in the preseason?

A: I’m not worried one bit. I’m really not. We’ll find a way. No matter who’s down or who steps in. No matter who’s down, we’re very confident the guy who steps in can do the job. They’ve been groomed to do that. That’s probably when you find your next stars, when they get that opportunity to get some significant playing time. I think we have so much confidence as an offense. You plug somebody in and you make it work. We’re going to encourage you the whole way, be positive with you and make sure we’re working to your strengths.

Q: Watching offensive film, how would you evaluate how Jermon Bushrod has played?

A: I just told him give me that lookout call if I need to move a little bit. He’s been awesome. I have all the confidence in the world in Bushrod. This is that opportunity for him. This is that defining moment in regards to getting that first opportunity to start in the NFL. I think he’s made great strides from his rookie year until now. He hasn’t really gotten any significant playing time or the chance to start. I’m really confident in what he’s going to be able to do. I think he prepares very well. I think he’s talented, but he works hard and has a great group around him. I think that’s a big thing. What I’ve told him is play your butt off. You’re going to get beat time to time. It’s my job to get rid of it.

Q: If you go back as you prepare for the season opener, do you feel differently than a year ago?

A: I always feel comfortable going into the first game. Last year, I think just the thought that maybe a little bit of anxiety or concern with not having gotten a lot of time with (Jeremy) Shockey. He might get some significant playing time. What are the routes? What are the things we haven’t gotten a whole lot of work on? Really we went into that game just kind of winging it a little bit with him, but catching six balls and playing really well. I thought timing was there, feel was there, all those things. That was the only difference, maybe a few question marks in that regard last year whereas this year, I can’t think of any question marks we have.

Q: Do you feel better about the team as a whole this year?

A: Sure I absolutely feel better about the whole team. I think it’s the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here.

Q: Are you worried that Reggie Bush hasn’t played much in the preseason?

A: I feel like I know what I’m getting, but then again, it is a new year and he’s one year more experienced and all those things. I expect him like any young player to get a little bit better every year. I think without putting too much pressure on him or anything else, I’m never going to do that to a guy. I know where his mindset has been at this offseason in regards to his preparation and everything else. I think he’ll improve one game to the next and one season to the next.

Q: Do you look at last year’s film of Detroit after all the changes to their coaching staff and roster?

A: No. Personnel are so different. If personnel was similar you’d want to say you’d want to see how their guys played our guys, but you can’t even do that. Philip Buchanon is a guy we played against in Tampa and Anthony Henry from Dallas, so we’re familiar with those guys from playing on different teams with different defenses. Obviously everybody teaches everything different. The linebacker corps, getting (Larry) Foote from Pittsburgh and Julian Peterson from Seattle. They’ve gone out and gotten some guys. No, really you try to look at everything but understand that you could get anything. You’re looking at the type of defense you’re playing; you’re looking at the personnel. You’re looking at all those things. You have to expect the unexpected.

Q: Did Buchanon have an interception against you?

A: He has two. I remember that. He had two. One in each hand.

Q: How do you try to get a feel for a Jim Schwartz defense?

A: It’s a little bit of everything. I’ll continue to try to say you expect a little bit of anything and everything. You expect the unexpected. First game, you know they’re holding stuff back. Every team does from the preseason stuff, so you watch the preseason games. You watch maybe games on the d coordinator. You watch games on the defensive head coach like it is. You watch maybe a little of last year’s game. The fact is, it could be anything.

Q: Did you go back and look at Schwartz’s Tennessee film?

A: I can tell you we are looking at everything.

Q: Are you talking to Gregg Williams about him?

A: I’m talking to everybody that knows the guy and might know tendencies.

Brees Leads NFL in Pro Bowl Fan Balloting

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:30:25 GMT

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS QB DREW BREES LEADS PRO BOWL CHARGE WITH FIVE WEEKS OF VOTING REMAINING ON NFL.COM
Teams to be Announced on Pro Bowl Selection Show December 29 on NFL Network

New Orleans Saints quarterback DREW BREES, with 539,228 votes, leads all NFL All-Stars in balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl, NFL.com announced today. 2010 Pro Bowl voting will continue on NFL.com/probowl and on web-enabled mobile phones by going to NFL.com through Monday, December 21.

Indianapolis Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING (532,455 votes) ranks second overall, while Minnesota Vikings running back ADRIAN PETERSON (529,319 votes), Minnesota Vikings quarterback BRETT FAVRE (476,799 votes) and Arizona Cardinals wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD (328,451 votes) round out the top five on NFL.com.

Balloting for the 2010 Pro Bowl will conclude on Monday, December 21 following the conclusion of Monday Night Football (Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, ESPN, 8:30 PM ET). The teams will be announced at 4 PM (ET) Tuesday, December 29 on a special NFL Total Access 2010 Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.

The 2010 Pro Bowl will be played on Sunday, January 31, 2010 and televised live on ESPN at 7:30 PM ET from Dolphin Stadium in South Florida, also the site of Super Bowl XLIV a week later on Sunday, February 7.

Fans can buy tickets to the 2010 Pro Bowl at www.NFL.com/probowl and www.TICKETMASTER.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

The AFC and NFC All-Star squads are based on the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group’s vote counts one-third towards determining the 43-man rosters that represent the American Football Conference and National Football Conference in the Pro Bowl. NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on December 22 - 23.

The NFL is the only sports league that combines voting by fans, coaches and players to determine its all-star teams. It was the first professional sports league to offer online all-star voting in 1995.

Listed below are the top 10 overall All-Star vote-getters and the players with the most votes at each position through November 16:

NFL ALL-STAR TOP-TEN VOTE-GETTERS

QB Drew Brees, Saints, 539,228
QB Peyton Manning, Colts, 532,455
RB Adrian Peterson, Vikings, 529,319
QB Brett Favre, Vikings, 476,799
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, 328,451
RB Cedric Benson, Bengals, 321,552
QB Tom Brady, Patriots, 295,477
QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers, 291,466
WR Andre Johnson, Texans, 279,395
TE Dallas Clark, Colts, 274,400

NFC LEADING VOTE-GETTERS BY POSITION

QB Drew Brees, Saints, 539,228
DE Jared Allen, Vikings, 212,605
RBAdrian Peterson, Vikings, 529,319
DL Pat Williams, Vikings, 135,669
FB Naufahu Tahi, Vikings, 63,872
OLB DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys, 169,270
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals, 328,451
ILB Patrick Willis, 49ers, 115,350
TE Tony Gonzalez, Falcons, 183,979
CB, Asante Samuel, Eagles, 123,107
T Bryant McKinnie, Vikings, 137,844
SS Adrian Wilson, Cardinals, 120,372
G Steve Hutchinson, Vikings, 145,279
FS Darren Sharper, Saints, 184,993
C John Sullivan, Vikings, 127,695
P Jeff Feagles, Giants, 52,952
K Ryan Longwell, Vikings, 68,197
ST Percy Harvin, Vikings, 143,880

Saints vs. Panthers Capsule

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:44 GMT

CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-4) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-0)
SERIES NOTES

SERIES LEADER: The Carolina Panthers lead the all-time series between the two franchises, 16-12. The two teams have never met in postseason play.
STREAKS: The Carolina Panthers have won six-of-the-past seven games between the two franchises.
COACHES VS. OPP.: Carolina Panthers Head Coach John Fox owns a 10-4 record as a head coach against the Saints. New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton owns a 1-5 record against the Panthers.
LAST WEEK: The New Orleans Saints defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 35-27, at the Louisiana Superdome on Monday Night Football. The Carolina Panthers, meanwhile, traveled west to Glen dale, Arizona and defeated the Cardinals, 34-21.
LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/28/08: Panthers 33 at Saints 31. Carolina K John Kasay kicks game-winning 42-yard FG with 1 second left to give Panthers most wins in franchise history (12).
BROADCAST: FOX (3:05 PM CT): Thom Brennaman, Brian Billick. Westwood One Radio: Howard David, Dan Reeves. SIRIUS: 91 (Car.), 121 (NO). XM: 107 (NO). The game can heard regionally on the Saints Radio Network (WWL 870 AM and 105.3 FM locally) with Jim Henderson handling play-by-play, Hokie Gajan serving as color analyst and Kristian Garic reporting from the Saints sidelines. A Spanish language broadcast can be heard on WFNO 830 AM with Emilio Peralta handling play-by-play and Marco Garcia serving as color analyst.

