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Eye ON THE SAINTS |
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June 2009
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August 2007 ArchivesThe Saints terminated the contract of linebacker Dhani Jones and waived offensive linemen Ben Archibald, Brian Ferentz and Rob Petitti, wide receiver Derrick Doyle, tight end Ronnie Ghent, and defensive linemen Rodney Leisle, Scott Scharff and Brandon Villarreal. ...Coach Sean Payton understands the city's expectations heading into the 2007 season and has learned what it's like to be a winning coach in a town that has languished in football mediocrity for so many years. Read more. ...Clark Judge, CBS Sportsline Senior Writer, has his NFC South preview. Guess who he thinks wins the division? (You really don't have to guess. You ought to know.) Read more. ...From the Baton Rouge Advocate: Martin was an efficient 11-of-15 for 136 yards and no interceptions as the Saints beat the Dolphins 7-0. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Baton Rouge Advocate: The former Saints defensive end was voted into the team's Hall of Fame and will be honored with a ceremony at halftime of the Saints/Jaguars game November 4 celebrating his induction. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Baton Rouge Advocate: Most starters don't even dress for the final game of the preseason, leaving the backups to play and fight for those final roster spots. Read more. ...While there are likely many sports writers audacious enough to tackle such a lofty but overly subjective matter such as this, Peter King is one of the few with enough gravitas to pull off said column. Best of all, 13 Saints players appear on the list, including three players in the top 100. ...From the Associated Press: Although Saints coach Sean Payton intends to hold a number of starters out for the entirety of Thursday night's preseason game against the Miami Dolphins, the Saints' top two receivers are expected to play. ...From the Associated Press: Two players who scored touchdowns for the Saints last season were let go today, the deadline for NFL teams to trim preseason rosters from the initial training camp maximum of 85 players down to 75. ...Sports Illustrated's Don Banks previews the NFL season, complete with predictions for all the division winners, including his pick for the Super Bowl. Here's a hint: they got 'New' in their name. Read more. ...Sean Payton intends to hold most of his starters out of Thursday's game, but at least a couple of receivers who have been on the sideline will play some. ...The Saints made three cuts Tuesday, including two players who scored touchdowns last season. ...The Palm Beach Post reports Olindo Mare lobbed a few sarcastic comments toward Coach Cam Cameron and his former team, the Miami Dolphins. Read more. ...Quarterback Jason Fife, who split team between the practice squad and the official game roster last season, was cut Sunday along with three other players. Read more. ...Granted, the Madden video game is not the be all and end all of player rankings, but it's interesting to note that the highest rated Saint is 69th - Jammal Brown - with Brees at 70. You have to go a long ways to find another one. Check out the list. ...Realfootball365 says the mystery surrounding Marques Colston's knee injury (two MRI's have already come up negative) is concerning. ...Sheldon Mickles of the Baton Rouge Advocate points a great stat: "The starters have allowed just five field goals and no touchdowns in 15 drives by opposing offenses." Wow. Read more. ...The 5-foot-9, 177-pound special teams player out of Toledo made an impression as a receiver against the Chiefs and Bengals recently. Read more. ...FOX Sports' "Inside Slant" column lauds Drew Brees' accuracy throughout the preseason. Read more. ...Since suffering a heel bruise during a team trip to a water park, Scott Fujita has sat on the sidelines, impatiently observing his teammates in preseason action. Read more. ...The Saints could use more depth at linebacker with Scott Fujita and Mark Simoneau sitting out with injuries. Read more. ...Courtesy of Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports: "When it comes to shifts of expectation, the NFL is a seismic league. And if you're looking for the biggest mover over the span of 12 months, the Saints qualify." Read more. ...Courtesy of the Biloxi Sun Herald: "Sean Payton plans to approach tonight's preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs in a different light than in the New Orleans Saints' previous three exhibitions." Read more. ...Don Pierson, MSNBC's NFL expert says that the Saints are more than capable of repeating their Cinderella run of last year. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Drew Brees said Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick should have some kind of pro football career to return to after he serves whatever jail time or NFL suspensions result from his guilty plea in a gruesome dog fighting case. