We go into the second half of the season in great shape. Not only do we have a winning record despite playing some patchy football we also have a much improved Defense.
In particular I'm loving the play of Roman Harper. His hustle to the ball, tackling and all over play has been one of the standout elements of the teams play for me this season.
He's lead by example in a banged up secondary and has set the bar for the likes of the young Patrick Robinson and Malcolm Jenkins, who have also been playing excellent football. It's great to know we have such strength in depth going into the business end of the season and the experience these guys have had will pay dividends down the stretch.
O ready to go
What's also got me excited is the fact our great O has been steady and consistant without being the explosive beast of old. As has been much talked about the deep ball has not been on so Payton and Brees have adapted the game plan and taken what's been on offer in the short/medium range.
Now that is all good but the law of averages suggests we are in for a big second half to the season from the O. You can't keep the weapons we have down for a whole season and soon enough that barn storming rhythm will be back... you know, the one that jumps out to 35 to zip leads and leaves the opposition with nose bleeds at the end of the 1st Quarter.
Getting healthy when it matters
Add to that the fact we are getting the cavalry healthy in time for the playoffs and you're looking at a mean Saints machine. Bush, Young, Sharper, Porter, Thomas... All important players in their own right and all getting back, or are back, to health.
I like what that brings to the team. The young guns have got their experience in some hard faught games and now the vets return to fight for their jobs. Competition is strong and it bodes well for us.
Now a personal whine (do excuse me)
I just have not been able to find the time to write my blog these past few months due to working at all hours. I really miss writing but if it's a choice between hustling to make some money to put food on the table or writing my blog there's only one winner.
Still it pains me to not have the time to write so I hope regularly blog friends can stay with me. I wish there were more hours in the day to devote to my beloved Saints but a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do when it comes to providing so apologies for leaving it so long between posts.
I will try to make some time to update more often. In the meantime let's be looking forward to a Seahawk mauling this afternoon. I have the feeling the birds are in for a hiding!
Showing posts with label Roman Harper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roman Harper. Show all posts
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Roman Harper key to Vikings win
The Saints kicked off the season with a win against the Minnesota Vikings Thursday with some solid defensive play and the rousing backing of a sold out Super Dome. Following the coin toss Drew Brees led the Dome through the Who Dat chant which will now kick off every home appearance this season.
The game itself was a close run affair in this rematch of the NFC Championship game. After the Saints came out firing on their first drive with a Brees Henderson touchdown the O subsequently struggled to impose it's will in the half.
It was left to the D to keep the Vikes in check and they really did an impressive job. As ever Jonathan Vilma led the way directing his unit around the field to match the threats of Peterson and Favre.
Key to the units display were big time performances from Sedrick Ellis and Roman Harper. Ellis was able to fill the middle channels well and keep the Vikes famed running attack in check. The big man even ended up with a sack on Favre which was great to see.
Roman Harper was also imposing managing to pressure Favre as well as break up passes whilst chipping in with some crucial tackles. In the absence of Darren Sharper his leadership qualities in the secondary will be crucial and it was great to see him get off to a flying start.
Also of note was an improvement in the special teams return coverage. The unit looked to gang tackle on a number of occasions and if they can maintain such pressure this is one area the Saints could really benefit from.
So all in all a good start to the season against some tough opponents. Whilst it wasn't the kind of score we were all expecting it was a great team win all the same. If we can keep up that kind of effort on the D side of the ball we will be in great shape for another winning season.
The game itself was a close run affair in this rematch of the NFC Championship game. After the Saints came out firing on their first drive with a Brees Henderson touchdown the O subsequently struggled to impose it's will in the half.
It was left to the D to keep the Vikes in check and they really did an impressive job. As ever Jonathan Vilma led the way directing his unit around the field to match the threats of Peterson and Favre.
Key to the units display were big time performances from Sedrick Ellis and Roman Harper. Ellis was able to fill the middle channels well and keep the Vikes famed running attack in check. The big man even ended up with a sack on Favre which was great to see.
Roman Harper was also imposing managing to pressure Favre as well as break up passes whilst chipping in with some crucial tackles. In the absence of Darren Sharper his leadership qualities in the secondary will be crucial and it was great to see him get off to a flying start.
Also of note was an improvement in the special teams return coverage. The unit looked to gang tackle on a number of occasions and if they can maintain such pressure this is one area the Saints could really benefit from.
So all in all a good start to the season against some tough opponents. Whilst it wasn't the kind of score we were all expecting it was a great team win all the same. If we can keep up that kind of effort on the D side of the ball we will be in great shape for another winning season.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Darren Sharper Contract Situation
After the highs of the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras it's time to get back to business and what better way to return to Earth from a fairytale than to talk about free agent Saints player contracts. At the last count there are some 18 restricted free agents on the Saints roster including the likes of Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Jermon Bushrod, guard Jahri Evans and tailbacks Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell. I would like all of these guys to be resigned at the earliest opportunity but it is Darren Sharpers contract situation that concerns me given the leadership and game changing qualities he brings to the Saints D.
Sharper signed on for $1.7 million last season with two midseason bonuses included in the one year deal. The Saints could have placed a franchise tag on the super safety but that would have pushed his salary up to $6.455 million which is pretty difficult to justify no matter how much we all love number 42.
So whilst the Saints have every right to let Darren Sharper test the waters of free agency I am just hoping good sense prevails and both sides recognise the perfect match they make for each other. To give him his due Sharper has repeatedly stated that he wants to re-sign so let's just hope General Manager Mickey Loomis is waxing lyrical in his discussions and both sides can come to an accomodation sometime soon.
I guess the one thing that all players will recognise in this period of horse trading is that as a collective the Saints players reached the pinnacle of their sport only a matter of weeks ago. So long as they can keep in perpespective the fact that winning the big one is attainable again next season then perhaps they will be prepared to forgo a little salary bump in return for keeping this special group of players together for one more season.
