 |
 |
|
|
Eye ON THE SAINTS |
|
June 2009
Categories
More WWL-TV Blogs
|
December 2006 ArchivesDrew Brees told the post-game media gathering that he was supposed to only play two snaps Sunday, but that his second snap was a mishandled handoff, which he didn't want to be his last snap, and then he hit a few passes and they were deep in Carolina territory. Brees said at that point, he couldn't come out. He said on the sidelines Payton then told him, 'you're running one play, a run play, and then coming out.' ...NEW YORK (AP) -- Dallas will be at Seattle next Saturday night and the New York Giants will be at Philadelphia on Sunday afternoon in the first round of the NFC playoffs. The dates and times for the AFC games were to be announced later Sunday. The Cowboys-Seahawks game will start at 7 p.m. CST. The Giants-Eagles game will start at 3:30 p.m. CST. ...Sean Payton had a brief statement after the game before taking questions. He basically said that he was glad to have not incurred any new injuries and he said he was pleased with the first drive. After that, he said it's 'time to move on' (to the playoffs). ...The Saints finished with a rather unimpressive 4-4 record at home this year. Of course, they well could have won Sunday had they played their starters. Still, with the postseason coming, it is curious that the team is continuing what has been a trend in recent seasons, that of not playing better at home than they do on the road. Also eye raising is the fact that the team won its first three in the Superdome this year, then lost four of... The Saints defense has yielded an average of 12.6 points per game in winning four of their last five games. Read more. ...Guys like Jamie Martin, Jamaal Branch, Jamal Jones and Trevor Johnson could fill spots normally filled by marquee names like Brees, Bush, McAllister, Colston and Smith. Read more. ...With sportswriters and pundits taking sides in the MVP sweepstakes between Drew Brees and LaDainian Tomlinson, Connor J. Byrne says both men have done so much for their respective franchises and cities that they should share the coveted award. Read more. ...Matthew Postins of the Charlotte Sun-Herald, and a voter for the Pro Football Writers Association, says his ballot has Drew Brees as league MVP and Mickey Loomis as Exec of the Year. Read more. ...Adam Schein of FoxSports.com sat down with Saints GM Mickey Loomis to trace the steps of the Saints' Cinderella season. Read more. ...From The Associated Press: Five injured Saints missed practice Wednesday. Wide receiver Joe Horn (groin) and running back Aaron Stecker (hamstring) are listed as doubtful for Sunday. Safety Omar Stoutmire (knee), tight end Mark Campbell (knee) and wide receiver Terrance Copper (foot) are questionable. ...In an effort to cut down on "sports myth" as he puts it, columnist Michael Salfino says the Saints pass defense isn't all it's cracked up to be. He eventually goes on to call talk of considering Drew Brees as Comeback Player of the Year to be "silly." Read more. ...The headline says it all. Jake Delhomme, the former Saints backup QB who left town for a starting with the Panthers, may return from a December 4 injury that left him with torn ligament damage in his throwing hand. Read more. ...While the head coach says his focus is on beating the Carolina Panthers this Sunday in the Superdome, Sean Payton admits that he's considered benching some players or giving them limited playing time. Read more. ...Sports Illustrated's Andrew Perloff handicaps the NFC teams' chances of success in the big game, and goes so far as to call the Saints "overrated." Read more. ...New York Times sports columnist William C. Rhoden says it's easy to root for the Saints now that they've become the nation's focal point of recovery for New Orleans. Read more. ...The Saints leapfrogged the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts to place fourth in ESPN's Power Rankings. They're behind the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears. Read more. Conversely, the Saints are ranked third in Peter King's "Fine Fifteen" Poll, which he r... Clark Judge of CBS Sportsline says the Saints have turned it around for one reason and that is the hiring of Sean Payton. ...The Detroit Free Press uses the Saints as an example of a case study of how to turn around a losing team in one year. See what they said were the keys to the Saints success. ...From the Associated Press - 'I feel badly for all Giants fans to come here on Christmas Eve and then for us to lose the game the way we lost it,' Coughlin The sellout crowd let Coughlin know it was upset, twice chanting 'Fire Coughlin' before heading for the exits. The Giants wrap up the regular season at Washington on Saturday night. 'I didn't expect them to cheer us," Giants center Sh...
