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.

Saints Training Camp Interview with Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Jabari Greer

Good to hear Saints LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar eulogising about the tough running of Mark Ingram. The way he says it we may well have the next Emmit Smith on our hands (well hey you've got to think positive!).



Next up Saints cornerback Jabari Greer talks about the plus points of moving their upcoming practices to Oxnard, California. Go Jabari! Gotta love this man.

Saints Vs Redskins 1st Quarter

Well here we are people. It's week 13 and we enter the nation’s capital looking to extend our perfect record to 12 and 0. Let's hope we can jump out to an early lead to keep politician central quiet. I fancy a hog roast for dinner and would like one on the field of play please Mr Payton, Brees, Vilma and Co.

Lance Moore, Scott Fujita, Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter, Randall Gay, John Carney are all confirmed as out of today's game by the way.

And the Redskins kick off to pineapple hair who returns it out to the 33.  Nice return their by Courtney Roby.

Courtney Roby Return Ace

1st down Saints.
Screen to Pierre Thomas who takes it 12 yards down the left sideline before being tackled.

1st down Saints 47.
Toss to Pierre Thomas out left and he's tied up quickly for a loss of 3. That play never got going.
Brees pump fakes twice, rolls out the pocket under pressure and then almost gets picked. Damn that was close. Brees is lucky not to have been picked there. 3rd and 13.
Brees to Pierre Thomas again on a screen to the left and he picks up 7 but not enough for a 1st. So in comes Iron Leg himself Thomas Morstead who drops it inside the 5 to give the Saints D a nice field position to defend.

1st down Redskins.
Jason Campbell drops back and unloads to Davis who carries two Saint DB's (Jenkins and someone who I couldn't see) for a couple. 2nd and 1.
Draw play picks up the first. Facemask penalty on Will Smith adds 15 more.

1st down Redskins at the 34.
Campbell drops back and launches down the left which would have been caught except for Malcolm Jenkins blatantly mugging the Redskins receiver.

1st down Redsking at Saints 34.
Scott Shanle makes a great tackle on the ensuing run. 2nd and 9.
Another short run brings up a quick 3rd and 7.
Campbell to Thomas over the middle and he gets jacked up by Darren Sharper. What a hit.

1st down Redskins at the 21.
Cartwright cuts back and goes untouched to the 5 before Sharper brings him down.

1st down Redskins.
Redskins run again but Remi Ayodele raps the runner up for a loss of 2.
Campbell throws like the Campbell I was expecting and misses a wide open man. 3rd and goal.
Campbell to Fred Davis over the middle and... Touchdown. Hmm, not the greatest run of defensive plays I've seen by the Saints on that drive.

Saints 0 Redskins 7

Saints legend Jo-Lonn Dunbar is pictured being worked by the physio on the sidelines... Not a good omen given how banged up we are in that department.

1st down Saints at their own 30.
Drew Brees to David Thomas out left for a pick up of 6. 2nd and 4.
End around to Devery Henderson who tries to turn the corner and manages 3 before going out of bounds. 3rd and 1. Come on Saints.
Mike Bell is upended before he can go anywhere. Damn. Bam Bam Bell didn't even get a chance to get set there. Iron Leg is back in to punt away.

Battering Ram Bell Denied

1st down Redskins at the 30.
Campbell to Fred Davis to the 43.

1st down Redskins.
Ganther looks like he's about to be dropped for no gain and then breaks a Roman Harper tackle for 10.

1st down Redskins at the Saints 44.
Campbell under pressure from Troy Evans throws it incomplete deep. 2nd and 10.
Campbell under pressure again but unloads to a wide open 82 who takes it for 10.

1st down Redskins at the Saints 34.
Campbell to Fred Davis who breaks 2 tackles on the way to a pick up of 15. The Saints are not able to tackle today.

1st down Redskins at the 19.
Campbell to someone or other for 6. 2nd and 4.
Campbell throws it away after good Saints coverage for the first time today. 3rd and 4.
Campbell throws too high for Fred Davis this time after he was pressured. That was better. 4th and 4 so the Redskins kick a field goal to make this more uncomfortable than was wished for... It's still early though, keep the faith.

Saints 0 Redskins 10

Courtney Roby with his third good return of the year and takes it out to the Saints 34.

Brees to Robert Meachem on the left sideline and he breaks a tackle to pick up 11.

1st down Saints.
Draw play to Mike Bell who gets rapped up for a loss of 1. 2nd and 11.
Brees to Pierre Thomas on the screen and the Saints ace makes some cuts to pick up the 1st.

1st down Saints at the Redskins 42.
Pierre Thomas tries to break it outside as the inside holes were closed. Pick up of 1. 2nd and 9.
Brees to Reggie Bush in the flat and he picks up a couple before getting up ended which neatly ends a bum 1st Quarter for the Saints.