Saints NFL Records - 2011 Season of Record Breakers the Best Ever

So that was the season that was. 16 and done with a bunch of team and personal records in the locker. What I love about it is the Madden like numbers that I used to post as a kid on a console now playing out in real life. I mean its just unbelievable right down to the last game of the regular season and the most offensive yards in a game in team history! Here let's hand it off to 4th back Chris Ivory so he can rack up 100 yards plus and infuriate the hell out of perennial chip on his shoulder Smith on the Panthers side line. Genius.

Then there's the fact that no more will the Saints always be associated with NFL greats breaking their records against us. We've lived with 'Quick pitch to Walter' for years. Now finally we have 'Brees over the middle to Sproles and that's the record' and all against the dirty birds as well. Does it get much better?

Well yes it does. In the NFL record books we now have some names and numbers that are going to stick around for a while and that is dreamlike stuff for all of us who grew up knowing the season was over by game 8 and hoping against hope that maybe, just maybe, our punter or kicker might sneak into Pro Bowl recognition so at least we still had our name on the map no matter how pathetically.

Well now, in black and white, in record books all over the land and on the internet it will be plain for everyone to see that the Saints team of 2011 posted some unbelievable numbers. 'The Greatest Show on Turf' can move over for one thanks to 'The Greatest Show on Earth!' Then there's the greatest single season QB display and MVP which, and I'm sorry Jamie Dukes and others on NFL Gameday, has to go to Brees and not Rodgers. If it was going to Rodgers he would have broken the passing yard record but he didn't, end of. Sure he's as accurate as a laser guided missile but then so is Brees who, incidentally, broke the record for completion percentage in a single season with 71.2%. He also led the league in TD's thrown, broke league records for completions and 300+ yard games.

Sure Drew tossed up a couple more INT's but you're really going to tell me that there is daylight between Rodgers and Brees based on that? Come on, who are you kidding? I know it plays better to a national audience and the annals of NFL history to always have a Packers player on the national conscience and roll call but facts are facts and you have to look at the total package of what has been achieved.

1. Most passing yards in a single season EVER. Drew Brees 5,476 yards - eclipsing record held by Dan Marino since 1984 of 5,084.
2. Most completions in a single season EVER. Drew Brees 468 - breaking record of 450 by Payton Manning.
3. Highest completion percentage in a single season EVER. Drew Brees with 71.2% - breaking his own record of 70.6%
4. Most 300+ yard passing games in a single season EVER. Drew Brees with 13.
5. Most consecutive games with 300+ yards passing in a season EVER. Drew Brees with

Then there's the fact the guy led an offense which set new records all over the place.

1.. Most yards by an offense in history. And that's EVER again. 7,474 yards - eclipsing the previous record of 7,075 by the 2000 Rams.
2. Most all-purpose yards by a player in a single season. EVER. Darren Sproles with 2,696 yards.
3. Most first downs in a season by an offense. EVER. 416!!
4. Most receiving yards by a tight end in a season EVER (well until the Pats unsportingly went to Gronk and then took a knee so they could steal one record off the breakers).
5. Most net yards passing by a team in a single season EVER. 5,347 yards.
6. Fewest fumbles by a team in a season EVER. Just 6!

Did Rodgers and the Packers O do any of the above? Nope. Did he play in the same 2011 season with all the so called inherent advantages for team O's which came from having short training camps? Yes. So you can't lay that as argument can ya? Well no I guess we can't.

So what else? What else is possibly out there to in anyway detract from this Saints O, led by Drew Brees, going down in history as the finest ever with an MVP gong to match? Well I guess there's... nah nah nah shut up. You're just making noise.

Admit you were wrong, you over jumped the gun with Rodgers early in the season and frankly you made a mistake. Now swallow your pride, do the right thing and acknowledge just how special Brees and the O played this season. It's the right thing to do, it's the honorable thing to do and it's the blindingly obvious thing that must be done.