KEY STATISTICS
PASSING

New Orleans: Drew Brees: 157-230-2,006 (1C)-16 (T1L)-6-107.6 (3L)
Carolina: Jake Delhomme: 113-191-1,262-5-13-59.3

RUSHING

New Orleans: Pierre Thomas: 70-405-5.8-4
Carolina: DeAngelo Williams: 128-619 (3C)-4.8-5 (T3C)

RECEIVING

New Orleans: Marques Colston: 36-551-15.3-6 (T2L)
Carolina: Steve Smith: 30-414-13.8-1

OFFENSE

New Orleans: 428.7 yards per game (1L)
Carolina: 318.6 yards per game

TAKE/GIVE

New Orleans: +7 (3rd in NFC)
Carolina: -8

DEFENSE

New Orleans: 326.0 yards per game
Carolina: 288.1 yards per game

SACKS

New Orleans: DE Will Smith: 4.5
Carolina: Julius Peppers: 7 (2nd in NFC)

INTs

New Orleans: Darren Sharper: 7 (tied for 1st in NFL)
Carolina: 3 players tied: 2

PUNTING

New Orleans: Thomas Morstead (rookie): 44.2
Carolina: Jason Baker: 46.8

KICKING

New Orleans: John Carney: 57 (33/35 PAT; 8/11 FG)
Carolina: John Kasay: 32 (14/14 PAT; 6/9 FG)

NOTES
SAINTS: Average 39 points per game, most in NFL. Have scored 273 points in 1st 7 games, 4th best in NFL history…QB DREW BREES passed for 386 yards & 4 TDs in last meeting. Since joining NO in 2006, leads NFL with 15,916 pass yards. Has 2+ TD passes in 10 of past 11 vs. division (25 TDs). Has 2,083 yards (347.2 per game), 21 TDs, 4 INTs & 126 rating in past 6 vs. NFC…RB-PR REGGIE BUSH has 28 TDs (16 rush, 8 rec, 4 PR) & is only Saint to score via rush, rec. & PR. Aims for 4th in row with TD. RB PIERRE THOMAS had rush & rec. TD last week. Has 534 scrimmage yards (106.8 per game) & 7 TDs (5 rush, 2 rec.) in past 5 at home…WR MARQUES COLSTON has 10 TDs in past 10 & aims for 4th in row with TD. Has 14 catches for 216 yards (108 per game) in past 2 starts vs. Car. TE JEREMY SHOCKEY has 452 receptions since 2002, 3rd most in NFL among TEs. WR LANCE MOORE had 8 catches for 91 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting…S DARREN SHARPER leads NFL with 317 INT yards & 3 INT-TDs. CB JABARI GREER had 48-yard INT-TD last week. DE WILL SMITH had 2 sacks vs. Atl.

PANTHERS: QB JAKE DELHOMME is 8-2 vs. NO. Aims for 5th in row vs. NO with 100+ rating. Has 120.3 rating in past 4 meetings. In career as starter (incl. playoffs), when Delhomme has 110+ rating, team is 17-1 (.944)…RB DE ANGELO WILLIAMS rushed for 178 yards in last meeting. Has rushed for 696 yards (139.2 per game) & 6 TDs in past 5 vs. division. Has rushed for 591 yards (118.2 per game) & 8 TDs in past 5 in Nov. Has 23 rush TDs in past 19. Team is 10-0 when he rushes for 110+ yards. RB JONATHAN STEWART aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with TD run. Has 4 TDs in past 4 vs. division & averages 6.0 yards per carry. Rushed for 2 TDs last week…WR STEVE SMITH has 11 catches for 256 yards (128 per game) & TD in past 2 meetings. Since 2005, averages 84.3 rec. yards per game, 2nd most in NFL (min. 50 games). Has 100+ yards in 6 of past 7 vs. NFC South…DE JULIUS PEPPERS had 13-yard INT-TD, sack & FF last week. Has 21.5 sacks in past 21, incl. 6 in past 4. Aims for 3rd in row vs. NO with sack. Rookie S SHERROD MARTIN had 1st 2 INTs of career last week.

Saints & Panthers Injury Report

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:44 GMT

New Orleans Saints

Did Not Participate In Practice
LB Scott Fujita (Calf), DT Sedrick Ellis (Knee), DT Lance Moore (Ankle), DT Will Smith/Kendrick Clancy.aspx">Kendrick Clancy (Knee)

Full Participation in Practice
C Jonathan Goodwin (Knee), CB Malcolm Jenkins (Ankle), LB Marvin Mitchell (Foot)

Carolina Panthers

Did Not Participate in Practice
FB Tony Fiammetta (Concussion), S Charles Godfrey (Ankle), FB Brad Hoover (Ankle), WR Mushin Muhammad (Knee), TE Dante Rosario (Knee), K John Kasay (left Groin)

Full Participation in Practice
QB Jake Delhomme (Chest), LB Landon Johnson (Shoulder), RB Jonathan Stewart (Achilles)

Saints and Panthers Tickets Third Most in Demand In NFL Week 9

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:44 GMT

NFL TICKET EXCHANGE BY TICKETMASTER RANKS CAROLINA PANTHERS VS. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS #3 MOST IN-DEMAND MATCHUP ON WEEK 9 “NFL TICKET EXCHANGE BUZZ INDEX”

The NFL Ticket Exchange Is the Official Ticket Exchange of the NFL & the Only Resale Marketplace Backed by Ticketmaster’s Barcode Authentication Technology for Guaranteed Game Day Tickets

The undefeated New Orleans Saints (7-0) continued their winning ways against an upstart Atlanta team on Monday night, and will host the resurgent Carolina Panthers, who are fresh off of a defensive masterpiece that deflated the high-flying passing game of the Arizona Cardinals.

The Panthers/Saints matchup ranks #3 on the “NFL Ticket Exchange Buzz Index” for Week 9 according to the NFL Ticket Exchange by Ticketmaster.

In an important NFC South matchup, the Saints will look to hold onto an invincible record with a team that can win on the ground, in the air, or with its playmaking defense. The Panthers could continue a surge into playoff contention with a win, potentially moving their record to .500 and continuing a dramatic turnaround from their 0-3 start to the season.