That is why it is imperative that the remaining restricted free agents Jammal Brown, David Thomas, Kyle Eckel, Lance Moore, Courtney Roby, Chris Reis, Remi Ayodele, Anthony Hargrove, Jeff Charleston, Marvin Mitchell and Leigh Torrence think about what can be achieved so long as the 'quan' doesn't get in the way. The Saints could be at the start of a defining era so whilst every one deserves their pay day, let's just hope it doesn't tear a great team apart.
Sharper signed on for $1.7 million last season with two midseason bonuses included in the one year deal. The Saints could have placed a franchise tag on the super safety but that would have pushed his salary up to $6.455 million which is pretty difficult to justify no matter how much we all love number 42.
Darren Sharper Contract Negotiations... Well actually Cuba Gooding Jr, but you get the point
I guess the one thing that all players will recognise in this period of horse trading is that as a collective the Saints players reached the pinnacle of their sport only a matter of weeks ago. So long as they can keep in perpespective the fact that winning the big one is attainable again next season then perhaps they will be prepared to forgo a little salary bump in return for keeping this special group of players together for one more season.
That is why it is imperative that the remaining restricted free agents Jammal Brown, David Thomas, Kyle Eckel, Lance Moore, Courtney Roby, Chris Reis, Remi Ayodele, Anthony Hargrove, Jeff Charleston, Marvin Mitchell and Leigh Torrence think about what can be achieved so long as the 'quan' doesn't get in the way. The Saints could be at the start of a defining era so whilst every one deserves their pay day, let's just hope it doesn't tear a great team apart.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saints Super Bowl Preview
Now that the dust has settled, the initial hangovers have become but a distant headache of a memory and the hype has truly kicked in it's time to turn our attentions to the realistic battles that are going to need to be won if the Saints are to come home with the Vince Lombardi trophy. In my totally unbiased moments (basically when I wake up in a cold sweat thinking about a Manning Monday) I have thought through the real battles we must win.
1. It goes without saying but Drew Brees needs to play at or close to his peak for us to stand a decent chance. I'm thinking the Patriots or Giants games from earlier this season. If Drew was to suffer a Super Bowl nerve display day, think Jim Kelly or John Elway (early years) to name but a few, then the Saints will really struggle. It's clear the Saints MVP and leader needs to be at his accurate best for the Who Dat to come out flying.
2. As per my last point our Saints need to come out flying. We need to put the points on the board early to steady the nerves and make the Colts play catch up. Easier said than done but given the past Super Bowl and big game experience many Colts players hold it's imperative we come out fighting in the first to help steady many a young Saints players heart.
3. Getting to Payton Manning will be key. As Gregg Williams has identified it doesn't matter whether we get there with a clean sack but we have to let Mr Unflappable himself know that we are there and we mean business. If that means Bobby McCray paying another $20K fine come Monday morning for late hits then so be it... I'm sure Bourbon Street will be happy to gather the cash in a hat to help out. Manning will pick us apart if left standing too often.
4. Jeremy Shockey needs to impose himself. The big man truly is the Saints talisman and when he is in the game he gives opposing D's a heck of a headache. With all the other weapons on the Saints O the presence of number 88 frees up space for the likes of Bush and Thomas in the flat given the mismatches it causes. I for sure will feel more confident if Jeremy Shockey is out there running routes from early as he can make a physical and emotional difference.
5. Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Will Smith, Tracy Porter... heck they'll all have to play out of their skins. The D needs to be aggressive, strip some balls and hope they can throw Mannings reads off enough if we are to have a better than evens chance.
6. Thomas Morstead to continue his great kick offs and punts and Reggie Bush and Courtney Roby to continue making good yardage on their returns. The play of the special teams and the field positions they leave the O and D with respectively will be all important.
That may all seem negative but if I was a bookie I would be giving the Colts the better odds because I think they are that little bit better all round. That's tough for me to say but it's the honest truth. We will need to put in an A-team performance across the board. That said it is well within our capabilities to do so and Sunday night will be a time for hardcore mental strength. Yes they can do it, yes they should believe, yes they will!!
1. It goes without saying but Drew Brees needs to play at or close to his peak for us to stand a decent chance. I'm thinking the Patriots or Giants games from earlier this season. If Drew was to suffer a Super Bowl nerve display day, think Jim Kelly or John Elway (early years) to name but a few, then the Saints will really struggle. It's clear the Saints MVP and leader needs to be at his accurate best for the Who Dat to come out flying.
Drew Brees MVP Super Bowl
2. As per my last point our Saints need to come out flying. We need to put the points on the board early to steady the nerves and make the Colts play catch up. Easier said than done but given the past Super Bowl and big game experience many Colts players hold it's imperative we come out fighting in the first to help steady many a young Saints players heart.
3. Getting to Payton Manning will be key. As Gregg Williams has identified it doesn't matter whether we get there with a clean sack but we have to let Mr Unflappable himself know that we are there and we mean business. If that means Bobby McCray paying another $20K fine come Monday morning for late hits then so be it... I'm sure Bourbon Street will be happy to gather the cash in a hat to help out. Manning will pick us apart if left standing too often.
4. Jeremy Shockey needs to impose himself. The big man truly is the Saints talisman and when he is in the game he gives opposing D's a heck of a headache. With all the other weapons on the Saints O the presence of number 88 frees up space for the likes of Bush and Thomas in the flat given the mismatches it causes. I for sure will feel more confident if Jeremy Shockey is out there running routes from early as he can make a physical and emotional difference.
5. Jonathan Vilma, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper, Will Smith, Tracy Porter... heck they'll all have to play out of their skins. The D needs to be aggressive, strip some balls and hope they can throw Mannings reads off enough if we are to have a better than evens chance.
6. Thomas Morstead to continue his great kick offs and punts and Reggie Bush and Courtney Roby to continue making good yardage on their returns. The play of the special teams and the field positions they leave the O and D with respectively will be all important.
That may all seem negative but if I was a bookie I would be giving the Colts the better odds because I think they are that little bit better all round. That's tough for me to say but it's the honest truth. We will need to put in an A-team performance across the board. That said it is well within our capabilities to do so and Sunday night will be a time for hardcore mental strength. Yes they can do it, yes they should believe, yes they will!!