If not for the numbers posted then what? How else can anyone do better than smash so many records in one season? What else do they need to do? Well apart from play in green and yellow.

Is Drew Brees God? Which Falcon Player Do You Hate The Most?

Let me start by answering the latter question first.

Is it Matt Ryan?

Sure he's ugly as sin but hey so are most folk east of the Georgia line.

Is it THE Tony Gonzalez?

He of the trumped up self agrandized opinion whence he says his name in the starting Atlanta O players on TV?

Nah he's OK, he at least is good, played most of his career at the worst team in League history and deserves some grudging recognition.

Is it thunder thighs Turner himself?

Nah, he's just damn annoyingly efficient but I don't hate him.

Nah for me, hands down, the guy I wouldn't give a nickel to if his pants were on fire and he needed a cup of waters worth to douse those flames...

Yeah you guessed it

Roddy 'Am I stupid or is it just my face' White.

Preening, prancer, useless sack of sh*t, plum. A man so pointless I'm amazed I even remember his name. Oh yeah but then he is also that guy who bad mouths, at every opportunity, the divine perfection that is the Saints. Here's a guy in fact that if you were standing next to him in a firing squad you would cry so stupid is he as he continued to bad mouth the guys holding the guns.

"ready, aim"

"yeah you still a"

"fire!"

Drew Brees Perfection

This coming monday night is not only a chance to make Roddy White cry unbelievable floods of tears and spend the off season looking up brains on the interent but also a chance to watch Drew Brees remorselessly, brilliantly, perfectionately (is that an ately word?) sail into the record books as clearly the greatest quarterback that ever lived surpassing even Joe 'man I hated you as a kid cause you were so goog against us' Montana. In fact Brees probably has the chance to sail into the greatest man who ever lived period record books such is his brilliance, work ethic and ability to be a bloody good bloke.

So I take it at this time to declare that from this Sunday forward every sunday from now on will be declared hail Drew Brees day, our Quarterback, our saviour, defender of ecstasy and defender of the realm of our Parish.

Drew you are quite simply THE GREATEST QB who ever played the game and I thank you for making this old fossil at least happy again despite the crappy times we live in. You are a shining light of work ethic, dignity and morality and I salute you for being a class apart.

Should you not make the Marino record for any reason know at least that you have helped people be happy every sunday for the past few years which is more than I can say ever happened for most of the previous 30.

One man, one Legend.

Now Roddy White go read up on what it is to be a man you toad.

Top 5 Predictable Things TV Analysts Say About The Saints

It's primetime TV and the nation is tuning in to watch a game from the Super Dome (I'm not calling it that sponsored thing ever). The analysts are on the mic and having just read up on the Saints they are all set to trot out a set of boringly predictable dross to try and clue up a nation. Here we yawn go:

1. Analyst says: That pass broken up by Tracy Porter who you may remember intercepted Manning to seal the deal for the Saints at the Super Bowl in '09...

What they really mean - I don't pay enough attention to the Saints to know whether he's done anything of any significance in the meantime. He's the one wearing number 22 right?

2. Analyst says: The Saints ground game has been outstanding this year with all three backs, Thomas, Sproles and Ingram, sharing the load on a rotating basis. Of course Reggie Bush left for Miami in the off season.

What they really mean - We have to find a way to shoe horn Reggie Bush's name into it somehow if just for the fair weather fans who know diddly squat about the other names I just read out.

3. Analyst says: And up front are the two best guards in the league Nicks and Hicks. Everything starts with them up front.

What they really mean - I haven't got a clue if they still are the best because I pay so little attention to what most guards are doing so let's just assume they are I mean who's going to know otherwise so long as we keep saying they are.

4. Analyst says: Sproles is probably the best free agent acquisition this past off season. Can you think of anyone else that even comes close?

What they really mean - I can't remember last night let alone the off season, someone help me out here.

5. Analyst says: Is there a louder crowd in the league? You walk around this town at night and it is always lively.

What they really mean - I'm amazed I got home last night with my pants still on given how loaded I was. My I do love these weekends away from home.