WEEK 9 – TOP 5 MOST POPULAR NFL MATCHUPS BY DEMAND
*According to the “NFL Ticket Exchange Buzz Index”

1. Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos
2. San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants
3. Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
4. Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears
5. Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

Fans can access the NFL Ticket Exchange at NFL.com/ticketexchange or through direct links from NFL.com or Ticketmaster.com. Fans benefit from using the only NFL ticket resale marketplace with the exclusive ability to offer ticket barcode validation for most tickets, interactive seating maps allowing fans the ability to search for tickets by location, price, and number of tickets, and secure and anonymous transactions.
*The NFL Ticket Exchange “Buzz Index” utilizes a proprietary algorithm incorporating site traffic, ticket demand, sales volume and ticket revenue to calculate each game’s popularity for the week.

Fans can reach dedicated customer service for the NFL Ticket Exchange by phone at 1-888-635-5944 and email at nflticketexchange@ticketmaster.com.

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The Road to Redemption

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:44 GMT

The journey has been a long and winding one for Saints defensive tackle Anthony Hargrove. A journey that has been sidetracked many times by demons that have grabbed him and reeked havoc on him throughout his lifetime.

Hargrove, just 26, seems to have lived a lot longer than that.

Yet he makes no secret of the pitfalls, because they serve as a testament to his climb out of darkness and into the light.

Hargrove’s story, truth be told, is about a one-time athlete who was so phenomenal on the football field that he was once ranked as one of the nation’s top-ranked dual-threat quarterbacks in the football-rich southwestern portion of Florida to suddenly a baggage handler and plane parker on the concrete tarmac of Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport.

Hargrove, the son of a mother who passed away when he was nine years old due to Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), had lost both parents before ten, as just four years earlier he and his siblings had lost their father. It turned Hargrove and his siblings into wards of the State of New York. At times Hargrove was homeless, separated from his brothers and sisters, and then divided up into foster homes. That was until one day when his aunt came and collected them from Brooklyn and offered them a safe home and family environment in southwest Florida.

Somehow, through it all, Hargrove mustered the intestinal fortitude to become a celebrated high school quarterback and a highly sought after recruit. He elected to attend Georgia Tech in Atlanta and converted to defensive end, and despite enjoying great success on the field for two seasons, was kicked out of school after failing grades doomed his once promising football career.

“I just kind of didn’t know what I was going to do,” Hargrove said of the time he was kicked out of school. “I got kicked out of school. I knew I wanted to get to the NFL, but in all honesty, that door was pretty much closed at that point in time.”

But a man named Phil Williams entered into Hargrove’s life and served as a mentor and an adviser to the youngster that he had seen firsthand demolish opposing offenses. Williams’ advice to Hargrove was simple, “Stay out of trouble, get a job and work hard at it.”

“A lot of NFL people disagree with that,” Williams said. “I said, ‘You need to get a job. And if you have free time, then you need to be working out and training.’ It was my belief that holding down a job shows people that you have discipline and maturity.”

Thus it was off the airport for Hargrove. He duties included parking planes, unloading bags and taking tickets. All the inglorious work that goes on underneath planes that shuttle in and out of one of the busiest airports in the world was the center of Hargrove’s universe.

Williams’ wisdom somehow paid off for Hargrove, who despite not being in school and was nearly a year away from the football field, somehow was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, the Saints’ opponent this week, with their third-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

Thus, on his 21st birthday, Hargrove landed a contract in excess of a million dollars and suddenly was on the cusp of realizing his childhood dreams, despite taking what indeed would be considered the road less traveled.

Life was good for Hargrove. That is, until one week into his rookie training camp and a hurricane named Charley swept over his hometown, which displaced his family and in Hargrove’s words, “uprooted my life, again.”

“My home was destroyed,” he said. “I came back there trying to find the place I lived and I couldn’t find it,” he said of his house. “We were trying to find hotel rooms in Sarasota and Venice, rooms anywhere, and they were telling my aunt that they weren’t giving out rooms anymore.”

Eventually someone recognized the one-time local prep star and finagled enough rooms to house his entire family. After making sure his family was safe and taken care of, he decided to bring them all to St. Louis, where they stayed with him.

“There was nothing better because I was with my family,” he said. “Things were stable. We were cooking dinner and hanging out and spending time together. It was a dream come true through adversity.”

Things were going well for Hargrove on the field, as well. He played in 15 games as a rookie, making 36 stops and also played in the Rams’ playoff game that season.

Hargrove then bought a house in Orlando for his aunt and uncle, and in the process, watched as his extended family that he had come to rely upon so heavily return to Florida. His life as an empty-nester soon started to unravel.

“I consider myself a family person. I love my brothers and sisters,” he said. “I wanted them there with me. But when they were gone, I started to go out and make friends and made friends with people that I shouldn’t have been hanging out with.”

Yet even as his life was picking up steam on the field, so too was it brewing storm headed into the wrong direction off of the field, Hargrove kept his act together on the football field and in 2005 made 16 starts, racked up six-and-a-half sacks and 82 tackles. But things were getting blurry for Hargrove, days and nights blended together and trouble was once again beginning to set into his life. The good times on the field equated to boozy nights and benders and without the ability to make sound decisions that a player in the NFL needs to make in order to have a successful career.

Hargrove and his riches brought him plenty of new friends who gladly partook of his generosity of propensity for picking up hefty bar tabs. The Rams were aware of the troubled life Hargrove was leading and one morning after four games in 2006 and informed him they had traded him to the Buffalo Bills.

Hargrove viewed the trade as a fresh start, but took his considerable baggage with him to upstate New York. “I thought new people, places and things would benefit me, but all along I was bringing myself and my problems,” he said. “It was just a matter of time before I feel into the same crap.”

He failed a drug test and paid the consequences with a suspension. Upon his return he ended up in a well-publicized incident outside of an upstate bar and was arrested. Once again the NFL suspended him after another failed drug test. He failed to show up for his court-ordered community service and as a result, on January 24, 2008, the NFL banned Hargrove for a year.

The one-time pass rush specialist found himself right back to where he was years earlier at Georgia Tech, without the game he loved playing when he was straight and not under the influence of binge drinking and recreational drugs.

Hargrove left Buffalo and shamefully returned to southwest Florida. Staying at a friend’s house he somehow found himself staring at himself in front of a mirror and looked himself in the eye and asked, ‘What the hell are you doing?’

His fall from grace, the suspensions and the arrest hadn’t deterred him from his self-destructive ways. But apparently rock bottom, in his words, was where he needed to end up before he could begin his redemptive climb out of the hole he had dug himself.

“I had to admit to myself that I had a serious problem,” Hargrove said. “I went back to Port Charlotte (Fla.) and told myself I was going to get my act together.”

A stay in a rehabilitation center was an obvious choice for Hargrove, a mandatory step if he had any aspirations of getting back to the place he wanted to be. “Life doesn’t stop because you quit something,” he said. “Everything in my life needed to change. People, the places I went, and the decisions I made. I had to change as a person. I learned you can’t say one thing while living another way. I stopped lying to myself. I had to match up my talk with my walk.”

The first step for Hargrove after he exited professional counseling was mending and forging relationships with his son and daughter.

“I had to fix some relationships, especially with the mothers of my children,” he said. “I had to confront other issues with my family. Just getting a lot of stuff off my chest. I admitted to a lot of things. Faced everything I did. And when I did that, I found out it wasn’t that bad at all and maybe I wasn’t the bad person that I thought I was. I realized there was hope.”

