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Eye ON THE SAINTS |
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June 2008
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December 2007 ArchivesFrom Sean Payton's press conference: "This isn't the same old Saints. I read that somewhere this morning. We're changing that. Obviously there's disappointment. We're shooting for the Super Bowl and that's where our expectations are set.' 'The job I did was 7-9. We're measured in wins and losses. The great thing about our job is the next week you get to do it again. You've got a nucleus here, starting with the quarterback, that... Head coach Sean Payton said that top draft pick Robert Meachem - who didn't play at all this year - will be 'in the mix' for next season. He said the coaching staff is excited about how Meachem has played on the scout team the past few weeks. Payton said it would be unfair to evaluate the '07 draft class for another year or two. He said it was tougher for this group to break into the lineup because it was a 10-win team coming b... Saints rookie running back Pierre Thomas raised some eyebrows Sunday with a record performance for the Saints. ...Sean Payton attributed the loss to mistakes and penalties and said one of the mistakes was punting to Devin Hester. Here is a sampling of his post game comments. "We did the things that get you beat - turnovers, we've been pretty good on penalties (this year) but today we weren't. We allowed big plays over our head and on special teams." "We have a lot of work to do. A lot of work." "He (Pierre Thomas) did a rea... Towards the end of the Saints game with the Bears, Jim Henderson had some pearls of wisdom including: The Saints really are not a playoff team. The Saints got nothing out of their draft. Brian Urlacher has five interceptions this season, Saints linebackers all together have zero. Why did the Saints pick up Kevin Kaesviharn and Brian Simmons and not play them? Were Josh Bullocks and Mark Simoneau so much better?<... In a contest destined to determine which team has been a bigger disappointment this season, the Saints and Bears play in a rematch of last year's NFC Championship Game. Read more. ...Where have you been, Robert Meachem? A fan base turns its lonely eyes to you...woo-woo-woo... Not the best "Mrs. Robinson" rip job, but hey, the question is certainly valid. Has there been a precedent for a first rounder to miss every single game of the regular season by being on the inactive list? Don't answer, Brady Quinn. Read more. ...Courtesy of Sheldon Mickles and the Baton Rouge Advocate: "If the New Orleans Saints were not going to be in control of their own destiny in the regular-season finale Sunday, they got the next-best thing." Read more. ...Courtesy of the Biloxi Sun-Herald: "Steve Weatherford came up with his own unique strategy of how to keep Chicago Bears return specialist Devin Hester from ever touching the ball Sunday." Read more. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: METAIRIE -- Reggie Bush won't return to the scene of his end zone somersault in last season's NFC championship game. At least not in uniform. ...Quick note: it's not the Saints. Sports Illustrated blogger Dominic Bonvissuto ranks the 32 NFL teams on their "watchability" versus their actual greatness. Another quick note: the Patriots aren't the top team, either. Read more. ...Courtesy of FOXSports.com: "When the New Orleans Saints visited Chicago last January, their surprising 2006 season came to a disappointing end. "On the verge of joining the defending NFC champions at home for the postseason, the Saints look to avenge last year's playoff loss to the Bears and get some help to keep their 2007 season alive when they return to Soldier Field on Sunday." >> Continue reading: Saints still looking for payback against Bears Third-string quarterback Kyle Orton gets the start in the season finale against the Saints. The Chicago Daily Herald reports Orton's focus is to play well enough to ensure his future either with the team or in the league. Read more. ...Having an "off year" would be putting it mildly for some Saints fans, but Jason David's lack of success has been quantified for analysis thanks to the Football Outsiders. According to them, David is worst in the league defending against the pass. Yikes. By contrast, Mike McKenzie ranked fourth highest against defending passes. Just makes that injury all... Third-string tailback Aaron Stecker, who started his first game of the season at Atlanta in week 14, will possibly miss the season finale against the Bears with turf toe. With Pierre Thomas the only healthy running back on the roster after the Eagles game, the Saints signed two new backs: Artose Pinner and Chris Barclay. Pinner has played five years with the Detroit Lions. Barclay is a second year pro who was claimed off waive... Courtesy of the Associated Press: LAKE FOREST, IL -- The last time the Bears and Saints played each other, a trip to the Super Bowl was on the line. This year, the Bears are out of the playoff hunt and the Saints are a long shot for the final wild card spot. "What a difference a year can make," Bears