And now for the top 5 things they're unlikely to ever say

1. Brees really needs to do some more stretching.

2. The Saints are yet to blitz in this half.

3. Patrick Robinson does not start every play 10 yards off his receiver. It's just something he does'nt do.

4. Sedrick Ellis in with the tackle, one of the leagues premier DT's there and one of the biggest steals in recent draft memory.

5. Man I hate this crowd. A bunch of whining spoilt brats everyone of them. They need to learn humility and grace like the fans in Atlanta always display.

Peace be upon you Who Dat nation and all who sail on you.

Why David Thomas' absence is going to hurt down the stretch

A couple of years back, during our Super Bowl winning campaign, I used to flippantly joke that David Thomas was a future Hall of Famer. I did this from a sense of Saints luxury. Drew Brees seemed to have so many weapons at his disposal that anytime the ball made its way to Thomas I felt the guy needed an honorary beef up so marginalised was he from recognition.

Well now that same sense of humour is paying its penance as David Thomas looks set for a prolonged spell on the side lines.

You see it's not that Thomas is the greatest Tight End on the planet, far from it, but he brings a work ethic and versatility that is much needed to the Saints offense. He is the 3rd check down guy, Mr dependable with a safe pair of hands for a 3 yard gain. He's the guy who can be relied upon to put his neck on the line blocking an elite pass rusher coming off the edge. He is, in short, a great team player.

Yes we have an abundance of riches in Colston, Graham, Sproles, Moore, Meachem, Thomas (Mr Screen) and even Henderson but for me Thomas offers something else and that is, to borrow the kind of garbled phraseology a Presidential contender would entertain in a public debate, dependientability. His loss is the Saints loss because of that and every chink in the overall awesomnessability (see I'm on a roll, is it too late to make a late run?) of the Saints O is another mm of daylight the Packers have over us.

Which makes Monday night’s game all the more noticeable. For we are about to play an excellent front four on the Giants D line and we need every blocking option we can to slow their attack. Give Brees time and he can pick apart anyone especially if the opposing D need to bring more than the front 4 so leaving holes in coverage. The Saints have a well-trained receiving corps who are adept at finding the soft in a zone D and Brees will exploit this.

As such I think this game will once again be won or lost by our O line. If we can keep the big blue at bay we have a heck of a good shot at marching on. Lose and we're looking over our shoulders afresh. This is why David Thomas is a sad loss. Yes we've been fine without him to date this season but in the tight games against the better teams I want my best unit avaiable and he is an important cog in the system. Anything that makes the whole weaker is important. Death by a thousand cuts and all that. Let's hope Strief and Bushrod get some help on the edges or we could see the Brees INT number up by a couple.

Get well Mr Thomas. I used to joke about you but now I know the value of a good team player. Dependable Dave is my new moniker for you. Wear the name well on your return.

Let's Get Ready To Rumble/The Falcons Are Going Down

So the time has come, it's finally down to the real business, it's finally THE FALCONS GAME.

And what a game we have in store. A Saints win and we still have a decent chance of playing at least one game at home in the playoffs. A Saints loss and we're in trouble with the remaining schedule plus it will SUCK big balls to lose to the Spandex wearers.

So I have 5 tips to share with the team this week.

1. Protect Brees
2. Protect Brees
3. Stop Michael Turner
4. Cover Gonzalez on 3rd down/Red Zone
5. Kick Matt Ryan in the balls when he's lying prone on the floor.

OK so that's simple enough right? Ick, probably not but we live in hope.

One way or the other the D needs to win the take away war as they'll no doubt give up some big yardage to the annoyingly able Cack Cans. Without take aways we all get hungry (in my house anyway) so Jenkins, Greer (catch it dude, you keep reading the plays and then look like you're trying to catch an eel in fog), Harper read Ryans eyes (I know it's hard staring into those big vacuous spaces of cloud dust but try) and make a play on the ball.