Hargrove admits through the rehabilitation process that he was drawn to a strong belief in religion and entered into a relationship with God. “I had to give myself to something greater than myself. I had to let go of ego and acknowledge that I am not Superman. I’m human. I’m flesh.”

During his year away from the NFL, Hargrove slowly and meticulously started to pick up the pieces of his broken life. Even though the calendar year on his suspension had ended and his could re-apply for reinstatement, Hargrove knew he wasn’t ready yet to make the move.

“I needed more time,” he said. “I needed more time to make sure I was straightened out.”

When the time came, Hargrove ventured to New York City to meet with the NFL, and for the first time in his life when he was called to the carpet, he came clean. “I felt I didn’t have to go in there and prove anything, so I was completely honest. I told them to whole truth of where I was, what I had done, and outlined to them where I was going and how I was doing it.”

On Valentine’s Day Hargrove was reinstated by the NFL. “It was just another check off of the goal sheet,” he said. “I know I can’t go to clubs and do things a lot of guys can do, and that’s fine. I don’t want to do anything to embarrass my family anymore.”

Although he was reinstated, Hargrove did not have a team to report to, as the Bills had long ago quietly parted ways with him.

Williams, the agent who had stuck by Hargrove through all the tribulations, came up with the idea of making a video to send to the NFL teams. “The main thing I wanted the video to do was to say, ‘Look at this guy,’ Williams said. “This was not some name or number. This is a real person. You can see him. The video showed that Tony is a well-thought, real person.”

Thus letters and video were sent out to all 32 NFL teams, and in Hargrove’s words, “the silence was deafening.”

“People obviously were really scared to give someone like me a second chance because of relapse,” Hargrove admitted.

Finally, the phone rang. It was the Saints.

“This is the last city you’d think I’d want to go to,” Hargrove said. “It’s a party city and people like to have a good time. But, you know what? I don’t have to drink or need to drink. I know that. I can live with that. In fact”

Bill Johnson, the Saints’ energetic and demanding defensive line coach, was aware of Hargrove from his time in Atlanta. Johnson had been the defensive line coach for the Falcons when Hargrove was playing at Georgia Tech and had been impressed with the athleticism Hargrove displayed.

“The thing that impressed me most when we talked to him, knowing all the problems… it wasn’t that he said, ‘I’m going to do better.’ He had a plan of how he was going to live his life. He’s got a routine and he’s worked hard to change his life,” Johnson said.

“Bless his heart, I’m so proud of him it’s unbelievable,” Johnson continued.

Saints Head Coach Sean Payton has also been a strong figure in Hargrove’s continued development and an advocate that Hargrove can talk to when he has questions or something is bothering him. And in return, Payton and the coaching staff reap the benefits of Hargrove’s athleticism on the field. “He’s doing well,” Payton said. “He takes things day-to-day off the field, which he has to do, and he has a support system around him. On the field he’s in very good shape, he’s an active and disruptive player and a pain in the neck to block.”

On Sunday Hargrove turned in one of the biggest plays of his career. Late in the game and with the Saints clinging to a 23-20 lead and with Carolina in possession of the ball at the Saints’ two yard-line, Hargrove fought off a block, grabbed RB DeAngelo Williams and ripped the football free and jumped up and ran into the end zone for a one-yard touchdown. “This is crazy. Honest to God,” Hargrove said after the game. “Just making a play like this once a week, it’s a blessing. It’s crazy. I come out here and O just try to play. For me, it’s a blessing. I don’t think I’ve played this well, this consistent.”

Since filling in for injured starter Sedrick Ellis as a starter after Ellis was injured at Miami two weeks ago, Hargrove has responded with three sacks and two fumble recoveries and been a hustling and energetic figure along the interior of the defensive line.

Off the field Hargrove is pleased with the way things are developed. “I am writing a new chapter in my life. I’m happy. I wake up each morning and feel blessed. I know the other side. This is much, much better and I am a much better person now.”

Drew Brees is Special Guest of 1st Grader Tahlia Hinrichs at St. Francis Xavier School

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:44 GMT

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees was the special guest of Tahlia Hinrichs this morning. Brees, to the surprise of Hinrichs, arrived at the first-graders’ home before the start of the school and met her family and then escorted her to school, Saint Francis Xavier School in Metairie, in a limousine.

The stunned Hinrich was selected in a blind draw as part of the NFL’s Take A Player to School sweepstakes sponsored by J.C. Penney. Brees, the national spokesman for the program, arrived at her school and after a visit to the principal’s office, spoke to the student body in an assembly about the importance of good health. Brees also led the children in fitness activities as part of the NFL’s PLAY 60 campaign, which is a program designed to encourage children to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

The NFL Take a Player to School sweepstakes selected one winner in each of the 32 NFL markets and two non-NFL markets. The NFL and JCPenney will make a donation to each winning school to support their in-school and afterschool physical fitness programs. Each school also will receive an equipment donation from Wilson, the official football of the NFL.

The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is a charitable organization committed to providing children in need with access to life-enriching afterschool programs that inspire children to be smart, strong and socially responsible. Since 1999, JCPenney and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund have contributed more than $80 million to support afterschool programs nationwide. In 2008, the Afterschool Fund’s grants provided more than 23,000 children with access to life-enriching afterschool programs.

For more information on NFL PLAY 60 visit www.NFLrush.com/health

Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise Lauds Saints Before Congressional Hearing

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:44 GMT

Below are portions of entire statements from Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise before the Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection Committee on Energy and Commerce

November 3, 2009

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Sports are part of our culture and part of the very social fabric of our nation. Unfortunately, we have recently seen how performance enhancing drugs can cast a cloud over athletes and jeopardize the integrity of sports.

Professional athletes in particular bear a special responsibility. Whether they like it or not, professional athletes are role models. They have a great deal of influence over young people and have the ability to provide a positive impact upon their local communities. We have seen this first hand in Southeast Louisiana. We have seen the influence a league, a team, and its players can have.

The NFL has been committed to helping New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region since Hurricane Katrina. By the end of 2005, the league had raised well over $20 million. Commissioner Goodell, on behalf of my constituents and those that have been helped by the NFL in our region, thank you for your hard work and for the NFL’s strong commitment to our recovery.

I also want to thank you for selecting New Orleans as the host of the Super Bowl in 2013. This will be the 10th Super Bowl we’ve hosted, and is yet another bright sign that New Orleans is still a world-class city that can host major events. And it is another milestone in our recovery.

The Saints organization must also be commended for the support they have shown to the city and state they call home. Following Hurricane Katrina, the Saints set up a relief fund that provided much needed resources to charities around our region. They also made a commitment to return to New Orleans after not being able to play a single game in the city during the 2005 season.

In 2006 at their first game back in New Orleans, the Saints showed what a team can do for a city and for its fans. The atmosphere that September night in the Superdome was electric as the Saints started their most successful season in franchise history, at least until now, with a resounding victory over the Atlanta Falcons.

More importantly, the Saints gave the people of Louisiana hope that their way of life was slowly returning to normal. They galvanized our region and provided a much needed boost and distraction from the difficult recovery process. I am proud to have the Saints headquartered in my district.