Monday, December 7, 2009
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Saints Vs. Patriots 3rd Quarter
Welcome back to the second half with the Legendary Saints in the making ruling the roost against the nation’s darlings, the New England Patriots. Finally a national audience is seeing just how unbelievable Drew Brees is with an almost perfect game to date. Contrast that to Tom Brady who has over thrown receivers on a number of occasions and maybe, just maybe, the World will wake up to the fact that Drew Brees is the best quarterback in the league, the end, good night... although we still have a half to play so I hope my words don't come back to haunt me.
The Patriots will start at their own 20.
Brady to Maroney who takes it 5 and... Scott Fujita strips the ball and Sedrick Ellis recovers... but then he fumbles and the Patriots have it back. Ah man. That could have been such a great start. Sean Payton is going to challenge the Sedrick Ellis fumble... and we loose the challenge.
1st down Pats at their own 19.
Brady completes to Watson for 11.
1st down Pats at the 30.
Brady throws incomplete but a flag comes out... but fouls cancel each other out so they'll repeat 1st down.
Brady to Moss who fumbles but then recovers at the 40.
1st down Pats.
Morris up the middle and Scott Fujita tackles hard for a stop of 1.
Flags come out against the Pats for illegal formation so it's 3rd and 9.
Brady to Aitken on the sidelines and... Connects. Damn.
1st down Pats at the Saints 47.
Maroney runs into a Jonthan Vilma wall and stuffs him for a loss of 2. Great tackle by the Saints D captain. 2nd and 12.
The crowd noise is awesome.
Brady looks deep, looks deep and connects with Randy Moss all the way to the 2.
1st down and goal Pats.
Maroney takes the ball and runs in untouched for a touchdown. Wow that fumble by Sedrick Ellis really cost us.
Patriots 17 Saints 24
1st down Saints at their own 25. I said the winner of the turnover battle would win this so please no fumbles or picks.
Drew Brees to Marques Colston on the sidelines and... Makes a move and takes it all the way down to the Pats 6.
1st down and goal Saints
Mike Bell up the middle for 3. 2nd and goal.
Brees drops back and... Saints legend Darnell Dinkins falls over as he grabs the TOUCHDOWN!! The 19th Saint to score a touchdown this season!! 3 plays 75 yards in about 1 second, no problem.
Patriots 17 Saints 31
1st down Pats at their own 18 after Hamilton nails the Pats kick returner for the highlights reel.
Wes Welker reverse and takes it 10 yards before Jonathan Vilma decides to say hello out of bounds and draws the personal foul pen for 15 on top.
1sr down Pats at their 44.
Morris through the middle for 6. 2nd and 4.
Faulk cuts back and takes it all the way to the Saints 36.
1st down Pats.
Brady to Watson for a couple before he's wrapped up by Roman Harper. 2nd and 8.
Brady to Aitkens but... Mike McKenzie breaks it up. Great read and play on the ball. He's doing a terrific job tonight. 3rd and 8. Come on D!!
Brady to Aitken and he breaks the McKenzie tackle and takes it to the Saints 16.
1st down Pats.
Morris for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brady throws it away after pressure from the Saints front. The crowd want intentional grounding but don't get it. It's soooo loud. 3rd and 7.
Brady to Welker after pressure and only pick up 3 to bring up 4th and 4. The Pats will go for it. This is a decisive moment in the game.
Brady to Moss and... Mike McKenzie breaks it up. What a great game he is having. Huge, huge play.
1st down Saints at their own 10.
Mike Bell up the middle for 6. 2nd and 4.
Pierre Thomas to the right for 3. 3rd and 1.
Mike Bell up the middle for 4 and moves the change.
1st down Saints at the 24.
Brees play action to Robert Meachem who makes a heck of a move and gets extra yards to pick up another 1st.
1st down Saints at the 37.
Brees drops back and is sacked for the first time tonight. 2nd and 14.
Pierre Thomas on a draw play that goes nowhere. 3rd and 12.
And that's it for the 3rd. The Saints still lead 31 to 17.
The Patriots will start at their own 20.
Brady to Maroney who takes it 5 and... Scott Fujita strips the ball and Sedrick Ellis recovers... but then he fumbles and the Patriots have it back. Ah man. That could have been such a great start. Sean Payton is going to challenge the Sedrick Ellis fumble... and we loose the challenge.
Scott Fujita Forced Fumble
1st down Pats at their own 19.
Brady completes to Watson for 11.
1st down Pats at the 30.
Brady throws incomplete but a flag comes out... but fouls cancel each other out so they'll repeat 1st down.
Brady to Moss who fumbles but then recovers at the 40.
1st down Pats.
Morris up the middle and Scott Fujita tackles hard for a stop of 1.
Flags come out against the Pats for illegal formation so it's 3rd and 9.
Brady to Aitken on the sidelines and... Connects. Damn.
1st down Pats at the Saints 47.
Maroney runs into a Jonthan Vilma wall and stuffs him for a loss of 2. Great tackle by the Saints D captain. 2nd and 12.
The crowd noise is awesome.
Brady looks deep, looks deep and connects with Randy Moss all the way to the 2.
Saints Fans Raising the Roof
1st down and goal Pats.
Maroney takes the ball and runs in untouched for a touchdown. Wow that fumble by Sedrick Ellis really cost us.
Patriots 17 Saints 24
1st down Saints at their own 25. I said the winner of the turnover battle would win this so please no fumbles or picks.
Drew Brees to Marques Colston on the sidelines and... Makes a move and takes it all the way down to the Pats 6.
1st down and goal Saints
Mike Bell up the middle for 3. 2nd and goal.
Brees drops back and... Saints legend Darnell Dinkins falls over as he grabs the TOUCHDOWN!! The 19th Saint to score a touchdown this season!! 3 plays 75 yards in about 1 second, no problem.
Air Dinkins - Saints Darnell Dinkins Slam Dunks
Patriots 17 Saints 31
1st down Pats at their own 18 after Hamilton nails the Pats kick returner for the highlights reel.