Dunbar, Casillas, Smith and Co. punch that ball with all your might as thunder thighs Turner passes you. Ellis, Rodgers, Franklin, just plough forward like you've never ploughed before for we have to collapse that pocket. And Morstead, ah my man Morstead, continue to give our D a chance by making those incredible punts and touch backs and give the Trash Cans no space to work with.

As for the O it's all on the front 5. Protect, protect, protect. Oh yeah and open holes, open holes, open holes. Meachem and Henderson please try and get in the game again. The rest play to your normal strengths and we're in with a shout.

Now for my favorite jokes of the week as just made up by me.

What do you call a Falcon with a low IQ? A typical Falcons fan.

What do you call a Falcons fan who is a member of Mensa? You can't, how can you describe that which does not exist?

What's the difference between the entire Falcons roster and a bag of turd? Nothing.

Why did the Falcons fan cross the road? To avoid being laughed at by just about everyone who's ever existed.

What did the die hard Falcons fan say to the other die hard Falcons fan? So like where is the Georgia Dome anyhow?

What did the other die hard Falcons fan say to the other two die hard Falcons fans? Man this sure is a strange game of basketball, are we in the right place?

Yes you heard me right Falcon fans, the most fickle bunch of preening whingers anywhere. Support your team when they're winning why don't ya but pretend like you've never heard of them during times of trouble. You know who you are. Now go suck an egg.

Who Dat!

Embarressing, shocking, sloppy - Saints O line finally found out

Well what can I say about that? The Saints couldn't run the ball against the most porous run defense in the league (not that that's a surprise given how uterally useless we've been all season at opening holes) and now they can't pass protect. It all comes from up front and we were hopeless.

It's one of the fundamentals of football. You run the ball to set up play action. We can't run the ball though. We can't open up holes. We can't push people around. We can't even protect Brees now. We are, to put it bluntly, an O line short of a championship team. And I just don't get it.

When you have 2 Pro Bowl guards you expect some daylight to open for backs. Instead, and I've laboured this point all season, we have an O line that gets pushed back into the RBs play after play. I mean its not even funny. Reminds me of Dan Marino and the Dolphins of late 80's/early 90's lore. Season after season of promise fundamentally undercut by an inability to run.

Gutted and saddened beyond words. We're all meat and no trousers.

And as for the run D. Still can't stop the Steven Jackson Rams yet again. He was a one man team in 2009 against us and was back again today eating up yardage with effortless ease.

But I'm not going to get down on the D. They kept us in the game for most of it and bar the blocked punt would probably have kept the score to a respectable 10 at the half. No it's all aboout Bushrod, Nicks, De La Puente, Hicks and Brown. 5 guys who need to come good fast, sort out the blatant deficiencies that have been apparant for too long or watch the big game from home in January knowing they were responsible for blowing it all.

Why the Saints lost to the Bucs

I've waited all week to watch this game. I am out of the country and had to wait until it became available online. I've just watched it and I am pissed.

Why'd the Saints lose?

Was it because of the turnovers? Sure it was a big factor but it's not the rotten apple at the core of the problem.

Was it the needless penalties? Again they didn't help but they could have been over come.

Was it Sean Payton's injury? Nope, I think the Saints coped pretty well bar the lack of timeout call with 2.15 left on the game clock.

Ok so what was it? Well you see it's that big old elephant in the room that we all keep pretending/hoping isn't there but has been the achilles heel the past couple of seasons. I am of course talking about our O line.

What the one with 3 pro bowlers on it?

Yes the very same. Last year we all thought it was the injuries that did it for the running game. Having a revolving back door of backs was certainly a problem and made us throw more than was necessary. But it actually hid the underlying reason.

You see it doesn't matter how good your backs are, and for me we have the best trio of backs and balance in Saints history. No it's all to do with the fact that the big men up front could not open a hole in a soggy paper bag if their lives depended upon it. In fact they would lose out to my grandma at doing it.