The spirit and generosity of the New Orleans Saints start at the top with its owner, Tom Benson, and his wife, Gayle, and Tom’s granddaughter, Rita Benson LeBlanc, who is also Owner and Executive Vice President. They have dedicated countless hours and resources to helping the people of our region. In 2008, the Volunteers of America recognized Tom Benson as the recipient of its annual Good Samaritan Award in Philanthropy in recognition of his “incomparable efforts to rebuild the region following Hurricane Katrina.”

And we have seen the same generosity from the Saints’ players. Drew Brees has become actively engaged in the community along with his wife, Brittany, through their Brees Dream Foundation, which is dedicated to helping advance cancer research, and providing care, education, and opportunities for children in need. Since its founding, the Brees Drew Foundation has raised and/or committed over $4.5 million to help advance cancer research and help rebuild schools, parks, playgrounds and athletic fields in New Orleans and other communities.

Drew has participated in USO tours to the Persian Gulf, Japan, and Guantanamo Bay, and he also serves on the Board of Directors of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. In recognition of his efforts off the field, Drew was named the 2006 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. Drew is a true humanitarian, and we are proud to have him as a member of the New Orleans community.

There are other proud examples of the positive impact NFL athletes can have on our local community. Reggie Bush rebuilt Tad Gormley Stadium’s field, which hosts many high school football games in New Orleans. And we all know the positive impact the entire Manning family has had for decades inspiring the youth of our region.

Mr. Chairman, Southeast Louisiana is a prime example of the influence professional sports can have on a community and region, especially during one of its most difficult periods. The efforts of the NFL, the Saints, and its players are a testament to the integrity of sports…an integrity that should be protected so it does not become jeopardized by the dangers of performance enhancing drugs."

Saints vs Falcons Game Notes

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:43 GMT

Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints ● Monday, November 02, 2009

* The Saints have matched the best start in its history and are undefeated after seven games for the second time in the 43-year history of the franchise. The 1991 team also started 7-0. The Saints and the Indianapolis Colts are the only two undefeated teams remaining in the NFL in 2009.
* This marks the fourth seven-game win streak in club history. The club won seven straight from Sept. 11-October 23, 1988 and had nine game win streaks from November 1-December 27, 1987 and from December 23, 1990-October 20, 1991.
* Tonight was the 33rd all-time meeting between the teams in the Superdome. The Saints hold a 17-16 edge in those meetings.
* The Saints won their fourth straight home game over the Falcons, the first such streak in the series since 1974-77.
* The Saints are now 10-17 all-time on Monday night football. Under Payton they are 4-2 on Monday evenings with their second consecutive win.
* New Orleans’ 273 point total is the fourth-highest total in NFL history through a team’s first seven games.
* QB Drew Brees completed 25 of 33 passes for 308 yards with two touchdown passes and one interception for a 111.7 rating. Brees now has attempted 2,071 passes as a Saint, surpassing Bobby Hebert for third place on the club’s all-time list.
* Brees passed Pro Football Hall of Famer and Louisiana native Terry Bradshaw and Ron Jaworski, who served as color analyst for ESPN this evening, on the NFL’s career passing yards list into 42nd place all-time.
* Brees entered the game tied with teammate Mark Brunell for career touchdown passes with 182, 41st all-time in NFL record books. With two scoring throws, he now has 184 all-time and has moved into sole possession of 40th place.
* TE Jeremy Shockey caught a pass for the 102th consecutive game, the second-longest active streak among tight ends in the NFL behind Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez (139). Shockey had five receptions for 72 yards. Shockey now has 5,087 career receiving yards. He surpassed Jimmie Giles to move into 25th place all-time among NFL tight ends.
* WR Marques Colston had a game-high six receptions for 85 yards with one touchdown. His second quarter touchdown reception was the 30th of his four-year career. He is now tied with RB Wayne Wilson for seventh place on the club’s all-time list for touchdowns. Colston now has 251 receptions in his career as he surpassed RB Dalton Hilliard for seventh place on the club’s all-time list. He’s tied for second in the NFL with six touchdown receptions on the season.
* DE Will Smith had four tackles and a career-high tying two sacks. With his quarterback takedowns, he now has 41 for his career and moved past Bruce Clark into 11th place on the club’s all-time list. It was the fifth time in his career that he had two sacks in a game to match his career-high.
* RB Pierre Thomas had 14 carries for 91 yards with one touchdown to lead the Saints in rushing. His 15-yard scamper for a score in the first quarter was his fourth of the season and he is tied with Reggie Bush for the team lead in rushing scores. Thomas also had two receptions for nine yards, including a fourth quarter one-yard touchdown reception. It was the sixth multiple touchdown game of Thomas’ three-year career.
* RB Reggie Bush’s second quarter one-yard touchdown rush was his fourth of the season, to tie him for the team lead with Thomas. The touchdown was the 28th of Bush’s career, putting him in a tie with Henry Childs for tenth on the club’s all-time list. It was the 16th rushing touchdown of his career, putting him in a tie for ninth on the club’s all-time list with Wilson and Ricky Williams.
* CB Jabari Greer’s second quarter 48-yard interception return for a touchdown was the club’s fifth return for a touchdown on the season, tying the club record set in 1998. Following CB Tracy Porter’s fourth quarter 18-yard interception return, the Saints now have set a club record with 489 interception return yards on 16 picks, surpassing the prior club mark of 482 set on 29 picks in 1991.
* S Darren Sharper had his seventh interception of the season to tie for the NFL lead. It is the 61st career interception for Sharper, who ranks ninth in NFL history and first among active players in picks.
* The Saints defense allowed Atlanta to successfully convert only 3-of-11 (27%) third down attempts. Opponents came into the game converting only 31% of third down attempts against the Saints’ defense.
* Conversely, the Saints offense converted 7 of 12 third downs, including all four attempts in the first half. The Saints entered the game converting 44% of third down attempts this season.

Saints Try New Technology Created by Makkar Advantage

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:43 GMT

During Monday Night Football’s telecast of the Saints’ thrilling 35-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the Louisiana Superdome, color analyst and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders Head Coach Jon Gruden talked about a new mouth piece that many Saints players are using this season.

The revolutionary product is called: Pure Power Makkar. It is designed to be more than just a mouth guard and strives to increase balance, strength, flexibility, range of motion and endurance.

Numerous Saints players are wearing the mouth piece, which were specially fitted for each individual player during consultations at the Saints’ practice facility.

How does it work?

The Science is based on the position of the lower jaw, when the lower jaw is in the right position it aligns the neck with the spine. When the body is in a perfect erect position, you experience the above noted benefits. Unfortunately, 95% of the population is not in proper alignment.

The proper alignment of the lower jaw, is defined, via a “tens” machine. This machine relaxes the major muscle groups of the face, and thereby putting the jaw in a relaxed state. Once the right position of the jaw is found, it is captured with a bite registration material. This bite is then sent to a lab and incorporated into a re-positioning device (mouthpiece).

This special “bite” is the foundation of an athlete unlocking their true potential. Once the athlete bites into the PPM, the muscles in their face become completely relaxed, which allows them to use more of their upper and lower body strength.

Instant balance is achieved, because the lower jaw has come down and forward, thus allowing the neck to align it with the spine.

You can learn more at www.makkaradvantage.com

Saints Owner Tom Benson Takes Part in Time Honored New Orleans Tradition

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:43 GMT

The Roosevelt New Orleans, a Waldorf Astoria brand hotel, which recently re-opened after a major face-lift and extensive renovations, was the site of a ceremony this afternoon that bestowed the honor of "winding The Roosevelt's historic French lobby clock" to Saints Owner Mr. Tom Benson.