Wes Welker reverse and takes it 10 yards before Jonathan Vilma decides to say hello out of bounds and draws the personal foul pen for 15 on top.
1sr down Pats at their 44.
Morris through the middle for 6. 2nd and 4.
Faulk cuts back and takes it all the way to the Saints 36.
1st down Pats.
Brady to Watson for a couple before he's wrapped up by Roman Harper. 2nd and 8.
Brady to Aitkens but... Mike McKenzie breaks it up. Great read and play on the ball. He's doing a terrific job tonight. 3rd and 8. Come on D!!
Brady to Aitken and he breaks the McKenzie tackle and takes it to the Saints 16.
1st down Pats.
Morris for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brady throws it away after pressure from the Saints front. The crowd want intentional grounding but don't get it. It's soooo loud. 3rd and 7.
Brady to Welker after pressure and only pick up 3 to bring up 4th and 4. The Pats will go for it. This is a decisive moment in the game.
Brady to Moss and... Mike McKenzie breaks it up. What a great game he is having. Huge, huge play.
1st down Saints at their own 10.
Mike Bell up the middle for 6. 2nd and 4.
Pierre Thomas to the right for 3. 3rd and 1.
Mike Bell up the middle for 4 and moves the change.
1st down Saints at the 24.
Brees play action to Robert Meachem who makes a heck of a move and gets extra yards to pick up another 1st.
1st down Saints at the 37.
Brees drops back and is sacked for the first time tonight. 2nd and 14.
Pierre Thomas on a draw play that goes nowhere. 3rd and 12.
And that's it for the 3rd. The Saints still lead 31 to 17.
Saints Vs. Patriots 2nd Quarter
Welcome to the 2nd Quarter of the Patriots Saints game with the Pats leading by 7 to 3 and New Orleans driving.
1st down Saints at the Pats 30.
Mike Bell hammers through the middle for 1. Oh no… Mike Bell is on the floor after that. He hits so hard he knocked himself out.
Drew Brees to Robert Meachem on the right sideline for a pick up of 6. 3rd and 3.
Pierre Thomas takes it 2 over left tackle. 4th and 1 and... We’re going for it. Come on Saints!!!
Pierre Thomas goes through a Jermon Bushrod hole and... Picks up the 1st.
1st down Saints at the Pats 20.
Brees drops back checks off and sees Pierre Thomas in the flat and... Thomas breaks tackles all the way for a Saints TOUCHDOWN!! Great run by Thomas. Genius!!
Patriots 7 Saints 10
1st down Pats at the Saints 25, 12.49 on the clock.
Wes Welker on a reverse for 3. 2nd and 7 and a Pat goes out injured... excellent... sorry but we need every edge we can get.
Brady to Welker (wonder how often I'll write that tonight) and he takes it to the Pats 40.
1st down Pats.
Maroney for 4. 2nd and 6.
The Super Dome is LOUD... and the Pats will take a timeout.
Brady to Morris and the doof drops it. Perfect drop, love it. 3rd and 6.
Brady to Aitken and Mike Mckenzie hits him before he can turn so he is short by 3. Great play McKenzie!!
Pats punt.
1st down Saints at their own 25.
Drew Brees to Devery Henderson and... TOUCHDOWN!!! OH MY GOOD GOD!! Henderson was wide open and took it at the 50 and went totally untouched all the way. It must have been a busted play for him to be that open. LEGENDS!!!
Patriots 7 Saints 17
1st down Patriots at their own 24, 9.48 on the clock.
Maroney runs over Harper and co. for 10. He should have been wrapped up at the line but beat Vilma with a cut and then knocked Harper over.
1st down Pats.
2 yard run by someone or other.
Tom Brady drops back and... Will Smith sacks him with Bobby McCray!! 3rd and 12.
Brady to Aitken and... he connects big all the way to the Saints 35.
1st down Pats.
Maroney runs left for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brady to Welker and... It’s dropped!! Malcolm Jenkins got away with blatant pass interference there. Fantastic. 3rd and 7,
Brady looks but can't find anyone so steps up to run and... Scott Fujita comes in and wraps him up but... oh no Roman Harper is called for illegal contact. So the Pats have a 1st down at the Saints 25 and karma has come and bit us in the ass for the Malcolm Jenkins pass interference that wasn't called.
1st down Pats at the Saints 25.
Hand off to Maroney who takes it for 4. 2nd and 6.
Maroney up the middle but Scott Shanley wraps him up for just 1. 3rd and 5. Come on Saints. Deeeeeeee FENCE.
Brady to Welker but he's hit short by Roman Harper and it brings up 4th and 3. Huge play by Harper.
Patriots go for a field goal and get it.
Patriots 10 Saints 17
1st down Saints at their own 23, 4.07 on the clock.
Brees to Pierre Thomas who weaves his way for 3. Great effort. 2nd and 7.
Brees to Devery Henderson on the sidelines who takes it short but makes a move and moves the chains. Great play Devery.
1st down Saints at their 35.
Pierre Thomas up the middle for 2. 2nd and 8.
Drew Brees pumps two fakes and stops the D and... Finds Saints legend in the making David Thomas for 25!!
1st down Saints at the Pats 38.
Drew Brees drops back and looks deep... and hits Robert Meachem for a Saints TOUCHDOWN!! Awesome, absolutely awesome. Now Drew Brees should get the recognition he deserves. That was just sensational.
Patriots 13 Saints 24
Come on Defence. Let's stop them scoring before the half.
1st down Patriots at their own 20.
Brady to Maroney on the screen for pick up of 9 and gets out of bounds. 2nd 1.
Brady hit by Anthony Hargrove as he throws and it falls incomplete. Great pressure Hargroves you legend!!
Brady to Aitken and they convert.
1st down Pats at their 35, 1.07 on the clock.
Brady hit by Bobby McCray as he releases and falls incomplete. But Malcolm Jenkins is called for holding in the secondary so the Pats get a 1st down at their 40.
1st down Pats.
Brady to Welker on the sidelines for 8. 2nd and 3.
Brady to Moss at the Saints 42.