From the Charlotte Observer: "Wide receiver Joe Horn remembers fans dressed in Giants jerseys cheering for him, if for only a few moments. Defensive end Will Smith won't forget how one end zone at Giants Stadium had 'Saints' painted on it. And safety Steve Gleason recalls walking out of the cramped visitors locker room feeling weird that he was wearing his New Orleans home black jersey." >> Continue reading: Saints players remember what "home game" versus New York was like Once a 6-2 team, the New York Giants have lost five of their last six games. They're reeling not only from the losses, but from plenty off-the-field issues. The Saints, coming off their own letdown game against the Redskins, look to add even more trouble to a floundering franchise. Read more. ...In the hopes to prevent another sluggish performance this Sunday, Coach Sean Payton eased up a bit on his team with a shorter, more convetional schedule. Read more. ...The New York Times has a feature article on the probable next owner of the Saints Rita Benson Leblanc. ...EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- With the playoffs in doubt, Michael Strahan is back on the field for the New York Giants -- at least in practice. The seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end practiced Wednesday for the first time since spraining his right foot in a game against the Houston Texans on Nov. 5. 'Michael did everything and I thought he did all right," coach Tom Coughlin said after the practice. "He did not look tentative or ... New York Post columnist Paul Schwartz puts it bluntly when he says the Giants just aren't a good team. He says it's still likely that one win in the last two games will allow them to limp into the playoffs, and a pair of wins nearly guarantees it. ...Bill Williamson, a contributing writer for MSNBC.com, says the Saints' signing of Drew Brees was easily the best move of the entire off-season, and that Brees deserves a lions share of the credit for turning around the franchise. Read more. ...With a win against the now desperate New York Giants, the Mobile Register's Neal McCready says the Saints would have that number two seed all but wrapped up in the NFC playoff hunt. Read more. ...Peter King continues to be a big supporter of the Big Easy, whether answering emails about why he thinks the Saints are better than the Bears or why Drew Brees is more valuable to his team than LaDainian Tomlinson. But now he says Saints GM Mickey Loomis should win the award for Executive of the Year, hands down. Read more. ...Quarterback Drew Brees, offensive tackle Jammal Brown and defensive end Will Smith have made the NFC Pro Bowl team. Receiver Marques Colston was not named to the team. He likely lost a spot after missing nearly three entire games with an injury. ...That 16-10 loss against the 'Skins is still a sore spot for some writers, as the Saints have dropped from third to sixth place according to ESPN.com, just behind the Patriots. Meanwhile, FOX Sports also has the Saints ranked sixth in the NFL, just one spot ahead of the resurgent Dallas Cowboys. Sports Illustrate... New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said he might be able to play this Sunday against the Saints for the first time since injuring his ankle against the Texans on November 5. Read more. ...Courtesy of The Associated Press: Coach Sean Payton was still searching for answers after watching game film Monday. He was wondering what could have caused the Saints to look so lethargic Sunday, when a victory at home before a sold-out Louisiana Superdome would have set up them up for a postseason berth. Read more. ...From the Associated Press: NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Ex-Saints quarterback Adrian McPherson is suing the Tennessee Titans because their mascot hit him with a golf cart before the second half of an August exhibition. McPherson filed his civil lawsuit Friday in Davidson County Circuit Court and also is seeking $5 million in compensatory damages for the Titans' negligence and $15 million in punitive damages. A team spokesman said Monday... Head coach Sean Payton said in his Monday press conference that he is pleased that the team is the NFC South champions, but, 'It had a chance to be a real special day,' he said. 'We didn't play well enough so it was hard to get excited about the other accomplishment.' Payton said it was the first loss this year in which he thought the team was sluggish, sloppy and played with a lack of energy. ...Appearing on the Eyewitness Morning News, WWL football analyst Archie Manning said a letdown by the Saints was only natural considering the magnitude of what happened the week before. ...Saints linebacker Scott Fujita said while is disappointed in Sunday's game, he wants people to remember what this team has done. 