All Mark Ingram and Pierre Thomas saw through the middle all day was white jerseys. If they saw a black jersey it was 3 yards in the backfield being pushed fast in their direction. It was like looking for light in a vacuum!

I don't know how or what the Saints are going to be able to do about it but it all starts up front and frankly these five are going to be the undoing of us.

All comes back to Pre Season

It goes right the way back to pre season. I was bitching about it back then but got sucked into that 'well they seem to open holes in the 4th when we're winning so I guess they're ok' but frankly they're not. They have no push whatsoever. To say Nicks and Hicks are big men with big reputations is a source of embarressment. Those two need to look themselves in the eyes and figure out how to make the most of their athletic gifts or this promising season will crash down all around us when the potential is there for a genuine tilt at the big game.

Plain and simple we were in a position to win the game late in the fourth on 4th and 2 and Brees threw an interception. Why's that not on Brees you may ask? Well most other teams in the league would trust their inside running game to at least ground out some yards to get it in or failing that to have pounded out some inside yards at some point in the game on 2nd and 3rd and short situations to set up some genuine play fakes.

Instead Brees had to go to the air yet again when it was not necessary - or at the least he would have been able to make a genuine attempt at a play fake had there been any kind of a running game but instead the Bucs just sat back in coverage knowing very well it was going to be Brees or nothing.

In Mark Ingram we have an inside back who can pound out good yardage if given half a chance. He has 2nd and 3rd efforts that really do mark comparison with the great E.Smith. He's a guy who could be the mainstay of this team. Instead we hand him the ball time and again and ask him to beat the whole front 5 or front 7 all on his own. It's not fair on the kid. The big men up front are vets and they are letting him and the team down.

Time to put up or shut up in the trenches or this season is going to be one massive missed opportunity.

Big shout outs

Malcom Jenkins for impecable reading of the game. Ok he was at fault for a TD but he got there on 3 battered balls to kill drives. Heck of a team leader.

Patrick Robinson for continued development reading game and anticipation. Killed one series single handedly in its tracks.

Jimmy Graham for being the most immense addition to any Saints team in history. I love this guy.

Marques Colston for getting back to his best.

Thomas Morstead for always giving the Saints D a chance with booming kicks.

Sean Payton for dealing with a horrific injury by making it look like he'd merely been stung by a wasp and for getting on with it.

Drew Brees for almost getting it done despite a poor first half by his standards. Yes there were 3 picks but one should have been caught by Meachem, the other I've discussed leaving only one that he really put out there as a bad throw.

Saints V Panthers pre game debate

James, Jeff and Mike from the Times-Picayune talk about how the Saints D will be go after the Panthers QB Cam Newton. I say get a nice crisp Harper and Jenkins double Safety blitz hit early doors and watch him question what he's doing on the field.




Here’s a compilation video of the Saints Touchdowns from weeks 1 to 4 against the Packers, Bears, Texans and the Jaguars. To enjoy this video even more my tip of the day is to get some masking tape, sneak up behind that lone Falcons/Trash Cans fan at work, bind them to their chair and then make them watch this video on a loop whilst you dance all around singing Who Dat and 3 and 1 over and over and over and over and...

I LOVE A.J. SMITH

Saints Finally Bring Team A Game

We've waited a while but finally the Saints brought their A game on all sides of the ball. We looked more hungry than the Bears overall in fact.

On the D side we pursued harder, gang tackled, did an excellent job in man coverage (Jabari Greer outstanding!) and got penetration up front. 6 sacks was a telling end statistic.

On the O side I thought the line did an incredible job of keeping the likes of Julius Peppers quite. Beyond a couple of 1st Quarter mentions in fact we barely even heard his name. That is testament to a much improved display by the guys in the pits.

Add to that the running game actually got going with all 3 backs gaining decent yardage and you've got to say we look like the real deal if we can continue to open holes for them.