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Head coach Sean Payton on Tuesday morning cut reserve quarterback Matt Baker and a pair of reserve offensive linemen, Nik Sobic and Jake Kuresa. Payton must cut seven more players to bring the roster down to 75 by Aug. 28. The deadline to reduce the active roster to its regular season level of 53 players is Sept. 1, two days after the Saints' final preseason game. ...The Sports Network previews all 32 NFL teams and focuses its attention on the Saints. Read more. ...After watching the team through training camp and their first three preseason games, Advocate writer Sheldon Mickles breaks down the position battles and offers his thoughts on who's most likely to make the final cut to the 53-man roster. Read more. ...Dave Curtis of the Orlando Sentinel writes that even if the Saints don't get to the Super Bowl this year, Coach Sean Payton has built the team around corp group of players to keep their 'playoff window' open for many years to come. Read more. ...Sheldon Mickles of the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate hazards a guess at the Saints final 53 man roster. ...Larry Holder of the Biloxi Sun Herald says the Saints are now clicking on all cylinders. Too bad the season is still a few weeks away. ...The writer uses Deuce and Reggie as a shining example of tandem running backs in the NFL. The Bengals, he laments, could use that kind of production from the second rusher. Read more. ...To think, Kevin Kaesviharn intercepted Drew Brees last year. Now, he's hoping to do the same thing to Carson Palmer. Read more. ...98 degrees in Cincinnati? Here's the kicker: Saints players said it actually felt "cooler" than in Jackson, Miss. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Brian Young said his broken foot is healing and he's about a week away from returning to drills. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Country crooner Kenny Chesney will be at Saints practice Friday at the invitation of Payton, a country music fan. Chesney is expected to suit up in shoulder pads and a helmet and run through some noncontact drills with the Saints. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: JACKSON, MS -- With the glee of kids being let out for school, the New Orleans Saints have closed training camp in sweltering Jackson, Mississippi. The Saints will spend the next three days in Cincinnati where they have scheduled two practices with the Bengals on Thursday. The two teams meet Saturday preseason game. Coach Sean Payton cut practice short Wednesday after allowing ... The Saints center says there's a story behind every one of his tattoos. But Billy Watkins of the Jackson Clarion Ledger cautions against judging Faine just on his rugged appearance. Read more. ...Tuesday's temperatures reached a high of 104 degrees in Jackson, Mississippi. Last week the heat index reached 100 degrees. Wednesday doesn't look much better. The Saints came to Millsaps and coped with the heat to increase their game stamina, but fans have had to bust out the umbrellas to find their own shade at camp. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Wednesday morning marks the last practice at Millsaps College for this preseason. The Saints spent about a week less in Jackson this year in part because they did not have a home preseason game scheduled in Mississippi, Payton said. ...All Pro left tackle Jammal Brown is rehabbing his injury in private, away from the media at camp, but is said be doing fine, according to Coach Sean Payton. Payton originally said Brown could be back on the field in two to three days, but the timetable was pushed back. Read more. ...SI's Don Banks spent some time at Saints Training Camp and heard straight from Reggie Bush and Drew Brees that Bush has learned to be patient with his runs and accept the short gains instead of always looking for the breakout run. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Sean Payton said he's not too worried about exposing any secrets to the Bengals when the two teams practice together in Cincinnati on Thursday, two days before they play each other in a preseason game. "All that stuff gets on film -- I think it's more of an opportunity to see different techniques and different schemes and it's a changeup from personnel because our guys are used to goin... Courtesy of the Associated Press: With starting center Jeff Faine still sitting out of practice with a strained calf, the Saints added another reserve center to their 85-man preseason roster in advance of the The new player is Brian Ferentz, who played in college at Iowa and spent last season, his first as a pro, with Atlanta. He did not play last season. Ferentz is the son of Iowa coach ... Courtesy of the Associated Press: When Palko found out late last week that he would be playing the last three quarters of Friday night's preseason game in New Orleans, his parents made last minute arrangements travel from western Pennsylvania to New Orleans so they could watch their son play in person. ...