'We are division champs, and that is an accomplishment. We could have set ourselves up well to get that first round bye,' he said. 'Their defense out played our defense and that's the bottom line.' ...In a very short post game session with the media, Saints head coach Sean Payton decried his team's effort and readiness for Sunday's game with Washington. 'I thought we were sluggish. I thought we were flat,' he said, adding, 'I don't have an explanation for you.' Payton also said that while the defense eventually settled down, the offense was flat all day. He said he thought the team had a good week of practice. 'Evidently, I ... With all the attention being focused on Drew Brees and his MVP race with LaDainian Tomlinson, as well as his chase of Dan Marino's single season passing record, some may have forgotten about the number of other Saints player's who've stepped it up this year to make an impact. Read more. ...USA Today's Skip Wood said the Saints wide receiver knew his team had worked hard in training camp and knew just what they could be capable of in the regular season, including a spot in the playoffs. Also in the story, Brees' former teammates on the San Diego Chargers say they're happy to see their old quarterback find renewed success in the Big Easy. >> Continue reading: Joe Horn says he knew the Saints had playoff potential Randy Hill of Fox Sports.net says Maurice Jones-Drew the better rookie running back than Reggie Bush. Read more. ...Count Paul Attner, NFL Expert for the Sporting News, among national writers who appear to be sold on Drew Brees as being a worthy MVP of the league. Here, he goes over the top three candidates for the award: Brees, LaDainian Tomlinson and Peyton ManningRead more. ...The Saints offensive players have helped lift many a Fantasy Football owner into the playoffs with their prodigious offensive outputs. What's more, people like Colston and Henderson, heck even Drew Brees in some instances, were able to be picked up a few games into the season and have performed like Fantasy stars. ...After playing against Dallas Sunday night, both Marques Colston and Will Smith are no longer listed on the injury list given to the NFL. NOTE: Yesterday's post that had Colston and Smith questionable came after scouring the NFL.com site and putting down the injury list for the Saints and Redskins. The current injury list includes: Questionable: Joe Horn who did not practice. Linebacker Scott Fujita said he was impressed by the response to his offer to buy 25 tickets for fans who were willing to otherwise pay their own way to New York for the Saints' last regular season road game against the Giants. ...For the second time this season, Saints quarterback Drew Brees has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Brees threw five touchdown passes and completed 26 of 38 passes for 384 yards in the team's 42-17 win over Dallas. Brees' honor is the second straight week a Saint won the award. Last week Reggie Bush was selected for his four-touchdown performance against San Francisco. ...As has been the case the past several weeks, Joe Horn, Marques Colston and Will Smith are all listed as 'questionable' for Sunday's game with Washington. Running back Aaron Stecker is listed as doubtful. Washington has no one listed worse than 'probable.' ...Choosing to emphasis the 'most valuable' part of Most Valuable Player, FoxSports.com writer John Czarnecki says Drew Brees has made everyone else around him better, taking a would-be last place team and turning them into a sure contender. Read more. ...In a story for NFL.com, former star quarterback Phil Simms says he's now ready to consider Drew Brees as an MVP contender after seeing 'No. 9' thoroughly dismantle the Cowboys on national television. Read more. Also, The Daily Princetonian says that Brees is far and away the more valuable player on his team than his MVP competition, LaDainian Tomlinson. >> Continue reading: Phil Simms supporting Brees as worthy MVP-candidate Joe Horn's agent corrected reports from a local television that the star wide receiver would be out for the rest of the season with a groin injury. The agent called the TV's story inaccurate. Read more. ...Kevin Foote of The Daily Advertister writes that those loyal to the Black & Gold through all the bad years finally have a reason to smile wide this season. Read more. ...A list of dream Super Bowl matchups by Sports Illustrated's Don Banks is headed by a Saints-Chargers game in the 'Brees Bowl.' ...