Brees was pretty much flawless and hit Devery Henderson with an inch perfect bomb en route to a 79 yard TD. He even managed to get Meachem into the game and Mr Butterfingers himself caught every ball thrown his way and really stepped up to the plate in Marques Colstons absence.

Add to that another fine display by Jimmy Graham and you have to give the O an A rating as well.

Even on special teams we were pretty much all there. Thomas Morstead has one of the best legs in the business and managed to keep the ball away from Devin Hester most of the time. Sproles looked dangerous again on returns and it's surely only a matter of time before he breaks another big one and the coverage teams finally learnt how to tackle so again another A rating for them.

The Good

* The D learnt how to tackle

* The D brought consistent pressure

* Jabari Greer knocked down ball on third down, defended another pass to Devin Hester with perfect coverage and made an open field tackle on Forte. Great day by this unsung Stallion!

* Jimmy Graham creates mismatches all over field - still a long way to go but could be the next Tony Gonzalez

* Robert Meacham for catching all passes thrown his way and restoring faith that he can catch the ball in clutch situations

* The Saints front 7 for bringing the heat and for sustained penetration

* Sproles, Ingram and Thomas for being the 3 pronged sucker punch we envisaged and now see as reality. Great inside running by Ingram in particular one time pumping his legs for 8 yards that he had no right to gain

* Thomas Morstead for just being consistently excellent in his execution

* The O line for an outstanding job all day.

The Bad

* The Zebras. A number of bad calls in the first half put coach Payton on the road to a coronary. Harper did not rough the passer, Meachem was hit late and out of bounds + another incident that my brain can't recall right now

* Malcolm Jenkins dropped a blatant pick... although we can forgive him this one indiscretion as we know it won't happen again, right Malcolm?

* Forte 42 yard run in 1st went untouched by any defender. Add to that a 17 yard reception in which he broke 2 bad tackles and some of the Saints main frailties were once again out in the open

* Red zone conversions still a concern. The pitch to Ingram was a bad call and they still don't seem to trust the inside run down at the goal line. With 2 Pro Bowl guards you'd really like to think we could convert in such situations but apparently not and accordingly Payton doesn't trust them to get the push in those situations.

Game Vs The Texans

If we can bring that same kind of intensity, hustle and heat on a consistent basis we'll be a match for anyone especially the Texans. We have to continue line penetration with the front 4 rather than always bringing the house as quick release QBs may well pick us apart down the stretch if we always have to bring everyone.

I hope the Bears game wasn't a red herring because of their poor O line. It's difficult to judge whether we've turned the corner or whether this was an anomaly. I guess we'll find out in a few days’ time.

I'm encouraged by Jonathan Casillas and Jo-Lonn Dunbar in the pass rush. With Will Smith back and Turk McBride also putting in a good performance who's to say this isn't the start of something better, after all new personnel take time to acclimatise so maybe we're about to see the promise fulfilled.

Still the pessimist doubts remain. Let's hold judgement until after the Texans.

In the meantime Reggie who? Sad to say as I do believe the guy cared and worked hard for the team but you couldn't find a more ready-made replacement and improvement in Darren Sproles. North south running, great in the flat and what speed in the return. Truly a major acquisition. I believe he'll be the same kind of catalyst for the O as Darren Sharper was for the D in '09.

Heal up Marques!

And Finally

2 videos for you. First up Pat Williams and Brian Blessing preview the Saints Texans game this coming Sunday, September 25.




And a short promo vid about home school kids and the Saints.

Sean Payton's Long Lost Brother Turns Up Refereeing English Premier League Game

No sooner had I finished watching the Saints on Sunday than I started watching the English Premier League game between Manchester United and Chelsea on Fox and noticed the referee bore a striking resemblance to our very own Sean Payton.

It's not so much a question of separated at birth as conjoined twins at birth!

Not sure what I'm going on about? Well may I submit to the court items 1, 2 and 3!

That or coach Payton, not satisfied with the first all round team performance for some time on all sides of the ball, managed to referee the game in the UK only minutes before the big kick off in the Dome.