1st down Pats with 46 ticks left on the clock.
Brady to Faulk who gets jacked up by Darren Sharper. That was HARDDDDDD!! Faulk is being checked on the sidelines.
1st down Pats at the 32.
Brady down the middle and... it's broken up.
Brady to the end zone and... it sails over the receiver. 3rd and 10. Come on D.
Brady down the middle and... it sails incomplete again. Beautiful. The Saints secondary are doing an outstanding job on coverage.
So they go for a 50 yard field goal and... It goes wide left!!
Still Patriots 10 Saints 24 to end the 1st half. Everyone has played just great so far.
1st down Saints at the Pats 30.
Mike Bell hammers through the middle for 1. Oh no… Mike Bell is on the floor after that. He hits so hard he knocked himself out.
Drew Brees to Robert Meachem on the right sideline for a pick up of 6. 3rd and 3.
Pierre Thomas takes it 2 over left tackle. 4th and 1 and... We’re going for it. Come on Saints!!!
Pierre Thomas goes through a Jermon Bushrod hole and... Picks up the 1st.
1st down Saints at the Pats 20.
Brees drops back checks off and sees Pierre Thomas in the flat and... Thomas breaks tackles all the way for a Saints TOUCHDOWN!! Great run by Thomas. Genius!!
The Pierre Thomas jersey moonwalks into the end zone
Patriots 7 Saints 10
1st down Pats at the Saints 25, 12.49 on the clock.
Wes Welker on a reverse for 3. 2nd and 7 and a Pat goes out injured... excellent... sorry but we need every edge we can get.
Brady to Welker (wonder how often I'll write that tonight) and he takes it to the Pats 40.
1st down Pats.
Maroney for 4. 2nd and 6.
The Super Dome is LOUD... and the Pats will take a timeout.
Brady to Morris and the doof drops it. Perfect drop, love it. 3rd and 6.
Brady to Aitken and Mike Mckenzie hits him before he can turn so he is short by 3. Great play McKenzie!!
Pats punt.
1st down Saints at their own 25.
Drew Brees to Devery Henderson and... TOUCHDOWN!!! OH MY GOOD GOD!! Henderson was wide open and took it at the 50 and went totally untouched all the way. It must have been a busted play for him to be that open. LEGENDS!!!
Drew Brees to Devery Henderson Touchdown - Henderson feels lonely
Patriots 7 Saints 17
1st down Patriots at their own 24, 9.48 on the clock.
Maroney runs over Harper and co. for 10. He should have been wrapped up at the line but beat Vilma with a cut and then knocked Harper over.
1st down Pats.
2 yard run by someone or other.
Tom Brady drops back and... Will Smith sacks him with Bobby McCray!! 3rd and 12.
Brady to Aitken and... he connects big all the way to the Saints 35.
1st down Pats.
Maroney runs left for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brady to Welker and... It’s dropped!! Malcolm Jenkins got away with blatant pass interference there. Fantastic. 3rd and 7,
Brady looks but can't find anyone so steps up to run and... Scott Fujita comes in and wraps him up but... oh no Roman Harper is called for illegal contact. So the Pats have a 1st down at the Saints 25 and karma has come and bit us in the ass for the Malcolm Jenkins pass interference that wasn't called.
1st down Pats at the Saints 25.
Hand off to Maroney who takes it for 4. 2nd and 6.
Maroney up the middle but Scott Shanley wraps him up for just 1. 3rd and 5. Come on Saints. Deeeeeeee FENCE.
Brady to Welker but he's hit short by Roman Harper and it brings up 4th and 3. Huge play by Harper.
Patriots go for a field goal and get it.
Patriots 10 Saints 17
1st down Saints at their own 23, 4.07 on the clock.
Brees to Pierre Thomas who weaves his way for 3. Great effort. 2nd and 7.
Brees to Devery Henderson on the sidelines who takes it short but makes a move and moves the chains. Great play Devery.
1st down Saints at their 35.
Pierre Thomas up the middle for 2. 2nd and 8.
Drew Brees pumps two fakes and stops the D and... Finds Saints legend in the making David Thomas for 25!!
1st down Saints at the Pats 38.
Drew Brees drops back and looks deep... and hits Robert Meachem for a Saints TOUCHDOWN!! Awesome, absolutely awesome. Now Drew Brees should get the recognition he deserves. That was just sensational.
Robert Meachem Touchdown - 'Hey 24, watch this catch'
Patriots 13 Saints 24
Come on Defence. Let's stop them scoring before the half.
1st down Patriots at their own 20.
Brady to Maroney on the screen for pick up of 9 and gets out of bounds. 2nd 1.
Brady hit by Anthony Hargrove as he throws and it falls incomplete. Great pressure Hargroves you legend!!
Brady to Aitken and they convert.
1st down Pats at their 35, 1.07 on the clock.
Brady hit by Bobby McCray as he releases and falls incomplete. But Malcolm Jenkins is called for holding in the secondary so the Pats get a 1st down at their 40.
1st down Pats.
Brady to Welker on the sidelines for 8. 2nd and 3.
Brady to Moss at the Saints 42.
1st down Pats with 46 ticks left on the clock.
Brady to Faulk who gets jacked up by Darren Sharper. That was HARDDDDDD!! Faulk is being checked on the sidelines.
1st down Pats at the 32.
Brady down the middle and... it's broken up.
Brady to the end zone and... it sails over the receiver. 3rd and 10. Come on D.
Brady down the middle and... it sails incomplete again. Beautiful. The Saints secondary are doing an outstanding job on coverage.
So they go for a 50 yard field goal and... It goes wide left!!
Still Patriots 10 Saints 24 to end the 1st half. Everyone has played just great so far.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
NO Jerseys Vs Bucs 2nd Quarter
NO Saints 7 TB Bucs 7
The 2nd Quarter opens with a hand off to Pierre Thomas on a draw play and the white jersey spins his way for 7. 2nd and 3.
Brees to Devery Henderson who looses 2. 3rd and 5.