linebacker Lance Briggs said Wednesday. "Who knew we'd be here?" ...The majority of rankings mentions the fact that the Saints couldn't score a TD from one yard out on a pivotal drive in the third quarter. Seems to be a good way to summarize the season: so close, yet so far away. ESPN. Courtesy of the Biloxi Sun-Herald: "Do the Saints pine for a running back who turns 29 next week, will try to return next season from a second torn ACL in each knee in the last three seasons, and is scheduled to make $3.6 million in base salary next year? "From what Payton said this week, McAllister will return and it's realistic that the Saints tailback will be ready for training camp." >> Continue reading: McAllister expected to be back in '09 Just when you thought...you know the rest. Mike McKenzie tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and will be out the remainder of the year. Read more. ...The expectations were so high and perhaps that's whythe swift fall of the Saints, followed by the agonizingly long elimination process proved to be such a dud. ...Yes, believe it or not the Saints still have life and so do two other teams in the NFC and two in the AFC as the season winds into its final week. ...2:51 p.m. Saints scoring drive - 8 plays, 36 yards, 3:57 TOP Philly 31, Saints 23, 7:19 4th Q ...Courtesy of the Biloxi Sun-Herald: "Philadelphia ranks in the top third in the league in both offense and defense, yet will enter its last two games thinking about next year despite toppling Dallas at Texas Stadium last week." Read more. ...Will the Saints blitz more against the Eagles? Any chance of the Saints giving up the big play? What do the Eagles have to do to beat the Saints? Eyewitness Sports Director Jim Henderson gives his answers. Read more. ...Brees near perfect passing performance against the Cardinals earned him the award, along with two other players. Read more. ...Win out or miss the playoffs. The Saints have known the score since their loss to Tampa Bay at home, according to Sheldon Mickles of the Baton Rouge Advocate. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Associated Press: PHILADELPHIA -- Takeo Spikes needs surgery on a torn rotator cuff, and the Philadelphia Eagles said Wednesday they will place the veteran linebacker on injured reserve. ...Sean Taylor makes the Pro Bowl posthumously, along with 11 Cowboys and 8 Patriots...but no Saints. Read more. Henderson: No surprise Saints come up empty in Pro Bowl voting. ...Slightly better than 'middle of the pack' -- that seems to be the consensus of the rankings this week. ESPN. Defensive tackle Brian Young has contracted pneumonia and will miss the rest of the season after the New Orleans Saints placed him on injured reserve Tuesday, according to Larry Holder of the Biloxi Sun-Herald. Read more. ...On his first carry of the game Sunday, Aaron Stecker carried the ball for a considerable distance...only to cough up the ball on a fumble. He certainly made up for it, though: over 140 total yards of offense and two touchdowns to help lift the Saints over the Cardinals. Read more. ...Courtesy of the Baton Rouge Advocate: "The last week was a hectic, yet remarkably eventful, seven days for New Orleans Saints strongside linebacker Scott Fujita. "In that span, Fujita helped the Saints win two games to remain in the thick of the NFC wild-card playoff hunt and he also became a father for the first time when his wife, Jaclyn, gave birth to twin girls Thursday morning." >> Continue reading: Win over Cards caps hectic week for Fujita At least one Internet football guru thinks the Saints are the only team that can catch the Vikings for the final wildcard spot. However, tell that to Washington, which plays the Vikings next week and could be tied or one game behind them. Also, Minnesota might want to look at catching the Giants, who fell Sunday night and could be heading back to the pack. They finish the season at Buffa... Now this is what the Saints had in mind when they picked up Kevin Kaesviharn and drafted Roman Harper a secondary that picks off some passes and makes big hits. ...Yes, Drew Brees is red hot. He was 26 of 30 in Sunday's contest and he has quietly gotten back into the race for the Pro Bowl. After a lousy start that had him throw 9 interceptions and one touchdown in the first four games, Brees has since throw 24 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. That's one reason I took exception to last we... 2:55 p.m. I think, with New Orleans leading by seven and owning the ball with first-and-10 from the Cards' 25, this one is all but over barring some strange event. You know, like an ill-timed reverse. ...Courtesy of the Arizona Republic: "The Cardinals need to win their last three games to have a legitimate shot at the playoffs, yet they are dealing with more injuries than they have all year." Read more. ...You wouldn't know it from the 6-7 record, but Coach Sean Payton has seriously improved this team's red zone offense. They rank first in the league in scoring a TD once inside the 20 -- better than Arizona and New England. Read more. ...Drew Brees is one of 64 NFL quarterbacks in this tournament slapped together by ESPN.com. |