Strange things are afoot people. Be watchful, be very watchful.

Post game analysis to follow soon.

Saints Need To Improve Up Front And Fast For Bears Game

Just watched the

beat the

and it's got me worried.

On Thursday night the Packers dominated us on both lines. Watching the way the

totally dominated in the trenches leaves me thinking we could be in for a long night.

The

O line are going to have their work cut out. Last week the holes opened for the backs were miniscule. It ain't gonna get any easier this week.

And if they are to keep

off his ass they are going to need to be on their A game or

and Co. are going to have a field day.

On the other side of the ball our front 7 brought about as much pressure as a small ant on an elephants back. Despite the new guys in the line up it was the same old story. If we can't bring more heat the secondary is just going to get picked apart.

Without

we don't have a pass rush. All the stunts and corner blitz's in the world aren't going to carry us all the way unless the big boys up front can bring it with 4.

Best get working your asses off messers

+

and

as you're in for a big game. Start lifting the weights.

Reflections on Saints Packers Game

Hmm. Some good, some bad on Thursday. Some great O, some poor D. What else is new?

I was heartened by the running game. I thought all 3 backs made important contributions.

was back to his 2009 standard after last years ankle problems. He looked sharp and full of running. I always feel so much better if he's getting a lot of the ball. Mr reliable.

also did a good job with some inside running. Whilst he was denied near the goalline he didn't really stand a chance. Payton should have gone with him again on 4th.

But the break out performance was obviously by

What an addition to the team. Reggie who? North to South running when taking a hand off, unbelievable break away speed on his returns and a go to receiver in clutch situations. Love him. What a player!

Real bad news that we've lost

for at least 4 weeks with a broken collarbone. He is key to our O. With

also struggling with a groin injury (something that only rest heals and something that's liable to recur if he's rushed back) we're going to be short for the Bears game.

That leaves us with Mr 'I can only catch 2 in 3 thrown my way'

and

Not something that leaves me full of confidence.

I'll follow up on my in depth analysis of the D later as its almost college football time and I need to find my wallet.

Revenge Time for 2008 Humbling? Let's Hope Not

Remember the 51-29 whipping the Saints put on the Green Bay Packers in 2008? Well the Packers haven’t. Let's hope they don't exact revenge. My gut says they won't although the Saints D still concerns me.



Responsibility has its rewards, be a responsible driver and reap the rewards after. Well at least that's the message I take from this kind of amatuer but well intentioned video. Don't drink and drive as it's just stupid numb nuts would be my version.

Saints Packers Season Opener

Family Falconer are back from a weeks vacation just in time (no coincidence I might add) for the season opener. It's a strange one going on vacation just before the big kick off. Part of you is wanting the trip to stretch on forever and the other part just cannot wait for the football to begin.

So now I've made my bed and I need to lie in it. But that's OK for now because the season is an open road we are about to get started on and for now everything is possible.

As such I thought I'd share a couple of good Saints Packers previews to get this week's posts under way.

Here’s “The Czar of the Playbook’’ Emory Hunt previewing the season opener.



Next up Brian Blessing and Kenny White share their views on the past two Super Bowl winners.



Should be great. I have the Saints by 3!

Pierre Thomas Getting Back To His Best + Training Camp Talk

The league's most underrated starting HB Pierre Thomas talking about the Saints ground game and his health. Love Pierre. He's such a great asset to the Saints. I hope he has a great year as that will mean we're in business.



SportsNOLA.com's Ken Trahan and Lenny Vangilder break down the Saints training camp to date including the move to Oxnard and the implications for the team. I like what they say about Morgan. I do wonder if Devery Henderson could be vulnerable given his drop off last year. Maybe not but always good to keep the heat on until the end of camp.



Take a peak at the Saints in practise at their Training Camp in Oxnard, California.

Sean Payton Unhappy With Team And With Good Reason

Apart from the fact that our first string D couldn't stop the run or passing game I thought we looked pretty good against the Texans - well at least when the D was stood on the sidelines.