Drew Brees to David Thomas and the ball pops out of Thomas's hands and falls incomplete. Thomas goes from living legend to vaguely appropriate status. Thomas Morstead punts.
1st down Bucs at their own 30.
Ward picks up 5.
Ward again but he is stuffed by Remi Ayodele. 3rd and 3.
On the next play Freeman demonstrates his inability to hit a barn door with his passes and the Bucs will punt.
Devery Henderson gets jacked up on the return and the Saints will start at their own 33.
1st down Saints.
Brees incomplete to Pierre Thomas. 2nd and 10.
Brees to Thomas again who spins, ducks, dives, weaves and other such actions on his way for a pick up of 6. Great effort Mr 23. 3rd and 4.
Brees to David Thomas for a 13 yard pick up and Thomas returns to MVP status.
1st down Saints.
Brees looks deep to Robert Meachem and... the ball is incomplete but a beautiful yellow flag comes out and then... inexplicably goes back in. That was pass interference all the way. Damn zebras. 2nd and 10.
Brees short to the Saints 21 jersey filled amply by Mike Bell for a pick up of 3 to bring up 3rd and 5 at the Bucs 43.
Brees to Jeremy Shockey but the ball is broken up by Barber so the Saints will have to punt AGAIN.
The Thomas Morstead punt is batted down at the one by Courtney Roby and Usama Young downs it there to give Freeman a headache when he takes the field. Great play by the Saints special teamers there. They must have been practicing extra hard since the poor mid term grade.
1st down Bucs.
Derrick Ward is tripped up in the end zone by Roman Harper but just about gets out. That was damn close to a safety.
Next play Freeman to Graham for a pick up of 6 on the play fake bringing up 3rd and 3. Come on D!
False start by Buc 65 helps the D no end and pushes them back to a 3rd and 8 situation.
Next up Freeman completes somehow against Saints rookie Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins had great coverage but Freeman proved he can actually hit something even smaller than a barn door with that 21 yard pass completion.
1st down Bucs.
Hard running for 7 by some guy in red. 2nd and 3.
Scott Fujita comes in and shows the Saints running D how it's done by taking Ward down for a loss of 1. 3rd and 4.
Next up Freeman looks down field and... It’s picked by Malcolm Jenkins for his 1st NFL INTERCEPTION! Congratulations to Malcolm Jenkins and family.
1st down Saints at the Bucs 29.
Hamilton up the middle for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brees throws incomplete bringing up 3rd and 7... It's being challenged however by Tampa as they think they intercepted a ball that clearly bounced off the ground first... idiots. But hey that's 2 failed challenges already by the Bucs so congrats to them for helping us in our hour of need.
Brees to Courtney Roby on the crossing pattern but he's tackled a yard shy of the 1st down marker. Brees wants to go for it on 4th and 1.5 but is told to 'get off the field please' by John Carney as his mum wants to see him kick a field goal for the first time in years... and he's good!!
Saints 10 Bucs 7. 4.11 left in the half.
1st down Bucs at the Bucs 23.
Cadillac Williams for 5. 2nd and 5.
This time Williams hits a Saints wall led by Jonathan Vilma to leave the ball with 3rd and 4 to go.
Freeman is rushed by Scott Shanley and throws incomplete so the Bucs will punt. Freeman is now 4 of 10 and clearly got the money I left for him in that brown paper bag this week.
1st down Saints at their own 31.
Brees' pass it tipped and falls incomplete after 4 Bucs dived for it. 2nd and 10.
A Pierre Thomas draw picks up 2. 3rd and 8.
Brees is hit as he throws and the ball flies into the sidelines. This really is pretty ugly stuff.
1st down Bucs at their 22.
Williams is dropped for 0 gain after Vilma got in there early and stuffed the run to bring up the 2 minute warning. 2nd and 10.
Freeman throws another incomplete. Malcolm Jenkins had pretty good coverage and is looking sound so far today. 3rd and 10.
Freeman again incomplete as Jonathan Vilma gets his bear claw in there to break it up. Bucs punt.
1st down Saints at their own 36.
Brees to Colston for 16 to the Bucs 47.
1st down.
Brees pressured and throws it away.
Brees to Colston over the middle for a pick up of 19 to the Bucs 26. 45 ticks on the clock.
1st down Saints.
Brees to Colston again for 20 to the Bucs 6, 35 secs to go.
1st down Saints.
Drew Brees rolls out right and... TOUCHDOWN ROBERT MEACHEM!! That's Meachems 6th TD of the season off just 16 receptions. Great pass and catch and a perfect example of how the Saints offence seems to click when under pressure. 63 yards in 5 plays in 1.10... Maybe we should play hurry up offence on every drive today?
Saints 17 Tampa Bay 7 with 28 secs left in the half.
1st down Bucs at their 28.
Freeman to Winslow who is taken down by Jonathan Vilma who has been all over the field today. Ball spiked so 3rd and 5 with 5 to go on the clock.
Leigh Torrence and Roman Harper converge on Freeman for a QB sandwich and sack to take us to half time.
So the Saints are again a little indifferent today. Josh Freeman is enjoying far too much time in the pocket for my liking. We're just lucky he's young and pretty stinky at this point in his career. On the other side of the ball Drew Brees is getting pressured more than is comfortable so it would be nice to calm that side of things down in the second half. Overall we're professional without being explosive. But it's all about chalking up win number 10 and keeping enough of the roster healthy.
The 2nd Quarter opens with a hand off to Pierre Thomas on a draw play and the white jersey spins his way for 7. 2nd and 3.
Brees to Devery Henderson who looses 2. 3rd and 5.
Drew Brees to David Thomas and the ball pops out of Thomas's hands and falls incomplete. Thomas goes from living legend to vaguely appropriate status. Thomas Morstead punts.
Thomas Morstead doesn't even bother getting suited up these days.
1st down Bucs at their own 30.
Ward picks up 5.
Ward again but he is stuffed by Remi Ayodele. 3rd and 3.
On the next play Freeman demonstrates his inability to hit a barn door with his passes and the Bucs will punt.
Devery Henderson gets jacked up on the return and the Saints will start at their own 33.