The honor is traditionally bestowed upon a local celebrity or key member of the community, and Mr. and Mrs. Benson were on hand this afternoon at The Roosevelt New Orleans for the winding of the towering, historic French clock in the lobby of the hotel. This week, to celebrate the Saints’ Monday night win over the Atlanta Falcons, Mr. & Mrs. Tom Benson acted as the celebrity winders. Just as the “closing bell” on the New York Stock Exchange ends the day’s trading, this recurring event signals that it’s time to “unwind” from the week’s chores in the nearby Sazerac Bar.

Every Waldorf Astoria brand property around the world features a clock with significant historical and artistic merit. This work of art, now part of The Roosevelt New Orleans, proudly welcomes guests, visitors and the community to one of the world’s great travel destinations – and to this revered property.

Saints Down Falcons 35-27; Improve to 7-0

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:18:43 GMT

New Orleans – The Saints, through the first seven games of the season, have proven they can win pretty, can win ugly, can win via the comeback, and can protect a late lead, if need be. They also proved, perhaps most importantly, that they can win against the NFC South, and against their next closest competitor.

RB Pierre Thomas capped an 11-play, 81-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown reception from Drew Brees to put the Saints ahead of the Falcons, 35-24, with just under three minutes to go in the game.

“When my number was called, I knew I had to make a play,” Thomas said. “I had to help my teammates and make a play. Coach Payton called a great play that got us into the end zone. It was a struggle, and Atlanta put up a great fight. We have to eliminate the fumbles and the turnovers, and if we do that, we will be a tough team to stop.”

The Saints hung on and survived a late Hail Mary attempt following a Falcons field goal and walked away with a hard-earned 35-27 win.

“I’m pleased and excited with that win,” said Saints Head Coach Sean Payton. “It wasn’t always pretty and clean, but we did enough to beat a very good team and that pleases me. Our defense came up with some game-turning plays. It feels good and clearly we did enough to earn the win.

“We are focused on just trying to get better and we have Carolina coming in here off a big win,” Payton said. “We just need to get right back to it and continue to keep improving.”

The Saints improved to 7-0 for just the second time in team history and moved ahead of the pesky Falcons by three games in the NFC South standings following their first win against NFC South opponents this season. The Saints and the Indianapolis Colts, also 7-0, remain the two lone unbeatens through eight weeks of NFL play.

The Saints, who trailed early, 7-0 and 14-7, used a 21-point second quarter to take the lead and never looked back, but all the while had the competitive Falcons nipping at their heels. New Orleans was edged in the total yards category, 442 to 437, but came up with two huge interceptions, one each by the Saints’ starting cornerback duo of Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter, to turn away the Falcons (4-3).

Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed 25-of-33 passes for 308 yards with two touchdowns to one interception and captained an 81-yard, 11 play drive in the fourth quarter that widened the Saints lead from 28-24 to 35-24 after he found Thomas in the flat and the tough running back went airborne for the remainder of the play and the score. The Saints’ rushing attack seemed to match the impressive rushing attack of the Falcons, who featured Michael Turner with 151 yards on 20 carries. The Saints' tandem of Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas pounded out 146 yards on 35 carries and two scores, including one by Reggie Bush.

The Saints’ passing attack was led by the outstanding efforts of leading receivers Marques Colston (6-85-14.2-1 TD) and TE Jeremy Shockey, who hauled in five receptions for 72 yards (14.4 yards), including a sensational 27-yard reception that he hauled along the sideline.

The Saints had witnessed their once 14-point lead shrink to a mere four points earlier in the fourth quarter, but the team’s late fourth quarter drive, which was set up by a CB Tracy Porter interception, sparked the Saints’ offense, who made several huge and clutch plays in crunch time on the drive. Porter finished with six tackles (second-most on the team) along with the interception and pass defensed.

The Saints outgained the Falcons 288 yards to 187 in the first half, including an impressive 104 yards on the ground with RB Pierre Thomas churning out 75 yards on eight carries including a 22-yard touchdown run, while Mike Bell has picked up 26 yards and Bush three and a score. QB Drew Brees completed 15-of-his-first 17 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown pass to WR Marques Colston.

Atlanta won the opening coin toss and elected to receive and began their opening drive at their own 23 yard line. Turner began the drive with two consecutive carries, one for three yards and the next for 22 yards to the Atlanta 48. Ryan’s first pass of the game was an incompletion but he responded two plays later with a five-yard completion to WR Michael Jenkins for a first down. The biggest play on the drive came via a 27-yard completion to TE Tony Gonzalez, which took the ball from the New Orleans 40 to the Saints’ 13. On the next play Turner went around the right end of the Falcons’ offensive line for a 13-yard scoring run. Following K Jason Elam’s extra point the Falcons, 7-0, with just having 3:57 in time of possession expired off of the clock.

RB Mike Bell started the Saints’ first drive with a five-yard run and followed it up with a nine-yard burst off the left side of the line for a first down. A four-yard completion from Brees to Lance Moore on first down set up a short draw from Reggie Bush, which brought up a third-down and Brees found Shockey down the sideline and fired a back-shoulder bullet to him for a gain of 13 yards and a first down. Thomas then churned out an eight-yard gain on first down, and Brees came right back and found TE David Thomas for a gain of 11 yards and another first down. Brees then hit Bush for a gain of four yards and then Bell picked up two on a subsequent inside carry. On a third-and-four from the Falcons’ 22, Thomas slammed into the line of scrimmage and appeared to be stopped near the first down marker, but Thomas stuttered-stepped and hopped out of a would-be tackle and scampered the remaining 18 yards into the end zone. Following John Carney’s extra point, the Saints and Falcons were knotted at 7-7. The Saints were flagged 15 yards for an excessive celebration penalty and had to kickoff from their own 15.

Atlanta started their second drive at their own 46-yard line. Turner picked up three yards on first down, and then the powerful running back was met by LB Jonathan Vilma after a three-yard gain. LB Marvin Mitchell was guilty of an encroachment penalty on third down that gave the Falcons a first down, but DE Will Smith sacked Ryan on second down for a loss of two-yards. It would be the first of two sacks for Smith, who very nearly added another one in the fourth quarter. A second down pass intended for Michael Jenkins was overthrown after CB Tracy Porter blitzed off the blindside corner. DT Anthony Hargrove stopped Ryan after a gain of one yard on third down and forced the Falcons to punt the football away, which Lance Moore fair caught at the Saints’ nine-yard line with 2:30 remaining in the first quarter.

The Saints began their next drive by getting DT Jonathan Babineaux to jump offsides for a quick gain of five yards. On second-and-five Brees tried a play-action blitz by was sacked by S Thomas Decoud with a jarring hit. Brees couldn’t hang onto the ball and second-year defensive end Kroy Bierrman scooped up the loose ball and returned it four-yards for a touchdown, which following the extra point, gave the Falcons a 14-7 lead.

“It’s rare to have a sack, fumble and return for a touchdown, an onside kick recovered against you and to lose the giveaway/takeaway battle and still come out with the win,” Payton said. “Clearly there are things that we need to work on and clean up, but in the end the victory is the most important thing I take out of the game.”

