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Eye ON THE SAINTS |
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June 2009
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December 2008 Archives
A blogger put together several graphs and charts that show how ESPN's power rankings fluctuated as the year went on. For the Saints, it was a slippery slope: after peaking at No. 4 in Week 2, the team fell out of the top 10, never to return. They finished the season ranked 19th. The Falcons, on the other hand, is like a mirror image. They started th... Pat Yasinskas had few nice words for the Saints, giving them a D+ on the season and saying that the team will need to overhaul their defense -- again. He says only Vilma, Ellis and Harper are the only defensive players whose jobs are safe. ...New Orleans
Deuce McAllister won't retire at least that's what he said after Sunday's game but whether he'll be back with the Saints is another question, according to Mike Herndon of Al.com. ...The saints defense couldn't come up with a key stop and Carolina booted a 42-yard field goal to win 33-31. 3:11 4th Quarter this is stunning. Oh, and Brees didn't get the record on the drive. But if the Saints come up with a stop, he might just get it. He has 16 yards more to get the record and the Superdome is R... So, New Orleans ranks No. 17 in the latest ESPN power ratings. The Wold Wide Leader says that the Saints are only playing for a winning season. I disagree. Drew Brees is playing for an NFL record. ...All 16 of the Saints 2009 opponents have been named under the NFL's scheduling formula. Besides the other NFC South teams, the black and gold will face off against the NFC's and AFC's Eastern Division, and, by virtue of their last place finish in the NFC South, the 4th place teams in the NFC North and West.
Those wild folks over at the other WWL (World Wide Leader), other wise known by the acronym ESPN, answered several questions about the Saints in their latest blog entry. While we know about Reggie Bush, Pat Yasinkas answers questions about Mike McKenzie and his thoughts on whether the Saints will go after a new defensive coordinator. ...A couple of things... Reggie Bush to the IR today... can't say I didn't see this one coming. Unfortunately for Saints' fans, it's probably not the last time they see this headline. Bush has shown he is fragile... and no that doesn't mean he's Italian (A Christmas Story reference). Even still, I have yet to jump on the "overrated" bandwagon. I think Reggie is a special player. He's a game changer on special teams and can be a handf... Sporting News' Mike Florio says that a series of questionable personnel moves have dogged Sean Payton, but that the move to bring Jeremy Shockey, for a high cost, could cost him his job eventually. ...Saints officials confirm runningback Reggie Bush has been placed on the injured reserve because of a knee injury. Adam Schefter at NFL.com said the final parts of the deal that brought Jonathan Vilma to New Orleans are complete, and the Saints can breathe a sigh of relief. According to Schefter, the Saints will have a first-round pick and two fourths in 2009 with no picks in the second or third rounds. ...Garrett Derr of Bleacher Report.com minces few words in saying that Mario Williams was a much better choice than Reggie Bush. He said Bush was initially compared to LaDainian Tomlinson and Brian Westbrook, but instead compares more favorably to Leon Washington. He bases the 'bust' talk on what you'd expect from the second overall pick in the draft. ...Saints offensive lineman Jon Stinchcomb is the organization's "Man of the Year." And I've got to tell you, that seems about right. Stinchcomb, a UGA alumnus, seems to always be doing something for the community, be it blocking for Drew Brees and Pierre Thomas or giving back to those who need it. Like, for instance, purchasing 225 bicycles that will be given to underprivileged children for Christmas. Or like hosting a y... Washington Post football reporter Zack Leibowitz says Reggie Bush is not over-rated, in fact he is a key to the team's success. Leibowitz just says Bush is too often injured (note: the column was written prior to Bush's missing the second half of Friday's game with another injury). ...The NFL Network is reporting that Doug Marrone, the Saints offensive coordinator, has accepted a head-coaching job at Syracuse. Marrone, who also helps coach the offensive line, is a Syracuse alum. Not so fast, though. The Post-Standard in Syracuse reported late Thursday night no offer had been extended. ...Saints runningback Deuce McAllister won't be suiting up for the Saints game Thursday night. He was deemed inactive in time for the game. Here are the other inactives for tonight's game: Brian Murphy of TwinCities.com says that there will be no ruling on NFL suspensions by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson until at least Friday, clearing the way for Saints players Deuce McAllister and Will Smith to play against the Bears. However, the Vikings players suspended by the league, won't know their status for this weekend's game until at least Friday. ...Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune says the Saints shocked the Falcons with a potent running game and could be 'winterizing' their offense for a cold Chicago night. ...Hub Arkush of Pro Football Weekly is why the NFLPA is backing current suspended players when they haven't done so in the past. ...Mike Triplett of Pro Football Weekly wonders if all of Drew Brees' passing yards are for naught? And he says the certain Pro Bowler would trade all of the stats for some more wins. ...Steve Simmons of the London Free Press claims the team was 'in play' in 2005 before Katrina and that a couple of Toronto bigwigs received permission to talk to the Saints. The article claims that the Toronto men never met with Benson but that they did talk to family members and a lawyer for the team - and then Katrina hit and the Saints became a symbol ... The forecast in Chicago for Thursday night calls for temps in the teens and 20s following two days of snow. Either way, it will be similar to what it was on the Saints trips to Chicago the past two seasons - when they lost. ...
Fewer than 24 hours after New Orleans' 29-25 win over Atlanta, we still wondered about calling a "belly" run play on fourth-and-one. There also is question about playing in Chicago...in December...in the cold weather. Here are the answers, straight from Sean Payton's mouth: --About the decision to run the football -- Pat Yasinskas' blog notes several important items in the Saints grind-it-out win over Atlanta, including the fact that for the first time this season, the Saints ran the ball more than they threw it in the first quarter. ...
Game over In a tough call, one that some would call stupid, Sean Payton went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 7. Mike Karney plunged ahead for 2 yards. A play later, Thomas went in. New Orleans held up on defense, and then the offense ran out the clock using six consecutive Thomas run plays to chew up the clock.... The New Orleans Saints placed Kevin Kaesviharn on injured reserve Thursday, ending the safety's season. Kaesviharn had a neck injury that team officials described as a "stinger," or a pinched nerve. Coach Sean Payton said Thursday it was the second time Kaesviharn had such an injury and that he would need a few weeks to recover. The Saints filled Kaesviharn's spot on the roster by signing linebacker Tearrius George off of Dalla... With Lane Kiffin being hired at Tennessee and the defensive coordinator position up in the air in Baton Rouge, could Saints defensive line coach Ed Orgeron be thinking of going back to college? That's a good question. Why don't we let the man himself answer that. "Every season in a coach's life there's an evaluation and there's always going to be options," Orgeron said. "In my case, in my first year in the NFL, I love being in ... Mike Florio of the Sporting News says that the players suspended for using a banned diuretic may have a good case against the league on several fronts. ...Aaron Breer of the Sporting News says that it's likely that the three suspended Saints players will file for an injunction to halt their scheduled suspensions. They would be joined by the other three players who were also suspended. ...Pat Yasinskas of ESPN says the old fox from Tampa (Monte Kiffin) fooled the veteran QB Drew Brees Sunday in Tampa. ...
Sean Payton blamed Sunday's 23-20 loss to Tampa Bay not on the weather, but on inconsistency on the offense and a poor kicking game. That inconsistency, mind you, came on offense, where the team had at least eight dropped passes and several penalties in crucial situations. Want to know what he said? Here's some insight - Opening statement: |
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