1st down Saints.
Brees incomplete to Pierre Thomas. 2nd and 10.
Brees to Thomas again who spins, ducks, dives, weaves and other such actions on his way for a pick up of 6. Great effort Mr 23. 3rd and 4.
Brees to David Thomas for a 13 yard pick up and Thomas returns to MVP status.
1st down Saints.
Brees looks deep to Robert Meachem and... the ball is incomplete but a beautiful yellow flag comes out and then... inexplicably goes back in. That was pass interference all the way. Damn zebras. 2nd and 10.
Brees short to the Saints 21 jersey filled amply by Mike Bell for a pick up of 3 to bring up 3rd and 5 at the Bucs 43.
Brees to Jeremy Shockey but the ball is broken up by Barber so the Saints will have to punt AGAIN.
Thomas Morstead really wishes he had put his pants on now
The Thomas Morstead punt is batted down at the one by Courtney Roby and Usama Young downs it there to give Freeman a headache when he takes the field. Great play by the Saints special teamers there. They must have been practicing extra hard since the poor mid term grade.
1st down Bucs.
Derrick Ward is tripped up in the end zone by Roman Harper but just about gets out. That was damn close to a safety.
Next play Freeman to Graham for a pick up of 6 on the play fake bringing up 3rd and 3. Come on D!
False start by Buc 65 helps the D no end and pushes them back to a 3rd and 8 situation.
Next up Freeman completes somehow against Saints rookie Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins had great coverage but Freeman proved he can actually hit something even smaller than a barn door with that 21 yard pass completion.
1st down Bucs.
Hard running for 7 by some guy in red. 2nd and 3.
Scott Fujita comes in and shows the Saints running D how it's done by taking Ward down for a loss of 1. 3rd and 4.
Next up Freeman looks down field and... It’s picked by Malcolm Jenkins for his 1st NFL INTERCEPTION! Congratulations to Malcolm Jenkins and family.
1st down Saints at the Bucs 29.
Hamilton up the middle for 3. 2nd and 7.
Brees throws incomplete bringing up 3rd and 7... It's being challenged however by Tampa as they think they intercepted a ball that clearly bounced off the ground first... idiots. But hey that's 2 failed challenges already by the Bucs so congrats to them for helping us in our hour of need.
Brees to Courtney Roby on the crossing pattern but he's tackled a yard shy of the 1st down marker. Brees wants to go for it on 4th and 1.5 but is told to 'get off the field please' by John Carney as his mum wants to see him kick a field goal for the first time in years... and he's good!!
Saints 10 Bucs 7. 4.11 left in the half.
1st down Bucs at the Bucs 23.
Cadillac Williams for 5. 2nd and 5.
This time Williams hits a Saints wall led by Jonathan Vilma to leave the ball with 3rd and 4 to go.
Freeman is rushed by Scott Shanley and throws incomplete so the Bucs will punt. Freeman is now 4 of 10 and clearly got the money I left for him in that brown paper bag this week.
1st down Saints at their own 31.
Brees' pass it tipped and falls incomplete after 4 Bucs dived for it. 2nd and 10.
A Pierre Thomas draw picks up 2. 3rd and 8.
Brees is hit as he throws and the ball flies into the sidelines. This really is pretty ugly stuff.
1st down Bucs at their 22.
Williams is dropped for 0 gain after Vilma got in there early and stuffed the run to bring up the 2 minute warning. 2nd and 10.
Freeman throws another incomplete. Malcolm Jenkins had pretty good coverage and is looking sound so far today. 3rd and 10.
Freeman again incomplete as Jonathan Vilma gets his bear claw in there to break it up. Bucs punt.
1st down Saints at their own 36.
Brees to Colston for 16 to the Bucs 47.
1st down.
Brees pressured and throws it away.
Brees to Colston over the middle for a pick up of 19 to the Bucs 26. 45 ticks on the clock.
1st down Saints.
Brees to Colston again for 20 to the Bucs 6, 35 secs to go.
1st down Saints.
Drew Brees rolls out right and... TOUCHDOWN ROBERT MEACHEM!! That's Meachems 6th TD of the season off just 16 receptions. Great pass and catch and a perfect example of how the Saints offence seems to click when under pressure. 63 yards in 5 plays in 1.10... Maybe we should play hurry up offence on every drive today?
TD number 6 for the Robert Meachem Stats sheet
Saints 17 Tampa Bay 7 with 28 secs left in the half.
1st down Bucs at their 28.
Freeman to Winslow who is taken down by Jonathan Vilma who has been all over the field today. Ball spiked so 3rd and 5 with 5 to go on the clock.
Leigh Torrence and Roman Harper converge on Freeman for a QB sandwich and sack to take us to half time.
So the Saints are again a little indifferent today. Josh Freeman is enjoying far too much time in the pocket for my liking. We're just lucky he's young and pretty stinky at this point in his career. On the other side of the ball Drew Brees is getting pressured more than is comfortable so it would be nice to calm that side of things down in the second half. Overall we're professional without being explosive. But it's all about chalking up win number 10 and keeping enough of the roster healthy.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Jabari Greer Saints Helmet Player of the Week
Following the propane a lane hum dinger of a ball game on Monday Night Football in which the Famous New Orleans Saints offence took to the skies and out jumped the wingless Falcons I thought it was about time to name my Saint of the Week.
A plethora of options for the Saints Helmet to choose from
Honourable mentions must firstly go out to the main contenders which were:
a) The Entire Saints Offence and
b) The Entire Saints Defence
However the Saints Helmet Player of the Week award is an individual award so the top 5 in descending order are:
Darren Sharper - 5th Place. He made smart plays all over the field and kept Matt Ryan second guessing with his blitz stunts. He deserved the addition to his league leading tally of interceptions that came his way in the 4th and is surely a shoe in for the Pro Bowl barring disaster.
Marques Colston - 4th place. His dominance at going up for jump balls, witness the 2nd Quarter touchdown grab, mean he is Drew Brees' go to target in the Red Zone. Factor in his ability to make the big play, like the deep ball in the 4th, and you have one heck of a contender for the Pro Bowl.