Injury update: Sean Payton says that Jammal Brown needs to get his flexibility back and get the soreness out of his knee. There is no timetable on his return. Payton said the Saints ‘dodged a bullet’ with Brown’s injury. ...Saints linebacker Scott Fujita explained his injury that occurred at a water park last week. Fujita was on crutches last week with what was described as a 'bruised heel.' ...Drew Brees looked less like the guy who played Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and more like the guy who lead the Saints to the NFC Championship Game Friday night against the Bills. Read more. ...Palko plaid three quarters, went 15-of-27 for 172 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Sure, it was a losing effort, but he did complete that nifty pass to Robert Meachem in the 'endzone.' Read more. ...Juan Kincaid says the Saints got just what they wanted out of Friday's game even if it didn't end with a win. ...Sean Payton said after the game that the Saints had great energy and executed better than the week before. He said the team was crisp on both sides of the ball. However, he said he didn't like the second half sloppiness and the fact that the team lost the game. ...CBS' Solomon Wilcots said after the game with the Bills that he's expecting a big year from Reggie Bush, that could push the Saints offense to a new level. He said that 10-6 last season was no fluke. ...Tyler Palko will play quite a bit after Drew Brees leaves the game, Coach Payton said. ...Wide receiver Robert Meachem was limping after a play during practice. The first round draft pick told reporters that he bumped knees with another player during that play and that he was okay. Admittedly his own toughest critic, Meachem said his camp has been sporadic. "It's been up and down. And I tell myself everyday you got to be more consistent," Meachem said. "You can't have three good catches and then all of a sudden ha... The starters will play the first quarter--possibly the beginning of the second quarter as well--against the Bills on Friday, Coach Payton said. Among the following players not playing in tomorrow's game: linebacker Scott Fujita, wide receiver David Patten, center Jeff Faine, left tackle Jammal Brown, defensive end Rob Ninkovich, wide receiver Jamal Jones and guard Dave Yovanovits. Also, Roman Harper will start the game, as will... Don Banks of Sports Illustrated is visiting every NFL training camp and writes a 'postcard from camp' updating fans with his thoughts and observations about the team's performance and expectations in camp. On August 7, he filed this report about the Saints in Millsaps. ...Curt Menefee, host of FOX NFL Sunday, was at Saints camp this past week and had this to day about the team's chances for the 2007 season. Read more. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: The Saints waived Trev Faulk Wednesday morning, Payton said, and signed offensive lineman Nick Sobic, who worked out with the team a week ago. "That was a tough one," Payton said of the cut, "cause Trev's done a lot of improving and made strides. Right now we're thin on offensive line and felt like we needed to add a player there." The Saints also brought in wide... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: The team cut practice short Wednesday afternoon. They were scheduled to have dinner with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. ...Linebacker Scott Fujita and tight end Billy Miller missed practice this afternoon after both were injured during a team trip to a nearby water park. A WWLTV.com staffer saw Fujita walking on crutches in the Millsaps cafeteria after the team returned from the Rapids on the Reservoir water park. He had his right foot and ankle wrapped. Coach Sean Payton said Fujita suffered a heel bruise and that he might withhold the linebacker... FOX Sports ranks the NFL coaching staffs. The Saints come in tied for 9th, probably due to only one year of success. The Eagles are number one. ...Coach Sean Payton cancelled Wednesday morning's practice so the team could visit a water park. No official word on where the team specifically went. ...The Saints will end training camp a day early and travel to Cincinnati for a pair of scrimmages with the Bengals. ...Hollis Thomas remains overweight, according to Coach Payton, and is not playing at the level he's capable of. "There's a reason he's got a weight," said Payton, "and when he's that much above the weight, it's hard for his production to be effective." ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: After spending the morning concerned about the fate of his All-Pro left tackle, Coach Sean Payton had good news for the media regarding Jammal Brown. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Also missing the Bills game will be wide receiver Jamal Jones (knee), Coach Payton said. "He's trying to come back and what I don’t want to do is send him backwards," Payton said. "He's gonna try to give you everything he's got, but at the same time, some injuries, like the one he has, you're gonna have to give it some time to give it some rest. And it's tough for a pla... Ryan Wilson of AOL Sports' Fanhouse previews the upcoming season with a look at the 30 most important persons to watch. Read more. ...Defensive end Will Smith was held out of practice with a virus Tuesday. Also, Smith will be excused from practice the next few days to attend his grandmother's funeral. No word on whether he'll play Friday against the Buffalo Bills. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Offensive tackle Jammal Brown was carted off the practice field with what appeared to be an injured right knee. Coach Sean Payton did not want to speculate on the severity of the injury, but said the knee appeared stable. More information on Brown's injury should be available by this afternoon. ...Information courtesy of the Associated Press: The New Orleans Saints are ending their training camp at Millsaps College one day early. ...The Saints got a reality check Sunday night, according to Larry Holder of the Biloxi Sun Herald. While the score didn't really matter, the effort and some exposed weaknesses certainly do. ...It was just preseason, but Sean Payton was not at all pleased with the effort in the loss to the Steelers in the Hall of Fame game. ...Saints coach Sean Payton had little positive to say about his team’s loss to the Steelers. ...NFL Network announcer Cris Collingsworth said during the second quarter of the Hall of Fame game that he hadn't seen a single Saints DB that looked like he was ready to play at the NFL level on the field tonight. He talked about Mike McKenzie, Jason David and Jason Craft getting beaten. Collingsworth has continued to talk about the Saints giving up big plays. ...Brady Aymond of the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi profiles cornerback Usama Young who's stock is fast rising. ...There's no question who is number one, so the battle at the quarterback position in preseason will center on the backup spot. ...After a brief walkthrough practice this morning, the Saints will board a plane for Canton, Ohio later in the day for the Hall of Fame Game. Read more. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: There's a "good chance" Roman Harper will not play in Sunday's Hall of Fame Game versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, Coach Sean Payton said. Harper's surgically repaired left knee has been swelling during camp. Payton may hold out Deuce McAllister as well. "Health wise, he's fine, but I might rest him in this game," Payton said. ...Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Look for Drew Brees and Reggie Bush to see action only for one or two series, Coach Payton said. The other starters will get 10 to 12 plays. Second string players will enter the game near the end of the first quarter or early second quarter. Other players will come in during the second half. Both kickers and punters will be used in the game. And a few players w... Fred Thomas, last seen being burned for some long passes and touchdowns against the Chicago Bears in the NFC Championship last season, is back in camp with something to prove. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Biloxi Sun Herald: The depth at linebacker for this year's training camp shines in comparison to a year ago. Only Scott Fujita and Alfred Fincher were on the roster at the start of last season's training camp. Read more. ...Tyler Palko is one of the four quarterbacks at Saints training camp. The Pitt standout who went undrafted in April wants to show he belongs in the pro ranks. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Hattiesburg American: The New Orleans Saints receiving corps is a group made up of players who each provide a unique skillset on the field. Not only does each player offer different talents and specialties, the contrast in the sizes of the receivers is obvious. Read more. ...Joe Dumars, former NBA star and Natchitoches resident, has been an avid Saints fan. He paid a visit to camp Thursday afternoon. Read more. ...