The Saints picked up a key third down on their next drive when Brees hit a crossing Marques Colston for a gain of 10 yards. Thomas then picked up six yards on the final play of the first quarter. Bell churned out a hard five-yard run and a first down. Two plays later Brees connected with Shockey for a gain of 27 yards, but Brees was sacked on a blindside hit by Babineaux for a seven-yard loss to the Falcons’ 39 on first down. The Saints called their first time out of the first half and Brees came out and found TE Dave Thomas for a gain of 15 yards, which brought up a third-and-one from the Atlanta 23. Bell, despite encountering a congested line of scrimmage, kept hammering away at the right side of the Saints’ offensive line and found a hole big enough for a two-yard gain and a first down. Bell then came right back and picked up a hard-earned three yards to the Atlanta 18 and on a second-down and seven, Brees dropped back and found Colston in single coverage in the end zone and fired a high pass into the end zone for Colston’s sixth touchdown of the season and after Carney’s extra point the score was tied at 14-14.

Atlanta began their third drive at their own 30 and Ryan found Roddy White on a quick slant for a gain of 16 yards. On the tackle Saints CB Tracy Porter was accidentally nicked by Saints FS Darren Sharper who was coming in to stop White from turning up the field. Turner then picked up three yards and on second down got around the right side of the Falcons line for a gain of 37 yards to the Saints’ 22. Turner picked up another yard through the middle and a second down completion from Ryan to former Saint RB Aaron Stecker picked up five yards to the 15. A third down pass intended for White in the flat could not be brought in by the lanky Ohio State product as fellow Buckeye Malcolm Jenkins closed in quickly. Elam came in to try to convert the excellent field position into a field goal, but his 34-yard effort smacked off the left upright and fell to the turf. It was the first time this season that the Saints witnessed an opposing team’s field goal kicker not convert a field goal (had been nine-of-nine).

The Saints started at their own 24 and picked up a seven-yard completion from Brees to Shockey on first down and then Pierre Thomas snuck off the left side of the line, picking up a huge block by reserve TE Dave Thomas for a gain of 30 yards to the Atlanta 39. Pierre Thomas continued his success with a five-yard carry on first down and Brees, clearly in rhythm, found WR Lance Moore for a gain of seven yards and a first down. Thomas then was stopped for a loss of one-yard and WR Devery Henderson was docked for a pass interference call that cost the Saints 10 yards. On second down Brees appeared to find Henderson sneaking down the sideline, but a spectacular leaping interception by CB Brent Grimes ended the Saints’ drive and gave the Falcons possession at their own 18 with 3:59 left in the first half.

Turner worked into the middle for a gain of four yards on first down and DT Will Smith/Kendrick Clancy.aspx">Kendrick Clancy, who returned to action after a few weeks on the inactive list, pressured Ryan into throwing the ball away on second down. On third down CB Jabari Greer broke in front of Roddy White and knocked Ryan’s pass away, forcing the Falcons to punt away to the Saints.

New Orleans, after a holding infraction on the punt return were penalized, began their drive at their own 20 with 2:46 and two timeouts remaining, plus the two minute warning. On first down Brees found Colston across the middle of the field for a gain of 15 yards to the 35. On the ensuing first down Brees hit Bush out of the backfield for a gain of seven yards as Bush took on the defensive back by lowering his shoulder. The Saints called timeout their second timeout with 2:02 left and the ball on 42. Brees watched the Falcons re-adjust at the line of scrimmage into a blitz look and re-adjusted the Saints’ protection scheme, with Bush picking up a blitzing cornerback and Brees was able to sit in the pocket and loft a pass deep down the middle of the field for a 30-yard completion to a sliding Robert Meachem at the Atlanta 28. The two-minute warning was signaled with 1:56 left in the first half. Brees dropped back and found Henderson down the near sideline for what looked like a 24-yard spectacular catch, getting a foot and an elbow down at the four. The Saints quickly lined up to run a play but the officials signaled that they wanted to review the play to see if Henderson indeed had possession. The officials confirmed the ruling of a reception after the video replay and with 1:49 on the clock. Pierre Thomas picked up three yards to the Atlanta one and on the next play, Brees gave a hard handoff fake and coolly flipped the ball to Bush who was in single coverage with a linebacker and jogged into the end zone. Carney booted the extra point but TE Darnell Dinkins was flagged for a holding call and Carney had to move back ten yards to connect on the extra point that gave the Saints their first lead of the night, 21-14, with 1:05 remaining in the half.

Atlanta attempted to mount a late half rally, but after a short completion and a timeout, Ryan was victimized by a ball-hawking Greer, who stepped in front of a pass intended for White and raced 48 yards into the end zone for a touchdown. It was Greer’s first touchdown as a Saints (the 16th different Saint to score a touchdown this season) for his third career touchdown via interception return that gave the Saints a 28-14 lead. It was fifth interception returned by the Saints this season, which tied the team-record from most interceptions returned by the Saints for a touchdown in a season (1998).

The stunned Falcons received a good kickoff return to their 34 but Ryan’s first two passes missed their mark. Ryan found Gonzalez over the middle on third down for a gain of 15 to their own 49 with :21 left. Ryan then found TE Justin Pelle for a short gain of six yards to the 47 with :15 left and one timeout remaining. Ryan was able to find Gonzalez over the middle in single coverage with the Saints’ safeties playing deep and for a gain of 14 yards. Atlanta attempted a 51-yard field goal by Elam, but the field goal was never on-line and missed short and to the left to end the first half.

Courtney Roby returned the kickoff of the second half 30 yards to the Saints’ 28 to begin the second half of play. A first down pass attempt to Henderson fell incomplete and a second down run by Thomas managed two yards and a third down holding call in the Saints was declined after Brees’ pass attempt was incomplete and P Thomas Morstead was called upon for his first punt of the game and he booted a 47-yard punt that was field by Eric Weems, who returned the punt nine yards to the Atlanta 32.

DE Charles Grant was flagged for an offsides call on first down, giving the Falcons a free five yards and a few plays later Ryan dropped back and found White down the Falcons’ sideline for a 68-yard touchdown that pulled the Falcons to within a touchdown, 28-21.

New Orleans started at their own 38 after a 35-yard kickoff return by Roby. Bell was stopped after a short gain on first down, then Brees hit Colston for a gain of six yards to 44 and the Saints converted their first third down of the second half on an eight-yard strike to Shockey, which took the ball into Falcons’ territory. Bell rocketed off the right side of the line for a gain of five yards. Brees then rolled out and hit Meachem for a gain of 17-yards as the third-year wide out from Tennessee made a tip-toe grab along the sideline. Bell then pounded his way to seven yards on first down to the 19, put two nice passes defensed by the Falcons resulted incompletions and Carney trotted on to try a 37-yard field goal, which he narrowly pushed right to the right and the Falcons took over at their own 28 with 8:29 left in the third quarter.

Ryan hit White for a gain of 19 yards on the first play and then Turner picked up five yards and into New Orleans territory to the 48. LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar stopped Turner for no gain on second down and the Superdome crowd roared to life on third down, with Sharper blitzing from his safety spot and forcing Ryan to throw off target as Greer had White blanketed across the middle and forced the Falcons to punt, which Bush fair caught at the Saints’ 16.