Will Smith - 3rd place. His pass rush efforts forced Ryan to throw before his feet were set on a number of occasions and was rewarded with 2 sacks, 4 tackles and 1 forced fumble (well nearly). It's great to see the big man back as the Saints sack king.
Drew Brees - 2nd place. What more superlatives can one say about Drew Brees? He is simply playing outstanding football and is head and shoulders the best Quarterback in the league in my opinion. His numbers speak for themselves but beyond that he is a leader of men and showed once again that he can put the ball where few others even dare to thread. Truly a Saints Legend in the making.
Jabari Greer - Saints Helmet Player of the Week. It would have been too easy to give the gong to Drew Brees as he realistically wins it hands down week in week out so, to make it interesting, I have gone with the game changer himself, Saints cornerback Jabari Greer.
The interception he returned for a touchdown just before half time was the turning point in the game. It left the Falcons mentally scared going into the locker room knowing they faced an insurmountable challenge in the second half. Up to that point the Falcons had been playing pretty good football so Greers' interception firstly stopped a promising drive that could have levelled the scores and secondly increased the points difference to two touchdowns.
The Saints secondary as a whole has been so impressive as a unit this season that it's a pleasure to award one of their kin the award for the second time this season. No longer do I have to hide behind my giant foam hands any time an opposing QB takes to the air for I know that in Jabari Greer, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper and Tracy Porter, who also came up with a game changing pick, we now have a secondary that helps make us a genuine contender. Roll on the Panthers!
A plethora of options for the Saints Helmet to choose from
Honourable mentions must firstly go out to the main contenders which were:
a) The Entire Saints Offence and
b) The Entire Saints Defence
However the Saints Helmet Player of the Week award is an individual award so the top 5 in descending order are:
Darren Sharper - 5th Place. He made smart plays all over the field and kept Matt Ryan second guessing with his blitz stunts. He deserved the addition to his league leading tally of interceptions that came his way in the 4th and is surely a shoe in for the Pro Bowl barring disaster.
Marques Colston - 4th place. His dominance at going up for jump balls, witness the 2nd Quarter touchdown grab, mean he is Drew Brees' go to target in the Red Zone. Factor in his ability to make the big play, like the deep ball in the 4th, and you have one heck of a contender for the Pro Bowl.
Will Smith - 3rd place. His pass rush efforts forced Ryan to throw before his feet were set on a number of occasions and was rewarded with 2 sacks, 4 tackles and 1 forced fumble (well nearly). It's great to see the big man back as the Saints sack king.
Drew Brees - 2nd place. What more superlatives can one say about Drew Brees? He is simply playing outstanding football and is head and shoulders the best Quarterback in the league in my opinion. His numbers speak for themselves but beyond that he is a leader of men and showed once again that he can put the ball where few others even dare to thread. Truly a Saints Legend in the making.
Jabari Greer - Saints Helmet Player of the Week. It would have been too easy to give the gong to Drew Brees as he realistically wins it hands down week in week out so, to make it interesting, I have gone with the game changer himself, Saints cornerback Jabari Greer.
The interception he returned for a touchdown just before half time was the turning point in the game. It left the Falcons mentally scared going into the locker room knowing they faced an insurmountable challenge in the second half. Up to that point the Falcons had been playing pretty good football so Greers' interception firstly stopped a promising drive that could have levelled the scores and secondly increased the points difference to two touchdowns.
The Saints secondary as a whole has been so impressive as a unit this season that it's a pleasure to award one of their kin the award for the second time this season. No longer do I have to hide behind my giant foam hands any time an opposing QB takes to the air for I know that in Jabari Greer, Darren Sharper, Roman Harper and Tracy Porter, who also came up with a game changing pick, we now have a secondary that helps make us a genuine contender. Roll on the Panthers!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Saints Giants Half Time - what a game!
Brees deep to Meachem and the Saints continue where they left off. However the Giants hold the short running game and on 4th and goal they deny Thomas over left tackle. Is this a game changer? Giants ball.
Oh my... oh my what a game. 2 plays after the goal line stand and another momentum shift as a Roman Harper blitz strips the ball from Manning and Shanley recovers all the way down to the 7 yard line. Unbelievable. So the Saints have another crack at it with 18 seconds to go.
1st play battered down pass from Bree's. 1st incompletion in 16 attempts for Bree's.
2nd play - TOUCHDOWN REGGIE BUSH!! Hand off from shotgun and Bush gets to the corner.
Saints 34 Vs Giants 17 at half time.
315 total yards of offence for the Saints. Perfect football match up and everything we've been waiting for. Bree's 17 of 20 for 247 yards and 3TD's at the half against a top top Defence. They've scored the same number of points in two Quarters as the Giants have allowed all season!
Tune into a TV near you now to catch the rest of this game as it is on fire. The Kings of Leon should change their song lyrics to reflect this game!
Read the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Quarter Saints Giants In Game Posts by clicking on the Blog Archive in the right hand menu, select October and then find the Quarter you require.
Oh my... oh my what a game. 2 plays after the goal line stand and another momentum shift as a Roman Harper blitz strips the ball from Manning and Shanley recovers all the way down to the 7 yard line. Unbelievable. So the Saints have another crack at it with 18 seconds to go.
1st play battered down pass from Bree's. 1st incompletion in 16 attempts for Bree's.
2nd play - TOUCHDOWN REGGIE BUSH!! Hand off from shotgun and Bush gets to the corner.
Saints 34 Vs Giants 17 at half time.
315 total yards of offence for the Saints. Perfect football match up and everything we've been waiting for. Bree's 17 of 20 for 247 yards and 3TD's at the half against a top top Defence. They've scored the same number of points in two Quarters as the Giants have allowed all season!
Tune into a TV near you now to catch the rest of this game as it is on fire. The Kings of Leon should change their song lyrics to reflect this game!
Read the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Quarter Saints Giants In Game Posts by clicking on the Blog Archive in the right hand menu, select October and then find the Quarter you require.
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