Okay, so let's just feed the beast. If hype around the Saints weren't big enough ESPN is now ranking them 3rd (that's right, 3rd) in the entire NFL. They are also the highest ranked team in the NFC for the first time this season in the ESPN rankings. Meanwhile, the Saints just continue to plow ahead in the CBS Sportsline ranking, >> Continue reading: Saints 3rd in ESPN rankings, rank highly in other power polls NFC SOUTH DIVISION Saints head coach Sean Payton praised the Saints fans who gathered at the airport at 2:30 a.m. to greet the team upon its arrival from Dallas. Payton said a hardy group of fans always collect for the team's return from noon road games, but he said riding home on the plane early Monday morning, he told himself that surely no one would be there. He said he was stunned to see the number of fans. Payton said he thought that not a ... Dallas Morning News writer David Moore says the Saints with Drew Brees and not the Cowboys and Tony Romo are the league's 'feel good' story of the year. He also says the Saints right now are the NFC's best team, notwithstanding the Bears' record. ...ESPN.com's Michael Smith says the Saints showed the aren't just a 'good story' but also are a 'good team' with a win that should have shut up any doubters. ...The unusual call of a reverse on a key 4th and 1 play early in the game was decided upon Wednesday, according to quarterback Drew Brees. 'He told us Wednesday that would be the call in a key situation. ...Cowboys head coach said he told his team that 'this is a humbling game and it can happen to anybody.' Parcells said the game just 'snowballed out of control' and he gave the Saints credit. ...ESPN.com writer Michael Smith says that Sean Payton learned from his mentor, Bill Parcells, and one of his top moves was bringing in two dozen new players. ...Employees and customers at a Shreveport barbershop engage in friendly arguments over who'll win Sunday's NFC showdown. Read more. ...A sports writer for the New York Times spoke with two anonymous league officials who said that Hollis Thomas' positive test for an illegal substance was--in fact--caused by a performance enhancing drug. Read more. ...A story in The Biloxi Sun Herald says the Saints team physician, John R. Amoss, prescribed Thomas with the asthma medication that resulted in the defensive lineman testing positive for violating the NFL's banned substance policy. Read more. ...Dallas head coach Bill Parcells doesn't think the Saints record is a fluke. He says the Cowboys' big win in preseason came against a team with a brand new system, that hadn't had time to jell. ...Cam Inman, of the Contra Costa Times in Califorina doesn't hold the NFC's elite in high regard, including our hometown team AND the Cowboys but his reasoning is flawed. Yes, the NFC does appear to be weaker than the AFC this year (just check out the records when NFC meets AFC), but his basis seems to be on past playoff seasons. As most ... Receivers Joe Horn and Marques Colston did not practice Wednesday and are listed as questionable for Sunday night's game with Dallas. Running back Aaron Stecker also didn't work and he is doubtful. Defensive end Will Smith did work some and is also questionable. Colston hasn't practiced in quite some time since he suffered a high ankle sprain while making a block in the Cincinnati game. ...Reggie Bush was rewarded by the NFL for his best offensive output of the year. Bush was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his 4-touchdown, 168-yard, performance against the San Francisco 49ers this past weekend. Bush was the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in week five, mostly for his long punt return for a touchdown that secured that game. Drew Brees and Scott Fujita have also been honored this season... The Saints would clinch at least a wild-card spot by beating the Cowboys and having Carolina and Philadelphia both lose and Minnesota lose or tie; or have the New York Giants and Falcons lose and the Vikings lose or tie; or have the Eagles and Falcons fall while the Vikings lose or tie. ...