Particularly impressive were most of the guys trying to lay claim to the starting spots. At one time I saw Paul Oliver standing with his hand on hip and helmet in the other. I took this to be a good sign. Now if he can just improve that stance by placing two hands in his lap whilst sitting in the stands I'd feel a lot better about our chances. In fact if the whole D could do that for the rest of the week and study game film that would be good.

What they'd start to notice is the fact they got man handled by a not overly good Houston front. Running lanes the size of the Atlantic were open, time was had in the pocket and I think I even saw Matt Schaub knitting a jumper at one point such was the time afforded to his drop backs.

Oh well, it is still pre season, the coaches haven't had the players for that long but I do hope it serves as a wake up call. Some fires need to be lit under some players asses this week if they want to keep their jobs.

In better news the more I see of Mark Ingram and Darren Sproles the more I think our O will fly this year. Add to that the fact butter fingers Meacham took a very difficult over the shoulder catch and things are on the up in places (did I spy stickem on his gloves?).

The continued development of Chase Daniels is another plus point as is the emergence of wee Mr Morgan. Will he make the team? I sure hope so on the evidence of these two outings. A wildcard if ever I saw one.

So overall some hope and some nail biting ahead.



And now to really whet your appetites here's the kick off commercial for the Saints and Packers game. Let's get ready to rumble!!

Saints Training Camp Videos

A couple of vids from the training facility today. I love watching practise even if through a shaky hand cam.

Here's one of Brees working out with his WR's.



Hang on in there for this one as eventually you'll see a nice Darren Sproles cut back en route to a score.

Saints Camp and Pre Season Black And Gold Report Breakdown

Here's a good in depth breakdown from the boys at Times-Picayune on the Saints Camp and Pre Season 1st game.



It was worrying to see the complete lack of running lanes for most run plays. Unless the boys upfront can start to get it done it doesn't matter who we have in the backfield as they ain't gonna go anywhere. That remains troubling. It's like having gold in the bank when all you need is a dollar for a candy bar.

Great to see Will Smith powering in. Back to being fast and sharp.

I saw yesterday some goon on the message board over at NOLA questioning whether Brees should be replaced by Daniels. I don't know about you but that was one dumb question and made me open the window just to let the bad smell off my computer.

How can anyone question Brees' right to the starting job. Ludicrous. Yes the O didn't click at all times last year but Brees remains head and shoulders the most important individual on the roster and it was only because others weren't doing their jobs at times that he had to force things. How many of his picks last year were from tipped balls? Answer, a lot.

Some people don't know which side their bread is buttered on.

Interesting to hear Williams is dialling up more 3-4 sets. Whilst we don't have the LB's of the Dome Patrol era to get it done from the OLB positions I trust in Williams to go through these motions to keep the opposing O's on their toes. The more he out thinks the fox the more I like our chances.

Finally

Jon Stinchcomb leaving is a big shot in the ass for anyone getting complacent. A great guy and team player who unfortunately was not getting it done as well last year because of injury. Clearly the coaches felt he wasn't going to get back to his peak so they had to let him go.

That kind of decision reinstills the need for guys to concentrate and work hard as emotion doesn't come into personel decisions and that's the way it should be.

Jon you were a top leader, a great player and a great guy and we salute you. I hope you find a home elsewhere.

Jon Stinchcomb released

A sad day any time a stalwart of the team leaves and so its only right to say thank-you to Jon Stinchcomb for all the hard work and effort he put into being the best he could be for our Saints.

Clearly a big presence in the locker room and someone who will be missed. Good luck Jon to you and your family and I know everything pans out for you.

Clearly Coach Payton was torn by the decision. Like anything you work with good people day in day out but the practicalities of life and business sometimes mean you have to move on and let your head rule your heart.



Jon Stinchcomb, a linchpin of the Saints 1st Super Bowl win and a great guy all round. Who Dat Jon!