New Orleans, clutching to a 28-21 lead with 6:21 remaining in the third quarter, started off with Brees scrambling for a gain of four yards on first down after his deep threats both were double covered. Thomas slammed through a hole for a gain of five yards on second down, then converted the third down into a first down with a three-yard run inside the tackles. DT Jonathan Babineaux needed to be helped from the field after an official’s time out and Bell was promptly stopped for a one-yard loss. The aggressive Falcons pass rush was caught by a quick screen to Thomas, who managed eight yards to the Saints’ 35, but Brees’ pass on third down was short of target Reggie Bush and Morstead came on and hit a 42-yard punt that Weems fair caught at the Falcons’ 23. Turner bulled his way off the left side of the line for a gain on nine yards on first down and converted it into a first down with a two-yard gain to the 34. DE Will Smith put a jarring sack on Ryan with a sack of three yards on first down but Ryan dropped back and hung in the pocket and found Jenkins for a 29-yard gain to the Saints’ 40. Greer forced Ryan to step out of bounds after a three-yard scramble on first down and on the final play of the third quarter Turner got around the edge for a gain of eight yards to the New Orleans 29.

Ryan tried to find Gonzalez down the sideline but was tightly covered by Porter. Turner found five yards over left guard before Scott Shanle could bring him down. On third-and-five from the 24 the Falcons tried an end around to Weems but Greer pushed him out of bounds four yards shy. The Falcons went for it on fourth down and converted it with an 11-yard completion to Gonzalez. Turner then picked up three yards to the Saints’ seven on first down. A false start penalty on left tackle Sam Baker cost the Falcons five yards back to the 14 on second down, which Ryan and Stecker picked back up with a seven-yard completion on second down to the seven. Ryan appeared to hit a diving White in the back of the end zone, but the Saints’ Sean Payton quickly challenged the ruling, claiming White did not have possession of the ball. Following the official’s review the call was overturned and the Falcons faced a fourth-and-fourth from the seven. The Falcons, who earlier passed on an intermediate field goal, elected to try a 25-yard field goal attempt by Elam, which he converted to pull the Falcons to within four points, 28-24, with 11:33 left in the game.

New Orleans started at their own 25 and picked up an eight-yard completion from Brees to Henderson on first down and then garnered a yard with a carry by Bell to the Saints’ 34. Thomas tried the right side of the line and appeared to get the first down, but lost control of the football as he crossed the 35, which S Erik Coleman somehow came up with after a scrum of players wrestled for the loose football. Payton challenged the ruling, saying that Thomas’s right knee was down, but after the official review the Falcons were awarded possession of the football at the Saints’ 35 yard-line with an even 10:00 left on the clock.

Turner picked up 24 yards on first down, breaking a host of tackles along the way to the Saints’ 11. Turner then picked up a yard on first down to the ten. On second-and-nine Ryan attempted to hit Gonzalez in the flat but LB Jonathan Vilma tipped Ryan’s pass and Porter undercut the route, intercepting the ball at the Saints’ one and managing to return the ball 18 yards to the Atlanta 19 before being stopped by FB Ovie Mughelli.

Bell picked up five yards on first down. Brees’s pass on second down was thrown into coverage but fell incomplete as he threw back across his body on a scramble. His third down pass was incomplete but his intended target, Bush, was held by LB Mike Peterson for a five -yard penalty and an automatic first down. Bell then picked up two yards and on second down Brees audibled out of his play and instead went deep, finding Colston for a leaping 29-yard grab to Atlanta 40 before he was upended. Bell picked up four more yards and Brees went right back to the air and found Shockey, who made a sensational 17-yard leaping reception to the Atlanta 19. Thomas jammed it into the middle of the Falcons’ defensive front with a four yard gain to the 15 and then Brees hit Colston over the middle for a seven yard gain and a first down to the Falcons’ eight. A first down carry by Bell picked up one-yard to the seven and the Falcons called their first timeout of the second half with 3:14 left in the contest. Brees then rolled out and found Henderson on a quick out for a gain of six yards to the one before being driven out of bounds by a big hit by CB Brent Grimes. Atlanta called their second timeout of the half with the ball on the one, with 3:09 left in the game, and Brees found Pierre Thomas out of the backfield after extra tight end Zach Strief picked up a Falcons defensive back, regardless Thomas, atoning for his earlier fumble, somersaulted into the end zone, giving the Saints a 35-24 lead with 3:03 left in the game.

The Saints’ crowd, which reined their loudest ovations of the night down on their home team, cheered wildly as the Saints’ defense took the field with the intent of stopping the Falcons from putting a mark in the Saints’ loss column, witnessed the Saints’ defense rush Ryan and force him to throw underneath to his targets. The Falcons advanced the ball to their 47 yard-line at the two minute and avoided a possible game icing scare when Will Smith grabbed hold of Ryan’s throwing arm and hung on as Ryan’s arm went forward. The Falcons challenged the call, saying it was an incompletion, and kept possession of the ball. FS Darren Sharper broke up a pass play on second down with a big hit on White along the boundary and a third pass attempt for Jenkins was mistimed after Saints’ pressure. The Saints dropped eight into coverage on a fourth down and Ryan’s pass sailed over the head of Jenkins and the Saints took over possession of the ball on downs with just under two minutes to go in the game.

The Saints, unable to run the clock out because Atlanta had a time out remaining, ran Bell up the middle for no gain. On the play a defensive player appeared to ricochet back into C Jonathan Goodwin, who remained down on the field of play and the Saints were charged with their second timeout with 1:37 left in the game. Bell once again hammered the ball into the line but was unable to gain a yard and the Falcons called their final timeout. Bell was stripped of the football after it appeared he was down on the ground at the Falcons’ 46, which was forced and recovered by LB Coy Wire.

Ryan dropped back and found Gonzalez for a gain of 14 yards to the Saints’ 39. His next pass to Jenkins was incomplete by the officials on the field but reviewed by the officials with :54 left in the game, but the call was overturned by the officials after the replay and the Falcons were awarded the 16-yard completion to the Saints’ 23. Ryan was then promptly sacked by DT Anthony Hargrove, who beat his blocker and snared the quarterback for a three-yard loss. Ryan then spiked the ball to stop the clock and his third down check down route to RB Verron Hayes picked up four yards. The Falcons sent on Elam to try a 40-yard field goal, which he connected on, and closed the scoring to 35-27 with :35 left.

Atlanta then tried an onside kick against the Saints’ “hands team,” with P Michael Koenen attempting the onside kick. TE David Thomas came up to try to make a play on the onside kick but it scooted away from him and was recovered by Wire at the 37.

Ryan then hit Jenkins for a 14-yard gain and came up to spike the ball at the 49 with :11. Ryan tried a “Hail Mary” but Sharper leaped up and intercepted the Saints’ 15th pass of the season, and his seventh pick off of the season.

Notes: Prior to the game the Saints held Military Appreciation Night, which featured a satellite link with troops from the Gulf South talking to the Saints fans back home in the Superdome. An ensemble of active military personnel unveiled a 25-yard wide American flag prior to the ceremony… legendary rocker Lenny Kravitz and members of his band were on the Saints’ sideline before the game. Kravitz was a headline act at the recently concluded, and very successful, VooDooFest… tonight’s paid attendance was 70,088…Payton said WR Lance Moore left the game with a bruised shin and C Jonathan Goodwin suffered a knee contusion, “which is a good thing considering what it could have been.”