Derek Eagleton, a blogger for the Dallas Cowboys Fan Zone and co-host of the Cowboys Road Radio Show on the team's website, writes that the Saints could very well be more overrated than good... John Clayton of ESPN.com is reporting that the NFL has suspended Saints defensive tackle Hollis Thomas for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy on anabolic steroids and supplements. ...The beatdown of the 49ers moved the Saints up a spot in the FOX Sports Power Rankings heading into Week 14, ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and one behind the Cincinnati Bengals. The Cowboys and Bears rank 5th and 6th, respectively, in that poll. Read more. Meanwhile, ESPN.com has the Saints ranked 7th overall, behind the Ravens and ahead of the Bengals. The Cowboys and... Two hot teams will go into Sunday night's game in Dallas, but only one will emerge with 9 wins this week. The big story line is Parcells against his former student, Sean Payton. ...Nothing was guaranteed on Sunday. I thought Gore would prove difficult to stop, and that Alex Smith, certainly not Carson Palmer or anything, could maybe take advantage of a secondary that had been surrendered big plays in recent weeks. And after the first quarter, I was beginning to think that the other shoe was ready to drop. Read more. ...Sean Payton said there was nothing new to report on the injury status of receivers Marques Colston and Joe Horn. He said the pair would be evaluated and a notice of their condition posted on Wednesday. Colston has missed two consecutive games and was out almost the entire Bengals game, in which he sustained the high ankle sprain. Horn re-injured his groin and the team played without both receivers for the most part Sunday. ...
Ole Miss standout Josh Cooper was activated Sunday to replace the injured Will Smith on the defensive line. The result? A sack, a pass deflection, two tackles and five quarterback hurries. Read more. ...Cornerback Mike McKenzie got his first interceptions of the year and helped the Saints win the turnover battle against the Niners. McKenzie said the interceptions were definintely a long time coming. Read more. ...Imagine if Texans defensive lineman--and first overall draft pick--Mario Williams wrote Reggie Bush a letter following the Heisman Trophy winner's four touchdown performance on Sunday. Something tells me that Mario would not be too pleased with Mr. Bush. Read more. ...The Saints rushed for 190 yards against the 49ers. Deuce and Reggie had big days for sure, but give credit to the offensive line for opening up some holes, says columnist Randy Benson of the Lafayette Daily Advertiser. Read more. ...From the Associated Press: Joe Horn aggravated a groin injury while making a first-down catch in the first quarter of the New Orleans Saints game against San Francisco on Sunday. ...According to the Associated Press, Saints owner Tom Benson grabbed the microphone at the two-minute warning and drew applause by telling fans that he was freezing ticket prices for next year. Benson said he was so impressed that fans had sold out for the season. ...Reggie Bush's father attended his first Saints game in the Superdome and he saw his son score four touchdowns in a mezmerizing performance. ...
Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle gives an outsiders view of the city's recovery and the Saints' role in it. ...
Mike Fisher of the Ranchreport.com is rankled that fellow sportswriter Rick Gosselin of the Dallas Morning News has the Saints ranked 6th in his power rankings, one spot ahead of the hometown Cowboys. ...From The Washington Daily News: Terrance Copper is making a habit out of finding the end zone. The third-year receiver for the New Orleans Saints has scored three touchdowns in his last three games. Copper's most recent score, coming in a 31-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, came on a Hail Mary to end the first half. The score gave the Saints a 21-6 lead. >> Continue reading: Copper proves his mettle as Saints receiver Reggie Bush. Frank Gore. Two running backs for a pair of franchises on the comeback after poor performances in recent years. Gore can power the ball up the middle and run you down. Bush can run around you and make your head spin six different ways. At least one thing's for sure: Ralph Nader won't be involved. Read more. ... |
|
|
 |
|