 |
 |
|
|
Eye ON THE SAINTS |
|
June 2008
Categories
News More WWL-TV Blogs
|
November 2006 ArchivesDennis Georgatos of the Mercury News says the 49ers want the Saints to pass and pass often noting that they are only 2-3 during Brees' streak of 300-yard passing games. ...The Sports Network's Scott Garbarini says the Saints have been both lucky and good this season. ...With fives games left in the season, the Saints are in the driver's seat, according to Neal McCready of the Mobile Register. Read more. ...Frank Gore, second in the NFL in rushing yards, remains listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Saints. Read more. ...Mike Nolan, son of Saints former head coach Dick Nolan, said he remembers visiting New Orleans when the "Aints" were in the stands. Read more. ...Marques Colston participated in a few light drills, but was listed as questionable on the team's injury report. His status included an asterik that indicated that he did not practice. Colston is expected to be 'day to day' and did not play last week against the Falcons. He was injured early in the loss to Cincinnati. ...Saints starting tight end Ernie Conwell was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season, because he was unable to come back from a knee injury as quickly as coaches had hoped. Conwell suffered a medial meniscus tear in the Oct. 14 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. After sitting out several weeks, he played in Sunday's game against the Atlanta Falcons, but for only about a dozen plays. ...Every year there's a couple of teams that make waves and turn heads as the playoff race heats, according to Bill Williamson, a sports columnist for MSNBC.com. But who would've thought it'd be the Saints and 49ers? Read more. ...Once again, the Saints have reached 'top ten' status in the league, according to ESPN.com. The team had recently fallen out with back-to-back losses, but their trouncing of the Falcons has pushed the team to tenth -- one spot behind Denver, one ahead of Cincinnati. Read more. ...Head coach Sean Payton said his team had recovered some much needed momentum going into the stretch run of their schedule, but that they still had to win more games to qualify for the postseason. Read more. ...The Saints game with the Cowboys will be moved to national television on Sunday, Dec. 10. The move is part of the league's new flex policy that allows attractive games to be selected for the national spotlight late in the year. ...Cris Schmidt of the Daily Texan says no one in the NFL deserves the league MVP award more than Drew Brees, at least through 11 games. ...Michael Vick gave some heckling fans the finger after the loss to the Saints . He later apologized. ...Troy Johnson of the McClatchy Newspaper group says don't blame Michael Vick for the Falcons' shortcomings, especially in Sunday's loss to the Saints. ...
Ralph Malbrough says he's happy when the Saints are catching Hail Mary passes and the Falcons are squabbling. ...Head Coach Sean Payton said he held Marques Colston out of the game after watching him in a pre-game drill. Payton said Colston improved a lot during the week, but that he was worried that if he aggravated the injury that he could miss 2-3 weeks, so he decided to keep him out. ...FOX broadcasters said Sunday that the Saints game at New York against the Giants on Christmas Eve has been switched to a 3 p.m. kickoff as part of the league's 'flex' scheduling. It is the second game switched this year by the league. The game was originally scheduled for Noon in New York. ...The Saints were the choice of all but three of ESPN's experts for this weekend's game with the Falcons. ...Unlike the season opener, this time Paul Newberry says there is no fanfare leading up to the Saints game with the Falcons, just two desperate teams looking for a win. ...NEW ORLEANS SAINTS AT ATLANTA FALCONS -- New Orleans Saints: DOUBTFUL: S Bryan Scott (Foot). QUESTIONABLE: RB Aaron Stecker (Ankle); CB Fred Thomas (Thumb); WR Marques Colston (Ankle). Atlanta Falcons: OUT: CB Jason Webster (Groin). QUESTIONABLE: CB Jimmy Williams (Ankle). ...The Sports Network says Sunday's game between a Falcons team that has lost three straight and a Saints team that has lost three of four could be a lifeline for the winner and a lethal blow to the loser. ...From The Associated Press: From The Associated Press: FLOWERY BRANCH, GA -- Defensive end John Abraham, who has played only two games for the Atlanta Falcons, returned to practice today (Wednesday) and may take the field for a crucial contest against the New Orleans Saints. ...From The Advocate in Baton Rouge: As great as the Saints offense has been this year, ranking 25th in red-zone efficiency is going to hurt you more often than not. Read more. ...Kickoff specialist Billy Cundiff signed with the Saints, according to The Harlan Tribune, and is expected to play this Sunday against the Falcons. Read more. ...Longtime special teams standout and locker-room leader Fred McAfee, 38, returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since being cut shortly after the Saints returned to New Orleans in late August from training camp in Jackson, Miss. Read more. ...From the sports section of Monsters and Critics: Drew Brees put together the most prolific individual passing display in New Orleans Saints history when he racked up a whopping 510 yards through the air in Sunday's game with the Cincinnati Bengals. It was also the standout quarterback's fourth consecutive outing of over 300 yards. Impressed, you say? Well, the Saints can't be too blown away by those gaudy numbers, cons... Copper's caught ten passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns, but most Saints fans will identify him as the guy who gave up the game clinching fumble against the Steelers. But coach Sean Payton says he won't lose faith in his receiver. Read more. ...Before I make my picks for this week, let me say I think the trend started by San Francisco's Mike Nolan of wearing a suit on the sidelines is fantastic. Jack Del Rio also wore on Monday night and he made Giants head coach Tom Coughlin look like a retiree heading to the early bird special in south Florida. Coaches in suits look smarter, more in charge and in total control. And, it has a slimming effect as well; or so I'm told. >> Continue reading: Forecast: Trust me, Coach Payton, buy a suit! Actually, according to Atlanta Journal Constitution writer Terence Moore former Saints head coach Jim Mora agreed with a radio announcer that Michael Vick is a 'coach killer' and he lamented Vick's inability to pass and what that may do to his son's coaching future. ...As expected, the Saints have dropped in the power rankings. They are now 13th in the latest ESPN rankings and their defense, not the turnovers, is getting most of the blame. ...Head coach Sean Payton said that Marques Colston has a sprained ankle and his injury will be treated and evaluated daily. He gave no indication if it would have him out for a game or several games or if he might even play next week. ...From the Advocate: Bush’s 55th catch broke the record of 54 set by Tony Galbreath in 1976 and matched in 1998 by Cam Cleeland and last week by Marques Colston, who caught his 54th pass last week. Read more ...The Saints have created a turnover filled blaze that is threatening to burn their season to the ground. The Saints are -9 in turnover ratio. Read more. ...The recent rash of turnovers and having the team shoot itself in the foot reminds Kevin Foote of the Louisiana Sports Bureau of a team he used to know - old Saints teams. ...An obviously downbeat Saints coach Sean Payton harped on the theme of turnovers in the post game. He said that considering last week's problems with fumbles and this week's problem with interceptions and dropped passes, that no one part of the offense was immune from the problems they are having. 'I think our guys are playing with effort and energy, but we're making too many mistakes,' he said. 'The only thing I know how to do now is t... CBS announcer Randy Cross near the end of the Saints loss to the Bengals. 'When you run for close to 100 yards and pass for over 500 yards you have to do something monumental to screw that up.' Cross was commenting on the Saints total offense of 595 yards in the loss to Cincinnati. ...Kevin Kelly of the Cincinnati Enquirer says Drew Brees is the biggest reason for the Saints success so far this season. ...Sean Payton's hot start and makeover of the Saints is very similar to what Bengals coach Marvin Lewis did in Cincinnati. ...
|