Roman Harper, whose rookie season was cut short by injury, is listed by Sporting News as a breakout defensive player for the coming year. ...CBS Sportsline.com's Pete Prisco says the one thing that might drive the Saints the most in 2007 is the stinging NFC Championship game loss. ...From the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: After declaring that he could "make it rain" (literally) if he wanted it, Coach Payton cancelled practice after an hour when heavy clouds hovered over the football stadium and lightning could be seen approaching. Payton joked with reporters afterwards as he headed toward the team bus, saying we "jinxed it" by asking him about the weather earlier in the day. Of course, t... From the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: The Saints waived receiver Rhema McKnight and guard Wes Sims this afternoon, Coach Payton said. To fill their places, the team signed receiver Chris Jackson and offensive lineman Tim Duckworth. ...From the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Reporters asked Coach Payton if he had control over the weather, since it rained all across Jackson, except at training camp. Payton responded, "It's 'The Truman Show.' ... If you guys want it to rain tonight, we'll make it rain. You want thunderstorms, you clouds, you want overcast, you want humidity? We've been fortunate." With the heat index hitting the mid-90s on a regular basi... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: The starters will be expected to play about 15 to 18 snaps on Sunday against Pittsburgh, Coach Payton said. Veterans like David Patten, Hollis Thomas, Fred Thomas and Jay Bellamy may see just eight to ten snaps. Drew Brees should start the game, with Jamie Martin finishing out the first off. Third and fourth stringers Jason Fife and Tyler Palko will be used exclusively in the ... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Coach Payton said there'll be no Friday morning practice as the team prepares to travel to Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame Game. The team will work on its game plan for Pittsburgh during Friday evening's practice. Payton plans on mixing and matching players in the secondary and elsewhere to avoid having some worry about their possible spot on the depth chart and, in so... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: The Saints worked out four players Thursday morning, two offensive linemen (Tim Duckworth and Nick Sobic) and two wide receivers (Chris Jackson and Darius Watts), Coach Sean Payton said. Jackson, a rookie, played at Millsaps. ...Former LSU linebacker Trev Faulk is hoping to find a roster spot with the New Orleans Saints. ...David Brandt of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger says the Saints are in big trouble if Drew Brees gets injured, especially since the backup quarterback situation is still undecided. ...The Saints signed defensive end Scott Scharff to take the place of Jon Hamm, whom the team placed on waivers earlier this morning. Scharff worked with the team previously last season in training camp. Defensive tackle Lance Legree was placed on injured reserve (left knee), Coach Sean Payton said. Legree's spot has been filled by tight end Ronnie Ghent, whom the Saints worked out after the morning practice. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: Saints fullback Mike Karney, whose defining physical characteristic are his broad shoulders accentuated by huge shoulder pads, understands that his primary job always will be to block for Deuce McAllister or Reggie Bush on runs through the line. ...The Clarion-Ledger reports NFL officials visited with the Saints yesterday to inform them of the league's new rule changes. Read more. ...10 linebackers are in camp competing for three starting positions. But Scott Fujita, Mark Simoneau and Scott Shanle are all fine as unheralded members of the team. It's their on-field production that matter, they say. Read more. ...The Saints scored very high on Peter Schrager's training camp rankings. Read more. ...Tight end Ronnie Jenks and quarterback Matt Baker were given special tryouts following practice. But Coach Payton advised not to read too much into bringing another QB into camp. "We're always kinda taking a look at what's out there...It's just paying attention to what we feel like are pretty good football players that just became available from Dallas. Obviously, if you're going to sign a player you have to make room for him," Payton... The Saints waived defensive end Jon Hamm Wednesday morning, Coach Sean Payton said. Hamm had been sidelined all of camp with a quad injury. With Jon Hamm no longer a part of the team, the Saints have run short on defensive ends. Coach Payton said the team might try to get a new player signed before the weekend to add more depth. Until then, it appears that the healthy defensive ends currently on the roster will play more minutes dur... Taken from the 'Eye on Saints' Training Camp Newsletter: Aaron Stecker's wife gave birth to a son, Dorsett Aaron Stecker, Coach Sean Payton said during his morning Q&A session with the media Wednesday. The baby weighed "seven pounds and change," and everyone was doing fine, Payton said. Stecker is expected back at training camp within the next two days. ...From the Associated Press: Quarterback Drew Brees has never been to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which will change this weekend when the Saints travel to Canton, Ohio, to play Pittsburgh in the first exhibition game of the preseason. ...From the Associated Press: David Patten continues to be one of the stars of training camp so far, along with rookie cornerback Usama Young, who is playing well despite missing the first two days of practice with a strained quad muscle. ... |
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